Why do we fear ghosts and all things supernatural on this day in particular? The customs of Halloween go back centuries and are so deeply steeped in religion and tradition that nothing about this tradition seems strange when you understand where it comes from. Yet, I never grew up with Halloween.
Read more: Halloween - myth or money?
It was 1939. My two older sisters and I were riding our bikes to school and Mum told Dad that she had heard a lady say “those Kirke children are strange, the eldest girl (Margery) rides along singing, the next girl (Mickey) whistles, and the boy talks to himself " … it's all true. In fact, I am not at all surprised that a couple of cats actually answer.
Read more: I remember when... I was one of those strange Kirke kids
My wife and are very fortunate to have been able to travel extensively and frequently. This trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway was the longest and one of the stand-out experiences of our lives. These days, with travel having been so severely limited, it is good to be able to share memories of past journeys and past experiences.
Lines are drawn on maps and continents carved up according to some pre-ordained or directed order: create a country, a state or a new political identity by drawing a pen line on a map.
Someone, somewhere, decides that this is where a border will go and so shall it be. The worker ants scurry off to carry out the master's orders.
When we line up to vote we do so because we naively believe that our vote means something. We listen to the policies and promises of each political party and decide which is the best fit for us.
Read more: The plunder in their pockets - at what cost Australia?
The Devil Didn’t Make ’Em Do It, and Neither Did the Pandemic.
A spectre is haunting discussions of the economy — the spectre of Covid agency. Almost from the very moment unprecedented government actions were announced worldwide to stop the spread of Covid-19, people became accustomed to referring to the virus as a sentient being with the ability to bend people to its will.
The killing of Gaddafi 10 years ago has resulted in the death of the nation of Libya and the destruction of its people
I have been thinking a lot about the impact that music has made on my life. Romanic moments when you danced with your loved one , sat and listened to a song together, been in a crowd when a choir sang a particular song . The piece of music that the Organist played for your wedding. Your choice .. your favourite song that meant something to you and your sweetheart.
During WW2, my grandmother used to take me to every official event that was held to honour our fighting servicemen and women. That is what grandmothers did and I loved the excitement of a day out and the chance to see a dive bomber in flight and a day to see a Vultee Vengeance.
I was 8 years old and it was 1943.
Read more: I remember when... biscuits, bombers and parades were patriotic
Recently, a young man I know preparing for the HSC had to write an essay contrasting the saying that Australia discovered its identity at Gallipoli from both a traditional and revisionist viewpoint.
Russia’s northernmost town, where people get KNOCKED OVER by Arctic winds and get power from a FLOATING NUCLEAR reactor. A cold Aussie beer or a vodka on ice? I will leave it up to you.
From Dusty Gulch Part One of the Honklanistan Series By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble The lamingtons…
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When the bonds that hold us together are tested, the cost is often borne in…
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In 1948, Preston Tucker dared to imagine a safer, smarter car - and paid dearly…
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Leonard Cohen once said, “I’ve seen the future, brother: it is murder.” For a long…
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When I was a young girl, I wanted to be beautiful.Clever. Successful. Happy. As the years slip…
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On Christmas Eve 1974, Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin, Australia, destroying 70% of the city's homes…
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By Our Special Correspondent (and Occasional Hero), Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble (Filed from the front row,…
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Only minutes before midnight on Christmas Eve, 1953, the engine driver of the Wellington to…
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Samuel Pepys is probably one of the most famous diarists in history and his words…
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A neighbour was telling me about her Christmas shopping expedition to Brisbane recently. She wanted…
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Starlink vs NBN: An Outback Reality Check (With Bonus Waiting Music) One Outback resident tests…
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Sadly, the beautiful country of Australia has become a bastion of progressivism. The country’s government…
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For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by non animal means…
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Do We Still Love our Nation to Fight For it? Reflections 81 years after the…
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Australia's Spirit at the Crossroads – Time to Shake Off the Mud At dawn, when…
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Muddy, Battered, and Waiting for the Next Kick-Off After a rugby match, the ball always…
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Dusty Gulch Gazette – Special Edition (Front Page) RUCTION AT THE GULCH OVAL: SETTLED THE…
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Some men belong to history. Others belong to the national conscience. Bruce Ruxton was the latter.…
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The Prime Minister Who Disappeared There are many ways for a Prime Minister to leave…
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From Whitlam to Bondi Beach, how moral evasion became cultural habit Australia has woken up…
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At 9:41am on Monday, 15 December 2014, Man Haron Monis forced Tori Johnson, the manager…
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Recent news in Australia has sparked debate: a ban on social media for under-16s. The…
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Dusty Gulch Gazette – Special Scandal Edition By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble – Foreign Correspondent, Rodent…
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Back in 1904, H. G. Wells published a short story called “The Country of the…
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Education, often celebrated as a beacon of enlightenment and progress, can also become a potent…
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On December 9, 2019, New Zealand's White Island erupted .claiming 22 lives and leaving survivors…
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They say the pen is mightier than the sword, and nowhere is that truer than…
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Before the sun had fully risen over Hawaii, a chain reaction had begun — one…
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“Minor Problem: I Identify as a 73-Year-Old Tabby, Therefore I’m Legally Entitled to X (and…
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Dusty Gulch Gazette – Special Duck Census Edition By Roderick (Whiskers) McNibble – Foreign Correspondent,…
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Flysa spent some of the early years of his life managing construction projects in the…
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In the heart of Ballarat in 1854, a ragtag coalition of gold miners took a…
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