Patriot Realm

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.

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. 

At the end of WW2, America had about 6,000 merchant ships. Today it has about 100.

Merchant ships are the lifeblood of international trade and commerce and even more so to island nations like England, Australia and New Zealand. They are also vital to the well-being of otherwise self-sufficient nations like the USA and Canada.

In 1941, England was the victim of an all-out drive by Germany to deprive Britain of its lifeblood of imports without which it could not feed its people. In a speech in 1940 Winston Churchill magnified the extent of this danger when he said that at any given moment 2,000 British merchant ships are in transit on the high seas. The losses of ships sunk by German submarines was huge and Churchill appealed to America for help. In 1941 alone Britain lost 1,300 ships sunk by German U-Boats.