Guy Rundle is a dude, a mensch. Never met him, but his by-line is always an invitation to intelligent, incisive analysis with a fearsome background knowledge. This, from his Quarterly Essay on Clive Palmer, nails it, imho - But there is another, and more important, reason why the now sclerotic apparatus of Australian government is... Continue Reading →
Journalists as drips on the drip feed…
Journalism eh? But what is to be done, at a systemic level? [Rob] Chalmers, although a Labor sympathiser, put all politicians through the ringer. He refused to socialise with them and was disdainful of the trend towards celebrity journalism and the insidious practice of reporters being 'on the drip' – getting stories from politicians and... Continue Reading →
The next Australian Prime Minister… Josh Frydenberg?
Update: Mr Frydenberg has backflipped clumsily on a carbon price. Oops The soap opera that is the Australian Prime Ministership goes on. In the 32 years between December 1975 and November 2007 we had four prime ministers (Fraser, Hawke, Keating, Howard). In the five years between June 2010 and September 2015 we had five (Rudd,... Continue Reading →
Karoshing defeat
Faster faster Faster is the master Break faster Eat eat eat The speed, the speed is all you’ll ever need to... No. Slow as you go. Slow food, slow violence. Slow down down Escape velocity. We cannot escape velocity, you , you yokel. You too vocal local yokel, lacking in veracity. True... Continue Reading →
Kaisen
"There is even a word in Japanese, kaisen, for these tiny steps towards growing new habits..." (Poulson, 2008)
Dump and deny journalism
Like pump and dump stocks, dump and deny journalism.... Hat-tip to former On Dit editor David Penberthy... Over at News Ltd, David Penberthy of The Punch has another crack at Canberra-based political journalists. He reminds readers that in the past off-the-record was used for only one of two reasons: to protect whistle-blowers, a la the... Continue Reading →
First draft of history? Gaia help us all
It is way too easy, as a historian of the present, (cough cough) to get seduced by newspapers. They're detailed, not infected with the memoirist's ability to fit the events into a convenient/coherent narrative - and in theory the journalist doesn't have a dog in the fight. ... Except, no. If there ever was a... Continue Reading →
Of professors, binge-writing, tortoises, hares, foxes and hedgehogs
So, there's an Aesopian fable to be re-written, perhaps? Not so much with tortoises and hares, but (Berlin's) foxes and hedgehogs. But actually, surely it's possible to both a fox and a tortoise? A fortoise? Is it possible to argue this a fortiori? Among university professors, for example, getting tenure is a major hurdle... Continue Reading →
Sexism and social movements….
‘Sexism isn’t the problem: anyone can talk when they want to,” declared one man. “It’s just that some of us have had more experience and can talk more easily in groups.” “We all support women’s liberation,” chimed in another man. Around the room, reactions spanned a wide range: resentment, distraction, passive interest, eagerness and anxiousness.... Continue Reading →
Good burnout advice from Edward Abbey
“One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast....a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you... Continue Reading →
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