“Those great times we once had before the "world went mad". I wonder if we'll ever see them again?”
Oh yes, we’ll see them again, but it will take time, and will involve a degree of ruthless dealing with certain people responsible for the foul miasma of personal misery, economic hardship and irretrievable loss to many people as well as to the country, severe psychological damage to many, adults and children alike, that has enveloped the world and its people like a choking cloud.
Read more: Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning..(Psalm 30).
The last holiday I had was before the world went mad. It was to the deep south of New Zealand to places like Queenstown, The Catlins and Bluff.The highlight was a day trip to Stewart Island , right at the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand.
The ONLY Australian manufacturer of frozen Australian grown vegetables (Simplot Australia) is not far from closing because a number of the other well-known Australian brands have moved their plants to New Zealand in order to capture the Chinese vegetable market where they market via New Zealand to Australian tables (without the food being labelled specifically as Chinese) and Simplot is finding it hard to compete.
It's the end of another week Downunder and all we have is, as Shirley Bassey sang so well, " history repeating itself. "
The jerry can revolt in Canada has spurred people on throughout the world to gather together and unite and say " enough is enough. "
I have friends and acquaintances travelling to Canberra to join the 2022 equivalent of the Eureka Stockade.
'So we marched into the sea and when we got out to about waist level they then machine gunned from behind."
The words of the sole survivor of the horrific massacre of Radji Beach on Banka Island off the coast of Sumatra.
On 16 February 1942, Japanese soldiers machine-gunned 22 Australian World War II Army nurses and killed 60 soldiers and crew members from 2 sunken ships. From the 22 Nurses shot on that day, there was only one sole survivor, Sister Vivian Bullwinkel.
Read more: The Massacre at Rajdi Beach - February 1942 - Lest We Forget
If from this maelstrom I survive, By pen and prose and poetry
I'll keep your sacrifice alive, I spoke to you of legacy
For when this hellish time is through, all those who hauled or charged or carried
Will be regarded heroes too
Read more: We speak in whispers these days yet our voices are triumphant.
Is Australia ripe for the plucking?
Read more: Australia - about to be plucked? Or is it already plucked?
Today marks the normal eve of the start of the 4 day Burt Munro Challenge in the deep south of New Zealand. Motorbike enthusiasts usually congregate to race and gather with fellow enthusiasts to honour the memory of The Worlds Fastest Indian. Also known as Burt Munro.
This year it has been cancelled. Covid strikes again.
So while the event may have been cancelled, I think it is still worth celebrating the amazing man who dared to dream big and dream fast.
Read more: The World's Fastest Indian - brought to a standstill by red tape
Prince Andrew has been stripped of his honours and shunned by his family. Only his ex wife stands by his side. Andrew, or as I still choose to call him, Prince Andrew, is a war hero in my book.
The media, the public and seemingly everyone have abandoned this man because he did something that many men have probably been guilty of: he had dubious mates and had a few bedtime romps with young women.
As a woman, I actually defend him. And I believe that he is a target of a political campaign and the bureaucracy have thrown him under the bus.
Read more: A Prince who fell from grace because of the sea? Or was it about politics?
The British didn’t stand a chance when confronted with a United States of America - and the brave diggers at Gallipoli created a fighting Spirit that will endure forever. Throughout history, we mark special days of unity and courage. We mark things like Australia Day, Thanksgiving, Waitangi Day, ANZAC Day and Armistice Day.
Kiwis and Australians have stood side by side, brother with brother... until it comes down to a cake. Then it is a Tasman Sea pillow fight. Intrigued? Then read on.
By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Investigative Laundrologist - “Warning: The following article is satire and uses exaggeration…
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Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, is one of the most significant…
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In a time when truth gets fact-checked to death, rewritten, or quietly buried, it’s worth…
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From spark plugs to blockchains – decoding the energy behind the future - It’s not about…
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By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Investigative Laundrologist Dusty Gulch, 2025 – In a world where truth is…
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They say history repeats. But sometimes, it just whispers. In an age where speech is…
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When I tell people I’m a beek, inevitably the first thing they say is, “Yes,…
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When we look back at history, we often speak of "the old wise men" who…
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When dreams turn to infrastructure, who controls the future above us? In 1957, a lonely…
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Without a genuine love for our forbears, how can we truly love - or even…
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They didn’t storm the gates. They waited. While revolutionaries burned flags and shouted in the…
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RATTY NEWS EXCLUSIVE Operation Downstream: The Rise of the Feathernet Underground By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble,…
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By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Chief Correspondent, Fence-Sitter, and Eyewitness to History When the world teetered…
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Once we debated. Now, " they" accuse. And who are they? Talk about diversity.…
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Solar generators won’t run on moon-beams – they fade out as the sun goes down…
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In the 19th century, steam trains roared into history, their unstoppable might revolutionising travel and…
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There are stories we tell because they’re funny. And there are stories we remember because…
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As told by Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Chief Correspondent, Fence Sitter & Marmalade Analyst Before the…
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A few weeks ago, someone broke into my quiet little corner of the internet and…
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By Ernest ‘Ember’ McTail, Special Correspondent. Serious News Division of Ratty News The world watches. There…
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It began, as such stories often do, in silence and snow. Kananaskis, Alberta - a…
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As Australia faces economic collapse, and leaders like Donald Trump and Javier Milei take bold…
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In an age of civil unrest, burning cities, and bitter political division, the words “Give…
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Today, I am featuring an article written by our dear blogger Malcolm back in 2021.…
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June is Gay Pride Month. Flags fly, parades roll out, corporations update their logos, and…
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Written: 24 February 2025 This is a true story, about PP’s cancer journey. PP will…
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By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Chief Correspondent, Ratty News Dusk in Alice Springs. I, Roderick…
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The LA riots and Derren Brown's Remote Control (an episode from Trick or Treat where…
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An exclusive editorial investigation by Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble, Chief Correspondent, Ratty News Dusty Gulch - To…
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Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, is one of the most significant…
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RATTY NEWS EXCLUSIVE Operation Downstream: The Rise of the Feathernet Underground By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble,…
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In a rare confluence, Canada, Britain, and Australia held elections within a week of one…
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Tucked away in the remote heart of the Indian Ocean lies a tiny archipelago that…
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Written: 24 February 2025 This is a true story, about PP’s cancer journey. PP will…
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Factional ferrets, backstabbing bandicoots, and the great Teal tango - how the Libs turned on…
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Magic happens everywhere and goodness, wonder and delight can be found alive and well throughout…
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The latest State of the Climate Report is out to scare everyone with plucked esoteric records based…
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I am a Christian Brothers College (CBC) old boy and attended a few of the…
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Malcolm Roberts just gave a speech in Parliament. It is well worth recording here and…
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Thursday February 08
In the 1880’s shearers wielded a lot of influence on our country. Despite us not…
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Wednesday March 01
At the beginning of March, 2023, I join Monty in celebrating Irish month. There are…
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Thursday December 29
One of the most famous and best known characters in Australian folk lore, Ned Kelly…
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Saturday January 14
General Sir John Monash is one of the truly great Australians. He was an Australian…
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Friday July 14
Nearly 30 years has flowed under the bridge since I last owned a dog. That…
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Monday March 04
These are episides from Against the Wind , a 1978 Australian television miniseries. It is a historical drama…
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I think it’s safe to say that adventures of the more daring kind are often…
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Speckled about the steep slopes are clumps of small, fieldstone cottages. Their crumbling mortar and aging stones are victim…
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Nearly 30 years has flowed under the bridge since I last owned a dog. That…
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