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Tragedy on White Island: The Day A Tour Turned to Tragedy

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Written by: Op-Ed Monty
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On December 9, 2019, New Zealand's White Island erupted in a sudden and devastating display of nature's fury, claiming 22 lives and leaving survivors with life-altering injuries.

What began as a routine tourist adventure to the country's most active volcano quickly turned into a harrowing race for survival, as visitors and guides were engulfed by searing ash and toxic gases.

The disaster shocked the world, prompting urgent questions about the balance between natural wonders and human safety.

Tragedy struck New Zealand as White Island, an active stratovolcano located in the Bay of Plenty, erupted. 

White Island, also known as Whakaari in Maori, is an active volcano situated about 48 kilometres off the eastern coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors with its otherworldly landscapes and unique geological features. 

Read more: Tragedy on White Island: The Day A Tour Turned to Tragedy

The Spark of Australian Democracy: Unveiling the Legacy of the Eureka Stockade

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Written by: Op-Ed Monty
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In the heart of Ballarat in 1854, a ragtag coalition of gold miners took a defiant stand against colonial authority, sparking an uprising that would forever shape Australia’s democratic identity.......until recently. 

The Eureka Stockade was more than a clash over mining licenses and unfair taxes ....it was a fiery assertion of rights, equality, and the power of collective resistance.

Though brief and bloody, the rebellion became a touchstone for the values of justice and representation, igniting debates that still resonate in the fabric of Australian society. This is the story of how a goldfield rebellion became a cornerstone of a once great national identity.

‘We swear by the Southern Cross, to stand truly by each other, and fight to defend our rights and liberties’

Read more: The Spark of Australian Democracy: Unveiling the Legacy of the Eureka Stockade

Pearl Harbor: Honouring Sacrifice, Preserving Freedom, and Remembering Resilience

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Written by: The PR Blog
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The memory of Pearl Harbor lives on as a powerful reminder of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of a nation tested by tragedy. On December 7, 1941, a surprise attack by Japanese forces thrust the United States into World War II. 

More than 2,400 American lives were lost, countless others were wounded, and the mighty Pacific Fleet lay crippled. Yet from the ashes of devastation emerged a profound resolve to defend freedom and ensure such aggression would not prevail.

Remembering Pearl Harbor is not just about honouring the fallen or the bravery of those who stood their ground that day; it is a solemn reflection on the cost of complacency, the value of vigilance, and the unyielding spirit of those who rose to meet the challenge of war.

The attack at Pearl Harbor was a blessing and and curse, depending upon which side of the pond you lived. For the Americans, it marked the beginning of a bloody war that resulted in so very many dead and wounded; so much misery and pain. For the British, Australians, New Zealanders and other allies, it was an injection of much needed support  - both moral and material. 

Read more: Pearl Harbor: Honouring Sacrifice, Preserving Freedom, and Remembering Resilience

Tales from The Cape - A Fishing Story - Jaws Meets the Titanic

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Written by: Op-Ed PP
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During PP's excursions into croc country many years ago, there came a day, when I was asked to take the new IT officer with me as an introduction to the Cape communities, the IT bloke was fresh out of James Cook University, and a nervous type, not often away from home.

Now, to those of you not familiar with the Cape, I am talking about Cape York, up the pointy end of  Australia where the only thing bigger than the sharks are the crocodiles. And maybe the mosquitoes. And the snakes. And the spiders. You get the picture.  

Anyway, prior to the trip, which was to Lockhart River, I was "officially" invited by locals to go fishing for a day there.

All well and good, got the necessary approvals done, and off we two went, flying with Skytrans to Lockhart River, the young IT bloke wasn't all that fussed flying there,as it was monsoon time, so the flight was rough. Monsoon time up there is wet, humid and tough and rain comes down like the Niagra Falls.

The young IT bloke had never been in a boat or been fishing before. And so began today's yarn about a day fishing and how Jaws met the Titanic.........

Read more: Tales from The Cape - A Fishing Story - Jaws Meets the Titanic

When Surrounded by the Blindness of Ignorance, Knowledge itself becomes the Enemy

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Written by: Op-Ed Monty
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Back in 1904, HG Wells wrote a short story about a man who stumbled into a forgotten kingdom where everyone was blind. He thought that would give him incredible power because he possessed something that they did not. The ability to see.

He soon learned that his gift of sight was seen by the villagers as an affliction of the brain that must be caused by two things on his head that he called eyes. They pitied him and, instead of being a gift, the eyes were perceived as a curse, an illness and a disturbance of his brain.

It did not take long before the man realised that, when surrounded by the blindness of ignorance, knowledge itself was an enemy to be ousted and eradicated.

How many of us today feel as though we have stumbled into a land of the blind and our ability to see is regarded as an evil affliction to be stamped and cut out?

Read more: When Surrounded by the Blindness of Ignorance, Knowledge itself becomes the Enemy

A Mining Disaster, Sunshine and Mr Beaconsfield - a tale about Life

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Written by: Op-Ed Shaydee Lane
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In this world of misery and mayhem, violence and vitriol, chaos and calamity, I often think of a man I call Mr Beaconsfield. 

Redhead and I met him in Tasmania, Australia,  when we were on a motoring holiday some years ago. We had visited the museum dedicated to the Beaconsfield mining disaster. For those of you who do not know of it, the Beaconsfield Mine collapse, occurred in Tasmania, on April 25, 2006. The incident gained international attention due to the dramatic rescue efforts and the survival of two miners who were trapped underground for an extended period.

It was a gold mine, and the collapse happened about 925 metres underground. Three miners were initially trapped: Todd Russell, Brant Webb, and Larry Knight. Unfortunately, Larry Knight lost his life in the collapse.

The rescue operation became a major focus for emergency services and mining experts. The two surviving miners were located in a small steel cage that had been partially buried by fallen rocks. The rescue operation involved drilling a borehole to reach the trapped miners, and communication was established with them through a small PVC pipe.

Read more: A Mining Disaster, Sunshine and Mr Beaconsfield - a tale about Life

You would have to be Ironstein.......

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Written by: Op-Ed Flysa
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Flysa spent some of the early years of his life managing construction projects in the northwest of Western Australia to assist in the transportation of iron ore. The projects comprised railways, bridges, and wharves. But how did the iron ore get there? To answer that question, we have to go back a few years.

About 4.5 billion years ago, the Earth was formed as a sphere of molten rock from gases emitted by the Sun. Over millions of years, the surface gradually cooled and formed a solid, uneven, crust with constant upthrust from the molten interior (magma). Volcanic emissions from the molten interior, which broke through the crust, released water vapour into the atmosphere, which gradually condensed and fell as rain, covering the lower depressions in the earth’s surface with water by the force of gravity, thus forming the oceans. Cometary impact also contributed water to the oceans. That all occurred about 3.8 billion years ago. All the time the mountains were pushed up by the magma at the rate of a few millimetres a year, which continues to this day.

Read more: You would have to be Ironstein.......

The Bhopal Gas Tragedy: A Legacy of Pain and Disastrous Environmental Consequences

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Written by: Op-Ed Monty
Hits: 855

Some time ago,  I watched the Netflix Mini series " The Railway Men. " What a great tribute to the Railway employees who saved thousands of lives during the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. 

The incident, one of the most devastating industrial disasters in history, occurred on the night of December 2-3, 1984, in the city of Bhopal, India.

The incident not only left a tragic mark on the affected community but also raised critical questions about industrial safety, corporate responsibility, and the environmental impact of chemical disasters.

The catastrophe unfolded at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant when a lethal gas, methyl isocyanate (MIC), leaked into the atmosphere. The gas quickly spread across the densely populated city, affecting thousands of residents while they slept. The immediate and severe health effects included respiratory problems, blindness, and various other life-threatening complications.

Read more: The Bhopal Gas Tragedy: A Legacy of Pain and Disastrous Environmental Consequences

The Pioneering Relationship Between Henry Kaiser and Lang Hancock in Australia’s Iron Ore Industry

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Written by: The PR Blog
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The birth of Australia’s iron ore industry was a transformative moment in the nation’s history, paving the way for its global economic standing. Central to this story is the collaboration between Lang Hancock, a maverick prospector from Western Australia, and Henry J. Kaiser, a pioneering American industrialist and businessman.

Their partnership in the mid-20th century marked a critical chapter in Australia’s journey to becoming one of the world's leading iron ore exporters.

Lang Hancock, often regarded as the "father of the Pilbara," made his monumental discovery of vast iron ore deposits in Western Australia's Hamersley Ranges in 1952. This discovery came at a time when Australia’s iron ore resources were largely untapped due to government-imposed export restrictions, stemming from fears of domestic shortages. Hancock’s find, however, revealed the enormous potential of the Pilbara region, which would become a global hub for iron ore mining.

Hancock was not merely a prospector; he was a visionary who foresaw the immense economic opportunities that lay within the Pilbara’s red earth. He was also fiercely entrepreneurial, seeking partners who could help transform his vision into reality.

Henry Kaiser was a towering figure in American industry, with a legacy spanning shipbuilding, steel manufacturing, and construction. By the 1960s, Kaiser had turned his attention to international opportunities, including mining. Known for his bold and innovative approach to business, Kaiser saw in Australia’s iron ore deposits a chance to supply the burgeoning demand from post-war Japan and other industrialising nations.

Read more: The Pioneering Relationship Between Henry Kaiser and Lang Hancock in Australia’s Iron Ore Industry

No Regrets - A Look Back on Life

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Written by: Op-Ed Malcolm Kirke
Hits: 1004
“It’s the ‘everyday’ experiences we encounter along the journey to who we wanna be that will define who we are when we get there.”
 
And that is my life. My  experiences in a time of war where I lived in sheltered oblivion to what was happening outside my small community back in the 1930's and 1940's. A time of freedom and joy.
 
A time of happiness and a reality that we never knew was threatening us.
 
Today, it seems that young people are burdened with worry and are frightened.
 
Had my parents told us that we were under threat of invasion from Japan in WW II , I have to ask myself: could I have enjoyed my childhood? 

Read more: No Regrets - A Look Back on Life

The Birth of the Internet Speakeasy: Prohibition comes to Australia for under 16 year olds

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Written by: Op-Ed Monty
Hits: 843

Picture this: You’re sitting down for a family dinner, and instead of chatting about school, your 14-year-old is glued to their phone, perfecting a TikTok dance they swear will “blow up.” As they film their 87th take, you wonder....shouldn’t they be outside learning the joy of frisbee or inside suffering through algebra homework? Well, what if they couldn’t scroll endlessly at all? Enter the hot topic of banning social media for under-16s.

Yeah, right. Times have changed and this is such a bad idea that even the most brain dead of brain dead could see that stifling something kids have accepted as part of modern living is the adult equivalent of forcing the grid to go green. 

Australia has just passed legislation to do just that. Millions of Australian children under the age of 16 will be banned from using social media after historic laws were passed on the last day of parliament for 2024. The world-first legislation will mean kids under the age of 16 are set to be blocked from accessing popular platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, X, Facebook and Snapchat. The ban will not come into effect until the end of next year.  Social media companies can be fined up to $50 million for failing to take "reasonable steps" to keep children under the age of 16 from accessing their platforms. " Reasonable.  " One of my favourite terms in legalese. Lawyers will get rich off that one. 

I honestly believe this is a can of worms the government will wish they had never opened. If it is a backdoor to digital ID, it will backfire spectacularly as people realise that this is the nail in the coffin for parental rights. And the Speakeasies are already ordering the drapes. 

Read more: The Birth of the Internet Speakeasy: Prohibition comes to Australia for under 16 year olds

  1. The History of Thanksgiving ... a time to give thanks
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  3. God Bless America - Part 2: The Eagle Takes to the Sky
  4. God Bless America - Part 1: The Eagle Awakes

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