GUARANTEED 99 PERCENT FREE OF GILLARD AND RUDD * LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE OLD AT HEART * THE ETHICS OF DECENCY * CHINESE WHISPERS TURN TO SHRIEKS * THE OTHER ONE PERCENT * THE PAC-MAN COMETH LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE OLD AT HEART They are now employing such young people in America’s Silicon [...]
*CRANKY WHEN HEATED *THE PARTY POOPER IN ME *RUDE WHEN WET *ANIMALS DO IT BETTER CRANKY WHEN HEATED On Tuesday, on the radio, I heard broadcaster Phillip Adams giving a tribute to writer Christopher Hitchens who died in December. Adams commented casually that Hitchens had lost many friends over his pro-Iraq war stance. Adams said [...]
* WHEN WERE THE SIXTIES REALLY? * JONATHAN HOLMES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING RIGHT * WHEN HARRY MET RITA WHEN WERE THE SIXTIES REALLY? You want polarisation? Forget the carbon tax, gay marriage, exporting uranium to India. Start talking about the Sixties. Half a century later, people still argue about their impact and message. [...]
IS BLINDNESS A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE? BLIND EYE AT THE TELESCOPE? CANARIES ONE; FROGS ZERO JOKING YOUR WAY TO THE TOP THE RIGHTS OF TROUSERS BLIND EYE AT THE TELESCOPE? Given all the hoo-hah, puffing and faffing on-line about Robert Manne’s Quarterly Essay, Bad News, in which he delivers several karate chops to the kidneys, loins [...]
MESSING WITH OUR HEADS THE CASSANDRA COMPLEX BURQA REDUX THE NAZI BY THE BED GIVE PEDESTRIANS A CHANCE DEATH AND THE CANTEEN THE CASSANDRA COMPLEX Nearly all columnists and commentators are cursed. That is, most will be visited at some stage by Cassandra. They will predict the future accurately – but their prediction will be [...]
WHAT DO CHARITIES AND SAUSAGES HAVE IN COMMON? THE VIEW FROM THE POINTY END MY LIFE AS A COUNTERFEITER BABES IN ARMS HORIZONTAL DANCING IN THE VERTICAL POSITION WHAT DO CHARITIES AND SAUSAGES HAVE IN COMMON? A tiny dog arrived in my house several weeks ago. He almost broke my heart. The little dog was [...]
THE POLITICS OF 'AGIN AND AGINST' * JUDGEMENT CALLS IN LITERARY PRIZES * BALANCING ACTS * THE ONE WORD WOMEN REALLY HATE * BABY, IT’S HOT OUTSIDE JUDGEMENT CALLS If you want to know how polarised a society’s politics have become, check out who is winning its prizes. And why. On Monday night, the judges [...]
IT’S ALL ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY – AND DON’T SAY * IF YOU LOVE THE ABC, SPEAK NOW * STALIN AND THE CLOSE-LIPPED AMERICANS * WE HAF WAYS OF MAKING YOU NOT TALK * SPEAKING OF RACING TO THE BOTTOM * TWO LEGS GOOD, FURRY LEGS BAD IF YOU LOVE THE ABC, SPEAK NOW One [...]
IF A WOMAN SPEAKS, BUT NO MAN HAS HEARD HER, HAS SHE ACTUALLY SPOKEN? YOU CALL THAT A CELEBRATION? THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE MALE EAR CREEP-ING TO THE TOP PRETTY YOUNG WOMEN AND VERY IMPORTANT MEN You call that a celebration? It’s a tribute to the resilience and good humour of women that there [...]
CHINESE WHISPERS AND WAY TOO MUCH TORTURE CONFUCIUS TAKES A TIP FROM THE JESUITS POLITICS TRUMPS LOGIC THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT SOMETHING OR RATHER CONFUCIUS TAKES A TIP FROM THE JESUITS Gripping story in The Sun-Herald last weekend; pity no-one seems to have followed it up although the mandarins at the NSW Education Department must [...]