Big W delivered a very, very large broadsheet sized glossy catalogue to my home on Wednesday, heavily promoting a 42″ Sanyo plasma TV for $794. On arrival at the store yesterday morning at 9am, on the first day of the sale, I was told by a smiling shop assistant that all of the TVs had sold out nationwide at 9am — with no rainchecks, or replacement stock to be made available. Nowhere in the catalogue does it state that the item is in limited stock, but wording within the catalogue implies that it should be available until the 6th August. Calling their customer helpline, I was told that they were getting hundreds of complaints an hour about the lack of stock, and a very unhappy customer base. Is this a huge corporate case of bait advertising? How could they have possibly underestimated customer demand, as they claim, with this price point, and heavy advertising? I for one wasted my time this morning, and I will think again about wasting my time shopping in Big W again!

Early this morning NSW Maritime started erecting a big security fence to keep volunteer restorers working on the MV Cape Don, from accessing their ship. Maritime is already kicking them off their berth at Waverton on August 14 but until then volunteers will have to go by dingy. How safe is that!

Australian television had its highest moment last night, on Q&A . An audience member was overheard, “even the Queen has a wee.”

I just received a bizarre email — looks like a cat is running in the next WA State Election —  bazilcat.com …