I didn't think this was the idea... certain of Sydney's businesses enjoyed quite a windfall during last week's World Youth Day event. Adult Business Association spokesman Chris Seage said the boom in business had taken brothel owners by surprise. "The brothel owners are having to put on extra girls to meet the demand," he said. Could this be part of the $231 million "mojo maker" that The Sydney Chamber ... Read full entry

Preparations for World Youth Day events at Sydney's Randwick Racecourse are in full swing with work now taking place around the clock. The racecourse is floodlit through out the night and the off-white lights cast what seems like a golden glow over the site. Sound tests of the audio equipment have been in progress this morning, and ... Read full entry

Now I thought Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore was a catholic. I remember walking passed the St Francis of Assisi Church in Paddington, Sydney, one Sunday some years ago, and seeing Clover standing outside chatting with the parish priest, after a service. I was therefore surprised to read that Clover is now blocking the use of Sydney's Hyde Park after World Youth Day organisers failed to pay ... Read full entry

On the subject of Tim Tams, pilgrims attending the World Youth Day event in Sydney next month will share almost one million Tim Tams between them, among a range of Australian fare that also includes lamingtons and meat pies. On the [Catholic] church's food shopping list for World Youth Day is 990,000 Tim Tams, Wagon Wheel Biscuits and Kettle Chips, 1.5 million tea bags and coffee sachets, ... Read full entry

Signs like this have started springing up around the local streets, in the vicinity of Randwick Racecourse, in recent days. I know Pope Benedict XVI needs to park the Popemobile somewhere when he arrives here for World Youth Day, but in reality the so called "special event parking areas" strike me as being futile. First up local residents and ... Read full entry