It’s a widespread tradition– and an exquisitely Australian one – for our wide brown country to hold our beloved Australia Day up as the shining beacon that marks the end of the summer holidays and the official start of the back-to-work/back-to-school/back-to-reality rest of the year.
Perhaps because it’s been so hot or because it’s been Australia Day but an invitation for applicants to apply for heritage grants from the national Department of the Environment and Energy (DEE) managed to catch PS-sssst’s ever intruding eye.
High on the Department’s home page list of ‘Latest News’ items is the enticing headline “Australian Heritage Grants now open”, complete with a live weblink to whisk grant-worthy readers to the webpage concerned.
One click and the eager applicant is high on the Australian Heritage Grants 2018-19 page where, unfortunately, the eagerness of the applicant is equally eagerly erased.
“Calls for the 2018-19 applications are now closed” the page announces to its less-than welcome applicant.
“Aaahh!” as they say. “C’est la vie!”
But on the bright side, since the grants are for heritage items there’s every chance the applicant’s heritage will still be heritage next time the grants are offered, and – glancing quickly at the even brighter side – eligible for an even bigger grant!
Live giveaway
To our ‘Incredibly Good News’ file now where our profoundly popular PS News giveaway guru (guress perhaps?) Rama Gaind has let us know she’s back on duty with another year’s supply of gratuitous giveaways and fabulously fun-filled freebies which provide so much fun for so many readers putting their luck to work.
“The first of the giveaways for 2019 start up again on Tuesday (5 February)” the generous Ms Gaind teased.
“The first two are DVD’s and both are my favourite genre – whodunnit mysteries!” she teased again.
“I’ll also be getting some action thrillers” was tease No. 3.
So for the many fun soldiers in Rama’s Army keen to put their good luck gland through its paces for the New Year, her first offering for 2019 is now up for grabs and the place to do the grabbing is at this PS News link.
As always, Rama’s giveaways are free to enter and the winners made famous each week in this fame-making PS-sssst! column.
Also as always, good luck is wished to all concerned.
Wowie, a Yowie!
Excellent news now from the University of NSW Canberra campus which staged an all-female summer school during the off-semester summer season, introducing interested young women to the wonderful world of STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Billed by the uni as ‘the next generation of engineers’ the all-girl group got their hands dirty diving into what it described as “five different types of engineering and science activities covering electrical, mechanical, aeronautical, space, chemical and civil engineering as well as computer science”.
Setting aside the suspicion that someone can’t count five, the acronymatic name chosen for the ‘Young Women in Engineering’ event was unique as well – YoWIE.
Wow!
New news is no news!
And finally, in these post-party days after Christmas, New Year and the pre-Australia Day weeks of laze and inactivity, sensitive readers amongst us are encouraged to spare a sensitive thought for the eagerly rejuvenated, refreshed and reinvigorated journalists bursting at the seams to report news at a time of year the public sector is traditionally in news-free mode, preparing with trepidation the onset of the pre-Budget season which can’t be too far away for most.
So, instead of record-breaking news this week PS-sssst! is signing off with another contribution from its ‘What should we do with this?’ file while we wait for something, anything in the way of news to break.
From the file:
Is it because English was invented by people, not computers that it is so unpredictable? Does the language reflect the human race, which, of course, is not a race?
Could that be why when stars are out, they’re visible, but when the lights are out they’re invisible?
And if you’re a car lover, why doesn’t ‘Buick’ rhyme with ‘quick’?
Why, if you’re an American with a wild imaginations, if a male sheep is called a ram and a donkey is called an ass, do you call a ram-in-the-ass a goose?
Something to think about (not for long!).
Till next week….
