Retired now but worked as a tradie, a teacher and manager. Left leaning voter with a green hue. Union man since 1974. Two kids, Six grandkids, one dog, two degrees. Born at 314.3ppm CO2.
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2026-07-25T15:47:54+02:00 Event JSON
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Last Notes npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith The two continents that I haven't set foot on are South America and Antarctica so it would be one of them. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith Now I've got Warren Zevon in my head (and he'll probably stay the whole day) arooooo! npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith That's about the time that I have to start telling Monty that it's too early to go to the dog park. Then he asks for updates every 20 or 30 minutes. We generally get up at 5.30 but, being a Sunday, stayed under the covers until 6.20. Then we went for a walk for an hour or so and now we're back home and having breakfast. 😀 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith She could always go back to her old job. She was pretty good at it. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith I'm a happy old bugger but I'm not sure that I'm happier than when I was younger. Happy is my default setting but has occasionally been disturbed by malfeasants (Thatcher, Howard, Abbott, Morrison, Trump Netanyahu to name a few). npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith Yep. All the performative outrage BS from the Coalition and Labor pandering to racists is nothing short of depraved. At least it makes it easy to know who to put last next time we get to vote. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith Agreed. I worry a fair bit that government will be off target in identifying those who are 'not doing it tough' though. Much of the commentary seems to suggest that rather than lift up folk who are doing it tough we'll be dragging down those who are a little better off. It's the corporate tax dodging and the super wealthy that should be contributing more. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith yep, I struggle to see how the RBA is making the right decisions on this. If the economy is overheating, and that seems highly questionable, Government should be applying the brakes in a more equitable way. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith my place is pretty well insulated too. Rock wool in the walls, batts in the ceiling, floating floors, double glazed windows and doors. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith I had the heater on from about 3.30 yesterday afternoon. I aim to turn it on before the temperature drops too much so it doesn't have to work as hard to bring it back up. I'm not sure if that saves electricity or not. Generally I have the temperature set to 20 degrees which some people think is not warm enough but it seems comfortable to me. I turn the heating off when I go to bed. The battery dropped to 52% of it's 16kwh capacity overnight and is charging happily this morning starting from a bit after 7.30 am. It's just charging from the solar panels. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith I replaced my solar panels and added a battery last September. Since then I've powered the house (100% electric) and my EV totally without drawing anything from the grid. It handled running the aircon ok through summer but maybe now that it's in heating mode I'll need to be a bit more careful about what appliances I use and when. I've got a solarhart hot water system and get enough hot water from the sun so it's not usually using any power although I need the booster occasionally in the depths of Winter. I don't get enough feed in credits to cover the power company's fixed connection fee so I'm paying about $50 per qtr for that. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith old whiskey Pete certainly puts the "nut job" in RWNJ. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith Hope it comes good sooner rather than later Jude. 🤞😀 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith the NSW BMD certificates are expensive compared to the UK ones and much slower. But still bring great satisfaction when the missing grand aunt, who disappeared from UK records in the early 1900s but then reappeared in Portland, Oregon in 1914 is found getting married in Sydney in 1913. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith And more of the philosophical npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith it's really good Josh. One of my friends is helping a young refugee with her English. The youngster is very interested in the Artemis mission so my friend is going to use your story with her this week. 😀 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith He was Mark of Cornwall in Arthur of the Britons on tv in the early 70s. Always does a good job whatever he's in. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith well done Rosie. I can sympathize as I'm currently on the gurney waiting to go into theatre for a cystoscopy. 😬 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith Thought I'd put my feet up for five minutes. The resident opportunist was quick to join the endeavour. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith Don't quit. I can see in the replies that you've already got some good suggestions. I would definitely talk to someone more senior and your student union. You've got some difficult days ahead so 🫂 ✊💪 from Monty and me. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith 😄 BBQ chicken gets Monty's attention better than most things and I've tried heaps of different treats. He's really not motivated by food. It's a challenge that I haven't faced with any of my previous dogs. He's good natured, enjoys human company and loves playing with other dogs so there are no real problems. He doesn't like to be left alone though and has tried to dig through the front door while I'm out grocery shopping. I'm trying different toys and treats to discourage that. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith the clickers are mostly just to signal that they've done good and a reward is on the way. It's a way of getting the positive message very close to the behaviour you want to reward. You need Rosie to make the connection between click and treat though. Maybe you'd have more luck with your voice - a quick 'good girl' and then a treat. Not all dogs take to training as enthusiastically as others though. I'm currently finding that Monty Loco's resistance is getting the upper hand over my persistence 😄😄 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith Entrenched behaviours can be hard to correct but I think it's possible. I reckon what you're doing - removing the 'threat' by closing the door and then getting her focused on something else - is good. As long as she doesn't think the attention is a reward for the bad behaviour. Maybe try getting her used to doing something that can be rewarded when you have the door open (something other than barking at the passers by 😄). Stick at it Caity. 😀 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith it's 100% at my place and that includes the car. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith the dead centre of Woden. 😄 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith yep. Some days the balloons come our way and some days not. 😀 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith I wonder if there's a switch to ON coming? I know he says he'll always be a National but we all know what a bloody liar he is. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith nice photo 😀 If you do need to get a UK passport it's a bit time consuming with some nuisance steps but nothing unexpected for such an important document. It takes a bit of time though. I was able to renew mine last year and it was a smooth process. Quite a bit less expensive than our Aussie ones too. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith I've had good experiences with Aussie Housesitters in the past. Now Grandson number 1 looks after things for me when I'm away. The dogs, past and present, know him so that reduces any worries I might have on that front. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith that's a nuisance. Have you tried earplugs? My former partner found they helped and used them a lot when she was working nights. I didn't find they helped that much. Nowadays I've got the luxury of being hard of hearing so I can just take my hearing aids out and the world is much more peaceful. 🙉 😀 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith Yes, fresh bay leaves are much better. My Grandmother always put them in her rice pudding. It's a taste and smell that has stayed with me through the years. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith I think that's got a fair bit to do with who's able to take advantage of rooftop solar and home batteries. If you're renting it's difficult or impossible to take advantage of that so you'd be looking for alternatives. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith Some of the old buildings in the town centre with the jettied upper floors and fancy pargeting. 17th century I think. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith A couple of photos from my current tooting spot. These old stone buildings date from the late 1300s and are still in use today. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith my flight to Singapore was delayed and I missed my connection. The airline put me up in Singapore and fed me. Now I'm back at Changi waiting for the replacement flight. I'll be about 9 hours later arriving in London than planned. Just in time to catch all the commuters on the train to mum's. 🤪 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith I think there are quite a few songs from the 60s that straddle the years very well. But maybe we're both preserved in amber. 😄😄 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith That's an interesting method. It's like a fork of lithography - oil and water don't mix. Do you know the story about the invention of Lithography? Alois Senefelder, the 'inventor', wrote his laundry list on a piece of smooth limestone with a wax crayon and when he tried to clean it off discovered that the limestone held water while the wax crayon repelled the water. The wet limestone repelled oily ink but the wax crayon accepted it. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith I think Chris Minns is every bit as deserving of a 'McCarthy' label as Malinauskas. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith How could anyone support a State that has committed, and continues to commit, the atrocities that Israel is responsible for? They're either demented or they've lost any moral or ethical compass they might have once had. Words fail me. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith Exactly. The Zionist lobby is not as representative as claimed. They're an instrument of foreign interference. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith I think our government should do both. 1) Apologize for dropping the safety and security ball and remind everyone of the many actions already taken to combat anti semitism. 2) Tell the Zionist lobby and their Israeli masters to butt out and stop their divisive interference. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith unfortunately I think he's still alive. Or perhaps the dessicated old turd that pops up on tv every now and then is just some sort of animated corpse that the Liberal Party has commissioned for special occasions. Something that appeals to their base. npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith a Shakespearean episode in the van story? Double, double, toil and trouble ... ;? ) npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith I've been more than a little disappointed with Dr Leigh too. And he's never responded to any concerns I've raised with him with anything other than a "but look how good we are" vanilla response. I don't bother contacting him anymore and certainly don't vote for him (other than to preference him above the RWNJ candidates). npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith #auspol the Guardian is reporting that Greg Jennet is leaving afternoon briefing and will become the newsreader on the 7pm Canberra News. What did we do to deserve this? Is it punishment for not electing enough RWNJ to our ACT assembly? 😵💫 npub1qhgas772arwgc6qr3vcvxenrgn2rkhamc7q5e60wzknaaqxnalfsp4w4jj John Smith many years ago my son was born in that Catholic run hospital and my partner and I were treated very poorly. We were never married and that resulted in them trying to exclude me from access to my partner and child. They even talked to my partner about putting our son up for adoption. We were a happy, stable, secure young family with a home, good jobs, etc. but we weren't married and, in the eyes of the religious nutters running the place that gave them licence to interfere. Thankfully the doctors and nurses involved assisted us in fending off the unwarranted interference. I count the day that the ACT government booted the Church out of the Northside Hospital as one of the best.
