Stilgherrian » kylie minogue

Fine posts for 2008

Stilgherrian — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 05:44:22 +0000

Given that mere popularity doesn’t reflect quality, here’s my personal selection of my best, timeless posts for 2008. Happy reading!

Kruddiversary: The internet thanks you for 12 months of achieving nothing, my Crikey article looking at the first year of the Rudd government from an Internet geek’s perspective.
Thailand’s political crisis: an introduction, though later pieces in The Economist are better than my amateur efforts.
Journalism in a hyperconnected world.
@KevinRuddPM stumbles into the Twitterverse, a Crikey article which includes links to the previous three essays I’d written about the PM’s entrance into modern social media.
Gonzo Twitter 1: Saturday Evening in Newtown, my experiment in live-tweeting a descriptive essay and still one of the best things I’ve written all year.
How Dell fixed my monitor order, which is being used by clever consultants as an example of how to use social media for quality customer service.
Sunday Thoughts about Journalism, a rather lengthy essay with many links to background on the Death of Newspapers this year.
Finally, The Shave, a rather wonderful film we made.
The Great Firewall of China: how it works, how to bypass it.
Note to “old media” journalists: adapt, or stfu! This piece triggered an entire wave of discussion and was quoted globally.
Winter Solstice Meditation.
Anzac Day Rememberings.
ABC Playback: so this is the future of television…? Nope! A review of what’s now called ABC iView.
There ain’t no shortcuts to professionally-managed IT.
Remembering the Space Age: Arthur C Clarke dead at 90.
Super Hornets are Go.
Jason Calacanis and the Evil Cult of the Internet Start-up. I don’t really think Jason is evil, but I do worry about the self-centred anti-human attitude of many people connected with Internet start-ups.
New national anthem: I am So an Aussie, when the Snarky Platypus and I created, yes, a new national anthem. Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!
Is it really so wrong to mix business and politics (and religion)?
Leaving room for elephants: a chat with David Attenborough, a personal fave since it harks back to an interesting time in my life. This is still one of the most enjoyable interviews I’ve done. Ever.
Angry geeks: “Don’t waste money on internet filters”, one of many articles I posted about censorship, but which outlined the key issues way back in January.
Post 801: Kill the Hallucinating Goldfish.

5 Random Semi-Related Posts

Aussie mobile providers “like deer in the iPhone headlights”

Stilgherrian — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:22:30 +0000

Dropping into Day 2 of the Mobile Content World conference last week was a step back in time. And not in a healthy Kyliesque mirror ball way. The hyper-connected Twitter rumour mill had told me something was wrong: they didn’t seem to understand what was happening. The rumours were right.

When user experience expert Oliver Weidlich of Ideal Interfaces showed them screenshots of the iPhone on the big screen, around 80% of the 150-odd audience sat up, alert, seeing it for the first time.

Huh?

Sure, Apple’s groundbreaking product isn’t officially available here until the (rumoured) 19 June opening of slick new Apple stores in Sydney and Melbourne. You don’t have to have bought into the whole Steve Jobs personality cult, bought one overseas and hacked it for Aussie networks. But if you claim to be professional and haven’t at least read about the iPhone a year after its release you should be shot.

Serial entrepreneur Randal (Rand) Leeb-du Toit thinks the industry has got it very wrong. The iPhone changes everything. “They were deer in the iPhone’s headlights,” he wrote. “The full browser experience is going to shake their businesses to their foundations.”

And the iPhone is completely different. “When you take it out of its box, it feels like they’ve built this product with you in mind,” says Leeb-du Toit, who’s been using an iPhone for a couple of months. “A mobile phone feels like it was designed by an engineer with engineers in mind, by the people who put the content on there, the telcos’ walled gardens.”

A lot of the conference was about getting users watch the content from big TV, movie and games houses. Twice the guy pimping one content management system said, “It’s all about creating a more addictive experience for young people.” What sort of ethic is that?

One session talked about “bringing the lounge room experience to the small screen”, which seems as sensible as bringing the tennis experience to the swimming pool. Meanwhile, iPhone users download stuff that’s meaningful for them, connect to their own computers to access their own data and, according to Google, generate ten times the search traffic as non-iPhone mobile users.

“The carriers see they’re about to be hit by the truck, so they’re over-analysing and over-complicating the situation with all their business models about content,” Leeb-du Toit told me. “They should be going open and simple.”

It’s appropriate that the conference was held at Sydney’s Star City Casino. Anyone ignoring the iPhone is gambling big. The dice are rolled 19 June.

5 Random Semi-Related Posts

Weekly Poll: Who’s the ultimate pop princess?

Stilgherrian — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:50:16 +0000

Ask and it shall be done! Who is the ultimate pop princess?

In alphabetical order of first name, we have 9 nominees. As usual, if you disagree with the shortlist you can take it up in the comments.

Amy Winehouse: “For the kids who don’t like ‘mainstream’ pop,” says the Snarky Platypus. “Never mind the fact Amy is probably more mainstream than Dannii Minogue.” I trust his judgement in these things.
Anthony Callea: OK, OK, he’s fading fast. But it gives me a chance to make a pathetically gratuitous gay reference and waste 15 minutes looking at his photos. It was either him or Elton John, and there’s only so much my stomach can take.
Björk: Yes, her music’s bizarre, but she knows how to deal with intrusive journalists.
Britney Spears: Where to begin? She’s got it all! And it’d be polite to say something nice about her at the moment, she’s had a rough week.
Dannii Minogue (not pictured): Since she did so well in our poll for Governor-General, she must be included. I didn’t bother with her photo, though. Just look at Kylie, squint and grimace.
Kylie Minogue: Neighbours and Stock Aitken Waterman to… superstardom. Not even cancer can stop her! She even inspired our new national anthem.
Madonna: I suppose there’s some life still left in the old hag.
Melissa Tkautz: ~~“She is kinda obscure to non-Australians / trash pop culture junkies / E-Street watchers,” warns the Snarky Platypus.~~ “She’s kinda obscure to non-Australians,” warns the Snarky Platypus. “Actually, obscure to most people, except for trash pop culture junkies & E-Street watchers” However this gives us a chance to introduce Melissa to a wider audience. Read my lips! [Beware, there is rap. Sort of.]
Olivia Newton-John: Another oldie, but she’s the closing act for Mardi Gras this year so presumably someone thinks she’s worth it.
Someone else? Discuss!

As usual, go to the website to vote — scroll down to find the poll on the left-hand side.

Previous results: Most people reckon Australian of the Year is worth keeping, but only if they choose more relevant people. We shall return to this subject in December…

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

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New national anthem: “I am So an Aussie”

Stilgherrian — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 07:45:35 +0000

Today cartoonist Michael Leunig challenged us to write a new national anthem. His 54-word limit is a bit too limiting. So the Snarky Platypus and I have penned (well, typed) a new National Anthem for Australia.

Won’t you now sing with us? We know you all know the tune…

“I am So an Aussie”
to the tune of Kylie Minogue’s I Should Be So Lucky

Music: Mike Stock / Matt Aitken / Pete Waterman
©1988
Lyrics: Stilgherrian / “Snarky Platypus”
©2008 All Rights Reserved

[1a:]
In our Big Aussie Nation
There is no complication;
We watch cricket on Australia Day.
In back yards, a celebration
While coal mines of the nation
Are emptied as we play.

[1b:]
In our Big Aussie Nation:
No Re-con-cilition;
We just steal all the Abos’ land.
They’re Dreaming!
They hope we’ll give it back,
But Howard’s health attack
Will soon put stop to you.
She’s right, mate. It’s True Blue

[CHORUS:]
I am so an Aussie,
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!
I am so an Aussie, maaaaate!
I am so an Aussie,
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!
I am so an Aussie, maaaaate!

[2a:]
It’s a crazy kind of nation:
We face quite bad inflation,
Yet all our ports and roads are crap.
We’re still buying great big plasmas,
Ignoring credit dramas.
The fantasy will soon cave in.

[2b:]
In our Big Aussie Nation
There’s no discrimination;
We walk together hand in hand –
C’ept Muslims!
They fill us all with fear
‘Cos none of them drink beer,
And praying’s all they do.
She’s right, mate. It’s True Blue

[CHORUS:]

[BRIDGE:]
I am so an Aussie (an Aussie, an Aussie).
I am so an Aussie.
I, I, (I, I)
I am so an Aussie (an Aussie, an Aussie).
I am so an Aussie,
I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I

[1b:]
[CHORUS:]
[repeat & fade]

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Weekly Poll: Which woman for Governor-General?

Stilgherrian — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:53:01 +0000

Over the past few days we’ve been speculating about who’ll be Australia’s next Governor-General. Some high-profile folks reckon it should be a woman. So which of these nominees would you choose, and why? Vote at the website, and add your comments.

In alphabetical order of surname…

Marie Bashir, well-respected Governor of NSW and tireless worker for Aboriginal mental health.
Liz Ellis, former captain of the Australian netball team and solicitor.
Edna Everage, housewife superstar, actress and ambassador for Australian culture.
Julie Hammer, an electronics engineer and intelligence officer who blazed the trail for women in the air force.
Ja’mie King, dedicated fund-raiser and self-promoter. (Personally I think Ja’mie will eventually replace Dame Edna as our leading international celebrity.)
Dannii Minogue, because… oh, someone will think of a reason.
Kylie Minogue, pop princess and actress of renown.
Lowitja O’Donoghue, first chairwoman of the disbanded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.
… or someone else?

Previous results: Kevin Rudd becoming PM was the clear winner on first preferences at 52%, with The Chaser crashing APEC security a strong 2nd at 36%. The antic of footballer Ben Cousins was twice as important as Australia’s signing of the Kyoto protocol.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.