From Whence I Came 

In the middle of the night, 22 August 1935, I made myself and my mother, aware, something unusual had happened. Later she told me I was a quiet baby, the noise was to come all too soon. I gather it was my christening in St Mary;s church, Lydney, Gloucestershire England that I had my say about that day. Years later a grandson had similar thoughts, extremely loud at that, at a St Phllips in Sydney, in fact he stopped the service.

Later at about three I decided that Doctors in white coats were not to be trusted, having done a botched job on my mastoid and then at 11, when they punctured my spine, during my polio years, had to learn to walk again. My mother did it by walking away with a bar of chocolate, saying come and get it son, so crawling at first I gradually stood up and won the day.

Having ones words heard is difficult, at the best of times. I livened things up at about this time, by announcing, that I  Malcolm Mason ,would not being doing homework now or ever in the future. That went for College and University- Graduate School of Thermodynamics. and somehow I started my advocacy life,by Union representative of Graduate school Students, earning the anoyance of Professors and the like. So without fear or favour I  moved on with a blessed life.

Fast forward to these later years and the World we live in, having arrived in Australia September71 on QF168, they said a young country- anything but, I soon found out.  

Of late ( We are now in 2022) we have heard from Government and the media, abut  The 'FIRST NATION PEOPLE' and their lands with names , not really known ', just a few decades agoe. Connecting to the title 'From Whence I Came, I have decided that I am a member of the 'SECOND NATION PEOPLE - THE NATION BUILDERS .and as  our purchased fourty acre forest,is full of Burrawangs, I will call it our 'Burrawang Lot'. 

For the purposes of this blog 'From Whence I Came'  I indicate a third possibility  of a 'THIRD NATION PEOPLE'- THE RESOURCES//INFRASTRUCTURE PREDATORS -By Stealth and Avarice. People of various nationalities, employed from outside Australia and not paying any Australian Taxes etc. More on this a little later.

Good, now we begin.

Here we are, with a Prime Minister, who only accepts emails on a very strict format, asking nearly as much as Optus and Medibank and others. When I have sent an email to our PM thus A.AlbaneseMP@aph.gov.au Together with others like ABC;BBC;France;New Zealand;NYT and the like, Who mostly acknowledge and say it will be sent on to the appropiate section.All.I get is a polite response---Thank you for your email to Prime Minter of Australia the Hon Anthony Albanese MP. Your email has NOT been forwarded..  Disappointing. I will send a copy of this Blog,by post,  Mind you the PM's  site tells us,if you show any annimosity/anger the Federal Police will be informed

Regretfully, over the past decade, was have seen,a Chinese General shown around our most secret defence establishments, Allowed a Chinese organisation to run Darwin port;   Chinese takeover of a major Civil Contractor; Major bridge near here, with low safety standards and some Chinese national workers a few fingers lost apparently!!.plus a number of mineral resources and pastoral lands. plus possibly rare earths of which they have plenty of their own.

Now, out of the blue,the PM tells us, American Bomber aircraft are to be based,near Darwin. To further tell us , that Japanese military are to be allowed to land on our shores.Tell that to the people past and present, who fort to save Darwin and the NT Who else are we going to invite without the sanction of the people.. We have of course Pine Gap run by the USA for the USA civil and military purposes.

Importantly, what financial charges are required and paid for, for these consessions and facilities.                                                                                 .

A little diversion into the Pacific and the Solomon Islands come into view, not tourist venue,with only one main road and an unhappy populace. What it does have, is a very nice harbour suitable for military use. We should have a Border Protection boat,stationed their,or at least an old fashioned Gun Boat !!! Joke!!

Taiwan- Well that is the United States problem and their strategy to want some US Bombers stationed in Australia,as part of their diversification of the Pacific military defences..

We have heard a lot from excited media about retiring heads of one security organisation or another, this blog is from a old fashioned and old, un -official operative at the pointy end, who has been interrogated at one time or other.I appear in a number of books, like Hitchcock, almost a cameo roll.

And so on to the media,before I get around to the main event. For starters the 'ABC' as a whole, who in general never respond to any one who has not  written a book, or belong to some University or Think Tank.  They are so full of  themselves. Write to any overseas  press or government and you get a thank you and your writings will be forwarded to the appropiate peopIe I am talking about places like the UK  ; USA; France; New Zealand. These days the ABC say they are broadcasting from some strange land, that not even our  First Nation People would have heard of in the modern sense a 100 years ago, they were probably too busy surviving, the onslaught of the White Australia policy- The Second Nation People-   The Nation builders  an aggressive lot at the time. ABC please keep it to names we know for sure, like Sydney, Brisbane etc.

For any one who wants to know the general attitudes to bloggers like me ie social media, please look up the BBC' Hard Talk (week ending 10Nov 2022) with David Dimbilie!. Elitist full on saying he did not like social media, apparantly only the BBC know the facts .The interviewer gave him a hard time and rightly so. In many way the Australian ABC have similar attitudes.Ukraine for example all one sided..There s always two sides to a story, we should all remember that.

Climate Change we must talk about the World and our place in it. It is most disappointing  that the Australian Prime Minister was not in Egypt, at the 2022 summit. Maybe he could not stand the critic, of our refusal to curb Coal ; and Gas and may I say Iron ore &.minerals export, by rape of our resources by what I call the  Third Nation People, previously mentioned..I wrote the paper  Earth the Finite Planet and Matters Relating in 2011 and sent to World Leaders. Still available to interested parties.

On the subject of  Coal and Gas (Australian Leases) I have never understood why our First Nation People have not jumped up and down at the Rape of our resources.They make a lot of noise if a cave  or water hole is damaged. Maybe I am not aware of the amount of monies paid to their, organisations. Money currupts, after all. does'nt it. The HQ"s of the resource exporters etc have made sure their offices and facilities are far away from Canberra and well secured from interference by Government.!!!!

No guesing who of late has upset the World Order of Trade around the World and,particularly Gas and Grains of all kinds. UKRAINE of course. Let us get things in order. Ukraine voted in an inexperienced but very Media Savvy showman. 

Ukraine had after World War Two, grown extremely well.with Russia and others assistance.(No wonder they know where all the power plants are etc) Top class grain industry, using the best US harvesters (Large Acre John Deere),Railways ;Roads and transport of all kinds, Power stations Diesel,coal fired and Nuclear;Large blocks of heated flats, the list goes on.

.Zelenskyy and his new Government decided it would be to  idea to join the EU. It is clear enough that Russia had a buffer between them and the EU, and was going to keep it that way.With the backing of certain EU High officials. Ukraine started to apply for membership. No no said the Russian Bear next door. So started the baiting of Russia,backed by EU,possibly with an eye on Ukriane resourses, before mentioned. The reaction as we all know, was a show feeling along the border, in the cold cold winter.

President Zelenskyy, daily kept up the rhetoric, until Russia got serious. This had no effect on the Ukraine Government. Marshall Law was introduced and the young fled to Poland in the main.  As Ukraine was used to free-be's it then continously asked for free military equipment  from USA UK and of course Australia Our government in their misguided wisdom started to supply dozens of  BUSHMASTER personnel carriers, BY AIR!!. Our very expensive ones at that.

Let me be clear, this is all my OPINION on the 2022 situation.and based on facts as I remember them.

Goodness it seems like only yesterday I was in the Military HQ in Canberra, discussing I think Run Flat systems for Land Rovers, even had wheels modified to suit tubeless tyres. Somehow the conversation got round to personnel carriers and I had in mind the British built Caviliar?, fast and armoured. Too late they had a prototype North American machine. I expressed it as too big (Tall) and an easy target plus I thought probably too slow for moving troops FAST. 

It is clear that I was right, and should not have been given to Ukraine- Maybe the Australia army think also, these days.. not so effective machines.

Up to ASEAN , in the now. Aussie PM trying his hardest to impress. On moving from one location to another.he put his hand on the back of , I think, the Chinese Premier - and lived!!.My mind screamed back to 1969,or was 1970 at a lunch in Geneve, where the Aga Khan gave the keynote address. after the lunch we were all chatting around and Mason was explaining something and threw his arm back and hit that eminent gentleman. next thing I remember, I was being held by the throat, then let go and the man himself bent done and said something like, are you OK , they get a little too protective at times.No media coverage n those days.

Nearly the end of 'From Whence I Came'. What do I make of all this, this first Second and Third Nation people.  

First Nation People- They are OK and present no real problems, But I do believe if  they a want a voice in Parliament or where ever, they should form a Political Party, and get voted in . They have the numbers to do it. They could do better than the Greens and who knows, in the future a cabinet Minister and/or Prime Minister

Second Nation People-The Nation Builders. They are what they were and what they are now. From a violent task master to seamingly over trusting of despotic Governments, to me very Chamberlin like approaches to the danger.of preditors. In Bali the word APPEASEMENT, was in full view with the Ping/ Albanese meeting and the Chinese Presidents Response. I wrote once, the thoughts of an executioner-'I understand your situation, but, I am going to execute you any way' I met one a long time agoe, a pleasant chap really, but that was his job.

Third Nation People=It will be just out of my time (My amber life light is flashing) I consider the most dangerous for Australia, the place I was so pleased to come to in1971 and make a home for my family, they have done well and me satisfied and happy that Google came along to let me have my say.

Of the main threat, I think will come from China as it has always done. already well into grain production, Rare Ores ; Coal and Gas , A port! Communications, always pushing, get hold of the base infra structure. Trailed not far behind by the USA and UK. our most trusted freinds, but business is always business - Blog Whats yours is mine and uncle Sam and UK- well your still part of the Commonwealth and must follow protocols ie do as you are advised.

Well, here we are Ladies and Gentlemen, My views and remenisancies as I remember them. 

All the best Australia, I hope the next generation will have leaders who will tackle the the Preditors Head On.,with their better education and intellect, plus hopefully with the Churchill, determination and the First Nation people can find their feet, in a political force of their own.Second Nation People, could well vote for them, if they had such fluent personalities like that Footballer,who appeared on the Fran Kelly Interviews reacently

All what I have said could be applied to many nations around the World- UK;USA;Germany; France,Netherlands(Already have had trouble with unofficial Chinese Police stations

Malcolm E Mason   

Twitter@malcolmemason

http://thinktrue2008.blogspot ,com

Shallow Crossing State Forest. NSW Australia

 

   

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Nuku'Alofa (Tonga); Watergate and Me

The under water volcano eruption, west of the Tongan Islands, is indeed a disaster for this Pacific Kingdom. 

As I watched the abc TV news featuring the New Zealand Prime Minister - Lucinda  Ardern. She, eloquent as ever, told us their military aircraft were setting out on a surveylence mission to assess the situation, communications had broken down and Pacific Cable damaged somehow.. The Australian military were also sending a serveylence aircraft.

Goodness, it brought my mind into sharp focus, I can tell you. I was on business for Leyland Australia Sydney. Tonga not a big market, but always worth contact visits.

One Sunday morning, after breakfast, I noticed a gentleman, sitting on his own and not looking too happy.I had seen him somewhere else in the Pacific. Anyway I approached and said hello, where is every body today, oh I guess they are all at Church, they is no barman,but we can have what we like and put it on the tally board, Great I thought!.

The day passed and I met him again ,on his own and so we had dinner. After a while, he cheered up a bit, and thanked me for sitting with him. Then it happened. He told me that he was touring the Pacific but really wanted to go home to the States and  Tampa, West Florida. He loved that city a  University city with some industrial companies.

Some thing, did not quite gel, so told him I spent sometimes nearly half the year, away from home, but things would change and they did.  As the evening whore on he told he had been the Comptroller at the Whitehouse in The US, all things budget and finance for the Presidential Office and after the Watergate affair , he was told to lose himself in the Pacific for a year.

It was clearly wearing on him, I too was alone, but I was content in that situation. Most rep's or maagers traveled in pairs, not me ,I was always out doing one off assignments. around the World.

I never asked his name nor he mine. Possibly both realising it was better that way. Monday morning came and I was off, I think, to the public works, workshops. 

Where was my new friend, desk said he had left, but not on an international flight, it would appear.Maybe he intended travelling to one of the many Islands.

I returned to Australia, of course, later hearing the story that US investigators were looking for the finance man, from the Whitehouse. I have often wondered, if he had gone to an outer island ,met a lady or family and lived out his life there in paradise. He had simply disappeared.

I continued my journey, I think to Samoa and to another, classic Pacific hotel. Aggie Greys no less and by golly the good lady still sat at head of the dinner tables, in control of  operations and her clients. No longer I suspect, as it was such a long time agoe'

 Back to the New Zealand Prime  Minister and her TV , announcements on assisting Tonga,together with Australia. Australia sending a Navy Ship with supplies and personnel. Its on its way, right now..

I do hope, it worked out OK for that lonely man in an hotel a long way from home.

As for me, I am home now, living in a kind of paradise;in a forest;fourty acres;a river;a wife of 59 years and not so far away a Covid free family and that blasted noisy pushy, Great Dane,named Duke. Big Black and beautiful and he knows it. When I chastise him, he simply says G'Day Mal give me a kiss. A couple of old fello's really.

All the best for 2022 and to the beautiful Islands of Tonga and its people we will say our prayers  that you servive this catastophy

Malcolm Mason..    Shallow Crossing  State Forest. NSW Australia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Afghanistan and the 'Beehive' Anthology.

This story, is an Anthology, combined with Epigrams!.

The question has been asked, how did the Taliban rise so quickly and take over the Country. The answer, can be taken from nature and the known behaviour of man.   

No poet am I and neither was Rex Harrison, a singer in the musical 'My Fair Lady'. He did very well just talking and shouting, ending on the correct notes. We will thus have do with.writing short stories, one two three. 

ONE- THE BEE and Our bee is the normal Honey Bee, Busy  Bee and the Beehive..

Right there in the middle of things, is her Ladyship the Queen Bee ,she is surrounded by worker bees or drones with certain healthy ones, acting as mates for her. Busy bees busy bees. All drones work very hard at building the Honey Comb  for storage  of honey and therefore is the heart of the hive.The workforce is the poor old drone, who also has to go out , find nectar and water, then bring it back to the hive and into the honey comb. A hard life and ending exhaustive death- poor things.

On their return, the drones have to get back into the Hive and thus past the Guards at the entrance that is, if they pass muster. They are important as they also collect intelligence, such as Weather;a site for future and the location of dangerous forces such as Wasp's

Our Queen is informed of all events. The spoilt lady and rightly so, must at all costs be protected. Thus the guards at the entrance to the hive to go out if necessary and deal with any threat and for fitting their lives if necessary. Bees have barbed stings and once used, tears the bee apart and it dies

At some time an unknown force, tells the Queen- It is time to leave and form a new colony, where she can expand her influence, or some other reason,  again not known..

Before we go on to the main analogy, may I go to the word 'Appeasement '.

Two-. APPEASEMENT-----A short while agoe, I heard a radio program hosted by a respected Broadcaster/Journalist, talking to an American Professor, who was writing a book on the history of appeasement. It fitted my story precisely, you see , my experience, suggests Appeasement rarely works with Dictators and Heads  of State, who have a mindset on their own agenda, especially if it is based on an Ideology.

Back at the Bee Hive, the guards know that if a bird; reptile or human approaches, they simply warn them off. However, should a wasp approach with nefarious intent  the guards must leave the hive and be prepared to die when they lose their sting, in the fight that ensues. I'm getting there I hope.,because the Queen Bee and hive must be protected at all costs.

The most notable attempt at appeasement of a Dictator was in 1938, when the British Prime Minister endeavoured to appease Adolf Hitler. 'Peace in our time'. But it was not to be. A year later he resigned and back came the Old Warrior Winston Churchill, with the words, 'I can only give you Blood Sweat and Tears'---The rest in history.

 Three-.2021 Masons essay. "Advocacy for a Virus Free World" Fourth of July 2021. Sent to the G7 (8) to include Russia. Courtesy copies to HRH Prince Charles.Prime Ministers of  Australia; New Zealand and India. The main aim was to ask leaders to bring China to account for Covid 19, as it originated there.

No major response yet,but things are happening quietly.

President Biden endeavoured to have a fire side chat, with President Ping. Ping responded with the attitude direct from the Mao Ideology of the four books of the Selected Works of  Mao Tse-Tung. This was very clear in President Pings responses to President Bidens approach, which was to my mind too friendly, considering the seriousness of the situation. Pings comments were later followed  by that rather rude Chinese Foreign Office senior official. Like the Bees, a strong approach is the one for a chap like Ping.and or that Regeme.

President Biden is trying the same tactic with Russia's President Putin, probably with more success, because Putin is his own man and his Countries ideas and not an ideology. 

 Four. Afghanistan 20021

Before the take over that surprised every one it seems, a lot ad been going on in Afghan towns and cities and for some years.

Here we have the Bee Hive analogy. 

At the centre of each town or city, was a Taliban leader (Queen) attended to by his most trusted assistants. who organised the working people. They would be Electricians;Accountants; Doctors and Nurses, Builders; tele communication people etc etc all keeping the town/city working smoothly.

To supply the place with infrastructure, certain worker would go out to secure supplies of food and equipment.  .Vehicles, first choice Toyota, easily obtained, Toyota being the main suppler of vehicles to terrorist and despotic regemes (see my blogs on this trade).When possible Hummers, either abandoned or stolen. Plus ocassional  Ford. Armaments of all catagories Plus Fuel /Oils/Tyres etc and workshop manuals, when possible. 

Intelligence, of course of Allied Troops, movements and  base location. Just like the Bees, busy bees busy bees observing the location and movement of Wasps.

Over, quite a long time all this equipment would be maintained and hidden from view, with guards on duty seven/twenty four. Some if it in  Godowns! some in the Arab tradition, buried. The basis of my assisting in the location of Saddam Hussein.

And so it would remain, in waiting.for a signal to act.

Sure as the sun sets., America and allied partners decided to pull out and with a date!. 

As with that queen bee in the hive, the signal is given to rise, with modern comunicatons alerted all the Taliban leaders and others to act-- and by golly they did

They had every thing they needed to strike, effectively. Kabul was hit  hard, as the Capital of Afghanistan. The guards had stuck and the wasps out played and out numbered., just like  in the 18 hundreds Great Britain and Russia,not so long agoe.

For now the Gas and Oil pipe lines are OK. Revenue of course for the new Rulers.

As for those lovely Bees,the new hive will prosper, until another, Predator arrives.

For Afghanistan, maybe it will be China - and the best of luck, they need a lesson or two in the Real World.by a people who do not submit to Imperialism of any kind.

On this wet summers day in Australia, I think of that time, in the sixties, on a mountain in Pakistan, with a North West Tribal man, teaching me to look and observe, the mountain across the valley. I eventually, observed the chap, sitting over there. He moved slightly to indicate his presence. My well armed teacher smiled and said. There you are Mr Mason, he gave you a chance, but if you made the wrong move, you would not live to tell the tale.

FIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

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