On The Spot

What would you accept for payment apart from money?

What The Luxury Car Tax Dishes Up

A new tax regime will put more prestige cars on the menu, writes Barry Park.

Taste For Luxury

A new tax regime will put more prestige cars on the menu, writes Barry Park.

Pull The Plug On The Old Gear

Andrea Jones looks at how high-end appliances are turning kitchens into the coolest room in the house.

Glamour's On The Menu

High-end appliances are turning kitchens into the coolest room in the house.

A Rear-end Salute To Departed Us Forces

RESONANT VISIONS: CONTEMPORARY VIDEO FROM LATIN AMERICA NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, until August 17 ngv.vic.gov.au SILENT RUPTURES Centre for Contemporary Photography (CCP), 404 George Street, Fitzroy, until August 30 ccp.org.au

Plug In The Next Big Thing

Nissan hopes we all go electric and save the planet, writes Andrew Heasley.

Charging Into The Future

WITH GLOBAL WARMING WEIGHING ON THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS, NISSAN THINKS ELECTRIC CARS ARE THE WAY OF THE FUTURE. ANDREW HEASLEY REPORTS FROM PORTUGAL.

Court Victory In Suicide Case

THE widow of an accountant who took his own life at the couple's Mornington Peninsula home has won a major legal victory against two police officers who earlier failed to take him into custody.

Little Ticker With A Big Heart

After driving Volkswagen's latest attempt at a green car Brent Davison suggests we are in for an exciting ride as we try to save the planet.

Your Letters

Support enough for all FROM recent Herald reports it seems to me that those at the top of the tree at the Knights and the Jets do not have a problem with each other's existence.

Accc Probing More 'green' Ad Claims

AUSTRALIA's consumer watchdog is investigating more cases of potentially misleading "green" advertising. Origin Energy, one of the companies pulled up by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for so-called greenwashing, has warned other businesses to "err on the side of caution" when spruiking their green credentials. ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said more companies were being checked after the ACCC's recent actions against Saab, EnergyAustralia and Origin.

Hawks First To Switch Off Mute Button

LIKE a car with a potato wedged into its exhaust pipe, Hawthorn and the Kangaroos played a game at Telstra Dome last night that screamed but for a long time allowed nothing out. It was football with the mute button on.

Choking On The Smoke

THE old Astra had seen its 10th birthday but, judging by the looks of the smoke belching from its exhaust pipe, would not make 11 without major heart surgery. We see them every day on the way to and from work or heading for the supermarket or even dropping or collecting the kids to and from schoo

Bumps Ahead For Top Teams

With five rounds of home and away games left, the top of the ladder has taken on the shape of a Formula One starting grid. The Bulldogs and St Kilda occupy the front row with 12 wins, North Melbourne and Sydney are just behind them on 11, and Richmond and West Coast are nudging their exhaust pipe

Ford To Make A Zero-polluter

The zero pollution car, emitting nothing more harmful than water vapour from its exhaust pipe, is less than three years away. The Ford Motor Company will begin limited production of the world's first fuel cell cars in 2001, Ford's global president, Mr Jacques Nasser, announced last night in Franc

Eunos 800 Sp Dressed To Thrill

Mazda has introduced a limited-edition version of its Eunos 800 in a bid to lift the car's image, reports Alastair Doak. Is there a better way of getting a car noticed than fitting bigger wheels and tyres and sticking a big, fat exhaust pipe out the back? Mazda obviously doesn't think so as it h

Attitude Key To Asher's Career Rise

The main beneficiary of Asher Thomas' Apprentice of the Year award is parked on the front lawn of his Bellambi home. Asher's pride and joy is a black 1964 EH Holden complete with wide wheels and gleaming exhaust pipe. The $3000 prize money, presented by the Metal Trades Industry Associa

Bean Counting

Bean There Done That, The Life And Times Of Rowan Atkinson by Bruce Dessau Orion $29.95. Riding on the hot exhaust pipe of Mr Bean's success comes a book teasingly billed as the first illustrated celebration of Atkinson's talent. Sadly, there is more "times" than "life"

Ted's Back With More Bullpitt

IT'S BEEN more than a decade since Ted Bullpitt was last spotted polishing the exhaust pipe on the Kingswood but don't worry, he's just moved back into your neighbourhood. There's a little more grey in the hair and Thelma's flown the coop but nothing keeps old Ted Bullpitt down. He's taken