Gentlefolk,
This post describes our activities during the month of December 2022.
Change of blog title
We feel that 2022 has been a bit of a watershed year for us. It's the first time we've really noticed age creeping up: nothing serious thankfully, just occasional memory lapses, and increasing aches and pains. Although we are still active (gym, dancing, golf, etc) we are certainly slowing down physically.
So we have decided to change the title of this digital diary from "The Intrepid Duo" to "Life, Down Under". The Intrepid Duo seemed appropriate when we were living and working in China (2009 - 2016). While we still plan to do some international travel, our digital diary really describes life in Australia.
The contents of this post are in the following sequence:
Photos of our activities during December 2022.
A copy of our 2022 Xmas Letter.
Overview of the Football World Cup in Qatar.
Some news items which caught my eye in December 2022.
First some photos of our activities in December 2022.
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| I was on duty as a Volunteer Guide at The Museum of Australian Democracy, when I saw the annual motorbike clubs' rally outside Old Parliament House. |
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| The motorcyclists deliver Xmas presents to poor families around Canberra. |
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| We attended the Farewell Concert of Kim Yang. Her husband has a posting to the Australian Embassy in Beijing. Kim is originally from Taiwan; she has made a name in Canberra's music scene and will do well in Beijing. |
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| Kim Yang and band performing at Smith's Alternative Cafe. |
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| Australia Indonesia Families Association picnic. |
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| I attended the Trade Commissioners' annual lunch in Sydney. Almost 100 attended the lunch. |
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| Our 'host' was Phil Sibree, who welcomed everyone. |
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| Our table: Peter Cripps, Martin Walsh, Denis Gastin, Michael Abrahams (not shown Greg & Treasure Carmody and Tom Yates). |
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| With Rob Hobart (we were in Jakarta together) and Chris Davidson (he was part of the 1971 TC intake). |
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| With Peter Murphy (we were in Singapore together). |
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| Denis Gastin, one of the leading lights in the old Department of Trade. |
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| Jim Enright and Brendan Dyson visited Frank Walsh in hospital. Frank usually acted as MC for the TC Lunches, but couldn't make it this time. Our best wishes, Frank! |
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| The Trade Commissioner intake of 1971. Of this group, only a few attended the TC lunch on 6 December 2022: Frank & Helen Ledwidge, Chris Davidson, Peter Bergman, Colin Hook, Michael & Anne Johnson, Pat Radinoff, and Marion Richard. Lloyd Downey was in Japan, sent apologies. Also Geoff Gray couldn't make it this time. |
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| We met Courtney at Queen's Park where she was staying with Caz & Andrew. They met her in New Jersey a couple of months ago. Courtney is doing a tour of Asia; gutsy girl! |
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| The Indian High Commissioner HE Manpreet Vokra, was guest speaker at the AIIA Xmas function. He was a very polished presenter. AIIA President Heath McMichael was in the chair. |
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| Xmas drinks for the Volunteers hosted by the Museum of Australian Democracy. |
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| Final meeting for 2022 of the U3A German Conversation Group. From left: Susan Kirby, me, Edmund Kralikas, Martin Holmes, Jim Tweddle, Peter Gibson, Trevor Willson, Ian Turland (missing: Irene and Harry, Karin). We meet every Monday evening at the German Club and chat in German for 90 minutes. Auf wiedersehen bis Februar 2023! |
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Jeffrey Archer is a marvellous author/storyteller. This 1996 book describes the lives of two media moguls Richard Armstrong (aka Robert Maxwell) and Keith Townsend (aka Rupert Murdoch), and their battles to dominate the British and US media markets. Fascinating stuff! We saw "Glass Onion" movie. Tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc (a mis-cast Daniel Craig) is put on the case. It got good reviews, but we thought it was over-rated. |
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| I am a volunteer tutor at an English Conversation Group for Migrants. We meet on Monday mornings at Woden Library. This time participants brought snacks to share for Xmas. |
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| Dinner with Adrienne & Michael, and Aniko & Peter Carey. We normally celebrate Xmas together, but will go our separate ways this year. |
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| The old Causeway Hall has been converted into a playhouse. called ACT Hub. We used to go to dances here 50 years ago! |
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| I attended a play "The importance of being Ernest". It is a popular play written by Oscar Wilde. This performance was a 'modern version'; very different, but I think Oscar would have approved! |
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| Heath & Reno McMichael hosted drinks at their home in Hughes to celebrate his 64th birthday. |
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| Lunch at 'Snapper' with Helen & John Hemphill and Helen & Paul Cooney. |
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| Xmas social dance hosted by Roger & Joyce at the German Club. |
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| In our Xmas finery! |
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| Some of the dancers: Terry & Joy; Philip & Jade. It is Sequence (aka Old Time) Dancing. Good fun! |
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| Caroline & Andrew hosted Xmas this year at their home in Queen's Park, Sydney (next to Bondi Junction). They knocked the old house down, and Caz supervised building the new home. It turned out to be a two-year project, not helped by supply-chain delays caused by Covid. The end result is terrific, a modern, bright, comfortable home. The house works very well and they will enjoy living there for many years to come. Caz's sister, Katherine and her husband David and two kids Bea and Miles came from New Jersey (luckily, they got out before the big winter storm). Jen & Tom and boys came from Brisbane, Vera & I stayed with Niniek and Paul in Westleigh. |
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| Hosts Caroline/Caz, Eddie (8), Jay (5) and Andrew |
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| Assembling the new ping-pong table, which provided hours of entertainment. From left: Paul, Tom, Andrew and Caz. |
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| The kids had lots of fun in the pool. |
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| The Xmas gang, from left: Niniek, Tom, Kurt, Paul, Caz & Jay, Sid, Bea, Nate, Andrew, me, Katherine, David, Jen, Vera. Lying in front: Miles & Eddie. |
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| Opening presents on Xmas morning. From left: Sid, Eddie & Miles, Kurt, Jay, Caz and Bea. Vera supervising. |
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| Katherine prepared the huge ham, which was cooked on the BBQ. Delicious! |
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| While the ham (and Turkey) were cooking, we started off with seafood: oysters and shrimp |
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| Setting for Xmas lunch. |
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| Xmas Eve dinner, from left: Paul, Katherine, Jen, Vera, Andrew, David, me, Niniek, Tom, and Caroline. |
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| The Roberts introduced their Xmas tradition of everyone saying "Something they are grateful for, and Something they wish for". I said that I was grateful to the Australian people for kicking out Scomo at the May 2022 election; and I wish I could beat Eddie at something, anything! |
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| Tom & Jen speaking to Tom's mother (Barbara was visiting Fiona in Adelaide). |
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| If you are near the coast, Xmas in Australia involves going to the beach. This was the scene at Clovelly Beach. |
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| Bronte Beach. |
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| Beware of dangerous currents at Bronte Beach. There were over 400 water rescues and five people drowned in New South Wales (none at Bronte, thankfully) over Xmas Day and Boxing Day. You have to know and respect the ocean! |
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| Girls getting into the Xmas spirit at Bronte Beach. |
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| There is a wonderful coastal walk from Clovelly Beach via Bronte and Tamarama) to Bondi Beach. Bondi is always crowded, my favourite beach. |
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| The (In)famous Boxing Day sales attracted big crowds. This was at Westfield Plaza Bondi Junction, about 15 mnutes walk from Caz & Andrew's home. People spend so much on Xmas presents, and then are lured back by retailers with 'big specials' on Boxing Day. Go figure! |
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| When we lived in Vancouver Canada we became frieds with Denise and Rolf and went to their wedding in the summer of 1977. They always send a lovely family Xmas photo which records the passing of time! |
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| The bride & groom, Vancouver 1977. |
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| Rolf and me before the wedding, Vancouver 1977. |
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Here is the Xmas Letter which we sent to friends. I have not included the photos which were part of it.
Christmas 2022
Season’s greetings from Canberra, Australia. We send our very best wishes to you and your families for Christmas 2022, and for New Year 2023.
The focal-point of 2022 can be described in one word: Ukraine!
Just as the world was starting to get over Covid, Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
The West (led by USA/NATO) rallied to the victim and an unlikely new hero emerged: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: The Ukrainian people took on the Russian bear and, at this stage, are more than holding their own.
Last week Time Magazine named Zelensky and the ‘spirit of Ukraine’ as its Person of the Year. Spot on!
The fighting in Ukraine, and subsequent sanctions by the West, had major impact on the world economy, especially surging energy prices which have fuelled inflationary pressures.
Meanwhile, the Covid-19 pandemic is still with us after almost three years, although the number of new cases and deaths has slowed significantly and most countries have relaxed restrictions.
The cumulative number of Covid cases and deaths in in December 2022 are 656M and 6.7M (The Economist reckons the real figure for cumulative deaths is at least three times the official figure).
Other international developments of note in 2022:
World population passed 8 billion; Central banks started raising interest rates; Stock markets everywhere were volatile; Supply chain constraints are now easing; Mikhail Gorbachev died.
· All
eyes are on the Football (Soccer) World Cup in Qatar. The semi-finals were
played this week: Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 and France beat Morocco 2-0. The
final will be played on 18 December. Wonderful skills, poetry in motion!
· USA: Mid-Term elections Democrats kept Senate
but lost the House; Trump announced that he will seek the Republican nomination
again in 2024; Elon Musk became ‘Chief Twit’; Ketanji Brown Jackson became the
first African-American Justice of the Supreme Court; Roe v Wade (abortion) overturned.
· UK: Queen Elizabeth 2nd died aged
96, replaced by her eldest son King Charles 3rd..
· Iran: continuing anti-govt demonstrations in major cities (estimated 500+ protestors have died, including 64 children and 34 women).
· China: President Xi Jin Ping appointed for 3rd
term; slowing economy; soft property market; zero-Covid policy relaxed.
·
Brazil: Lula beat Bolsonaro for Presidency.
Closer to home, we are lucky in Australia to be so far from the conflict in Ukraine which is stressing out many in Europe. Also, being an Island, we were able to control the Covid pandemic. To date Australia has had 11M cumulative cases of Covid, but less than 17,000 deaths – far fewer than other developed countries.
After 9 years of conservative government, political change came to Australia in May 2022 when Labor won the federal election. Anthony Albanese is our first PM with a non-Anglo name. He is doing well.
In Brisbane Jen & Tom and Kurt (17), Nate (15) and Sid (13) are all fit and well. Jen and Tom recently participated in the Noosa Triathlon (run and bike legs respectively). Nate just missed out on selection for the Qld Emerging Reds rugby union squad. Congrats on a very good effort, Nate!
In Sydney Caroline & Andrew and Eddie (8) and Jay (5) have had a very busy year. Their furniture business, Reddie.com.au, moved to larger premises at 410 Crown St, Surry Hills; and their marvellous new home was finally completed after a 2 year build oversighted expertly by Caroline. Eddie is doing very well in tennis and soccer, while Jay loves ballet.
Vera & Alex soldier on in Canberra. We dance twice a week and go to the gym. Vera plays her ukulele, while I play social golf and attend U3A classes. This year, for the first time, we felt the presence of Old Man Time; nothing serious thankfully, but occasional memory lapses, balance issues, oh! and lower back pain. C’est la vie!
Vera & Alex in Canberra;
Jennifer, Tom, Kurt, Nate & Sid in Brisbane; Caroline & Andrew, Eddie &
Jay in Sydney. (Canberra, 15 December 2022)
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Football World Cup in Qatar, 20 Nov – 18 Dec 2022
28 days, 64 games, 172 goals (passed the 171 goals scored in
1998 and 2014).
There were five penalty shootouts at the 2022 WC, the most
ever.
Three Asian teams made the last 16 (Australia, Japan, South
Korea).
First time the World Cup was played at year’s end (winter,
cooler in Qatar).
Big names missed out: Germany, Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Belgium, England. Biggest surprise packages: Morocco, Japan, Senegal.
The Australian Socceroos reached the final 16; they are now ranked 11th in the World. But have a long way to go to match the top teams (here soccer has to compete with Aussie Rules, Rugby League and Union).
Argentina's team returned to a hero’s welcome in Buenos Aires; huge crowds.
Messi’s Instagram post got 68 million likes and 2m comments
in just 2 days!
Final played
18 December 2022: Argentina
v France
It was 2-all
after regulation time, then 3-all after Extra Time.
Goals: Messi 23’ (pen), di Maria 36’, Mbappe 80’ (pen), Mbappe
81’, Messi 108’, Mbappe 118’(pen).
Argentina
won the penalty shootout 4-2.
Interesting facts about the Final:
● Argentina won the World Cup for a third time (2022 and in 1978
and 1986).
● Each of the last three reigning champions to reach the WC
Final failed to win that final (France in 2022, Argentina in 1990, and Brazil
in 1998).
● Argentina is the third nation to win a WC Final shootout (Brazil
1994, Italy 2006).
● This was the second WC Final to see both sides score a
penalty. It was the first Final where both sides scored at least three goals.
● This was the first WC Final to see both teams have a
player score at least twice (Messi & Mbappe).
Argentina’s Lionel Messi (35)
● Messi became the first player to win the Golden Ball (best
player of the tournament, introduced 1982) at two different WCs.
● Messi became the first player in WC history to score in
the group stage, the round of 16, the quarter-final, the semi-final and the final in a single tournament.
● Messi was directly involved in 21 goals at the WC for
Argentina (13 goals, eight assists), the most of any player at the Finals
(since 1966).
● Messi made his 26th appearance in a WC match, becoming the
all-time record holder for most games played at the tournament, overtaking
Lothar Matthäus (25). In Qatar he had 32 shots, created 17 open play chances,
and won 22 fouls.
France’s Kylian Mbappe (23)
● Mbappé (23) has scored a total of 12 WC goals; he is the
15th player ever to reach double figures in the Final.
● Mbappé is the fifth player to score in two separate WC Finals
(after Vavá, Pelé, Breitner, and Zidane). He has four Finals goals, more than
any other player.
● Mbappé was only the second hat-trick
scorer in a WC Final (after England’s Geoff Hurst 1966).
WC Final played 18 Dec 2022: match statistics
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Argentina |
France
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Possession |
54% |
46% |
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Total shots On
target |
20 10 |
10 5 |
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Passing |
83% |
77% |
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Clear cut
chances |
3 |
1 |
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Corners |
6 |
5 |
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Offsides |
4 |
4 |
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Tackles |
78% |
58% |
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Aerial duels |
29 |
71 |
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Fouls committed |
26 |
19 |
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Yellow cards |
4 |
3 |
2026 Football
World Cup
The next WC will commence in mid-June 2026 in USA (11
cities), Canada (2 cities), and Mexico (3 cities). The number of teams will
increase from 32 to 48; there will be 80 matches.
News items which caught my eye during December
2022.
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Global
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Toyota sold 888K vehicles world-wide
in September and 771K in October. A group of British MPs visited
Taiwan. Mandatory military service for Taiwanese youth will increase from 4 to 12 months. EIU survey of most expensive
cities, top ten: New York, Singapore, Tel Aviv, Hong Kong, Zurich, Geneva,
San Francisco, Paris, Sydney, Copenhagen. Indians living abroad sent
remittances worth $100B back to India in 2022. Indonesia adopted a new law
banning cohabitation, sex before marriage, and blasphemy (anti-President). The
maker of the bombs which killed 202 people in Bali in 2002 (incl 88 Aussies),
Umar Patek, was released after serving half of his 20 year sentence. Aussie Eddie Jones was dismissed as
coach of England Rugby Union side, after 7 years and a 73% success rate. Former president of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was sentenced to 6 years in jail for corruption. Boris Becker (55) released from UK
prison after serving 8 months for fraud; deported to Germany. Afghanistan: The Taliban forbade
women from attending universities and working for NGOs. Germany returned looted artefacts
(Benin Bronzes) to Nigeria. Iran executed two young men who
participated in anti-govt demonstrations. Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu formed
a right-wing coalition. It will be his 6th term as Prime Minister.
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Russian invasion of Ukraine |
“President Zelensky and Ukraine’s spirit” was named Time Magazine’s 2022 Person of the Year. USA has already committed $50B in aid
(financial, human, and military) to Ukraine, of which approx $20B is military.
US will provide Patriot missiles. President Zelensky visited Washington; met Biden and addressed Congress. Ukrainians are concerned that Republicans want to end ‘open checkbook’. The Ukrainians have proved to be masters of PR, always a step ahead of Russia. When Putin implied that he is willing to negotiate an end to hostilities, Ukraine said that Russia must first face an international court for committing war crimes. Russia is targeting infrastructure in Ukraine causing power shortages in winter! Ukrainian drones attacked air bases inside Russia. An estimated 13,000 Ukrainian military have died. G7 and EU agree to cap Russian oil at $60 per barrel.
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USA
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The Jan 6th Committee
recommended former President Trump be charged in relation to the storming of
the Capitol Building. The House Ways & Means Committee released details of six years of Trump’s tax filings. A Manhattan jury found two Trump Organisation companies guilty of criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records. He is appealing. Democrat Raphael Warnock beat Republican Herschel Walker to win Georgia (Democrats now have 51 Senate seats). Former President Trump said the US Constitution can/should be ‘suspended’ when electoral fraud occurs. American basketball star Brittney Griner was swapped for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. US declared it would not comply with a WTO ruling against Trump’s 2018 tariffs on steel and aluminium, declaring “the USA will not cede decision making on national security issues”. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates 0.5% (to 4.5%). US inflation 7.1% in November. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway reported operating profit of $24B in first 9 months of 2022. Severe winter storms hit many parts of USA and Canada; more than 60 dead; transportation chaos. In a Twitter poll, 58% said that Elon Musk should step down as CEO; he said that he will look for a replacement. Average US life expectancy fell from a peak of 78.8 years in 2019 to 76.4 years in 2021 (main causes of death: heart disease, cancer, Covid). Equivalent figure for the UK is 80.8 years, and for Canada 81.2 years. The US Congress passed an omnibus spending bill of $1.7 Trillion, allocating $772B for domestic programs and $858B for defence (including $45B for Ukraine, promised Patriot Missiles). This Bill will fund the US Govt until 30 Sept 2023.
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Australia |
PM Anthony Albanese tested
positive for Covid (his second infection). He announced the appointment of
Kevin Rudd as new Ambassador to the USA. Foreign Minister, Senator Penny
Wong, made an official visit to Beijing, to mark 50th anniversary
of diplomatic relations (21 Dec 1972). New Industrial Relations
legislation approved by Parliament. Also ‘energy relief package’ which will cap
gas and coal prices. Trial of Bruce Lehrmann (accused
of raping Britney Higgins) cancelled by DPP. Britney lodged a civil claim
against her former boss Linda Reynolds. Brett Robinson ran the Japan
Marathon in 2h 7m 31s, finally beating Rob de Costello’s record set in 1986. AMP Centre (aka Quay Quarter)
named “World Building of the Year”. It was the first “upcycled” skyscraper
(modernized around the original core). Two policemen (Matthew Arnold and
Rachel McCrow) and neighbour (Alan Dare) were ambushed and killed in Wieambilla,
Queensland. Police later shot the three perpetrators (Brothers Nathan and
Gareth Train and wife Stacy).
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China |
Former President Jiang Ze Min died
aged 96; memorial service. China relaxed its Zero-Covid policy; fears of massive increases in number of cases; only about 40% of Over-80s (the most vulnerable demographic) are fully vaccinated but govt is pushing hard. Mass testing for Covid has stopped. Data will be released monthly in future. Mandatory Covid quarantine for
inbound visitors will end on 8 January. President Xi Jin Ping visited
Saudi Arabia. |
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE
My 30 year career as an Australian Trade Commissioner gave me an interest in matters related to international trade. I subscribe to Bloomberg's excellent daily newsletter "Supply Lines - tracking Covid-19's impact on trade" (former title 'Trade Matters').
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Why is housing so expensive in Australia?
Alan Kohler writing in The New Daily on 15 December included this interesting graph which shows houses in Australia are much more expensive relative to income than in the USA.
Source: Minack Advisers
According to Kohler, the only way we can manage the relatively expensive housing in Australia, is by having a high rate of female participation in the workforce, as shown in the graph below:
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Question: What is the truest definition of Globalization?
Answer: Princess Diana's death.
Question: How come?
Answer: An English Princess with an Egyptian boyfriend crashes in a French tunnel, riding in a German car with a Dutch engine, driven by a Belgian who was drunk on Scottish whisky, followed closely by Italian Paparazzi, on Japanese motorcycles, treated by an American doctor, using Brazilian medicines.
This is sent to you by an Australian, using American Bill Gates' technology, And you're probably reading this on your computer, or phone that uses Taiwanese chips, and a Korean monitor, assembled by Bangladeshi workers in a Singapore plant, transported by Indian truck drivers, hijacked by Indonesians, unloaded by Sicilian longshoremen, and trucked to you by Mexicans who are in the US Illegally.
And that, my friends, is Globalization!
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Well, folks, that's our post for December, and for this year.
I am posting the December post a couple of days early because we are heading down to the coast tomorrow and won't take the computer.
Our fervent wish for 2023: that the Russian invasion of Ukraine ends soon!
Enjoy the Festive Season, and our very best wishes for a happy and healthy 2023.
Oh yes, and keep smiling!
Vera & Alex Olah
Canberra, Australia
Thursday 29 December 2022.
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