Ms Gillard, Mr Abbott… I’m not stupid

Politics No Responses »
Sep 162011

One of the most horrible things about Australian politics at the moment is the plunge to the bottom. At the moment we have two political leaders (Julia Gillard of the ALP and Tony Abbott of the Liberal Party) who are committed to appealing to the fears and insecurities of the electorate. This is writ large in the discussion over what to do about people who come to Australia to seek asylum. Both parties seem to be trying to outdo one another to be as inhumane as possible, by ‘processing’ those who attempt to arrive in Australia by boat in places outside Australia.

I understand that this is probably not because of deep ideological commitment, as I suspect neither of them are, by nature, cruel or inhumane people.

It is, in a way, worse: they think they are hearing the voice of Australia saying ‘we don’t want these people here.’

Maybe the majority of Australians do think that.

However, that does not make it right, and it does not make it the right thing to do.

Political leaders need to, at times, tell the nation when we need to look at ourselves, and choose a new path. Sometimes, they need to tell us the truth about our obligations, and our commitments. And about our prejudices and fears. What saddens me about many contemporary politicians is their failure to lead, responding instead to our base fears and desires. The asylum seeker ‘debate’ is one example – carbon emission reduction is another.

As I grow older I am more and more convinced that our current systems and institutions (of all kinds) are breaking or broken, probably beyond repair. A new way needs to be found.

Posted by Col at 18:21

Nostalgia…

Doctor Who No Responses »
Sep 162011

Doctor Who: Day of the Daleks

On Sunday (18/9/2011) I’m going to the Jam Factory to see the special edition of ‘Doctor Who – Day of the Daleks‘ (thanks, Village Roadshow).

Back when I was young, 9 million years ago, this was one of the stories that seemed to be screened each year by the ABC. I actually know it fairly well, but I haven’t felt the need to drag out the VHS copy of it in many years. It is just about to be released on DVD, with a special edition. The special edition is apparently a movie length presentation, with new special effects (this review from Cathode Ray Tube will either encourage you to rush out and buy the DVD, when it comes out, or it won’t…).

To be honest, although it will be interesting (and probably cringe inducing) to see the story again, I really wonder if new special effects are the right thing for old media. People seem to be very cross with George Lucas for tweaking the Star Wars films – but my own feeling is that he’s the auteur, and if he wants to continue forming his work, why shouldn’t he? He’s the only person who can say what ‘definitive’ Star Wars actually is, and if he wants to make Jabba the Hut look more plausible, why shouldn’t he?

But classic Doctor Who… to my mind, re-watching stories lately, the issue comes not from the special effects, but from the different narrative and pacing we’re used to now. Comparing ‘Day of the Daleks’ to, say, ‘The Girl Who Waited’ is not a fair thing to do. They’re radically different products for different times. The differences come not so much from differences in what Doctor Who is, but how we now consume television.

Most 1960s/1970′s/1980′s Doctor Who (what we now call ‘Classic Doctor Who’) simply appears slow and simple. We’re used to more demanding quality TV.

But anyway. I’ll go along, be a fan boy, and, no doubt, enjoy it.

Doctor Who: Day of the Daleks

Posted by Col at 17:51

Visit these sites

About Me No Responses »
Sep 132011

I am feeling very directive. Visit these sites:

  • The Tussock - belongs to my brother, David, who is a writer and scientist.
  • The Woken Dream – belongs to my brother, Scott, who writes and designs games.

They’re both better writers than I am, and are much more conscientious about writing regularly.

Posted by Col at 17:51

Things I did not know #1: the revival of wet shaving

About Me No Responses »
Sep 132011

Well, paint me surprised.

I decided recently to shave off my beard. I’m not sure why. Just wanted to. For some reason, about the same time, I visited a thread on the Mactalk forums where users were talking about shaving. Geeks, you know. It was there that I discovered the revival of wet shaving, which up until now has passed me by. Probably because I wasn’t shaving.

I was amazed, intrigued, and sort of inspired.

The sort of wet shaving we’re talking about here is not with the latest innovations from Gillette or whoever else makes razor blades, shaving foam and so on. Rather, it is using the sort of equipment that my grandfather probably used – a double edged blade in a safety razor, a shaving brush, shaving soap (or cream) and plenty of hot water.

I had no idea there was a culture built around this sort of thing. There are online businesses catering to the needs of men who choose to shave this way (check out Menzbiz in Melbourne and Pureman in Brisbane – both will ship anywhere in Australia, for free if you order more than $100 worth of goods), online advice sites and forums, historic companies making a comeback in this new time (Trumper and Trufitt and Hill are examples), and some of the coolest kit for shaving you’ll see around (my personal favourite). This is a particularly good introduction.

Shaving was something I had no particular love for, and was not very good at. It is one of the reasons I grew a beard – I hated the shaving rash, and I got lots of ingrown hairs. But now, I’m willing to give it a go again. I have a nice razor, some good shaving cream, some very sharp (scarily sharp!) blades, an alum block (to stem the inevitable gashes) and a super soft badger hair brush.

Wet shaving culture – here I come!

Posted by Col at 15:55

The second part of this season of ‘Doctor Who’ – trailer

Doctor Who No Responses »
Jul 252011

Posted by Col at 10:41

Where to from here?

About Me 1 Response »
Jan 132011

Truth is, I no longer know what to write here. Hence the not writing much at all.

This site gets a lot of hits, mostly because of the posts on circumcision (judging by the tracking data from Google Analytics and Statpress).

I began it, initially, as a way of keeping myself sort of busy while I was having cancer treatment. I wrote a fair amount about that, and, unexpectedly, lived. I had thought that I wouldn’t live, and I still expect not to be alive in 10 years time.

I don’t know that my interests have changed much, but I do know I don’t have much to say about them anymore!

Posted by Col at 18:16

L’Internationale

Uncategorized No Responses »
Nov 202010

Stand up, all victims of oppression,
For the tyrants fear your might!
Don’t cling so hard to your possessions,
For you have nothing if you have no rights!
Let racist ignorance be ended,
For respect makes the empires fall!
Freedom is merely privilege extended,
Unless enjoyed by one and all.
So come brothers and sisters,
For the struggle carries on.
The Internationale,
Unites the world in song.
So comrades, come rally,
For this is the time and place!
The international ideal,
Unites the human race.

Let no one build walls to divide us,
Walls of hatred nor walls of stone.
Come greet the dawn and stand beside us,
We’ll live together or we’ll die alone.
In our world poisoned by exploitation,
Those who have taken, now they must give!
And end the vanity of nations,
We’ve but one Earth on which to live.
So come brothers and sisters,
For the struggle carries on.
The Internationale,
Unites the world in song.
So comrades, come rally,
For this is the time and place!
The international ideal,
Unites the human race.

And so begins the final drama,
In the streets and in the fields.
We stand unbowed before their armour,
We defy their guns and shields!
When we fight, provoked by their aggression,
Let us be inspired by life and love.
For though they offer us concessions,
Change will not come from above!
So come brothers and sisters,
For the struggle carries on.
The Internationale,
Unites the world in song.
So comrades, come rally,
For this is the time and place!
The Internationale,
Unites the human race.

(The Internationale, Billy Bragg’s revision)


Posted by Col at 17:47

In Flanders Fields

Stuff No Responses »
Nov 112010

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae (Canadian Army)

Posted by Col at 10:41

Dulce et Decorum Est

Poetry No Responses »
Oct 122010

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs,
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots,
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame, all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of gas-shells dropping softly behind.

Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! — An ecstasy of fumbling
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time,
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime. —
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams before my helpless sight
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin,
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs
Bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues, —
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori. (Wilfred Owen)

Posted by Col at 17:53

Oh, Tyler.

Ramblings No Responses »
Sep 302010

This young man is Tyler Clementi. He was a talented, beautiful young man who committed suicide because two of his classmates illegally and immorally recorded and broadcast video of him having sex with another man.

I’m sorry that the people around you were so cruel as to drive you to commit suicide because you were being who you were. I’m sorry that you felt there was no-one you could turn to. I’m sorry that the world has lost you. I’m sorry, beyond words, that your last moments were probably full of fear, sadness and despair. I’m sorry that now your family has to go on with out you. I know how they feel.


Posted by Col at 20:02
Older Entries
© 2011 Conservatio Morum: Conversion of Life Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha