I'm old enough to know that I don't have any answers, but that won't stop me talking
At the time of the South Sea Bubble in the 18th Century, Dr Brian May lookalike Sir Isaac Newton is quoted as saying: “I can calculate the movement of the stars, but not the madness of men”. Sir Isaac was also a shareholder in the South Sea company, but I am not sure whether he …
Continue reading “Observations on the madness of men and markets…”
When I was browsing Wikipedia just before, I saw a featured article on the title page which was just too bizarre for me to pass up: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Asakai Yes, if you have clicked on that link and read it, this is an account of a virtual battle in cyberspace, not about alleged Communist Chinese hackers trying …
Continue reading “Ready Player One Million: The Ultimate First World Problem?”
A few months ago (and where has the year gone?) I wrote something about how countries like the USA are able to inspire their musicians to write songs about their cities and homes which are clearly linked to their geography, but which are un-self-conscious about it, New York City being a prime example. Australia is …
Continue reading “Unselfconscious Songs about the Australian Way of Life”
This weekend marks the resumption of the Australian Football League’s 2020 Premiership season. The AFL Club I support is the Footscray Football Club, which has, for the past 23 years, played as the Western Bulldogs. This is not exactly surprising, given I am one of those people who, born and raised in Footscray, see themselves …
Continue reading “AFL Season Resumes: I am not a footy tragic, or am I?”
I liked Return of the Jedi when it came out. I suppose I still do, although I have not bothered seeing it again for many years. But I suppose it was when George Lucas jumped the shark as far as balancing the cutesy merchandising and kiddie gimmickry. R2D2 and his sidekick C3P0 work well together, …
I was born in 1969, which makes me part of the elder third of Generation X, which demographers assert as starting in 1965. That makes Bret Easton Ellis and his most famous character, the anti-heroic Patrick Bateman, Baby Boomers. Somehow I am glad about that. I have been listening to Huey Lewis and the News …
I first was introduced to George Orwell at age 13. There was that favourite older cousin the English teacher who kept recommending things (although I think that Orwell is on a different level to John Wyndham really…) who encouraged me to read 1984 and Animal Farm. I fear 13 year olds are still too young …
Continue reading “Zadie Smith – An Essayist on the Hitchens/Orwell Plain?”
I just saw an ad for Big Brother – a very nasty and narcissistic reality TV show which makes its way around the networks like a virus. First Ten, then Nine, now Seven. The people are not shy physically, and they are not exactly shy emotionally. People want to be on that show, fine. People …
“Not for the love of women toil we, we of the craft, Not for the people’s praise. Only because our Goddess made us her own, and laughed, Claiming us all our days.” Thus starts Song of the Pen, a short but beautiful autobiographical poem written by one of Australia’s greatest poets, Banjo Patterson. It is …
Continue reading “Not My Darling Clementine…. (What is good for the gander is good for the goose)”
As a child, I used to watch a lot of old Warner Brothers cartoons on the TV. Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies etc. Mostly they were organised into either The Bugs Bunny Show or The Porky Pig Show. And some were The Road Runner Show. Wile E Coyote, the hapless protagonist of the Road Runner Show, …
Continue reading “The Wile E Coyote Syndrome – Making Sense of the Share Market”
Lost For Words!