The M To Z Of Fantastic Escape Routes

AS REALITY darkens we are drawn to the light of fantasy, and this tough year offers almost too many soft options. Last week this column began a cut-out-and-keep guide to the best escapism of 2009. Here is part two.

Your Week Ahead

A full moon in sensitive Cancer could activate emotional explosions this weekend. And with Mercury going retrograde technological disruptions are on the cards, so until February 2 back up computer files, double check arrangements and don't take risks on the road.

Blood River - Part Eight

Kate, on a river cruise tour on the Danube one year after her husband Larry's death in a boating accident, was shocked to meet him in Vienna. He told her he had survived the accident, but lost his memory until just a few weeks ago. Meeting in secret at successive stops along the river, Larry wanted her to sell up and move with him to Greece, but when confronted by Kate's friend Debra, he admitted he had staged the accident in order to escape a Sydney crime family whose money he had lost. When ...

Digital Solution To Age-old Dilemma

IN THE most remote parts of Australia, one computer can be shared between 100 people, with only a handful knowing how to turn it on.

Seriously Gifted

It's been a great year for new gadget releases. The hardest part is deciding what to buy, writes Dan Warne.

Gearing Up For Footy Fan Patrol

FIJI and France won't be the only teams in action at WIN Stadium tonight as part of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.

A Deep And Meaningful Role

As a key part of the industry, divers are paid well for the hardships they endure, writes Rebecca Martin.

Computer Error Blamed For Qantas Drama

A COMPUTER glitch is believed to have contributed to a Qantas jet's wild ride off Western Australia which left 14 passengers seriously injured.

Little Chip A Part Of Big Celebration

HUNTER United has celebrated the official opening of its branch at Thornton Shopping Centre.

Pedophile Policeman Jailed

A POLICEMAN who kept thousands of child pornography images on his home computer and who kept a provocative video of a young girl in his work locker has been sentenced to more than three years in jail.

High Schools Given 3000 Computers

MORE than 3000 computers have been allocated to 18 of the region's high schools as part of the Federal Government's digital revolution.

Creepy? Perhaps, But It's Not Porn

A NAKED lass with budding breasts looks down at the caps lock key on my computer. Her face seems a bit sweaty but the light is dim, as a beam transfixes her from behind and a soft glow fills out her middle with tender reflections and shadows.

Health Upgrade Gets Poor Diagnosis

THE State Government is grappling with another multimillion-dollar computer fiasco, this time involving a major upgrade of health technology systems.

Slash Fees To Reduce Hecs Debt - Students Union To Seek Inquiry

STUDENTS will call this week for university fees to be slashed and for an inquiry into the economic impact of student debt as part of a national campaign for an overhaul of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme.

Bhutan Makes The Transition To Democracy, By Order Of The King

WITHOUT revolution or bloodshed, the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan became the world's newest democracy, as wildflower farmers, traditional healers, Buddhist folk artists and computer engineers voted in their country's first parliamentary elections, ending a century of royal rule.

You Just Can't Find The Staff These Days

AS THE part-owner of a busy Surry Hills eatery, Matthew Beckwith, 34, is feeling the brunt of a tight labour market.

Literacy Alive And Well In Computer Age

The internet has not, and never will,endanger literacy.