With Christmas now an expensive memory in which many Australians wished Santa had put RATs in their stockings, the good people of Western Australia were forced to welcome the celebration in the dark.
Unfortunately power outages were the common Christmas gifts in the WA season, prompting the powers that be – as opposed to the power that didn’t be – to launch a special review of the blackout with a view to shining a light on the lights that didn’t do any shining at all.
The expert chosen to conduct the independent review is a highly regarded Commissioner from the Australian Energy Market Commission, Michelle Shepherd.
And who better, PS-sssst! wonders could be chosen for the job?
If there’s anyone who knows anything about a rough time at Christmas it’s a Shepherd!
Congratulations on the appointment Ms Shepherd. Keep a look out for a light in the sky!
In bags we don’t trust!
Still in WA, a big thanks now to Stacey C of Western Australia’s Department of Transport and Mandy F of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission for pointing out the defective detail in a PS News report that WA drivers were still risking their lives in vehicles cursed by the deadly Takata airbag.
The WA Government has announced it will no longer register the affected cars to run on its roads.
“Thank you for running this article re the Takata airbag recall” Stacey wrote politely, “it’s fantastic to get the word out there.”
“I am just wondering,” she wondered, “if the headline ‘ Drivers’ licences to go’ could be clarified since it not the driver’s licence that is cancelled but rather the vehicle licence – ie it will not be registered!”
Thanks for your tips Stacey and Mandy, of course we’ll change the headline.
And just to show we’ve learned our lesson, we’ve even confiscated our Headline Guru’s handler’s licence until he gets a grease and oil change!
For taking the trouble to share your contribution to the PS-sssst! collection you are each eligible for a Perfectly Popular PS-sssst! Pack of Paraphernalia which will be in the post soon.
Drive safely!
Another fin thing to be in
To Queensland now where rough weather descending on beaches have proven no match for the State’s South East shark prevention program in which the decision was made to remove anti-shark equipment from the water until it smoothed down.
While PS-sssst! can see the wisdom in removing shark control equipment in bad weather, our interest is far more on dry land in nature.
While the heroic sailors, swimmers, boaters and lifesavers go about their heroic duties, PS-sssst! finds its distraction in the cunningly clever acronym anti-shark experts have adopted to save lives from the dangers of the deep.
“Do Your part. Be SharkSmart” is how the wise advice was opened;
* Swim between the flags;
* Have a buddy with you;
* Avoid swimming at dawn or dusk;
* Reduce risk by avowing schools of fish;
* Keep fish waste out of the water’; and
* Swim in clear water.
A quick reading of the lifesaving list top to bottom will reveal the vertical acronym SHARKS, chosen to win the wisely creative acronymism of the month taking out the latest HOWLA Award for ‘Headline Of the Week Like-It Award’.
Congratulations to Fisheries Queensland and its Shark Control Program.
Giveaway on the way
And finally, it’s our final week before Rama Gaind returns with her gratuitous giveaways, unveiling 2022’s freebies for another year of rewarded, resourceful and rhapsodic readers.
First off Rama’s giveaway rank are free copies of Belinda Lyons-Lee’s excellent biography of the world’s waxwork whiz, Marie Tussaud, whose life story Tussaud will have two new owners next week, and Anita Heiss’s true epic love story Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray. that uncovers the 19th century country, community and Aboriginal identities, two more new owners the following week.
Rama’s raffle tickets are free and available now simply by visiting the ‘Books’ branch of PS News and following her instructions for joining the jolly giveaway.
And as always, best of wishes to all who do!
Till next week…..
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