Hey everyone, welcome back to everyone’s favourite Friday segment, where we look back on the news of the week. Let’s get right into it.

Starting with news on the political landscape, and it was an interesting first week in office for new Prime Minister Scott Morrison, with his Cabinet announcement taking place on Sunday afternoon. There were quite a few changes made, most notably Angus Taylor being given the Energy portfolio, and a new Education Minister in Dan Tehan, who happens to be a Christian very much like Scott Morrison. There were also non-Cabinet jobs offered to former leaders of the LNP, with Barnaby Joyce being given a role as special envoy for the drought, and Tony Abbott being offered the role of special envoy for Indigenous Affairs, a job which after much consideration he has accepted. Meanwhile Matthias Cormann has retained his job as Finance Minister and Leader of the Government in the Senate, Greg Hunt has kept the Health portfolio, and, despite the challenges and chaos, Peter Dutton has taken back the role of Minister for Home Affairs. Meanwhile, Julie Bishop has declined the offer to continue as Minister for Foreign Affairs, opting to sit on the backbench, with the role being handed to Marise Payne, who Bishop recommended for the job. The Cabinet has since been sworn in, and are already working in their portfolios.

Meanwhile in other news out of Canberra, and Liberal MP Julia Banks, the member for Chisholm, has announced this week that she will not be contesting the next election, citing bullying and intimidation, particularly in the events which took place last week, as her reason for leaving Parliament. Banks won the seat of Chisholm in the 2016 election, after it was held by Labor for 16 years. She supported Malcolm Turnbull in the leadership debacle last week, and wanted to see him continue as Prime Minister. She has claimed that there were three members of the Liberal Party who bullied and intimidated her, however they have not been named. In addition to this, Scott Morrison, a Christian man, has this week had his Christian faith mocked and criticised by many, including a despicable and appalling segment on the ABC Comedy television show the Tonightly with Tom Ballard. The show has already been cancelled and is seeing out its last season, however they decided to do a segment this week which just mocked and made a joke out of the new Prime Minister’s faith. It’s just shocking to see how politicians of the Christian faith have been criticised and practically persecuted for their faith. Education Minister Dan Tehan, also a Christian, has had comments made on his faith, and it’s truly appalling. It has also been announced this week that former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will resign from Parliament today, with a by election to be held in the seat of Wentworth, which is expected to occur on Saturday the 6th of October. And also in politics, Peter Dutton has come under fire once again this week, after he allowed two more au pairs to stay in Australia despite their visas expiring. He had already allowed one to stay back in 2015, and this week allowed a French au pair to stay in Australia despite his department strongly recommending not to. And today, it came to light that he has now allowed an Italian au pair to remain in Australia, reigniting the so-entitled scandal, and leaving many wondering, what is the go with the au pairs? There will most likely be more on this in the coming weeks.

In sports news now, and star Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt will make his debut for the Central Coast Mariners in their trial match against a local Central Coast club tonight, after working hard in training over the last couple of weeks. He will most likely come of the bench at some point in tonight’s match, more likely towards the end of the match. Bolt has impressed in his training sessions with the team, receiving praise from Head Coach Mike Mulvey. It will be an exciting event which will more than likely attract a good crowd, and Bolt will be looking to make a good impression on his debut.

And in a bit of other news, this week saw the tragic passing of US Senator and Presidential Candidate John McCain, who had been fighting brain cancer for just over a year. The well-respected Senator had served his country in a variety of ways for many decades, both in the US Navy and as a politician. He ran as the Republican presidential nominee in the 2008 US General election, however did not win the position of US President, with the position going instead to Democrat Barack Obama. The Senator continued on however, and played a significant role in the US Senate up until December last year. He passed away surrounded by his family on Saturday August 25th at the age of 81. Our hearts and thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.

And that’s it for another Flashback Friday. I’ll be back with more in the coming weeks, so be sure to keep an eye out for more posts. Have a good one!

JJ

Hey everyone, welcome back to Mystery Monday. Today it’s a bit of a different one. I’m going to share with you all some of the books I’ve read, some of my personal favourites and a few recommendations. Hope you enjoy it.

Skulduggery Pleasant Series: This is my all time favourite series of novels. Derek Landy writes so well, and is able to masterfully intertwine multiple events and story lines into each of the novels in this series. The series actually ‘ended’ after book 9, but it was so popular, and so after wrapping and releasing the third and final book of a separate trilogy, Landy announced the return of Skulduggery Pleasant, with Book 10 of the series. The series is now at 11 books, as well as some additional short stories and novellas. Additionally, there’s great humour throughout the series. I would highly recommend it.

Gone Series: This series by Michael Grant is all about the people of an American town, more specifically, the children in that town, and how they must survive after a dome of sorts covers the entire town and everyone over the age of 15 disappears. It’s a very interesting series, one I read a few years ago, spanning six novels. The story is thrilling and intriguing, and really makes you think.

Harry Potter Series: Obviously this is going to be on my list. The Harry Potter Series is one of the greatest series of all time, and will stand as a pure masterpiece for decades to come. The series is written brilliantly by J.K. Rowling, and is full of magic and wonder, so you can really let your imagination run wild. The films are great, but there is so much more packed into the novels. They are more than definitely worth a read, and I’d highly recommend them.

IT: Stephen King has a way of writing, of telling a story, that is so completely unique to him, and that really no one else could replicate. The terrors and horrors he implicates into his stories are just something else, and the detail he writes in just adds volumes to the terrifying ideas he brings to life. IT is a true horror story, but it’s written so well, and Stephen King always does his story justice. It’s not for the faint hearted, but if you like a good horror story, then give it a read.

Dangerous: This is more of an analytical book. Written by political commentator Milo Yiannopoulos, it focuses on political correctness, social justice and a variety of other topics and movements which Milo discusses in depth. He details and commentates on ideas and issues which can be controversial, and speaks harsh truths, which some may disagree with. He is quite clever in his commentary, and this autobiography is very much worth the read.

The Phoenix Files Series: This six novel series written by Australia author Chris Morphew is one I would recommend for anyone into science fiction based thrillers. The series is set in the town of Phoenix, run by the Shackleton Cooperative, and where the inhabitants have no access to the internet, phones, or cars. The plot becomes more intriguing as the series progresses, and Morphew is able to capture the teenage voice so well. The series is for the majority based around teenage characters, and will keep you hooked the entire time, so much so that you won’t want to put the book down. Definitely worth a read.

The Great Gatsby: I’ve put this one in for a reason. I’m not someone who generally reads classic novels per say. I often prefer to read science fiction and thrillers amongst other genres of novels. But Gatsby, a classic novel, was genuinely a good read, and I personally enjoyed the story and the way in which it was told. Telling the story through the eyes of one character is an interesting concept, and one I was intrigued by. F. Scott Fitzgerald writes masterfully, and this is one classic novel which I could see myself reading again, one which I’d recommend.

And that’s it from me. There are many more novels, books, and series I could mention, but then this could go on for a while. I hope you enjoyed this, and maybe you might feel like picking up one of these books after reading this. The other thing I’ll say is this: if you want to read a book, it’s always better to get a physical copy, rather than read it on your phone or an e-reader or any other device. Having a physical paper book is something else, and it feels great to be able to turn the page physically as you make your way through the story that’s told in any book. Anyway, have a good one and I’ll be back soon.

JJ

Hey everyone, here’s another Flashback Friday, after another massive week of news.

Well, I wouldn’t be a good blogger if I didn’t mention the obvious news this week. Early in the week, there was pressure on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to spill the leadership. And so he did, with Peter Dutton putting his hand up to contest the leadership. It was 48-35 with Malcolm retaining the leadership, however there was still pressure on Turnbull, and after Dutton resigned to the backbench along with some other ministers, it was always going to stay. After a petition was started to have another party room meeting for another spill, after Dutton’s eligibility to sit in Parliament was questioned, after the House of Representatives was adjourned for the first time in history after failed no confidence motions from the Labor Party, and after a number of resignations from the frontbench, meetings in Turnbull’s office, two other candidates emerging, threats from Turnbull, strong opinions from the media, delays, cheap tactics from Turnbull, and a signed petition, a party room meeting was convened. The leadership was spilled with a vote of 45-40, and Turnbull subsequently resigned from the position of leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister. Peter Dutton, Scott Morrison, and Julie Bishop all contested the position. There were two rounds, with Bishop knocked out in the first, and Morrison emerging victorious after the second in a vote of 45-40. Josh Frydenberg, Steve Ciobo and Greg Hunt contested Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, with Frydenberg emerging the clear winner. Turnbull addressed the media this afternoon for the final time. Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg addressed the media later on, with a well thought out speech. They were both sworn in as Prime Minister and Treasurer by the Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove this evening, and will now lead the government. A cabinet will be put together next week. A chaotic week for the Government, and it will be interesting to see whether or not the party can heal and come together united under their new leader.

Meanwhile, in some sports news, Usain Bolt arrived in Australia earlier this week, and has begun his trial with the Central Coast Mariners. He was greeted by many at the airport, drawing one of the largest crowds of welcome. He has already been praised by Head Coach Mike Mulvey, who revealed he was impressed with Bolt after what he had seen so far. Bolt has said that he is happy to be with the team and that he just wants to be treated as one of the boys. He will continue to trial with the Mariners indefinitely, and could play in their upcoming trial match against a local Central Coast club within the next week, although this isn’t certain yet.

In some other news, the heaviest rain so far this year has been forecast to occur over this weekend in parts of NSW and QLD in what is being labelled a substantial rain event. The good news is that this will most likely aid the farmers in getting some relief from the drought, in particular those in northern NSW. The rain event is due to a low pressure system working its way up to the eastern states from South Australia. The ACT and Victoria have also experience some rain already. About 15-40mm of rain is expected to fall from southern NSW up to the Sunshine Coast with Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, the Gold Coast and Brisbane all to experience a very rainy weekend. Rains and thunderstorms are predicted, some potentially being severe, with flash flooding being a possibility. Make sure to be wary of the weather this weekend.

And in a bit of entertainment news, Pilot Week has been airing on the Ten Network this week, with 7 of the 8 shows having now been aired. So far Kinne Tonight has had the best ratings, whilst Trial By Kyle has been seen as so bad it’s actually good. Meanwhile, there was some controversy over some skits on Skit Happens, whilst Sam Dastyari’s new show Disgrace! actually gained some decent ratings and reviews. Only one show will remain on television, gaining a full season next year, whilst the rest will all be dumped for now based upon viewer voting. The eight and final show, Saturday Night, hosted by Rove McManus, a live show, will be aired tomorrow night.

And that’s it for the week. Be on the lookout for a more in depth article on the events that have occurred in Parliament and in the Government this week, which will probably be out sometime in the next two weeks. Have a good one.

JJ

Hey all, here’s this week’s Short Story Sunday. It may seem a little similar to a previous story, but I haven’t really had a lot of time to write this today, so this is one I wrote last year. Enjoy!

The Impossible Murder

The body was found at 6:48am on Monday morning. The victim was thought to be a woman in her mid to late thirties. She was found lying dead on the beach by someone who was on their daily morning run. There was no murder weapon found at the scene of the crime, however, it could have been buried in the sand anywhere along the beach, which went on for miles. The body was taken away for the paramedics to carry out an autopsy, &, about three days later, it was confirmed that this was indeed a case of murder.

The body was identified as one Kelly Tressler, wife of 15 years to the famous multi-millionaire business entrepreneur John Tressler, & mother to two daughters, Amy, 14, & Holly, 10. No one was exactly sure what had sparked this particular murder, but it was apparent that the cause of death in this instance was a two stab wounds to the stomach, & four to the upper chest. This was a murder that was committed by, or at least appeared to be committed by, someone who was, inexperienced.

What was strange about this particular murder was that even though it appeared to be an amateur job, all the facts pointed towards a professional murder. There was not one fingerprint to be found on the body, the murder weapon could not be found within the vicinity of the crime scene, & there were no witnesses, none at all. The body had been quite difficult to analyse due to the salt water from the ocean having washed over it, who knows how many times, after it had been left there. It was thought that the body had been lying still on the sand for no less than six hours, if not more, before it was discovered.

This one of those murder cases that had become difficult to solve. The police department had no suspects. Neither did the detective agency. Both had investigated the matter thoroughly over the last two weeks, leaving no stone unturned, but to no avail. It appeared that the trail had gone cold, & quite quickly as well. For all my years as a detective, this was one case that was truly masterful, & it would take a genius to mastermind such a murder as this. Another week later it had become apparent that this case was one that may not be resolved, & may indeed end up in the case file storage room with the rest of the cold cases that had not & could not be solved. A most unfortunate matter. The family of the victim would be left distraught & without closure. But this case was just simply not able to be solved. It had become the impossible murder.

After three months of investigation into the murder of Kelly Tressler, & with every path that could be taken exhausted, both the police department & the detective agency had chosen to file the case away until any witnesses or decent evidence appeared. This case was a truly exhilarating one.

It has been twelve years since the murder case of Kelly Tressler was closed now. And I can tell you now, that no witnesses ever came forward. A murder weapon was never found, nor any other forensic evidence. And yet, even though the murder remains unsolved & most likely forgotten about by most, I still think about it every day, & I feel a sense of glee & a rush of excitement when I do. Because I am the only one who knows who murdered Kelly Tressler all those years ago. The murder trail was covered up so well, but I was still able to crack the case. I bet you’re all wondering how I did it. Well it was simple really. I didn’t need to crack the case. I mean, why would you need to if you were the murderer?

Hope you all enjoyed that. Keep an eye out for more coming soon. And as always, have a good one.

JJ

Hey everyone, welcome back to another Flashback Friday. It’s been a big week of news this week, so let’s get right into it.

First, let’s address the big news of the week, the division in the Liberal National Government. During the week, there has been a lot of talk about the National Energy Guarantee (NEG) and it has caused high levels of tension and dissent in the parliament, but not just between parties, it’s also caused issues between members of the Liberal National Government, and the cracks are starting to grow. With 9 MPs in the government now threatening to cross the floor over the NEG, including former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Eric Abetz, Kevin Andrews, George Christensen, Andrew Hastie, Craig Kelly, Andrew Gee, Tony Pasin and Barry O’Sullivan, as well as one of the Liberal frontbenchers Keith Pitt considering resigning over the legislation, it was a wonder this thing hadn’t absolutely destroyed the government and ripped the party apart. But then it went further. This piece of legislation has now taken a severe turn, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership coming under threat, after it was revealed that a leadership spill could be on the cards, and that threat has now been confirmed to be legitimate, with Liberal cabinet minister Peter Dutton being the one who is teed up to be the one who will challenge the Prime Minister’s leadership if certain events do not occur with the NEG. If Turnbull does manage to lose the Prime Ministership in the coming weeks, it would be the second time he’s lost the leadership of the Liberal Party. Make sure you watch this space for more to come on the political landscape very soon.

In some other news this week, and the Powerball stood at $100 million this week going into Thursday night. And after the draw took place, it was revealed that the jackpot had indeed gone off, and that there were in fact two lucky winners who had each won $50 million each, something everyone dreams of. The winning tickets were purchased in Melbourne and southwest Sydney. The Melbourne winner has come forward to claim his prize, however the Sydney winner has not yet come forward, which means that someone could be yet to discover that they have become a multi millionaire, and is walking around with a lottery ticket worth $50 million. It’s great news for the winners, and better luck next time for everyone else who purchased a ticket.

In sports news, today current Football Federation Australia (FFA) chairman Steven Lowy formally announced he will not be re-contesting for the chairmanship when his term concludes in November. Whilst in office, Lowy has, alongside CEO David Gallop, caused high levels of controversy and made some highly questionable moves and decisions which have in many ways impacted the game of football in Australia. His announcement comes only weeks after a FIFA backed working group put forward a 100 page plan for the A-League to become independent from the FFA, which could allow for the league to grow and become much better than it currently is. The document, which would have to gain 75% of a vote at an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) next month, was criticised by Lowy and the FFA over the last couple of weeks, however FIFA have threatened to step in and bar the Socceroos from playing in international tournaments, including the Asian Cup next year in which they are defending champions, if the document is not passed next month. Lowy could still be sacked by FIFA if they do eventually step in over the next couple of months, however it is more likely he will see out the remainder of his term, and will step down from the position of FFA Chairman in November.

To entertainment news, and this week, more specifically last night, the world lost a music legend in the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin. The legendary songstress became gravely ill earlier this week, and sadly passed away in the company of family and friends last night after a lengthy battle with cancer at the age of 76. Franklin will be remembered by many as an inspirational woman, and one of the greatest singers to ever grace this world with her voice. Tributes have flowed out for Franklin since her passing, and her songs, including Natural Woman, Respect, and I Say A Little Prayer, will most certainly never be forgotten and will be played on in the years to come. Our hearts and thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.

And that’s it for another rFlashback Friday. We’ll be back next week with more news. And make sure to stay tuned for more to come very soon. I’ll be posting any updates on the potential leadership spill if it does end up taking place in the coming week. Have a good one!

JJ