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When I have to drive several thousand kilometers across the Outback wasteland with little or no entertainment, euphoria hits when I come into contact with a radio station. It gives me an opportunity to stop talking to myself. In Western Australia, the two stations that came in and out were what they call “Triple J” and “Triple M.” Both play a mix of old rock and roll and contemporary music. They have news and ads and public service announcements (PSA) – lots of PSAs – the usual stuff.

But one thing that shocks me is they play songs with bad language. One song had “mother f*****” in the lyrics. Another, which was so astounding I had to look it up, is called “Throat GOAT” – as in the “Greatest of All Time” at, shall we say, sex of an oral nature. That’s from an album called “Slut Pop” by some German trans named Kim Petras, who lives in Los Angeles. I’m so old! Can I get some Kylie Minogue or Olivia Newton-John, please?

Two songs that do meet my strict approval were played over and over again:

• “Snap” (2022) by Rosa Linn, an Armenian who finished 20th in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. Catchy, right?
• “About Damn Time” (2022) by Lizzo. I’ve actually heard of her.

I’m also interested in local news, meaning Australia news, as well as how the United States is portrayed abroad. The top national news items during my six weeks in Australia, included:

Top news items

1. Massive flooding in the Kimberly region, where the city of Broome had more than 200 mm (7.87 inches) of rain in one day. The Fitzroy River was two meters above flood stage. A woman on the news actually said, “I saw a frog riding a wallaby” in the water. The cyclone (what we call a hurricane) season is November to April in Western Australia, particularly from Exmouth to Broome. It made for some interesting weather watching while I was there.
2. A Canberra-based company, Skycraft, had five of its satellites enter the orbit courtesy of a SpaceX Falcon 9 ride in the USA. Satellites are a big deal presently, and I learned that in 1967 Australia became only the third country to get something into outer space (after the USA and former USSR). There are some serious communication (and “secret” surveillance) capabilities here, near Exmouth, just west of Geraldton and at Pine Gap, outside of Alice Springs, to name a few. I met a woman in Geraldton who has a son who works at one of the bases. “If he could only tell you the things the Russians and Chinese are doing … “
3. Due to “a surge in crime and anti-social behavior” (especially among Aboriginal peoples), authorities plan to ban the sale of takeaway alcohol on Mondays and Tuesdays and limit the sale on other days across Alice Springs and the Northern Territory. They show closed-circuit video shots of drunks breaking windows, fighting and robbing convenience stores. Apparently, The USA is not the only place in the world to experience a spike in crime post-COVID.

Public service announcements (PSA) and humor on the radio:

• “At a certain age, I won’t bend over for anyone – because I can’t.” (I forget the context of the ad – it just made me laugh)
• “It’s harder to crack than a Russian hacker’s password … ” (From a Mazda truck commercial)
• “The average person spends one hour a day driving. That’s seven hours a week, 365 in a year. Are you feeling stiff? Lift your shoulders and roll them back for 10 minutes.” (PSA)
• “Say no to plastic.” (PSA)
• “Be in the now. Take two deep breaths and go through each of your five senses.” (PSA: What to do when you feel anxious)
• “Avocados; onions and garlic; grapes or raisons; chocolate – especially unsweetened; and, bones” (PSA: Five things to never give your dog)
• “Take a moment to smile – it boosts your immune system.” (PSA)
• “Offer to drive a friend’s child home from school. Compliment someone for their smile. Send a thank you note.” (PSA: Random acts of kindness)
• “Have you ever seen a dog that has licked a cane toad? They do look stoned.” (From a news item) 

• “Football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars!” (An old TV ad sung to the tune of the classic USA’s “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet!”– on a news program talking about the demise of the last Australian automobile manufacturer)