Sunday 1st - Tuesday 31st December 2024

Sunday 1st December 2024

First day of Summer.

Today is the official time to put up the tree. Is it? I used to put up my tree in September but these days don't bother putting up a Christmas tree at all because I don't know where I will be living from day to day now.

Today looks like another do nothing day.

Today I wasn't feeling well so just watched YouTube videos, TV and slept. I paid a large amount of bills in advance so I don't have to worry about them. 

I have pretty busy 1 - 2 weeks coming up. Nothing planned for Christmas - no friends no family. 

News headlines today include

A steamy 29 degrees C today and storms again in Sydney.

Melbourne scientists have developed a test to detect melanoma before it appears. The blood test should be approved within the next 6 months.

Police believe the couple found dead in their takeaway in Western Sydney was targeted. A man has been arrested.

There is a push for DNA testing to be taken from QLD youth offenders without their consent similiar to adult offenders to tackle out of control  QLD youth crime 

Another tobacco shop set on fire by an arsonist in Pascoe Vale outside of Melbourne as the tobacco wars continue.

Torrential rain in QLD is moving towards the East Coast meaning more rain for Sydney

An arrest of a man by police at Sydney Airport for money laundering has occurred.It is alleged that he had links to Middle Eastern crime gangs and Sydney based Korean underworld figures. He was caught converting proceeds from crime into cyptocurrency and trying to deposit cash into a QLD bank account last year

PM considering daily childcare fees between $10 and $20 which will help parents with the rising cost of living. This comes after a pay increase of 15% to childcare workers.

Chocolate prices are on the rise again. Cadbury to rise it's chocolate bars to $7 a block!!!! Chocolate prices have already increased twice this year due to poor climate affecting the supply of coaco beans. Speaking of chocolate a man has opened a Mars bar and found it was smooth missing it's signature ridges on top so he complained and received a 2 pound compensation which is equivalent to AUS$4. Decades ago I lodged a complainted to the manufacturers of Moro Bars ( Mars Bars Ccompetitor) . I had purchased a packet of Moro minis and found that the Moro bars inside were getting a little too mini therefore was actually compensated with a small box of replacement Moro Bars with an explanation of how the packaging and cutting machine was getting stuck so the individual packages of mini Moro Bars were sticking together and being cut and packaged in the wrong spot cutting the bars into halves even thirds. Therefore not shrinkflation but a legitimate machinery malfunction.

Robert Irwin is in a new fashion shoot. He says he like to do new things therefore trying his hand at fashion modelling.

The Wallabies lose to Ireland 22 to 19 . They play England next. Not quite the score they wanted but heading in tge right direction.

A Sydney P plater flips their car in a crash.

QLD nurses are refusing night shifts due to poor parking in 'rape alley"

An out of control Tesla on autopilot has smashed into a fence rolling over into a loading dock in Homebush in Sydney's Western suburbs yesterday.

There has been a surprise rebel offensive in Alepo.

Cate Blanchette has spoken out about concerns of AI.

Martha Stewart reveals she baked 35 pies for Thanks Giving.

Hundreds stranded on highways over Thanksgiving  and flights cancelled as the snow storms continue in the US.

Neighbours decorate a husband's house for his wife who has dementia so she can have great memories of Christmas.

Jakarta Anthony wins another medal in the start of  FIS world cup season with a  second in moguls

A Sufers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club celebrates their centenary. 

A group of children aged 6 - 10 won a competition to press a button to demolish a building.

Monday 2nd December 2025

Today I went to Ikea again to purchase a mattress  and picked up a grey towel as well. 

Tied a plant based hotdog as well. no mustard so had to make do with ketchup.

Went to pay my rent and found that the bank branch is closing in Chatswood. Why? they are quite a busy bank. Now I have to walk all the way to the other bank at the other end of Chatswood.

News headlines today include

There is a gas shortage warning by Winter 2026

2 people have been shot in Rye on the Mornington Peninsula. 

A contraversal Australia Day Pub Ban may occur as 200 pub owners across the nation will not acknowledge Australia Day with 90 in QLD.

Another arson  attack at 11 pm last night in Green acre, Wtheril Park and one other suburb in Western Sydney. No one was injured but several cars were set on fire caused from setting alight stolen hire cars with number plates removed.

Floods have caused cars and people to be rescued in QLD as Sydney also cleans up after a storm last night. Eastern suburbs of Sydney was hit the hardest 32 mm in 18 minutes.. Flights delayedvor cancelled and public transport affected.

Melbourne police prepare to bring the 65 year old Easy Street murderer back to Melbourne Victoria. Extradited from an Italian prison. He is also wanted  in relation for another murder

Some Woolworths Southern Victorian distribution centre workers are returing to work after  11 days of industrial action. Most workers want to return to work before Christmas over the pay distpute as shelves run bare in Woolworths supermarkets in Vic , NSW and ACT. 1500 workers are on industrial action. Workers are striking against the use of AI to monitor employees who are expected to work at a certain rate. 

Hamas terrorist group shows a disturbing propaganda video of a 20 year old  Isreali American miltary volunteer hostage appealing for help from Trump. Calks that now is a good time for a cease fire as his mother watches the 3.5 minute video of her son.

A German truck driver has caused traffic chaos crashing and causing 50 cars to be caught up in the collision.

The Matildas lose to Brazil 2 to 1 . 

Santa swimmers have their final swim in Germany in minus temperature waters with the secret to surviving the freezing water is to keep moving.

A top of 31 degrees C and sunny in Sydney today

Airport train fares in Brisbane are set to soar after a cap on public transport fares of 50 cents set to stay in 2025 under the new QLD state government

A tiger snake hitches a ride with a woman on a Melbourne freeway.

Adelaide is having a housing boom with an increase of 14% in prices.

An endodemetriosis pill may become more available to millions of women

Penrith Beach set to reopen this weekend for the Summer.

A pair of thieves steal $10000 worth of artwork for the 3rd time from a Cooparoo gallery in Qld. 

Rental Santa's  in Berlin Germany -  has seen more recruits this year to handle the popular service.

More staff detained from the hostel in Thailand over the menthol poisoning incident and the owner of the methanol "distillery" shed which is the alledged source of the poisin arrested by police.

The Princess of Wales Kate has handed out invites to the Christmas carol event she is hosting to 1600 guests at Westminiter Abbey.

An Australian sprinter has buried a sausage to bring good weather on her wedding. The video has gone viral as she informs the audience how the trafition did not specifiy if the sausage has to be cooked or raw. Hmm the only thing I can see happening is a dog finds it , digs it up and shallows it whole as a delicious treat. I do ask the question  Sausage or frankfaurt? unspecified.

A grand Prix collection is up for sale for $977 million.

Biden's son Hunter has been issued a pardoning  by his father as he was about to be sentenced for gun charges .

The remaining Bali 9 are getting closer to returning to Australia to serve the remainder of their life jail sentences for drug trafficking

Tupperware is closing it's Australian operations as part of a global wind downd and shut down of the decades old company.

Christmas travel disrruptions as DNATA aiport workers take industrial action. They will have the negotiation table again on Friday .

AA government responds to final report on Veteran Suicide Royal Comission.

Tuesday 3rd December 2024

Very busy day for me today.

The day started off boarding the first bus in service to the city at 4.35 am. It was 2 minutes late and I doubted it would even show up. I got off and walked across to Wynyard Station to get whichever train came first to get to Central . I had to get to Central Station platform 9 before 5.20 am as this is when the intercity train to Newcastle was departing. Yes I got there in plenty of time but where were all the train spotters? And where was the new Mariyand train on platform 9 , it was just an old intercity train. I asked the train officer and he said it was departing from Newcastle at around 8 something am and should be arriving into smSydney by around 11 am which is really pushing it for me to get to Newcastle and take the train straight back so I have decided to take the train on another day.

News headlines today include 

The first leg of the extrition journey back to Melbourne between Rome and  Doha for the Easy Street murderer has some curious passengers on the flight asking questions. It was a busy flight and there was another criminal on board back to India. He was very quite and besides being seated and escorted by guards was allowed to go to the back of the plane to use the toilet, he had snacks, meals and even watched a movie. at the airport upon arrival he was taken by guards to a separate section where he will remain until the second leg of his trip back to Melbourne.

Elton John speaks about his health battle. He has lost his eye sight and talks about his husband's support as he has had to be led off the stage.

Another ram raid in Melbourne's North into a shopping centre with ATMs stolen by thieves.

A break in outside of Brisbane QLD where police are investigating.A 71 year old man was shot and injured taken to hospital and a man in his 20s on the run after the home invasion.

The Australia Day Party backflips and apologies for the pub ban for Australia Day celebrations. This should not be a political issue. Backlash has been on  foreign hospitality venues telling Australians  how to celebrate their Australia Day. A lot of discussion has been on a change of date but no alternative dates suggested.

The Cure has produced new music.

Gwen Steffani has performed "Pretty" in her backyard in a garden party.

A realife Squid Game has been played in Paris apparently coming to Sydney.

Ed Sheeran is taking his tour to Bhutan in the Himalayas. 

It's not the first time Biden has pardoned a family member. Biden had held off pardoning his son but now has pardoned his son for federal offences as well as gun offences so he will not face sentencing and jail time. Only in the US can presidents pardon . Trump is also doing a lot of Pardoning - pardoning himself!This would not happen in Australia.

Woolies shelves continue to remain bare in Victoria as industrial disputes continue. 

A top of 30 degrees C and showers possible today in Sydney.

SA blackout warnings as their energy supplies rely on NSW and Vic energy supplies. The minister for energy wants to switch on 2 diesel energy plants in order to prevent another Summer blackout which happens it seems every year.

Queen Camila continues to battle lingering affects from her chest infection and will miss another royal engagement a Qatar visit. Charles is left to fly solo at this event.

Americans were left stumped with a Christmas tradition in an episode of Bluey - the tradition of wearing paper crowns found inside Christmas crackers when snapped. It's a UK tradition.

The actor that plays Harrod Bishop ( Ian Smith) has terminal lung cancer and is leaving Neighbours .He will not be away from cameras for long as he will be in a documentary about his life and treatment and types of assisted dying not that he will ho down this path.

Bradman's baggy green cap is up for sale 

21 year old Mick Doohan's son will make his debut at Formular One.

New home construction is at a new low. Renovations are increasing more then building new homes.

Unemployment is to rise of inflation lowers. The current rate of 4.1% will rise to 4.6% if inflation is 3%. . 

Sneaky new bank charges have been introduced on CBA accounts of $3 per withdrawal affecting thousands of student and pensioner bank customers especially in the current rising cost of living situation.

Neil Fraser legendary tennis player dies aged 91. 

Neo Nazi vandals have avoided jail time at Macquarie University. The vandals will need to do community service clean up the vandalism and pay fines.

The police officer who tasered the elderly woman with dementia has officially been fired from the police force after 13 years in the force he is being charged with manslaughter and his career ended by the police comissioner who said something should have been done sooner.

Cashless gaming on pokies with a digital wallet for a 6 month trial has been declared a total waste of money.

There was a police ambush in Mosman closing Military Rd down and locking residents in for a search for weapons which were not found.

Another burst watermain this morning in the Northern Beaches in Balgowlah where residents in surrounding suburbs without water until at least tomorrow. 

Georges River Council is the council for the slowest housing development approvals.

Woolworths has taken legal action against it's own warehouse workers who have been on industrial action for 12 days now. Woolworths refuses the demand of a payrise. Pressure is now on for Woolworths to keep stock on shelves.

The Oxford Dictionary has officially launched it's word of the year although officially 2 word as "Brain Rot" - we all know what that means "Skibidi Toilet" - maybe that should be the runner up word of the year!

Free groceries for thousands of families in Western Sydney thanks to a billionaire who handed out gift vouchers.

The new Mariyand trains, what is it 5 years lat?,  finally made it's first trip from Newcastle to Sydney early this morning. ( yep and I had to miss it because I could not get back in time for an appointment at 11 am in Chatswood)

50 towers a year each year to meet housing targets on the Gold Coast. 

The quick fix for safer water as a new water filtration plant has been installed in the Blue Mountains to keep cancer causing chemicals out of the water supply.

Housing rental is plateauing which is good news for tenants.

Boost Mobile founded by former PM Paul Keating is being sold for $40 million as Testra purchases the telecommunications company where he owns 29% 

Dangerous train stunts called buffer riding are being performed by teens almost 1 every day where they fmdo the stunt on Sydney trains then brag about it on social media. They also break into older train driver compartments and play with the controls. Both these acts increase train accidents. Steps are being implemented to make these stunts more difficult to perform with modifications made to trains.

A toddler walked out of a gate onto a busy road in SA was retrieved by bystanders who spotted her whilst her father was washing the car.

Final negotiations between the immigration minister and the Indonesian government have occurred to release the remaining 5 of the Bali 9.

China removes the last of it's tarrifs so Australia is free to export locally produced products to China.

Another fire in Mt Cottel outside of Melboure

Wednesday 4th December 2024

No time for news headlines today, I woke up early this morning caught the very first 290 bus to Lang Park at 4.38 am and the walked to Wynyard to catch the first direct train to Central then walked across to the Grand Concourse in time to catch the 5.20 am new D Set train all the way from Central Station Sydney to Bewcastle Interchange where I spent the day before returning in the D Set back to Sydney Central Station at 2.18 pm in the afternoon. I will summarise my adventures for the day leaving readers to watch my series of YouTube videos of my very tiring day trip but very memorable first train trip North of Sydney instead of my usual Southern adventures. Spoke to and few interesting older people too.

3 am wake up shower pack snacks check timetable of public transport dress ensure I have everything for my day trip for all weather conditions.

4.25 am walk to bus stop and wait for the very fiest amd only bus to the city a 290 bus

4.57 am ish arrive Land Park to Wynyard and catch the first direct train to Central via Town Hall only not city circle usually arriving in 2 or 3 minutes. On time.

5.03 arrive Central Syation and walk to Platform 9 Grand Concourse wait for train to Bewcastle Interchange departing 5 20 am. It's already here waiting for passengers, it a new  Mariyung train or NIF or D Set train replacing the old 1970s intercity V sets.

Just before 8 am arrive Newcastle Interchange meanwhile on board the train I test and observe everything about the new train including the toilet which I didn't actually use.

Hoped on the Light Rail To Newcastle Beach & then took a walk to Queens Wharf and around the Port area then to The Station , then back to Queens Wharf to take a return Stockton Ferry ride did not get off at Stockton, instead spotted fisherman,  a pair of pelicans, ducks the tig boat etc. Finally a very long walk to Nobby's Beach where there is a long haurpin coastal walk which used to be a coastal railway and stopped to look at some unusual landmarks. Finally a very long walk back to Newcastle Beach Station to take the light rail back to Newcastle Interchange to find food and drink as I had not eaten all day and it was very hot. The only closest food places were a foodworjs about 100 m from the Interchange as well as a small coffee concession at the front of the Interchange and a pizza restaurant next to the food works. There was nowhere to eat of drink not even when I was exploring around. Don't people eat or drink in Newcastle. Nope there was a small marketplace a bit of a walk along the so called main street of Newcadtle ie Hunter St so I took a walk down it and as soon as I saw the first Cafe and spoke to the local who worked there, it was no thanks to trying to find the marketplace. The main street was old, dirty, graffittied & abandoned - it was a ghost town with just a few sole commuters waiting for a bus. I thought the larhe abandoned faded building across the road from the Cafe used to be a mall but it was mainly a spotlight with a few other shops previously , I did suspect it could have been. 

Back to the Interchange I walked. Back to the woodworks for a few bottles of cold water and back to the little food concessions for a sausage roll as that was all that was left after all the construction workers travelling from Sydney bought out the majority of the hot food around the Interchange wherever they could find any.

Home really late around 6 pm. I just crashed!

Thursday 5th December 2024

It's so close to Christmas and it's my uncles funeral today this morning at 11.15 am is the memorial.  I am not attending as I wasn't feeling the best this morning but my brother will be. I didn't attend my father's funeral but that was during COVID and there were rules in place. I did attend my mother's funeral quite a few years before my father's. At least my cousins still have their mother my aunt for Christmas, I have neither. So many of my friends and family have passed away over the last decade that I have very little family and no friends left. I still haven't received a response from one of my older friends hopefully she is OK and just travelling around Australia if not the world enjoying her retirement years. There is nothing you can do or say when you lose those you care about. You just have to keep remembering them and get on with your own life. When you are younger you don't pay much attention and take it for granted that all your family and friends are alive and well but as you get older like myself this feeling changes. This is probably why as you get old you can become more isolated. This is how I am feeling now. If I didn't go out and study or talk to my neighbours or other people I would be lonely and depressed. Everyone needs someone.  

Today I am going to rest and catch up. Life admin day.

I did my laundry, spoke to my neighbour took out my rubbish and uploaded my videos onto my YouTube videos which I have loads more to upload.

News headlines today include

The police officer that tasered the grandmother is out on bail but called on his police mates to divert a 7 news crew so he would not have to face them to answer questions.

A QLD teen home invader is back on the streets after being charged and released. After  a mother's being stabbed to death, one of the teens walked free. He walked free after spending 18 months in jail. His laywer argued that he was unaware the other teen had a knife. 

Premier Minns faces a ICAC corruption inquiry over  a housing redevelopment plan for Rose Hill Racecourse before it was released. It could be he has not done anything wrong.

Another house fire in Virginia QLD.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate is planning to expand a Souhport aquatic centre by upgrading it in a bid for hosting rights to bring part of the QLD Olumpics in 2032 to the region

The AUS$ is only just above $0.64 against the US$.

Otters are keeping cool at Zoos by chewing through piles of blocks of ice.

Taylor Swift is top Spotified streamed artist for second year in a row. Australian representation The Wiggles are also on  the most played on spotified list. 

The mother caught up in the romance scandal  where she was tricked into bringing a suitcase into Japan for who she thought was her boyfriend which was discovered contained drugs has been sentenced to 6 years in jail. Her family are disappointed.

A top of  26 degrees C  and cloudy today.

Public backlash has partially  reversed a decision by CBA  charge customers for assisted banking  with fees of $3 per transaction. They will delay this new fee decision but only for the next 6 months ie until after the next Federal election where they will sneak the fee back in. After that all walk into bank transaction will be charged the $3 fee per transaction. What a scandal especially when the CBA  make millions in profit annually. The CBA will waive the fee for those who need assistance  or change customers types of  accounts to avoided the fees. The CBA insists these walk in fees need to be passed into customers at branches as it cost the bank to provide these at branch services to them.

Construction union workers may join the picket line with Woolworths distribution warehouse workers  still on strike which is concerning. If Woolworths can't supply what you need, people are being encouraged to shop at their local gren grocery or IGA to support them.

More kind hearted Secret Santa's are randomly popping up paying for people's bills, groceries, laybuys,  toys  etc for Christmas throughout Australia.

President Biden appears to fall asleep at a high level talk with Afican leaders. His eyes remained shut for at least a minute - he's at it again.

Sam Worthington is GQ man of the year.

There's that word again shrinkflation for Christmas.

Qantas is having a sale on flights again. Who cares, they are not the flights I need.

A forth attempted child abduction incident in Melbourne all from a white van however with different people inside them. This happening all around Victoria. No arests have been made and all 4 children are safe.

Australia's economy has stalled, in a slump. There could now be an interest rate cut as early as February as Australia has been in a recession in the past few quarters. The current government has been accused as tge cause for Australia high cost of living and low productivity. The RBA will be meeting again to discuss. Average households have $5000 less disposable income .Christmas trading figures will be important for the RBA to look at however my opinion is that these figures are distorted as the Christmas trading period is always higher then usual.

Australians are leaving en mass to the Sunshine Coast ( move over Gold Coast as the Sunshine Coadt knocks them off the top positions of top relocation locations in Australia)  , and other regional cities in Australia such as Geelong, Morrabin, Maitland  as some examples.

Fitness finances feels the burn as Australians spending less  to keep fit and look good. 30% of Australians are spending on free or lower costs ways to keep fit and look good..

A prized UK penguin was thought to be a she when after years it was discovered it was a he not a she. Maggie has been since renamed in this penguin swap mix up and a new female penguin will be added to roost with the rest of the penguins.

NYE is locked in and vantage points released for best views.Fireworks will be fired off the Western side of the Harbour Bridge for the first time with fireworks around beaches and in Western Sydney.

Trains delayed again over industrial action tonight as electricans walked off the job at Redfern ( electrical trades union) . This is separate to the other (rail union).

Explosions set off in legal offices in Gosford today causing a lockdown.

An assasination on the CEO of United Healthcare has occured in the US. The gunman using a silencer and fired from behind in a targeted attack.

Chris Dawson appeals conviction for sex offences of a student.. He remains in jail for the murder of his wife.

More mystery tarballs have washed up this time in city's South @ Silver Beach Kurnell ( maybe it should be called black beach or tar beach now). The banks have been taken away for forensic testing. 

Lightening strikes the water meters from boat in Clontaff with the family on board forced to seek shelter

An unpopular budget has caused France's president Macron to return to to France to save his presidency. Meanwhile Trump is due to fly out to France to  visit the opening of the Notre Dame.

Car insurers are failing the manditory standards by not dealing with complaints and  delays in responses or just ignoring customers.

Friday 6th December 2024

A top of 29 degrees C and possible showers very humid in Sydney today.

A 41 year old gunman armed with a gerrycan  has gone on a rampage in front of schoolies on the Gold Coast setting fire to a massage palour and failed breakin has been arrested by police.

The first Delta Airlines flight LA to Brisbane  touches down in a hours time this morning. This comes after United made their flights previously. There is a special Olympic link where there is an Australian Oympic design on the plane which carried the US Olympic team to Paris. 

Judy Garland's red shoes she wore in the Wizard of Oz are going up for sale.

A Melbourne's South  Ripponlea Synagogue has been set on fire. The largest synagogue in the Southern hemisphere in a ultra orthodox vommunity The fire is also affecting commuters on the Sandringham line where a level crossing at the Ripponlea Station has been blocked. 2 masked men were sseen running away and the synagogue is badly destroyed. People were inside but banging on the doors woke them .

6 OMCG bikes members have been arrested in Marrickvile for a huge shooting of 2 men including the killing of Mr Big last year in Bondi Junction.

Ben Stiller the lastest to take the hot ones challenge - can he handle the heat?

Next Wednesday DNATA ground staff will go on strike affecting baggage handlers ramping & cargo. Qantas flights are affected all over pay rise and work conditions. Airports on the East Coast of Australia are affected. 

A San Fransico and Oregon earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale  has struck triggering a Tsunami warning to be issued. 

Peter Dutton is predicted to win the majority of seats  meaning trouble for the AA Labor government. The cost of living is the problem and does not sit well with residents especially with wastage and government spending particularly in the past 2 years.

More and more Austraians are adopting the micro wedding preferring to spend the saving of funds on other things such as the honeymoon.

Wear lighter clothing as mozzie have found not to like white or light green clothing but don't wear black or red as mozzie like these darker colours.

Naughty Elvis the crocodile at Australian Reptile Park was unhappy with a new water pump installed for he ate it well tried to, biting into it forcing keepers to move him away for it

Raygun the musical.

Widgets on devices such as air-conditioners could allow energy companies to control and turn off these devices to conserve energy  during peak hours. People don't need to have their energy usage controlled , people already know how to conserve energy- we are not living in a communist country .

Jimmy Fallon gets into the Christmas spirit with Juston Timerlake.

A Nelbourne billionaire has been personally charged with 19 accounts of conducting an unlawful lottery just a day after giving out Coles gift vouchers to low income households. These are serious charges.

19 days to go until Christmas and bare shelves and the Woolworths strike has gone on for 12 weeks now and Fairwork is now stepping in now. The negotiation has been actually going on for 3 months now. Warehouse workers want a pay increase and stop to surveillance  over workers reaching productivity  metrics or  KPIs. This surveillance follows the Amaxon method of monitoring works productivity in the US  but here in Australia we have better labour laws. The increase of productivity metrics but no increase in pay will lead to increase in workers compensation as workers have to work harder to achieve them and without extra compensation in pay as the price of gross these workers are stocking  become more expensive to afford especially for these workers.

Merry Lenny ( Pearce)  Christmas founder of Toddler Techno and Baby Rave. ARIA nominated DJ has amassed millions of followers. He is # 2 tiktok performer behind Kid Laroi.  He is going on Reef Rave tour with Sponge Bob Square Pants with a dollar going to charity.

Kate's annual Christmas carol service where William will deliver a reading but Harry won't be present as he may never go back to England full time all due to the security issues and says he loves living in the US where he can do things he can't do back in the UK although he did not specify. Harry has also had to quash those devorce rumours and taking his children back to the UK. Meanwhile David Beckham knighted??? Is this even possible? He and Victoria do have close ties to the royals. 

Rice wine sake on UNESCO cultural heritage list.

Dolly Parton is looking for someone to play her in the musical and is open to everyone so no reason why an Australian can't enter this open audition amateur or professional.

Mocha Moose has been naned the new Pantone colour of the year

Jamie Foxx to return to standup comedy. "what happened was" is the name of the show and everyone will finally find out what actually happened to him healthiness.

Maggie Tabberer ( Australia's first super model) has died aged 87 

Lightening struck the North West of Sydney almost hitting 2 horses. Wild hail storms and rain hitting suddenly and hard. Luckily no injuries. 

A bench in Centennial Park in Sydney's Eastern suburbs has had anti Semitic messages etched into it. 

Woolworths has had a win where the fair work comission orders works to end picket lines and return to work.

Minns is still in trouble into the Rosehill racecourse redevelopment plans leaked.

The 66 year old arsonist has been arrested for the Gosford legal services building fore.

The largest probationary constables graduated today at the Goulburn police academy. A payrise and pay whilst training has attracted a record recruitment.

A woman  in Peru has walked straight into an eplosion but survived with minor injuries when she was hit by a cover from an electrical box which caused her to fall into the hole. An officer spotted her and called for help. Poor maintenance is to blame.

Christmas tries cause invisible allergies " Christmas tree syndrome" . Real trees carry pollen and mould, artifical trees carry dust and mould. 

The world oldest newly-weds say I do. Aged 100 and 102 .

There is an increase in digital nomads being able to move overseas and work remotely for a cheaper way of life with a digital nomads visa.

Saturday 7th December 2024

Today it is awful outside. It rained overnight and is still hot. The morning is overcast but a top of 34 degrees C today with storms. Google says a top of 31 degrees C today.

Today is a free council owned public pool day where a number of Sydney pools are open to the public today. The City of Sydney's Summer Open Day offers free entry to it's pools and aquatic and fitness classes  & facilities all day at 

Cook + Phillip Park Pool, Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre, Prince Alfred Park Pool, Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre, Victoria Park Pool.

Not the best day today but I would like to try and ice bath. Nope changed my mind. It's awful outside!

Today I booked some events ,  recharged my compass card, confirmed and few other booking and booked another overnight XPT train Syd Melb to attend the Myer AGM at the MCEC at 2 pm on Tuesday 10th Dec. I haven't been for a few years therefore it is time to attend one as there is a new CEO. It's at a slightly inconvenient time down in Melbourne so I am only going for a quick overnight trip. I therefore will have the morning free to get something to eat and explore a few more things around town in Melbourne.

News headlines today include

2 boats crashed in Watson's Bay in Sydney's Eastern suburbs last night killing a man in his 50s from chest injuries. The boats have been seized by police and bought back to Rushcutters Bay for mechanical investigations as well as the 2 skippers undergoing manditory testing. The yachts were participating in a race.

The governments condemns anti Semitic acts and asks for them to stop after the Melbourne Synagogue arson attack.

Princess Kate was beaming at her annual Christmas carol service the first time she has returned to her biggest royal duty since her cancer diagnosis.

The remauning (5 of the) Bali 9 have now served 19 years for their drug smuggling role

Notre Dame Cathedral is set to reopen tomorrow when the archbishop strikes the doir, world leaders including Trump will be in attendance of the reopening.

2 new replacement pandas Yi Lan and Xing Qui will arrive in Australia on Sunday 15th December. They will be accompanied by a zoo keepers to ensure they arrive healthy and safely.

As Dick Van Dyke approaches his 99th birthday he has appeared in a cameo Cold Play performance dancing and singing. 

One of the teens Bianca Jones poisoned in the methanol poisoning incident has been remembered at her funeral. Her friend  Holly Bowles who also died in the same poisoning incident will have her funeral and farewelled next week.

Cricket cricket and more cricket..

There was a rogue robot vacuum cleaner found that escaped onto the streets during the earthquake.

Winx's new colt could be sold for $55 million.

Sunday

Ray Gun the musical was cancelled  last night due to legal reasons where she received letters from the Olmpics legal team .Trademarks on the  ( kangaroo) dance mean it can't be performed by a comedian  as it is not at Olympic level ? and the spelling of the musicals name could be changed to Rai spelt with an i not a y. The comedian will refund patrons their $10 tickets for the show after the venue pulled out of the musical. The comedian will still perform during the Sydney Festival and says she loves Ray Gun and was not being mean to her. The upside she says is she received a lot of publicity over the musical just as Ray Gun did over her break dance routine. 

The Western Sydney elderly couple found dead in their Busy Bees Cafe allegedly killed by their son was remembered by the community a week after their death outside their Cafe.

Notre Dame opens to the world again today 5 years after it was destroyed by fire and thought it would never reopen. Trump (US president elect)  Macron (France president unpopular)  and Zelensky ( Ukraine president in war) along with Jill Biden (US first lady represent)  were present but it was a tense meeting between Trump and Macron with footage of Trump snubbing an awkward handshake from Macron. Wasn't he invited to France to attend the opening of the Notre Dame - he didn't invite himself did he? How rude.

A top of 27 degrees C today and showers again in Sydney. 10 am and it's already scorching outside and there is an intense glare from the sun.

The new QLD premiere has spoken out on how not enough was done about youth crime by the previous state government - adult time for adult crime using figures of the most youth crime regions painting the extent of youth crime in QLD are being used. Logan has the 3rd highest youth crime figures.

AA defends UN vote after several other countries voted in favour of resolution after the Melbourne Synagogue fire attack. Meanwhile police are still searching for 2 masked men who were caught on camera escaping from the crime scene as a bullet has also been found . Isreali PM Benjaminin Netanyahu links vote to fire bombing . AA is missing in action visiting a Perth Synagogue he made a statement but did not front the media. Former treasure Josh Frydenberg has declared this an act of terrorism. Penny Wong's has also weighed in saying this should not be politically involved.

Syrian capital falling to rebels

A mother Veronica Watson is in jail charged for drug trafficking in Brazil.She could face 5 to 16 years in jail and faces a lengthy legal battle. Australian government are trying to get her in contact with her family and her family insist she was an innocent victim of a online financial scam luring the mother overseas to sign financial documents. She had told her family she was going overseas.. The mother was found to have hidden drugs in her suitcase. ( is this a copycat scam to the other recent romance scam ending in a grandmother jailed for drug trafficking?)

The Australian All Stars Cheer and Dance National Championship is on in a multi day competition . 12000 athletes drcended on the convention and exhibition centre on the Gold Coast to win places to compete in the World Chamionships.

A NSW swimmer is lost off the mid North coast of NSW near Coffs Harbour.His disappearance on Friday is out of character.

A motor cycle and bus have collided in Western Sydney. The bus driver and passenger Re uninjured and the cyclist in a stable condition.

A couple have been stalked by a crocodile in Australia after flooding. Their 4 wheel drive was washed away so they were left stranded and had to survive on the river water with no phones . I am wondering how search and rescue found them.They survived in the outback for 2 days carving SOS into the sand before search and rescue spotted their message.

Sydney tiger sharks are increasing at beaches and swimmers warned as the warm waters attract them closer into shore.

QLD first home owners can now rent out a room without penalty to earn a little cash to help pay for the mortage. The proposal is set to pass parliament. 

Another round of 3 stabbing outside of Melbourne , 1  died with a Kangaroo Flats man has been arrested and  another 2 in Caroline Springs .

Qld fruit flies have been detected and quarantined.

Darren Hinch has revealed that he has had a procedure to regulate his heart rate - now a real "shock jock"

Police to march in the Mardi Gras again after a non emergency services to march in the Mardi Gras ban due to not being more involved in LGBT... community.

Queen Mary worked closely with a jeweller to create a crown froma belt's jewels.

A Grinch bear has stolen Christmas decorations from a house overseas . Camera footage showed it taking off with them.

Angelina Jolie appears on a talk show for the first time bare footed in a decade to promote her new film.

Demi Moore gives a health update in Bruce Willis health. He is stable at the moment.

A Northern River stabbing with one arrested.

Untouched for 50 years a new documents shed light on their legal troubles and split of The Beatles.. All sorts of scandals have come out of the closet of the band's history. A lot of which has set precedents to how contracts are negotiated in the music industry today.

It's Matt Doran's last day on Weekend Sunrise with Monique Wright after 5 years on the show.

Monday

Billionaire Meriton nicked named Highrise Housing Harry Triggerboth thinks the high the bigger to ease the housing crisis and thinks the higher the apartments the better due to less infrastructure ,cabling etc needed to be built around it to support it. 

Former Vic premier Dan Andrews is set to face the Supreme court again next May after an settlement failed over his case of running over a cyclist who was aged 15 at the time  and nearly died who is now 26 , over corruption involving comensation lawyers Slater and Gordon accused of hiding information and how they got involved in the case.

$38 for a chimmi cunga ( deep fried burrito) in NZ?! People are concerned about the rising prices of other grocery items as well in the country.

Not good news for AA and the Labor government in the next Federal election being branded the weakest weak PM in drcades handling of the economy and anti Semitic acts with Peter Dutton seen as strong and decisive. Neither leaders are seen as in touch with everything particularly with doing enough for people and the rising cost of living. However he still has the lead as preferred PM over Peter Dutton. Could this be a hing government with a 2 party preferred vote at 50 50 for both Labor and liberal parties. Meanwhile Dutton ignores the CSIRO advice on the costs of nuclear power .

The new trend of medical tourism is increasing due to the rising cost of medical care and long wait list in Australia. Over 50% have considered overseas medical procedures.

Gout Gout the fast 16 year old sprinting  sensation in the world has had his name pronounced incorrectly due to a spelling error , it's actually Guot Guot and has been compared to Usain Bolt.

There are concerns for the pope"s health as he fell on his bedside table and seen with bruises . He also uses a wheelchair unable to walk due to back, hip, knee and leg problems.

Sydney will be 23 degrees C and showers today

Despite a late court win by the government resulting in an injunction there could be another allowed train strike by unions today causing commuters chaos on most suburban rail lines if they do strike. The injunction after anither breakdown in talks may prevent near future strikes however the union is still able to strike today causing delays and cancellations across  train services. 

Syria celebrates as the Assad over 50 year old regime collapses and he with his family flees to Russia and granted asylum according to Rusdian media but the question remains who will run the country now? Biden welcomes the fall. 

The explosion in Surfers Paradise that caused a woman caught up in an explosion to fall in a manhole has had more explosions and the area isolated by police to investigate the cause of the underground explosions possibly from electrical faults.

The 17 day Woolworths warehouse industrial dispute has ended with a 4% pay increase and no  penalities if workers are unable to meet AI generated  packing pallet targets. Shelves are now being restocked.

Judy Garlands red shoes( 1 of 4 pairs)  were sold at auction for a whopping $50.8 million.

Vic Police and AFP are meeting over the recent Synagogue arsonist attack. They will discuss how this declared act of terrorism will be handled and hand over the case to the terrorism team. 

Gold Coast Jack Doohan has placed 15 in his first formula one race in Abu Dhabi for Alpine.

It is claimed that Muhamad Al Fyed faked dementia to escape hundreds of sex offence charges avoiding court due to his mental state of mind.

Paul Mescal is appearing on SNL as guest host featuring in Gladiator II and Wicked in a musical segment.

The reopened Notre Dame has held it's first mass after world leaders visited it's reopening. 

Another ram raid West of Melbourne in Burnside Shopping Centre using a loaded skip bin. The thieves left empty handed but this is not the first time this shopping centre has been ram raided even bollards install did not help. Who cares anymore. 

Taylor Swift has ended her eras tour with her final show in Vancouver tonight. After 21 months and billions of dollars , Finally her tour is over!!!! End of an era literally.

As there is an increase in shark sightings  there is a ban on shark nets.

Who makes the best James Bond and who will be the next James Bond.

Squid Games and Maccas in a meal association and not a happy meal either???!! hmmm...

Nordpass says the most common passwords used are password, 123456, 1234567890, qwerty123. Aren't these the same every year??

Could one of the future of health beusing AI for the detection of diabetes or cancer  before it occurs or an Australian innovation the internal artifical heart transplant which is not TGA approved yet but already plans planted into a patient in Texas.  The artifical heart could eventually replace live heart transplants with the current artifical hearts lasting upto 10 years. 

An Islamic college school bus in Adelaide has been set on fire. 

ANZ CEO is retiring or resigning after 9 years was it ????

The AUS$ has fallen to $0.63 against the US$. Not good. Even the CAN$ is at least 10 cents higher then the AUS$. 

A jogger has discovered a woman's body wrapped in plastic in bushland near the airport. Children's clothing was also found although unknown if related to the woman.

Jay Z has been accused of rape.

There are misding virus samples QLD chief officer says they pose not threat to public.

82 year old was found by search teams in Thornleigh bushland. Last seen on Friday walking her dog she went missing but she survived the searing heat and when found her dog was by her side.

Tuesday 10th December 2024

Away in Melbourne for Myer AGM no news headlines due to a very quickly 24 - 48 hour overnight XPT Sydney Melbourne return trip that departed Central from Platform 1 on Monday night and arrived back at Central on Platform 1 on Wednesday morning with deays of around 1.5 hours each way due to mechanical signalling and speed limits on both trips. 

Wednesday 11th December 2024

A top of 23 degrees C in Sydney today and overcast. It was quite cold overnight and by 6 am it was 19 degrees C. It is still overcast by 10 am - not rain yet but will it rain later today? It's probably reached 26 degrees C and became sunny but windy in the afternoon.

It's catch up day today. Staring with a webinar run by the NGV as soon as I arrive back home at the same time uploading YouTube videos and catching up with the news on TV all at the same time - talk about multi tasking! I also had a proper breakfast! Not living on savoury pastries ie sausage rolls,vegetable pasties & chicko rolls, sandwiches ie chicken white finger sandwiches catered by Myer & a rather heavy soughdough chicken rocket and mayor sandwich from Earl Cafe outside of Marvel Station, bottles of water from wherever I can obtain it from, banana, crackers, cheese , chocolate, and whatever other finger food , fruit & beverages (tea) was on offer before & after the Myer AGM.

I am so tired. I slept most of today in between uploading and catching up on YouTube

Baked a marinated butterfly chicken.

News headlines today include

6 million travellers are expected to keep Sydney airport busy this Christmas with busiest days 2 before Christmas and one after. Advice from airline staff check your presents in not carry it on board.

Another anti Semitic attack with hate messages sprayed and a car torched around 1 am in the morning in Sydney's Eastern suburbs.

AA heckled in Perth as he visited a Synagogue and accused of playing a game of tennis in Perth after the  arson attack of the Synagogue in Ripponlea outside of Melbourne.

Another shooting in Melbourne's North with a 54 year old man in a critical condition.

An Adelaide bound Qanats flight landed safety after 45 minutes in the air in an emergency.

A panda falls and tries to get back on a rocking horse to have another go at it.

Jamie Foxx has revealed his health battle for 20 says where he fought for his life, a brain bleeding leading to a stroke.

The PM is making an speech today if he gets elected again he will pledge 3 days subsidised childcare for families earning upto $530 000.

The 31 year old named man Luigi who murdered the healthcare worker and extradited to/from to NY has made an outburst whilst being taken away by police. It remains unclear how a wealthy well educated son who lost contact with his family fir 6 months would commit such a crime. Footage that show rough handling of the shooter does not make sense if he had a spinal injury.

One Australian is $50 million richer today but may not know it . The SA player was unregistered and has not come forward. They won the entire $50 milkion jackpot.

A school girl has been run over by a car in Western Sydney sustaining leg injuries.

Dawn Fraser is recovering well from a fall resulting in hip replacement surgery. Fears that she might die from internal bleeding.

Cross River Rail project has blown way over budget! Nothing new. 

Asic sues REX Airlines for lying about their profitability fifures . Gee ASIC is having a busy time suing companies lately for a range of financial breaches.

2 tourist have been killed from France & South Korra from a fallen tree in Bali. It is unclear if any Aussies were injured or killed in the incident.

Isrealian prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has returned to court for corruption.

Prince William in his role of Comander in Chief  turning up without an ugly Christmas jumper has spend time with military personnel and their families handing out gifts to them.

A wild fire has occurred in California. 18000 residents given evacuation orders . College student residents  seeking shelter nearby.

A mega redevelopment for the suburb of Bankstown. Plans for a hotel,  2 residential towers, a gym and a shopping centre are planned for the old Compass Centre.

A police chase was the result of a daylight kidnap of an underworld figures from outside his own home in the Northern Beaches. The victim refused to make a statement and 4 men taken into custody .

A terrace house exploded in East London .Residents taken to hospital and it is unclear what caused the explosion.

The bravest officers have been awarded today. 130 paramedic and control staff were honoured for their bravery.

A man drove into a car dealership angry for bring told he could not return his faulty car.

K Mart Christmas bedding has been recalled due to a strong chemical smell.

DiDi is offerring a new ride share service towing your car and getting you home if you are a bit tipsy or over tge limit.

Ash Barty &  Daniel Ricardo have parted ways with Optus. Meanwhile Telstra has been fined for not passing on customer 000 calls during their outage.

Not good news for the AUS$ still at $0.63 against the US$.

Falling for financial scams are an early indication of alzheimers however not all people who fall for scams will develop this disease. 

Tomorrow will hit 28 degrees and above with sunshine tomorrow.

Thursday 12th December 2024

A top of 28 degrees C and sunny.

News headlines today include

There has been a Mt Druitt Barbara shop shooting at the Westfield. 2 men 17 year olds  opened fired on the Universal Barber shop which was not the target after a car crash and police persuit. No one was injured in the shooting . The teens look as if they were doing someone else's dirty work for them with links to the underworld.

A teen stabbing attack at a Brighton Christmas carol event in front of children present at the event outside of Melbourne where those involved were arrested then released.

Social media penalties to be imposed by government via Australian Tax Office if social media platforms do not renew agreements with news agencies to publish news on their platforms. Meta has already pulled out of publishing Australan news on their sicial media platform ( they were not paying for Australian news content published on their sicial edia platform) . News Media Bargaining Code - Social media platforms to comply with or cope a levy or fine. 

Trump is what? Times 2024 person of the year for a second time? 

It's been 2 years since the shooting of 2 police oficers in Wieambiila The families have released new photos of the officers in better times . The male officers family will be visiting his grave with a bucket of KFC his favourite meal and the female officers family will be remembering her as well. Both families want a push for better security and safety measures to be used to prevent this type of incident ever happening again including drone usage.

85% of Aussies particularly with kids are feeling the strain of Christmas financially.

There is a push to pay 6 years of overtime to Vic police.

A tourist given an electric candle panicked thinking it was a bad omen and started preying. The plane landed safety and the candle was to celebrate a holy day.

There is a push to retire the Gabba for sporting events  such as cricket matches and hold them in a brand new stadium to be built for the Brisbane Olympics with more seating capacity.

IPhone to get Apple intelligence however only available to certain Iphones due to the powerfl chip required. Apple is a little late to the AI game but has finally caught up.

40 000 VCE students get their high school certificate results today. 

Gift cards are the best last minute Christmas gifts but gift cards are also the easiest and most common scams. 

Gold Coast is becoming the new Hollywood of Australia as more major movie productions set up base there to produce blockbusters due to the city's established infrastructure.

David Woiwood joins Weekend Sunrise as the new replacement co host . He was the current US channel 7 correspondent . 

17 years after she was charged and put into jail for a crime she did not commit Amanda Knox has spoken out on what it's like to be jailed with a crime she did not commit. She was acquitted after 4 years into prison sentence she was originally sentenced to 26 years in jail at just 22 years of age as an exchange student in Italy.  She is now married has 2 children is an author and a podcast called labyrinths.

Sinatra & Davis in a new AI generated commercial with Snoop Dog & Dr Dre.

Clive Robinson news reader has died be would have been 79 next week.( married to Penny Cook he will now be able to join her in peace. Clive was battling cancer and become a recluse.

Shark Beach closed for the past 2 years has now reopened to swimmers after a restoration of it's sea wall.

Virgin Airlines is flying internationally again with its partnership with Qatar Airways offerring cheap flights from Sydney Perth and Brisbane and later Melbourne.

The delay of the M6 opening due to a sink hole could mean it will not open until 2028. This is too late for businesses around the area affected by the constand construction work driving customers away and hence have decided to shut and crease trading.

A Syrian prisoner has been freedom. He needed persuasion that he was now free to leave. 

Cheapest 2 bedroom units near Cabramatta Station are selling for under $500000 . The Eastern suburbs are still the most expensive houses. 

Ricky Ponting has received an honory doctorate for his contribution to cricket from the University of Tasmania.

Cancelled trips and passenger stranded , these broken down B line buses which connect Manly & the Northern Beaches are worn out however there is no plan to replace these double deker buses which are worn out due to the number of trips they do and milage they travel.

A plane crashes and splits car in half killing several people in the US. It is unsure what caused it. 

A shock drop in the unemployment rate to 3.9 % means good news as more people find work but not good for other economic figures.

The AUS$ has bounced back up to above the $0.64 against the US$.

AA has signed an $600 million deal to create a new PNG NRL team in exchange for a security deal to keep China at bay. The deal comes with an escape clause or condition that funding will be pulled if PGN does anything to side with Vhina. The $600 million will come from tax payers' funds.

A man has got his tongue stuck on a block of ice on Pitt St today in an energy drink Be promotion. Water was poured over the ice to melt itso the man could free his tongue from the block of ice. It turned out to be a publicity stunt.

Squid Games was in St Kilda but coming to Sydney at Luna Park in a full immersive in January. The giant creepy doll  red lught green light is back at Circular  Quay today. ( I saw it when it first came to Circular Quay  years ago - may even be a video on my YouTube channel)

Friday 

Today I took my rubbish out ( the cleaner has been coming on Mondays instead of Tuesdays now to take the bins out since I returned from Melbourne) . They should have been doing this a long time ago but were coming on Tuesday to wash and take the bins back in even when nobody put them out the night before.

I paid my rent at NAB Chatswood Interchange in advance - probably the last time at that branch as it is closing in January 2025.

I recycled my bottles at the earn & return ( it does not seem to like Woolworths sipper bottles) at Macquarie Shopping Centre's car park and returned my used batteries for recycling at Aldi. Coles now also has a battery recycling bin but not at all stores.

I did a major grocery shop at Aldi Coles & Woolworths as well as the green grocer ( still unable to find all items on my shopping list) 

I exchanged my voucher for cash at Woolworths from my return and earn recycling. This is used as change for my laundry.

My snack today was a triangular rice wrap with marinated beef inside it. It's the first time I tried one and I stuff up unwrapping it as I did not know how to get the piece of seaweed between the 2 pieces of plastic around the triangle of rice as I am used to eating hand rolls not these triangular rice wraps. I ate the rice with beef in it and ate the sheet of seaweed after.

Shelves in Woolworths are almost back to normal - actually some shelves had double & triple ups on them of the same products. 

I still find Woolworths staff rude though. Ask a staff member where you would find filo pastry and they just mumbled at me. I found it myself afterwards in the next asile.

So tired. I made a fruit salad and stored it in a large  plastic container. This should last me for a week. 

News headlines today include

Another14 year old teen seriously injured and taken to hospital in a car crashed he was driving erratically crashing into 2 cars in Whalan after a police persuit.

Qantas engineers walked off the job from 3 am this morning for a 24 hour strike for a 25% pay increase around all major capital city airports around Australia with precautions in place to prevent delays on one of the busiest days of the year at airports.

QLD governor is set to sign new adult time for adult crime laws as legislation is passed this morning.

The Coolition will finally reveal its costings for it's nucleat energy plan today after months of keeping everyone in the dark.

Judge awards Moria Deemings independent MP $300k in damages in relation to the Neo Nazi match attendance incidence.

Lion cub triplets were given Christmas treats at a UK Zoo

A sewage leak has shut down the Curriumbin River on the Gold Coast  in QLD to fisherman and swimmers as the river 's contamination is being cleaned  up by environmental services.

Queen Camilia has hosted an event for sick kids in London.

Trump has become Time person of the year from a short list of Princess Kate, Kamala Harris, Joe Rogan, Elon Musk Mark Zuckerberg Jerome Powell, Claudia Sheinbaum, Benjamin Netanyahu & Yulia Navalnaya.

A top of 30 degrees in Sydney today and cloudy. 

Tayor Swift turns 35 today. Vancouver fans took the opportunity at her last concert to wish her a happy birthday.

Selena Gomez gets engaged to her music producer fiance and bestie Taylor Swift has yes I will be your flower girl.

Dick Van Dyke turns 99.

Heat waves in Adelaide has caused events to be cancelled however Carols By Candlelight will still go ahead.

Paddington In Peru opens in cinemas in the new year.

Bear Gryrlls is coming to Australia.

The NRL's Western Bears may be back as a team in 2027.

Saturday 14th December 2024

Today was another do nothing day.

I ate breakfast and made a filo pastry filled with a replica of chicko rolls filing . Did it taste like chicko rolls filling? A little  but I don't think I put enough curry powder in it , left out the carrot, put far too much cabbage in it and lamb mince as well and I didn't have barley or lamb fat so substituted with olive oil and oats. It's probably one of those meals that tastes better with age. 

News headlines todayincludre

Chinese leader has snubbed Trump who has invited him to his US presidential inaugraration. Instead a representative of the Chinese government will attend. Of course this was bound to happen due to the power struggles between China and the US of who is the most powerful country in the world.

Celebrations in Syria after decades of civil war. Now the country will try to rebuild their country. The one  new law will be to stop and band the export of drugs which was the main funding of the country.  How the country will fund their rebuilding is uncertain however aid from Western countries will assist them to rebuild.

A massive blaze in Sunshine at a mechanical workshop DME. Workers escaped with one worker injured. It took hours to put out and 50 fire-fighters.

A family has escaped a house fire in nearby St Albans but lost their home in the blaze 

A top of 27 degrees C today in Sydney and partly cloudy.

An Adelaide couple has been charged for faking their 6 year old son's illness scamming his private school community of thousands of dollars. The family put their 6 year old son in a wheel chair, shaved his head and made him wear an eye patch saying he had eye cancer.

Perth has a meales outbreak where 2 cases from Singapore arrived into Australia by plane.

QLD police officers are exhausted as the increase in crime continues . More police are being recruited.

Nancy Pelosi has fallen and is in hospital . It is unclear how serious her injuries are.

Ray Gun has spoken out about her trademarking "Ray Gun" and the "Kangaroo Pose"  but not the dance itself??? on her break dance routine to share her side of the story. She says it's not about the money and not being able to take a joke. 

Prince Andrew has been linked to a Chinese spy- a businessman banned from the UK, one of his close business confidantes. He had been warned about this person but he is not a working royal so it is not as significant however he does not seem to have any personal responsibility of who he associates with and the impact it has on the royal family and the country.

Australia and India face off in it's 3rd cricket test

Taylor Taylor Tayor - she has received yet more accolades on her 35 birthday.

Nina Kennedy has come forward and said that she one of the athletes that was sexually assaulted by her former gym coach who was fired for his breach of contract.

The CEO of Sharp & Carter who recuited for the Sydney Olympics has had his own head on the chopping block after he admitted that he took drugs outside of work. The admission is being investigated but Mr Sharp says his comment has been taken out of context.

An 18 year old has been crowned the new chess champion.

Peter Duttons nuclear power plans have already been given a no way on earth that this plan is going to go ahead by the Victorian Labour state government. Petter Dutton is ignoring the CSIRO report which states that nuclear power will cost double that of renewable power.

Shocking footage has appeared of retail workers being abused after the Minns government in NSW introduced new laws to protect retail workers.

Sunday

Today it was so hot, I did not venture out again but slept and watched YouTube TV and slept  waiting until it became cooler in the evening to do my laundry and take my rubbish out conserving as much energy to keep cool as much as possible. 

This morning is overcast and the news has extended beyond the 7 am - 10 am or recently probably due to the cricket 7 am - 9 am session on TV. Usually the morning show on repeat over tge weekend is on but no morning show yet this morning and no cricket as it has been rained out in QLD or has it? 10.30 am and the cricket is on again. 

There is a shortage of stout guineas im the pubs in England Scotland and Wales as it is not being produced enough to meet demand.

The 2 new giant pandas have just landed in Adelaid Arport. They will do a short quarantine stint before being released into their new home at the zoo

The woman found wrapped in plastic near the airport in bushland has been identified as Sally Li from Greenacre. Her husband is nowhere to be found and there is no history of domestic violence.

It is a top of 28 degrees and partly cloudy in Sydney today.

Today is the 10 year anniversary of the Lindt Seige . A suppression order has finally been lifted on the identity of the hero officer who took down the terorrist who killed 2 and held several more hostages only known as officer A after a lengthy court battle 10 years on from the Lindt seige . He has now got his identity back and spoken out hoping to help others who have experienced trauma (PTSD) like he has. through a national trauma inquiry for first responders.

A heatwave warning for next Tuesday where most states except TAS and WA and NSW could hit temperatures of 40 + degrees with Western and interior suburbs of NSW reaching 47 degrees C  in some regions. It is flood season until March next year for SE QLD with severe fllod warnings

New laws are to be introduced by the Victorian government to ban and stop the growing wave of anti Semitic attacks.

Trump wins a $15 million  settlement for a defamtion case against the ABC.

2 men were stabbed after an altication at a Cockatoo house outside of Melbourne.

A Western Sydney paramedic was robbed.

The Gold Coast couple stranded when they lost their trailer which was washed away and hence all communication when a crocodile stalked them before being found and rescued after 2 days isolated bycarving SOS into the sand have spoken out about their ordeal and how greatful they were to be found by search and rescue helicopter 

The South Korean president has been impeached following a short period of marshall law he enforced. It is unsure if he will be thrown out of government as his own party voted against him or not and he is reinstated.

It looks to be the end for Margot Robbie & Barbie as there is not sequel in the works it has been confirmed.

The holiday sequel however is coming out

The remaining 5 of Bali 9 are individually returning to Australia as free men after 19 years in Indonesian jails for drug smuggling. There was no prisoner swap and they will not be serving any more time in jail upon returning to Australia. They will be provided with some free accommodation upon arriving in Australia until they work out what they are going to do next. The Australian government had been negotiating their release and return for quite a few months now carefully in talks with the Indonesian government for their release as not to upset the relationship Australia has with Indonesia.

Protests have occurred in Sydney over the increase in anti Semitic attacks.

Is Paris Jackson really engaged? to a music producer boyfriend. Who is he exactly??.

Monday 16th December 2024

I haven't really mentioned in the blog how much I am actually sufferring during the heat. My body is not coping and my eczema has been out of control for the last month or so. The extreme heat and storms have really made my skin and allergies flare up. My coughing my have decreased however my skin is really itchy and sometimes feels as if it is burning.

Today I started off submitting my Centrelink fortnightly income reporting. So glad I did most of my laundry last night . 

Today it is still dealing with things I haven't dealt with because I haven't done due to the heat and being away.

News headlines today include

Operation Christmas drop 24 has  occurred with the Royal Australian Airforce air dropping supplies and gifts to remote areas of Australia.

A warning to Australians travellers travelling to Fiji. 4 people have been taken to hospital with a suspected alcohol poisoning from a wedding at a resort.2 families are being assisted by the Australian hovernments DFAT. They are between the ages of 17 and 60 years old. 

The remaining Bali 9 have touched down in Darwin as free men overnight after an agreement was made with the Indonesian government. 

All news headlines today are on the severe heatwave around the country and total fire bans .

A top of 29 degrees C and showers in Sydney.

"A Real Pain" opens in cinemas next week and stars Jennifer Grey (from Dirty Dancing) & McCauley Caulkin 's brother ( from Home Alone) .

Private health insurance are hiking their prices again but they are using a loophole to secretly do so. 

HSBC has been sued for a scam where scammers impersonated HSBC staff . The banks failure to prevent and stop this scam has resulted in some customers losing as much as $90 000. They are being sued for taking too long to deal with  and stop the scam and this case is being used as a warning to the other 4 major banks.

Steve Smith & Travis Head score centuries for Austraian cricket taking control over a test match with India.

Jessica Watson will be part of a 17 crew on board an Oroton partnership Yacht in the Sydney to Hobart Yachet Race this year.

Commuters are advised to catch a train or walk if possible due to faults on the L1, L2 & L3 lightrail lines. Some buses will be running. 

Proposals are being submitted as to what to do with the GBBA towards the 2032 Olympics. It is likely to be knocked down and rebuilt. 

Baby doll a lost song from Kylie Minogue & Prince has been found on an old 32 year old  lost cassette tape .

Jay Z sexual offence allegations have been acknowledged to have inconsistances in the victim's story.

The official commemorations of the 10 years since the Lindt Cafe seige was seen as disappointing and all over in a few minutes with a lot of dignitaries , victims and other hostages snubbed . Only a few bouquets of flowers were laid and the commemoration described as being too short and disgracefully.

The Parramatta light rail's ceiling panels are being held together with cable ties and rubber bands it has been leaked i documents and photos. The light rail is STILL being tested.

An Indian sports reporters has called an Indian cricket player a MVP "most valuable primate" - this is not thefirst time the term monkey has been used in cricket to describe a player . Racist choice words, mistake or just in jest?

Is Prince Andrew being snubbed at the annual royal family Christmas gathering for his recent associations with a Chinese spy ?

The appearance of drones or other aircraft seen flying near or over restricted  air space  such as airports has caused increasing concerns for  Americans .

The AUS$ is falling and could snowball downwards as it remains just above the $0.63 against the US$. Meanwhile the ASX 200 plummets.

CBUS in trouble for throwing a hige Christmas party with superannuation account holders' funds

2 new board members join the RBA.

Westpac has a new CEO.

A Christmas present for sellers  - new property hope.

Tuesday 17th December 2024

Today I started researching & planning for the month of January . 

Flights now booked and travel insurance organised and paid for. There is no turning back now. I immediately and arred for so long this year . Very last minute booking in mid December when I am usually fully booked planned and paid by September each year. It will be a low key low budget get away. This year is special as it will be the 150 anniversary polar bear swim ( not I am not swimming in my 150th polar bear swim) and I have registered in my very first 5 km Northern Hemisphere Winter Chilli Chase run on Australia Day. I am also flighing back to Australia on Chinese ( Luna)  New Year which is the 29th of January 2025 this year. I am a little anxious as I hate flying and like to train it everywhere when possible.  I have also booked to stay at a hotel I have not stayed at before but have always wanted to review. It is an established hotel ( I don't think it is a hostel as there are no shared dorm rooms just single, double and family private rooms) however there is a shared guest kitchen. Tge hotel is located at the other end of town which I will need to get used to a little further away from public transport. 

News headlines today include

The remaining Bali 9 have spent their 2nd night back in Australia. They are currently having psychological and medical checks and staying at the ex purpose build COVID quarantine facility located outside of Darwin a long way from their Bali jail which is isolated and basic but has the essential amenities to house them whilst they undergo support to be able to intergrate back into society and eventually although unkniwn when to be  reunited with their families. They will need a lot of support as a lot has changed in the 19 years they were in a Bali jail.

Dream World has implemented new safety measures a series of gates and fences to Tiger Island after a handler was mauled by a tiger .

The banned Chinese spy has now been named who was a close business confidante of Prince Andrew . Prince Andrew has been asked not to embarrass the royal family any further and not to attend the royal Christmas gathering at Norfolk.

A brown snake has been found inside a Oerth shopping centre hiding inside an eatery.

The push is on to lower the drinking age to 17 years old as 40% of parents believe 17 is an acceptable drinking age.

Japan introduces an experimental 4 day work week to try and increase the number of babies to combat the country's population decline.

Another scorcher of a day today in Sydney currently 24 degrees this morning with a forecasted top of 33 degrees C and sunny however it is expected to reach 42 degrees C in some suburbs West of Sydney before lunchtime today with temperstures peaking. Meanwhile QLD is experiencing the opposite extremes in  weather flash flooding around Brisbane with downpours of rain. Last night it did reach 47 degrees C in some regions causing a sleepless night. It was extremely windy most of yesterday in Sydney.

The white Lotus returns for a 3rd season. This time trailers show it is set in Thailand and the new series set to open in February.

Nichole Kidman reveals the last words with her mother before her mother's death in September.

Hugh Jackman is back in Sydney for Christmas spotted with his kids at Bondi Beach .

A special festive Karoke carpool with  an hour long show has been recorded with a new host .

"Roo - ver" the Australian made rover is to be the first ever Australian made  to be sent to the moon to continuously collect soil samples on the surface of the moon. 

An emotional reunion of a mother and daughter with their family  as they touch down back in Sydney safe after they became sick from drinking poisoned pina colada cocktails in Fiji. 2 remain in a serious condition in hospital in Fiji but latest news is one has just been released from hospital and only 1 remains in hospital. 4 Australians fell ill at the 5 star resort which has never had an incident like this before. Another 3 guests also fell ill. The 7 person poisoning incident was an isolated incident and an investigation is still in progress. 

3 people are dead including the shooter  and at least 6 others injured who are a mixture of teachers and children from minor injuries to life threatening injuries after a small local private Christan school shooting.

AFL Sav Rocca has stopped a shoplifter whilst shopping at a JD sports store. He didn't tackle the shoplifter but verbally threatened him with an "I'll fix you" enough to cause the shoplifter to drop the goods and run. The AFL legend received a 40% discount for his heroic effort.

MJ ( Michael Jackson) the musical is coming to Sydney .

Population growth is outstripping infrastructure. 61% of workers are maxed out . People are balancing supporting more ethical sustainable practices for example supporting local production with their budgeting due to the current cost of living conditions/ environment ie they will give more thought to buying locally made but if it is more expensive then will opt to purchase the cheaper overseas product .

Drivers are encouraged to dob in a reckless driver over the festive season with dash cam footage.

Adelaide  council is on the search for a new Christmas tree. It it looking around the world for inspiration citing the current Christmas tree is too boring, dated and one directional.

Kyrgios & Djokovic were rivals and hated each other but have since buried the hatchet and have teamed up to play in the doubles at the Brisbane ahead of the Australian Open

The disgraced tasering cop Kristan White out on bail is suing claiming unfair dismissal and is to face police comissioner to have his job reinstated. 

The annual Carols in the Domain is getting closer.

Disgraced former toxic culture  leader of Channel 9 has taken over a new role at the ABC after leaving the commercial TV station.

3 people have found $50 notes had anti Semitic messages on them withdrawn from the same North Bondi ATM . The notes have been seized by police. Accused of a publicity stunt at first these dirty $50 notes is not the first time in the Eastern suburbs were antisemtism has struck.

A SE wind has cooled the Eastern States of Australia.

HSC results for NSW students  are out tomorrow at 6 am with the top of the pack announced today.

Another woman's body has been found in Botany near the last body wrapped in plastic now identified as Sally Li was found.

More lightrail issues today although not as bad as the previous mechanical problems.

There is fear that the AUS$ could fall below the $0.60 mark against the US$ making Australians avoid travel to the US and countries like Japan more popular to Australian travellers. The AUS$ has fallen $0.50 in the last 11 months against the US $. The drop is due to a stronger US economy and weaker Australian economy. This fall means more expensive imports and  makes inflation figure  more difficult to decrease. 

The P & O  brand will disappear next year as Carnival Cruises rebrands it's fleet to Carnival Adventure & Carnivale Encounter.

If you think the sound of cicadas have become deafening and louder then before, it is due to the changing weather and mating rituals. It is the male cicadas that are making the loud noise to attract a female mate which are quiet. This season will last a few months.

AUSTRAC is suing Ladbrokes for money laundering.

Moira Kelly who saved conjoined Bangladesh twins has now donated a kidney to one of the sucessfully separated conjoined twins who is sufferring kidney failure. 

A new Chinese airline has just touched down in Sydney to a spray of water with flights from Sydney to Shanghai to commence.

The rental market has stabilised in Sydney but not in Sydney's SW suburbs where rents have gone up. 

An AI educator has demonstrated the power of AI by bringing back the dead and reuniting them with their current relatives in videos. Some are saying this is disrespectful eventhough the videos were only demonstration of what AI is capable of doing.

Wednesday 18th December 2024

Today I did absolutely nothing except more search and planning for my trip in January.

I better skedaddle as it is less then a week before Christmas and after Christmas everything speed's up 1000 fold and before you know it , it's time to depart Sydney and you're not ready.

I made myself something to eat and breakfast for tomorrow. Vegetarian as I don't have a lot left in my fridge and trying to use up what's in my fridge. 

News headlines today include

The 2 stranded astronauts who were supposed to return to earth in February have had their stay in space prolonged due to further testing of the spacecraft that is to return them back to earth needing more testing for it to be safe enough for their return. The stranded astraunauts will mow have to wait until March to return to Earth.

What? Did I hear right? Watch the Sydney fireworks from home due to a rail strike set to spoil the event???

Wild weather has lashed the Eastern regions of Australia overnight with wild winds, thunder storms and heavy rain. Parts of Sydney were hit by blackouts. Whilst QLD is experiencing extreme heat waves and flash flooding due to heavy rain. Meanwhile it is only 24 degrees C and raining afain today in Sydney.

Alan Jones faces court today for his 26 sexual offences and inappropriate touching charges with allegations occurring between 2001 and 2019 with the youngest victim just aged 17.

A 7.3 magnitude earthquake has struck Vanuatu and there is a fear of a tsunami and a warning issued across the Pacific Islands.

There was a motor cycle crash into a bus in Western Sydney killing one rider and another in hospital .

More powers will be given to Victorian police and the banning of masks and balaclavas at protests to hide identities of protestors. 

Qantas is to pay $120 million for 1700 sacked ground staff found to be unfairly dismissed.

Bins in QLD will go uncollected over Christmas due to a council and garbo ongoing  pay dispute. Thousands of bins will be sinking of food waste eg prawns over the Summer.

The Patramatta lightrail is due to open after a long delay.

80000 NSW students will receive their HSC results today with a ceremony for top of the subjects students

Australia's favourite blue heeler Bluey is about to get a movie set to hit cinemas in 2027 with a partnership between BBC, the QLD creator of Bluey and  Disney doing the animations for it.

A top Russian general has been assassinated on the streets of Moscow in a bomb blast killing him instantly. An e scooters battery loaded with TNT was found outside his home.

Tom Cruise receives a rare top honour , community services award from the US navy for boosting military recruitment through his movies.

A woman has been rescued from a cave, the same woman had to be rescued last time injured and trapped in a cave in Italy.

2 tradies who saved an elderly woman from a blaze have been recognised for their bravery as she recovers from injuries at a nearby hospital in Adelaide.

Parramatta Leagues club is to get a revamp with plans submitted to the council.

Beers to raise another 50 cents at the MCG after it's last food and drink price increases. Pies and sausage rolls are some of the food items which will remain at the same price for now.

Cricket cricket and more cricket but can Australia survive their test match over India?

2 beagles were rescued from a reservoir in Cheltenham  by fire and rescue. How they ended up in there is a mystery. 

Rolling Stones Keith Richards turns 80.

First passenger lightrail  service from Carlingford at 5 am will be this Friday

Australia is sending aid including a dog  to earthquake struck Vanuatu. 4 are dead at hospital with more bodies expected to be discovered. 6 people died in landslides. The airport is closed and curfews in place.

The last  Australian 49 year old victim of the alcohol  poisoning in Fiji has arrived back in Australia. Toxicology reports indicate the victims did not fall ill from alcohol poisoning but no details of what caused the illness has been revealed.

The other body found wrapped in plastic and dumped in the bush has been identified as the husband of Sally Li the woman who was found in nearby Botany bushland also wrapped in plastic. It is thought that it was a couple murder as a result of an unpaid gambling debt which led to the home invasion murder.

Sacked tasering police officer Christian White will have to wait until next April to challenge his unfair dismissal case against the police comissioner. There was no apparent reason given for the delay.

An huge $400 million budgeting error has been discovered by the government. How this error happened is unclear.

10 Sydney buses have been decorated and battled it out for best dressed Christmas bus judged by an 11 year old Westmead Children's hospital cardiac patient. Passengers have until earlt to mid January to ride these decorated buses

A little boy has been pulled from a backyard pool in Moorebank unconscious barely alive at a family gathering on a scorching day.

A drug lab has been raided by police in Pyrmont. Those involved in supplying magic mushrooms along with methanol and other drugs were arrested.

Liverpool Council is in debt and not leasing out vacant floors of office space that could earn them revenue.

The MCA which offers free admission to the public for 20 years is about to start charging admission fees of $20 however student and children will still have free admission. This comes as government funding has not increased resulting in a short fall or deficit that needs to be recouped somehow. So their membership programs are not working for them. Sorry not a fan of the MCA after my treatment during COVID and they are not exactly the NGV in Melbourne which is much larger and gets the best exhibitions.

ASIC is investigating ANZ for charging account fees to customers after they have died.

A Penrith venue is going into administration.

 A competition to Gmail  with Elon Musk's own possible email service called "X mail" however this could open the doors to more scammers. For now it is still a WIP.

The last day of the cricke at the Gabba  marred by more rain and thunder storms. Bad light & a draw????  Some injuries as well .

Thursday 19th December 2024

I have a an international AGM to attend today at noon. I hope I have not miscalculated the date and time conversion as it is an important one and I hope I don't have any technical difficulties dialing into the meeting. Why do companies that are not based in Sydney keep pushing their AGMs closer and closer to Christmas each year? At least 2 companies are doing this and it's rather inconvenient and one day both will end up clashing. The meetings used to be in Oct/Nov even earlier not anymore.

The meeting started on time ie 6 pm on Wednsday 18th December 2024 which I had to calculate was equivalent to 1 pm on Thursdsy 19th December 2024 via Zoom. I wish they used some other form of video conferencing  because Zoom is the most difficult app to use unlike Teams or whatever the other webinar app I used was. I could not find the chat function and did not know how to raise my hand or speak as pressing the speak button did not do anything. The longest in person or virtual AGM I have ever attended - no I lie Telstra was but it was close. It went on for 1 hour and 20 minutes and for the amount of people that attended and the agenda this was extra long. Everyone asked the questions I would have asked. They were all valid comments - the shock of receivng an invoice for annual maintenance/ strata fees that was a 40% increase with no substantiation to support the increase, the short notice of information on the reasoning behind such a large increase, the AGMs creeping up closer and closer to Christmas each year which is just not ideal and the billing cycle of when the fees are due which they are trying to change. Other questions such as the thumping noise since the new elevators were installed, the consideration of putting saunas in  - are these saunas even necessary?They will just increase the annual fees next year. Isn't there a sauna already inside the gym and change area? I don't use saunas. Vending machines in the lobby really? The shops are just across the road and there is a water fountain somewhere on the ground floor. Someone bought up the issue which someone bought up with me quite a few years ago of rental income being less then maintenance fees due and if this happens it is time to sell. The other question everyone was asking were about rental pools, rental revenue being used to pay for maintenance fees  taking advantage of the higher US$ as the CAN$ is dropping  -  not as much as the AUS$ is!!!! but that does not affect me and most importantly if this 40% increase is going to be a permanent increase every year or just an extraordinary payment this year due to increases in maintenance staff minimum wages. This really led to the subject of owners consideration to sell. We were told that this building (now 25 years old) is one of the few buildings that has stood the test of time and remained steady in price even increased a little whilst the property market has stalled due to the fact that it is a desirable piece of real estate to have as it is very well maintained, it's location, it's views, it's facilities and it's ample underground parking that most other properties in the village don't have ang that it is one of only a few solid concreate and stone buildings and not wooden framed which makes it less noisy . I just like it because it is a drive in drive out property - even where I reside now in Australia it is a drive in drive out. Like most of the other owners who are owners from the start , I have adopted what one owner has adopted ie the " We will never sell unless we die"stretegy. . Everyone is clinging onto their ownership for as long as they can. Nobody wants to sell unless they absolutely have to due to ill health or age for example. Discussion of selling to family and friends was also a topic and fees for doing so were also discussed. I hope next year the meeting is much earlier, the fees not as extortionist in amount due and they use better technology as the meeting was very inaudible and I was not the only owner on Zoom complaining throughout the meeting.

Plans today include more research booking & planning. 

I really have nothing to do on Christmas Day as I have no families or friends at all and NYE I am going to forget about as I am not going to fight my way into town again last year only to find I can't even get to a vantage points to see the fireworks after the King's visit incident as well where I again left disappointed and empty handed - yep with nothing from my efforts. 

Just after writing this I got an email and form to fill out to volunteer for Wesley Mission Christmas Meal Day on 23rd December 2024. It's only from 9.30 am - 2 pm but I'm so excited. I didn't think I would hear back from them as they finally responded after I chased them about the volunteer gift wrapping this year and being advised that they were not doing it this year. I have penciled it into my diary as soon as I completed the form. 

News headlines today include

The Australian government will be in debt for over a trillion dollars until  at least 2035 . The government is spending like an Afterpay customer  ie spend now pay later before the next election with a  $26.9 billion deficit.

A bizarre school day policy has  seen a school check up on kids absent from school after 3 days to see if they really are sick.

Today it is a top of 25 degrees C and partly cloudy.

The annual Billie Islish interview has occurred which is something she has done for the past 8 years to reflect on her career with the same set of questions each year.

The last persom a 49 year old mother poisoned in a pina colada drink poisoning incident in Fiji has been given the all clear to be medivaced back to the Gold Coast and across the border joining her daughter.

Another shooting in Pascoe Vale South outside of Melbourne. The victim is nowhere to be found. A man with suspected gunshot wounds has been found in hospital taking himself to hospital.

Former radio host Alan Jones pleads not guilty to his 34 indecent assault charges after he faced court yesterday.

2 men terrorist responsible for the Bali bombing mastermind 22 years ago were secretly set free from Guantanamo Bay and repatriated in Malaysia . A negotiation by the US government over their release,  they will spend the next 2 years in a Malaysian jail before returning to a quiet life with their families.

The Wall St  stock market reacted to the US Central bank lowering interest rates.

Drivers advised to fill up now as Sydney sees  fuel prices drop before Christmas. Whereas in some other states fuel prices may increase with  fuel prices varying widely across Australia towards Christmas.

The Southern Hemisphere's largest rodeo in Mt Isa will return in 2025 for it's 66th year thanks to a government grant of $750k after it was rescued from administration. 

148 Aussies fly back to Australia by the RAAF from Vanuatu as Australian aid arrives and remains there including dogs.

Teens brawl violently in Rundle Mall in Adelaide in front of families whilst shopping.

A win for Australian news as the government axes commercial broadcasting fee .

Adele has been accused of plagiarism and ordered to remove the song globally and  from all platforms " Million Years Ago" by a Bazilian judge.

Australian author John Marsden has passed away yesterday aged 74.

Elton Hercules John has revealed that before he became Elton John his name was Reginald Kenneth Dwight and how his health is  fine after his eye infection caused him to go blind.

The AUS$ has fallen to $0.62 against the US$.

Santa arrived by helicopter to Bear Cottage the state's only children's hospice.

Friday  20th December 2024

Today I actually went on the newly opened L4 Parramatta Lightrail . The entire round trip starting at Parramatta Square all the way out to Carlingford and all the way in the opposite direction out to zwestmead back to Parramatta Square without getting off.

I could not make it to the first 5 am services out at Carringford or Wrstnead not even the 5.02 am service from Parramatta Square but I did manage to ride it on it's first day of opening which is good enough as there were no badges or souvenirs given out

The first Parramatta lightrail is departing Westmead and Carlingford with passengers at 5 am this morning ( hopefully the opening will not be cancelled) . Another public transport project 10 years in the planning & 5 years in construction and millions of dollars to complete stage 1 is finally open ( and no I did not go to the opening of this as it was impossible for me to get to unless I camped in a park nearby at Carlingford or slept on a bench in Westmead and get no sleep). There is continued debate as to whether the new lightrail was worth the wait and money spent as many small businesses shut down during the construction sick of the delays of opening and disruption from it's construction. Also whether mum and dads with kids from suburban Carlingford and Westmead would actually use the line to drop their kids off to school before taking the light rail to work and pick them up again when they usually drive as it is more practical. The transaction will run every 9 minutes during peak hours. Stage 2 is now under construction to Olympic Park.

News headlines today include

Billie islish with her brother  teaches a music lesson to a grade one class at a school where she grew up but did not go to school at as she was home schooled writing a song about a polar bear asking the students what rhymes  with polar bear and getting one ansemwer as underwear. Very cute.

A plane full of Australians that were in the earthquake have landed back in the Brisbane from Vanuatu much to their relief in time for Christmas. Meanwhile an Aussie tradie has put a call out on Facebook for other Aussies to go to Vanuatu to help rebuild Port Villa devastated by the earthquake.

A car has crashed into a Nandos at 2.15 am in Footscray outside of Melbourne with an angry message on the driver's car " we do not accept cash here" on it in orange paint after Nandos stopped accepting cash back in May.. The angry driver never actually entered the Nandos store.

Melbourne airport haa it's busiest today in the midst of a Qantas engineers strike with so far no delays as Qantas puts contingency plans in place to avoid delays. Most if not all flights are fully booked.

A new Wicked Wizard of Oz ride has opened at Movie World. 2 rides one at a max speed of 58 km/hr for parents and kids and the other twin ride for parents only mo kids allowed at 67 km/hour ( according to information Googled)

The Prince & Princess of Wales released their annual Christmas card

Mariah Carey's 30 year Christmas anthem "All I Want For Christmas" breaks records with 2 billion+  Spotify streams. This has earned her $60 million continuing to top the charts annually.

A top of 25 degrees C  and mostly sunny in Sydney today.

A man has climbed a crane on High St Thomastown outside of Melbourne after ligting a fire causing police negotiation. The man still refuses to come down. 

Commuters are warned that Sydney rail strikes are continuing through Christmas and New Year disrupting celebrations after it won a court action/order  to ban the union from striking whenever they like. Breaking news this morning first the Wollongong line was the only line affected now most train lines hare affected with all trains cancelled and only trains on the Olympic line running every 20 minutes  - clashing with the opening of the L4 Parramata lightrail line between Westmead and Carlingford at 5 am this morning. So glad I didn't go out to the opening I would have been stuck possibly. The police comissioner Kerry Web recommends the NYE fireworks be cancelled due to ongoing industrial action by the train union claiming it is dangerous for families who could be stranded in the city with no way of getting home. 

Garbo are threatening to walk off the job for the first 2 weeks in January in Adelaid SA for better pay and more job security. A similar garbo strike has already been seen in QLD. 

A zoo in the Netherlands has put a tree in a chimp enclosure filled with healthy treats such as cucumbers and capsicums so the chimps could gather around and have a family meal together.

The shooter responsible for murdering the health insurance CEO has been extradited to NY. He did not fight the extradition instead got a hear cut , a change of clothing and remained calm.

A Bali 9 member Matthew Norman has just touched down at Melbourne Airport to start a new life in the surfing town of  Torquay. He is spending time at multimillion dollar property with some religious organisation with some friends he made whilst he was in jail. What?? Another member of tge Bali 9 is also back in Melbourne and asked 3rd back in Brisbane.

Sonic the Hedgehog is back in Sonic the Hedgehog 3  starring Jim Carrey/ Keanu Reaves and and so is a new Superman movie.

Carols In The Domain is on tomorrow night in Sydney with a live broadcast on channel 7.

A 90 year old has just earner her first degree and associate degree in business administration from college in the US.

Bluey is setting sail on a Disney Cruise line.

Raygun has come out and said good luck with the project and I'm going to leave you alone. This comes after a legal copyright threat and cancellation of a comedian's musical based on Raygun's break dance routine and then changing the name of the musical to Breaking  I think it's called. It's not about the money was the phrase used and repeated by Raygun in a speech as she thanked her supporters.

Taylor Swifts Eras tour may be over but her partner has thrown her a huge end of  tour party for Taylor coinciding with her birthday. 

Saturday 21st December 2024

It is the annual Christmas Carols In The Domain tonight but I never go to it. I haven't been to a Carols In The Domain since my 20s probably back when we lit and held real wax candles where the wax would drip and we wrapped foil or a paper collar around the candle to catch the drips. 

Another do nothing day as I am feeling a little tired after yesterday's long adventure. It's just too hot.

I just cooked ( prepared for Christmas Day) and uploaded any videos I have not finished uploading yet.

News headlines today include 

Johnson and Johnson goes to court with claims that their cold and flu products don't work. 

A new search for MH370 which disappeared more then 10 years ago between KL Mayasia and Beijing China is to resume. The company involved in the search is UK & US based and won't be paid unless the plane is found. It has been quite a few years since Australia's last attempted search for the missing plane that mysteriously disappeared . The Malaysian government has agreed to and fund a new search due to new search technology but only if it is sucessful in finding the flight's remains.

A car has ploughed into a German Christmas market killing at least 1 person suspected as a terrorist attack. 60 - 80 people are estimated to have been injured. The markets have been shut down with police arriving. More deaths are being reported. The man has been arrested by police. Now 2 confirmed dead including a toddler. There are now warnings for people not to travel to the German town.

Calls for Western Sydney express buses to the beach in the city in order for residents to beat the heat. Currently there is only 1 direct bus to a Northern Woollongong beach which takes an hour and 10 minutes to get there. 

US Congress shutdown The deadline approaches as Trump & Musk tank spending deal. If an agreement can't be reached, all essential services may be haulted as a result until a deal has been negotiated.

A top of 25 degree C was forcasted earlier this morning now a top of 29 and mostly sunny. After a really hot day out at Parramatta yesterday , I am unsurprised if it hits 29 degrees C again today.

A fatal bus has crashed near regional Wagga Wagga 50 km away killing the driver and 13 passengers injured. The truck driver was not seriously injured. 

2 more evacuation flights will touch down in Brisbane QLD tonight from earthquake ravaged Port Villa Vanautu. 145 Australians have already been repatriated on RAAF flights back to Australia.

Another shooting outside of Melbourne in Cambellfield  where there is a police manhunt for the shooter who shot and killed a man who died later in hospital from serious injuries.

Only one of the remaining Bali 9 is spending Christmas in Darwin as the other 4 return interstate, home for Christmas due to an outstanding theft warrant back from 2005 for stealing money from the CBA leaving  him in legal limbo. 

Queen Mary has a golden kangaroo hanging on her Christmas tree.

Prince Charles reveals his plans for 2025 and update on his health in a cheeky way with 3 words.

Recommendations from the police comissioner to cancel the NYE fireworks in Sydney due to" planned"  rail union industrial action causing the event to become unsafe as families will be stranded in the city with nowhere to go has  caused a humber of cancellations already due to the threat and doubt of whether the event will go ahead. It's just not NYE without the iconic Sydney fireworks and it will cost Australian businesses to lose hundreds of millions of dollars if the fireworks are cancelled and a bad start to 2025 . Sydney will lose it's reputation as a tourist destination which will destroy the economy ( we don't want to get a bad reputation like Melbourne who cancelled the Commonwealth Ganes) 

Harmful microplastics are linked to cancer and can affect the reproductive  respiratory and digestive systems. A Sydney university study has found hundreds of thousands of microplastic particles are ingested by people every day.

The industries where there is strong job growth are age & healthcare, AI & machine learning, cyber security,  truck drivers.

Participants in this year's Sydney to Hobart yacht race this year may want to think twice before jumping into the Derwent River in Tasmania after it has been contaminated with sewage after a breakdown of a waste processing plant where the Cadbury Chocolates factory plant is to blame for overloading the waste treatment plant causing it to malfunction. 

Experience Christmas Magic at the State Theatre with a new  illusionist show.

40 000 people are expected to attend the Carols in the Domain and 30000 people are expected to attend the cricket out at Olympic Park but due to ongoing delays and cancellation of most of the train services today and tonight as a result of continued rail union industrial action , people will find it difficult to get home with many leaving to get to venues earlier as not to become stranded and misding the events. Luna Park is just one company taking the rail union to court suing them for loss in revenue due to people

Another stabbing in Rockdale.

Lobsters are back on the menu as China comes crawling back to Australia begging. Tarrifs have been lifted on the export of lobsters to  China from Australia and exports will start leaving Australia in time for Luna New Year celebrations.

More Neo Nazi Protests in Victoria calling for Jews to get out.

Robbie Williams to headline NYE in Sydney ( not likely if the fireworks are cancelled!)

A Mosman Cafe has been robbed of cash .

Days after the city was declared safe enough for the Australian embassy to reopen in Kyev , the city has been attacked with a number of embassies set on fire.

A mishap rather then a crash has happen with a helicopter crashing . No one was hurt. 

There has no problem selling top luxury homes in Sydney and Melbourne.

A century old letter from Gallipoli found in the trenches of Gallipoli ( actually pinched) left the trenches for the Turks to find was read out for the first time and shines light on the friendship between the Australian and the Turks.

Sunday 22nd December 2024

I have to start organising things now.

A top of 27 degrees C in Sydney and cloudy.

I have never seen so many strikes - you can't travel anywhere now without some type of strike disrupting your travels by trains planes or automobiles.

Today I ventured out later in the afternoon but just by bus and only to Chatswood to gets some change for the laundry, some cortesone for my skin, some garbage bags and some Antipodes avocado pear night face cream. A snack from breadtop of a fried Japanese beef curry doughnut and nothing from Aldi or Coles today just Woolworths Metro.

The new Maccas located in the former large vacant Lowes shop on Victoria Ave is opening tomorrow - that was a fast fitout and opening

Home on the bus - it was a long wait again. Gave the stuff my neighbour wanted and he paid in cash - cheeky bugger, he asked if I had change -yes but I told him he was eating into my laundry change money so he ended up giving me a note one fifty cent coin and twenty cent coins. zi said zi didn't want fifty cent coins they are a nuisance but will accept twenty cent coins. 

News headlines today include

A capybara has just been named Sunrise by a zoo.

A call for new federal aviation public charter rights for passengers to be compensated for cancelled flights and delays of flights over 3 hours.

The death toll rises with 5 deaths and 200 injured from the German Christmas market attack.

Victoria has a number of out of control fires in Western Victorian regions especially with residents to get out of the Grampians. The camp sites in the Grampians have also been evacuated.

Blake Lively sues co star Jason Baldoni who has created a sexual harassment environment around her in the film "It ends with us" .

2 suspicious fires in Melbourne today one at Springvale and another in Coberg where cars rammed into buildings.

367 services were cancelled yesterday Warnings for commuters to avoid the trains altogether as the stouch between the rail union and  the state government reach boiling point . The NYE fireworks could be under threat if the dispute between them continues. Businesses are preparing to sue the rail union for disrruption and loss of revenue. 

There will be a 2 day weapons blitz with police searching anyone in any location police think could be a weapons threat. NSW police have already seized 70 weapons in areas known to have high crime and violence.

41 degrees in Perth with some regions reach 47 degrees C. 

Nepean Hospital has been found to have a backlog in radiology with 17000 scans wait listed and a bullying culture putting pressure on staff.

A man is aiming to run in 58 marathons in 58 days

20 year old  Millie Bobby Brown has thanked everyone in an emotional and tearful farewell after the ending of Stranger Things Final season .

A proposed cap on the lighting of the Opera House Sails has been abandoned.

The Kidmans arrive back in Australia to spend Christmas  where it will be the first Christmas without her mother.

New movies include Mufasa - The Lion King ( one for the kids)  & Better Me ( where Robbie Williams is played by a monkey in the movie about his life) ( this is definitely not a kids movie rated M16+) .

When a delivery van with people's packages was stolen, some of the packages had fallen out of the van. A good Samaritan woman from Melbourne picked up the packages and delivered all 15 of them to their recipients. There is still no sign of the delivery van stolen in broad daylight with it's contents inside. I wonder where this occurred.

Monday 23rd December 2024

Well it's Christmas eve eve.

The bins were taken out except for 1 which had nothing in it.

Today I travelled to the city by bus then Metro because of train trouble again although I'm unsure what happened between this morning and early afternoon as the trains were all go go go again in the afternoon. No dusrruptions delays  or cancellations .

I spent from around 9.15 am to 2 pm at my volunteer activity Christnas Day Setup with a group of 10 - 20 volunteers at Wesley Mission today. No gift wrapping this year so I signed up for something else .

Was it fun? Well you'll have to watch my YouTube videos to find out.

Today the new McDonald's in Chatswood at the former vacant Lowes shop front opened today - no time to go but had a perp in the afternoon and it was still busy after lunch.It did not take very long for the fitout in time  for Christmas - I wonder if there were any opening specials , probably not.

Went for a shop around Chatswood in the late afternoon, extended shopping hours but most of my time was going to the post office and finding out that I can't send anything to Canada due to a mail strike ( again!) not even a letter and the cost of local postage is going up again in January with a standard local letter increasing in price from $1.50 to $1.70. Next pay another week of rent in cash always no DD working ( 2/3 ATMs did not have any $20 notes therefore I had to pay 1 weeks rent in 2 transactions) , then it was gift shopping - just something small for my 2 neighbours that's not chocolate - no need to purchase Christmas cards I have quite a few of them left over, I also went to officeworks to get a packing box ( before I found out that I could not send anything to Canada by normal mail) , I also topped up my Opal card at the newsagents in Westfield after Woolworths Opal recharge machine was out of order again ( I refuse to use the Opal card recharge machines downstairs as there is something wrong with it re last recharge where money was deducted from my account unauthorised transaction bank will not refund money - as if there is a card skimmer in it), A snack? no not today. Oh yes there was a regular sized green tea honeydew melon with lychee pearls and ice from Sharetea, not had one before as I used to buy my bubba teas from Easyway before they exited Australia, Chatime  and from a stand alone bubba tea place which has shut down in Chatswoid at the interchange. This was my very first taste of a Sharetea bubba tea - not a fan too much ice, lychee flavoured pearls too sweet and I hate the gel skin around them nut the green tea & honeydew melon flavouring without sugar was nice and refreshing although it gave me a brain freeze being too cold from too much ice. Home on the bus from Chatswood , for once an awaiting bus!

Home to first talk to my neighbour and then roast my butterfly chicken stuffed with turkey mince mixed with spinach cheese and morrocan flavours ( dried cranberries, candied citrus , fresh corriander, fresh shallots and other yummy things). My dinner with leftovers for  Christmas,.....&  NYE .

I forgot to mention that when I recharged my Opal card at the Nexta Newsagency in Westfield, I also bought the cheapest autopick lotto ticket to be drawn on 4th January 2025. I never win anything so I will probably forget about it.  I only purchased it because the lotto draw is drawn on the 4th and 4 is a VERY unlucky number in Chinese superstition  and being born on the 4th is also a lifetime of  bad luck and do I know it because 4 sounds like death!!!!!

News headlines today include

A new Rivertown Ride opens at Dream World today.

The AUS$ is down to $0.62 against the US$

5 days into the Train Unions industrial dispute and concerns are still growing that the NYE fireworks could be cancelled if the dispute between the government and rail workers union can't be resolved. The rail union wants a 32% pay increase over the next  4  years, no garbage emptying at stations ,no cleaning of graffitti off trains & not working when it is raining. This will take a train driver's salary to over $200000 per annum. Claims there will be a shortage of 200 drivers on NYE to get passengers around safely.

Taylor Swift has been dragged into the Blake Lively legal battle due to a PR claim that attacks her husband Ryan Reynolds and Bestie Taylor Swift with text messages as proof.

A top of 28 degrees C today in Sydney and sunny.

The fires are out of control and continue to burn in Victoria in the Grampians. 

A 4 year old boy has died in a house fire in Perth. Cause is being investigated.

A 23 year old was shot down and killed on a suburban street in QLD by 2 men known to her on Sat night Sun morning.

An new axe throwing club has been given the axe by police preventing it from opening in Adelaide as it is considered to be too dangeteous to open in it's location already full of crime.

A dramatic rescue of 3 boaties off the South coast of NSW has occurred in shark infested waters. Investigations are underway as to how the boaties  ended up having to be rescued.

Princess Kate has recorded a reading of her festive letter.

Fireworks generate $280 million into the economy in Sydney just for the one night event 

The annual Santa gondola row is on in Venice.

Tiger Woods is getting closer to a major win as his 15 year old son Charlie ( who scored a hole in one ) plays with him in the PNC golf championships.

Martin Short SNL saw him inducted into the "5 Timers Club" and sings his way through Christmas on SNL.

Sabina Carptenets performance at Tiny Desk Concert.

Demi Moore & Rob Lowe reunited after 50 years .

This year marks 50 years since Cyclone Tracey  striking Darwin. It was Christmas 1974 and 75% of the buildings were destroyed.

Rupert Murdoch sells Foxtel to a Russian streaming giant DAZN  for how much? 3 billion dollars

No festive goodwill between the train union and the state government with a stalemate threatening to derail NYE celebrations. They hold a energency meeting tomorrow. Halt all strikes until next year however not unless the government stops their legal action against them with the fair work comission. They have lifted 8 of the bans but negotiations will continue at tomorrow's emergency meeting.

Oscar Jenkins the first Australian has been  taken in Ukraine as a prisoner of war by the Russians. A prisoner exchange is being considered.

An Australian pilot is to be extradited. 

The Christmas rush is on! Yep I was there today.

A major traffic nightmare as the Warringah Freeway is construction is underway .

Doping amongst tennis stars? Max Purcell suspended for playing & training tennis.

A woman has been arrested for her aggresive tirade against a woman at Kmart who was wearing a pro Palestinian t shirt. She was also known for other previous tirades and assaults.

An injection could be the answer to treating blindness.

Kevin Andrews farewelled at a funeral after a year long battle with cancer. The former PM  was 69.

There has been a decrease in customer banking scams due to the sharing of scam watch information shared between banks in order for them to identify and minimise these scams.

A man has been arrested for a phone scamming scheme.

Belmore & Lakemba in the Canterbury & Bankstown LGAs are about to get a housing boost with new thousands of new homes, infrastructure and transport links as well .

One person was killed as a bridge collapsed and  cars fell into the water.

40000 HSC students find out if they got into their dream courses today.

What? Australians don't share their chocolate hiding stashes anywhere they can .

A police officer in Peru undercover dressed as The Grinch has bashed down a door in a drug bust /raid.

There has been a postal strike in Canada since 15th November 2024 and does not look to be resolved until May 22 2025. Didn't Canada have a postal strike around the same time last year ie Christmas holidays????? Not happy as I can't even send a letter to Canada only found out today. It all has to do with post offices around the world closing and moving to larger distribution centres with high automation and AI cutting the cost and cutting the jobs of postal employees. Also privatisation of the postal services and cutting hundreds of thousands of postal routes which is a concern for isolated communities which rely on the postal services for delivery of cheques, medication and other supplies. This is also a warning to Australian postal services.

A suspicious pack was found outside of Eastgate Shopping Centre causing an evacuation. It turned out to contain batteries from ebikes/scooters.

Tuesday 24th December 2024

A top of only 24 degrees C today in Sydney but it is sunny. 

Christmas Eve, Last Minute Shopping Panic???? Nope not me! The Fish Markets  are already busy early this morning with the annual 36 hours continuous trading leading upto Christmas Day.

Are NYE celebrations saved? Has the Rail Union backed down from industrial action? We don't know. Apparently so.

WA nurses have accepted an 18% pay increase for some workers. 

Luigi Magione has appeared in court for federal and state charges - he pleaded not guilty to the murder of United Healthcare CEO. If found guilty Magione could face the death sentence without parole and no free trial. His lawyer argues that he has been paraded between federal and state courts unfairly. He has supports and haters. His supporters are those disenfranchised by the way the US health care system operates.

King Charles is breaking tradition not goving his Christmas sperch from his residence giving his  Christmas message in a Chapel at a former hospital instead. Appropriate given his health battle with cancer and also Princess Kate's.

Western Victorian bush fires continue to burn across the state and expected to burn through to Boxing Day warning for people to avoid travel to fire affected regions.

68000 people are expected to be going through Brisbane Airport today with other major airports having record pre pandemic numbers of passengers.

Even animals celebrate Christmas at US zoos with animals tucking into festive boxes filled with food and toys. Australian Reptile Park also celebrated Christmas with a bunch of baby animals

Kim Kardashian has released a cover version of Santa Baby - the video is a little bizzare I think with mixed reviews. I think it's a little slutty definitely not classy.

Usher goes back to school for show an tell. What do your parents do? They are a famous pop star.

Alex de Minaur has announced his engagement to fellow tennis mate Katie Boulter. They had been secretly dating for 2 years and will actually be facing off against each other at the upcoming United Cup .

Another 2  restaurants have been robbed on the Gold Coast just before Christmas as they were about to close for the holidays.

A warning for people to be careful around water until NYE as there has already been 18 fatalities.

Billie Ilish sings O Holy Night to end her North American tour and will be in Australia on tour in February 25.

Another shop fire by arsonists near Flemmington in a  Melbourne suburb. .

Kid's take note : Santa clause has just departed

A volcano in Hawaii has erupted however has said not to be a threat to residents as it has erupted before.

The Rail Union has abandoned their industrial action on NYE so the fireworks will go ahead with thousands of extra services. What a total waste of everyone's time!

A 3 year old lost with desperate police searches has been reunited with thir parents ( mother).

No interest rate cuts until late 2025. After the next Federal election. Not good news for mortgage holders.

Former US President Bill Clinton has been admitted to hospital with a fever.

Wednesday 25th December 2024

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Today I took my rubbish out, did my huge pile of laundry, spoke to my neighbour who gave me a Christmas card ( don't know why he gave everyone else theirs but kept mine) - felt like throwing it in the bin to be honest. I gave out my cards and presents yesterday. Hung them on neighbours door handles. Gave #7 a card & pair of Christmas socks , Gave # 4 a card & box of Christmas cookie & Gave #3 a card & notebook . The rest of the day was filing, watching tv, YouTube videos and updating my blog and descriptions on my YouTube channel. Did not get anything done today. 

Checked to ensure I wasn't on any Monday TV news channels with footage of me decorating the pot plant ( when a camera was shoved in my face literally for a close up), no footage found but I was in the background on sky news. Just as well I was still wearing my sun hat and facing sideways as not to reveal my face ( I signed a form group photos only). I hate being on TV.

News headlines today include

It was a rather wet windy day today with a top of around 27 degrees C and sunny. It was quite hot today.

The woman who had a Kmart tirade the other day is also responsible of trying to run over a Muslim leader in Granville with her car.

A Christmas fair in Mexico killed at least 2 after a ride collapsed.

The Pope has led his Christmas service.

Richard Perry the man responsible for many ear worn songs such as dies aged 82 years old.

Expected Boxing day alone splurge is expected to be $1.3 billion .

An 18 month old identical twin who had his leg amputated in September and would have faced several painful surgeries if not amputed due to having missing bones was fitted with a prosthetic limb adjusting to life and interestingly sometimes developing faster then his twin brother.

Double digit price increased have occurred with bread cheese and cearal as well as fuel but with overseas travel with the highest increase of 50% !

People are spending a lot on pets with pets hotels booked out.

Rejected rasin bread has been bottled to produce rasin toast liqueur called Taste of Rasin toast . Ugly lemons were also turned into royal lemonade - yes what the Queen drank on the recent royal tour to Australia. All in an effort to reduce food waste.

New technology could see swimmers avoid painful bluebottle stings at beaches laymuching artifical blue bottles equipped with satellite sensors to track the movement of blue bottles.

Cricket cricket and more cricket - boxing day test.

The Sydney to Hobart Yacht race is also on tomorrow with fast & furious conditions.

NASA has launched the fastest spacecraft straight towards the sun - the Parkerpro 4 cm away from the sun, the spacecraft will collect data enclosed in a heat proof shield which will keep internal instruments around 29 degrees when the temperature around the sun's surface are a scorching thousands of degrees higher.

Charges against Alec Baidwin may have been dropped for the Rust shooting however the family of Helena Hutchinson are still seeking compensation as her mother faces another Christmas without her daughter.

Astraunauts on the international space station have shared their special Christmas message.

Thursday 26th December 2024

Today I braved the crows of Boxing Day sales and travelled by bus direct to Macquarie Shopping Centre stooping off at K Mart to find and purchase a box of Christmas biscuits ( almost sold out of all except the plain ones)  followed by Metro to Gadigal to Pitt St Mall stopping at Officeworks which closed so early ( grabbed a few things as it closed in 15 minutes and it was not even 5 pm and the lights were switched off and on as a warning - a crowd of people were waiting outside the locked doors to enter only to be told the store was closed), then the food court for an iced peached tea from Gloria Jeans as there were long queues everywhere. It was really hot outside. Onto to Woolworths Town Hall, Getting there the supermarket was open but not Big W upstairs. Just as well I had already been to Big W at Macquarie Shopping Centre for a look. A not so nice snack from The Little Fish Shop where the calamari was over fried, very greasy and all broken up. Back on the Metro to Chatswood where I found a nice black Steve Madden wallet for $12.99 at TKMAX to replace my old almost falling apart one. It was the last one still in it's box . Finally I walked back to Woolworths Metro to do a final grocery shop. I left it until last as I did not want to carry the groceries around whilst shopping. Bad decision- arriving at Woolworths Metro Chatswood, it was already closed at 8 pm . It was 8.15 pm or so when I arrived. I walk back to Westfield which as mostly still open. Shopped at Coles as Aldi looked as if it was closing or already closed. Quick shop finished, it was a spot tge bus about to depart and a run to get to the bus stop before it did before going home on it.

End of Boxing Day sales for today.

News headlines today include

21 lotto tickets worth $17 million remain unclaimed around Australia.

The King and Queen spend Christmas at Sandringham with no Harry or Meghan who haven't been there since 2018. The King is set to deliver his Chistmas Day Speech. The King or William are expected to travel to Poland after Christmas. 

The Sydney to Hobart is about to commence this morning.

Today marks 20 years since a Tsunami devastated Thailand.

The annual boxing day sales are on this morning. People are already lined up ready to bag a bargain.

A top of 29 degrees C and sunny in Sydney today.

The Boxing Day cricket match is on. 90000 are expected to pack the MCG today. Travis Head was cleared to play after an injury. Captain Pat Cummings backs opener Sam Konstas.

Team USA top seed tennis players have touched down in Sydney ahead of the United Cup hoping to gain redemption from a disappointing Olympics result.

Strong winds and heat have made it difficult for fire-fighters to control the fires in and around the Grampians.  Residents in Bornes Hill told to seek shelter now. A warning for travellers to stay away from travel to regional areas.

A tobacco shop on the Gold Coast has been set on fire by an arsonist on the run

A fire in Townsville with 4 people taken to hospital. The cause of the fire is unknown.

A man struck by fireworks has died on site in Melbourne

38 were killed  with dozens injured  in a plane crash in Kazakhstan

The crazy Bronte Beach Christmas party attended by thousands has resulted in a massive clean up.

Friday 27th Drcember 2024

A mother and son were struck by an out of control taxi whilst sight see in NY outside a Macys. The driver was said to have suffered a medical episode. 7 were injured. The mother was conscious and the son has leg and foot injuries as they were pulled from under the taxi as bystanders rushed to help.

Another tobacco store set on fire in QLD Fortitide. The arsonists escaping without his shoe on fire. 

There has been a Perth Boxing Day stampede as crowds of boys race and fight to get their hands on one of free 400 t shirts . The label is known for it's free clothing  give always. No one was injured luckily.

There is a Victorian Liberal Leader stoush as 2 candidates fight for the top job as there is conflict within the Liberal Party.

Adelaide's Torrens River is closed due to contamination by high levels of  e coli.

$1.8 billion worth of unwanted Christmas gifts are expected to be sold online according to Ebay.

Russia has been blamed for downing a plane. 

A Christmas day riot haa occurred where 6000 prisoners escaped and countless injured from a Mozambique jail.

Beyoncé was joined with daughter Blue Ivy and Post Malone  at a Christmas Day Game Day half-time  Cowboy Carter show.

The hot cross buns are already out as Christmas is barely over in supermarkets. - this is not new aa they were out in Aldi ( although a little frozen) Coles is aiming for 10 new flavours this year.

An out of control party was moved to another beach in Fremantle. The DJ was charged.

Master Lock Comanche has retired from the Sydney to Hobart due to damage to it's mainsail. So far 7 yachts have retired from the 104 yatcht race. 2 sailors have died on separate yachts struck by a sail boom. Given CPR they could not be saved. Wild conditions could have cancelled the event. Law Cinnect is leading @ 9 knots per hour with another yacht almost capsizing.

Residents in the Gampians told it's too late to leave  whilst others told to evacuated as the bush fires get worse in regions West of Melbourne. Wind gusts have made it difficult for fire-fighters fighters  to control the fires.

A scorching 38 degrees C in Sydney today!!!! 41 degrees C n the Western suburbs . Storms possible in  Sydney this evening with a cool change. It 's not even 9 am yet and a storm just roll-over Sydney. It's really grey and overcast outside and wet - very wet  but nowhere near the scorching 38 degrees forecasted yet!!!!

Kohli escaped suspension during a match "bumping" into Konstas who was adjusting his glove during the Australia verses India Boxing Day cricket match at the MCG .He was given a penalty fine.

A deer - a doe has falled into a frozen lake and had to be rescued by fire fighters.

What there is a Happy Gilmore 2 movie coming out with Kelce making a cameo appearance???

Travis Kelce gives Taylor Swift a safety room in his home for Christmas after his house was robbed previously.

A speed eater has set a new guiness book of world records by eating 49g of green fairy floss in 60 seconds. She is know for other speed eating records such as chicken m nuggets. 

What to do with all that after Christmas waste? - this was actually a news story. I don't have any - I don't buy fancy Christmas wrap I use brown paper and this year used greaseproof paper, I buy small presents , I used natural kitchen string to tie around the presents, I  recycle all my old batteries at Aldi, I keep all my Christmas cards received,  I put any paper and cardboard in the correct blue recycling bin, I would use giftbags if needed and recycle them as well as the ribbon, I have never had a live Christmas tree just an artifical one which is the same one I have had for decades, I buy only glass metal ceramic paper/cardboard, and wooden quality Christmas ornaments and collect them buying only 1 or 2 each year, I do use string lights the LED type but started off with battery powered ones when I could have purchased solar powered ones - maybe in the future I will. I actually didn't put my Christmas tree up this year or last year. I didn't even have a big Chritmas dinner this year so not a lot of food wastage. My neighbour gave me a papaya as a gift and I had given her a box of shortbread in a cardboard box so there is not much waste there. I don't drink alcohol and only bought enough groceries to last me until NYE. Not everyone can practise these rules.