News and current affairs
The 2006 Australian census is tomorrow night, and once again participants have a chance to answer the religion question as: JEDI. Apparently 70,000 did last time (including me). As the Australian Bureau of Statistics says: If your belief system is “Jedi” then answer as such on the census form. Taking a look at the Jedi ... [More]
While many of us are thinking about near-trivial day-to-day things like what DVD to hire, or how to make our frequent flyer points go farther, in other less peaceful parts of the world, they’re worrying about just getting through the day alive. Tony Issa [warning: graphic photos], normally a Melbourne native, is in Lebanon right ... [More]
Stephen J Dubner writes on the Freakonomics blog: He [Warren Buffett] was explaining why he wanted to give so much money [US$31 billion] to a foundation that mainly tries to alleviate poverty. Ă¢ââÂŹĂ âA market system has not worked in terms of poor people,Ă¢ââÂŹĂ Buffett said. Coming from Buffett, this statement isnĂ¢ââââ¢t much of a shock. ... [More]
Today is Independence From MainStream Media day. I appreciate the sentiments, but I’m not joining in. I do read my fair share of blogs and other non-MSM, but fundamentally I want to know what’s going on in politics and world events, and that’s something I can’t get reliably from anywhere but the MSM. (Besides, I ... [More]
Brant Webb and Todd Russell, trapped down in that mine in Beaconsfield, Tasmania, have been talking to their rescuers as the final stage of digging commences. “So we are trying to talk to them about things that they can relate to, and things we can keep on an even keel and keep their spirits steady. ... [More]
It’s ANZAC Day today. This is the cenotaph in Bentleigh, with fresh flowers placed there on Sunday. Most suburbs and towns around the country have something similar. One of these days I’ll rouse the kids early and get us all up to the Shrine for the Dawn Service. I did go one year. It was ... [More]
Google Romance — dating. HP had an advert for Scratch’n’sniff servers in The Age. The Age on Helen Demidenko taking up a career as a lawyer. Is this an April Fool’s Day story? BBC says airlines have banned a Swedish fish-flavoured drink. Any others? (Pranks last year. My 2004 prank.) PS. 4pm. Wikipedia has a ... [More]
Bye bye to the Commonwealth Games. I’m not normally that enthused by sport, but going to see the athletics at the MCG enthused me somewhat. I also saw the big fish thingies on the Yarra on Friday night, and enjoyed wandering amongst the big crowds. I watched some of the TV coverage, and noted that ... [More]
Okay okay, it hasn’t really been that bad. But I had to laugh when seeing about five of these signs in a row going up St Kilda Road the other week. One really did say “Avoid inner suburbs.” See also: Blame the Games A day at the athletics (Note March 2016: originally this was a ... [More]
Goodnight and Good Luck — A dramatised version of the campaign against Joe McCarthy by 50’s CBS programme See It Now, but with so many modern parallels in today’s climate of terrorism, fundamentalism, secrecy and censorship. Beautifully shot, and compelling. My eyes didn’t waver from the screen for the full 90 minutes. On a couple ... [More]
Ahhh… the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony… the flying tram… landing on a giant Melway. You know what, if I had designed the opening moments, that’s probably how I would have done it. Didn’t understand the juxtaposition of ballet dancers and trail bikes though. … I noticed in a city drycleaners the other day a sign ... [More]
Yesterday the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay went past my mum’s house. So we decided to go and have a look. My mum got some chairs out and we sat waiting on the nature strip. After a few minutes, some police motorcycles and a support vehicle arrived to drop runners at the appropriate spots, clear ... [More]