October 2022 and we’re now amber-fied! What does the average householder know (or understand) about solar, batteries, feed-in tariffs.. electricty power management? I suggest “very little”! That is not a criticism but a reflection of a complicated, ever changing market. Amber manages everything for you! With Amber you get to choose what to do with […]
Useage: Electric Power Comparison
OK, I just got our first electric bill since the solar panels/panel were installed and activated in August 2022. I want to keep the data as simple as I can, so that readers can compare with and without solar. Melbourne Victoria Australia – 18 solar panels (6.66k) + battery (13.3kWh) Period 16/5/2022 – 4/8/2022 – […]
Solar Does NOT Work During Blackouts
Did you know if there is a power outage, then solar power does not work! Battery or not, your’re in the black. Solar systems are designed to power off during blackouts. According to this FACTSHEET by Ausnet Services, Why Don’t Solar Systems Work During Blackouts? It may seem surprising, but solar systems will NOT normally […]
Journey: new solar power system – Melbourne Australia
I’ve decided to document our experience with a solar panels installation, aimed at helping people make decisions. Installation – July 2022 Largely, installation very smoothly with a couple of anomolies. The first team arrived, unpacked the solar panels and brackets. They fitted the brackets to the roof and then left, leaving the 18 panels in […]
Solar System: Sunport Panels + Alpha-ESS Battery
The Solar System was installed by Allstar Energy Solutions Pty Ltd 6.6KW – Sunport 370w MWT panels (18) + Sungrow inverter 13.3KW Alpha-ESS battery Solar panes facing NORTH Battery and Inverter located on a west facing wall.
Solar: Panels & Battery – Melbourne Victoria Australia
I am excited! It’s 3rd July 2022 and we’re now solar powered. A long journey ahead, but the aim is to be 100% self sufficient and good for the environment. Selling back to the grid will be a bonus if it happens. I plan to detail our experience from research, products, installation and statistics. I’m […]
Solar made simple – a handy guide
Thinking about switching to solar but not sure where to start? Download the Solar Victoria guide to learn everything you need to know before adding solar to your home. What’s included? How solar works: the basics Saving with solar: costs and benefits Solar Panels: owning your power Solar Batteries: storing what’s yours Solar Hot Water: […]
Social Media: Time For Change
I’ve long said that social media giants have the power and technology to make platforms safe but CHOOSE not to. I believe social media knows every single user but chooses not to ban/block/deny users for fear of losing $$$. It shocks me that social media puts the minority of anonymous, bad users before good, honest […]
AusPost: 11 Spam Messages
I am going to call out AusPost for SPAM. I ordered an item online on eBay.com.au for delivery from Sydney to Melbourne. It took 4 days from the order date to when the item arrived. In that time I received 14 messages: 3 emails from the supplier (2) and eBay (1) and 11 (yes, eleven) […]
Dumb Australians: Dodgy Medical Advice
How stupid are Australian’s when it comes to health? We’ll believe an unregistered quack, non scientific data found on the internet but question the science of trained registered medical professionals! To the nay-sayers, anti-vaxxers, non-believers.. you are risking your lives and the lives of your friends and family. Vaccines are one of the safest and […]
Lockdowns after reaching 80% vaccination rate
Will we be saying “we were LIED to” when the Government (state and Federal) announce lockdowns AFTER we reach a 80% vaccination rate? I am PRO vaccination but Government rhetoric that lockdowns will end once we are all vaccinated is very concerning. It’s concerning that local Government will blame Federal Government who will blame effectiveness. […]
Allegedly
I cannot stand reading or hearing the word “Allegedly” in media news. Allegedly, media must use the word to cover its ass in case a statement turns out to be incorrect. There are times when it is factually incorrect to use Allegedly. Take the case of the Jewish engagement party in Melbourne. The HeraldSun says: POLICE […]
eBay Email Nightmare
My new pet hate.. the number of emails I receive after buying an item on eBay. I understand confirmation and freight emails but the sheer number has got to ridiculous proportions. Emails eBay sends them Receipts Seller sends them Transport company sends If there is a delay for any reason, then be prepared, you’re about […]
Coles & Woolworths Sourdough Bread is FAKE
Don’t I feel justified right now… I’ve been banging on about sourdough bread sold by Coles and Woolworths is simply not what it is labelled. It is NOT sourdough bread As far back as 2013, alarms have been raised by Australian media, publishers, health groups and retail organisations (Choice). How is it possible that retailers […]
Fake Sourdough Bread | Coles
Here we go again! Coles is now doing the same thing as Woolworths.. selling bread labelled sourdough when it isn’t. What that means for me.. 2 days of feeling unwell. It has other consequences as well.. loss of productivity, mood swings, worry and concern. Having had a stroke, everytime I feel unwell my concerns return […]
Worried About Your Memory?
If you’re over 50 and worried about memory loss or becoming forgetful, then read a new book: Adventures in Memory — the Science and Secrets of Remembering and Forgetting by Hilde and Ylva Ostby. In short, our fears relate to quite natural ageing in the 21st century. The Herald Sun Digital Edition: GOOD TO FORGET […]
The Best (and Worst) of People
Elections bring out the best (and worst) of people. Standing, waiting in line to vote you see.. The impatient voter, obviously with something very important they have to do next. Looking around, mumbling and grumbling to anyone that will listen (or not) The access voter who can’t wait in line with everyone else. The seat […]
McUnHappy Day
Don’t get me wrong, McHappy Day is a good thing but, flawed in its delivery. McHappy Day raises funds for the charity, which helps keep families together while their seriously ill child undergoes treatment. We (public) are digging deep but what is McDonald’s and it’s franchises contributing to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) ? We contribute […]
Fake Sourdough Bread | Woolworths
For a bread to be labelled and sold as “sourdough”, the dough must be fermented over a period of 12 – 48 hours. Woolworths sourdough breads contain less than 15% fermented dough. My Story Whether related to my stroke or not, I’ve become intolerant of wheat-based products like bread. I’ve been tested for coeliac disease […]
HeraldSun Clippings Stopped Working
We do enjoy reading our daily dose of the HeraldSun. Out of the blue, the 3 right side links (features) have stopped working (dead as a doornail). Clippings | Page Thumbnails | Sections <– News Stand | Search and Layout are still working I have two iPads and the links don’t work on either? The […]
Free Television | Rights (and wrongs)
It surprises me how many people believe they have a right to watch free television, that is without advertising. Whenever I read people saying.. TV is more about revenue than viewers pleasure it begs the question: In your line of work, how much was unpaid work performed purely for your customers’ enjoyment? Example Comment OK Channel […]
Don’t just assume it only happens to Minh
One reads some interesting articles, but “Don’t just assume that I’m Chinese” by Minh Giang in TheAge says more about Minh and a need to travel than anything. She complains that she is mistaken for being Chinese as if she is the only person in the world that it happens to. Sorry Minh, it happens “everywhere”, […]
My Stroke
The great stroke of 2012. Surprisingly, until now (2018) I have never written about my stroke. I write about most things, but not about the most significant event in my life. I write this 6 years after my stroke in 2018 as National Stroke Week commences. I must begin with my “symptoms” because I dismissed the warning […]
After the stroke
I was extremely lucky, if one can say ‘lucky’ after having a stroke. My wonderful partner called 000 and an ambulance rushed me to a local hospital within minutes of the stroke commencing. I experienced many of the after-effects of a stroke which included poor speech, numbness, tiredness, naps, hiccups, but other than that I […]
VicRoads + Government = $0
Well, here I go again… VicRoads + Government = money down the gurgler! Last week (August 2018), there were two major press releases regarding roads: Road and Road Safety Minister Luke Donnellan said ALL revenue from traffic cameras and on-the-spot speeding fines would be used to fix suburban and country roads, under a new state […]
My Man Cave
I am lucky enough to have a fabulous man cave. It was fortuitous the space was suitable plus an understanding partner. The cave is situated on a lower level (basement) of our home in a warm comfortable area. Man Cave Priorities Space – seating, television, speakers, coffee table Furniture – seating (chair / couch), coffee table, […]
Melbourne: Worst Drivers In The World
Who is to blame for Melbourne having the worst drivers in the world? VicRoads is to blame! I have absolutely no doubt the cause of Victoria’s atrocious drivers and a system close to gridlock is the organisation responsible for it. VicRoads and it’s nanny-state attitude is the cause. Don’t be fooled into believing VicRoads (Government) […]
Making A-League special again
SOCCER is dying a slow death in Australia with memberships at an all-time low, falling spectators and general apathy from the Australian public. Its governing body is out of touch with what Australians want from a sport in 2018. Player antics.. faking injury, staging for frees, unacceptable behaviour where the players are seen as primadonna’s not […]
Snopes.com
I love finding interesting new websites, this month goes to Snopes.com Urban Legends The Snopes.com website was founded by David Mikkelson, a project begun in 1994 as an expression of his interest in researching urban legends that has since grown into the oldest and largest fact-checking site on the Internet, one widely regarded by journalists, folklorists, […]
TigerTime: Best Day in 37 Years
As Toyota would say, oh what a feeling. Now, this post is not me gloating (although I’d love to Adrian), it’s about how it feels as a supporter of a premiership team. Damn good, real good, amazing is how it feels. I have been on an emotional high since Saturday 30th September 2017 at around […]
Drivers That Cannot Change Lanes
Here is an interesting driving observation that many drivers might not have noticed, until now. There are drivers out there that can only manage one lane (usually middle) and rarely change lanes, even when a car in front of them is in their way. There have always been drivers who only drive in the centre […]
Junners
I heard a beauty of radio this morning. Ross asks John, do you know what a JUNNER is? No Ross, what is a JUNNER? A JUNNER is urban slang for a person wearing JEANS with RUNNERS. Melbourne Dad* says: I don’t understand it. I’ve worn runners (trainers) with jeans for many year. Why? They are comfortable. […]
Twitter | Password Recovery + Email
I’ll start this post with saying, I am actually a huge fan of TWITTER, but I am not a fan of Twitter’s password recovery process. In simple terms, if you have lost your password and cannot access your email address there is NO OTHER OPTION to gain access to your account. It does not matter […]
Its My CHOICE
I have been a member of CHOICE for over 30 years. I liked it as a printed publication, but love it as an online resource. I find myself having to pry myself away from reading and reading. In short, you would be mad not seeing what CHOICE thinks ‘before’ buying anything. CHOICE will have already […]
Laugh With a Bang | Big Bang Theory
When it comes to favourite TV shows, I lean towards the funny side of the shows. I want to be entertained and made to laugh, not sit there trying to work out ‘who done it’ specially when the all-important clue is some miniscule detail that is only revealed in the final minutes of the show. […]
Versing!
I couldn’t count the number of times that young players in our team have asked me before a game, who are we “versing”? Versing I yell back, what sort of word is versing? 10 push-ups and never say it again. They could say.. playing, competing against, up against, which are all acceptable terms but there […]
The Other Side of Julia
The other side of Julia.. not, oops I mean’t knit! The headline read: Julia Gillard: Knitting shows another side of me Well, it certainly does but I am afraid it isn’t the side she may have been hoping for? For the non-believers, the photo is a very bad case of staged photography. My mother-in-law said: […]
Bicycles Online Dream Takes Off
I was reading an article in TheAge the other day about two clever young guys who were making their mark selling bicycles online when I read something that really annoyed me.. “none of the big brands would allow their bikes to be sold online” Isn’t that restrictive trade. You can sell our bicycles from a […]
UrbanBuzz
UrbanBuzz is Australia’s own social network for LOCALS on your smartphone! Born from the frustration of not knowing what is happening locally, UrbanBuzz connects locals instantly so that everyone can get the best out of where they live. Individuals, businesses and organisations can now instantly connect with each other. Know all the chatter, sales and […]
Local Car Industry Lost!
I spent a few years of my early working life in the motor industry here in Melbourne Australia. I remember back in the 80’s when the government of the day introduced changes which at the time appeared tough, but now in 2013 I can see why, the measures were aimed at protecting our local automotive […]
Hacked WordPress | What Next?
If you haven’t heard, hackers are once again targetting WordPress web sites but they have a new way in. This time round, they are trying to get in via your WordPress Admin area. In millions of cases, hackers already know two key elements about your login: where to login (ie www.yourdomain.com/wp-admin) your username (admin)* * […]
Australia Post | Ripped-Off!
We’re being ripped off by Australia Post, with the approval of the Australian Government. While on one hand the Government says that Telstra cannot have a monopoly because it would be unfair for Australians, on the other hand it allows Australia Post to operate in a complete monopoly, a law unto itself. Australia Post decides […]
Australia Needs A Car Industry!
Australia needs and deserves a car industry.. not an industry only propped up by Government dollars, but a fully protected industry that encourages manufacturing here in Australia, along with dealerships that service the industry. A thriving car industry provides thousands of jobs, not just in the manufacture of the vehicle but the many hundreds of associated industries […]
Love Myki
And I thought it was only me that loved MYKI! For the past couple of years I have had a Myki card in my pocket and used it quite a few times without a single problem. I do not commute to work, so I don’t use it on a regular or daily basis, but when […]
Password | Security Tips
Here he goes again, Mr Doom and Gloom! Well, not quite but read on if you use passwords. Yes, I said passwords! We all do. We use them all day every day. After reading an article by Memphis Barker, in which he asks whether you think your password is safe, then think again, I quickly […]
V/Line meets Metro
In a case of dumb meets dumber, an investigation has found that communication between V/Line trains and Metrol [Metro’s train control centre] will take four years to upgrade. Four years, 48 months, 1,460 days = are they serious? In the meantime, whenever there is an issue where one operator needs to talk to the driver […]
Climate Change Change?
I was rather surprised to read in TheAge today, that the Goverment (Labor) has dumped its National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility. Given the hoo-haa over climate-change, right or wrong, we are all now paying a climate-change tax to the tune of around $100M a year. I don’t know about you, but my electricity and gas bills have gone through the […]
Headline| All Rise For The Mare
We do love a clever headline, and this fits the bill perfectly.. All rise for the mayor, a clever play on words, as in All rise for the MAYOR.. Following another fantastic run and win by Black Caviar. This run and win at Flemington in the Black Caviar Lightning Day Stakes is 23 consecutive WINS […]
Spam, spam everywhere spam!
The song went signs, signs, everywhere signs, I think it was in the late 60’s or early 70,s, but in 2013, the song would be rewritten.. Spam, spam everywhere spam It doesn’t seem to matter what I do, I am faced with an ever growing inbox full of emails from people and companies I’ve never […]
Recycling in the old days..
Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman that she should bring her own shopping bags because plastic bags weren’t good for the environment. The older woman apologized and explained, “We didn’t have this green thing back in my earlier days.” The cashier responded, “That’s our problem today. Your […]