Author: Stilgherrian

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Weekly Wrap 839: Podcasts and pain, what a week!

It’s a bright sunny day on a suburban street. We’re looking at what has obviously been a corner shop for a century or more, a two-storey building which has been re-rendered in buff-coloured plaster or concrete or something. On the righthand end there’s an open door, above which a blue awning reads “1 STOP SUPERMARKET” with various square photos of food and groceries. The centre part of the wall has two big panels with similar photos. On the left-hand end is a roller door-closed. The upper floor has windows of various shapes, the larger ones with roller shutters. At the right-hand end what was once a balcony is now enclosed. In front of it all is parked a small silver sedan — a car, not a chair.

I ended my week of Monday 22 to Sunday 28 June 2026 with back pain from a rather nasty series of spasms, which kicked in on Saturday and are kinda still with me as I write this on Monday. I’d recorded two podcasts, but didn’t have the energy to edit them. I haven’t taken many photos lately, which is why there’s a random local shop at the top of the page.

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Weekly Wrap 838: The key to handling stress is avoiding it

Looking across a suburban street to a three-storey red brick pub. The ground floor’s walls are tiled in yellow. The first floor has arched windows, while the second floor has square. Late afternoon sunlight strikes the left-hand side of the building. On the corner facing us, in the shade, is an illuminated sign reading “Oasis on Beamish”. The awning over the footpath is blue, its underside studded with glowing lightbulbs.

I ended my week of Monday 15 to Sunday 21 June 2026 by losing my keys. Possibly at the pub — not the one on the photo but another local — or possibly in the street. Very annoying. Maybe I’ll find them again? Either way, that topped off a somewhat stressful week, although I still got quite a bit done. Anti-stress procedures have been activated.

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The 9pm Hometown Visit to Gawler

Looking across the street at two classic Victorian-era civic buildings. On the left is a two-storey stone building, three windows wide, with a portico at the front finished in white plaster. Across the top it reads INSTITUTE and on the facade there’s the text “In Memoriam 1914 - 1918”. On the right is a shorter but similar building, with a terrace on top of its portico, and a row of four flagpoles. The flags are limp because there’s no wind, and they can’t be recognised. On the top of the facade is a set of arms (featuring a hawk, wheat, and lion, but drawn incorrectly), and the words TOWN HALL. In between them is a hint of modern architecture, namely the glass entry to a new building behind these two. The sky is bright blue with a few fluffy clouds.
The Gawler Institute building (1871) and the Gawler Town Hall (1878), photographed on 29 June 2025. On the town hall the arms are drawn incorrectly (PDF). (Photo: Stilgherrian)

Today’s episode is a bit different. It’s more personal. I, Stilgherrian, was born in Gawler, South Australia, and lived there from ages 11 to about 17. Last year I visited the town with my good friend Snarky Platypus, and he asked me some pertinent questions.

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The 9pm Rockets are Always Blowing Up with Dr Alice Gorman and Rami Mandow

Left: Dr Alice Gorman. (Photo: Simon Royal/ABC) Right: Rami Mandow. (Photo: Supplied; Post-processing: Stilgherrian). Not the best ALT text, I know, but yeah a white women and a man "of Middle-Eastern appearance".
Left: Dr Alice Gorman. (Photo: Simon Royal/ABC) Right: Rami Mandow. (Photo: Supplied; Post-processing: Stilgherrian)

Is Pluto a planet? Currently, officially, no. But the Trump-appointed head of NASA wants to reinstate Pluto’s planetary privileges. Why? Let’s find out with space archaeologist Dr Alice Gorman aka Dr Space Junk and astrophysicist Rami Mandow.

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