Victorian Premier Dan Andrews, who imposed the world’s longest Covid lockdowns on his state, officially steps down from his position today. Andrews earned the nickname ‘Dictator Dan’ for his strongman style of leadership during the pandemic years. He leaves a legacy of brutality, debt, and corruption.
As Andrews’ abusive relationship with Victorians draws to an end, some have responded with joy, some with relief, and some with gratitude to Andrews for ‘doing what was right’ and ‘keeping Victorians safe.’
I’ve previously covered Andrews’ legacy of brutality in my article, “From Australia’s most liveable city, to the world’s most locked down hellhole.” That article links to Topher Field’s documentary Battleground Melbourne, which covered Melbourne’s world-record lockdowns (clocking in at just over 260 days, cumulatively) and related protests.
Read more: Comrade Dan is Gone - But Not Forgotten
"The Prisoner," a British television series created by Patrick McGoohan, first aired on the 29th of September 1967 and ran for only 17 episodes. Despite its relatively short run, the show has left a real mark on popular culture and continues to be relevant today. Set in a mysterious and surreal village, the series explored themes of individualism, freedom, surveillance, and the power of the state.
"The Prisoner" follows the story of a British secret agent named Number Six, played by McGoohan himself. After resigning from his job, he is abducted and taken to a secluded and enigmatic village. In this village, residents are assigned numbers rather than names, and the authorities, led by a mysterious figure known as Number One, seek to extract information from Number Six about why he resigned.
When I was a little girl, my grandfather had a home in the middle of the city. It must have had a very big yard because, down the back, there was a place called " The Wild Place ".
It was so convenient really.
We could play there and imagine all sorts of things. But we were still close enough to home that Mum could call and we would hear her call " Cooee! " and be back at the table for lunch quick snap
It had a stone wall around it and, within the wild place there were many monsters, wild animals and creatures as yet undiscovered.
Once we scaled that stone wall, we were in another dimension. And it was all within a " cooeee " of our Mum. It was not just our wild pace. It was paradise.
Read more: The Thrill of a Wild Place.... and the Cooeee we need right now
Leonard Read’s delightful story, “I, Pencil,” has become a classic, and deservedly so.
I know of no other piece of literature that so succinctly, persuasively, and effectively illustrates the meaning of both Adam Smith’s invisible hand—the possibility of cooperation without coercion—and Friedrich Hayek’s emphasis on the importance of dispersed knowledge and the role of the price system in communicating information that “will make the individuals do the desirable things without anyone having to tell them what to do.” - Milton Friedman, Nobel Laureate, 1976
I have often been asked what has been our favourite holiday destination, a question impossible to answer because one is not comparing apples with apples but if I were forced to make a choice it would be a canal holiday just like the one we had on the Canal du Midi.
Chaucer’s recent series on his journey in Wanderlust II brings back memories of the most idyllic holiday we ever had. Every holiday has its own attributes but for sheer joy and relaxation our trip along the Canal du Midi stands out as the most idyllic of all.
Life is Simple. Just Add Water.
Read more: Cruising the Canal du Midi - Life is Simple. Just Add Water.....
Have you heard about the agreement that global leaders adopted at the United Nations during the “2023 SDG Summit” that was held earlier this week?
On Monday and Tuesday, officials from all over the world gathered in New York City to commit their nations to fully implement the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals over the next 7 years. If you are not familiar with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, you can find them right here.
They are essentially a blueprint for how the globalists want the world to be run. Just about every area of human activity is covered by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and it would take extreme measures over the next 7 years in order to achieve all of them by the deadline.
Really?
Why, only yesterday, the Canadian Prime Minister and his minions gave a standing ovation to a veteran of the SS Hardly something the veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces would find palatable on any level.
The Waffen-SS Division "Galicia" was a Ukrainian military unit within the Waffen-SS, a combat branch of the SS during World War II.
It was formed in 1943, primarily consisting of Ukrainian volunteers who were motivated by a desire to fight against the Soviet Union, which had occupied parts of Ukraine.
The division was named after the historical region of Galicia, which at the time was divided between Poland and the Soviet Union.
Things that were unthinkable have become commonplace. And all seemingly encouraged as our governments sing in loud voice " Go harder! "
They are actively creating wedges and divisions.
A moment comes, which comes but rarely in a nation’s history, when a new star is born in the political firmament.
In the years ahead, Australians might well look back on Thursday September 14, 2023, as one such moment.
That was the day on which Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, the Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians, spoke from the heart and the head in a nationally televised address at National Press Club (NPC) in Canberra.
Before getting to the substance of her comments, five introductory remarks that set the tone for her prepared speech and the Q&A interaction with the audience.
Away with you Jack Frost, say eager gourmands in quest of warmer times which by tradition yield a cornucopia of gastronomic adventures. Enough now of broths and heavy fare that sticks to your ribs, as mother would say. Titillate your senses with something clean, something naughty but nice—an adventure if you please.
Those who don't find food and the partaking of it a sensual experience are missing so much. Ponder, for example, the artichoke, a vegetable that can evoke a lascivious mind to a licentious act with a fervour no other vegetable can possibly summon, except for the phallic asparagus already covered on these pages.
Imagine this scene: A sultry Saturday evening. Friends gathered around the table harmonious in chatter. A candle flickers gently. The wine is mellow and coolly refreshing. The first course is served, an artichoke. Its leaves are perfectly manicured and mute green in colour. Much like the patina of antique copper on ageing church spires. Nothing set on a white plate could be so richly Mediterranean.
Read more: Seductively Green - My love affair with an Artichoke
In the realm of motorcycles, few names evoke as much passion and nostalgia as Indian Motorcycle and Harley-Davidson. Both companies have established themselves as icons, representing the embodiment of American motorcycle culture. However, the journey leading to their present-day status was paved with remarkable engineering challenges, pivotal historical events, and ingenious marketing strategies.
It was the ultimate battle between the Cowboys and the Indians. And today, we have the same situation with political parties: ignore your base at your peril.
So here is my story about motorbikes, Cowboys and Indians and how our modern politicians could learn a thing or two from the battle between Indian Motorbikes and Harley Davidson.
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