Review: Telstra Internet Fiber Direct to the Home Set Up/ 5 G with instant 4 G Back Up. We've now had it in the new home for about 6 weeks, and I must admit, its kind of woeful compared with the more primitive set up we had at Craigieburn. Its slower and, mind you, somehow it costs us more. One computer, one smart TV kind of okay, but no hope of adding on a tablet etc as it can't/won't connect for a long long long time. Dare I try to contact Telstra? An interesting World Communications Super Company in that they are so advanced that there's no one there when you phone them. They should really replace the shonky music and ads, as you are waiting interminably, with the sound of crickets in a field at night.

Update The Ukraine

More 'news' from the Ukrainian Military Advertising Folk noting huge land gains by their brave forces.

I do tend to doubt that completely.

I think Russia has made the gains it wished to make, has incorporated those Eastern provinces into formal Russian Law, & so has achieved its goal: a strong buffer zone to prevent further Western threat and intimidation. The Russian job now is just to enforce the new borders between itself and what remains of Ukraine. 300,000 Russian army conscripts can do that.

Russia will loosen its tenacious grip on the Southern Ports, (whilst keeping The Crimea for good until Ukraine pays its 20 billion euro gas bill- well in arrears now), as a negotiation tool in a month or two.

Germany will seek diplomatic ends, as the peace maker about to go broke, and the rest of Europe will comply.

The USA will be sidelined, but will put on their usual lying/winning face, in regards to the matter before winter grips Europe, and Russian gas flows again, just in time, especially for Germany.

Most of the stockpile of US and European weapons in the Ukraine will continue be sold off at great profit for the Ukrainian elite to unstable African regimes, as they are doing now.

Peace will come about this way for Europe.

There will be strife in Africa to come, for sure, though...but who in the West cares about Africa? Only China cares about Africa in the present age.

In the meantime, the Western Journalists will stay in their comfortable hotels in Ukrainian cities, and just be taken out on day trips by the Ukrainian Advertising executives, to be told the news and to photograph stuff, and report with serious demeanours how Ukraine is actually winning, far away from anywhere or anyone dangerous, before it gets too cold there, and it will get cold.