Dusty Plains

"Surely you aren't following a path well trodden by people round my way" Right there is a problem. "Following a path well trodden" ( whatever that is) is no longer an excuse, necessarily.

Spring has sprung and we are finding many Huntsman spiders around our house, hanging around the windows and doors. We do not attempt to kill them but with a broom we just encourage them to move on. Our neighbours, who had dogs and cats, have recently moved out, and now we find holes dug in our lawns everywhere. That means one thing....Bandicoots. They are nocturnal critters and with the warm weather I am wondering if I should leave some dishes of water out for them as we have had basically no rain throughout winter.

Hopefully Covid-19 will be challenged by the assessment of pre-existing, even historic, arrangements relating to immigration. Covid-19 loves immigration, worldwide. Surely, sooner than later the dual-citizenship system will be seen as a relic of another time, another place and another set of circumstances.

No.

Agreed. Nobody has to watch TV. But tell that to the ABC. Down there at 700 Harris Street Ultimo, just marginally out of the Sydney CBD, is ABC HQ Australia. I notice lately that the ABC is very much an outlet for the BBC and other UK programs. The budget cuts to the ABC actually works well for people like us, namely taxpayers, and there is a whole lot of programs, to enjoy good BBC and other British programs as well as other programs from around the world, as well as apolitical local programmes. The greater volume of ABC, which provide reasonably good middle-of-the road programs, is no longer wasting my tax dollar as much as it was several years ago. I am not anti ABC generally, I am being entertained, and at the same time, I do not expect that my tax dollar comes with a consistent theme of "how to vote for a Labor Government" Over the last 5 years or so I have had to pay less for programs related to the usual left wing, loony, victim-based rubbish by people who have never paid taxes to keep the precious ABC on air. The only time I, and anyone else that I know of, watches ABC, is the ABC Kids channel. My grandchildren ( who are little kids) and I, when we get together, we watch Play School, Moon and Me, Teletubbies. and Bluey, together. Then it becomes, around midday, a competition between me and them as to who falls asleep first

I think that Australian Television is just about dead. Its obvious that, there are fewer and fewer "TV" people, in the industry. They have been replaced by advertising hacks and geeks who prefer to sell us products rather than entertainment. These advertising types know exactly what to flog according to the demographic that is tuned into a particular program. Dumb shows flog needless stupid products to people who will fall over themselves to buy. Of course there are the odd gems on TV but they are rare. Agree that "Hughsie" is about as funny as acute appendicitis.

Australia has been operating submarines since 1913 -1914; Fixed it.

Well we (we, being Australians and not necessarily otherwise) have been building submarines since about 1913. I was there in 1999 at Port Adelaide in the "Hangar" for the Collins Class Pig Boats being built. That was a while ago. Yet, any European submarine has just became a rear echelon in world events, has it not??

No. What Contract? I paid the deposit to the vendor and never saw the vendor again and MY bank paid the rest. For goodness sake, who would ever enter into a contract with a real estate agent? Never Ever.

It is a "guise" as you suggest. China wants the resources of Africa, clearly, but it also just wants Africa. China is a friend to weak states. China and has been carrying out that particular dual strategy of conquer and divide among African nations well before Cobvid-19 came into our lives. China pours billions into Africa in a two-pronged strategy, namely to build schools and hospitals, but on the other hand they buy out the resources. There is a third dark strategy whereby China wants to build Chinese-controlled ports and airfields world-wide. China has a also been attempting to be some sort of big brother to Pacific nations, near Australia. That is a concern. Well, at least it was . We (being people in Australia and their government) tactically flooded AZ immunisation throughout the Pacific nations, before China had the same idea and so China is largely not welcome in the Pacific. Lets review. If you are living in Australia then you are already in a low-yield grey war. Forget Putin and NATO. Forget Europe and all that argy-bargy nonsense from the 80's. The actual and real pot being stirred is just to our north. Both the US and the UK also see it that way, namely that both have a new war to fight with an ally who sits right in the epicentre. What could be better? Submarines for a start. I have carefully and considerably stopped buying any product or otherwise that is made in China.

Too much information Rammy?

When I bought the house it was new and we haggled quite a bit to get the best deal. I don't recall signing any contract with the vendor.

Just added more detail for your post. And there are other factors relating to the dumping of the French submarines. The French contract provided very little opportunity for local input, and that was a persistent bone of contention throughout the the so called "deal". While on the other hand, the deal with the USA will see significant local participation in the build, which will be centred on the existing submarine facilities at Port Adelaide.

Agreed, Vaccination before Occupation.

Added to that, the agreement in 2016 was quoted at $60 Billion but rose to $90 Billion, and France had still not been able to provide a firm delivery date.