27 September 2023

Black to black

Start the conversation

Interesting news from the Federal Public Service this week declaring that 700 mobile phone ‘black spots’ around the nation have been blessed with special radio transmitters so they can join the national telecommunications network and be black spots no more.

Ever inquisitive of the pressing projects in uber-pedantic Public Servicedom, PS-sssst! raises the critical question: What colour do the ‘spots’ become when they are no longer black.

Do they go from black to pink? Are they green? Or do they simply shrivel to a shade of grey?

Free PS-sssst! Packs (A book, LED pen and PS News T-shirt) for the most learned or entertaining suggestion. Comments to [email protected].

Desperately dateless

And while on the subject of current and up-to-the-minute news reports, a recent visit to the media website of a Public Service Commission (which shall remain nameless) revealed an exciting string of potentially riveting news for PS News readers, but alas – without the dates of release.

As an old saying goes, there’s nothing as useless as yesterday’s news, but in PS Newsville, what takes uselessness to new heights is a news item without a date on it at all.

Even yesterday’s news has a date on it!

Ods and evens

A visit to Canberra City now for advice that the local Government has extended the city’s central bus interchange, requiring a tweak or two for the traffic arrangements coming into, and going out of, the expanded bus-only stretch of road.

Announcing that a strip of the city’s Alinga Street has been sacrificed to the interchange, the official declaration included advice that delivery trucks and other vital vehicles going about their business in the area would still be allowed to do so.

“Under these new traffic arrangements vehicles leaving Ogders Lane will still be allowed to turn left onto Alinga Street,” the traffic managers advised.

What sparked PS-sssst!’s interest is that the privileged ‘Ogders Lane’ does not exist in the long list of street and road names in the Australian Capital Territory.

There is an ‘Odgers Lane’ abutting Alinga Street however, named after an early Clerk of the Senate, Jim Odgers.

A rare occasion where the apparent misnomencalture ‘Ogders’ is not ‘od’ enough perhaps?

Given away twice

To Rama Gaind’s ever-popular ever-weekly giveaways now in which she has excelled herself by doubling the chances for readers to be winners last week by offering not one, not none, but two parallel giveaway competitions to give away two separate DVD giveaways at the same time.

Freebie No. 1 was the crime thriller Galveston starring Ben Foster, Elle Fanning and Beau Bridges and No. 2, the English comedy Swimming with Men starring Rob Brydon, Jane Horrocks and Rupert Graves.

To be chosen as one of the two winners of Galveston, readers needed only tell Rama the name of the actor who plays the title role – i.e. Ben Foster – a challenge successfully met by Penny L from the Commonwealth Department of Social Services and Karen R of the Department of Home Affairs whose entries were also first to escape the PS News Barrel of Booty.

To score one of two copies of Swimming with Men, entrants were asked to name the actress playing Scott’s wife in the film – i.e. Jane Horrocks – which was correctly managed by Greg C from the Australian Taxation Office and Charmaine W from the Federal Department of Social Services.

Congratulations to all the winners of Rama’s record round-up and thanks to everyone who took part. The prize DVDs will be despatched shortly, along with an equally prized PS-sssst! Pack for the lucky winners.

For another lucky chance to join Rama’s giveaway generosity this week, simply follow this link and give it your best shot.

Good luck to all who do.

Wisedom?

And finally, a word from the wise.

Whenever someone recommends you ‘take their advice’, it’s probably because they’re not using it themselves.

Until next week…….

Start the conversation

Be among the first to get all the Public Sector and Defence news and views that matter.

Subscribe now and receive the latest news, delivered free to your inbox.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.