Hiatus time again. Give it a week or two, and I intend to be back wordier and imagier.
As a community service though, let me pass on this handy GFC pointer - recession drinking at its finest. It would have been handy in my clubbing days.
6 July 2009
1 July 2009
questionable stereotypes questioned
Piers Akerman makes a point. About stereotypes, ridicule, that sort of thing. Suck it up, queens.
Apropos, we've had this billboard on Taylor Square all week, which had been heralded by some tacky posters stuck up and down the street.
I don't get Cohen. His shtick is to simply drag down others. Ali G, Borat, and Bruno just rely on the mocking and humiliation of the innocent. Where's the humour in that?
What kind of demographic laughs at the entertainment industry's equivalent of schoolyard bullying?
At least Benny Hill crafted his bawdiness and toilet humour without the intention to offend as the starting point.
But then, it says as much about those who'd pay money to see Cohen's movies as it does about himself. He could, like generations of comics before him, have contributed to popular culture and social betterment generally by using his influence over the immature and impressionable to inspire and develop them.
Instead, he plays with them in the gutter.
23 June 2009
women and children first; how progressive
Here's one way to set back the women's movement -
"During a vote on the government's controversial alcopops legislation, Labor MP Catherine King brought her one-year-old son Ryan into the lower house, drawing no response from the chair.Another stunt. She couldn't have left bub with hubby, like everyone else does.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young sparked controversy when she brought her two-year-old daughter Cora into the upper house last week, prompting Senate President John Hogg to order the child be removed."
How typically self-involved of left wing women; "it's all about me." Too bad about any consideration for their colleagues who have to put up with the brats disturbing their concentration. Tough eggs to the dignity and respect of the House. Two fingers to workplaces generally, who will now be even further disinclined to employ women over men.
From the boardroom to the factory floor, managers will have to be wary of the consequences if they're forced to allow children along. It raises all kinds of issues, from liability to workplace relations and harmony. Personally, like most people, I'd resent a bunch of anklebiters running around the office when I'm trying to get an important project finished to deadline. I can't imagine many directors would appreciate kids being in on sensitive discussions with foreign clients.
But hey, it's left wing women, so we're all supposed to just wear it. Right?
google gets it wrong
They did it in autumn, and I said nothing. Now they've done it in winter, and attention needs to be drawn so that if they continue to do it, at least they'll get it right. Australian Google, June 21 -
A little local knowledge goes a long way. Australia doesn't begin its seasons by those diurnial equinoxical calculations they go by everywhere else. Here, it's the first of March, June, September and December. You'd think with several hundred employees in Oz, that someone would pass that on to Google.
[For the trivia minded, the reason behind the difference is believed to go back to the early days of the Sydney colony. British soldiers complained that mid-September was too hot to still be wearing winter uniforms, so Governor Macquarie brought forward the change-over. And it's since stuck.]
14 June 2009
sunday arts
Apparently, it's art.
Which, to the rational mind, begs the question: where does dance-party decoration or high school musical stage-set finish, and 'art' takes over? [We're presuming here that the definition of 'contemporary art' is its high end, not the kindy fingerpainting or 'community mural' vernacular.]
The 'artist's' sentiment behind this work is laudable (it's a tribute to his late wife), however, who can come at anything as art when it requires no inherent genius to achieve, and is merely an idea expressed?
Art, real art, despite contemporary accepted theory, requires talent and skill, and should speak to its viewer's soul. It comes, genuinely, from the sublime; a gift from the spirit, passed through the hand, to enrich our life and civilisation.
Dada ruined it for everyone. The arts establishment is now the plaything of the vain and pretentious on the make, especially in admin and curatorship. Inadequate wannabes have taken over all its influential positions, hidden behind the smokescreen of 'arts theory' to justify their absence of talent.
For the record here, Warhol was a mediocre hack who knew how to bluff his way through the 'in' set's gullible insecurities. Koons also is a con, his career traction made through catering specifically for the esoteric, yet vacuous, reference system created by the self-regarding arts cliques, (and which is kept deliberately detached from mainstream consensus to avoid exposure). Tunick is a one-trick pony. Christo does pretty stuff, but so what; something was wrapped.
A tangible example of these contentions is Australia's representation at the Venice Biennale. Clearly, all that matters is the idea, not the execution nor result. Contemporary 'art' relies on being 'new' or different for currency, yet it's been this way for years now, and is all so jaded and predictable that it no longer says anything of value. All that's left is the visual; mute to the soul.
The contrivances and mind games that pass for art need to be recategorised into some new, separate genre, (perhaps "contemporary airs", "modern mentalities"?), so that society can reclaim the work of beauty and inspiration that contributed to the spiritual civic advance of our forebears.
13 June 2009
stalin's little helpers
It pays to be networked with your fellow travellers in the media. Fairfax reported a Sydney demo today:
How many thousands? They didn't even crawl over the line into plural; SMH says two, the ABC says just one. That doesn't matter though, as the protesters were from the 'approved' political persuasion and were supporting a 'correct' agenda.
But check out the pic. They're the classic rent-a-mob who show up at any demo. The Socialist Alliance, The Socialist Alternative, and Resistance, along with ring-ins from sundry unrelated groups who always turn out to fill numbers regardless of irrelevance to the topic at hand; in this case Aboriginal rightsers and anti-capitalists.
Yet these unrepresentative far-far-fringe leftists are simply described as "protestors" and "environmental activists". No note is made of who they are really.
Contrast that with the treatment of, say, the just-as-unrepresentative BNP or Euro anti-immigration groups, who are always correctly labeled as "far-right" and "extremist". See, the ABC and Fairfax can manage truth in reporting if they try. But it's handy indeed to have your own kind in control of the information flow.
While we're on the subject of climate change protesters and socialism; - it's definitely a middle class WASP thing, isn't it? For groups who are so huge on "DIVERSITY!! woot wooo!!" that picture is one whitebread mini-mass of inner-urban groupthinkdom.
On closer inspection, you're left gauging what majority percentage of them are in receipt of public largesse, whether through welfare, students, academia, unionism or the like. It's no coincidence that socialists have the luxury of being concentrated most where free market competition and choice is least. I'm in two minds whether to end this post with a derision, like 'shallow hypocrites', or whether that's redundant by the context.
5 June 2009
queen's birthday 2009
What would a Queen's Birthday weekend be without the (now) traditional RMG QBW post? So, presenting for this weekend only, and to disappear on Monday night along with the specially resurrected RMG Royal Standard banner at top, here 'tis...
Monday night: And that, friends, is the QBW post for another year.
31 May 2009
who da good
Everyone loves a puzzle, yes? So long as it's not tedious, anyway.
As those who have seen my Sydneytecture blog know, one of my interests is Sydney's built history. While some lucky, lucky government employees actually get paid to trawl through online archives, bookmarking finds, making notes, compiling lists and background, to me that's recreation. (My thing, though, is the relationships of the old with the contemporary, not just in terms of static bricks and mortar but also the social dynamics behind, and impacted by, them.)
Which comes in handy when you meet something like this -
Today in Google Maps StreetviewUnidentified streetFILE045\045194
TITLE Unidentified street
ADDRESS Unknown
DESCRIPTION DATE 1970s?
FORMAT B&W print. Hi-Res digital copy available.
RECORD SERIES Sydney Reference Collection
CITATIONS RC15139
PROVENANCE City of Sydney Archives
View Larger Map
Truly, I missed my calling.
30 May 2009
regret to inform
Good grief. Like it needs to be said.Dear Mr Obama
Re your request that Australia settle seventeen terrorist detainees from Guantanamo.
We note that your determination to close Guantanamo is ideologically and politically motivated, and not based on circumspect security concerns.
We also note that you're not prepared to settle the seventeen terrorists in the White House along with your own family.
Therefore, after little consideration, we decline your request with a 'Big Fat No, Get Lost, What Kind of Simple Schmucks Do You Take Us For?'
Cheers,
Australia
25 May 2009
scarlets red shield blue
There were all kinds of wrong when left wing protesters stormed the Salvation Army's Red Shield Appeal launch on Friday. The Scarlet Alliance, an affiliation of sex workers led by one of those far left activists who makes a life out of mobilising from one agenda to another, objected to the Salvos' use of vulnerable youth in its promotional material.
The charming whores had taken umbrage at the fact that young people in difficult positions can make bad choices from which they need assistance to leave. Apparently, we're supposed to see hooking as a universally benign and consequence-free occupation, like floristry or pastrymaking.
Christians being Christians though, the Salvos were gracious in response -
"The Salvation Army has apologised over an advertisement published in newspapers today which has outraged sex workers. As the Army band trumpeted, sex workers with placards and red umbrellas stormed the launch of its Red Shield Appeal in Sydney.There is no reasoning with a demonstrator. Especially, none are more wilfully myopic and closed to conference than female lefties with a gripe. Here, the Scarlet Alliance clings to its set shtick about "sex workers being stigmatised", "the general community's unease and misinformation about the sex industry", and throws in an offensive "the Salvation Army has shamefully chosen to capitalise on stigma against sex workers in its advertising for their Shield doorknock."
The Australian sex workers association, the Scarlet Alliance, was protesting over the Salvos' ad in newspapers which drew attention to its rehabilitation efforts. The ad told the story of `Rick', saying, "To get Rick out of prostitution, we had to resort to smuggling."
Scarlet Alliance president Elena Jeffreys said the Salvation Army had exploited the sex worker involved and was encouraging community discrimination against legal prostitution. "
As a reasonable person would consider foremost the welfare of those in jeopardy, it would be more constructive for the Scarlet Alliance to acknowledge that in reality some people are indeed harmed by involvement with sex work. However, such an outright admission would hurt the credibility this group has forged with its political and lobbying links within Labor and the Greens over the last few years. The pretence that all sex workers are just kindly, freelancing ladies in the suburbs who work from their respectable, doyley-filled cottages gives a veneer of normalcy that appeals to the progressive's tolerant perspective. Yet, show them an image of someone's teenage son turning tricks at the Wall to support a heroin habit, and they'll be faced with the uncomfortable prospect that perhaps there are ramifications that have not been taken into account.
Hence the dire ideological need to attack any negative portrayal of sex work, no matter how accurate or necessary it is.
For some background on my experience with the field, go here.
The real injustice and offence on Friday was the Scarlet Alliance's opportunistic use of the Salvo's charitable work to push its own political agenda. Genuinely decent human beings wouldn't, for no more outcome than self-promotion, insult the magnificent, selfless care that the Salvos give.
Judging by their reported comments, it appears that the Scarlets would have encouraged 'Rick' to remain in his hell.
Another member of the Scarlet Alliance, Kelly, said the Salvation Army failed to help sex workers when they needed help and `Rick's story' was akin to kidnapping. "The majority of sex workers do not need rescuing and the Salvation Army has not assisted sex workers when we have needed support."A real caring group. It's reassuring to know they have connections in Parliament and bureaucracy working for them.
As for the Salvos, when I passed their collection bucket in Paddo on Saturday, I doubled my donation because of this.
24 May 2009
street wise
Clare showed how easily most people fall for anything these days, so long as it's put assertively. It's the kind of thing that Labor relies on, too.
However, I'd clocked Clare's blarney straight up. For years I'd mixed in the Cross' street milieu, where you don't get far unless you're sharp and alert to all types of caginess and spiv.
Clare gave herself away when the reporter asked where the shooting had taken place. The slight hesitation and vague response, followed by a qualifier, showed she was thinking on the hop. A genuine witness would have been direct and specific.
I wondered how long it would take for others to click, if at all.
3 May 2009
tamils behaving badly ... again
On leaving work Friday night, Castlereagh Street was far more congested than usual for peak hour. At Park Street, I wondered why the police had closed off the vital east-west connection through the city. At Town Hall I found out. A hundred or so imported flotsam had calculatedly sat down in the middle of George Street, blocking traffic in all directions on Sydney's busiest routes.
The entire CBD became a stationary carpark of gridlocked buses and cabs, thousands of commuters left stranded, unable to get home at the end of the working week.
It's a particular mindset that holds fellow citizenry to ransom for its own political advantage. Given that the Tamil resistance and sympathisers at home seem to be not overly concerned about collateral damage from their suicide bombers, it's then pretty easy to conclude from their behaviour here that Tamil culture mustn't be terribly fussed generally with philanthropy to outsiders. Let's see, four times now they've brought downtown to a standstill, and twice they've kept the residents of Kirribilli hostage for prolonged periods. Multiple arrests in London, Paris and Denmark. Real nice multiculti behaviour.
However, to my trained eye, the demo tactics had the mark of professional protest organising. Sure enough, some later googling showed that the opprobrious Stop-the-War Coalition and Green-Left have been coaching and assisting. The Tamil cause is doing itself no favours by allying with the ratbag-left, and will only serve to alienate the mainstream from any PR or goodwill it hopes to achieve.
Particularly insulting to those of us raised in Western sophistication was the collective IQ on display Friday night. They made the proverbial trailer park of trash look like a Nobel prize ceremony. The BBC couldn't have cast a more bedraggled, motley, blank-faced assortment of undeveloped stereotypes from the third-world's backblocks. And they're over here now, causing hell and obstructing civilised cities built with our forebears' blood and struggle. Ain't open immigration grand?
I'm not one to stand by and allow injustice to flourish. Affronted by their disregard for Australia and its people, and their self-indulgence that was impacting on so many commuters, I fronted right up to the lead group and began my own chant of "Selfish! Selfish!" at them. Happily, I was given able support by another bystander (he happened to be the only other Anglo around too. I mention that as a matter of cultural fact, without prejudice, to illustrate that Australia has changed socially. The predominance of Asians and Indians, as in this case are most passersby around Town Hall nowadays [refer to the pic above], means the population has become more compliant and onlooking. Who of them will speak up when they have little or no blood attachment to the country around them? It's all new to them, they haven't the generational investment and birthright at stake.)
One of the Tamil protesters yelled back at us about genocide in Sri Lanka. I countered with, "How dare you come to my country and block the street. How dare you inconvenience so many Australians."
He had no answer.
An older Tamil came up, "But we're citizens!"
I said, "Then why don't you act like it."
We kept on chanting "Selfish!"
Another Tamil rushed over, "Talk to the police!"
I said, "Why? They're not the ones holding everyone up."
He had no answer.
One of the Tamil marshalls came up and pleaded with us, "But it's a protest!", as if it was some sacrosanct right that couldn't be challenged.
I reiterated, "How can you be so selfish. The whole city is blocked. No one can get home because of you. Don't you care?"
He had no answer.
"Don't you care?"
Again, no answer.
By now a cop had told us to move along. I could have stuck to my guns, free speech and all that. But this had been on the spur of the moment, and if there's one thing my years of research on protest groups has taught me it's that you need a plan, and prearranged free legal help, if you intend to get arrested.
I'll also mention here that it takes a particular kind of police force to enable those who ransom for political advantage, rather than one which serves law and order, and the public protection, that it's sworn to uphold. The cops had blocked off George and Park Streets, and simply watched the demo. Rather than serve the public, the NSW Police Force, as a matter of policy, instead regularly panders to the illegal demands of unrepresentative, marginal protesters. This corruption of its ethics and duty discredits all in Police Command.
One of the most striking points about this Tamil protest, and its ramifications on innocent Sydneysiders, was its complete news blackout, at least online. How could a city be turned into bedlam at the busiest time of the week, yet no mention is made? News.com.au, SMH, Tele, The Oz, ABC, nada.
*By the way, if anyone is up for forming a loose affiliation to counter-protest at illegal demos, drop me an email. By 'illegal', I mean those that obstruct the public rather than rally in a park. If the police aren't going to do their job, perhaps they could use a helpful prompt from citizens prepared to raise a little media profile about it.
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