Word-whore. I write 'em. I talk 'em. Information, politics, media, and the cybers. I drink. I use bad words. All publication is a political act. All communication is propaganda. All art is pornography. All business is personal. All hail Eris! Vive les poissons rouges sauvages!
With news last night that John Howard has returned to Canberra — yes, it looks like the actual election campaign will finally get under way! — I reckon I’ll be writing a bunch about politics for the next few weeks. Nothing wrong with that: we are deciding who’ll lead the nation! Before I write today’s essay, though, I simply must post this cartoon. Thanks to Alextremist for the pointer, and The Australian for the original.
After lunch today, this is what my email inbox looked like. I know the folks at New Matilda wouldn’t be big fans of News Limited columnist Piers Ackerman, but this!
I’ve previously posted a similar faux pas.
John Howard meets Led Zeppelin? This music video is actually rather well produced. The YouTube election campaign will be interesting, methinks!
This video — and the others by Cyrius01 — raise an interesting issue about “political advertising”. Note that there’s no “written and authorised by” blurb at the end. Does that matter? Or is this really just “a citizen expressing an opinion”, as he might over a pint at the local pub?
It used to be that producing and distributing “political advertising” took money, and plenty of it. Now, the means of production are in everyone’s hands, and the means of distribution, like YouTube, are there for the taking too. No longer is Davo’s incredibly amusing impersonation of George W Bush confined to the front bar — 15 minutes later it’s online for the world to see. And yet our rules on political advertising are still stuck in the 20th Century.
Clearly something needs to be changed, somehow — but how?
[Update 1200 midday: This is now Crikey‘s Video of the Day.]
Excellent. The Bible (you may have heard of it?) is being translated into LOLcat.
1. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat was invisible, and he maded the skiez and da earths, but he did not eated it.
2. The earths wus witout shapez and wus dark and scary and stuffs, and he rode invisible bike over teh waterz.
3. And Ceiling Cat sayz, i can has light? and teh light wuz.
A piece of stencil art spotted in Wellington, New Zealand. Is this being too cruel to NZ Prime Minister Helen Clark?
Via Alextremist and joemax. I’ve posted other stencil art too.
Prague is bidding for the 2016 Olympics, but this sample from their English-language website indicates they may have a problem convincing the IOC:
Thanks, do you big propagator sport became a top marshal president Tomáše Garrigua Masaryka, go everything like after steel wool.
At which time Prague begun peep at peas in years 1932 and 1936. “but while before for action inspire with politicians and people, in thirtieth years nobody after peas doesn’t want. Whole it go out taperingly,†says Francis wheelwright.
Big neighbour Prague overprint and Czech backing her stay only eyes for cry.
Then set in metropolis Olympic silence, which a little comminute-vibrated focus high Tater about winter games.
Thanks to Ivan Trundle for the pointer. He observes: “The irony of it all is that the site is translated by ‘robot’ — the one Czech word that has made it into the English language.”
