Opening up with a guide at the National Library in Canberra this week where PS-sssst! stumbled across a most useful guide to Government publications offering easy access to all manner of Australian Government publications including Acts, Hansards, Gazette, Parliamentary Papers and more.
According to the National Library, the guide can access publications located in national, State and Territory libraries, including any available on the Internet.
“A historical description of each publication is provided,” the Library promised.
“And holdings information will enable you to locate resources in each library or online.”
And then, as if to explain why we ‘stumbled’ when we found the guide, the library goes on to reveal the seriously easy-to-remember title it goes by.
In a moment of great brilliance, the Library has named its Australian Government Publications Guide ‘GovPubs!’
Almost enough to drive a reader to drink!
The rodent to success
Another step forward in the great Virus wars now with Australia’s national drug umpire – the Therapeutic Goods Administration – approving a flashy new fast system for testing out whether we are carrying the COVID bug or are un-pandemic.
Chemically calling the system ‘rapid antigen testing’, the new wonder marvel promises to probe the appearance of the pernicious poison and publicise its presence pronto.
Indeed, the new system is so fast that even its name ‘Rapid Antigen Testing’ comes with a meaningful meaning.
To the acronym aficionados amongst us the name can be accelerated to the appropriately adaptable abbreviation of RAT!
What better way to mark a medical mission than to fix the fervid virus than with a remedy of RAT!
Hard hitter!
To South Australia now where the State’s farmers have found themselves at the mercy of a wild animal pest, creating chaos for them and their farms by attacking the livestock and poultry they live by.
While no-one likes to hear of pest animals being ‘culled’ to put an end to their impact on an industry supplying food for the broader community, the SA Minister for Primary Industries has accepted the task of introducing just that duty to deal with feral foxes.
“Foxes cause significant economic losses to farmers by preying on newborn lambs, calves, kid goats and poultry,” the Minister confessed.
As a result he launched a ’fox bounty scheme’ with the aim of killing 200,000 foxes in the next two years with each one earning the bounty schemist a $10 payment for each finished fox presented.
And while PS-sssst! has never met the Minister we’re sure he will live up to every expectation as the great fate of nominative determinism has the Minister in charge of the animal cull aptonymically named David Basham!
Last Days for giveaways
To another of Rama’s giveaways now in which two lucky readers are to become the proud new owners of a free DVD of Helen Garner’s adult-only film The Last Days of Chez Nous starring Miranda Otto, Lisa Harrow and Bill Hunter.
To be among the winners all the winners had to do was name another film Bill Hunter acted in and there were many – including Muriel’s Wedding, Strictly Ballroom, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and others.
The first correct entrants to greet the judges were Rae M from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Michele T from the Australian Taxation Office.
Congratulations Rae and Michele and thanks to everyone who joined in. The prizes will be on their way very soon.
For another chance to join Rama’s Army of wise winning winners, simply follow her giveaway question to win the Book Impact at this PS News link and/or other giveaway question to win this Book Taking Care of Yourself at this link.
Good luck to all who do.
Putting the ‘sub’ in subscription
And finally, exciting news to make PS News readers feel good and indulged this week with the national capital city’s dominant source of news – the Canberra Times – declaring the online extent of its unquestioned domination.
One of a publishing family of 140 papers, the CT heralded the impressive news that the combined 140 had reached the magical milestone of 100,000 online subscribers around the nation and printed a large ‘Thank You’ to its loyal, and growing, readership.
As a former full-time contributor to the CT, PS-sssst! congratulates the paper and its and its partners on the achievement and wishes it every success in the future.
But the reason PS News readers should feel good for another publication’s success?
Because as a reader of PS News, we all skipped past the 100,000 subscribers milestone many years ago, currently sitting on 171,000 and growing every month.
And for that, we should all be very thankful.
Till next week.
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