Archive for category World
Runs and rupees
Posted by eN0ch in Letters, Politics and society, The Age, World on 6 January 2012
“Should Australia continue to increase its economic ties with India?” (The Age, Reader poll, 5/1) Well absolutely, if Clarke keeps batting like this.
The voice of experience
Posted by eN0ch in Letters, Politics and society, The Age, World on 15 December 2011
Two PMs? We know all about it. But how many independents?
King Warnie
Posted by eN0ch in Letters, Politics and society, The Age, World on 11 February 2011
Whoever first dubbed Shane Warne “the King of Spin” spoke more than they knew. Move over, Will & Kate. No offence intended toward our esteemed constitutional monarchy, but we just don’t need to salivate over a royal wedding on the other side of the world when we now have one in the offing in our own backyard. The Warnie-Hurley caper has everything a royal gossip columnist could want.
A mansion for starters. Not Buck House, granted. But it looks similar enough. And the gaggle of journos out the front would pass for a horde of tourists at the changing of the guard. And then there’s the actress, the rich no-longer-married playboy who seems to get around, the dark luxury car, the golf club, the pursuing paparazzi contingent, the bookmakers’ punts on the nuptials, the wire-tapping. (They call it Twitter these days. I’m sure Charles and Camilla would have used it if it was around then. With 140 characters they’d just have left some bits out.) No corgis sighted yet, but I’m sure they’re out the back.
We’ve got it all. Forget the republic. Monarchy’s much more fun.
Leading flick
Posted by eN0ch in Politics and society, World on 14 January 2011
A number of friends have raved on Twitter, Facebook and blogs about the new movie “The King’s Speech“, describing it as a must see. As a self-confessed film dork who bombs out on every movie-related trivia question, I wondered what the fuss was about. But having just returned from watching it with a family member, I wonder no more. It really is a must see! (And that from one who cinematically is essentially brain-dead.)
Anyone who finds themselves in leadership, feeling totally inadequate and/or wanting to run away, anyone close to such a person, and certainly anyone who in some sense mentors leaders, simply has to see this. The film well and truly “got to” me on all of those levels and more, at the end – not that I wasn’t gripped well before that.
For those who happen to be followers of Jesus, echoes of many human leaders in the Bible itself, and down through Christian history, leap out of many scenes. Open your Bible .. start with Moses .. swing over to Jeremiah, Samuel, Solomon, Peter .. close the Bible, and keep going. This would be a fabulous flick for a nervous leader and their new mentor to watch together.
Oh, and it even kindles a few sparks of Aussie pride (of the good kind) too. Perhaps a timely antidote to ashes melancholy …
God-talk on Facebook
When truth leaks no one stays dry
Posted by eN0ch in Letters, Politics and society, The Age, World on 10 December 2010
The first flush of WikiLeaking has awoken the world. But in the scramble to untangle the cables, response to the leaker has been anything but nuanced. The most talkative will canonise Julian Assange if the most powerful don’t lynch him first.
On the balance of probability however, history will judge him neither the Messiah nor an especially naughty boy. In human affairs the truth is rarely if ever that simple. For instance, words or phrases like “democracy”, “freedom of speech” or “public accountability” look grand on placards and make fine seasoning in speeches. But who among democracy’s most passionate soldiers would not be on the phone to their lawyer like a rat up a drainpipe, if one of their own ill-judged deeds or utterances were made known in the wrong circles? Accountability is at its best when farthest from home.
Two realities must be held together in this age of unshackled information. Anyone who imagines that inconvenient truths can be kept hidden forever, is a fool. But when truth leaks no one stays dry.
On Kyi
Posted by eN0ch in Letters, Politics and society, The Age, World on 15 November 2010
Confucius say: Better to be oppressed with Suu Kyi than free with Myki
Washed out?
Is it true that Paul strangled himself after a washed out cricket match in India?
What can Johnny do now?
Posted by eN0ch in Letters, Politics and society, The Age, World on 1 July 2010
Appeal to the 3rd umpire.
Use a runner.
Carry the drinks.
Appeal against the light.
Retire hurt.
Bowl underarm.
Count the seagulls.
Find a beachball.
Join the Mexican wave.
Reinventing Copenhagen
Global climate change treaty looking doubtful? Well not to worry. The seas will eventually reclaim all the world’s industrial sites, and then it won’t matter. But Copenhagen needn’t go down as another week of happy snaps and silly clothes. I propose an alternate agenda:
- sport: some swimming lessons wouldn’t go astray. And how about a water polo world cup?
- trade: a global exchange in rubber life rafts, fishing rods and mosquito repellant.
- construction: relocate UN headquarters to Quito, Ecuador (altitude 2850 m)
- military: strengthen naval defences. 3 or 4 life rafts per continent should do it.
Or failing agreement:
- a new age of discovery: if NASA get their skates on maybe we can find another planet somewhere and start again. (Yeah I know – we’ll wreck that one too, but at least it buys us some time … )
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