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Chapter 13 - Diversion

 

Blackmail is a fall-back option but it's not something either Bianca or Zaire wants to make a habit of. It would be would be much nicer if Aden spontaneously called Zaire's boss and told her that he enjoyed the Resort and that she's forgiven. To do that, they need a soft-toy, or one in colourful plastic, to divert this little boy from his quest to break a valuable figurine.

Almost immediately Isis and Pip found just the toy among Zaire's friends in The Cloud. He's a Bogan on his way to becoming a Busie who just loves the famous and wants to join them. He's an entrepreneurial, up and coming, fashion-forward, clothes designer with perfect cheekbones; a gym tuned body; a mop of wavy hair and, most importantly, a tight little arse. He's the very essence of a colourful toy for a certain kind of boy. As for soft, only on the outside. Inside his gay colourful exterior is a man with steely ambition to become a leading celebrity designer on the World's catwalks.

Zaire vidi-messaged him:

"Hi Bosie it's your Cloud Friend, Zaire. Listen, I've just got back from Phuket where I was at a resort assisting Aden Hitch."

He squealed with delight at her good luck and asked to know all about it. But he didn't ask why she'd chosen to tell him. Obviously, she was messaging everyone. Who wouldn't?

"I'm messaging you in particular because I'm sure you two would like each other."

"Oh no!" Bosie said: "He's an ultra-conservative, male - oh I can't say - with no fashion sense. He wouldn't like me at all!" 

"You'd be surprised. When you know him like I do, you'll realise that it's all just a front. He's had numerous secret boyfriends and you're just his type. If you play your cards right, at the very least you can expect a friendly interview one morning on his show. If you do that well you could become a regular guest.

Bosie screamed with excitement at the prospect. "Yes. No. Oh Yes." Then like a shadow falling across him, he became calm. Steely, determined Busie Bosie had appeared.

"Ok. How do we make this happen?" he asked in his 'no crap', 'no inflection' designer's voice.

Zaire explained that she knew Aden's schedule down to the minute. He was returning today. Bosie should wear something androgynous and meet her in the foyer of The Plaza Grand at two o'clock. They would intercept him checking in.

Despite a traffic delay the intercept worked perfectly because by now they were mapping Aden in real time.

As predicted, his first reaction was shock at seeing that tall Muslim girl, Zaire, in the foyer. Had she heard that she was about to get sacked? Was she here to cause a scene? She's an Amazon. Might he be in physical danger? He smiled his best media smile.

"Hello. Come to welcome me home?" he asked casually, as the check-in person allocated him a luxury suite and fussed around about the extras and special benefits he was entitled to.

"Well no. This is an amazing coincidence. I'm here with my friend Bosie. He's a wonderful fashion designer, the latest thing, and we've been talking about my outfits for next week. You should talk to him too. He's brilliant. He'd probably sit down with you for free. He loves your show."

"A huge fan," said Bosie smiling, judging it perfectly - respectful without being obsequious with just the right amount of gay intonation and admiration.

"But it would have to be right now. I have to get back to my studio. I've got an important commission designing a fashion-forward but conservative business suit for a certain someone. I'm sure you must know him." He dropped a name and smiled beautifully at Aden.

Aden was hooked. "Would it bother you to come up to my suite now then?"

"No, I would love that! Perhaps we could order a bottle of bubbly?  Zaire darling, you might find this very boring."

"Oh no I love men's fashion. But I do need to message my boss first and see if there have been any developments. I've had no connection since I got back."

"That reminds me," said Aden "I need to message her too, to thank her for all your help. Would you like me to do that first?"

"Oh yes would you? I love it when clients give me a good report!  But then I'll have to dash-off back to the office I'm afraid."

Sunday is a day of rest, so neither Aden nor Bosie emerged all day. Not that they got much rest.

That Monday morning, a bleary-eyed Aden was glowing in his praise of the Command Resort, Phuket. He waxed lyrical, quoting that old-time heartthrob, 'Elvis Prayer-sley', in his distinctive theatrical intonation, which seemed to have become more exaggerated over the weekend, claiming that Elvis' song, Love 'my Tender' should have been written for the Rear-sort.

In particular, the lines: All my dreams fulfilled; For my darlin I love you; And I always will; best reflected Aden's experience at the Come-and. The only slight issue for the Command's publicity person was his insistence that 'ph' is always pronounced 'f" as in photograph. So, he told the world that they too could have their every dream fulfilled at the "Come-and Fuk-it Rear-sort".

"Maybe it's Freudian," laughed Zaire, mopping the tears from her eyes, as she and Bianca recovered from their spontaneous hysterics. They'd decided to watch the show together on Monday morning over breakfast at Bianca's. Again, Bianca was surprised by her new, educated Bogan, friend, who'd talked intelligently on all sorts of topics until late and then spent the night in her guest bedroom.

Then Aden introduced the show's new regular fashion spot, to be hosted by this 'fabulous' young designer: Bosie Wild. And actually, put a hand on Bosie's knee. On MV. In 6D!

Bosie was purring like the cat that got the cream.

 

 

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Travel

Balkans

 

 

In September 2019 we left Turkey by air, to continue our trip north along the Adriatic, in the Balkans, to Austria, with a brief side trip to Bratislava in Slovakia. 

'The Balkans' is a geo-political construct named after the Balkan Peninsula between the Adriatic and the Black Sea.

According to most geographers the 'Balkans' encompasses the modern countries of Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Greece; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia; and Slovenia. Some also include Romania. 

Read more: Balkans

Fiction, Recollections & News

Australia Day according to ChatGPT

 

I've long been interested in the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). It's a central theme in my fictional writing (The Cloud and The Craft) and is discussed in my essay to my children 'The Meaning of Life' (1997-2017). So, I've recently been exploring the capabilities of ChatGPT.

As today, 26 January 2024, is Australia Day, I asked ChatGPT to: 'write 1000 words about Australia Day date'.  In a few minutes (I read each as it arrived) I had four, quite different, versions. Each took around 18 seconds to generate. This is the result:

Read more: Australia Day according to ChatGPT

Opinions and Philosophy

Manufacturing in Australia

 

 

 

This article was written in August 2011 after a career of many years concerned with Business Development in New South Wales Australia. I've not replaced it because, while the detailed economic parameters have changed, the underlying economic arguments remain the same (and it was a lot of work that I don't wish to repeat) for example:  

  • between Oct 2010 and April 2013 the Australian dollar exceeded the value of the US dollar and that was seriously impacting local manufacturing, particularly exporters;
  • as a result, in November 2011, the RBA (Reserve Bank of Australia) reduced the cash rate (%) from 4.75 to 4.5 and a month later to 4.25; yet
  • the dollar stayed stubbornly high until 2015, mainly due to a favourable balance of trade in commodities and to Australia's attraction to foreign investors following the Global Financial Crisis, that Australia had largely avoided.

 

 

2011 introduction:

Manufacturing viability is back in the news.

The loss of manufacturing jobs in the steel industry has been a rallying point for unions and employers' groups. The trigger was the announcement of the closure of the No 6 blast furnace at the BlueScope plant at Port Kembla.  This furnace is well into its present campaign and would have eventually required a very costly reline to keep operating.  The company says the loss of export sales does not justify its continued operation. The  remaining No 5 blast furnace underwent a major reline in 2009.  The immediate impact of the closure will be a halving of iron production; and correspondingly of downstream steel manufacture. BlueScope will also close the aging strip-rolling facility at Western Port in Victoria, originally designed to meet the automotive demand in Victoria and South Australia.

800 jobs will go at Port Kembla, 200 at Western Port and another 400 from local contractors.  The other Australian steelmaker OneSteel has also recently announced a workforce reduction of 400 jobs.

This announcement has reignited the 20th Century free trade versus protectionist economic and political debate. Labor backbenchers and the Greens want a Parliamentary enquiry. The Prime Minister (Julia Gillard) reportedly initially agreed, then, perhaps smelling trouble, demurred. No doubt 'Sir Humphrey' lurks not far back in the shadows. 

 

 

So what has and hasn't changed (disregarding a world pandemic presently raging)?

 

Read more: Manufacturing in Australia

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