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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

Bridge over the River Kwai

 

 

In 1957-58 the film ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai‘ was ground breaking.  It was remarkable for being mainly shot on location (in Ceylon not Thailand) rather than in a studio and for involving the construction and demolition of a real, fully functioning rail bridge.   It's still regarded by many as one of the finest movies ever made. 

One of the things a tourist to Bangkok is encouraged to do is to take a day trip to the actual bridge.

Read more: Bridge over the River Kwai

Fiction, Recollections & News

Australia's Hydrogen Economy

 

 

  

As anyone who has followed my website knows, I'm not a fan of using 'Green Hydrogen' (created by the electrolysis of water - using electricity) to generate electricity. 

I've nothing against hydrogen. It's the most abundant element in the universe. And I'm very fond of water (hydrogen oxide or more pedantically: dihydrogen monoxide). It's just that there is seldom a sensible justification for wasting most of one's electrical energy by converting it to hydrogen and then back to electricity again. 

I've made the argument against the electrolysis (green) route several times since launching this website fifteen years ago; largely to deaf ears.

The exception made in the main article (linked below) is where a generator has a periodic large unusable surpluses in an environment unsuitable for batteries. In the past various solutions have been attempted like heat storage in molten salt. But where there is a plentiful fresh water supply, producing hydrogen for later electricity generation is another option.  Also see: How does electricity work? - Approaches to Electricity Storage

Two of these conditions apply in South Australia that frequently has excess electricity (see the proportion of non-hydro renewables chart below). The State Government, with unspecified encouragement from the Prime Minister and the Commonwealth, has offered A$593m to a private consortium to build a 200MW, 100t hydrogen storage at Whyalla.  Yet, the State already has some very large batteries, with which this facility is unlikely to be able to compete commercially.  Time will tell.

Read more: Australia's Hydrogen Economy

Opinions and Philosophy

Climate Change - a Myth?

 

 

 

Back in 2015 a number of friends and acquaintances told me that Climate Change is a myth.

Half a decade on and some still hold that view.  So here I've republished a slightly longer version of the same article.

Obviously the doubters are talking about 'Anthropogenic Global Warming', not disclaiming actual changes to the climate.  For those of us of a 'certain age' our own experience is sufficient to be quite sure of that the climate is continuously changing. During our lifetimes the climate has been anything but constant.  Else what is drought and flood relief about?  And the ski seasons have definitely been variable. 

Read more: Climate Change - a Myth?

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