Published in ILLUMINATION·PinnedMember-onlyThe Most Extraordinary Young Woman In AustraliaAustralia is a dangerous place — you need an attitude to survive — Five minutes past two in the afternoon, eighteen-year-old Lucy O’Hea hung by her seatbelt upside down in her Mitsubishi utility vehicle in a culvert somewhere in the outback of the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia. The sun sizzled on the underside of her car, which absorbed the radiant heat. It…Adventure12 min read
Published in MuddyUm·PinnedMember-onlyLeft to Their Own Devices, Men Will Twiddle With Their Dicks and Wonder What’s in the FridgeAnd other things women should know about the weaker sex — When you leave us alone in the house We will twiddle with our dicks and wonder what is in the fridge — that’s it. You don’t need to wonder what we are up to anymore. Yes, we will occasionally think about you — you know, when we go to the fridge and there ain’t nothing to eat except…Humor5 min read
Published in Change Your Mind Change Your Life·1 day agoMember-onlyAll Successful Leaders Have This Trait — And They Give It Away in SpadesIt makes the biggest difference to their success — A trekker was walking the banks of a loch in the Trossachs National Park in Scotland when he saw an unexploded shell bobbing in the water two meters from the shore. He called the police and reported his find. A police officer attended and confirmed the object appeared to be…Success5 min read
Published in Writers’ Blokke·2 days agoMember-onlyThe Tax Collectors and Their Incredibly Simple Cunning PlanEconomists think it’s an elegant solution for keeping people honest — When my kids were young, they used to have to share things. A piece of cake, perhaps. I’d cut it and give them half each. Invariably, one would moan that the other received a bigger piece. The solution. I’d let one cut, and the other got to choose which piece…Commerce5 min read
Published in The Memoirist·3 days agoMember-onlyYou Can Find Notorious Strumpets and Dangerous Girls in This LibraryHow a chance glimpse of a book turned disappointment into a fascinating afternoon — In April 1795, the courts sentenced Ann Bryne to 7 years. Convicted of selling a petticoat that had been stolen from Mrs. McCawley, which she could not give a satisfactory account how she came to be possessed of. In July 1803, the courts sentenced Ann Allen to 7 years. Convicted…Criminal Justice5 min read
Published in The Haven·Jul 27Member-onlyMy Top Ten Ultimate Bucket ListYou have to see these before you die — I’m putting these in order of importance. Starting with an excellent yellow one, the list goes on to the best of the best. None of these will pail into insignificance. In years to come, you will be able to say to your children and grandchildren — I was there. …Humour3 min read
Published in Change Your Mind Change Your Life·Jul 24Member-onlyMuhammad Ali Instantly Gave the Most Profound Answer You’ll Ever Hear to This QuestionWhat would you like people to think about you when you are gone? — Television host Sir David Frost started his working life as a journalist and rose to prominence with his satirical comedy show That Was the Week That Was. But he is best remembered for his television interviews with senior political figures, among them the Nixon interviews. This week, I came across…Inspiration2 min read
Published in Digital Global Traveler·Jul 23Member-onlyThe Two Most Important Things to Remember When You Visit ScotlandAnd the best place to see Elvis — Many orbits of the sun ago, a man with a murderous purpose went to the Coalsnaughton Burns Club armed with an axe. The would-be assassin raised the axe above his head, and screamed his intention to kill him the doorman. …Scotland6 min read
Published in Globetrotters·Jul 21Member-onlyForget the Grand Canyon — The Blue Mountains Are to Die forBut they are odd and there are things you should know — I may change my opinion — if I ever get to visit the Grand Canyon. I imagine the Grand Canyon is very grand, but also a bit like looking down at the dried-up, leftover detritus from a bowl of Weetabix. …Traveling8 min read
Published in Open Letters To·Jul 21Member-onlyAn Open Letter to Medium’s New CEO Tony StubblebineI wish you all the best in juggling your commitments in your new role — Dear Tony Stubblebine You can please some of the people all of the time. You can please all of the people some of the time — but you will never please a Medium writer any time their article doesn’t go viral and make them a shitload of money. So chill…Medium3 min read
