As 15th August ( the surrender by Japan in WW II ) approaches one can anticipate the usual diatribes from the unwashed and soy-latte sets lecturing us on how bad we were in 1945 to drop the atomic bombs on Japan. None of these know-alls were even alive in 1945 so whatever they have to say comes from their collective backsides.
Britain, Germany and the USA were all working to become the first to master nuclear fission. Thankfully it was America who won.
The American effort began in 1939 when Albert Einstein wrote a letter to President Roosevelt setting out the possibilities and predicted consequences of unleashing nuclear power. Einstein, a German born Jew, left Germany to study in Zurich and renounced his citizenship in 1896 to avoid compulsory military service.
Read more: Hiroshima and Nagasaki - a Moment in Time or Just in Time?
On July 28, 2023, Weekend Australian Magazine published a bombshell report based on an exclusive interview with Dr. Robert (Bob) Kadlec, the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) who served under Donald Trump. Basically, the subtext of the interview can be summarized as “it was all Tony’s fault, not mine.”
To many readers this may seem like just more Washington, DC Kabuki theater with a side order of limited hangout (much like the prior Vanity Fair article in which Kadlec provided a generous scoop of spin with a topping of CYA). Personally, I find this whole “inside the Beltway” rush to deflect blame for the gross “public health” mismanagement and rampant lying during the COVIDcrisis slightly amusing, in a twisted sort of way, but definitely popcorn worthy.
I have often pondered why mankind decided to go after the humble whale. After all, the whale was out there, in the ocean, minding his or her own business and wasn't really causing any problem. Unless you were a seal, krill or plankton. In which case, you probably had a civil rights claim or two.
Yet this gentle giant ( as far as humans are concerned ) was not bothering anyone. All the whales wanted to do was what they have done since God first had a great idea " I think I'll make a whale. " and the whales just cruised around, having babies, blowing bubbles and migrating to warmer places and having a jolly old time.
So what did the poor whale do to us? Well, let me tell you a whale of a tale and how the Industrial Revolution saved it.
“We do not have to visit a madhouse to find disordered minds; our planet is the mental institution of the universe.”
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
How many times in our lives has it been said or thought that things could not get worse, weirder, more absurd, more dangerous, more immoral, more brutal, more controlling, more restrictive, more perverted, more murderous, or more insane? Can those thoughts even be considered in this day and age of complete and total lunacy? What has happened to mankind, and can it all be blamed on brainwashing and indoctrination by the ruling class over the rest of society?
I am motivated to write this article after reading a post online elsewhere where a person said that he was culling his " followers " from his social media.
Why?
Because they couldn't argue their case. Instead, they were resorting to ridicule, abuse, insults and one-line comebacks, instead of pointing out why they held an opinion that was worthy of consideration.
Herein lies the problem.
You see, today, people have lost the ability to debate. To argue their case. To defend their position. To exemplify why they are right. How they came to their conclusion, where they found their information in order to form their opinion and when they came to form their opinion in the first place.
We were to be a crew of three, John, Adriane and myself. Adriane, however, using her keen feminine wisdom suggested we post an ad on the bulletin board in the American Church seeking a shipmate. An American student who was living in Paris for the summer made quick response.
Mary was a smart and pretty girl of twenty-one from an upper, middle class, Washington family. She was to return at summer's end to an executive training position with General Electric. Mary, obviously bright, had competed for that chance among several hundred applicants. We advised her to consider the proposition overnight. The following morning Mary arrived with her bag packed and ready to go.
Read more: PARIS TO LYON BY CANAL ON THE WANDERLUST II - Part 2
Born 113 years ago, Douglas Bader would grow up to be a Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot and flying ace responsible for more than 20 aerial victories during the Second World War.
But his success stalled in August 1941 when he was forced to bail out of his plane over France, and he was subsequently captured by the Germans, ending up at Colditz prisoner of war camp until its liberation in 1945.
Read more: Douglas Bader - hero , flying ace and an inspiration to reach for the sky
My father passed 8 years ago on the 4th of August. Needless to say. it will be like so many other days, a day of loss. Just before dawn the other night, there was the hint of a thunderstorm. Not big. Just a rumble in the sky and some distant lightning.
Mum ( Redhead) lay snuggled in bed with her male manx cat and he purred and asked for a reassuring rub on his belly and a kiss. A nudge from his head to remind her that he was there.
It took me back to the days when Dad used to say to wake up in the early hours and ask Redhead " Would you like a cup of tea? " and they would sit together and chat and enjoy the dawn hours together, with a nice cup of tea.
Read more: Purring. Protective and Passionate - a real furry fairy story
In October, 2022, after months of negotiation and speculation, the World’s Richest Man purchased “his favourite social media platform” for $44-billion US dollars — because he could, and because he could bring change.
The change he subsequently brought, was the change that was truly desired by a silent (but truly silenced) majority.
And it was Good…
…but he was not done changing…
Read more: FROM TWITTER TO X: Musk's Dark Vision for an "Everything App"
As sports descends into a quagmire of politics, trans rights, flag burning and racial divides, it seems to me that we need to look to historic events to be reminded of what sport is really all about.
To represent your country or town, school or community is an honour. It is a moment that should be filled with pride. Not only for the players, but also the spectators who fill the stadiums and cheer for their favourite.
I watched a film last night called " 83" - about the Cricket World Cup victory by India. What a story of sportsmanship, unity, mateship and determination. How sad that we now seem to be following 1984 from George Orwell instead of the inspiration of Kapil Dev's 1983....
Read more: 1983 was about Winners. 1984 is about Losers. Howzat for a headline?
A truly bizarre phenomenon is currently observable amongst Westerners. In truth, it has been apparent for some time, but it is now quite prevalent, and utterly perplexing. It is primarily witnessed on social media, although it undoubtedly exists beyond. The extraordinary concentration of users “hiving” on digital platforms has allowed for the recognition of common thought-patterns, ideological attitudes and behaviours; and detection is now relatively easy: there are anti-human humans amongst us, and they are none the wiser. This observable phenomenon, although complex in origin, can be both condensed and extrapolated from the simple idea of ‘Tribe versus Cult.’
To appreciate the real insanity underpinning and defining this cultural phenomenon, it is necessary to explore the notion of ‘Tribe’, and ‘Cult’ in the relevant context.
Australia's Spirit at the Crossroads – Time to Shake Off the Mud At dawn, when…
74 hits
Muddy, Battered, and Waiting for the Next Kick-Off After a rugby match, the ball always…
261 hits
Dusty Gulch Gazette – Special Edition (Front Page) RUCTION AT THE GULCH OVAL: SETTLED THE…
410 hits
Some men belong to history. Others belong to the national conscience. Bruce Ruxton was the latter.…
338 hits
The Prime Minister Who Disappeared There are many ways for a Prime Minister to leave…
401 hits
From Whitlam to Bondi Beach, how moral evasion became cultural habit Australia has woken up…
414 hits
At 9:41am on Monday, 15 December 2014, Man Haron Monis forced Tori Johnson, the manager…
473 hits
Recent news in Australia has sparked debate: a ban on social media for under-16s. The…
379 hits
Dusty Gulch Gazette – Special Scandal Edition By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble – Foreign Correspondent, Rodent…
371 hits
Back in 1904, H. G. Wells published a short story called “The Country of the…
393 hits
Education, often celebrated as a beacon of enlightenment and progress, can also become a potent…
393 hits
On December 9, 2019, New Zealand's White Island erupted .claiming 22 lives and leaving survivors…
404 hits
They say the pen is mightier than the sword, and nowhere is that truer than…
389 hits
Before the sun had fully risen over Hawaii, a chain reaction had begun — one…
482 hits
“Minor Problem: I Identify as a 73-Year-Old Tabby, Therefore I’m Legally Entitled to X (and…
511 hits
Dusty Gulch Gazette – Special Duck Census Edition By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble – Foreign Correspondent,…
394 hits
Flysa spent some of the early years of his life managing construction projects in the…
431 hits
In the heart of Ballarat in 1854, a ragtag coalition of gold miners took a…
536 hits
The Bhopal Gas Tragedy: Forty-One Years On — A Legacy That Still Breathes, Bleeds, and…
401 hits
Henry J. Kaiser: The Self-Made Miracle Worker and the Legacy of Vision This article builds…
459 hits
The birth of Australia’s iron ore industry wasn’t just an economic milestone - it was…
448 hits
The Quiet Hanson: Why Lee Sherrard Might Just Save One Nation (and Why She Might…
643 hits
Dusty Gulch Gazette – Emergency Midnight Edition November 27, 2025 – Vol. 147, No. 320…
466 hits
From a disease-ravaged ship anchored off a windswept coast… to thirteen scrappy colonies telling the…
430 hits
In Muriel Spark’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, a charismatic Edinburgh teacher enchants her…
596 hits
Elon Musk is more than a billionaire tech mogul...he’s a disruptor, a visionary, and a…
436 hits
Yes, let’s be honest. The days when the Irish, Scots, Italians, Greeks, Poles, Hungarians, Poms,…
455 hits
Picture this: You’re sitting down for a family dinner, and instead of chatting about school,…
448 hits
Dusty Gulch Gazette November 21, 2025 – Vol. 147, No. 312 By Jedediah "Dust" Harlan…
477 hits
by Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble - Chief Correspondent for Ratty News - Aeronautical and Ornithological Division…
463 hits
A green hill in the Irish Sea has stood for 1,045 years. It has seen…
475 hits
There are many ships of the Royal Australian Navy that are dear to the hearts…
443 hits