Microplastic or Nanoplastic particles in masks are breathed into the airways and can have damaging long-term effects on the health of the lungs.
I was a young lady of about 12 years and my Mum, Redhead, was asked to do something that today would be unthinkable.To escort 25 young people through the perils of a train trip from Auckland to Christchurch in New Zealand.
It was 1968.
She was the sole adult in charge of young fencers from the North Island of New Zealand all bound to stab and joust,slash and parry; out manouvre and out play their opponents at the New Zealand Fencing competitions. I would become a fencer the next year but that is another story.
What on earth made her agree to such a task? Today, it would be unthinkable.
Someone asking a parent to do something so risky? " Oh, hullo, Mrs Redhead, would you mind spending a few days supervising 25 horny teenagers while they travel by train to a fencing championship met together at the other end of the country? Yes? Great! Here's your ticket! "
Redhead readily rose to the challenge and left me and Dad at home to sort things out in her absence. While I am not sure what instructions she left, I have no doubt that it included such things as be good, be kind and be yourselves.
And be cautious.
Read more: I remember when... Redhead escorted 25 young teenagers across a country... alone!
When I was a little girl of maybe 6 years, my two older brothers and their friend Norman had a gang called " The Silent 3 ". They had a clubhouse in the old coal smithy down the back of the property not far from the chook yard. It was an old corrugated iron shed that had been lying unused for years and was the perfect place for The Silent 3 to claim as their gang headquarters. Inside was a dirt floor and it housed the bones of many possums and other creatures who had gone in there to die.
In this smithy, a plan was hatched that could have seen my Teddy Bear die from grief. Let me tell you how it happened.
The bones and skulls had been gathered up and displayed on the walls of the smithy and the atmosphere was dark, mysterious and somehow exciting to a little 6 year old tomboy who yearned to be a grown up and reach the grand old age of 8 or 10. On the few occasions I had managed to gain entry to the smithy, I marvelled at the round table they had and the apple crates strategically positioned as seats for the fortunate members of this powerful gang that plotted war against the neighbouring gangs of kids.

One day, I plucked up the courage to ask to join their privileged ranks. The leader of the gang, my oldest brother, told me that they would hold a meeting and decide what to do. I waited and was finally given their answer. If I could pass a series of initiation tests, I might be considered.
My first challenge was to go into the neighbouring farmer's paddock and touch the electric fence for 5 seconds without flinching. In itself, an easy enough thing to do if I wore my gumboots ( I hoped) because, as every country kid knew, rubber boots could be a big help in such situations.

gumboots do not necessarily protect you from electrocution. Do not try this at home. It could be a load of rubbish.
I agreed.
The only problem was that, on the other side of the electric fence, was the farmer's bull. He was a huge creature, known for his rage and extremely bad temper. It was rumoured that, when stirred, his eyes would turn red and steam would come out of his ears. His nostrils would flare which was a sure sign that flames would soon spew forth from his nose and he would charge at any unsuspecting kid and trample them to death and then devour the lifeless body in one gulp.

I was a plucky kid and I felt that if I was armed with my gumboots and teddy bear as my trusty sidekick, I could thwart the bull's evil intentions and triumphantly saunter back down the paddock to a hero's welcome at the Smithy and an apple crate to sit on as reward for my brave and plucky act.
The morning of the initiation arrived and I set off up the hill and headed towards the electric fence. The bull was grazing in solitude about 50 feet from my destination. Teddy assured me that it would be Ok and, together , we would pass the test with flying colours.

not a photo of Shaydee aged 6. But you get the drift.
I walked the 6 zillion miles, heart pounding and clutching Teddy as though our lives depended on it. After all, as he whispered to me, they probably did. By the time I reached the dreaded electric fence, I transferred Teddy to my right hand and extended my left to achieve my goal. Each second burned like minutes. Victory was within my grasp.
Except the bull had seen me approaching. His head had been raised and his eyes drilled straight down into my very soul. His nostrils flared and he snorted. I knew that his charge was imminent. I could almost feel the heat of the flames and the wrath would be upon me in less than a heartbeat.
I got a mental picture of Teddy lying alone in my bed with its clean white sheets and him sobbing into the pillow that his beloved friend had been trampled to death and eaten by a rabid bull and I, his trusted companion, had failed in my duty to keep him safe at night when everyone knew the monsters came out.
not Teddy. He was smaller and rather better looking. Photo also not of young Shaydee
It was at that moment I KNEW that I had to sacrifice my task in order to save Teddy.
I turned tail and ran, back down the paddock and over the stile to the safety of home ground.
My brothers and Norman stood there laughing and clapping their sides. I looked at them with defiance in my eyes and declared
" I wasn't scared. Teddy was! "
My brother looked at me and announced sagely " it's OK. We'll think of something else for you to do next time. "
And they did.
I never did get to join the Silent 3. But Teddy is still very much alive.

Most people in Australia know what a feral pig is. They are a major pest and they pose an enormous threat to our agricultural industry because they destroy crops and pasture and they spread weeds and disease. They prey on our livestock.
We have a feral pig outbreak unlike any other in the history of our great Nation. Because they are in our cities and urban environments and they are somehow able to do their damage by remote control while safely gobbling at a trough in Canberra and our State capital cities.
Disposable face masks (single use face masks) are produced from polymers such as polypropylene, polyurethane, polyacrylonitrile, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyethylene, or polyester.
Microplastic or Nanoplastic particles in masks are breathed into the airways and can have damaging long-term effects on the health of the lungs.
“You can beat 40 scholars with one fact, but you can’t beat one idiot…with 40 facts.”
~ Rumi
The above simple quote speaks volumes, and this very logical reasoning should provoke thought where little exists, causing closed minds to open in order to seek truth and understanding.
Read more: The Blurring of Reality in the Age of Barbarism - Fear is a great tool
In the western world’s mad rush to ramp up censorship and dangerous cold war escalations against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, the Australian government has done what it always does and raised the bar of authoritarianism a click above everyone else in the room.
Read more: Australian Government Sanctions People For Sharing Unauthorized Thoughts
Satan is not just trying to silence the next generation. He is seeking to wipe it out, declaring an all-out war on our children. They are being slaughtered in the womb. They are being kidnapped and sold into sex slavery. They are being raped and abused and neglected and used. They are being brainwashed by their teachers and bullied by their peers. They are lost and lonely, depressed and suicidal. They cut themselves and kill themselves. Their innocence is being robbed and their security is being stolen.
Whoever is behind “Joe Biden” has done all they can to derail American Life, and the feckless leadership of Euroland has also seemed avid to trash its future. There is a welling movement, in America, at least, to resist all that, to sweep these degenerates out of power….
Say what you will about Russia’s Cleanup-in-Aisle-Four operation in Ukraine. It sure changed the subject from the murderous Covid-19 madness — cooked up by political therapists who have all the answers for our salvation — to the hard realities of power politics.
Read more: Russia’s Cleanup-in-Aisle-Four operation in Ukraine sure took Covid off the front page
In the fall of 2021, Carley Fletcher was terminated from her job at Emory University Healthcare for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine.
Fletcher’s health history included seizures and respiratory issues and she was advised by her doctor not to get the shot. Fletcher applied for a medical exemption, but her request was denied, and she was fired.
I watched one of the best videos I have seen in some time this morning... Neil Oliver hitting it out of the park as usual.
I have a transcript of the video and I encourage you to read it. Somehow, it makes more impact in the written word.
Read more: Neil Oliver: I will continue to air my doubts and ask my questions
The Black Death (bubonic plague) is not simply a fearful fact in history but is still with us today.
The CDC reported that in recent decades there are about seven cases annually in the western U.S. Colorado reported 22 cases of the bubonic plague between 2005 to 2020, and the Daily Mail reported a ten-year-old girl died in early July 2021of the plague. In 2015, four people died of the plague nationwide.
Read more: Will the Bubonic Plague Outbreak in China Come to America Like the Coronavirus?
In the heart of Ballarat in 1854, a ragtag coalition of gold miners took a…
108 hits
The Bhopal Gas Tragedy: Forty-One Years On — A Legacy That Still Breathes, Bleeds, and…
242 hits
Henry J. Kaiser: The Self-Made Miracle Worker and the Legacy of Vision This article builds…
312 hits
The birth of Australia’s iron ore industry wasn’t just an economic milestone - it was…
300 hits
The Quiet Hanson: Why Lee Sherrard Might Just Save One Nation (and Why She Might…
467 hits
Dusty Gulch Gazette – Emergency Midnight Edition November 27, 2025 – Vol. 147, No. 320…
342 hits
From a disease-ravaged ship anchored off a windswept coast… to thirteen scrappy colonies telling the…
321 hits
In Muriel Spark’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, a charismatic Edinburgh teacher enchants her…
437 hits
Elon Musk is more than a billionaire tech mogul...he’s a disruptor, a visionary, and a…
333 hits
Yes, let’s be honest. The days when the Irish, Scots, Italians, Greeks, Poles, Hungarians, Poms,…
345 hits
Picture this: You’re sitting down for a family dinner, and instead of chatting about school,…
351 hits
Dusty Gulch Gazette November 21, 2025 – Vol. 147, No. 312 By Jedediah "Dust" Harlan…
376 hits
by Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble - Chief Correspondent for Ratty News - Aeronautical and Ornithological Division…
379 hits
A green hill in the Irish Sea has stood for 1,045 years. It has seen…
376 hits
There are many ships of the Royal Australian Navy that are dear to the hearts…
365 hits
In military history, there are countless tales of bravery, valour, and unwavering dedication from soldiers…
369 hits
After the Great Green Reset wiped out civilisation back in the 2020s, the surviving humans…
343 hits
On the night of 30 October 1938, millions of Americans leaned close to their radios…
392 hits
Identity crisis cured by $2.50 DNA kits, cold beer, and one large crocodile By Roderick…
376 hits
The Day Seven Blackfellas Saved This Blonde Coastie’s Bacon – And Taught Me What Aussie…
379 hits
Our energy grid’s as reliable as a politician’s promise - so don’t bank on your…
438 hits
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month holds profound significance in…
403 hits
I remember when Armistice Day was commemorated spontaneously, reverently and universally. As I approach my…
462 hits
When I was young, I had the honour of voting in my first election. It…
420 hits
E.D. Butler (1916–2006) was an influential Australian nationalist and founder of the Australian League of…
441 hits
DUSTY GULCH EMERGENCY BROADCAST: “Biggie Rat and the Southern Crossfire” By Roderick “Whiskers” McNibble, reporting…
402 hits
The Australian Stakes – The Great Dusty Gulch Cup From the Dusty Gulch Bureau of…
424 hits
When I was a lad in Western Australia, the 5th of November used to be…
435 hits
Phar Lap, the legendary Australian racehorse, and President Donald Trump, the American business magnate turned…
432 hits
Beneath the still waters of Lake Argyle lies the ghost of a homestead — Argyle…
416 hits