onetrack

The cost to America of the Iranian War is rapidly escalating - and as always, American errors are high on the list. Two American KC-135 refuelling tankers have collided over Western Iraq. One landed safely, but the other one crash-landed somewhere in Western Iraq - and the crash location is currently unknown. If the Iranian forces get to the crash site first and grab American aviators as hostages, they will be dancing with glee. There were 5 crew members on board, and the U.S. military is declaring the aircraft "a loss". On that basis, one has to presume all the crew bailed out, and left the stricken aircraft to its fate, and the crew members have likely landed in a diverse number of areas, and are trying to hide from the Iranians, while the U.S. rescue crews try to figure out if they can get to rescue them before the Iranian forces find them. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/12/us-military-aircraft-iraq-crash

Shipping costs and disruptions, both air and sea, are the hidden costs of this American bombing expedition. It's going to have a major impact worldwide. Not to mention the number of people curtailing their holidays because of airspace and airport closures. A lot of people have forgotten that Russian airspace is already closed to all civilian aircraft, and that is impacting air freight and passenger movement and costs. Doha, Dubai, and Bahrain are big transport hubs and are currently closed, so flights are being diverted all over the place. Oman is presently reasonably secure, but that could change. Here's the latest news on air freight shipping. The news is not good for drugs and pharmaceuticals moving from India to Europe, they are forecasting major shortages in Europe, shortly. https://www.freightwaves.com/news/air-cargo-shippers-scramble-to-mitigate-iran-war-impacts I was a bit nervous as regards a new tractor crankshaft I'd ordered from Czechia, but ended up surprised at how the shipping cost was still reasonable, and the transit time was fast. The crankshaft is made in Germany, but it was shipped from Tuchomerice, Czechia (from Vaclav Havel Prague airport) on the 10th March (Tuesday) - from there it went to Koeln in Germany, thence to Shenzhen in China, then on to Singapore early yesterday morning. It landed in Perth early this morning, and they say it will be delivered this afternoon. Can't complain about that service! The crankshaft is big and heavy and weighs 47 kgs, and it cost me US$185 in freight cost, just under AU$260. I acquired the crankshaft for less than half the cost that local suppliers charge, including the airfreight cost. The total cost was AU$950.

It's the people with electronic item repair knowledge, or electrical installation knowledge, who will be unlikely to be out of a job because of AI, for a long time yet.

The odds of winning Powerball are 134,000,000 to 1. Scratchie tickets provide the best chance of winning something, but usually just small prizes. Here are the actual odds. I was surprised to see the "Set for Life" odds, are far better than I thought. https://help.thelott.com/hc/en-us/articles/35525459564441-What-are-the-odds-of-each-game

"Minge" seems to be a very old, specifically Pommy term for a womans genitals. I can't say I've heard it used very much here, although I did know about the word and its meaning. I think I've probably heard a couple of Poms I've worked with, use it, many years ago.

Minge repellant. It's either a send up, or someone did it on purpose. And when did "repellant" become "repellent". More Americanisms sneaking into the Queens English??

Malcolm told us, life wasn't meant to be easy. 😄

And we're full of vast amounts of knowledge and unbelievable cunning, too! All gained via a lifelong education from the University of Hard Knocks! 😄

Yes, I often wonder who that wrinkled old bloke is, looking back at me from mirrors and photos! 🫣

They're unrecognisable now!! Try not to gasp!!! 😄

The 60's were the best decade for rock/n/roll. Sept 1963, we heard the first Beatles song on the old AM radio - "From Me to You" (she loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah) - and before that, we were listening to Del Shannon, the Beach Boys, Col Joye and the Joye Boys, Cliff Richards and the Shadows, Johnny Tillotson - and a lot of even earlier 1950's American rock/n/roll-C&W (Sam Cooke, Chuck Berry, the Four Tops, Buddy Holly, Patsy Cline - and Elvis, of course!) Once the Beatles started hitting the airwaves, by early 1964, their songs were on the radio every day, and their new songs just kept on coming. They came to Australia in June 1964 and the teenage hysteria, especially amongst the girls, was something that stunned the older folk and brought great disapproval from them. But there was no looking back, and the rock/n/roll bands and individual singers just kept on coming, with some of the greatest rock/n/roll songs ever. The Rolling Stones appeared at the same time as the Beatles, and it was a rock/n/roll feast! I turned 17 in May 1966, and nothing brings fonder memories than roaring around in my '64 EH Holden ute, with the "big" 179 cu in engine, and playing all those great rock/n/roll songs on the radio, while we tried out our best pickup lines on girls!

We went to a Post Modern Jukebox stage show at the Astor Theatre in Perth about 18 mths ago. They put on quite a show, but I prefer the original golden oldies. SWMBO loved them, she was the one who saw the show, and booked the tickets.

The Bahai's are hated by all the Islamic sects and they get a hard time everywhere they go. My first girlfriend, when I was in the Army, turned to the Bahai faith after I broke up with her in early '72. It was strange, because she came from South Africa (she was a white and a redhead, and of British ancestry), and her family were very religious Christians. She came back and paid us a visit about 5 years afterwards, and I can recall my father being appalled at her turn to a "weirdo, airy-fairy religion", and he tried his best to convert her back. But she was besotted with the mob, and was convinced they were the finest, most religious people on Earth - and she'd apparently found a new boyfriend in the group as well. So she left, and I've never heard from her in the intervening 50 years. I have no idea where she went, and I can't even trace her. I would have liked to know how she ended up, whether she still worships them, or whether she "saw the light", and joined some other religious mob. Some people are alwayd looking for the religion that answers all their desires.

Is anybody counting down the "FOUR WEEKS" end time for this great war?? Like everything that comes out of the Tangerine Toddlers mouth - unadulterated, pure BS. America will still be bogged down in this war in 6 months time, and the hardline Iranians, and Hezbollah and Hamas supporters, will ensure it goes on for as long as it can. Neither Trump nor Hegseth has a co-ordinated plan to ensure this war ends swiftly and results in a regime change for the better. As fast as they kill new Iranian leaders, the hardliners will produce new ones. I note Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, said recently, "There is no experience that shows an air campaign alone will result in positive regime change." Trump will soon find himself arse-deep in crocodiles, while he thought he was simply wading in to drain the swamp. He'll soon find out that running a successful war is a whole lot different to cheating at golf, and those crocodiles have got a vicious bite.

A bit galling to see him wearing an Ampol-branded shirt!!?