Tinsel in Tasmania begins
After the steamy Queensland climate Hobart is showery and cold with a wind coming off the ice. We start our Tinsel in Tasmania tour.
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Best wishes for the New Year
Peter and I hope you all had a blast over Christmas and that Santa was good to you.
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Let hatred grow and murder follows
All those not living under a rock know about the dreadful events that took place at Bondi Beach. Two heavily armed men opened fire on a group of Jewish people celebrating Hanukkah, the festival of light. Fifteen innocent people died. I won’t count the death of the assassin. He got what he deserved. And yes,…
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Giving Up Territory Is Not Peace. It Is Surrender.
the way to end the war in Ukraine is for Ukraine to hand over a chunk of itself to Moscow and call it peace. Sorry, but that is not peace. That is surrender
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Pauline Hanson, the Burqa, and the Hypocrisy We Pretend Not to See
A sharp look at Pauline Hanson’s burqa stunt, the history of the burqa, and the hypocrisy around a garment that erases women’s identities.
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Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate
A light look at Thanksgiving from an Australian Friday. Why Americans roast giant birds, why Canadians do it better in October, and why Black Friday feels like our Boxing Day. A quick chat about gratitude, turning seventy five, beaches, whales, writing joy, and a cheeky note about my US$0.99 book sale.
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How Black Friday Took Over The Planet
Black Friday used to be a very American thing, the sort of chaotic retail ritual you watched on the news while clutching your morning tea and wondering why anyone would sprint through a department store for a discounted blender. Now it has become a global shopping season, stretching from a single manic day into a…
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A Golden anniversay
It has been 50 years since The Dismissal, that climactic day the Governor General sacked the Whitlam government. Since it’s a golden anniversary, the press has been full of it, telling stories from (elderly) people who were there. Our Dear Leader, current PM Anthony Albanese, has had much to say about that sacked prime minister…
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The Race That Still Stops a Nation
The 2025 Melbourne Cup made history once again when Half Yours crossed the line first, ridden by jockey Jamie Melham. Her victory was a landmark moment — only the second time a woman has ever won the Cup. The first, of course, was Michelle Payne on Prince of Penzance in 2015, and Australia cheered just…
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How Halloween Crossed the Globe
It’s 5am on Halloween day. The sun’s up somewhere behind all that cloud, the road outside is wet and the distant rumblings might mean the rain is out over the Bay – or that more is approaching. According to BOM, it’s a bit of both. It hasn’t been a good night. In a way. You…
