I reflected on the day, last Sunday evening. I’d had a croissant with butter and jam, a sausage sandwich at Bunnings, a Turkish Delight chocolate bar and a packet of corn chips. Is this healthy I ponder as I sip a glass of red wine and think about smoking a cheroot. I buy a packet…

You would have heard a little while ago that Aotearoa, New Zealand to you old-fashioned folk, recently introduced a new medical triage policy. Other things equal, you go to the head of the queue if you are Maori. And, as medicine is often a judgement call, doctors and hospital administrators are bound to err on…

When I was growing up in Liverpool England, my dad’s favourite word for what he regarded as nonsense was ‘hooey’. I didn’t know where he got it from. Maybe from American gangster or western novels, which he devoured before television took over the household. It’s North American apparently, though its origin seems to be obscure.…

You may recall some years ago, when section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act was being debated in federal parliament, George Brandis, the then Attorney General, saying that people have a right to be bigoted. Of course, he came under attack from the usual suspects. He was right then and it is right now. But…

Players in the American women’s soccer team think they are entitled to be paid the same as players in the men’s team. Silly stuff. The pay of sportsmen and women is geared to how much revenue they bring in. Generally, women’s sporting teams bring in much less revenue than do the corresponding men’s teams. No…

Read an article earlier in the week about Queensland health executives dismissing a call for a review of its children’s hospital gender services. A paediatrician was reported as calling for an immediate moratorium on the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. Reportedly, a senior staff psychologist at the hospital has been stood down for…

Gerard Henderson regularly and rightly criticises the ABC. A “staff collective” he calls it, which has not one single conservative commentator presenting a prominent show. I can’t speak first hand these days. I neither watch nor listen to the ABC. I suppose episodes of Four Corners, e.g., on the Trump “Russian collusion”, the 7.30 report…

Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, is gung-ho for more wind despite rising power prices and evidence of frequent and extensive wind droughts across the whole of Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM). Apropos the period from 11 am on August 7 until 4 am on August 9. For 42 hours wind delivered just…

Out of hospital, appeared to have survived temporarily. Our stays on planet earth are temporary. Thanks by the way to those who sent their best wishes in their comments on my last piece. Unexpected. Greatly appreciated. My Anglican minister, who visited me, asked whether I would like to be included in prayers in the upcoming…

Life took a turn last Monday morning at 3 am. All unheralded I woke with acute pain in my abdomen. Was it wind I thought and tried every position imaginable to rid myself of the morbid affliction. Nothing worked. Felt nauseous. Threw up. Unexpectedly did a number two. Normal enough. No relief followed. Living alone…