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Kinship among nations is not determined in such measurements as proximity, size, and age. Rather, we should turn to those inner things, those intangibles that are the real treasures free men possess. To preserve his freedom of worship, his equality before the law, his liberty to speak and act as he sees fit, subject only to the provision that he trespass not upon similar rights of others, the Londoner will fight. So will a citizen of Abilene. …

Jean Batten left for New Zealand from Kent, England, at 4.20 a.m. on 5 October 1936. Despite the early hour, a large media contingent gathered to see her off; Batten was already famous for her successful solo flights from England to Australia in May 1934, and to South America in November 1935. · Batten had installed two extra petrol tanks in her low-winged monoplane, a Percival (Vega) Gull. But to reach Australia she still had to land and…

Boom's XB-1 supersonic jet took its fifth test flight out of Mojave Air & Space Port on Oct 7th, 2024 setting a few new records in the process. The XB-1 is the one-third-scale platform that Boom is using as the foundation for its eventual Overture aircraft that aims to bring back commercialized supersonic passenger flight. · It's been over 20 years since the Concorde took its last flight. It went supersonic in 1969, able to fly at Mach 2 (about…

It may seem odd to suggest a 1960s TV sci-fi series can help solve the problem of overcrowded holiday hotspots. · But while the “holodeck’’ from Star Trek is still some way off, similar technologies are being successfully employed as a way to deal with overtourism.  · Overtourism is a phenomenon common in many tourist attractions all over the world and occurs when the tremendous increase in the number of visitors causes a decline in the quality…

Organic food has many health benefits. A new review in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition states how consuming food produced without harmful pesticides, artificial fertilisers or genetically engineered organisms is associated with a lower risk for health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. · People who choose organic foods generally make other healthier lifestyle choices as well. · It's no surprise, then, that…

This delicious asparagus salad is the perfect Spring dish! It’s a great one to take to a potluck BBQ. · Ingredients · 400-500 g kumara skin on, cut into 3cm chunks · olive oil a drizzle · 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar · 2 teaspoons sugar · ½ red onion thinly sliced · 250 g asparagus or green beans, trimmed · ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley chopped · lightly toasted walnuts chopped · ¼ cup Parmesan shaved · Honey mustard dressing · 2 teaspoons…

Writer Dieuwe de Boer notes that New Zealand is facing low birth rates and looming population decline. He writes that while New Zealand has opted to rely on mass immigration: · “This only delays the inevitable and we will have to deal with the twin damages of a failed multicultural policy and declining population in coming decades.” · The real challenge lies in addressing birth rates that are nearing zero, and GDP per capita that has been…

The closest living relative to a species that went extinct in Europe 400 years ago is coming ‘back from the dead’ in Scotland.  · The muscular, long-horned tauros is a close relative of the ancient aurochs – a mega-herbivore which for millennia played a vital role in shaping landscapes and boosting biodiversity across Europe. It was driven to extinction by hunting and habitat loss.  · Now the rewilding charity Trees for Life aims to…

Global tourism is on track for a strong rebound in 2024, with travel projected to recover fully to pre-pandemic levels.  · The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reported 790 million international tourists in the first seven months of 2024, an 11 percent rise from 2023, though still 4 percent below 2019 figures. · Tourism remains a crucial industry, particularly for developing nations, with the World Travel & Tourism Council forecasting a…

The increase in cancer rates globally has been linked to prolonged exposure to environmental contaminants. · Asbestos. Arsenic. Lead. DDT. Silica. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons. These minerals and chemicals have one thing in common: their cancer-causing potential. · An estimated 35 million new cancer cases by 2050 would mark a 77 percent rise in the global cancer burden. · Approximately 2 to 8 percent of cancers worldwide are related to workplace…