It is, but just barely so; close to the equator.
True enough but it depends on ones distance from the equator. As I mentioned, I'm pretty far southward in NA and that whole ecliptic thingy is pretty high in the sky.
Same here; it's just that a number of events coincide this year.
Chard is one of a few plants for which I just can't find the combination. Seeds always germinate well but the plants simply don't thrive. I suspect a nutrient imbalance but haven't really made a serious effort to investigate. This region has chronically high pH, which locks up iron (for example), so the solution may be as simple as incorporating a slow-release acidifier.
Yes, there is _that_. I doubt the condition is unique to AU.... Unfortunately, the elements of USA "culture" that get exported are the commercial LCD elements. Whom do _we_ blame for the loss of "our" language?
I have no direct knowledge of or experience with either. Are they different beasts entirely or is it a distinction without a difference?
It almost never gets that hot in my locale -- the 41-year high is
105; low 90s is more typical of summertime temps. However, that can be stifling because the humidity is extreme.