Internationally, things haven’t been going well. All due to a couple of reprobates, one in Israel, the other in the White House, USofA. It all looks rather frightening, especially as world markets react to every little tweet from the White House end of the equation. Fuel sky high..coming down now, due ..only in part.. to home grown pollies doing their bit. Iran is on the other end of the stick..having a great time..pity about all their civilians in the firing line..but the powers that be enjoy getting the White House ..end of the equation..on the back foot for a change. Sticking it to them.
Frightening. certainly..however, we in Australia are remote from all the hoo har..except petrol price rises feeding down the chain, making everything more expensive. Not nice. Also, if two countries are shooting at each other overseas, some of their previous citizens tend to want to do the same here. Our Asio especially keep a close watch on all of this..sometimes with great results..and other times..not so. I suspect the Police keep an eye out as well.
Aaand, on my nemesis, facebook, appeared a journalist, I’d say he is, calls himself Gman. Lives to all accounts in the Blue Mountains, NSW. His articles are worthy of a read…calls a spade a f^&*^&%g shovel, drops the C word here and there. Ooohh..anyway. Thoroughly enjoyable, a dashed good read. His favourite subjects..the other end of the equation in the White house, USofA. The reprobate in Israel, and Iran especially. Our Pauline is Not a favourite of his. Texas Mum writes an article or three for Gman…amongst other things, talks about Jennifer, a rabid Trump is the best thing since sliced bread kinda girl.
So, when you get those two, making light of a terrible situation, and being totally funny, too..thoroughly entertaining. All the doom and gloom lifts, when you can laugh at it all. Emails, a couple of times a day, sometimes more..iffen you subscribe..which is free, and you can become a paid subscriber if you so wish.
His articles still appear on facebook..dunno how he gets away with it, especially since I think my facebook was canned for ..a brief mention here and there..of similar stuff. I’m more circumspect nowadays. On my/this website, I’m still wary…
Oh, Gman and Texas Mum..there’s another lady, her name escapes me..

“I f^&*^&%g love Australia”…with the f^&*^&%g substituted with the real swear word..

The other thing..we have a new television. New gets you a smart tv, not the old ..dumb type one, if you know what I mean. Muggins went through the settings..looked like I couldn’t get away with not connecting the internet..but I think I have limited what it does while its on there. Not automatically checking for updates, for one. tick. Not signing up for an account. tick. Not signing up for more smart features. tick. Only going on the free to air channels..tick. Not giving permission for our viewing habits to get sent away..tick. To enable more relevant advertising, fill this form out. Nay, nuh, no way, nyet. Nooo advertising…only on the free to air stations as a matter of course.
The old tv..only got some of the channels finally..channel seven not at all..no high density or other Klever types of broadcasts.
I got around that, with ta da..a set top box. Was fiddly, took a moment or three to get the channels up, and sometimes the dvd player turned on as well, it being the same brand as this little gizmo. Was all working reasonably..
until
Yes, a moment in time, where we had a broadcast that lasted moments in time, and the gizmo was Too Slow.
Ah well..we had mothers day coming up, And a birthday. Suitable excuse for a proper tv!
I put the spare stereo down next to the old tv..and plumbed the sound into the dvd player..brilliant sound! Sounds like we’re in a theatre at times. It is capable of playing anything on the ..new tv..if we switch it on…Mind you, I’ve tweaked the bass up a notch or five…

first picture..old tv out in the garage..two remotes sitting up. Sundry cables, going every which way..or they used to.

second picture..new tv and setup. One remote..one remote for the dvd player, and one remote for the stereo..just a few cables into the tv, now, versus the myriad before.