Pete Monks
@petemonks.bsky.social
Boring Australian suburban dad. Recipient of participation awards for Kosovo, East Timor, Afghanistan and a few other things and places.
Mark 8:36
Going by @Pete_Monks back at the old place.
Mark 8:36
Going by @Pete_Monks back at the old place.
The security camera system at home had a software update today.
Now, when one of the neighbourhood kids runs onto my driveway I get an alert that implies the PLA are dropping an airborne brigade into Papua New Guinea.
Now, when one of the neighbourhood kids runs onto my driveway I get an alert that implies the PLA are dropping an airborne brigade into Papua New Guinea.
November 7, 2025 at 9:41 AM
The security camera system at home had a software update today.
Now, when one of the neighbourhood kids runs onto my driveway I get an alert that implies the PLA are dropping an airborne brigade into Papua New Guinea.
Now, when one of the neighbourhood kids runs onto my driveway I get an alert that implies the PLA are dropping an airborne brigade into Papua New Guinea.
Back to Albert Camus again for this week’s #histbookchat and #photofriday.
October 31, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Back to Albert Camus again for this week’s #histbookchat and #photofriday.
Not thinking highly of the median US voter was helpful in completing this survey
October 29, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Not thinking highly of the median US voter was helpful in completing this survey
Making slow progress with Eric Tagliacozzo’s “In Asian Waters” for this week’s #histbookchat and #photofriday.
(I’ve had a few other things going on in the last week or so to distract me)
(I’ve had a few other things going on in the last week or so to distract me)
October 24, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Making slow progress with Eric Tagliacozzo’s “In Asian Waters” for this week’s #histbookchat and #photofriday.
(I’ve had a few other things going on in the last week or so to distract me)
(I’ve had a few other things going on in the last week or so to distract me)
I think about this 2022 tweet from the old place a bit.
I’m old enough to remember my grandfather’s generation who had lived through the depression and fought through WW2 and didn’t feel the need to self-aggrandise. They MIGHT wear their medals to the annual ANZAC day dawn service but that was it.
I’m old enough to remember my grandfather’s generation who had lived through the depression and fought through WW2 and didn’t feel the need to self-aggrandise. They MIGHT wear their medals to the annual ANZAC day dawn service but that was it.
October 24, 2025 at 2:18 AM
I think about this 2022 tweet from the old place a bit.
I’m old enough to remember my grandfather’s generation who had lived through the depression and fought through WW2 and didn’t feel the need to self-aggrandise. They MIGHT wear their medals to the annual ANZAC day dawn service but that was it.
I’m old enough to remember my grandfather’s generation who had lived through the depression and fought through WW2 and didn’t feel the need to self-aggrandise. They MIGHT wear their medals to the annual ANZAC day dawn service but that was it.
Revisiting Tony Judt’s “The Burden of Responsibility: Blum, Camus, Aron and the French Twentieth Century” for this week’s #histbookchat and #photofriday.
The experience and legacy of centrists who ran real risks and demonstrated courage in the face of authoritarianism seems relevant today, maybe?
The experience and legacy of centrists who ran real risks and demonstrated courage in the face of authoritarianism seems relevant today, maybe?
October 17, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Revisiting Tony Judt’s “The Burden of Responsibility: Blum, Camus, Aron and the French Twentieth Century” for this week’s #histbookchat and #photofriday.
The experience and legacy of centrists who ran real risks and demonstrated courage in the face of authoritarianism seems relevant today, maybe?
The experience and legacy of centrists who ran real risks and demonstrated courage in the face of authoritarianism seems relevant today, maybe?
I spent some time on planes this week, so I got to read two entries for #histbookchat and #photofriday - “The Dawn of Everything - A New History of Humanity” by David Graeber and David Wengrow, and “British Infantry Battalion Commanders in the First World War” by Peter E Hodgkinson
October 10, 2025 at 10:53 AM
I spent some time on planes this week, so I got to read two entries for #histbookchat and #photofriday - “The Dawn of Everything - A New History of Humanity” by David Graeber and David Wengrow, and “British Infantry Battalion Commanders in the First World War” by Peter E Hodgkinson
When people were shooting back and I would have had to go to boot camp first and submit to some actual discipline l? Oh, no, I couldn’t serve THEN.
But now I can *serve* by terrorising unarmed women and kids with funny-sounding names and I get to cosplay as an operator? Count me in!
But now I can *serve* by terrorising unarmed women and kids with funny-sounding names and I get to cosplay as an operator? Count me in!
September 28, 2025 at 3:32 AM
When people were shooting back and I would have had to go to boot camp first and submit to some actual discipline l? Oh, no, I couldn’t serve THEN.
But now I can *serve* by terrorising unarmed women and kids with funny-sounding names and I get to cosplay as an operator? Count me in!
But now I can *serve* by terrorising unarmed women and kids with funny-sounding names and I get to cosplay as an operator? Count me in!
Pretty happy with this Grand Final result, especially that a couple of blokes who missed last year’s Grand Final got to play in a winning Grand Final side.
September 27, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Pretty happy with this Grand Final result, especially that a couple of blokes who missed last year’s Grand Final got to play in a winning Grand Final side.
“As it turns out, you can’t sell your soul to Trump and keep your spine; they’re a package deal.”
September 26, 2025 at 12:06 PM
“As it turns out, you can’t sell your soul to Trump and keep your spine; they’re a package deal.”
This week’s entry for #histbookchat and #photofriday is “Shattered Lands” - quite a readable popular history (by William Dalrymple’s son, Sam) of the winding down of the Raj and subsequent events through to Bangladesh’s independence in 1971 1/2
September 26, 2025 at 9:03 AM
This week’s entry for #histbookchat and #photofriday is “Shattered Lands” - quite a readable popular history (by William Dalrymple’s son, Sam) of the winding down of the Raj and subsequent events through to Bangladesh’s independence in 1971 1/2
Share your favorite black and white movie
The Battle of Algiers (1966)
The Battle of Algiers (1966)
September 24, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Share your favorite black and white movie
The Battle of Algiers (1966)
The Battle of Algiers (1966)
In some good news, the Brisbane Lions are playing in the AFL Grand Final next week.
And even better, Collingwood isn’t.
And even better, Collingwood isn’t.
September 20, 2025 at 10:29 AM
In some good news, the Brisbane Lions are playing in the AFL Grand Final next week.
And even better, Collingwood isn’t.
And even better, Collingwood isn’t.
Making a start on this
September 14, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Making a start on this
Makes me think of 1930s Japanese battleships
September 12, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Makes me think of 1930s Japanese battleships
Many people have been saying
September 6, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Many people have been saying
We can do even MORE Australian
September 6, 2025 at 8:52 AM
We can do even MORE Australian
Two books for this week’s #histbookchat and #photofriday - Tarak Barkawi’s “Soldiers of Empire” and Mark Levinson’s “The Box” 1/3
September 5, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Two books for this week’s #histbookchat and #photofriday - Tarak Barkawi’s “Soldiers of Empire” and Mark Levinson’s “The Box” 1/3
Meanwhile, Australian policy, defence and security professionals looking at our closest ally:
August 22, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Meanwhile, Australian policy, defence and security professionals looking at our closest ally:
It’s Vietnam Veterans Day and the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in 1966, a big day for a couple of units I served wth over the years:
1. 1 Regt RAA, where I served twice (including as BC of 105 Bty)
2. 6 RAR, who I deployed to Timor Leste with
3. Long Tan Coy, RMC, where I was a cadet
1. 1 Regt RAA, where I served twice (including as BC of 105 Bty)
2. 6 RAR, who I deployed to Timor Leste with
3. Long Tan Coy, RMC, where I was a cadet
August 18, 2025 at 1:53 AM
It’s Vietnam Veterans Day and the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan in 1966, a big day for a couple of units I served wth over the years:
1. 1 Regt RAA, where I served twice (including as BC of 105 Bty)
2. 6 RAR, who I deployed to Timor Leste with
3. Long Tan Coy, RMC, where I was a cadet
1. 1 Regt RAA, where I served twice (including as BC of 105 Bty)
2. 6 RAR, who I deployed to Timor Leste with
3. Long Tan Coy, RMC, where I was a cadet
If I had to have a picture of a Bismarck-class battleship, I would go with this one
August 14, 2025 at 8:43 AM
If I had to have a picture of a Bismarck-class battleship, I would go with this one
Post a character whose downfall would have proceeded identically if you were in their shoes.
August 13, 2025 at 5:33 AM
Post a character whose downfall would have proceeded identically if you were in their shoes.
Quote this with a book you read way too young that explains why you are the way you are.
August 12, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Quote this with a book you read way too young that explains why you are the way you are.
At the Gabba - Brisbane 🦁 vs Sydney 🦢
August 9, 2025 at 7:13 AM
At the Gabba - Brisbane 🦁 vs Sydney 🦢