September 2007

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Howard’s submissive body language

10 September 2007 in Human Nature, Politics by Stilgherrian | 7 comments

Photograph of John Howard with George W Bush

John Howard’s body language worries me. I want a leader, a statesmen to lead Australia, not a lapdog.

Some years ago, the ABC had vision of Howard greeting some visiting American dignitaries — I think Colin Powell was one of them. Anyway, as people got out of limos and approached each other the US visitors strode forward, calm and confident. Meanwhile Howard hunched down and cautiously extended his hand in a classic primate gesture of submission.

It was like a small-time shopkeeper receiving a visit from The Big City Bank Manager. It was embarrassing.

On the weekend, Howard was still behaving like a puppy-dog to George W Bush, as I think the photo (right) from the Sydney Morning Herald shows. OK, it’s only one frame, but I think it shows a nervous John Howard anxiously looking for approval from The Boss. What do you think?

But hey, have a look at the rest of the photos. At least Hyacinth is in her element. A shame Laura couldn’t make it, eh love?

Who’ll be PM on Wednesday?

10 September 2007 in Politics by Stilgherrian | 4 comments

Cover of John Winston Howard: The Biography

It’s a good thing John Howard’s very bestest of best friends George W Bush left APEC a day early. Howard could avoid talking about yet another fall in the opinion polls.

On the cover of the recent Howard biography (left), the Man of Steel looks stern and concerned. Apt. If those poll figures are repeated on election day, even with the usual minor swing back to stability, it won’t just be a Labor victory. It’ll be a complete rout of the Liberal/National Coalition.

APEC won’t be the poll boost Howard was looking for. John’s Bestest Best Friend stumbled through his speech like a village idiot — you choose good friends, John! Kevin Rudd looked like a 21st century statesman, cracking jokes in Mandarin with the Chinese president.

Pretty much everybody is saying it’s time for Howard to go — as Annabel Crabb’s witty poem makes clear. But the Man of Steel is in his bunker, fighting to the end.

I do intend to contest [the election], I intend to contest it as leader. That question was settled last year.

In the SMH today, Peter Hartcher says the Coalition would be mad to switch leaders now. I disagree.

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Film Review: “Lady Chatterley”

09 September 2007 in Arts, Film, Human Nature by Stilgherrian | No comments

Photograph of Jean-Louis Coulloc’h and Marina Hands in the film Lady Chatterley

I don’t normally review films. But this isn’t so much a review of the new Lady Chatterley but a review of the audience.

The film is based on D H Lawrence’s 1927 book John Thomas and Lady Jane, the first and less-well-known version of the story which was re-written as the controversial Lady Chatterley’s Lover and published in 1928.

Controversial? Oh yes! Explicit sex scenes, four-letter words, and perhaps the most scandalous aspect: the love affair was between an aristocratic woman and a gamekeeper. Crossing class boundaries! England shall fall! Read all about it.

Now you may think that society has changed since 1927. But no, our audience proved otherwise.

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The 16-year-old son of a major Australian blogger has written an amazing essay objecting to the Christian indoctrination at his school — particularly the peer pressure and other psychological tactics. A taste: “As a non-Christian in the heart of a fundamental Baptist school. I’ve dealt with peer pressure on the topic in the bucket loads, absolutely backwards fundamentalists, and speeches that seem eerily reminiscent in tone and substance to those that preceded the infamous Kristallnacht.”

09 September 2007 by Stilgherrian | No comments

Photo of police officer at APEC

’Pong has just posted some images of yesterday’s APEC (in)action, including the 21-bum salute to George W Bush. As always, click through for the full-sized beauty. He’s just left to see what’s what with the “main” protest today.

08 September 2007 by Stilgherrian | No comments

Facebook bans breastfeeding photos

08 September 2007 in Human Nature, Internet by Stilgherrian | 4 comments

Social networking website Facebook is boldly taking the Internet into the 19th Century by banning photos of breastfeeding as “obscene”.

Look, I know Facebook is American, and America is (a) a Puritan nation at heart and (b) pig-ignorant of the fact that the other 96% of the world’s population might think differently. I mean, their own president can’t tell the difference between APEC and OPEC, between Austria and Australia. When he’s standing in it. But quite frankly, a society which thinks photos of mothers feeding their children are “obscene” has deep, deep problems.

And not just that your president is dumb as a stump-post.

The protest group Hey, Facebook, breastfeeding is not obscene!(Official petition to Facebook) has almost 8000 members already. And while I generally don’t pay much attention to the needs of the breeders, this one I’ve joined.

Security expert Bruce Schneier has blogged about The Chaser‘s APEC security breach — which means it’s just been read by most of the switched-on security professionals on the planet. “Social engineering” attacks like this are easy, he says. You just have to look like you fit in. One commenter points out that this goes beyond “security theatre” into “security opera”.

08 September 2007 by Stilgherrian | No comments

APEC “security theatre” a joke, literally

07 September 2007 in Media, Politics, Sydney by Stilgherrian | 11 comments

Photograph of The Chaser team being arrested

Now here’s a surprise. Not. The massive security operation surrounding APEC brings us yet another example of security theatre — pointless activity that’s all for show but which does nothing to actually enhance security.

The police busy themselves by (mostly politely) hassling tourists and photographers, deleting images of The Fence because “protesters might be doing reconnaissance for weak spots.” Uhuh. But The Chaser crew get within metres of George W’s hotel by playing dress-ups and driving big black cars.

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Sweet, sweet sarcasm

07 September 2007 in Media by Stilgherrian | No comments

Photograph of Sea Patrol cast

I love this review of Sea Patrol in the Sydney Morning Herald “The Guide” this week. Giving the episode a big thumbs down, it says:

This is one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time. Who would have thought a straight-faced spoof on the high seas drama — a sort of Secret Seven Sail the Ocean Blue — could be quite this funny? I especially love the way Lisa McCune had her smiling muscles removed to bring faux-gravitas to her role.

Dialogue from the Ark, needless background music and all the tension of Anna Nicole Smith’s knicker elastic. This will run and run.

Thank you, Keith Austin. I’ve never watched the show — and now I feel even less urge.

Weekly Poll: Who’s the greatest pop band?

07 September 2007 in Music, Weekly Poll by Stilgherrian | 1 comment

Enough of the politics! Just answer me this, boys and girls: Who’s the greatest pop band in the history of music?

Go to the website to vote. Your choices are limited. Problem with that? Explain yourself in the comments!

Who is the greatest band in the history of pop? (You only have these to choose from. Discuss.)

Total Voters: 18

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Last week’s results: By a very slim margin, most voters would prefer to see Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja sing Samanta Fox’s Touch Me.

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