TLDR VERSION: 9/11 was neither the beginning nor the end of history but it brought to an end the short-lived illusion of our ‘Fukuyama Age’ and steadily exposed, at least to me, the unwelcome presence of pride [ofermód] in the West—in others, in me—and that’s what this blog will explore. It was a global event […]
You never know what thirst is unless you have travelled a whole day under the Australian sun without water. Rachel Henning, Australian pioneer (1862) It is a beautiful blue Spring day on the eastern seaboard of Australia, with no signs of climate catastrophe yet. For a change of pace, I think we should talk about […]
It is 11 September 2019, FWIW. Seven years ago, on the 11th anniversary of 9/11, the media had trouble reporting that a mob of Ansar al-Sharia, an Al Qaeda offshoot, stormed a small diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya murdering the US Ambassador and three staff. A CIA team positioned nearby were told to stand down […]
As the final day of CPAC Australia draws to a close, here are a few photos and takeaways from it. Thanks to my day job I could only attend the second day of the very first CPAC ever held in Australia so this is just a glimpse at the full event. If I’ve got some […]
APEC Sydney 2007 Maybe this wasn’t Black Bloc 1.0 after all but they sure look familiar. See below for more of the local APEC protests and what I did there. Recent events in Portland, Oregon were ugly and sad. I’m not sure when “minority groups”, or more importantly “woke individuals”, will appreciate that they […]
Too tired for many words tonight so just a few random thoughts and snips etc. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? asked Juvenal. Translated, this famous phrase means something like Who watches the watchers? Juvenal’s 16 satiric poems deal mainly with life in Rome… The Satires attack two main themes: the corruption of society in the city […]
Then. Now. Declassification. At last. Sunshine 🙂 Today, at the request and recommendation of the Attorney General of the United States, President Donald J. Trump directed the intelligence community to quickly and fully cooperate with the Attorney General’s investigation into surveillance activities during the 2016 Presidential election. It’s after six pm on the beach in […]
Update: Richard Fernandez on our own feast of Crispian. In case Wretchard the Cat ever notices this, which is ridiculously unlikely, I think the basic problem was that the average Aussie was pissed off. Maybe not about all the same things but largely in one direction about some key things. Wages have stagnated for years […]
UPDATE: Since I wrote the post below, the now famous Barr-brawl took place in Congress over the Mueller-lite outcome. It included the Left’s freakout over the perfectly accurate term, “Spy“. It showed that the Dems really do fear the walls closing in. On them. Even the New York Slime couldn’t avoid mentioning the elephant (err, […]
Dawn ceremony at ANZAC Cove, Gallipoli in 2007. (From a public use image) Thank you on this day from our family to all those who serve, and all those who have served, Australia. Thank you to my son’s dad, my grandfather and uncle for their service. Thank you to all those currently deployed away from […]
Introducing the very first guest post on RoadScholar from Earnest, a recognised expert Australian thinker in education, academic and former secondary school teacher. I hope there will be plenty more posts to come! A great debate in 21st century Australia is around the well-being and education of our youngest citizens. This age-old topic preoccupies parents […]
When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional. Frank Zappa Thomas Sowell said each new generation born is in effect an invasion of civilization by little barbarians, who must be civilized before it is too late. Unfortunately, we have not been doing a good job of civilising our young. Not for about 70 years […]
Min bearwe is æla ful (My basket is full of eels) 9th century West Saxon A corner (byht) of this blog is dedicated to the memory of the late Professor Ralph Elliott. Years ago, Ralph taught me about stillnesse [quietude] in the time of King Alfred and the trawthe [truth] in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, […]
O Fairest flower, no sooner blown than blasted,… Yet can I not persuade me thou art dead,Or that thy corse corrupts in earth’s dark womb,Or that thy beauties lie in wormy bed,Hid from the world in a low-delved tomb;Could Heaven for pity thee so strictly doom?Oh, no! for something in thy face did shineAbove mortality, […]