Brett Holman
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airminded.org
Brett Holman
@airminded.org
3.8K followers 1.4K following 3.6K posts
Independent PhD historian (aviation, bombing; #WW1, #WW2; Britain, Australia; emotions, spectacle); books (Home Fires Burning (WW1 air raids on Britain; in progress), The Next War in the Air). Naarm/Melbourne, Australia. He/him. airminded.org
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My suspicion is that this is meant to be the Beatles. But I sure as hell would not want to bet my life on it
The image showcases a 1000-piece puzzle, sealed in plastic wrap, prominently displayed on a white shelf in a shop window. The puzzle box features a pop-art style illustration of four men, reminiscent of a band. The central figure has his arms crossed. The artwork is characterized by bold outlines and a vibrant color palette, including shades of yellow, red, black, and blue. Above the central image, the box's branding is visible: "THE OFFICIAL Steve Kaufman COLLECTION PURE POP".
November 16, 2025 at 6:22 AM
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cartoon dog with a ball in its mouth, as its owner attempts to take it: "Pls throw??" "NO TAKE!!" "ONLY THROW"
November 16, 2025 at 12:21 AM
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Got a trackback on Airminded today from an old-school 911 truther (also a nuclear weapons and a conventional bombing denier). Bless
911 was accomplished largely if not wholly by using exotic military weaponry and technologies of "full-spectrum dominance". Except for DEW, no explanation proposed in the quarter-century since the attack fully (or even partly) accounts for all known evidence. Sick of being deceived, we begin there, leapfrogging the slew of rabid, oafish misleaders and disregarding the pernicious, ongoing psyops as entirely insufficient for scientific explanation nor worthy of further attention. Most people remain utterly clueless that the "Star Wars" technologies President Reagan introduced in 1983 (AKA "DEW" Directed Energy Weapons) have been weaponized and are in-use daily upon humanity. Directed Energy Professionals Society DEPS.org has been online since 1999 with huge military contractors (dsiac.dtic.mil) not hiding but selling books, classes, memberships in Their Big Club for DEW makers, weapons that use energy concentrated into beams, that are made to light fires, dissolve materials (and people), and worse. Every Worlds Fair has 'mysteriously' burned. Every major city has 'mysteriously' burned. Maybe DEW explains it all: Maybe DEW is much older than realized (and/or maybe solar ray weaponry was used before; Archimedes noted concentrated solar rays for war). We know there were airships; imagine a blimp with an huge lense floating over San Francisco in 1906, (and every other city at one time or another), blasting away...suddenly much is Perfectly explained and all mysteries and inexplicabilities vanish. DSIAC.DTIC.MIL evidences the military seriousness of the endeavor. Compelling evidence shows Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings were not "nuclear" (where is any 50,000 year half-life toxicity?) but were actually DEW hits covered by nuclear mumbo. explores the fakery there (particularly how the nuked clouds never dispel or even distort post-blast in any film). All supposedly fire-bombed corpses in Dresden have clothing intact, hair unburned, yet flesh cremated down to ash, proving they were cooked from their insides out and that no fire was involved. The rabbit hole is Massive and Deep. With DEW, Spontenous Human Combustion becomes suddenly perfectly explicable.
November 14, 2025 at 12:17 AM
airminded.org
"Last of the 8 speed Malvern Stars"
This image captures a utilitarian and cavernous underground bike parking facility, characterized by a series of imposing concrete arches and pillars that create a repetitive, almost monumental, architectural structure. The dominant features are the massive, flared concrete arches and their supporting pillars, stretching into the depth of the scene. They are a dull, mottled grey-brown, showing signs of wear, moisture stains, and efflorescence, particularly on their undersides where patches of white and darker streaking are visible. The concrete texture is rough and granular. Beneath these arches, rows of metallic bike racks, curved in a "U" shape, are neatly arranged along the right side of a concrete pathway. A multitude of bicycles of various types—road bikes, city bikes, and those with child seats or baskets—are parked in these racks, some leaning, others upright.
November 13, 2025 at 12:49 AM
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Don't often get a chance to come onto the campus proper, even though the office is less than 10 minutes away on foot
The image depicts a tall clock tower made of beige stone, viewed from an upward angle. The clock on the tower is visible, encased in a square frame with traditional clock hands and numbers. The tower is part of a larger stone building featuring Gothic architectural elements, such as pointed-arch windows and decorative stonework. The sky above is overcast, with thin layers of clouds, creating a soft, diffused lighting over the scene. The main object is a robust, tapering stone monument, likely a war memorial, centrally positioned in the image. It is constructed from a light, weathered grey-beige stone. The monument's design features a wider base that narrows towards the top, culminating in a subtly flared capital. Ornate, gothic-inspired carvings adorn the upper section of its main body. Four dark, speckled grey plaques, shaped like heraldic shields, are affixed to its sides. On the visible front, the top plaque clearly reads "DE IMPERIO," while the lower one lists conflicts: "WORLD WARS 1914-1945" and "POST-1945" (with another unreadable line above the dates). The visible right side displays "DE ACADEMIA" on its upper plaque and "MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY RIFLES" on the lower. A wreath, composed of striking red and green foliage (possibly native Australian flora), is placed on the lowest step of the monument's base. This image presents a majestic, historic building, grandly framed by lush green trees, under a diffused, cloudy sky. Its facade is a symphony of neoclassical or Victorian architectural elements, featuring ornate detailing. The ground floor displays three large, deep-set arched windows, with the central one being slightly taller and more prominent, reflecting muted light from the sky. Flanking these are robust, fluted columns, which continue upwards to define the structure of the second floor. Between the two floors, a highly decorative frieze runs across the entire width, rich with sculptural reliefs of garlands, figures, and geometric patterns. Perched atop this classical grandeur, a starkly modern, luminous sign spells out "DESIGN" in bold, sans-serif, pale teal letters. This sign is mounted on a contemporary, lattice-like structure of dark metal beams. Dominating the foreground and sides are several large, mature trees with dense, vibrant green foliage. The image shows a modern building with an intricate facade made up of numerous horizontal metallic slats. These slats are arranged in a wavy pattern that creates an undulating effect across the structure's surface. The building's corner is rounded and rises prominently against a partly cloudy sky. The slats vary in orientation and spacing, contributing to a dynamic, textured appearance. A small tree with fresh green leaves is visible at the bottom right corner, adding a touch of natural contrast to the otherwise industrial scene.
November 13, 2025 at 12:42 AM
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Dr Naomi Wolf: "No! No!!"
November 7, 2025 at 2:58 AM
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If they are, I was definitely one! Exhibit A (and I'm not even an autograph guy):
Title page of Robert Zubrin, The Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must. Inscription: "To Brett, See you on Mars! (initialled) RZ March 17, 2000"
November 5, 2025 at 9:26 PM
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Kobo #HistBookChat
Vladislav Zubok, The World of the Cold War: 1945-1991
November 4, 2025 at 8:24 AM
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Neat! Seems more flying saucer than mystery airship, though: www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/wines/
Story: In 1954, the village council of Chateauneuf-du-Pape was quite perturbed and apprehensive that flying saucers or “flying cigares” might do damage to their vineyards, were they to land therin. So right-thinking men all, they passed an ordinance prohibiting the landing of flying saucers or flying cigares in their vineyards. The ordinance further states that flying saucers or flying cigares that did land were to be taken immediately to the pound.
October 28, 2025 at 11:46 PM
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Birmingham Daily Mail, 7 Jul 1917
ANOTHER RAID on the Rudge Depot for bicycles. During the last few days we have experienced such an unprecedented demand for our Overstone and Universal cycles that we feel obliged to ADOPT a very unusual procedure to be able to continue the sale for the promised 14 days without fear of REPRISALS That is to supply brand new stock at the reduced prices advertised last week. So take our advice and see the following models WITHOUT DELAY.
October 28, 2025 at 6:14 AM
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Avenue Bookstore, Albert Park #HistBookChat
Emily Gallagher, Playtime: A History of Australian Childhood; Peter Marshall, Storm's Edge: Life, Death and Magic in the Islands of Orkney.
October 26, 2025 at 6:36 AM
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“Girl Guides with a stretcher and other equipment in preparation for post-air raid emergency help in the United Kingdom during the First World War”, IWM Q 27922 www.iwm.org.uk/collections/...
The black and white image shows a group of Girl Guides in uniform, lined up outdoors. They wear long coats and hats, and some carry medical equipment. In the foreground, two girls are holding bicycles. At the left, a woman appears to be directing. In the centre, a stretcher is visible, carried by two girls. Behind them, a leafy hedge and a wooden fence form the background, alongside an old building partially covered by foliage.
October 20, 2025 at 6:20 AM
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wonder what that's about
A sign painted onto a glass door in the Block Arcade, saying "KEEP YOUR DISTANCE PLEASE STAND HERE" and showing two stylised figures separated by a distance of 1.5m.
October 17, 2025 at 5:48 AM
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Amazon #HistBookChat
Stephen Wynn, Isle of Thanet in the Great War: Broadstairs – Margate – Ramsgate.
October 16, 2025 at 2:01 AM
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Amazon #HistBookChat
Ian Castle, Gotha Terror: The Forgotten Blitz 1917-1918.
October 14, 2025 at 11:16 PM
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Where was I? Under the State Library of Victoria dome, but instead of looking up, looking down at the marks made by generations of restless scholars scuffing up the floor shifting in those uncomfortable wooden chairs
A backpack rests under a long wooden bench in a grand library. The floor bears countless marks from chair legs.
October 14, 2025 at 6:08 AM
airminded.org
Where am I?
The image shows an abstract pattern on a textured gray surface. The surface is covered with multiple overlapping circular engravings and scratch marks. The circles vary in size and are etched with uneven depth, creating a complex visual texture. The surface is slightly reflective, catching light in certain areas, emphasizing the depth of the scratches and engravings. There is faint discoloration in some parts, which adds to the pattern's complexity.
October 13, 2025 at 3:40 AM
airminded.org
But even after pointing out that almost all of the ghost planes/rockets/subs were phantoms, it seems that it's still impossible to even question whether any of today's ghost drones are real or not. At least Bob gets the last word
The drone sightings of 2025 cannot be said to a figment of anyone's imagination but Bartholomew said they were being experienced amid a "perfect storm of geopolitical tensions stoked by Russian aggression and anxieties over the unpredictability of longtime Nato ally the United States under Donald Trump" "Suddenly, many European countries like Denmark are feeling more vulnerable than they have in recent memory," he said. "Within this atmosphere, what we are seeing is a collective anxiety attack where the sky has become a social barometer of the times, driven by the fallibility of human perception and fear.
October 11, 2025 at 9:44 AM
airminded.org
“The sea serpent, as sighted by the ship Sacramento: from a sketch by the man at the wheel”, Australasian Sketcher (Melbourne), 24 Nov 1877
The image is a black and white illustration depicting a large sailing ship with three masts, each sporting multiple square-rigged sails. The ship is shown on a choppy sea, with waves visibly crashing on the surface. The sails are fully unfurled, indicating that the ship is in motion, propelled by the wind. Above, the sky is filled with streaked and textured clouds, adding a dramatic backdrop. In the foreground, partially submerged, is a large sea serpent, adding an element of intrigue to the scene.
October 7, 2025 at 11:08 PM
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Readings, Malvern #HistBookChat
Dan Hicks, Every Monument Will Fall: A Story of Remembering and Forgetting.
October 4, 2025 at 4:11 AM
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The Grumpy Swimmer, Elwood
David Rooney, The Big Hop: The First Non-Stop Flight Across the Atlantic and into the Future; Padraic X Scanlan, Rot: A History of the Irish Famine.
September 27, 2025 at 5:24 AM
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Top Titles Books, Brighton
Phillips Payson O'Brien, War and Power: Who Wins Wars – and Why.
September 26, 2025 at 6:43 AM
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Among the theories being investigated by police is that the drones may have been launched from ships. Copenhagen airport is a short distance from the Baltic and one of the world's busiest shipping lanes where hundreds of Russian shadow fleet ships are understood to be passing through carrying crude oil on which sanctions have been imposed.
September 23, 2025 at 12:23 PM
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Amazon
Margaret Gelling and Ann Cole, The Landscape of Place-Names.
September 20, 2025 at 2:21 AM
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“Think back to your childhood, do you remember when the anxiety started?”
The image shows three men in a room decorated with festive holiday ornaments. The man on the left is wearing a beige suit with large elbow patches and has glasses and greying hair. He is standing with his left hand in his pocket and his right hand held to his ear. In the center, a man with shoulder-length hair is holding a guitar in a blue duffel bag. He is dressed casually in a black zip-up jacket, dark jeans, and white sneakers. On the right, another man in a suit is wearing a large sign that reads "THE END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH." The background features a Christmas tree adorned with lights and tinsel, and there is a shelf with various items, including a vintage reel-to-reel tape recorder.
September 15, 2025 at 12:26 PM