As the announcement of the VP pick from the Trump team comes ever closer, it is worth reflecting on the man whose name is still on the list as a front runner: Dr Ben Carson.
I have enormous respect for this man. I suppose my only criticism is that he is too nice, too kind, too decent. And isn't that a shame that the very things that we admire in men can be seen as shortcoming in our politicians?
Does he have enough of the mongrel? Enough of the fighter instinct? Enough sneaky, cunning, street-smart wickedness to thrive and survive in politics? After all, it is a murky arena. Should something happen to Trump, could he take over and survive the rough and tumble of politics, where knives are out and backstabbing and betrayal are rife?
Could a decent, kind, caring and loyal human being survive the Lions den that is Washington?
Or, more to the point, are these the very attributes that America so desperately needs at this time? No one could doubt Dr Carson's integrity. The left would be looking for a needle in a haystack to come up with dirt on him.
Is he the one man who could lead by example and show the underprivileged, the down and out, the hard working betrayed voter that anything is possible if you live a good life?
Wouldn't it be amazing?
Read more: Could Dr Ben Carson be the next Vice President? A Good and Decent Man?
Does anyone read the labels on food anymore? The classic is the sustainably sourced Australian or New Zealand fish. Or the packaged in Australia. Next time you go to the supermarket, read the label on the bacon. 99% of it is proudly " made in Australia from 90% imported ingredients or similar.
The strange thing is that we now import clothing, metal and solar panels from China that were only created because China uses, heaven forbid, Australian coal, Australian cotton or Australian rare metals. Funny that. In many cases, using local, sustainable slave labour. But I had better not elaborate on that point or I will be hauled off to a gulag somewhere for re-education.
The bottom line is that we import things that would be impossible to make, were it not for the Australian exports that enabled their manufacture. Now, we deprive ourselves of wealth in order to promote the growth of Chinese wealth. How is that Australian? Let's face reality: it is unAustralian to be Australian these days.
Meanwhile, Australians are homeless and suffering from horrific price increases to save the planet. Or is it really about the planet? Because it seems to me that China is making a killing out of the deal. Take the global import of one commodity we could all well have done without. The WuFlu. Hasn't that worked out well?
The story of what became arguably Britain's last stand as a major global military power.
World history has recorded a lot of rulers who have attempted to use a small war to gain a popularity boost but overestimated the strength of their forces and reaped disaster instead of triumph. One of the clearest examples of this was the late 20th century conflict in the Falkland Islands.
It all began with a coup d’état in Argentina in 1976, when a military junta established a brutal dictatorship that oversaw an economic decline while repressing dissidents. By 1981, the country was ruled by General Leopoldo Galtieri, who, being neither consistent nor overly talented, decided, upon short reflection, to acquire the love of the people through a successful military campaign.
Read more: Youth Crime? Youth Suicide? Youth Depression? Redhead has a Solution
The Brigade of Gurkhas is the paramount infantry regiment of the British Army and the ambition of every young Gurkha boy is to be accepted into the British Army.
Some years ago the British Army was down sized and three battalions of Gurkhas were made redundant. There was a proposal presented to the Australian government to enlist these battalions into the Australian Army and establish a base at Rosedale in Victoria. It was rejected even though, at the time, there was a shortfall in local recruitment.
The Singapore Police Force has a unit composed entirely of Gurkhas. " Nowhere in the world have I ever been in a country where I feel as safe as I do in Singapore."
No wonder. They are fierce and mighty.
Yesterday's article spoke of the Gurkhas responding to the Haka during recent military exercises between soldiers from New Zealand Army's 2nd/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment and their British Army counterparts from Royal Gurkha Rifles. RGR replied in turn with their traditional Kukri Dance. We spoke of the Maori Batallion. Today we look at the gurkhas.
Read more: The Gurkhas - Fierce Warriors and the Knives They Wield
While on exercise recently, soldiers from New Zealand Army's 2nd/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, performed a haka to their British Army counterparts from Royal Gurkha Rifles. RGR replied in turn with their traditional Kukri Dance.
Now, I think pretty much everyone around the world has seen the New Zealand All Blacks perform their famous haka before the start of a Rugby Union Match.
I have never seen a team respond with an equal show of ferocity. Until now.
As Steve Irwin might have said " Crikey! " If the Gurkhas ever decided to start playing footy, the Kiwis might finally have a game on their hands.
Anyway, it got me thinking about the Maori Batallion.
Read more: It Would be One hell of a Footy Match! The Maori Battalion vs the Gurkhas? Part One
It all started because the son of one of the most famous Australians of the modern era, Steve irwin, decided to have a tantrum because someone took the mickey out of him over a cartoon skit.
Yes, that's right. The son of the Crocodile Hunter, little Mr " I am a Celebrity, get me out of here " Robert Irwin, might be able to face the horror of the jungle and a few nasty Aussie creepy crawlies, but he couldn't cope with being lampooned by a cartoon.
Steve Irwin was harpooned by a stingray and lost his life: his son is upset over a funny cartoon and has threatened legal action.
Somehow, I wonder if Steve would be impressed by his young son's hissy fit. " Dad, they're being mean to me. " Only they weren't. There was nothing in the cartoon that ridiculed him. Nothing. Zilch. If anything, poor Bluey the dog copped the worst of it after falling down a pothole and having to wait to go to the vet.
Read more: Like Father, Like Son? As it's turned out, Not Bloody Likely.
The old saying that a photo speaks a thousand words is as true today as it has always been. I have been wondering of late whether it is time to stop hiring consultants and to hire some good old fashioned cartoonists or photographers to get a feel for a nation's health. These days, we get more honesty from a meme than we do from a memo.
After all, one need only read newspaper articles anywhere in the world and the grammatical errors, poor spelling and factual distortion make me wonder if the writer is on work experience or is a graduate of a university majoring in wokeism and idiocy.
We are being bombarded with falsehoods and trickery. AI is on the march. Photoshop and Computer Generated Imagery ( CGI ) are making us question what we see. Is it real? Is it an illusion?
So today I want to talk with you about the power of the lens. In times of crisis, such as natural disasters, political upheaval, or social movements, photographs become vital records that document reality. Images were taken that captured the reality, not the artificially created illusion that seems to mock us at every turn.
Read more: The Power of a Real Photograph - Illusions and Reality
Decades ago, women fought for equal rights and the ability to stand on their own two feet in defiance of old traditions.
What I find so sad is that women's rights activists now seem hell bent on crippling women. Men in women's prisons, safe places and toilets. Men forcing women to hide behind veils and robes to stifle them.
Not a word from these female activists. Not one word.
Years, decades and centuries ago, it could be excused. But not today. In this so called enlightened and free and open society, women are free! Free to be slowed down, ridiculed and humiliated by men masquerading as women. What a tragedy.
It is not the men who are allowing or encouraging this horror. No, it is women. White, middle class women and celebrities. And it makes me shrink in shame at what women have done and allowed to be done in the name of so called women's rights.
Read more: Women are our own worst enemies - We Need to Stand on Our Own Two Feet
Yesterday, I read something online and it struck me as significant.
We are in a cultural war. We are in a war of the minds. It was about Artificial Intelligence.
I find AI incredibly helpful for research. I recently watched the old film " All the President's Men " and saw the two young journalists pouring over telephone books and electoral rolls and old newspaper articles... the voyage of discovery was long and arduous before computers.
Then it became easy to " google it. " We are now in an era of AI. Instant information, articles seemingly written in a nano second. How lazy we could become. How quickly our brains would simply have a nana nap and let the robot do the hard yards or hard yakka. AI is a tool. Like the computer I am using now.
Nothing can replace the power of critical thinking or the joy in writing something and knowing that it reflects who I am and what I believe.
I am a great friend of the wise men ; " Who" What? " Where? When" and Why? "
My feeling on AI, has taught me a great deal. It is merely a tool. Like a book, an encyclopedia of old or a google search. Nothing can replace critical thinking.
So it was with great interest that I read this today. it was written by a University lecturer who is concerned about her relationship with AI and that of her students.
The Queensland Government recently placed a ban on pumping and dumping carbon dioxide into the rocks of the Great Artesian Basin.
This was an event rarely seen – politicians have stumbled onto a sensible energy policy. Burying CO2 would achieve nothing useful – just more futile green waste.
But their ban on Carbon Capture and Underground Storage (CCUS) should be extended to all areas of Queensland, not just this one basin.
Even the blinkered Greens and the TikTok generation should recognise that today’s low levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are too close to the red line of death, where all plant life will die (followed by animal life).
Please donate to
Swiftcode METWAU4B
BSB 484799
Account
Reference PR |
Please email me so I can thank you.
patriot@patriotrealm.com
It was many, many years ago, we went horseback riding. In true style, Redhead (…
66 hits
Here we are on the doorstep of the 2024 Olympics. Personally, I find them to…
227 hits
17 hits
There is only one major social media platform that is relatively free of censorship. That…
215 hits
Both solar and wind energy have fatal flaws – solar stops when the sun goes…
223 hits
Edmund Percival Hillary was born on July 20, 1919, in Auckland, New Zealand. He was…
225 hits
It was many years ago that I first heard Kris Kristofferson's lament about Sunday Morning…
243 hits
" I must go down to the sea again to the lonely sea and sky. All…
244 hits
Solar generators won’t run on moon-beams – they fade out as the sun goes down…
260 hits
71 hits
We all witnessed what many are calling a Divine Intervention that saved a life because…
252 hits
The music of the Appalachians is a living tradition that tells the story of a…
263 hits
James David Vance, better known as J.D. Vance, has carved a notable path from a…
290 hits
“For the average person, all problems date to World War II; for the more informed,…
269 hits
Today marks a dark day in American and global politics: a day when a political…
301 hits
I watched the old 1977 classic, " Rolling Thunder " last night. Why can't they…
271 hits
113 hits
Trench warfare, often associated with the grim and grueling battles of World War I, finds…
249 hits
How many of us are old enough to remember that series from America called "…
302 hits
Sixty percent of all human CO2 emissions have been emitted since 1985, but today, the corals are…
251 hits
What a pickle the Democrats have created. And they have no one to blame but…
285 hits
When Tucker Carlson was here on his speaking tour, he talked about our love of…
333 hits
While our political leaders are making merry with their power, the enemy is, like Hannibal…
327 hits
Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, is one of the most significant…
274 hits
How many people around the world have been warning about the danger we are in? …
284 hits
How low Australia has fallen - our once-great BHP now has a “Vice President for…
307 hits
When I was a lad, life was simpler, harder yet straightforward and honest. As the…
289 hits
When nations all over the world are being led by idiots, fools and people in…
309 hits