Buying a TV:Yes, a Sony Smart TV, not too big. Reviews note the picture is good and the sound is okay. Sony itself, as a company, is pretty well cactus now, as are quite a few famous Japanese companies. The good thing about Sony is that the quality is still there. It has to be. Sony is about to be bought out lock stock and barrel by the Chinese company that makes iPhones for Apple in China...and if Sony didn't keep making basically good stuff, then it would just sink without any buyers at all.

I mean, black outs don't happen much anymore, unless you have a cyclone or a big storm, and that doesn't happen often. What a bunch of babies. The best thing to do in a black-out is to do nothing. Maybe light a candle. No point running around like a complaining chook with its head cut off because you'll only most likely trip over on the furniture and graze your chicken feet. Just do nothing for awhile. It is well within our genetic structure to do nothing. Look at Canberra.

step daughter jokingly complained that I couldn't speak Chinese. I said "yes I can! Ni hao, tamada, jaiyo, zaijen, shar bi!" She replied " 'Saying Hello, motherfxxker, good luck, goodbye stupid cxxt'. Doesn't really count." Still, it has helped me through a lot of difficult social situations. I believe I was very clearly understood. Still, it is not a 'one size fits all' statement, to be sure. The only time it ever let me down was going through Customs at Beijing Airport. There was a bit of a delay.I did have to go through a full cavity search but at the time I just put that down to the oriental generosity of strangers.

I don't know why folk get so upset regarding Mr Trump. Well, yes I do, actually, but it is the stated plan as he stated it, and why folk voted for him. His actions have been in accord with his thinking and planning and statements. Yes, there will be some kind of trade war with China, yes, (bad idea) overall he will reduce the number of American military bases in Asia, (good idea)and yes Australia will face some serious consequences regarding allegiances, alliances, and future economics. It is obvious. The Au$ will go up, jobs here will be lost, there will be less money for hospitals, pensions schools etc and there will be some lasting economic distress, and all this is understandable. The global financial crisis of 2008 continues unabated for the next 10 years at least. It has to. These corrections always take that long. It was a BIG correction. The fact that the Australian Govt hasn't any plan or contingency at all just shows how much we have payed these clowns for doing nothing, in fact for not thinking, not planning... for so very long.

Australian Heat:Noting how soft and yet how demanding we Australians have become...the Southern heat wave causing some blackouts across here and there, for a few hours etc, and everyone in a fit as if it shouldn't happen...not to us and not in 2017! Well, you get extreme weather and the systems fail...that's natural. Like a cyclone near Cairns, the power goes out and people fix it as soon a possible but no one really expects things to be perfect as they do here. A preposterous arrogance of the OCD time-driven narcissistic social exactness of the Southern states. A bunch of babies.

At the Louboutin shop in Collins St Melbourne... Hi do you have anything in a men's extra wide size ten synthetic-rubber Croc-type slip-on that can be worn with knee high white poly cotton socks? I'm looking for a particular shade of khaki for the top as I don't wish to have anything ostentatious, but of course with the Louboutin characteristic glossy red sole... Of course, sir, of course. To match one of your organic hemp frocks, perhaps, sir? Our designer, Christian, has been working on the Croc-concept for 20 years...in a hybrid hiking-croc-boot melange-continuum...and I'm sure he has something just right for you...so, if, um, if you'd like to, take a seat, sir, Madeliene will get you an expresso... and I'll just... kick you in the face.

JJ Cale Naturally