Thursday 30th March 2023
Today I had an appointment at APM at 10.30 am but was so sick I could not attend. I sent a quick email to them before falling a sleep and waking up around 11 am. I was woken up by a stupid phone call from Transport NSW who were aware of my complaint about NSW Trainlink and knew about me wanting to travel tonight from Sydney to Melbourne. They were of no help at all and all they wanted to know was if I had resolved my booking for tonight. Of course not, I advised them that thanks to them I am having to take the less then desirable overnight bus from Sydney to Melbourne tonight. How dare they ring me on the morning of my departure! I wasn't happy with them and said that I didn't want to talk about it and was sick.
At 12 noon I received another phone call from APM. My consultant got my message but still needed to see me so next Thursday I may have to see them again.
I am going to Melbourne tonight as I have prebooked my transfers and accomodation so I hope I will be ok on the overnight bus. I am coming back on the train on Sat night but only booked an economy saver ticket. I had another look online and the Firefly Sydney to Melbourne bus I booked is now full but the Greyhound isn't - gee I wonder why?! At $205 one way compared to the $95 full fare on the Firefly coach one way - yep it's obvious why!
Ok so what did I think of my first time on an overnight bus Sydney to Melbourne departing from 288 Pitt St Sydney at 7 pm and arriving at Spencer Street coach terminal Melbourne around 6.30 am (it was a 15 minutes late) on Friday morning?f It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. With quite a few stops with the first stop at Liverpool and 2 x 30 minute meal stops one at Yass and the other at North Albury , I didn't leave the coach and tried to sleep as much as possible. It was a little cold. There was a toilet on board but someone overflushed it near the beginning of the trip so it could not be used for the rest of the trip due to hygiene reasons. We had to use the 2 meal stops to use the bathroom and if you needed to go between North Albury and Melbourne which was around another 3.5 hours you could request a special toilet stop. Seat belts must be worn otherwise if something happens and you did not have it on you were not covered by insurance. If you get left behind at North Albury we were warned in advance by the driver that he would not be turning back to pick you up. He made this really clear but he did not warn passengers about this at Yass. I think I got quite a few hours sleep but it is not something I would do again. I rate the Firefly coach service a 7/10. .I prefer the overnight train as you can get snacks and drinks from the buffet car and if one toilet fails there are others to use. You can't walk around on a coach but you can on a train. However one advantage on a coach is free limited wifi and there are USB charging ports at every seat something the xpt train will never have. Oh and access to your luggage is not possible on a coach but on the xpt it is an option as to whether you want to bring your luggage on board with you or check it in especially larger suitcases.
There was adequate legroom but I had a legroom hogging passenger seated next to me in the asile seat - the bus was full. I did not use the free wifi or charging ports ( I really should have) as I ran out of charge on my phone upon arrival.
News headlines today include
King Charles visits Germany where a crowd member tried to hand him a burger chain fake paper crown which he politely refused.
Western Sydney is full was the declaration - as the the number of immigrants increases again after the pandemic, great for employment but without the government supporting new transport health and housing infrastructure the Western Sydney suburbs will not be able to cope Western Sydney is the biggest growth region yet the government has cancelled major transport infrastructure projects.650 000 migrants are expected to settle in Australia this year and next year with most in Western Sydney.
The QLD hospital crisis continues as waiting times for hospital treatment continue to increase as growth of residents in QLD outstrips hospital visits and beds.
Gwyneth Paltrow's ski accident trial continues with a neurological pyschologist from the victim's side testifies. The evidence given was that the injuries the victim sustained basically were sustained before the accident and they could not have been caused by the accident. Great for Paltrow but not so good for the victim.
A 7% pay increase is being pushed by the ACTU for minimum wage workers giving them $57 per week more to keep inline with the increase in inflation and cist of living.
The Obalmas have arrived in Melbourne with their security entourage at The Langham Hotel where they are staying after Barrack's speaking engagement last night. The indigenous guest for the welcome was dropped with accusation she was too difficult causing some contraversy . Barrack would probably not have know about this.
A referendum could be held as early as October for an Indigenous voice bill to be passed in Parliament.
The Pope has been rushed to hospital due to a respiratory infection which tested negative to COVID and thanked well wishes.
The arguement to restrict and even ban TikTok in Australia continues. Australia has yet to follow the footsteps of and restricting TikTok like the US and UK. The US congress recently grilled the CEO of TikTok over its cyber security collection of personal data that the Chinese government could take advantage of, however the Australian government is being cautious not to further anger the Chinese Government.
Shaun the Sheep has landed back in the UK safety from his trip to space.
Medicare cards are about to be made digital to make it easier to link to the MyGov website!?
Friday 31st March 2023
As soon as I arrived at the Spencer Street Coach Terminal it was too early to have a shower at the Travellers Aid as they don't open until 7 am so I went to withdraw some cash ( Westpac has taken out all their ATMs and replaced them with Precinct ATMs which indicate on a sign that they are fee free but when I made a balance inquiry and about to withdraw some cash it asks me if I wanted to proceed with my withdrawal as there would be a $3 service fee so I ended up withdrawing cash from an ANZ ATM instead. I then purchased something to eat from Woolworths - just a hot pastie. No Hungry jacks for me this time not after several food snatching seagull incidents previously.
After finishing my pastie and withdrawing $20 cash, it was after 7 am so I headed to the Travellers Aid to pay for a shower which now cost $10 but you do get a towel ( unsure about the soap bars as I think there is now a shower gel dispenser in each of the shower cubicles) . There was quite a long wait now as several overnight trains and coaches had arrived at the same time Whilst I waited a couple from the overnight Sydney to Melbourne XPT who were lucky to actually get seats on that train also had the same idea to have a shower at the travellers aid. They were here for The Formula One Grand Prixand had booked booked back in January. They spent their time repacking and we discussed types of accomodation - oh how airbnb has changed no longer are they stress free alternative forms of holiday accomodation but now full of dodgey desparate people trying to make an extra buck by advertising rooms that don't actually exist.
I had a shower which took me forever as everything was so wet and I was wearing leggings which are difficult to get into. The lady I was talking to took just as long as she had the same problem - hop hop hop trying not to get her leggings wet or trip on them.
I was going to go to the Formula 1 Grand Prix today as I have never been to one but have no interest in motor sports and there were tickets left but it was all too hard to purchase a ticket online without given out all my details and when I saw the hundreds and thousands of people lining up to get the express trams out to Albert Park I decided not to go. Tomorrow is sold out so there is no way I would be able to go.
Instead I stuck to my original plan of what I was in Melbourne to see and do which include seeing Sugar & Stars or Tenor at the French Film Festival , Eating savoury and sweet treats from from Federation Square's Celebrity Sausage, Bakers Dozen & The Convenience Store at the final weekend of Melbourne's Food & Wine Festival month and to see the Melbourne Now exhibition at the NGV Ian Potter Centre at Federation Square.
Ok I had to find my overnight accommodation. Located on Queen Street, I walked and walked and walked dragging my wheelie bag uphill until I found it. Where is this place? Are we there yet? No! Are we there yet? No! Are we there yet? Still no! It took me ages to get there but I found it. I had to wait ages just to store my wheelie bag. Reception was staffed by 2 and there were queues filling the foyer area. There was nowhere to sit or repack. Finally I was able to store my bag with an option to use the pay lockers or free storage area. I chose the free storage as it will only be for today until I could return to check in. The staff were friendly but am I glad I had that shower at the Travellers Aid! I would have had to wait half a day just queuing to have a shower at the "hostel" in one of their not so clean very wet unisex shower and toilet cubicles!
First stop ( which was a long walk back,) was to check out the final days of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival which ran for the month of March and ends this Sunday. I have been wanting to check out The Convenient Store by Seven Eleven but this is no ordinary Seven Eleven convenient store, it is a pop up just for The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival month of March.Inside this convenient store were rather pricey pimped up snacks and drinks - colabs with chefs and companies such as special make your own coffee bar, a breakfast smoothie machine, a slushy machine , an ice cream freezer chest, a selection of gourmet hot pies and sausage rolls, panattone hot cross buns, gourmet packets of flavoured chips , tins and jars of things, blocks of gourmet chocolate , carton of cocktails, a special boxed dessert which I think was a gourmet pink lamington and some sort of jarred best sandwich spread and the bain marie of 4 different rolls, flat baos, burtitos heated up for you. There was a little outdoor sit down area with a security guard - probably due to the cocktails? So did I have as anything ? I wanted to try almost everything in the convenience store but limited myself today to a pineapple passion fruit and mango breakfast smoothie and a pulled lamb flat bao.
Next stop was to take the tram out to South Yarra Station to the Palace Como cinema. I have been there before but not for quite a few years. I had 3 Myki cards but which ones had money on them? I checked and 2 out of 3 had money one them. The third card had expired and had a negative balance on it. Great. Arriving at South Yarra I stopped off at a chemist warehouse to get some more moisturiser and ask for directions to the Palace Como cinema. I was heading in the right direction. Whilst inside the chemist warehouse a woman managed to somehow drop her coffee cup and flick almost her full hot cup of coffee all over a series of shelves. How she managedto do this I don't know. She did tell staff at the counter and not just walk off snd later 2 staff did clean it up.
After some directions from the Chemist warehouse staff who asked me what I was planning to see , I continue to walk to the Palace Como cinema. There were so many cafes shops and restaurants along the way and I was so tempted to purchase more food to eat but I just had something to eat and drink! I am as lways hungry. At the cinema I used my loyalty card and purchased a ticket to see the French film Sugar & Stars. I quickly went to the bathroom as there was not much time before the movie started but misplaced my ticket. I went to cinema 4 and found my allocated seat but as soon as the movie started realised it was the wrong movie so had to find out which cinema it was the correct one and it had no allocated seating. Cinema 1 I sat near the back and the movie was much better then I thought it would be. It was my second choice film to see but due to the session times and dates, I was unable to see my first French film choice Tenor. I rate Sugar & Stars a 8/10. if you love desserts and long shot chances this film is for you. Based on a true story of a teen raised in the foster care and institutionalised child welfare system who was determined to become someone and make something of himself , it shows dreams can come true with hard work and determination despite setbacks.
After the movie I headed back to Europa on Queen Street by tram and walking, checked in, collected my wheelie bag from the storage room, found my room 115 a 4 bunk shared female dorm, found the only top bunk available in the dorm, repacked my wheelie bag and back pack whilst there was no one else in the room and recharged my phone which was close to 0% charge before just skeeping for the rest of the early evening or tried to at least. Catching up on sleep is not easy. The USB port next to my top bunk had been ripped out and the side night light did not work. Great I will just have to be careful where I put my stuff snd ensure I remember everything 6 am tomorrow morning when I wake up to find and gave a shower. The bunksall had privacy curtains around them but I did not bother to use them. I tried to catch up on my blog but was a little to tired to do so and did not want to waste battery power on my phone as the USB port was not usable.
Whilst I was trying to sleep in the dorm , a guy comes in and I thought isn't this suppose to be a 4 female share dorm not a mixed one? Then I realised that it was just housekeeping snd they were changing the bedding in the below. Why were they changing it so late in the afternoon? I could have had that bed upon arrival if it had been made up instead of the only top bunk available! Someone did end up taking that bed below arriving quite late that night. Then later that evening the person in the top bunk opposite returned and kept watching movies without headphones with the volume really loud. She did not seem to realise that I was trying to sleep in the next bed. Much later her friend returned and they started talking and she only then realised that I was not her friend riggling in the bed next to her all that time. I heard her tell her friend quite clearly how she thought it was her all that time in the bed and how it was a bit creepy. The friend disappeared then came back even later that night asking what time they were waking up tomorrow and setting their alarms for and although they were whispering, it was almost midnight! I did not fall asleep again until after midnight as it was so noisy outside. There is a noise curfew but it was obvious it was being ignored.
When all lights were out and the person in the next bed drew the curtains all the way around her bunk it was pitch black. I had to use my phone if I need a drink from my water bottle or something else.
Sorry no news headlines this morning as I just arrived in Melbourne . Ditto Saturday no tv .
Saturday 1st April 2023
I woke up early 6 am to have a shower not knowing what to expect. I used the closest bathrooms the unisex ones unaware there are actually female ones further down. ( or were they female showers? It looked as if it was a single female toilet only)
So the shower tap was turned to the max on hot which is an obvious indication that the water must be pretty cold and yes it did not get above 25 degrees I so I estimate no matter how long I ran it for and believe me I ran it for a very long time before I actually got under it. The bathrooms were not only a little wet but not very clean. I spent an hour in the bathroom as it wasn't the easiest bathroom to negotiate ie a little squishy.
Next was the free breakfast in the basement kitchen between 7 am and 9.30 am. Make your own pancakes ( I did not have time to but would have likedto as it was free) tfree toast white or brown bread on a conveyor toaster with help yourself butter jam peanut butter vegemite and I think even nutella. Loads of different juices . Overall a great free continental breakfast spread if you have time. I just refilled my thermos with hot water caution the hot water dispense is not at eye level so be very careful you don't burn yourself by over filling as you can't see the hot water level. Crockery and cutlery comes in a set and you pay for it - to cut down on waste. There are only 2 small sinks to wash up but many electric stovetops to cook with one big old style industrial fridge at the end of the kitchen. seating of table and chairs is a problem. I kept walking up and down trying to find somewhere to sit. Rows of shelves are full of guests personal baskets containing their non perishable food and personal cutlery and crockery sets. I wanted to get out of the kitchen asap but forgot my spare empty bottle to fill up with juice as I had stored my suitcase away already so had to quickly get my little plastic fold up cup that NSW trainlink gives out in their sleeper packs and used that to have an orange use with. I washed my lunch box and my punnet of blackberries and put then in my lunch box for later to snack on. That lunch box came in handy. I am almost ready to check out as I repacked everything after my shower. I am charging my phone which I just charged last night yet it is back down to 89%. I am blogging while I wait for it to reach 100%. So what do I rate my 1 night stay at Europa for the first time 4/10 . I don't recommend it. The location is too far from any train station especially Southern Cross which is the main transport hub for all forms of transport especially the Formula One out at Albert Park ( another reason why I decided not to go) , it is really noisy even after noise curfews, it isn't the cleanest - the carpets look as if they are never vacuumed, it took forever to check in and just to store snd retrieve my luggage and there is a queue to use the unisex bathrooms. there are sick people and half naked men in the corridors and even in the kitchen . It just doesn't have the standards a YHA has. The light on my top bunk was not working and there was no USB port as both had been destroyed so I was using my phone's light to get out of bed this morning. Absolutley shocking snd no lift by the way stairs only . There is a rooftop but I did not dare to venture up there. The hostel is dark and the layout is not the best. I can see why the YHA decided to close their North Melbourne building - it's just too far from Melbourne's main hub.
100% charged it is just past 9 am time to leave almost.
After breakfast , I grabbedmy luggage from the storage room and checked out. I did not leave anything behind as it is too far from Soencer St Station to return to.
Onto Federation Square for celebrity sausage, Bakers dozen The Convenience Store amd then on to see the Melbourne Now art exhibition at the NGV Ian Potter Centre.
Ok I drag my wheelie bag with me all the wsyto Federation Square. I walked and did not catch the tram as I get lost on them and they are almost always full. I think I took the tram just a few stops back to Spencer St from Federation Square at the end of today as I was tired and it was a hassle just getting on and off the tram with my wheelie bag but it was too far to walk.
So the following is a summary of my visit to Federation Square ( refer upload of videos on my YouTube channel. )
I think half of Australia was in Melbourne between Thursday 30th March and Sunday 2nd April 2023. I had no idea why everything was so booked out and so expensive. I found out that the Formula One Grand Prix was on at Albert Park. Ok could have squeezed this into my schedule as there were general admission tickets still available on Friday but when I saw the queues all the way up Collins Street from along Spencer St for the trams I decided no - stick to what I came to Melbourne for and that was The French Film Festival at The Palace Cinemas, The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival @ Federation Square to visit The Convenience Store by Seven Eleven, Celebrity Sausage and Bakers Dozen and to see Melbourne Now @ The NGV Ian Potter Centre also @ Federation Square. Let's start with The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival which ran for the month of March and where this is the final weekend of the festival. Some of the events and places of interests are better in stills others on video. I am a little behind on my blogging and YouTube as I am still stick so apologies. Here's a summary of what I liked and disliked at the final weekend of The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival events on at Federation Square on Saturday .
Celebrity Sausage - I was the very first to purchase a sausage from this pop up celebrity sausage sizzle stall. I was set on only 1 or 2 of the celebrity sausages colabs off the menu. I think the favourite was Chrissy Swan's celebrity sausage colab but I was going for either the peking duck sausage or the turkey maple bacon sausage . I chose the duck sausage and boy was I SO VERY disappointed. At $14 , it wasn't even a sausage I received. A single piece of white bread which was suppose be from Bakers Delight, it could have been the local no frills supermarket brand white bread smeared with the thinnest amount of what was suppose to be hoisin sauce - it was almost invisible so who knows what it was and the duck sausage - not even a sasauge but a generic fat frankfaut that looked as if it came from again the local supermaket that was definitely not duck - it was just mystery meat and hopefully not pork . This was topped with a thin long slice of shallot and cucumber which barely stayed on top of the frankfaut and kept sliding off. Absolutely tasteless and a rip off for the time I had to wait and the $14 I paid for it. I didn't even know who the celebrity who colab this celebrity sausage was - Rhys Nicholson - who? I had to Google him. Should have gone to The Convenience store and spent my $14 there. I actually yelled out to the organiser of the pop up that if he didn't open up soon I would go to The Convenience store at 10.30 am when it was suppose to open and there was a queue behind me. I rate it a barely 3/10.
Bakers Dozen - There were more people queuing up for desserts at 10.30 am then there was for sausages. I love my desserts but I wanted to have something savoury for breakfast first or was that brunch. I must have walked around the 2 rows of dessert tents before making my choice. I ended up purchasing both the savoury the sweet option fom the same pop up stall. A cannelle for $6 9/10 and a vegemite curry with laughing cow cheese for around $10 from Kudo 5/10 . It is an acquired taste but I love cannelles . This one was no exception .I could not wait I scoff it down! As for the vegemite curry with laughing cow cheese - everywhere I walked and sat I over heard someone discussing it but how many people actually purchased them to try? I actually didn't think much of it and ended up only eating half of it disposing the other half of it after saving it for my train trip back to Sydney. It was just a glorified everything bagel topped with a blob of curry and I could not taste the vegemite at all and as for the laughing cow cheese - it was no laughing matter.
Finally back to my favourite pop up stall at Federation Square
The Convenience Store by Seven Eleven. What can I say. There are some very yummy snacks here. I wanted more but I think a savoury snack and a drink on Friday and another savoury snack and a dessert on Saturday was enough ( not ). I wanted more. So on Friday I purchased the pulled lamb bao sandwich which was washed down with a mango passionfruit and pineapple ( I think) breakfast smoothie. Loved the lamb but it stuck to the wrapper which was a bit annoying and I liked the taste of the smoothie but the machine failed to pick up my cup and I fon't think it was mixed enough and far too sweet for my taste- it was like a gourmet slurpee. But for $11 and $4.50 respectively much better value then the celebrity sausage. On Saturday I had the plant based roll and a cherry blossom lamington ( must have been popular as I manage to snag the very last one!). Loved them both although the lamington was more apricot in colour then pink. Scoffed it all! ( by the way I spun the Nova FM wheel on Friday and won a $10 voucher so my savoury plant based roll on Saturday only cost me an extra $1). Overall 8/10 Not many bad choices here!
Next stop Melbourne Now I rate it a 9/10 - if you love art like I do especially modern art and mixed media art I really recommend it - no bookings required and it's free.
Well what can I say? Over 200 artists over 3 floors of the NGV Ian Potter Centre, I thought I would run out of time seeing it all - I started earlier and spent quite a bit of time here. I probably missed a few things but with both NGV sites, the layout of the galleries is really confusing and is not straight up and down, I am constantly asking myself what is around the corner? and have I missed a gallery?
Again refer to my YouTube channel where I have uploaded any art installations that are better viewed in video format rather then stills. I took so many photos.
It was late afternoon, I collected my wheelie bag and backpack from cloaking and took the tram back to Spencer Street. I had partially charged my phone but it still needed a top up. There are very few places at Spencer St Station that I could charge my phone but I know there are 2 power points in the wsitingroom ( which were both taken) and 1 near the ANZ Atm so I used that. Ar Spencer St Station there was a few hours until the DFO closed so I had a look around there. I also topped up on drinks for my long overnight trip on the train in the last asile seat in firat class had a toilet stop and sat in the waiting rooms.
Sunday 2nd April 2023
Daylight Savings Ends
I did not sleep much on the train overnight despite upgrading to the very last asile seat in first class seat C20 which had no seat in front of me and therefore no foot rest or seat pocket to store my snacks or water bottles. There were train officers passengers walking up and down between the buffet and carriages A B & C all night hence the constant banging of the foors, passengers from carriages A B & C walking to and from the baffet all night to get snacks and the constant hacking coughs from at least 2 passengers in carriage C all night. I had my blanket over my head and my neck pillow yet I got almost no sleep whereas on the coach I hot at least a few hours sleep despite having the passenger next to me hoghing my leg space.
I arrive back in Sydney and it is pouring with rain with the entire week forecasted for rain. The train is around 30 minutes late and an announcement had to be made dye to passengers a little confused over the actual arrival time due to daylight savings. I didn't even realise it was daylight savings . Was 6 am the normal arrival time in Sydney or the daylight savings times arriving into Sydney? Whatever it was the train was late arriving around 6 am anyway!
News headlines today include
Labor Party MP Mary Doyle wins the Aston byelection a safe liberal seat for the first time in 100 years. Is Peter Dutton's role in jeopardy?
Donald Trump - the propaganda continues who cares just wait until Tuesday afternoon US time to see what evenutates with his court case - I don't be surprised if it is delayed again or thrown out. Trump is crying poor asking not just asking for support / protest but for donations. Looks like his supporters are decreasing. Anyway who cares.
Another tornado has ripped through the US South and Mid West with worst hit Little Rock.The death toll is rising from 26 dead.
Monday 3rd April 2023
Week 5 Day 13 Intermediate Computer Skills Course @ Macquarie Community College Chatswood Computer Lab Room 5
Rain rain and more rain throughout the night and early morning but it began to clear up and remained mostly dry today.
Sorry to all my readers I am still so behind in my blogging and YouTubing. I have uploaded quite a few videos but they are taking a very long time to upload.
News headlines today include
NSW state high schools are set to have a mobile phone ban as per election promise by the end of the year. No details have been given as to how this will work but the reasoning behind this ban is due to poor social interaction and disruptions to learning and studying. Most states and territories except Tas have already banned mobile phones in schools.
Trump has announced a 6 hour press conference at his Florida home for his Tuesday Court hearing. The opposite is happening with donations of support flooding in for his camoaign fund.
Interest cuts could soon be on the cards and property prices start to bounce back due to a slow down in growth and inflation. Will a pause in interest rates or another interest rate hike be announced by RBA tomorrow?
Chaos and carnage at the Formula One Grand Prix as one spectator was injured on the arm by flying large piece of debris from a crash and spectators managed to squeeze through safety fences and barriers to get closer on the track. The event was sold out over Saturday and Sunday with an estimated 130 000 people attending the event. Oscar Piastri turned 22 years old starting at 16 but finishing the Formula One Grand Prix in 8th position.
Prefered prime minister AA leads way ahead at 58% to PD at 26%. SM may resign from government meaning another by election for a Liberal Party seat giving AA another advantage if it happens. The question remains is PD the right man for the job as leader of the Liberal Party? and is his job at risk?
QLD premier AP is planning a trip to China to discuss investment in the Brisbane Olympics . This comes after VIC premier DA travelled to China but was critised for not allowing media into his meetings. A third premier WA Mark McGowan is also planning a trip to China to discuss trade. AA will only travel to China upon China's invitation.
Should Pauline Hansen kick Mark Latham for his homophobic slurs? Already one MP has refused to work with this One Nation MP .
Another computer glitch at Brisbsne airport with baggage handling delays affecting Jetstar and Rex typical for the first day of school holidays.
QLD vaping problem is rising.
A pro war blogger has been killed in a cafe in St Petersburg in Russian after a statute handed to him exploded and killed him whilst hurting others. No one has claimed respondibility
A truck has crashed into a train on the Geelong line derailing it. The truck driver died as a result but no one was injured on the train. Rail replacement buses ran whilst the crash site was being cleared and investigated.
86 year old Pope Frances addressed a 30 000 crowd for a Palm Sunday service in St Peters Square just a day after receiving treatment in hospital for bronchitis.
Tuesday 4th April 2023
Week 5 Day 14 Intermediate Computer Skills Course @ Macquarie Community College Chatswood Computer Lab Room 5
It managed to stay dry again today. After class it was another trip to Coles Local Westfield Chatswood for a grocery shop. Today I actually noticed how expensive groceries are spending almost $70 for not even 2 full bags of groceries.
I finished my assessment questions for this week's modules so feel pretty good about it. Tomorrow I just have to resubmit my answers for marking.
News headlines today include
The main news headline today is all about Trump and his pending court hearing tomorrow, yes there is still 24 hours or so before his court hearing - with what he has actually been charged with who knows as the charges remained sealed. So what exactly has he been charged with if not just the hush money he paid to Stormy Daniels he allegedly had an affair with? Live coverage - Look Trump has left his Florida home! Look his private plane dubbed Trump Force 1 has landed at the closest airport to NY! Look his ( count them all) estimated 17 strong secret service detail entourage are disembarking the plane and loading up the black motorcades! Look Trump has just decended from his plane and is now in one of the black motor vehicles surrounded by some of his security detail! How are they going to get him to his penthouse in Trump Tower where he will spend the night in upper Manhattan? What's he going to do all day before his court hearing tomorrow? Oh he has a meeting with his legal team - what you say? he just hired an extra lawyer to his legal team?! Trump is not taking the stand and has been advised to shut up and stick to the script!?! He must be confident for tomorrow as he has invited a 6 hour media and press conference at his Florida home after the trial! What happens if he is charged - finger printed mug shotted hand cuffed and taken directly to jail?! Yes what happens if Trump is told to "Go to jail! Go directly to jail? Do not pass go!?" He is a former president yet he is being treated as if he IS the president! and What about his donors? His campaign go fund me page has received millions of dollars!!!His popularity is growing not declining. It' not illegal for a president to pay hush money but it all has to do with how he accounted for the hush money . Trump is like a cat - he has 9 lives - at least for now! Business as usual ?! Protestors yep they are around but everyone press included is kept at a distance as to avoid a Diana like chase. What he has 31 charges against him - just as well he is expected to plead not guilty.
Other news headlines include AA has announced overnight that TikTok will be banned on all government devices inline with other countries the UK US Canada and NZ.
There has been a Gold Coast fire at a recycling factory and it is unknown what caused the fire.
56 year old former principal Malka Leifer was guilty on 18 charges, the jury at a Melbourne court said on Monday, including raping a student during a sleepover and sexually assaulting a pupil during a school camp. She was cleared of a further nine charges. She had previously been extradited back to Australia when she fed back in 2008.
AA is still working towards a national firearms registry.
Finland has been pushing to join NATO since Russia invaded the Ukraine and will be the 31st country to join. Hope is Sweden may follow suit
A referendum in France to ban electric scooters has resulted in a 99% yes vote due to the number of accidents and injuries that have resulted in their usage.
Chris Hemsworth's new movie Extraction 2 trailer drops.
Interest rate D day is today. Will the RBA sit on interest rates or increase rates for an 11th time in a row? If they decide to hold interest rates there will be guaranteed further interest rate hikes later to come as inflation is still too high at above 6% where the ideal inflation rate is between 3% and 4% . At 2.30 pm today the RBA announced it will hold interest rates temporarily for this month but there will be future interest rate hikes and RBA Philip Lowe's job is still questionable.
3 Americans ( 2 men and 1 woman) and 1 Canadian have been chosen to fly to the Moon in Artemis 1 when it takes off. If successful Artemis 2 will land on the moon for the first time since the last humans landed on the moon in the 1970's . It's the first time a woman and an African America have been chosen to travel to the moon.
A young newlywed couple and their unborn child have been killed in a plane crash in rural Northern QLD. Bad weather nay have been to blame.
Service NSW has had a technical glitch which they claim was not a hack but did cause personal information to be exposed to other customers.
Aesop luxury Australian brand has been sold to L'oreal.
Hugh Jackman has had another skin cancer scare on his nose.
Wednesday 5th April 2023
Week 5 Day 15 Intermediate Computer Skills Course @ Macquarie Community College Chatswood Computer Lab Room 5
Happy Easter Holidays! Happy School Holidays! Happy College & Uni Holidays!
Donald Trump has been charged with 34 accounts many felony charges.
Was there any other news? yes but it will probably pop up tonight.
Since 3 am this morning it has been all about Trump!
The coronation invites have been sent out to 2000 guests a far cry from the numbers at the Queen's coronation. Fergie is not invited having devorced Prince Andrew and therefore no longer part of the royal family.
Ex Paramatta Eels NRL player and Brownlow medal winner Jared Haynes has been charged with sexual assault ( rape) after appeals. He will be back in court tomorrow for sentencing and negotiating bail conditions as his legal team are likely to appeal the charges. He may also be stripped of his medals. His wife wept in court not knowing how she will cope if he went to jail resulting in Jared Haynes being allowed to be kept out on bail until his next court sppearance in May.
The man behind little Cleo's kidnapping from a WA camp ground has been charged and will spend at least the next decade in jail. His jail time could have been much longer but due to his traumatic background and psychological problems his sentence is more lenient.
A man in outer Melbourne ( St Albans) has narrowly avoided injury ir death after falling off a train platform after leaning over a little too far as a train approaches. He managed to run over the tracks to the other platform and climb up onto it.
Thursday 6th April 2023
News headlines today include ( getting back to normal but not quite as Trump still continues to dominate headlines - who cares)
The latest on Trump is he was advised to kerp his mouth shut but as soon as he arrived back home in front of his private group of supporters he let loose even dragging the judges daughter into his court case.
A cold front over the Easter long weekend is forecasted. Storms are also forecasted - particularly a wet and wild Good Friday.
Poor Tigers - they lost to the Broncos by a long shot now they are coping flak for using stock images of American soldiers rather then Australian soldiers on their new ANZAC day game jerseys. I am sure they were not being disrespectful and it was just a mistake in the detail.
A couple have stolen a platypus from Northern Brisbane ( Morton Bay area) and were seen patting it and showing it off on a train. They have been urged to return it to a vet police station or wild life organisation as it will not survive outside its natural habitat. They will be fined if caught.
Fergie has made a swipe at Harry & Meghan ( who still have not RSVPed to the King's Coronation with a month to go ) - Are they in or out of the royal firm? Fergie is unlikely to attend the kings coronation and happy to watch it on tv with a cup of tea. Meanwhile Prince George will have an important role at the King's coronation and Camilia will be known as Queen Camila after the coronation dropping the Queens consort title 18 yeats after her marriage to King Chsrles giving some breathing room whilst the late Queen Eizabeth was slive.
The Easter Show offically opens it's gates today at 8.30 am today abd will be on for 12 days.
A mass exodus is occurring at airports around Australia today for the start of the Easter long weekend. No delays so far. No need to arrive extra early.
An online video has been leaked from of Magpies player Jack Crisp scrolling through images of women and making derogatory comments as well as references to drugs. There is an investigation into the matter by the AFL.
Margot Robbie's new Barbie movie will premiere in July.
There is a new Bluey series and new music being released.
Has Adele secretly produced a new album? Unlike her previous albums, it is apparently more upbeat.
Peter Dutton has rejected the yes vote for an indigenous voice in Parliament and will not support the PM. He has been criticized by fellow MPs.
Ah the politics of golf. Rival LIV golf players have been invited back to play in the Masters except Greg Norman was not invited given the contraversy of his involvement with LIV.
Mortgage holders are not the only people who feeling the pinch, rental prices have increased at least 10% and increasing with rental bidding due to the housing shortage crisis where demand is outstripping supply of rental properties around Australia.
Friday 7th April 2023
Happy Easter Good Friday ! ( Public Holiday)
Today was a sleep in do nothing day. It only rained in the morning and later at night. The weather forecast was a little wrong. There wasn't really a severe thunder storm today. It doesn't mean there won't be one over the rest of the Easter long weekend.
So today I continued to upload my YouTube videos of Melbourne Now which took forever and is still in progress. I tried to update my blog but still very behind as the autocorrect is still going berserk. I made a lamb shank stew and cleaned out las well as cleaned up my fridge. I sorted my laundry as well. I watched tv and caught up on watching YouTube. Before you know it - the day is over!
News headlines today include
King Charles and Queen Consort Camila celebrate Maundy Thursday ( celebrating the day before the last supper) a tradition from the Queens reign where she gave out commemorative coins that can't be spent to pensioners according to her age. King Charles is 74 therefore he will be handing out 74 coins to deserving pensioners and will be attending their first palm Sunday church service since the pandemic and Queens death.
A warning of a measles scare in the Western Sydney suburbs as an infected baby too young to be vaccinated against measles visits several venues and attended a Wiggles concert over at least an 8 day period whilst infected.
A single engine plane crashes near railway tracks outside of Brisbane ( Hillcrest) flying from Bankstown . The female pilot escaped with only minor injuries but was taken to hospital.
With the Easter exodus at airports around Australia there has been one Virgin csncelled in flight already with no available alternative flights until Monday meaning passengers will need to change their holiday plans. Passengers have been warned to bbehave themselves as AFP patrol airports. Recommendations for passengers travelling domestically are 1 hour prior to departure time for no check in luggage 2 hours prior to departure time with checked in luggage and 3 hours prior to departure time for international travellers.
Stormy Daniels speaks out over the Trump court appearance. He is willing to testify against him if asked.
A family is lucky to escape their home in Western Sydney when it collapsed.
After Liberal party leader Peter Dutton's refusal to support the indigenous voice to Parliament , Liberal MP and former minister for indigenous Australians although he lost his seat , Ken Wyatt has quit.
Hepburn mayor may sue OpenAI for defamation over false ChatGPT claims. If you don't know what Chatgpt is, it is an AI app that everyone is using especially students ( to cheat with assignments) . I use it a lot - a little too much in my current studies. If you are unfamiliar with it here is my explanation of how it defanedthe mayor and why he wants to sue chatGPT however the question is can he actually sue a machine. Remember in the good old days when you would Google yourself to see if anyone has stolen your identity online and written something bad about ybhpou that may not be true or to check you haven't ended up on some unsolicited site such as a porn site? In these situations you can eliminate which ever site organisation or person is defaming you or causing damage to your reputation most of the time as there are humans from organisations and often sponsorship money involved. In this situation if you find something on ChatFPT that has been written about you that is actually incorrect and therefore could defameyou ir ruin your reputation - this information is generated by artificial intelligence and not a human and therefore there are no humans involved and because it is open source no sponsorship money involved hence it could make it more difficult to eliminate whatever information is incorrect that may cause your defamation. I hope this makes sense.
Saturday 8th April 2023
News headlines today include
Leaked photos of military weapon supplies for the Ukraine war from the Pentagon have surfaced on social media platforms Twitter and Telegram. The photos are only 6 days old and although don't detail any military movement plans are being investigated as to whether they are real as the documents look as if they had been altered with more leaked documents found online.
S club 7 member Paul Cattermole has died aged 46 in his London home just 3 weeks after the announcement of the pop group's 25th anniversiary reunion tour. The cause of death is being investigated ( I say drugs or suicide).
Whilst it looks like a beautiful day in Sydney, Melbourne is shovering through it coldest Autumn Easter day in decades.
The Masters golf tornamen has been cancelled in Augusta as wold weather caused 3 palm trees to topple over. Luckily no spectators or golfers were injured. Jason Day is the best performer out of the Australian team.
SA has commission KPMG to future proof ( 10 year plan) the hospital system looking at patient and staff fatigue & numbers ambulance ramping etc . It is not the governments solution to the nation's health system crisis but hopefully it is a start.
Airports have reached numbers that are 90% of pre pandemic levels.
Voting counting is finally complete with Ryde securing the last Liberal seat .
Sunday 9th April 2023
Happy Easter Sunday!
Another beautiful sunny day this morning with a forecasted top of 21 degrees C. It feels warner then that at the moment after a wild windy overnight.
I really don't want to go out again today. So another catchup day today.
I have 2 weeks break from my course so there is plentyof time to do the things I have penciled in my diary.
News headlines today include
A man has been bitten by a croc 3 times in Northern QLD whilst spear fishing. He escaped by poking the croc's eyes with his fingers swimming back to shore where his mates called for help. This is the 2nd croc attsckin a week.
AA and PD have both given their Easter speeches. Meanwhile low to middle income earners will be hit with a tax hikeas of 2st July after the May budget report. The $1500 tax break was introduced by Malcolm Turnbull and reintroduced by SM during the pandemic but Jim Chalmers is scraping it during AA current government in an attemotto curb inflation. The increase in taxes will affect 10 million Australians but will reduce the government debt. This will mean thr government will have to come up with other means to assist Australians with the raising cost of living offered by the government in the upcoming Federal Budget in May.
Jason Derulo has been spotted at the football. It is unclear ehich team he was barracking for.
Monday 10th April 2023
What a cold morning. No wonder it was 11 degrees this morning but felt like 6 degrees C. Still beautiful outside though. No rain forecasted for today.
After Friday Saturday and Sunday in hibernation at home I had to make myself venture out.
I took the bus to Chatswood where there were more buses to Lane Cove then there were to Chatswood!
First stop Woolworths where I did the majority of my shop. Next stop was Priceline as I needed more cortesone oilnament and some alternative antihistamines more tailored towards skin allergies rather then just hayfever ( I am suffering from this as well as my eyes are starting to get itchy and my noise is starting to run ocassionally).
Onto Chemist warehouse as I needed some more vitamin E cream and also some mouthwash which is almost half the price as Coles and Woolworths for a 1 L bottle.
A naughty portion controlled of KFC popcorn chicken and chips snack bucket ( what's with my sensitivity to salt? It's causing my lipsand mouth to burn or itch?)
Home after a long wait for a bus, I unpack my groceries and it was 1 load of laundry to wash x 2 and dry taking up the rest of my evening before going to bed. I watch my regular tv shows The Cook Up and 8 Out Of 10 Does Countdown.
I took my rubbish out to the bin but all the red bins were full so I stuffed it in the large red bin. Another red bin was full of Coles bags full of rubbish and there is still someone leaving bags of cans or bottles in a coles bag outside of the yellow bin which was also full. All bins were just full. Someone put all the bins out later except the green bin. That was nice of them and the correct thing to do.
News headlines today include
The new and final Indiana Jones (Indiana Jones & The Dial Of Destiny) franchise premieres in May at the Carnes film festival and in Sydney in June. This will be the 5th and final film in the series that Harrison Ford will appear in.
Taylor Swift has broken up with her long time boyfriend of 6 years.
AA has been invited to join the mistpowerful alliance pNATO conference along with Japan South Korea and NZ. Not members of NATO the 4 Asia Pacific countries will be known as the AP4 partners. They will discuss growing indo pacific issues ( ie China's growing closeness to Russia, it's growing presence to Taiwan - with recent military exercises too close to the Taiwanese Island after the Taiwanese ) .
Another large blaze to a building South of Brisbane. There were 4 businesses in the building with the fire starting around 4.30 .
The Pope has attended and addressed the Easter service where thousands attended on a beautiful day in Rome.
The royalty family has attended an Easter services for the first time led by King Charles with Prince Andrew present. The dress code seemed to be shades of blue.
Tiger Woods has had to pull out of the Mastersin Augustadue to aggravating injuries. Australia is not doing so well with a very slimchance of Jason Day
QLD has a manhunt for a 27 year old male on bail for drugs importation charges. He cut off his ankle monitor and is armed with an AK47 which he fired random shots at a several businesses and residential properties before alledgedly setting fire to a house.
People are urged to be patient at airports and on roads as the school holidays start and people return from the Easter long weekend. Meanwhile QLD is considering bringing in driver retesting everytime drivers renew their licences in the form of questions to answer videos to watch or bookletsto read in order to bring diwnroad fatalities.
Thredbo has seen it's first snowfall of the year ahead of it's ski season in June.
Tuesday 11th April 2023
A forecasted partly cloudy 25 degree C day today, I don't plan to ventureout today as it will be another catch up day..
Let's talk about the tubbishbin situation again!. So glathe garbo strike didn'tvaffect the Lower North Shore area. All bins were emptied and someone actually took them back in this morning however their good deewas undone mid morning when the maintenance man came and he decided to put the big red bin and blue bin was put out again along with the green bin and another green - where did this 2nd green bin come from? Since when did the property have a second green bin. Yes there was one that popped up from nowherepre COVID but it disappeared. This is so annoying now as someone has to pull the bins back in. Why are the 2 bins red and blue bins full again ? They just got emptied this morning !
I watched a lot of tv today and am still catching up on my blog. I still haven't done my laundry as I am cleaning the apartment and cooked a "tray bake" as well as roasted unpeeled potatos ( old school wrapped in foil the oven) today.
News headlines today include
A girl from South of Brisbane has been mauled by a dog. The dog has been taken away and she is in hospital recovering from multiple bite wounds after her uncle recued her as was climbing a fence.
Frankston serial killer Paul Denyer is eligible for parole today after spending 30 years in prison for the murder of 3 women in the early to mid 1990s. During his time behind bars he has been transistioning to become a female. Victims' parent are furious about his possible release and think he should remain behind bars for life in the event he will offend again.
The guitarist of ABBA has died from cancer at the age of 70 and is being remembered for his contribution to the pop group's music.
The first authorised documentary ( not bio pic) of John Farnham has been released with his family's blessing although they are not involved in it's day to day production.
Alec Baldwin will not have to show up for his prelimiary hearing for the accidental shooting on the set of Rust.
Taylor Swift has change the list of songs she will be singing on her tour replacing some songs with breakup songs she co wrote with her now ex.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will be briefly travelling to Washington DC for financial guidance. from global economic conditions before returning and preparing decisions for the May budget.
An estinated $5 billion in tax revenue could be lost due to people not quiting smoking but purchasing cigarettes on the black market and turning to other forms of smoking such as vaping.
US president Joe Biden has hosted the years old traditionof the Easter egg roll hinting short that he will run for the next presidential elections.
South Australia is again leading the way to a more modern government announcing that they will use more gender neutral pronouns using "they" and "their" instead of "she" or "him". Even "The King" will be referred to as "The Monarch" instead. This decision has come with support and criticism with some thinking the SA government should be concentrating on more pressing issues such as the housing crisis.
Residents of Northern Western Australia is bracing for cyclone Ilsa hoping it will continue it's path swiftly offshore instead of hanging around the region causing widespread destruction. Residents have already begun preparations by securing belongings.
There have been another 2 shootings in the US in Louisville Kentucky one at a bank where as lone gunman started shooting . 5 people were killed including the gunman who was a disgruntled bank employee who was about to be sacked. He knew when and where the bank was operating when he opened fired. The other shooting was where 1 was killed outside a local college unrelated to the bank shooting just down the road.
The Beach Boys have been honoured by a concert for 6 decades of their music with no shortage of singers performing live covers of their songs.
QLD is the only state where ID is not required to be verified when alcohol is purchase online. The QLD government is planning to crack down on this by introducing a delay between order and delivery times and possibly introducing RSA training to its currently unregulated service industry to decrease the amount of under aged drinking and alcohol addictions.
As garbos from Cleanaway go on strike for 24 hours residents in some NSW regions and Canberra will see their bins fill up and unemptied. The strike is over pressure to work harder and quicker as well as over weekends.
Liberal Shadow minister Juilan Leeser quits the front bench over the disagreement over "The Voice In Parliament" vote and referendum later in the year.
Latitude Financial will not pay a ransom demand from their recent cyber attack.
Woolworths is selling Shepherd avacado for under $1 each due to oversupply due to a bumper crop. ( Shepherd nowhere near as good as Hass avos)
A woman has been found with multiple stab wounds in an apartment in Mascot. Her oartnerhas been charged with her murder ( Unsure if this is correct as news reports on the tv report he was questioned and released by police and was found performing CPR on her - he remains a suspect as they appeal to the public for any information or witnessed anything)
There has been an increase in teachers leaving the profession due to student violence. The lack of respect, no career progression along with other factors such as low pay has resulted in a shortage of teachers. The workforce of teachers is aging and there no senior to junior mentoring of teachers resulting in the quality and standard of teachers and teaching declining. There is an increase in truancy and a marked difference in the standard of education between regional and city bsse deducation. There are complaints that the school curriculum is becomingtoo top heavy and needs to be stripped back to the fundamentals of reading writing and arithmatic however subjects such as music sportand art should still be offered.
A driver in a truck crashed into a tree after suffering a medical episode in Menai South of Sydney. He was treated by paranedics snd was believed to be delivering bread rolls to MacDonalds.
Wednesday 12th April 2023
There are possible showers and a top of 24 degrees forecasted for today. It was a little wet on the road this morning but no sight of rain. Blue skies are out st the moment.
News headlines today include
Someone has won the OzLotto multimillion dollar jackpot overnight.
Milions of fixed interest rate mortgages are about to expire so it's time to shop around refinance or find a better deal with better cash incentives. So many financial institution are offering more competitive rates with incentives. Mortgage holders could be making repayments upto 65% northen their current rate .
The housing market is starting to pickup again . 273 suburbs property prices rose in Sydney which is partly due to low supply of housing and increase in immigration to Australia who need a roof over their heads.
A 13 year old girl from Lilydale has dies taking part in a new trend called chroming where dangerous aerosols are inhaled to get a high. The teen suffered a cardiac arrest.
2 garbage tips are being scrounged around Brisbane in search for a missing retired school teacher who was particular about her and neighbours recycling habits. It is thought that this may have been the result of her death where her body was dumped into a wheelie bin and picked up by a garbage truck before being dumped at a tip. Witnesses are being encouraged to come forward and neighbours questioned. It will take quite a while for police to scrounge through both rubbish tips.
The Matilda's have won over favourites England with a 2 goal win ( thanks to Sam Kerr was she limping off the field ? & Charlotte Grant) after Englands 30 game wins . A great result leading up to the Women's FIFA World Cup hosted by Australia later in July this year.
The IMF ( International Monetary Fund) has forecasted a grim global future with inflation continuing to remain high, umemployment to continue increase over the next few years and GDP is slowing. All this will affect the next May budget's decisions in Australia.
Tupperware is on the brink of collapse as shares plunge 90%.
Famous Australian artist John Olsen dies at 95. He has won the Archibald prize and was apparently still painting over the Easter long weekend before his death.
Airforce 1 has touched down in Northern Ireland with US president Biden making a very brief stop to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Peace Deal with a careful soeech before crossing the border to the Republic of Ireland om to meet his Irish relatives with his son and sister. Biden is proud of his Irish ancestry.
Thursday 13th April 2023
It started off a clear day but the clouds moved in and it turned grey and rained in the morning. It is not raining now but still overcast. I have not ventured out again today. Last night I was up late working on modifying a template which I hope to use and attach to one of my performance tasks for the course I am currently doing.
News headlines today include
Prince Harry has made a late RSVP and it is confirmed he will be attending the King's coronation but on his own without zmeghanand the kids as they stay behind in the USA to crkebrate Archie's birthday. It will be a brief visit and he will not be joining the rest of the Royal family on the balcony afterwards. It is unsure if this means Harry has received an apology from his father and brother. ( I wonder where he will be staying now that he has been evicted from his home Frogmore Cottage)
The little girl that was severely mauled by s dog and is in hospital was mauled by his grandmother 's dog. The grand mother is s registered dog breeder hiwevert apparently this is not the first time her dogs have attacked.
Jim Charmers is now in Washington for the IMF conference. A grim global economy on the brink of recession and with a slow down in growth where inflation will remain high for some time to come. Australia's unemployment rate remains at 3.5 %, growth has slowed down inflation is still high and the AzuS$ is still sitting at around $0.66 against the US$. Banks have different views of future interest rates with one saying there may be 2 interest rate cuts between now and the end of the year forecasted whereas another predicts more interest rate increases. The RBA meanwhile has admitted that they have not handled interest rates very well since the pandemic.
The new Metroline extension out towards Blacktown is in trouble and needs a bailout. The NSW government will be coming to the rescue. Rail replacement buses will be an inconvenience for commuters if there are enough bus drivers to man these rail replacement buses which could last for up to 5 years.
The remaining 3 nursing homes ( Sylvania Carringford & Narrabeen) owned by Wesley Mission will be closing in May due to staff shortages and changes to the aged requirements where a certain number of staff are required for 24 hour care of residents at aged care facilities. These 3 nursing homes are obliged to find new homes for all it's residents however this has already been subcontracted out . There is already a shortage of nursing homes. Staff at these nursing homes are now redundant. 200 residents, staff , relatives and even the minister is appalled by the short notice of eviction given.
As Joe Biden reconnects with his Irish ancestors, he has been accused of being anti British as he only spent 17 hours in Belfast to celebrate the Good Friday Peace Deal. Biden is a strong Catholic and will spend 3 days in the Republic of Ireland.
Hugh Jackman & his older wife Deborah Lee Furness celebrate heir 27th anniversiary.
Cyclone Ilsa was initially a category 2 cyclone was upgraded to a category 3 with winds of 200 km/hr then 4 today. Now it is a category 5 and residents are urged to leave and seek shelterwith winds of 325 km/hr.
500 000 people have visited the Royal Easter Show with the show ending on Monday 17th April.
Friday 14th April 2023
Another nice day today although a little overcast at times. Temps are around the 20 degree C again.
I had to venture out today for grocery shopping as I was out of juice yoghart water bread and other things.
Priceline Coles Local and Woolworths Metro were my main stops.
Home and I didn't do much except research things on my phone. My allergies and skin do not be improving despite moiturising and some cortesone.
News headlines today include
Adelaide is hosting the first Gather Round of AFL where all 9 AFL games featuring all 18 AFL teams bh ave sold out. Adelaide would like to hold on as host of this event and think they have the adcsntage of location being close to VIC the state of AFL however WA is also interested in hosting the next event. The event has been a total hospitality success story so far with most accommodation and restaurants and bars booked out saving the tourism industry.
A man has been arrested for stabbing a paramedic outside a Maccas in Campbelltown. A 21 year old man has now been charged for murder after the paramedic died from the injuries. He leaves behind a wife expecting their second child. A go fund me oaghas been set up. The paramedic was on a meal breskwhen the stabber opened the back door snd stabbed him. The paramedic'swork colleague was ableto call for emergency assistance tsking the injured paramedicto hospital and police tasered the stabber before questioning him extensively over the stabbing.
There has been religious discrimination in QL D at private Presbyterian schools where students that are in sexual relationships outside of school and marriage , gay or other undesired religious beliefs are not made school capt as insfor example.
Meanwhile QLD is still considering the bsnn inj ng of phones in schools. All states and territories have banned phones during school and NSW is set cv to follow. QLD is waiting for more national standardisation regulations of not allowing mobile phones in schools as the no phone regulations in schools vary from state to state. It is thought removal of phones will decrease student distractions during classes however there are still instances such as medical conditions where students must have their phones with them at all times.
More retirement villages are set for closure due to the government's new staffing regulations where a senior registered nurse must be present overnight at aged care facilities. That's 10 000 registered nurses still required which is estimated to take 10 years to fill these positions.
Cyclone Ilsa is now downgrade from a cat 5 to a cat 4 with 218 km winds blowing lasting 10 minutes as it hits landfall.. Heavy rain and flooding is forecasted as the cyclone moves away from Northern WA towards the NT. It is already raining in the NT.
A American 21 year old equivalent to being in the Australian defence force reserves, has been arrested over his role in leaking the military information on the internet.
Kelly Clarkson has released a new single
Celine Dion has released a new song "Love Again" for a new movie where she plays herself with 5 songs. This is the first music since last December when she was diagnosed with stiff persons syndrome which could see her turn into a statue.
Dame Mary Quant dies at age 93. She was know as the mother of the mini skirt.
Saturday 15th April 2023
Happy Orthodox Easter!
A sunny 24 degrees today.
Today I was planningt o go to the YHA AGM at 11 am at The Big Dig but have decided not to as I still have a lot to do and am still very allergic.
Should I go to the Easter Show tomorrow, the second last day? $48 is quite expensive. I suppose it is better then going on the last day as most things will have started to be dismantled by then.
News headlines today include
There were 2 shootings outside of Brisbane overnight however it is unknown whether the 2 shootings were related.
A European space agency has launched a rocket to oribit Jupiter and its 3 icy moons , the rocket is not expected to reach Jupiter until 2031.
A 55 year old man has been arrested from Bondi for selling state secrets to foreign spies.
Trump has promised that if he is re elected he will stop prohibiting gun laws. Meanwhile he is back with his legal team discussing his other fraud charges. (who cares)
Sunday 16th April 2023
Today it isovercast but I had to venture out. First to take out my rubbish to the bins ( they are all full again!) and grocery shop again as I am totally out of moisturiser hand cream manuka honey and other bits and pieces. I also have the other batch of laundry to do when I get home.
It is an overcast day today but so many people are out and about at Chatswood.
News headlines today include
There is a worsening state of health care which has seen a discrepancy where there is only 35% of GPs offer bulk billing clinics compared to 82% according to a the federal government. 1 in 10 GPs aren't even accepting any new patients which is making it more difficult for people to see a GP. The average out of pocket cost to patients is $40 for 15 minute consult. The current government has blamed the previousgovernment for neglecting the Medicare system which now needs to be fixed.
Coles credit card ( Mastercard) customers have been affected by the Latitude cyber security attack. It is still unknown how many customers have been affected from this attack and who .Those affected have not been offically contacted yet.
Blondie and Blink 182 performed at Coachella overnight.
The Japanese PM has survived a bomb scare.
Caroline Kennedy has gone for a surf in QLD her first offical visit to the state as US ambassador to Australia.
Dad of the 1966 Beaumont murders has died aged 97 .The case of the disappearance of the 3 children has never been solved.
Protests have emerged at the grand national horse race in the UK but were stopped by police before the parade began.
It is the 10 year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings.
Today is the judging of the best in show dogs at 2.30 pm at the royal easter show.
After a request for a recount of votes for the last electorate of Ryde. There was an extra 4 votes with Jordan Lane winning the Liberal seat
Monday 17th April 2023
Last day of the Royal Easter Show Kids Day.
Well it was the last day of the Easter Show for 2023 and I decided not to go this year.
I did not ventureoutoday as i am still catching up on my blog ( photos taking toolong to upload) .
I had stacksof kaundryto fokdand put away and imade a salmon pieand lamb burgers today ( pickled ginger sure lifts a meat patty!)
News headlines today include
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark turns 83 and was seen on her balcony surroundby Prince Fredrick Princess Mary & her children. Remarkable since she underwent back surgery recently.
A couple were kidnapped and held hostage for 2 days in Newcastle before escaping. The kidnapper in their 20s is on the run. It is assumed both hostages and kidnappers are involved in the criminal underworld as a ransom was demanded and fingers cut off.
Adelaide has managed to secure the AFL Gather Round for another 3 seasons after their success at holding it for the first time over the past 4 days.
Former Greens now Independent MP Lydia Thorpe has been caught out again behaving badly outside a strip club where she was celebrating a friend"s 50th birthday screamiat at a group of men which she says they provoked her over her stance on indigenous be It is not the first time she has been caught behaving badly in public. In March shewas involved in a protest outside Parliament House where police hadto drag her down. In February she delayed the Mardi Gras by laying down in front of a float and the previous year she was accused of having an affair with a bikie member.
An apartment block in Liverpool is under seige by police as gun shots were heard in the early hours this morning . Suspects have been arrested after questioning at Liverpool Police Station.
Smaller low level crimes such as graffiti, thefts and asaults ( 4/10) have been left unsolved due to lack of staff in the Victorian police force leading to criminals escaping arrest and being charged as police concentrate on larger criminal cases.
Aussies have taken over Coachella as Kid Laroi performs after a surprise performance by American Billie Eilish.
Australia's tallest building 101 storey partnered by a smaller 56 storey building green spine will be constructed in Melbourne at 356 m tall towering 35 m taller then the 108 building in Melbourne. Meanwhile Melbourne has surpassed Sydney's population on a technicality ( extension of borders ).
Harry and Charles have spoken in a phone call as Harry RSVPed to the King's Coronation. After it was revealed that things were not going to plan and the seating plan has not been finalised 3 weeks until the coronation, the list of perdorners is slowly being confirmed after several big acts declined to perform at the coronation. Meanwhile Prince Charles is now richer then his late mother the Queen.
Last year people lost $3 billion to scamers .
Police enforced Jack's law over the weekend enabling police to scan and wand people at safe places and transport hubs for weapons in order to stop knife crimes. Police did find several weapons concealed over the weekend.
UN food aid has been stopped after UN 3 aids were killed in Sudan.
Another shooting has occurred in Alabama in the US at a 16th birthday party where at least 4 have died and another 5 injured.
Space X has a narrow window to launch it's tallest rocket Starship in a few hours. The rocket is unmanned.
Woolworths is eliminating nationally 15 cent plastic bags completely to stop plastic pile up (waste).You can purchase a 25 cent paper bags.
The AUS$ was bouncing between the $0.66 and $0.67 mark against the US$ today.
Phantom of the Opera had it's final curtain call today after 35 years on broadway but due to it's popularity it may have to return sometime in the future attracting a younger audience.
Tuesday 18th April 2023
