Today is my birthday. What is it about birthdays? Every year, without fail, I have a mini-breakdown. It happens around 6 weeks' prior, and happens up until a day or two before the date. The birthday blues may happen for a number of reasons: just getting older, seeing more wrinkles, and starting to walk a bit less smoothly. But, for me, that's not it. I couldn't care less about getting older. Comparison. It's so easy to do, but I wonder why this happens so much during the birthday season. The Blues is because I start to compare myself with everyone and everything. I fall into the, 'holy smoke', I'm at this age, and I still don't have X, Y, and Z. It's the recipe for immense sadness. I'm usually grounded by the fact that my birthday is on ANZAC Day, the memorial day for Australian and New Zealand soldiers. It puts everything into perspective. FOMO. Then there's the fear of missing out. I start to think about my life and all the things I could have done. And the women that I missed out on dating. All the experiences I didn't have ... and it's a deep dive down into a muggy bog of sadness and despair. Purpose. The final of the three birthday horsemen of sorrow is the reminder of my lack of purpose in life. You see people have it together and you think, 'what the hell am I doing'? I interviewed Pete Evans, a year or two ago, and his summation of our conversation was "we spoke about a bit of this, and a bit of that". That's true, there's nothing really coherent in what I do. There's no 'theme' or purpose. Just me rambling on and writing my silly thoughts. Maybe someday I'll find a purpose. Or maybe I have it figured out - life is absurd - and the joke is on the rest of them. Though Pete's food is delicious, so I don't think this is true. So, it's a big relief. Now it's my actual birthday, I see all the good things I've got, and all the things to be grateful for. Tomorrow, will be lovely again, and the three birthday horsemen of sorrow will have ridden off into the sunset. In Peace and Parallel DB

I am currently setting up an optimism community. Funnily enough, it's called the 'Optimism Community'. (You can see it here: www.optimismcommunity.com) -------- I am an optimist, by force not by nature. Unlike some people you come across who are bubbly, positive, and full of high spirits, I find it very difficult to be that way. I really need to work at it. For some reason, I feel very sensitive to negativity, toxicity and gloominess. It's like that stuff sticks, and I really don't want it to. Then again, I'm also suspicious of overly cheerful people, and sometimes wonder if they being inauthentic and superficial. Nevertheless, I see having a positive and optimistic worldview as a key life task, a personal development pursuit worth cultivating. ----- In 2023, it seems that optimism is not just an option, it is imperative to living through these challenging times. My heart breaks for all those people who have suffered during covid. It has been terrible the needless suffering. Recently, I've noticed that I waste a lot of my time on unproductive and unhelpful activities like social media. It is great for socialising, and it has been a bit of a life saver over the past few years, but there are some truly nasty people on there, too. Rather than spreading misery, I want to use my skills and talents to help people. However, now we are here, my view is that optimism is an important part of healing, feeling better, and being creative. So I have started the www.optimismcommunity.com as much for my own benefit, as anyone else's. So Why Optimism? I don't know about you, but I feel bombarded by negative information. There is SO much negativity at the moment. We weren't made to be gloomy, miserable, depressed or anxious, but at all turns, people are conspiring to make it so. Check the source: - the mainstream media uses words such as 'disaster', 'crisis', 'overhaul', 'shut down', 'problems' - social media trolls hurl abuse in the nastiest possible ways - the government trades in misery, scapegoating people, and communicating in a negative way - social commentators are largely negative and miserable It must have a trickle down effect on people. That's why people walk around looking like they have been shot. It's really bad. I guess when you are being showered with negativity, you don't feel good, you don't want to look good - you want to stay inside and withdraw from the world. The isolation makes it so much worse. So Why Optimism Now? So the reason for optimism now is that it is vital for us. We need to have a positive view of the future to create and to build things. We need to have a positive view of other people to make friendships and to make connections. We need to have a positive view of the material world to value all the things it holds, and inspire us to enjoy products and services. We need to have a positive view to build and to maintain wealth. We need to have a positive view to be able to make realistic life choices, and make good decisions. We need to have a positive view to maintain a decent quality of life and to stay healthy. Perhaps the simplest reason is this: it feels good to be happy, content, and optimistic. So Why www.optimismcommunity.com Now? With more negative economic headwinds on the horizon, I want to be able to have a community of people to face these, and other struggles, together. I really want to have a more positive force for good in my life. Looking around the internet, I couldn't really see a community of positive, optimistic people that I could join. There are groups which offer insights and things, however, I feel that the are largely top down. So I decided to start a community: www.optimismcommunity.com The goal is simple. First, to provide resources and tools to help build optimism (my own and others). Second, to provide a platform where people can connect and share their ideas life, and look at positive solutions to problems. Third, to lift the vibration of the world and make it resonant with positive vibes. Through the Optimism Community, I want to counter the prevailing negativity and pessimism that characterizes many societies, by having a positive space for people to connect. Even something small, like a hub for resources including articles, videos, and little lessons where people can get a quick pick-me-up at any time of the day. To this end, I have a couple of little initiatives starting: a Morning Optimist email, a little piece of positivity each morning, sent to interested people; some courses on optimism (in progress, but not far off), a forum where people can connect; and a load of free resources, and, eventually, a membership group. Would really love for you to support this community, receive benefits, and even maybe get involved :-) It's early days, so please don't judge a book by its cover :-) To infinity and beyond (to quote Buzz Lightyear!)

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." ------- Before the internet, before mobile phones, before anything information technology, you needed to occupy yourself in time and place. ------ When I was a teenager, I spent a lot of time at a tiny little local library. It's hard to explain the immense importance of this little library and the books within it. ----- When I was in my final year at university, I took a class on American history. In that class we studied different eras of American history through classic literature. We studied Tocqueville, the Federalist papers, the American transcendental movement, Faulkner on the Antebellum South, the Great Gatsby for the Jazz Age and so on. Looking back, it was this class that justified wasting so many years of my life at university. This American history class was in my final semester of a history degree. Every Wednesday afternoon, I would be in a seminar for a couple of hours discussing the themes, issues and context of the books within American history. It was a very small class. Surprisingly, very few, if any, of the students in that class actually read the books. Perhaps is was to be expected - lots of students simply attended to get their degree, rather than to actually learn anything. Maybe I was just lucky to have a family that valued reading. For me, I loved this class. It was in this class that I read Thoreau's Walden. ----- Before the internet, you'd pick up your class notes or pack from the university. In it, there would be directions and instructions from the lecturer such as: "Please spend your summer reading the books we are going to discuss in class". Imagine that. I spent the summer reading all the books on the reading list. So I was not only basically prepared before the class, but was eager as a new puppy. So many great books! Mark Twain's The Confidence Man, Faulkner, Steinbeck, Sinclair Lewis. I actually feel sorry for young people nowadays. They miss the pleasures of reading really great books, as well as the pleasure of the accumulation of these experiences. ------- In preparing for my American history class, I dropped into my little local library at Parkdale. Now it may seem strange now, but at the time every book was physically catalogued. Books were catalogued by card, and you would flick through the entries in a long timber box and locate the book's Dewey number. The card had basic details, like the author's name, book name, and dewey number. It was made of thick paper. Looking back, what a chore it would have been to make a catalogue like that. Anyway, I digress. I stood at the filing cabinet to find the prescribed reading. I found title by author and the reference number. Then went off snooping, like on a murder mystery like adventure, to see if the book was actually there. (In actual fact, you could probably just walk to the shelf and find it. However, I liked the process!) On the shelf, I located it! I picked up Thoreau's 'Walden'. ----- Flicking through the pages, and feeling the weight in my hand, I thought 'great, this will be a quick read'. Opening the cover, I was surprised to see how small the print was, and felt jibbed. "maybe not a quick read". Anyway, I headed back to the uncomfortable reading section to make a start. The "open area" of the library was really the centre of all the library's traffic. The borrowing desk was just next to it. A couple of computers. And a stack of magazines. It was also the place where some depressing dude would pretend to learn computers so he could get the dole, and groups of elderly women would stack up on Agatha Christies to pass the time. Of the three 'reading chairs' I was fortunate to squeeze into the one free chair in the middle. An uncomfortable chair, red fabric backed, with huge wooden arm rests. It was not secluded or in any way romantic. Just practical and crappy. Nevertheless, you know, some days you are just in a reading mood. It was one of these days. I read the first page and thought, 'hmm this is weird'. Second page, 'hmm this is kind of not like a story'. Third page, 'hmmm he headed to the woods and lived in a cabin. Sounds like me'. Fourth page, totally hooked. I must have arrived early afternoon, and was reading into the early evening, when they turned off the lights and kicked me out. ----- So if you've never read the book Walden, it is an acquired taste. It was written by American writer and naturalist, Henry David Thoreau. It basically documents him moving to 'the woods' and living as a recluse for two years. He describes how he built his own cabin by a lake, 'Walden Pond' (hence the name of the book), grew his own vegetables, and spent his days musing about nature, life, and the world. It can be a bit of a dry read. Thoreau sectioned it into themes: the seasons of the year. However, it hardly matters, as it is just hundreds of pages of one-liners, essentially. He basically riffs on the topics of nature, government, individualism, how to live, and other big picture themes, all the while referencing literature, both from the East and the West. From it, he helped shape the American transcendental philosophy: basically, an optimist spiritualism found in mysticism and nature. For me, reading Walden was indeed a transcendent experience. The ideas are timeless. Some themes that sprung out for me then, and still, are: looking for companionship and not finding it in people but in nature an appreciation for universal knowledge - whether it's East or West - good ideas are good ideas approaching life in an optimistic way and hope for good in a generally nasty world living independently and in the spirit of self-reliance enjoying literature and a good turn of phrase. the appeal of the transcendental, mystical world. The main message of Walden to me was clear. Through imagination, I could transport myself to another time and place. I could live in my imagination. But also through experience, I could have a positive sensory experience that helps create more imagination. This is the beautiful thing about Walden. Thoreau emphasizes both the importance of experience and the importance of imagination. Or perhaps, the importance of having experiences and then using your imagination to reach a higher state of personal development. The good and bad experiences can be 'risen above', and the individual can use their imagination to endure almost anything, and, even better, endure in the best possible spirits. ----- I know most people don't know me personally, but those who do, would know I am a person of extremes. If I'm into something, I'm into it in a huge way. I wouldn't say moderation is my middle name, more like Dr Brendan Psycho Nutbar Moloney. It was not enough for me to read Walden. When I was 21 years old, I made a pilgrimage, of sorts, to visit Walden pond. Let me say a few things about this. So getting to Walden is a nice experience. You catch a train from Boston, I think, and take it out to Concord. Then you set out on foot, if you do it right, to go to the Pond. It's a long trek. It's kind of strange to say now, a 21 year old kid from suburban Melbourne, just walking around without mobile phone or map or directions or any connection to Australia. It was a better way to travel when you were disconnected. Walden Pond is more like a lake than a Pond. It is big. It is also really beautiful. I recall it was Winter on the day I was there, but I had amazing weather. Around the Pond, there is a walking trail. Walking along the trail was really beautiful, crisp, and just how I imagined it to be. At one point on the trail, you arrive at Thoreau's cabin. The cabin has been reconstructed, and it's a shame the real log cabin wasn't there. Nevertheless, it was sparse. A small room basically, and a little vegetable garden outside. The cabin took prime position though. The water and trees surrounding it. His own private little forest, away from the madness of crowds. It was also interesting to see that, while remote, the cabin was really not too far away from the town folk. Emerson's house is just down the road from the Pond. In contrast to Thoreau's simple cabin, Emerson's house is pretty bling. even by today's standards. I can just imagine Thoreau sneaking down on a particularly cold night, sitting by the fire and warming his toes with clean socks, having a roast with gravy, and downing some port while listening to Emerson moan on about something boring. --- There is a gift shop at Walden Pond. I bought up a whole bunch of books, posters, and things. From these books, I learnt a bunch of interesting facts about Thoreau himself. Like he was born David Henry Thoreau, but changed to Henry David Thoreau when he was older. His books and writing hardly had an audience at all during his lifetime. Indeed, he purchased the majority of copies (I think 19 of 20 print) of Walden when it was first released. After his death the book took off, and was read and appreciated by Tolstoy, Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. One poster in particular almost got me in trouble in New York City. I was staying in a youth hostel, with several other guys. There was a man with a face disfigured by a gun injury - he looked like the Elephant Man - who was sleeping there. He woke me up because of my snoring and was yelling at me. It was a horrible sight to behold, particularly as I was having a lovely sleep. The next morning, I took off quickly and left my Thoreau poster behind. Bummer. ----- Despite having such a profound effect on me, I rarely spoke about my reading interests. Who really cares? Indeed, it was years later when I was living in Tokyo, Japan, that I actually shared my love of Thoreau with others. I was reading a free weekly entertainment guide for 'foreigners' when I saw an advertisement for a book club. The monthly topic of the book club was Thoreau's Walden. So, uncharacteristically, I actually joined something. Jumped on the train. Went to the incredibly crowded Shibuya station and found my way to a cafe way up in a building. There was a lovely group, around 9 people are I recall. The organizer was a lovely, middle age, and largely unattractive, Jewish man. He was the facilitator, and we hit it off. (Later, I stood him up for a coffee catch up, sorry about that. I just didn't feel up to socialising that day - it's definitely me, not you). There was also a really cute Japanese chick with knee high socks. If I wasn't in a relationship, I would have pursued her like Thoreau pursuing prose. I had moves then, like "hey, um an uh um an ah. Okay?". Then there was an older English woman who had been living in Australia, and had bought multiple investment properties. She annoyed me, largely because she was gloating about buying her investment properties in her 50s, as well as her uncomfortable advances. Finally, there was a tall American guy who just wouldn't stop dominating the conversation. He talked, and he talked. I imagined if he was married, his wife would be chained to some piece of furniture, or else on Dr Phil talking about "20 years of living in hell". When it came time to discuss Walden, he started dominating the conversation. After an uncomfortable spell of non-turn taking, I stepped in and told him to stop talking. From there, I nipped that dude in the bud (not literally) every time he would open his mouth. We ended up having a fascinating chat about Thoreau. And what Walden means and meant to us. I do recall a lovely Australian woman, he-hawing that she saw Thoreau as a narcissist and couldn't read until the end. I hadn't heard that before. I wonder if it was just her way of saving face, or she generally believed a guy living solitary in the woods was going to be self-reflective. She took off early ... and we talked into our Japanese tea all afternoon. ----- A constant for me, is that I have re-read Thoreau in different periods of my life. Particularly in challenging times - like these days. With each new reading I get something out of it. A new perspective shaped by my experiences, and new insights into things I might have missed before. ----- This is a bit of a long post, so I'll wrap things up with some quotes from Thoreau. Life Philosophy "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation." The Government "I heartily accept the motto, -- 'That government is best which governs least'; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically." Idealism "If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them." Individual Effort I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavour". Change "Things do not change; we change." Solitude "I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. Materialism "For my greatest skill has been to want but little." Spiritualism "As if you could kill time without injuring eternity." I'm not sure if there is a book, or some work of art that resonates for you, but for me, Walden has been my helpful companion throughout his crazy journey called life. It's amazing how powerful some little words on a page can be. In Peace and Parallel DB

What Happened to the Individual? Over the past couple of years, we have seen a profound attack on individual agency, autonomy and attitude. The powers that be seems to think shifting society is done via "communities" and group think. It's gross. When I was growing up there was lots of love for individualism. It was not simply a right-wing conspiracy to value individuals, many on the left had narratives supporting individuality. Indeed, the idea of the self-made person who rose from difficult circumstances and advanced in life through education and hard work was as much an example of the left as it was "the right". Perhaps, more so. The adulation of individualism was everywhere. Whether you were playing sport, striving to become a painter or writer, or pursuing a professional career, it was desirable to support and to express your unique personality and perspectives. It was individual achievement, the aspiration to be as good or as great as your heroes, that propelled so many people on to do what they did. Individual resilience, perseverance, and hard-work were attributes of good people. The idea of hard-work, learning, and growth were all sound behaviours that were encouraged in literature, music, arts and performance. When I was growing up, you had shining examples of individual achievement. This would be in literature with great figures like Booker T Washington or Thoreau or Tolstoy. In politics with Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Junior. In sport with Magic Johnson or Michael Jordon. Or in music with Bob Marley or Jim Morrison or Bruce Springsteen. Even Bob Dylan was singing that "it is not he or she or them or it; That you belong to." So what's happened? I'm not sure when it happened. And even less sure as to why it happened. Maybe it was when people realized that computer technology was massive and that computers would be the most interesting thing to talk about. Was it technology that crushed the need for individuals? With a flattening resonance where no one really stands out, but all compete for attention by yelling and abusing people, could it be the 'all-at-once' noise and information you get online? Could it be the rise of identity politics, where everyone needed to identify with a group, and it became no longer cool to be an individual? Indeed, being an individual meant, according to the new left, that you subscribed to a right wing ideology of free markets, greed, and every dog for themselves? The talk of individuals became replaced with the talk of communities. 'Communities of color', 'the lesbian community", "the boat owner's community", "the let's do brunch on Sunday with a latte community". Of course, much of this could be unintentional and people just prefer to be part of a community. I certainly don't. I want that old time individualism back. And for good reason. The foundational idea of individualism that it doesn't matter what you look like or who you associate with, but that the individual is unique, different, and has their own life experiences. The attack on individualism is also the attack on experience. If you are part of a group, you don't need to have your own subjective take on the world. You just seep into the collective. And this is how loads of 'communities' would love us to be. You'll own nothing, and be happy! You'll experience nothing, and you'll be happy! As experience is a large part of what makes up the individual - this idea of limiting experience - should be a worry us individuals. It's a dark time. We need again to reassert our individuality.

Good health is sickness, apparently. Why is that people think I am sick, when I'm not? The strangest thing about the covid panic was the inversion of the idea of health. Many people felt that they were "not normal" unless they have mRNA coursing through their veins. Logically, I knew that the 'pro-mRNA' camp were facing an uphill battle. Like an alcoholic at the bar, there was simply never going to be enough for them. One more, one more. Or, perhaps it was more like a teenager jerking off to PornHub, was there ever going to be enough liquid in those vials to satisfy the vaccine erection? How could there be? It's only common sense that, if it were like any other virus, it would adapt to the host, become stronger if it was temporarily muted, and eventually dwindle out via herd immunity via natural immunity. It's not like that wasn't common knowledge. The weirdest thing though is that people who were not vaccinated are/were treated like they were sick. It's like they were walking around with bullet holes in them, and blood spurting out in all directions. "Oh no, she's unvaccinated. Look at those bullet holes, maybe I'll just tippy toe sideways out the door to avoid the humiliation of interaction". In basic interactions, the mood would drop. "Oh you're unvaccinated. Why's that?". A bit like asking someone, "Oh you have Cancer. What kind of cancer is it?" Even the most open minded person was patronizing and condescending. The Australian Medical Association literally said that hospitals should not treat unvaccinated people, and deny them entry. (No hissy fit there). Obsese, unintelligent academics, with their diabetes rings circling their eyes, would pronounce: "Here's 5 ways to talk to unvaccinated people", and "Tips for Families in excluding unvaccinated people at Christmas". It's like the last 2,000 years of civilization flew out the door.... "See you later, suckers, I don't want to hang out with Non Sick Sick People". While we are all supposed to have moved on, I haven't. I hang on to these things. I don't forget the betrayals, hurt, and anger. Not because I can't. I can just as easily forget these things and move on. No. It's because it is wrong. A society without morality or ethics is not one I want to be a part of. You don't just get to label non-conformists and dissidents as 'sick'. That's what people in sick, demented societies do. If we want to be healthy, it's worth remembering and reminding those true 'sickos' that we expect more and better of them, and that us 'Living Dead' will be there are every turn to remind them of their cruelty. I'm perfectly healthy. Now, how do we get those sick, poisoned people back to good health?

Hi all, I'm back. After a much needed break, I'm back. I know it's been awhile. But here I am again, leaner and meaner than ever! So why the hiatus? The main reason is that I really didn't know what to write. I've had so many questions about what is happening in the world. How on earth did this all happen? Why are there so many strange and angry people around? What the hell has happened to the places I love to visit that are now closed down? Why is there so much concrete everywhere? Why has population grown so suddenly? Is it causing the bad traffic or is that something else? Initially, I thought I was depressed. Perhaps, I've been in shock. Now I realise that I've been living with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is defined as "when you feel intense fear, helplessness or horror after a traumatic event." This is how I feel. And how I feel about Melbourne. Melbourne, for me, is a site of trauma. And I've been living in the centre of it for years. Let me be clear, the PTSD is not because of covid. Honestly, there were so few cases, the overwhelmingly majority so minor as to be unnoticeable, and very little to no risk to individuals. No, not "the virus". No, the damage has been done by both government corruption and crappy conformist people living here (I don't call them Melbournians, as real Melbournians would be aghast at this all). I know I'm not alone in living through a range of traumatic events. Here's a few examples: Imagine not being allowed to work, to access a get car park, or to be alone in an office because you are not an "authorized worker". Imagine not being able to buy a coffee, borrow a library book, or get a haircut because you simply ask questions. Imagine having to eat out on the street because you were denied access to a restaurant's eating area. Imagine going from exercising every day at a gym to being shut out and excluded by that same gym. Imagine being harassed walking down the street, online, and on television news because you didn't buy into the Big Pharma sales pitch. Imagine having 24-7 propaganda from the news media how you are "selfish" and not deserving of respect and consideration because you choose to live differently. Imagine academics having parents and siblings turn on each other over fake science. Imagine seeing where you live having trees cut down all over the place and replaced with concrete slabs. Imagine attending a protest and seeing people get beaten up and shot with rubber bullets because they want basic human rights. Imagine a narcissistic Premier pouring on his vile hatred over a 100 day series of press conferences against vulnerable people. Imagine having a government set up its own separate government to run separate to democracy and shutting down parliament, essentially forming a one party state. Imagine not being able to run your business of 10 years because of selfish, self-centred politicians. Imagine walking down Swanston Street watching a paramilitary, with their tanks and machine guns, "occupy" the city. Imagine having to use a 'green pass' to enter an outdoor cinema just because the government wanted to set up a surveillance system. Imagine watching a guy getting his head bashed into concrete at Flinders Street, kids and women being pepper sprayed in their faces, and retrenched workers suiciding because of cruel mandates. So many things have been traumatic. I could list a thousand more, but you get the point. I still am at a loss as to why this happened. Why did we need to endure this? How can people so care so little for others? It was just madness. So just bear with me as I work through this PTSD - maybe we can work through this together. Hope you are doing well :-) In Peace and Parallel, DB

Boring and uninspiring. Well that's reason enough to keep me writing. This is dedicated to the ugly, putrid, super slapper, kathyb369@protonmail.com Kathy is a kind of stalker. She loves sending me messages telling me how miserable she is ... You know, there are loads of mediocre Kathy's out there .... Maybe she's even one of the many stalkers that I get. Anyhow, this is the lovely message I received from her fake email address: "well isn't that an interesting conclusion on your part. The fact of the matter is that I hardly ever check in with these rants as I find them very uninspiring, bearing absolutely no relationship to progress on the parallel society project. These rants are just fluffing up brendan's ego. I'd rather hear progress updates on parallel society. Ciao. Unsubscribe me if you want" Ah, a website with my name ….. where I write about my observations of the world? She must have missed several boats. She's even SO LAZY she can't unsubscribe herself.... LOL ... How fucked up would you have to be? LMAO! Anyhow, she's just one among many losers I need to encounter in my life. Being brilliant is hard enough, without the jealous ones. Imagine the B In Kathy B stands for Belcher, Bulldog, or Bumpkin. Probably belcher. I can imagine her picking KFC out of her teeth, and farting on her dog. She's sound like that kind of person. Another interesting stalker I've had lately is the Uni-Stalker. This person, I assume it's a she, otherwise, it is truly creepier, decided to stalk my on YouTube, my website, and other places I visit online  S/he has a name like 'rememberme999' or something weird (and forgettable) leek that. The hysterical thing is that this person must have met me when I was younger. However, s/he's details are way off. If you are going to stalk at least have some accuracy in your details. It's offensive and unflattering. It's like you don't know me at all. For instance, S/he makes references to things that vaguely happened in the past. But the facts are all incorrect. "You were in a band called 'Kafka'". Sorry, super freak, that wasn't me. Never in a band called 'Kafka'. "You are basically the same as when you were 19". Wrong again, couldn't be more different. And on and on .... So, these losers are kind of a dime a dozen. I honestly can't imagine the kind of relationships you don't have. If I did, your partner is one poor, pitiful creature. I imagine a smegle like individual, taciturn, and having to listen to your dumb twat words. So now, I've got that out of my system - I will go back to being brilliant, humouring those people who do enjoy my content, and have a good, hard chuckle about you and how truly thick you are ... Here's to boring, uninspiring, and self-indulging me :-)

So I've spent the last few days on a much needed holiday. Tropical Far North Queensland (FNQ) or (effenQ) is a lovely place. Beautiful beaches, palm tress, and lovely weather. As part of my role as a Tourist, I decided to join a Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tour. It's really great to splash about and see some fish. That's not where the story ends. It wouldn't be a Rant if I didn't have a couple of things to rant about. Ok. First rant, "okay guys". It's not my first tour. I've been out to the reef plenty-a-time, and here's a Pet peeve of mine: "Okay guys". Let me explain. When you take a tourist boat out to the reef, there are a bunch of young staff. I call them the 'okay guys'. You need a bit of education to understand that these youngsters are completely clueless about anything, but are taught to lie outright to visitors. It goes like this: whenever the blue T-shirt dude say "okay guys" (the variation is "hey guys") s/he/they/grrr is just making something up. It's either nonsense, not true, or the actual reverse. 'Okay guys' is the ultimate irony. Some examples: "Okay guys, yesterday we saw some Minke whales doing some aerial twists and somersaults. Keep an eye out for them on the trip out to the reef". "Okay guys, we might see some turtles out on the reef. The early group saw a few large turtles and their kids swimming around the coral". "Okay guys, if you spot a shark, put your hand on your heed and signal to the crew." "Okay guys, lunch is served". So, anytime "okay guys" is spoken, a little bell should go off. A second rant. Something that smokes me is the territorial nature of operators. Okay, I didn't choose to be Australian, but it says that I am on my passport, and I guess that I was born within this land mass means I am one. How does it work when these operators act greedy with the reef? It goes like this: "Okay guys, when you are out of the reef, keep within the ropes, don't touch or step on the coral, respect the little critters lying on the sand floor, don't carry anything with you, everything on the reef should stay on the reef, we are working on protecting the coral for the next generation" Hang on a second. The Great Barrier Reef is a national park. However, unlike any other gardens. Imagine like the Fitzroy Gardens. You don't have a muppet walking around telling you to tread softly on the grass, don't pick the flowers, or stop rubbing up against the trees. So why does the Great Barrier Reef, thousands of kilometres of underwater rocks, have Guardians of the Galaxy patrolling it? As a local, the locals think they are hot as Rick Springfield in the Jessie's Girl music video. I wish we could just hire a boat, head out to the reef, have a snorkel and swim. Instead, you have to take a mini-Titanic, sit through countless lectures on marine life, and given more rules than being on a high school trip to the Zoo. Aside from these rants, lovely day out on the reef. eFffen Q really is a spectacular place, okay guys!

Was it Alley MacBeal that introduced the ridiculous young female lawyer? I guess each generation needs to have their own annoying mole. So I've been watching this TV show on Netflix. Let's face it, Netflix is cringe. Not being a particularly TV kind of person, I decided to take up the free trial. Holy smoke! An algorithm recommendation (who do they think am?) was the program, "Partner Track". Let me tell you about this Woke festering turd. I feel mopey and teary just thinking about it ... anyway, let me recount the basic premise. A young Korean-American lawyer, 2nd best student law student graduate from Harvard, is working in a top notch law firm. She wants to become a Parter in the law firm. It's one of those TV programs that start with a narration, "That's me. Walking on the street with a coffee, late to a meeting".... Yep, you can see where this sloth is going... She is brilliant, late 20s, living in an unbelievably unrealistic apartment, and struggling to get the best cases in her company. Of course, there's a London based lawyer, just transferred to her office, who she had a fling with at someone's wedding in the UK. As improbable as that is, there's an even worse new New York dreamboat who is a philanthropist who cooks her every meal, and deals with her every mood in a super hero fashion. "Oh honey, you look upset, take a bath, and I'll cook you a 6 course meal. Your bath already has bubbles. I also bought you a new dress, it's laid nicely out on the bed". Unicorn! Her friends are an upstart Jewish female colleague obsessed with her sex life, a black gay lawyer who loves fashion, is effeminate, and wants to be on the big fashion account. What a surprise? He has an old white boss who gives him a hard time. Then there are the 'white' guys who are all, shock horror, complete assholes. No cliche there. So, quick recap, hot Asian woman deals with obstacles: sexist men and those she wants to sleep with. The dialogue is so schlocky: "Oh where did you go to school?" "Harvard". "Oh, like your handbag." "Channel". More eye rolls, and tongue clicks, than a high school assembly. It is so cringe! Despite all this, there is an intrigue. I've keep watching down the sinkhole of human intelligence. Is it wanting to see the Korean hottie naked? Or it to see just how more cliche and horrid it can get? Or is it the search for the most cringe-worthy woke piece of dialogue that pops up? Each episode tops the last.... Does she get to be a Partner? Does she walk away at the last minute, throwing a last minute nasty quip to the white guys? Does she get it all? Of course she doesn't. You can't be a victim AND partner. Duh! I mean it is so improbable .... I swear I feel sorry for young guys and girls nowadays. If 'Partner Track' is supposed to be how they act - all eye rolls, tongue clicking, and smart ass comments - the world is doomed. Fear not climate change. If the world is populated by people portrayed in Partner Track, I can only hope climate change happens as soon as possible. DB

Recently I had the fortune of looking after a beautiful little dog. It was life changing. At first, I was a bit reluctant and not so sure. Cubes was the same. She sat in her little puppy basket for the first couple of days mopping about. She was off her food and only took a couple of little licks of her dog food. After a few days though we started to bond a little. Going for short walks, taking a couple of road trips, and having a little play time. There were some things I really loved about little Cubes. First she was a non barker. Over the month I think she may have made one little sound when she didn’t get her way. Otherwise she was quiet as a mouse. Second, I really loved her walking style. She would pay no mind to other dogs, and would simply prance through the pack. She wouldn’t mix it up with other dogs, and she had this awesome little wobble walk that was a bit like showing off. Then, there was the way she ate. Rather than eating like normal dogs, she’s manage to drag her little dried food balls all over the floor. How one dog could be so messy? I don’t know. She would intermittently come back from time to time scooping up a ball. A great thing was her affection. A real velcro dog, she would roll up in a ball on my legs as I was watching the footy or taking a rest on the couch. She would start as a tiny thing and then progressively sprawl out. Dead to the world. Finally, I was really reluctant to have her jump on the bed. However it became a ritual that every night she’d put her little paws on the side of the bed and stare at me with those little loving eyes. “Okay cubes” you can sleep at my feet, but that’s it! Okay! By the end of the morning she’d be tucked under the sheets, all spread out, with her fish breath in my face, and expecting a tummy rub. I don’t know why - but it was so life changing. How one little dog could bring so much joy? A big thank you to you, little Cubes. for giving Dr B so much happiness.

You'd have to be living in a cave to have not heard of the Pronouns issue. The big teenage trend is for it to be an issue to misgender someone or use their pronouns incorrectly (not sure if they are the same thing, but they may well be). Yes, righto. According to a group of people, individuals are not necessarily male or female, but their gender identity might run the gamut of experiences. So instead of being male, you may feel that you are something else like non-binary. Following so far? So non-binary is when you are tired of being male or female, and you just go with another feeling. Like a zer or zem. This is the interesting part. Now everyone else needs to call you zer or zem. If they don't, they have caused grievous harm to you. Indeed, they are probably guilty of a 'hate crime'. They don't even really need to care. Just referring to you as a male (or he/him) is evidence of your hate. It doesn't really matter what your intentions were/are. I have a few different views on the pronoun issue/non-issue. Firstly, it should be a non-issue. There are loads of real issues in the world, real violence, unemployment, homelessness and the like. Secondly, the sad thing is that the kids of the ultra woke and the upper middle class have decided that they aren't spoiled enough. And like Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka's factory tour, they want all the attention. It's kind of pathetic, and nothing that a bit of bullying wouldn't solve. So it has - somehow - become an issue. So much so that you have big dudes competing in women's sports. And snowflakes bursting into tears in classrooms, and teachers threatened to be sued for misgendering. It is narcissism and self-absorption gone mad. Thirdly, gender itself is a complete load of BS. Here's why. People are born male or female. It is determined by their reproductive capacities/genitals. The nutbars in universities have abstracted everything after that. They say gender is a performance. And basically the performance extends beyond male or female, and there is a range of options. We shouldn't limit people into acting like a male or a female. Okay, fair enough. But this is like saying your identity is shaped by your holiday preferences. You are a snow person, and I'm a tropical person. In other words, gender is completely made up. It's a nonsense term. Why choose gender as an attribute? Why not choose height as a dominant identity marker? Okay, today, I'm going to have you focus on how tall I am. If you don't, I'll burst into tears. Fourthly, it's all pure distraction. Instead of focusing on the world around us, becoming better educated and intelligent, the propagation of such nonsense is to keep people amused. The gendering thing will never work. It is too complicated for people. Simple, shorthand ideas will always prevail. Fifthly, the challenging on basic biology is important for trans-humanists. In the techno world of these trans-humanist knobs you can't aspire for life beyond humanity if you accept biology. You got to deny biology, and say you can be anything you want to be. You can be a flying unicorn with X-binary wings - so there is self-interest in pretending that biology is not important. Finally, while you could argue that selecting your own pronouns is an ultimate sign of individuality, it really is not. It's just basic teenage rebellion. A way for teenagers to upset people older than them in a passive-aggressive way. It's been happening since the dawn of time, and it is so, yawn, predictable. Let them mull on their 'they/them' and enjoy unemployment. So what are my pronouns? As a Dinosaur, I don't really fall into that game. Unless you refer to me as grrrrr/roar, I'll probably go into a full melt down. Isn't it obvious? Oh, I wish I lived in a cave.

For some reason, I have that Lou Reed song, 'Perfect Day' in my head. Particularly the line, 'you keep me hanging on'. Over the past few years, I feel like life has been uprooted. I don't know how you feel. But my legs feel like they are dangling over a cliff. And I'm simply holding on to some tenuous weeds to stop the drop. I guess it makes sense. The things that anchor us to life - work, relationships, worldviews - have been steadily shredded. Not mention illness and disease running rampant. The interesting thing for me, like the song Perfect Day, it is all an illusion. Lou Reed wrote that song while on heroin, imagining what a good day would be without that drug. What is our illusion? Are we hoping for a Perfect Day, while hooked on things we can't control? A negative vibe has permeated "the community" (a pretty negative word in my book). The powers that be have tried to insist there is a 'new normal'. They haven't explained what this means at all. For people who espouse the greatness of their leadership, they aren't doing a very good job at all. Communicating the vision is the first task of leaders. They have no vision at all. So, despite all this, I keep holding on for 'One Perfect Day'. The day when we are all back at ease. There is a sunny sky. And we have some sensible people communicating their plan for the good life. It's easy to be weighed down by the negative events. It's been a struggle, so I don't want to be glib. The realisation is that we got to own the vibe, and set the tone and tenor of the day. Who knows what will anchor us all down in future? My guess is that it will be work, relationships, and worldviews. The question is how do we get back to the place where we have positive vibes in all these areas? Especially in light of those who control the institutions, and are in a destructive mood. It all goes back to the Perfect Day. They just keep us hanging on.

I remember listening to a punk band in my teenage years. They were American, and have a song 'Americans are cool'. It was ironic. The lyrics are kind of direct (and I wonder why I have no filter): Nationalistic fuckin' crap, bullshit Want the world right in your lap, bullshit All because of where you were born, bullshit In the land of kiddie porn, bullshit Americans are cool Americans are cool Americans are cool Bullshit Over the past couple of years, I set up a company in the United States. For the most part it has been fun. Honestly, it's been a bit of a life saver - Australia's economy is dead as a Grand Lizard's capacity for empathy - so the ability to trade in a country which has all but 'moved on' from the flu is a godsend. Things I love about the States? Obviously it's an interesting place. So many kooky people in one population, the highs and lows, the amusement of their nationalism. I quite enjoy the ignorance. There are some really exceptional people - in every respect. Smart. Funny. Inquisitive. Worldly. However, over the past couple of years, I've learnt a few things I didn't know before. Here are 3 new things that I've learnt: 1. Americans LOVE to complain. I didn't realise how much Americans love to complain. They complain about politics, work, weather - just like the rest of us. But they 10x the complaints. On and on and on. I didn't realise how much Americans just love complaining. They workshop it. They live it. They coat themselves in it. 2. American Women are NUTS. Sorry to say, this is going to upset some thingies who say there are no such thing as women. And it's also probably offensive to feminists who think women are the personification of virtue and innocence. I got to say American women are nuts. Middle managers, especially. The emotional range belongs in a symphony. It's like they have their own nutty frequency that doesn't resonate. It goes something like this - high, low, low, extremely high, mid-range. off the charts high. They put the border in borderline. Wow. Incredible. 3. People are often INCOMPETENT. I have a healthy respect for work and experience. You know if you pay someone to do something, best let them do it. However, you need to know something about what you are ordering. Let me explain with an example. I go to a cafe and order a sandwich. I'm not going to go behind the counter and make the sandwich. However, when food comes to my table, I at least need to play my part and evaluate the sandwich. Does it look like a sandwich? Does it taste like a sandwich? For the most part, I've found Americans have no idea what they are ordering, what they want, or what they should do when they get what they want. They'll order a sandwich then disappear. They'll come back and find a sandwich and say, 'I ordered steak'. Or they'll get a sandwich, 'this is not what I wanted at all'. And on, and on. It's just the basic things that they are often incompetent in.... I don't know why this is the case ... It's totally weird. It doesn't make me love the USA less. It just makes me understand why everyone is on guard. Finger on the belt, ready to unholster. The people are weird as all get up. Americans are cool? The best way to answer: "you messed up my order". And then cry hysterically. In peace and parallel DB

I'm a big fan of cults. Not that I would want to join one, or be in the recruitment path; it's just that I admire their mastery of language to manipulate people. I've always been fascinated with how language can be a tool for good or evil. Just the sounds of word as they hit the air can make people do things - from feel better to feel terrible to just going insane. Indeed, words can be used to torture people or be used to nourish their soul. So Klaus Slob, the leader of the world's most powerful cult, the WEF, is the personification of a cult leader. Commanding, dictatorial, narcissistic, and manipulative. To his young insecure acolytes like Justin Trudeau, Jacinda Arden, and and Immaneul Macron, he seems charismatic, visionary, and all-knowing. It's true that cult leaders play off status - they are older, wiser, more experienced. They also look for weaknesses in individuals - their life experience, relationships, attitudes - to exploit and then use emotional language to build rapport, ingratiate themselves, and eventually 'win over' these people. It's not true that cult followers are weak or unintelligent people. It is just that they are vulnerable - like we all are - and are aspirational. They are looking for someone or something else 'out there' that they can be belong to. I've noticed that the World Economic Forum, Global leaders program, is full of people who are young and present as narcissists. People who want to 'be someone'. And this is why Slob has been a master manipulator. He's arrogance is on display for all the world to see, and yet so many are drawn to his false promises. In his public media, notice the use of psychologically manipulative and 'cult' language. Here's the 'Cult of the Great Reset' We are the ones who decide what you do We will tell you how to live your lives We will tell you what your reality is We are your masters We insist you must change - because you are broken We will tell you that you are currently 'wrong' and the path to making you 'right' We will build you up again We will tell you how hopeless and helpless you are We see outsiders as 'angry' We see critics as 'enemies' that don't understand our mission We are virtuous and will make the world fairer We are the only one true path It is a CULT! These people are dangerous That they have turned powerful interests including politicians, corporate leaders and the media into cult followers should worry us all. In Peace and Parallel DB

It's been a while since I've written. You know, life gets in the way sometimes, and you have to put things you love on hold. Without going into the details, the first half of this year was a bit of a carnage. Life, love, sickness, health, business up and down .... I'm sure we're all dealing with our own personal turmoil and issues. Covid-19 has been one hell of a prolonged flu season. Remember when you'd sit in an office or a train, and someone who literally have goo dripping out of their nose, and pile of tissues in their overflowing bin. I guess, it's not this time. Safety is the priority ... I'd prefer to be less safe and much freerer ... but then again I'm not that convinced about activist governments. So what's the point of this rambling. Well, it's just to say, that I'm going to start getting into writing again. I have had lots of fun making silly videos, but writing is my passion :-) Hope you are all keeping well, thanks for staying with me, and looking forward to ranting ... so much to rant about!

Happy ANZAC Day everyone! I am humbly reminded each year that ANZAC Day is my birthday. It sucks getting older, that's for sure. And after the last 2 years I have pretty much zero orientation to where I live anymore. Who loves birthdays? I truly loathe these days, and thank goodness it's only once a year! But the great thing about having a birthday on ANZAC Day is that you are reminded that a bunch of people died long before their time was due. They died for freedom, usually at the expense of some greedy bastards. A noble death. It is humbling to remember this on my birthday - Anyhow, hope you all have a good day, and tip of the hat to all those who have fought, as well as those who have protested against the stupidity that is war.

The last two years have been a slog. And, yet, I feel like it is time to start to the turn the pages over. I have gone through highs and lows over the last six months. It's been a bumpy ride. But now I'm starting to thinking can we find the optimism somewhere? What is optimistic about the future? Where can we draw optimism from? Optimism, for me, is something that we use to console ourselves in hard times. Many optimists want to pretend or to gloss over reality. That's not really how I see it. It's more a necessity, otherwise, we'd all drive ourselves crazy and mad. When in doubt, I dig up some quotes: “Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.”― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables “Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.”― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.”― Alphonse Karr, A Tour Round My Garden “The basis of optimism is sheer terror.”― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray While the last 2 years have been very challenging, it’s been a great time of self learning and that’s a bit of a gift. I hope you all are starting to feel a bit better. It may take time. But I'm sure good things will come out of all the trouble. Or at least we'll appreciate the good things a little more. Have a lovely weekend. In Peace and Parallel, DB Here's the Forum to Discuss this Daily Rant

Whatever Happened to the Age? When I was growing up I had lots of interactions with the Age newspaper. I remember loads about how it looked, felt, and it's function in society. Pre-internet (gasp) there really weren't many places you could source content. You had had the library, you have 3 or 4 TV channels, some magazines, and then the newspapers. Because all the other print content is so slow, it was not like library books or news agency magazines were spinning on high rotation, it is no real surprise that newspapers were the main source of content. The writing was often long form, with articles citing sources and fakes, and even having some balance, albeit skewed to a left-wing perspective. I recall my father reading the Age and also getting a workout. Because the size of the pages resembled laundry sheets, each time you turned the page, you'd need to raise your arms above your head, and turn the page. He was quite the master at that. I never mastered the Age mid-air page turn. The other memory I have of the Age is the size and chunk. When I was 11, I started doing a paper round. If this 'job' was available nowadays, the owners would be put in prison because of slave labor. Here's the conditions. Wake up at 5:30am. Ride a bicycle for a couple of hours delivering newspapers in rain, hail and shine, and get paid $1 a day for that. It really was insane. You would attach a basket rack to the front of your bike, and fill it up with as many newspapers you could without tipping over. For serious players, you'd doubt basket at the front and the back. It took a lot of skill to ride a bike that way. Imagine an 11 year old running off into the dark, bike weighed down by newspapers ... lol ... For me, it had its charms but was still hard work. The Age on the Weekend was gargantuan. It was like delivering rock hard pillows of paper. You would both need to double hand and lift, and there would be no post box that you could scroll that one in to. At the end of the weekend delivery, the Herald Sun was compact and friendly, the Age enormous, you would be covered in Ink. At the end of my Saturday week, I would stop at the local bakery. They would have just finished cooking donuts, and I'd buy half a dozen, half a Big M Blue Lightening, and sit on armchair and watch Rage, before other people woke up. It was sugary bliss. The content of the age was better at the time. The articles were more diverse, worldly, and used better vocabulary. I understand the Age has been sold to the hideous Channel 9 group who are truly vomitous. This morning I scrolled the internet, and came across the Age. No huge pages to turn, no ink on the fingers, no substance - material or intellectual. Instead, it is like a tabloid - full of half truths and silly stories. Wouldn't it be nice to have some decent news to be able to decipher what's really happening in the Ukraine? I fear the Age is no longer relevant and can't be taken seriously. Stil, I have my memories and they will be fond ones. Have a great weekend everyone. In Peace and Parallel, DB