In newspaper ads today, the National Australia Bank has announced it is now going to be known as "NAB". I know banks generally have a bad reputation for charging excessive fees but did the National really have to choose a name that means, among other things, "to seize, grab or snatch"? Should we be keeping an eye on our wallets?

Jeeves has been sacked. The perfect butler, inspired by a character from P.G. Wodehouse's comic novels, will no longer be the face of the Ask.com search website from the end of February. The official corporate-speak reason from Ask is that they are "repositioning our brand".

I've just discovered that there has to be a link in my blog for my podcast to be successfully syndicated. So, for the record, my first podcast can be found here.

There's been a lot of talk about media convergence, and it is often spoken of as if it's still a long way away. A few recent developments suggest otherwise:
* The most popular podcast in the UK is hosted by a newspaper, The Guardian, rather than a radio station.
* Australian radio's Macquarie network (owner of 2GB) is offering a video news service.
* Google has begun auctioning off advertising space in traditional printed magazines.

It's a long time to spend at school ... the BBC is already gearing up* to celebrate the 30th anniversary of schoolyard soapie Grange Hill in 2008. (*Media Guardian link requires registration.)

Last night saw the opening of I Don't Want to Die in Melbourne, Lorna Bol's "modern mortality play" about two women who feel they are losing control of their destiny through age and illness - and decide to do something about it. Produced by the Forgetting of Wisdom Collective, the bittersweet comedy deals with the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's and emphysema. Without giving too much away, the 70-minute play provoked a lot of conversation and soul-searching in the foyer afterwards. Starring Kaye Stevenson, Bev Langford, Penny Everingham and Bob Newman, and directed by Leo Wockner, it's on at the Sue Benner Theatre (formerly the Metro Arts Theatre) in Edward Street, City until February 25. Details about the season, which includes many matinees, are available on 3002 7100 or at

When I was working at the now-defunct Sun newspaper, a Brisbane publicist used to do the rounds with a young bloke in tow, touting him as a great country music guitarist, singer and songwriter. His name was Keith Urban and he found the going tough in his home state at a time when no mainstream radio station would play his songs. So, he packed up his bags and went to Nashville. That was about 15 years ago. Yesterday, Keith Urban won a Grammy. Congratulations, Keith, and to the other winners, including U2, Green Day, Kanye West and Kelly Clarkson.

Eddie McGuire has been confirmed as CEO of the Nine Network. McGuire, 41, has big shoes to fill - and a huge job ahead of him, with Nine behind Seven in the ratings. I met the man briefly over lunch last year and was impressed by his confidence and forthright manner. Whether that adds up to success at the highest level of management, though, remains to be seen.

Another day, another awards show. The Grammys are imminent. The BBC has a form guide here [Feb 10 update: this has now evolved into a story about the winners], suggesting Kanye West and Mariah Carey are hot tips, and the results will presumably pop up sometime soon on the official site.

You may have heard about the new Chaser series coming to ABC Television. Here's a scene we may not see: Cole inquiry witness Charles Stott being asked to sign a large cheque made out to Saddam Hussein. Mr Stott and his legal team were not amused.

First Bert Newton, now another old Graham Kennedy sidekick has been signed by Channel 9. However, in the case of Ugly Dave Grey - whose "Dick" jokes were a highlight of Kennedy's Blankety Blanks in the 1980s - it's just a one-night stand. He will feature on a special "Kings of Comedy" series of the quiz game Temptation. Other comics to appear over the week, starting Monday February 13, are Adam Hills, Mikey Robins, Trevor Marmalade, Peter Moon, Jean Kittson, Vince Sorrenti and Corrine Grant.

Sunshine Coast radio station The Heat 96.1 will relaunch today as Zinc 96.1. The star attractions are Jamie Dunn and Jo Beth Taylor.

A musical about the life of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher promises, among other things, to reveal the contents of the "iron lady's" handbag. Details here.

Is this the beginning of the end of the "free" internet? AOL and Yahoo have announced a "certified" email system where they will guarantee delivery for a fee. They are, of course, saying it has benefits, such as cutting down on junk mail and phishing. A cynic would suggest that Yahoo and AOL, which both have multiple strands of income already, are taking a leaf out of the banks' book and simply inventing another way to make money.

If you haven't seen the latest email doing the rounds, here's some quotes attributed to George W. Bush. I submit them without comment:
"The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country."
"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."
"I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future."
"The future will be better tomorrow."
"We're going to have the best educated American people in the world."
"For NASA, space is still a high priority."
"Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children."

Attention Harry Potter film wannabes: The role of Luna "Loony" Lovegood has been cast. Evanna Lynch, 14, who will start filming soon, is the talk of her school. "It's every girl's dream to be working with stars like Daniel Radcliffe," head girl Tara Gufferty told CBBC's Newsround.

Ricky Gervais, the British comedian who hit it big with The Office, is set to make it into the Guinness Book of Records for hosting the most-downloaded podcast. The Guardian has the story here and the podcast here.

The internet is a marvellous and addictive thing. I stumbled upon a quote from the Little Britain voiceovers, and then decided to Google some more. Here, for no particular reason (except that they amuse me), is what I came up with:
"Britain, Britain, Britain! Population one millions. number of towns, nine. Average height, thirty."
"Britain, Britain, Britain! A bloody lovely place to live. Discovered in 1972, lost in 1974, then found again a few years later hiding under Belgium."
"We have exported so many great things around the world – slavery, hooliganism and Starlight Express."

Brokeback Mountain has won the best adapted screenplay prize at the Writers' Guild of American Awards. Crash won in the best original screenplay category.

Menopause: The Muscial is all set to open at Brisbane's Twelfth Night Theatre and, if its overseas and interstate success is any guide, it will be a runaway hit. But will Australian audiences ever get to see Thalidomide!! A Musical, which is now playing at London's Battersea Arts Centre? The show, written by and starring thalidomide victim Mat Fraser, is described by The Sunday Times's Benedict Nightingale as "neither tasteless nor likely to be a great success".