Aussies! Check in here!

[warrior queen]

Season's Greetings to all!

Slightly late, but in my defense I have been incredibly unwell and am now waiting for surgery in late Jan.
I hope you all managed to catch up with loved ones and friends for Xmas
Let's hope that 2022 brings some kind of normality to our lives again - if you call living with covid 'normal' - and that we all stay well and safe as we move forward

 

[darkelf9]

Season's Greetings to all!

Slightly late, but in my defense I have been incredibly unwell and am now waiting for surgery in late Jan.
I hope you all managed to catch up with loved ones and friends for Xmas
Let's hope that 2022 brings some kind of normality to our lives again - if you call living with covid 'normal' - and that we all stay well and safe as we move forward

Hey WQ,

Sorry to hear you have been unwell. Hope this year is a better one for you. Not good that the COVID numbers are so high, but hopefully those numbers will reduce once people get back to work and the festive socializing period is over.

 

[darkelf9]

A Happy New Year to all, well lets hope anyway.

Given the COVID numbers in both NSW and Vic today you would be forgiven for thinking COVID is running a muck and that we are in a worse situation now than we have been since this all started. The 35K numbers in NSW seems crazy but it seems they are going for US type daily numbers. Wouldn't be surprised if they don't get to 50K daily numbers in the next 2 weeks. Given we just had NY, it takes about 2 weeks for numbers to rise. So who knows where it's going to get to in NSW. Here in Vic is are just over the 17K today which is big jump from just a couple of days ago. Not sure how many of those are from people travelling into Vic. It seems a coincidence that the high numbers in Vic only came after travellers from NSW were allowed in for Christmas.

Like NSW a number of our testing clinics here in Melbourne get shut down early in the morning. Was driving across the city the last two days and saw several road side signs saying testing areas are closed. This was at 10:30 am. Just saw on the news that Danny Boy has purchased over 40 million rapid tests which they are giving out for free. Something Smoko wasn't willing to do. Once again Danny Boy isn't waiting for the Feds. He is going it alone and sure it will increase the debt but one thing he has done right throughout COVID, he is willing to spend the dollars to tackle COVID. Unlike Smoko who with Josh keep looking at the bottom line. Yet another fuck up by the Feds in dealing with COVID. They are just not people friendly. It's all about the dollars.

Well The Jackass gets to play at the Aussie Open without having to be vaccinated. Another case of money talks. It would be a huge money spinner for the Aussie Open to have him here. If he was no. 100 in the world, the organizers would not have made the effort to help him get around the medical requirements. If he comes here and infects other players, they will not be happy. It has the potential to shut down the tournament. Also the players who went thru the process of being vaccinated will feel ripped off. But due to the politics, the current players aren't speaking out. What the crowd will do when The Jackass steps out on the court, well that will be interesting. He doesn't give a shit about anyone or anything but himself. Another case of different rules for the rich and famous. All those Aussies stuck OS who still can't get into the country without being vaccinated would not be happy.

Spent the first couple of days this week at the other property basically sweating a lot even though the temps haven't been high. Found new issues to resolve and scrubbing stuff. Waiting for the tradies to come back. One more task to do that will cost dollars, otherwise it's stuff I can do. Just means long tiring days. Then spending 2 hrs a day driving across city. But did buy more cake on the way home. Found a cake shop still open at 7pm. Well I had to get something positive out of the day. Plus was in a bit of pain and cake always help with that.

Will be down at the local Dan Murphy's to buy my birthday present tomorrow. Technically not my birthday till Sunday. Also get to apply for my Seniors Card. Got a birthday card from the local Vic MP, but no money in it just an application form for the Seniors Card. Basically telling me happy birthday you old bastard.

Have been watching the cricket but the rain in Sydney has kept the players off the field most of the first session. Might be a rain impacted test which would suit the Aussies.

Hope the start of the year has been good for you. Just received an email from people I went on a Contiki tour with in '88, so that was a blast from the past considering none of these people kept in touch all these years. May be COVID has rattled a few cages. Have kept in contact with those who made the effort.

 

[missswannie]

Second week of the New Year and companies are starting to go back to work this week and next. It's actually been a bit of cool respite for the past few days with the sea breeze coming in. Back up to 37 tomorrow, so it might be a before and after the office visit to the beach. Lots of bbqs, dinner by the river or beach, and all of the fun. Of course that goes on through May here so you might talk about the unproductive months that creep into WA as people enjoy life a bit more than thinking about work.

Big lines around the place with the kids getting vaccinated this week. Most seem to be aware of whats happening and pushing their parents to get them in, a bit of peer pressure serving well for a change. I can't blame them, they are sitting ducks. I know a few school teachers who are planning lessons out under the trees on days that are not too hot. They are supposed to have the kids inside when it reaches 37.

There is now a big push by small business here to delay or impede opening up on Feb 4. Nice turnaround from being the vocal pushers for it. I think there will be very few family travelers but a whole heap of job seekers trying to get mining and construction jobs on the pay differential. Is it in the interest of the average west aussie to open up? Not really in comparison to what they have now. It doesn't mean anything to the economy here and unemployment is at a low. I don't know they will change it but maybe keep it really strict on testing for entry and allowing all the international uni students to start flowing back in for first semester as the first cab off the rank then ease it as peak infections finish over east during the month.

Next month I will start drawing a salary again. Apart from expenses I have left everything in the company "just in case" for the past two years. Other than people leaving of their own volition, noone has been forced out of a job. We didn't qualify for jobkeeper or any of the other schemes, so have just kept it rolling along. I think it is time to start putting something in my own pocket again.

There was an interesting alert out today. People were being warned that in the coming months any case of deliberate infection within disabled people's residential centres would be treated as suspicious. This was from intelligence that had come in. Now we all know over the years of "merciful ends" that have happened in these places, with some parents being honest about it and others facing some investigations. It was the same option given to us when my dad was in palliative care - would we like someone to walk around and then just sedate rather than treat the resulting infection. I was mortified at the time, his outcome was already only a one way street, but they were concerned he was hanging around a bit long. It was an unfortunate insight into health fund funding mechanisms of private hospitals and the 30 day at a time approvals system.

Still sad the next Ashes test match is in Hobart and not here. May it rain because it definitely won't rain here. Not a bad outcome in the last. There is a bit of spine and fight coming through to make it exciting again.

A nice security treaty with Japan just signed will be interesting. Only their second and a long time in negotiations, hung up upon, well, hanging. I'm not sure how they got around that, but it would seem silly to think an Aussie based there would escape a date with the hangman if they committed murder. There have been special forces detachments from them over in the west for a few years now. I can't see how it will be useful for army deployments but perhaps airforce and navy might find it easier having a runway and a port at the other end. The subs out of Perth go up into Asia along the trade routes before turning around and coming back, so maybe they can go all the way to Japan now and refuel there. NW Cape is getting some big infrastructure expansion up there which has to be powering something new.

Anyway, for all those remote enough enjoy the continuation of summer, for all those in the thick of it, stay on top of things.

 

[Horny_Aussie_72]

Greetings from Sydney

G'day all - 49 M from Sydney here - Just dropped in to say g'day and see what's cracking, and to see how many like minded Aussies there are here.

Happy to chat.

Have a good one.

 

[darkelf9]

G'day all - 49 M from Sydney here - Just dropped in to say g'day and see what's cracking, and to see how many like minded Aussies there are here.

Happy to chat.

Have a good one.

Welcome to the thread,

Hope you guys in Sydney are dodging COVID as much as you can.

Stay safe.

 

[darkelf9]

Second week of the New Year and companies are starting to go back to work this week and next. It's actually been a bit of cool respite for the past few days with the sea breeze coming in. Back up to 37 tomorrow, so it might be a before and after the office visit to the beach. Lots of bbqs, dinner by the river or beach, and all of the fun. Of course that goes on through May here so you might talk about the unproductive months that creep into WA as people enjoy life a bit more than thinking about work.

Big lines around the place with the kids getting vaccinated this week. Most seem to be aware of whats happening and pushing their parents to get them in, a bit of peer pressure serving well for a change. I can't blame them, they are sitting ducks. I know a few school teachers who are planning lessons out under the trees on days that are not too hot. They are supposed to have the kids inside when it reaches 37.

There is now a big push by small business here to delay or impede opening up on Feb 4. Nice turnaround from being the vocal pushers for it. I think there will be very few family travelers but a whole heap of job seekers trying to get mining and construction jobs on the pay differential. Is it in the interest of the average west aussie to open up? Not really in comparison to what they have now. It doesn't mean anything to the economy here and unemployment is at a low. I don't know they will change it but maybe keep it really strict on testing for entry and allowing all the international uni students to start flowing back in for first semester as the first cab off the rank then ease it as peak infections finish over east during the month.

Next month I will start drawing a salary again. Apart from expenses I have left everything in the company "just in case" for the past two years. Other than people leaving of their own volition, noone has been forced out of a job. We didn't qualify for jobkeeper or any of the other schemes, so have just kept it rolling along. I think it is time to start putting something in my own pocket again.

There was an interesting alert out today. People were being warned that in the coming months any case of deliberate infection within disabled people's residential centres would be treated as suspicious. This was from intelligence that had come in. Now we all know over the years of "merciful ends" that have happened in these places, with some parents being honest about it and others facing some investigations. It was the same option given to us when my dad was in palliative care - would we like someone to walk around and then just sedate rather than treat the resulting infection. I was mortified at the time, his outcome was already only a one way street, but they were concerned he was hanging around a bit long. It was an unfortunate insight into health fund funding mechanisms of private hospitals and the 30 day at a time approvals system.

Still sad the next Ashes test match is in Hobart and not here. May it rain because it definitely won't rain here. Not a bad outcome in the last. There is a bit of spine and fight coming through to make it exciting again.

A nice security treaty with Japan just signed will be interesting. Only their second and a long time in negotiations, hung up upon, well, hanging. I'm not sure how they got around that, but it would seem silly to think an Aussie based there would escape a date with the hangman if they committed murder. There have been special forces detachments from them over in the west for a few years now. I can't see how it will be useful for army deployments but perhaps airforce and navy might find it easier having a runway and a port at the other end. The subs out of Perth go up into Asia along the trade routes before turning around and coming back, so maybe they can go all the way to Japan now and refuel there. NW Cape is getting some big infrastructure expansion up there which has to be powering something new.

Anyway, for all those remote enough enjoy the continuation of summer, for all those in the thick of it, stay on top of things.

Hey Misswannie,

Hope this year is better for your business. The closure of businesses is still happening here in Melbourne. The constant restrictions with every wave of COVID has certainly knocked around businesses. The big boys of course are fine. The Feds are giving people the impression everything is fine and we can get back to normal business, but the reality is totally different.

 

[darkelf9]

Morning all,

Spent the first three days of this week over at the other property working outside in the heat and sun most of that time. Got a lot done, need to go back to Bunnings for more supplies to finish off the garden beds and cut more trees. Had to clean venetian blinds as well which was such a pain in the arse job. In the end had to take them down and just scrub them outside in the heat. Just lots of sweating for three days. Felt like I was back at work doing those 10hr days. Not getting back home till after 7pm. The only positive has been the traffic both ways across the city has been light. Normally the highway I drive home on has all four lanes full till late into the evening. Expecting all the normal traffic back next week. Will be over at the other property again next week. Need to organise one more tradie task. Hopefully can sort that out next week. With the issues prior to Christmas in getting tradies, not sure how busy they will be. Either way have lots of cleaning to do in the mean time and may be some more painting.

Applied for my Seniors Card today. It was rather painless applying on-line. Interesting that if you apply on-line all you need to provide is your medicare card details, but if you use the paper version you need a stat dec. I don't get that. So I'm now legally a Senior. Someone asked me if I feel different now that I'm 60, nope just can't believe I'm actually 60. Purchased a different single malt scotch for my birthday. Couldn't get the normal one I buy. Cost me about the same price. Just so happens the person in Dan Murphy's that I was talking to used to live on the Glenlivet estate and her whole family is involved in the business of making scotch. She was able to give me the entire history on the scotch I purchased. Thought I'd share the pic which also includes the Haigh's chocs I purchased just before Christmas. Still have most of those chocs since I bought so much food and cake for Christmas and New Year's. Don't normally do that. Haigh's is one of the best things to come out of SA apart from the wine of course. Haigh's has been an institution here in Melbourne for many years. The other one which has been in Melbourne for many years is Darrell Lea. Their Rocklea Road is amazing.

Went shopping yesterday for the normal grocery run and unlike what I saw on the TV I didn't find any shortages in fresh vegies or fruit. The main issue was meat. No issue with the packaged crumbed stuff. The items that were hard to get struck me as odd. For example men's deodorant was nearly sold out as well as liquid soap refills but there was plenty of soap. Other odd things missing from shelves. Of course the normal issue with toilet paper. Lots of married women hunting and gathering toilet paper. It's certainly not single people pillaging shelves of toilet paper. If there was a lack of low alcohol beers and chips, then yep uni students are bulk buying but there is plenty of that stuff. The larger supermarkets like Coles and Woollies were mostly out of toilet paper. Went to one of the independent supermarkets and there was plenty. Must have different suppliers. So have enough toilet paper to last a while. Seems every time I put toilet paper on the shopping list there is some crisis with toilet paper. May be next time I just don't write it down. The universe must be spying on my shopping list.

So no doubt everyone has been aware of the Novak issue here in Melbourne. Initially the Fed's looked like the bad guys as there was lots of sympathy for The Jackass. However it seems not everyone kisses his arse not even in his own country. More evidence keeps coming out that The Jackass broke his own country's COVID rules by going out after he was notified of a positive COVID result. He was notified before he went out to those events in his own country. Nobody believes he didn't check his messages about his COVID results. Then it turns out he went to Spain and was caught having a hit out on a court. The Spanish govt claims they don't know how he got into the country with being COVID positive. His management initially said they didn't know about his movements, but The Jackass himself admitted his management fills out all his travel docs. So his management lied to everyone. Now it has been found he made a false statement in his immigration forms. He signed it so it doesn't matter who filled it out. It does say on them that by signing those docs you confirm that all the information is correct. Now he claims it was human error. So The Jackass has made fools of the govt's in three different countries. There is enough evidence for the Fed's to cancel his visa. We lock up asylum seekers and refugees and toddlers for no reason other than fleeing conflict yet we have an open door for rich sports people who think they can flaunt COVID rules which everyone else entering the country have to comply with. The Serbian PM initially came out strongly on The Jackass's side, she looks like a fool now when told he broke the health rules in Serbia. Smoko talks tough when it comes to locking up toddlers born in this country but it seems he has no control of the borders when it comes to rich entitled fuckwits. So much for securing our borders. The Jackass has proved you can game the system, all you have to be is rich and a celebrity. All those Aussies that had to jump thru hoops to get back in the country would be so pissed off as well as those Aussie who still can't get back because they can't secure a vaccination. Not all Aussies are in countries where the health system actually works.

Waiting for the weather to cool down. Another day in around the 30 mark. Actually even hotter day with 32. Has been like this since Sunday evening. Humidity all week. Did get a passing shower last night and a cool change but it didn't last. Right now in Melbourne the humidity is back. Have had the fan going since I got up this morning. Looking forward to just veg out on the couch watching the cricket this afternoon. Might have to put ice in the scotch tonight. Normally just drink it neat. Needs to be a bit cooler for that. Cold drinks are the order of the day.

Heard some thunder half an hour ago and just heard the rain on the roof ....and now it's stopped. Hopefully that is the start of things cooling down. Got my booster yesterday so I'm now fully vaccinated again I guess until they tell us we need another booster some time this year. Then there will be more screw ups with organizing that from the Fed's. If the Fed's are going to make the rules for rapid tests then they need to provide them free so people can comply with the rules. This horseshit that people have to find their own is not on. Just like PCR tests. It's the same rules of compliance. So make them free and we can all get on with our lives. Why the fuck are we paying taxes if not for these types of requirements. After all COVID hasn't gone anywhere. These guys couldn't organise a fuck in a brothel. Given we now don't know how much COVID in the community, what is the point of QR codes? We are relying on people to self report. Yep that's going to help govt's make decisions on proper data. Not! The daily numbers are now totally useless. The only thing people can do is moderate their own behaviour. Govt's around the country have lost control of COVID so let's not pretend we can control it. It's up to all of us to ensure we are reducing our risk of catching COVID.

Hope the weekend is good for you.

 

[missswannie]

Hey Misswannie,

Hope this year is better for your business. The closure of businesses is still happening here in Melbourne. The constant restrictions with every wave of COVID has certainly knocked around businesses. The big boys of course are fine. The Feds are giving people the impression everything is fine and we can get back to normal business, but the reality is totally different.

Should be ok. I have a lot of overseas components to the business which has suffered, but enough within Australia and especially everything happening in WA NT and SA to make up for it. The only reason for no subsidies is that we didn't drop too much revenue for too long. Unlike some of the big boys, I'm not looking over my shoulder when the give it back call comes. It should do, outside of travel and international education, business has made a shit ton over here. Hospitality and AG are only moaning because they have to pay Aussie rates plus, and not backpacker and student rates.

 

[missswannie]

I think the Novak saga highlights one of the big problems with this country.

The government made their policy relating unvaccinated players very clear to Tennis Australia (TA). TA did not pass that information on to the players. Was this incompetence by TA, or an attempt to make money by hoping the government wouldn’t be brave enough to fight them?

Novak has been exceedingly dishonest and a real scumbag.

But it is the magistrate who interests me. I am not a legal expert but his ruling makes no sense to me.

Sure the Border Force guy messed up by cancelling the visa 40 minutes to early, yes I can see that on a technicality that would invalidate the cancellation that the Border Force guy did.

But surely that is not grounds to prevent the government from immediately canceling it again on exactly the same grounds as the first time.

The ruling seems to be: it was cancelled 40 minutes too early so the idea of canceling it because he is not vaccinated is wrong.

I strongly suspect the magistrate was not impartial. Whether he is anti-government, anti-vax of just a huge Novak fan I do not know, but his ruling does not seem reasonable. That an unelected, possibly biased person has so much control over government policy is wrong.

It's a curious affair. I'm not sure of the government approach this second time around. Undoubtedly there are a pair of Border Force people who's next roster will be looking at sheep ships down at Portland instead of Emirates flights. You would think that unvaccinated when there is a mandate to be so to enter the country would be reason plenty. Just say leave and rescind the 3 year no entry clause to make it a straight forward direction, no hard feelings. This other stuff is a bit open to opinion to send to a court. I'd be more concerned if you were creating judicial precedents for this sort of stuff.

 

[summerlurvin]

Hi all, it's been a while since I was on here. Hope all of you are keeping well.

Much happening here on Literotica?

 

[Writer_FM]

Novak

I'm not Australian, but I want my Lit friends down under to know I was glad to see your government show integrity and send Novak Djokovic home. It was the right thing to do and, in the end, they had the guts to do it. Good on ya! (I used that correctly, right?)

 

[Younghungbroke]

Checking In

24M from the Gold Coast here, feel free to PM me. Hope everyone is having a good day.

 

[Horny_Aussie_72]

Welcome to the thread,

Hope you guys in Sydney are dodging COVID as much as you can.

Stay safe.

Sorry the delay in the response... For some reason I am not getting notified... But thanks for the welcome...

 

[darkelf9]

I'm not Australian, but I want my Lit friends down under to know I was glad to see your government show integrity and send Novak Djokovic home. It was the right thing to do and, in the end, they had the guts to do it. Good on ya! (I used that correctly, right?)

Yep you said it correctly. We have lots of names for people like The Jackass. "Loose tool" comes to mind meaning someone who just does stuff not caring about others and puts others in danger. That's the mild definition! He wouldn't last long in an Aussie bar outside the big cities.

Interesting how now the French are thinking of following Australia's lead in banning tennis players for the French Open who are not vaccinated. Since The Jackass has been deported, he now can't enter the country for 3 yrs. So that could end his career here in Australia for any future tournaments.

 

[darkelf9]

Afternoon all,

Well the heat here in Melbourne has not left. This crap has been going on for two weeks now. Only the weekend saw us get a couple of cool days which was nice. Have been out in that heat several days each of the last two weeks. If I was in my own place I wouldn't be out there in that heat. But I'm pushing on with getting to the finish line for tasks on the other property. Will be over there again next week doing a couple of small painting tasks. Not what I want to be doing with temps in the low 30's. Have done that before with sweat just dripping down my arm making a noise as it hit the drop sheet. Didn't know what the noise was at first. Sounded like a dripping tap. So lots more sweating to come. The only positive is that anything put on the washing line dries in a few hours and it all toasty like it just came out of the dryer.

The weather forecast has changed drastically in 24hrs. Yesterday I saw on the long range weather forecast we were going to get rain and thunderstorms on Mon and Tues, now it's totally clear. No rain till the end of next week. That will make three weeks of temps in the 30's. Yet again another unusual Summer. Meanwhile down the west coast the temps have barely got above 25 with those sea breezes. Sounds nice.

Well the Aussie Open got underway without any backlash from The Jackass not being at the tennis. Nobody blinked an eye. All his supporters threatening disruption didn't happen. The booing of Medvedev was not appropriate and frankly people being bad sports. They were all Kyrigos fans. So imagine what would of happened if The Jackass was playing in The Open. Nick didn't do anything to calm his fans down. On the positive news Ash keeps powering on.

Don't watch much of the COVID news report these days. The reporting systems are still playing catch up. The reported deaths is now accounting for several days as is the daily virus numbers. So you don't know whether things are improving or not. All you can do is moderate your own behaviour and think about doing stuff before you do it. We have lots of freedoms in this country, you not attending a party is not the end of the world. Unless you're a fan of The Jackass in which case we'd happily deport you as well.

So the Feds have stumbled their way thru yet another COVID action. They had to be shamed into getting those rapid tests. Here in Vic Danny Boy isn't waiting on the Feds. We are building up a stockpile. And unlike NSW the cops here don't have to get their own rapid tests. All state employees will be able to get a rapid test for free including health care services. The fact that the Feds aren't going after those wholesalers who are marking up rapid test prices is once again the LNP letting the market set the price. Which is total horseshit. The Feds made the rules so they should make rapid tests free. Fuck the bottom line, people's health is much more important. The economy will only come back with a healthy population, not with accountants running the country.

Was rather tired when out grocery shopping yesterday after the activities at the start of the week. The brain was also tired. Was working on auto control. Go to the chemist, the post office and the supermarket. Was surprised to see that the latest item being bulked purchased is panadol. Why? Who the fuck knows. One family was caught at the checkout trying to sneak out a bulk amount of panadol. They tried the old trick of splitting up the checkout quantities with individual members of the family. The checkout person was wise to it. Once again it's families doing the bulk buying. They must be the same people who put 'baby on board' signs in their cars then cut people off in traffic. "My family is more important than yours". Get a life. The human race has devolved from hunter gathers surviving on this planet to a race who hoards toilet paper and pills at the first sign of danger. How we continue to survive as a species is sometimes beyond me. This planet will get on well without us, that is clear.

Hope the weekend is good for you. I've got cake and booze and kabana and cheese. So looking forward to resting up. Will need more beer though with this hot weather.

 

[missswannie]

Bit of a hot spell going on over here. A week of 40+. The pool is very nice to just fall into periodically while I am home. Definitely a must have in some shape or form.

Mid week, just as I was flying back in from up north, the largest cemetery in Perth went up in flames. Clearly a large area of it was not kept up very well and the flames ripped through. Unfortunately with the strong wind there were a lot of embers were flying around the hospital precinct next door so they rolled out the water bombers and flooded it quickly. Which in itself dug a few holes with the water drops and may have revealed one or two resting places. Quite funny. We had a missed approach coming in to land so in doing a quick circuit of the city to rejoin the stack flew within sight of the fire. Quite an interesting keyhole type shape. I'm sure a fiction writer could do it some justice. Not quite big enough to put Clive Palmer and his cohort into though.

Poor Clive, he might be frothing a bit after last night's announcement that the WA border reopening was being put off a month or two to let the Eastern States plague calm down a bit. All the usual suspects being interviewed and up in arms that their holiday plans were now ruined in not being able to get in here quarantine free. Did every journalist in Australia have long holiday plans in WA for February and March? Might be a few RAT tests around by that time. People of WA were not too disturbed by it, kids will be able to go back to school without getting wiped out and mum and dad having to take time off from work to isolate with them.

Not that we don't have anything here. There are a few cases going around from the massage parlour outbreak. Seems the workers at the massage plus negotiated extras type places work 12 hour shifts on different days all over the place depending on what their special talents are. A lot of clients didn't check in on the app so its been a bit hard tracking them all down and telling them they need to go into mandatory isolation and get tested. Cops have even suggested they must have all been down at a pub south of the river that is a known site so thats all they have to tell the folks around them. So lady picks up her daughter just in from Tasmania who caught it at the Hobart airport from a NSW traveller, goes and gets a bit of hair removal done at a beauty spa, spa worker double shifts at a wrist joint (24 hours of that would be serious fitness, or else she has forearms like Popeye), gives it to two clients who both go to different places on the next two days and sets it all in motion. A lot of massages going on and not a lot of people coming forward. Of course queues are pretty short at the testing sites over here so everyone is looking out the window at who might be there as you drive past... Anyway, noone in hospital.

Funny enough, the major supermarkets put the same restrictions in here as they did over east. There are no driver or processor issues here. There seems to be the usual run on toilet paper which is stupid as the Quilton factory is only the other side of the airport. Every butcher in town has full cabinets so just go and visit them. I really couldn't tell you why the two big mobs bring in half their stuff over the Nullabour, but its good to see people are resilient and just go to the local supply.

I don't see too many people self isolating and staying home here. Beaches, pubs, restaurants, retail all seem to being doing well. Iron ore and the other minerals will not be interrupted now so the tax receipts should keep rolling in. I imagine the treasurer was secretly relieved the national economy would still be propped up. Imagine opening up for tourism and then finding the country is on the US and EU stage 4 Do Not Travel list. They aren't coming so that sector is still going to be damaged regardless of open or not.

Serbia got its revenge on Australia for Novak. Rio Tinto's big $2 billion lithium mine in Serbia just had its approvals scrapped. Thats a bit of a poke in the face, although thats listed as a RioTinto PLC asset, not a Rio Tinto Australia one. There will be much wrangling behind the scenes now. He might just get his $6million claim quietly paid.

Off down the beach at 5pm, its still 39C outside. It will be packed.

 

[darkelf9]

Evening all,

Well it's still hot here in Melbourne town. Spent most of the day sweating in the other property doing some more painting. Not that I wanted to, it had to be done, just not in 33 degree heat. Plus the property doesn't have air con so not sure what was worse , inside or outside. Did cool off a bit later in the afternoon today. Not sure why that happened but when I got back to my side of the city, it was still very warm. That damn high off shore from the east coast is keeping the wet stuff from coming our way. Even when it eventually gets here, it's not cooling down in fact the next couple of days will around mid 30's. So I'm staying home. Not working in that heat if I don't need to. We could certainly do with some rain to cool the buildings down. With all this heat that has been here since New Year's we've only had a few days below 25 the entire month. Again this is not normal.

I'm finally cooling down now. Taken a couple of hours. The air con is helping. Even down the west coast is feeling the heat. That place is normalyl cooler than Melbourne by at least 5 degrees in the Summer. Well not this week. The players in the Aussie Open are feeling it. A few of them looked like they were going to collapse. One woman in the stands actually did. But it you're silly enough to sit in those stands in 34 degrees and high humidity in the hot sun with a mask on, well you need to make better life choices.

Haven't kept up with the COVID stuff most of the month due to the work on the other property. Not sure how much of what we are seeing in the numbers is actually what is going on. But you can at least rely on the Fed's to fuck up again. These rapid tests seem all too hard for them. The state govt's around the country are doing their own purchases as it's clear they can't depend on the Fed's even though they are the ones making the rules. Even the schools are confused and it seems nobody is certain what is going to happen next month when schools go back. Not like the Fed's didn't know there was a new school year happening.

Saw a bit of the Dylan Alcot match. He was just too good. So he gets another final and probably goes in favourite to win, which would be a nice send off on his final match. Not really a fan of the tennis till it gets to the finals. Even sitting thru 5 sets is a challenge. Have to switch to other things on the TV for part of those types of matches.

Having an issue with the fridge. First time in 10yrs. Not sure if it's the heat in the house. Seems it doesn't like me opening it too often. Then again it's probably the computer chip in it being too smart for it's own good. So spent some time on the internet looking for local fridge repairers. That's the first task tomorrow since I'll be home now. Worst case I'll just go and buy another fridge. Like I need another task right now. This new year is starting off rather crap, apart from the less tax I'm now paying. Do like more money in my pocket, and it's pension week again so some positives to end the week even if the weather sucks.

Hope you all have a way to get thru to the end of this heat. I mean it can't last for the rest of the Summer, right?

 

[Horny_Aussie_72]

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!!

 

[darkelf9]

Afternoon all,

Well today hasn't gone as planned but the fridge issue has resolved itself and I saved about $130 by cancelling the repair guy who didn't show up then told me he was swamped which annoyed me because he took on the job last week. I think the smart fridge got too smart for itself and reacted to the long hot spell we have had in Melbourne this month. The issue disappeared when that cool change hit Melbourne a few days ago and that high humidity left. Longest hot spell I can remember in recent years. Even when we had that run of temps above 40 for five days straight it cooled off after that. Also no rain for most of Jan which made cooling down the house a real issue. Has been humid in Melbourne for most of Jan. Another humid day again today. Thankfully it isn't going to last. Will be much cooler here from Wed, which I'm sure we could all do with. I'm over Summer now, especially having to do lots of physical work in that heat and humidity.

So since I got up rather early for the fridge guy who didn't turn up, I've been watching the NFL games. Was amazing that the Bengals are in the Super Bowl this year. Really thought they were out of the game, but they found a way to win. Which has been the theme for sports the last couple of weeks. Ash came from behind to win and so did Raffa. Currently watching the 49's and Rams. If the 49's get there then they would be favourites for the Super Bowl, but if the Rams get through then it will be the Super Bowl of the underdogs.

Getting things together for work on the other property later this week. Hopefully this will be the last week of that stuff. Feb has lots of medical stuff for me. So another busy month organizing tasks and an expensive one as well with the medical stuff plus all the bills due in Feb. Don't hold onto the money from the pension too long these days before it's spent again. Feels like I'm not getting anywhere money wise. Can't wait to resolve all the tasks and I can get back to my retirement. Two years of my life I won't get back and I ain't getting any younger. It's like being a young child again where 12 months in time is a major factor in your life. Don't notice that so much in your 20's - 50's. Hope to get my Seniors Card in the next few weeks.

Had a blast from the past earlier in the month. People getting in contact after several decades which was interesting. Whether it continues or not only time will tell. Not sure if it's just people coming to terms with their own mortality. Kinda like old people suddenly finding religion again as if it's going to save them from death.

So the recent poles put the LNP on the backfoot. Will that translate to votes is anyone's guess. The voting public had the chance to do something about climate change and rejected that option as tax cuts and franking credits was more important. I totally understand the younger generation being pissed off with the older generations. So it will be interesting to see if the country will collectively care enough to put a govt in power who will do something about taking action on the climate and get the COVID responses right. Continually relying on private industry to make decisions on COVID is not what we need, that's the role of govt. The LNP will never change so the voting public thinking they are suddenly going to do the right thing, is folly. If people trust them again then well the voting public is just as dumb as the LNP think the voting public is. In the recent papering over of the issues regarding the reef. The LNP couldn't even acknowledge climate change was an issue. It was all about getting more resilient coral and dealing with water quality. Fuck all of that money has anything to do with climate change and addressing the cause.

With a new month, hopefully things will get better. The virus numbers look like they are getting better, but who really knows. Not sure why we are persisting with QR codes since state govts are not using them to track COVID. They have announced QR codes are mainly for business to track the amount of COVID in their respective businesses. Most stores don't check whether you've checked in or not. Chemist Warehouse seems to be the only place that has security at the front door checking people as they enter. None of the supermarkets seem to care anymore. My local chemist still checks on people entering their store, but they are the exception.

Hope the rest of the week is good for you. Looking forward to some cool breezes in the next few days. No doubt with Feb still to come more heat will be on the way by next week. Summer can fuck off right now.

 

[missswannie]

Gearing up for the next set of warm days over here. Starting at 37 and gearing up to 39 on the weekend. January was the most amount of days over 40 on record here. Funny enough Marble Bar had the same number of days under 40. Cue all the memes over here of "that's nothing, up in the Pilbara...."

I was supposed to fly to the Kimberley this morning but there was a nice phone call from the airline (Air North) early this morning to say don't come to the airport we are not going to fly today, a recorded message from the guy who was going to be Captain on the flight explaining that with 650mm of rain in a day and 80000 lightning strikes they didn't feel like it was going to be good enough to get in to Kununurra and we would inevitably end up sitting in a metal plane all day at an alternate strip. Let's reschedule or get you sorted out. Nice customer service, all informed, lets all get on with it. Quite refreshing.

A bit like Telstra advertising it's doing us all a nice thing by bringing customer call centers back to Australia. If that's not a sign that the race to the bottom 30 years has ended what is. The only problem in the job market is that people that grow businesses are not the same people as those that have had almost a lifetime now of cutting business and making accounting profits. Which of course you can see in the recruitment pitches and efforts to bring experienced growth people back into the fold. The same folks they cut out over the last decade. Building a supply chain is harder than tearing one down to just in time.

Which is interesting for us in the west. Decision was made to keep everything as it was instead of opening this month and wait for the decline in seed cases in the plague states in the .east to match with booster shots and kids vacc rates. Maybe March when all the RAT orders come in. Just keep having fun, kids back at school so all the non school age kid couples now head off for nice holidays. The big two supermarkets have put the same rules on goods here as they do in the east. Train line is out of action for a month or two, and can't run triple and quad semi trailers the final 1000km to Perth until next week as they wont allow them on Highway 1 without escort vehicles. Price of escort vehicle contracts just went sky high, there's a good gig now. Anyway, supply chain issues they say. Except the local supermarkets don't have supply issues. If you rely on east coast truck drivers to do a run south prior to heading back east because they work cheaper but then are not here then you have played games too much.

Just found out that with the Japanese military coming in, Sasport will be carrying a range of whiskey and spirits under the base supply rules, exempt of taxes. It's already the place to go for running shoes and other sports gear if you know how, but the promise of local pricing on otherwise hundreds of dollars imported goods is going to be interesting. Not that many people know the process so it will not distort the market but all the same... In Japan the US military PX used to ship out goods by courier to families living in the community outside of the bases but conveniently did not check too hard if the shipments were going to US personnel families or just people with foreign names. Same same.

Getting a few clouds in the sky in the evenings again so the big dramatic sunsets are starting up again. We will have to join the zillions on the beach after work for a fish and chips and sunset evening. Maybe Rottnest tomorrow now that the boats with all the school aged kids have moved back to the mainland.

I was at a political fundraiser at a place called Badlands last night. It's a live music, American bbq, outdoor stage and beer garden type giant place. Inner city but hard to get to if you don't know how because of major roads that go around it with overpasses. Formerly a swingers club and meet and meat place. The volcano is still there and I don't think anyone told the regulars that it had changed formats. Oh look, someone is having a swim in the pool around the volcano. The volcano going off used to signify musical chairs until it stopped at the old place but who knows now. Anyway, post May election if the ABC decide to run a story about pollies and staffers swimming in the volcano pool at night, it wasn't this lot I promise.

RBA is having a hard time coming to grips that inflation is kicking in. No surprise if you fill your car up out of your own pocket. Of course if US interest rates go up shortly and ours don't then AUD takes a downward move and imported goods go up in price. Iron ore is still healthily above USD100/ton so that and gas exports are keeping the national accounts going. Hopefully the other side can gradually start pulling some weight again soon, although tourism and education sectors are badly affected by us being on the red list and travel bans so I'm not sure that high rolling sector that everyone wanted is ready to start making plans here. I have to laugh at the European river cruise ads starting to appear on TV during the tennis. Slight problem there is that some of the place you can get on have either no entry to Australians or two week quarantine mandates in place. Fingers crossed that we can see a pathway to get off the Tier one lists again.

If you are familiar with Perth geography then you might know the great rivalry between north of the river and south of the river (leave east and the hills out of it). As wide as Sydney Harbour in some spots with a relatively small set of bridge options, so it cuts diagonally through. Different cultures it seems. North likes its beaches and CBD, South likes its I don't know. The covid spots are all south so lots of eye rolls. The Premier lives in the South, near the naval base where he used to be based, but even he has been spotted looking at places north. There has been a bit of lighthearted debate about setting up check points on the bridges to keep the rub and tug massage parlour outbreaks over that side. There are the creatures that like to say Western Suburbs as a distinct different place from the rest of the north but it's a geographical divide so unless they make a canal to the ocean from Herdsman they can be stuck with North. The south doesn't want to claim the east as part of its zone. The North was aggrieved that the West Coast Eagles moved their camp East, but is merrily trying to redefine what is east and what is not now so watch this space. If you come across a west Aussie, even one that has been out of here for 30 years, just ask north of the river or south of the river and there will be an instant answer.

Behave, be sexy, enjoy your summer, it's the in between zone before and after sporting seasons so unless you are interested in politics and interviews until oval ball seasons go out and do something outdoors for a while. Probably healthier for a while anyway.

 

[missswannie]

Fridges.... Always look for the T rating on the model numbers. T is for tropical and has a higher temperature range.
The biggest thing that goes on fridges and affects the temperature settings is the thermo-resister wire sensor. There are two, one in the fridge wall at the back and another in the freezer. Looks like a set of recessed plugs that allow for the inside wall to come off. Open it up and you will know what it is easily. I have a lady refrigeration fitter who does call out work on an hourly basis. Her advice was get the part from Big Parts Warehouse yourself and then she would fit it. As it turns out it's an easy job. I have had two fridges in the house get another 5 years out of them by changing out one of the sensors. She collects fridges from verge cleanups and the retailer take-away-the-old-one, changes out the sensor by looking at the resistance on it and finding the failing one, then sells them second hand.

Depends if you are handy at it or not. Pain in the arse pulling out all the shelves though.

If a new one, the inverter models with the 10 year warranties are pretty hard to go past. T for tropical though!

 

[darkelf9]

Fridges.... Always look for the T rating on the model numbers. T is for tropical and has a higher temperature range.
The biggest thing that goes on fridges and affects the temperature settings is the thermo-resister wire sensor. There are two, one in the fridge wall at the back and another in the freezer. Looks like a set of recessed plugs that allow for the inside wall to come off. Open it up and you will know what it is easily. I have a lady refrigeration fitter who does call out work on an hourly basis. Her advice was get the part from Big Parts Warehouse yourself and then she would fit it. As it turns out it's an easy job. I have had two fridges in the house get another 5 years out of them by changing out one of the sensors. She collects fridges from verge cleanups and the retailer take-away-the-old-one, changes out the sensor by looking at the resistance on it and finding the failing one, then sells them second hand.

Depends if you are handy at it or not. Pain in the arse pulling out all the shelves though.

If a new one, the inverter models with the 10 year warranties are pretty hard to go past. T for tropical though!

Hey Misswannie,

Thanks for the info. But it turns out it was the build up of heat in the house. It only happened at night which took me a bit of think time to work out why it was happening and why only at night. Once I worked out the why it was easier to find a solution. I figured it was a sensor causing the alarm to go off. Once the weather broke the issue went away. Given the climate change thing we're all going to need a fridge with a Tropical rating even here in the south, and start living underground like in Cooper Pedy. Set for some hotter weather on the weekend so will see how the fridge goes. Just annoying that the thing is too smart for it's own good. Seems everything has a computer chip in it these days telling you what to do.

 

[darkelf9]

Morning all,

Another early morning wake up for me. Not sure if it's the alarm clock body clock or the warmer weather. Feels a bit like going back to work. Just about done with the tasks on the other property so I can get my week days back. Then the next phase of dealing with real estate agents. I do surprise them when I deal with them so let the games begin.

Speaking of games. The Aussies are doing well at the Winter Olympics given we aren't a typical Winter Olympics country. Seems we'll enter any sporting competition. We go nuts over one gold medal when those other countries would be disappointed with just one. However it's amazing that the Aussies are even in the mix for medals since we don't support the Winter games as much as we do the Summer ones.

So the heat is back in Melbourne although for now the nights are cooling off. Was very tired after last week so spent most of the weekend just chilling out. Haven't spent much time doing stuff at my place due to the other tasks. So spent 3 hrs out in the heat again on Sunday hacking stuff in the front garden. Did battle with one of the trees near the house. With all this heat it has got a bit too big for itself so it needed a "trim". However I just added to my already aching arms. Got a pain near the elbow that hasn't gone away for a few weeks now. Who needs a work out!

So Smoko seems to be getting his days of reckoning. If he thought the run up to the election was going to be good, he figured wrong. Obviously someone in the LNP is gunning for him. Also seems the Lib's and Nat's are at war again. Can only think that the initial text message leak came from the Nat's then the Lib's outed Barnaby. Seems the LNP is determined to keep drilling holes in their own boat. Meanwhile Albo is just smiling his way to the election. Why do anything when the opposition is eating itself. The attempts by the LNP to buy votes thus far hasn't gone well. Everyone knew they were holding back funding for the election campaign so people are rather cynical about what they are now funding. Having to call in the military to save the aged care sector is pathetic. If that isn't the sign of a disaster I don't know what it is. You only call on the military in a crisis and as a last resort. Sends the signal that the Fed's don't have a clue how to manage the aged care issue and don't want govt to find a solution. Even the Minister who is in charge can't admit there is a crisis in aged care. Like when Gladys couldn't even say the word "lockdown". The LNP never admit their failures. Why the fuck Colbeck is even in the job is beyond most people. His past performance shows he doesn't get it. Seems the LNP can't see why people are pissed off with how they are failing to manage aged care. They do realize that they are going to get old right?

Getting so pissed off with Lit that I have to sign in so many times just to post something. Not sure what is going on but it's fucking frustrating. They need to fix that issue.

Have been looking at Youtube music lately, especially the Playing for Change videos with artists from around the world. Not sure how long that's been going on. May be due to COVID, but it's good stuff. Can lose several hours just looking at the different videos. Normally a blues guy but like other stuff, although Opera just leaves me cold or bored, kinda the same thing. Just listening to The Dead South, funny guys and a catchy song.

So the weather here in Melbourne is set to get to 36 by Sunday. A cool change is due on Wed, but with no rain again. Then back up to the 30's on Sat which goes into next week, so Feb is ending like Jan started with temps in the 30's. No rain predicted in the 7 day forecast, the Summer pattern is repeating.

Have been checking out the Seniors Card which I received last week. Got a new PT card, just annoying that it takes 10 days to get the money transferred from the other one to the Seniors one. Like really! Why can't it be done at a train station? Have been able to do it with the normal Myki card. We have all this technology but it seems the processes are still lagging. I also don't get why it takes 24hrs to update your PT card if you top it up on-line the day before. I was told..."it's the system". Yes but the system was designed by people not some random computer system.

Hope the rest of the week is good for you and you find a way to stay cool in the heat.

 

[darkelf9]

Morning all,

Well it's Valentine's Day for all the loved up people and those bound by tradition. Also a later than normal Super Bowl. Will only see the start of that. Dealing with real estate agents this week so that should be interesting. Curious to find out what are the COVID protocols for buying and selling property this year. Was very restrictive last year.

Well Smoko's apology was rather pathetic. It was more like a tick box exercise to get done before the election. It should of been done well before this year. They even forgot to invite the women at the centre of the apology, until obviously someone in the LNP suddenly had a brain wave to include the women for a photo op.

The cruise industry wants to repeat the virus spreading events that happened at the start of COVID. Yep I'm sure we can trust them to ensure social distancing happens on a cruise ship and restrict numbers. What could possibly go wrong?

The LNP are a lame duck. Spending time on religious freedom was just a smoke screen to not deal with a federal ICAC. They couldn't care less that the religious freedom bill was going to cause hurt and fear in the community. It was all just politics and they couldn't care less of the impacts on people in the community.

More discussion on the need for QR codes. They seem rather useless now considering they are not being used for contact tracing. It's mainly for use of the individual businesses.

Now they reckon that COVID shrinks your dick. That's going to scare the younger dudes who reckon COVID is not a big deal. Who needs a scare campaign to get people to get vaccinated. Just link COVID to your bits shrinking. Will really rattle those dudes who reckon they have BDE. They'll have to rename it to SDNE (Small Dick No Energy). By the way BDE is not a thing, it's called confidence. We start attaching a person's value to the size of their dick or boobs then we are a rather shallow society and they'll have to re-think the marriage ceremony. The rings would have to go on other body parts.

So Smoko playing the eukalalee is like Nero playing the fiddle while Rome burned. And like Smoko, Nero was also the cause of the crisis. Interesting how his wife took the hit for the Hawaii trip which means either Smoko gets bossed around by his wife at home or he was hiding behind his wife to once again imply he was the victim of circumstance. Either way that whole 60 Minutes thing looked fake. And at the same time a faction of the LNP makes a threatening phone call to Grace Tame. As to her actions on the day, well lots of people were quick to judge her. Dylan is going to be himself so if any political party tries to tell him what to do, things will get interesting this year. I expect he will call out any BS by either major political party.

The LNP are really getting desperate implying that Albo is being backed by the Chinese Communist Party. Mr Potato Head has stated he has seen information on that. If so then make it public and not hide behind the national security thing. It's like the LNP telling people at the last election that the Labor party is coming for their utes. Total bullshit. Seems the LNP will go to any means to win the next election so it's going to be a dirty campaign and will get very personal. The thing of linking Labor to the communist party which was previously linked to the USSR communist party. The LNP has for a long time claimed that anyone who belongs to a union is a communist.

The heat is back again today. At least it was cooler last night so sleeping wasn't an issue. Expecting some rain by mid week however that is not certain. The temps are cooling off though as the week progresses. Whether it means the temps are getting cooler is not certain. The warmer weather in Melbourne usually hangs around till April so we can expect more days in the 30's in March. The heat usually breaks about mid April. Thankfully I don't have to do anymore work on the other property. Now dealing with paperwork once again. It's come full circle.

Hope the rest of the week is good for you.