Australia’s Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock says new laws will give a limited form of protection to journalists who comply with their code of ethics by refusing to reveal their sources in court. Like all such things, I’m sure the devil will be in the details… watch this space!
The Beast is Dead
Foxtel recorded the last episode of Beauty & the Beast last week. Good riddance. That’s one less outlet for the toxic opinions of Stan Zemanek. It’s also an end for a program which, since 1964, has institutionalized sexism by apparently requiring four “lightweight” opinions from women to “balance” one strong, solid man. How about we replace it with A Beauty and the Beasts, a panel show hosted by, oh, Germaine Greer balanced out by Richard Wilkins, Jamie Durie, Anthony Callea and Eddie Maguire. Any other suggestions?
Sydney Writers Festival from tomorrow
The Sydney Writers Festival starts tomorrow and runs all next week. I’m impressed with their website: a minimalist design which actually concentrates on the content — words!
Obsessing about Dr Strangelove
Without a doubt, Dr Strangelove is an important Cold War satire — especially since the psychotic Jack D Ripper character is based on the rather scary real-world head of Strategic Air Command, Curtis LeMay. [1] But Toronto-based artist Kristan Horton’s obsession with Dr Strangelove is something else again…
Chardonnay comeback?
Maybe my send-up of “Chardonnay cool” was behind the times. According to Winestate magazine, “membership of the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) Club is dwindling, with Australian chardonnay making a fighting comeback from its beleaguered, TV-inspired Kath and Kim ‘Cardonnay’ reputation.”
Sydney Film Festival: what to see?
The Sydney Film Festival starts in a little over a week. How do you choose from more than 300 films to see?