OK, perhaps I have a pro-Crikey bias. But I reckon their First Dog on the Moon cartoons are awesome. Yesterdays, showing John Howard in retirement, has been re-published at Lavartus Prodeo. Enjoy!
New Matilda returns, looking spiffy
The very fine public policy website New Matilda returns today with a great new design. It’s all free to read. It’s wonderful. And I’m not just saying that because I wrote an article for them in 2004.
The Madness of Corey Worthington Delaney
The Corey Worthington Delaney story symbolises everything that’s bad about our mainstream media.
They simplify everything into a simple binary questions of good versus bad. They give this attention-seeking waste of carbon atoms exactly what he wants: the oxygen of media attention. And they get basic facts wrong just to make a catchy headline.
OK, I’m giving him oxygen too. And I’ll be honest, I’m revelling in the glory of such a moron becoming Australia’s new global representative. But here’s what I don’t like about it.
First, Corey doesn’t face a $20,000 bill. That’s just a number being kicked around indicating the cost of the police operation to shut down his elegant soirée.
Listing my media output
I’ve just added a page to my website listing all of the media output I’ve generated over the years, not counting lots and lots of postings online. Is anything missing?
Fiddlers at Kelly’s
’Pong and I are having dinner at Kelly’s on King, and voilá, there are musicians at our table. It almost makes up for the free Wi-Fi running out at 7pm and having to roll our our Internet connectivity via my phone (which also took the picture).
Corey Delaney, freedom fighter (for the right to party)
I’m pretty sure I know why my story about “protecting kids on the Internet” was bumped from Crikey today. How can I possibly compete with a newsmaker like Corey Worthington Delaney (pictured)? And how can I possibly compete with Crikey‘s comprehensive coverage of this new Australian success story?
It’s not so much about protecting kids from the Internet, but protecting the Internet (and us!) from Corey.
Any promoter would be pleased with a turnout of 500 for a simple house party with no outlays, just an invite sent out on MySpace. But then a helicopter arrived on the scene, some police cars got damaged, Mr and Mrs Delaney found out, the neighbours were p-ssed off and the Police Commissioner called a press conference.
It looked like Corey was set to be devoured by a salivating news pack. The sixteen-year-old came with shades, a naked friend running down the street, a pink doona doubling as sarong, and the quote “I can’t remember. I was just off my head”.
Crikey lists much of the good media coverage — including a talkback caller who somehow managed to blame John Howard. For me, though, the highlights are The 7.30 Report‘s serious piece (including child psychologist and police youth worker), and A Current Affair‘s Leila McKinnon doing the extended interview (where they get his name wrong).
The irony is, today the Victorian claim their tougher new powers to target rowdy behaviour around Melbourne nightspots have been a great success.
[Update 16 January 2005: I’ve changed Corey’s surname from “Delaney” to “Worthington”. Apparently Delaney is his parents’ surname but not his. Or something.]