Climate Change, Style, More Maureen

GREEN

In Copenhagen the big Climate Change Conference has just wrapped up today. For a subject that is very important, believing in its current definition or not depending on your point of view, there is a typical, shameful human apathy. There is a typical human politics and price approach. Yes Folks it’s sadly all about politics, money and trust, or rather the lack of trust. You might be fervent in your belief the world is going to flood or parch. You might be a sceptic, not always an unhealthy approach, or you might be a disbeliever, which in my view makes very you stupid.

Yes folks we may or may not dry out or flood the planet but we sure as hell are polluting the shit out of it. And worse still we seem to be happy to be political about it rather than practically active. Let’s face it, if we act on pollution, diminishing natural non-renewable resources and ridiculous over population. we are acting on climate change. Maybe we are just going to start to clean up our filth and look for better ways to do things. There may be no greenhouse effect but there is filth.

Am I saying not to mine for iron ore or oil? No. Am I saying don’t tamper with genetics in any way? No. Am I saying don’t breed? No. Am I saying we could keep our planet going forever?
Hell Yes

Does it have to cost $100 billion? Probably not but it isn’t free. In the late 1960s I was in junior high school. We did a 13 stop pollution check on Melbourne’s Yarra River taking water samples, counting litter over square yards and learning what that meant. 30 years later we know what that means and we’ve cleaned up the river a bit. In London during the same period they’ve taken major steps to clean up the Thames. In Bhopal India the remnants of one of the worst industrial accidents on the planet hasn’t been cleaned up. 20 years later the land and the people suffer appallingly to this day.

So we know we need to act now, if not sooner. Call it what you will if not Climate Change, I don’t care. Just do something. The developed nations (the western world), the BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India China), the developing nations (Africa, South America, etc), just do something because you can. If you want to continue to hide behind politics then make that work for you. Lead the way and you will be rewarded with personal and national health, money ands stability.
Hell Yes

Thanks NASA for the Earthlights pic

STYLE

Now on a brighter note, and it shouldn’t need to be that, you need to have a look at Planet Fabulon. Its huge blog site with connections to everywhere and it’s all about style. It’s about ay kind of style for any kind of person. Old clothes and new, old furniture and new, food, music, “the Arts”, you name it. Please! take a few moments to go there now, Bookmark it in your browser and go back from time to time and I promise you the time of your interweb curiosity life. You can stay a minute or an hour and find something FABULOUS.

PUPPETS

I remember people running around for 20 years saying Afghanistan was Russia's Vietnam.I remember hearing members of the broad political left across Australia and the western world saying bomb Binladen if you really must, then get out afterwards. I remember folks saying Sadam was a minor player on the world stage but a major controller in Iraq, leave him be. Woolfie, Rumsfeld, Pearle and the Jewish extreme right in the US didn't listen. A favourite of mine is the wonderful Maureen Dowd. Whether I agree with her or not she is an American commentator extraordinaire. I have referred to her before and here she is again. Have a look at this article and see what you think. Thankyou New York Times

Pictures and notes to finish the calendar year.

MEN

Here’s a picture of a lovely couple at Melbourne’s recent Beyond Party. It’s a little sexist (or is that patronising) of me to include it here and I hope I’m not treading on to much copyright but I find this picture gently pleasing. It’s a bit sensuous but not gratuitous. Who ever you are, you are very handsome.

DANCE

Finally I’d like to (commercially) perhaps point you to Youtube to look at this 5+ min clip or the wonderful remix of I Just Wanna F*kin Dance (from Jerry Springer the Opera) sung by the great Alison Jiear. The original 3 minute song can be found here also but the way the video clip for the remix has been put together is just a joy to watch and 90s style high energy remix is pretty damn foot tapping even if it’s normally your type of music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQs316I1awE&feature=player_embedded

(If it doesn't work for you go to YouTube and search Alison Jiear and select the dance remix)

JINGOISTIC BELLS

If you get I Santa or Hanukkah or some other take on the northern hemispherical winter solstices and manage a few days break or celebration, have the best you can. And do yourselves a favour, try not to limit it for a day or a week, have a go at goodwill to all for a whole year.

FINALLY…..

And remember NEVER be afraid to say WhaTFIT! (What The F**k is That?)
Expect an answer.

The moon, on-line magazines, shopping and N2N

I thought I’d open with this gorgeous picture courtesy of the NASA website. I’m not one for Halloween; it’s too sugary and overly commercial for my liking. Our cousins across the pacific ocean love it and it gets a run in Europe too. But this moon shot from that night is lovely.

While on things spacial what do you think is the average colour of the universe? Beige. Remarkable isn’t it? You don’t believe me? Well you should. Click here for the evidence where you can find the NASA website.


Mother Jones is a remarkable US on-line journal. A little to the political left, it’s remarkable because it’s open and broad it how it reports what it finds. In this environmental article there is a lot to learn. There isn’t much point in my retelling the story; better that you read it for yourself. But I will say it's possible glimpse into the carbon trading future if it gets abused by greed.

In the political centre is another smart piece of on-line journalism is The Nation. It’s worth checking this one regularly for a different approach to the world. Have a look at the small line below the header.

Let me know what you think, offer a comment.

I’ve taken time off this week and the weather has been warm as toast – till today. I’ve been around Melbourne to a few new, newish or developing places around the Docklands are on the city’s western edge.

Our wonderful version of the London Eye, which opened to great fanfare a year ago and lasted only a few short months till Black Saturday, Feb 7 2009 when it cracked because it couldn’t handle the heat, 46 degrees of heat to be exact. It’s almost dismantled now and there are differing stories on whether it’ll be rebuilt or discarded. It looks very sad but I can’t help but wonder how it managed to meet safety standards knowing we get some pretty hot days. In fact it struck me as stupid.

Next to it is another “factory outlet” string of shops called Harbour Town. Locally it’s been referred to as Ghost Town because no much goes there. No one much did when I was there Thursday either. So what do we do? We build another similar venture a kilometre away called Direct Factory Outlets. It’s all under cover and smells very new. But it’s the same as the other place. What is it with Melbourne and factory outlets? There’s a lot all around the suburbs and someone’s god must know why – I don’t. I see no value or [GFC] long term stimulus gain either. Just more empty retail space in a couple of years. I might be wrong, who can say, but I doubt it.

Having said that, I picked up a very smart silver bargain while I was there.


















N2N

Now let’s have a natter about Next to Normal, N2N as the show’s spin doctors and the Broadway press refer to it. Lets consider a musical that deals with “un-feel good” stuff. That’s unusual. Let’s deal with bi-polar disorder, teenage angst, the medical profession and let’s see what kind of musical that makes. If the crits are to be believed, pretty good. I’m not up with the music yet though I read it has a pop music edge. Will it work in Melbourne where the feel good musical and feel good performers are pretty much still expected? It’s not a big cast so I’m guessing it’d do a 2 or 4 week season at Theatreworks in St Kilda or Chapel of Chapel in Prahran, or somewhere similar on the north side. That could be a shame because even though I’ll catch up with it, most of Melbourne won’t and perhaps they should.

It's a good show Folks. And remember most of you heard it here first.

September 09 - Holidays and an AFL Finals Footy Result

A special note to start

One of my best girlfriends rushed off to Perth to attend to very sick family. I think all is slowly improving there, but Di, if you are on line, this picture of Laura Liney is for you. It's the nicest I could find. Thanks to starmedia.com.

I wrote this next piece a month ago and haven't quite got around to posting it, till now...

I’m back from Phuket Island, Thailand. Did you miss me?
You should have if you are sitting here for the second freezing cold windy “Spring” day here in Melbourne. Lucky if its 12 degrees outside, less with wind chill factor. Much Brrr sounds are occurring here in my room. And right after I’ve said “***ing ridiculous” for the 900th time.

In Phuket it was around 30 degrees most days, 22 or so at night. They just put me out on a few rocks in the morning to bask and brought me in at night – warmed through and still grinning. The catch for some folks is that it was 1,000% tropical humidity. Not a problem for me but not everyone likes it I admit.

It’s a strange place. So many people, many more than the 350,000 the last census there indicated. Coming from Australia where there isn’t people everywhere – city or country – it’s a culture shock and makes you wonder if there isn’t 1,000,000 on an island the size of Singapore. It’s remarkably cheap for tourists and the fresh seafood was glorious.

The number of folks that are constantly in your face trying to flog you stuff ain’t to good, bloody annoying after a while actually. Nor are the various gastric bugs doing the rounds and laying people out for a few days or more. When you live off anti diarrhoea it can’t be all that good for you. But it wasn’t to big a deal. You live with it.

Here’s couple of pictures including the endless line of Tuk Tuk [taxis]. These used to be converted motor bikes but are now baby vans. They take you around for 3/5s of 5/8s of bugger all dollars with a screaming 2 stroke engine. There’s well priced hotels that are a sanctuary from the infinite number of truly annoying street traders. There’s stereo typical tropical beaches, with baby elephants, gorgeous; and lots of rubbish on them. There's lots of tourists to be catered to, mostly average folks but a few embarrassingly ugly ones and it hurts me if they’re Aussies. And of course Ronald McDonald, in Thai pose, for the kiddies.

Geelong won it’s second premiership in 3 years but a couple of goals – 12 points. The sentimental St Kilda learning there is no prizes for coming second. Does that matter to me? No not really. Did I think Paul Chapman should have won the Man of the Match? No – I’d have parked that honour on Harry Taylor who kept one of the AFLs best (Nick Rewalt) in check most of the day.

Woofiest man for me was Max Rook. Here on the left is the big, often woolly, man with now retired Capt Tom Harley. Thanks to the Geelong Advertiser for the pic.

Quotes, Birthday Parties and Nuclear Dead-Shits

LIGHT TRAVELS FASTER THAN SOUND
THIS IS WHY SOME PEOPLE APPEAR BRIGHT
UNTIL YOU HEAR THEM SPEAK.

First you might think that funny, then maybe rather closer to the truth than you might like, but finally, off course, you know it’s just true. So your life goes on.

Ever hear of a American on-line journal called Mother Jones – it’s well worth a look folks.

Want to know what’s true? Really, horribly true? There’s a truly awful article in Mother Jones Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the current nuclear armed world. Between China, USA, Russia, France, Britain, Israel, Pakistan, India and [probably] North Korea, there are about 27,000 – that’s THOUSAND - active nuclear warheads. Enough to make you shit yourself if you really thought about it.

This is awful because so many countries that have these vile weapons are unstable – Pakistan, Israel, India and Russia in my opinion. The others are probably only marginally better because of their political ultra-right wing and One God religious extremists. Its enough to remind of my youthful anti-nuclear dedication and to seriously consider going back there.

After reading this article I’m giving thought to learning to fold an origami paper crane – the bird kind, not David Leavitt's Lost Language kind. Mind you that’s remarkable book in itself, which didn’t film so well because it got a bit to obscure.

On a brighter note and regular readers will know this column is not prone to nudity, though close to it sometimes. Here’s a dragon that caught my eye recently. It's real; there are other parts where I found this but not for now

I spend a weekend in Sydney recently at 40th birthday celebrations of two good friends recently. Laughed me tits off, I did. About so many things. Sometimes the health benefits of just getting away from routine and home can’t be under-estimated. I think most of the diverse crowd at the various activities from Friday night to Sunday lunchtime had lots of fun. There was an age range from early 20s to 86. Straights, Gays, Lesbians, Africans, Sri Lankans, Pilipinos, fair skinned red heads to ex-husband’s of drag queens to oka Aussie country boys. Imagine all that time together and no drama, no violence. Plenty of crude humour, lots of facial question marks, tons of learning; and all that wrapped up in a good time. And with good food and wine.

Soon I have to learn more about my Facebook site and how to use it better – and maybe even understand what it really does. So many others do, so belatedly I’ve decided some degree of “social networking” is for me. When I do I may even put a link to my Facebook page in here. We’ll see.

I’ll leave you with another lovely quote from someone or another -

“We’ll be friends until we are old and senile. Then we’ll be NEW friends”

August Footy and a break away.

I thought I’d start with a bit of beefcake today. I’ve no idea who he is, when or where this was taken. He’s not a train or a robot or anything to do with queer history. He’s not politics, community support or self reliance; he’s just so *#@^en HOT – to me!



What do you think?

Off to Thailand for a couple of weeks. Last time I was there I passed through Bangkok and hated it. It stank and was crowded and I’d never seen a gnarled beggar before. I was also going to the USA which was nice and “white”. A variation on a local theme you might say. I went to San Francisco and Seattle and several places in between. Met some great folks along the way too. It was a long time ago, 24 years ago in fact, and I’m reliably assured things have changed in Thailand.

As the overseas trip looms, it’s only about a month away now, I’m ready for it. A bit day to day tired and loosing interest in it all. This trip is about rest and time with three of my best friends. Do I want to do the sex bars? Nup, but I will – I’m told one has to take a look at these things, see what it’s all about. Know what I mean?

My footy team’s doing OK – reasonably well actually. For those of you in the know I’m a Collingwood supporter. A Black and White fan, Go the Magpies and all that. Have a look. I fancy our captain, Nick Maxwell, and afew of the others too. But we have this habit of always getting into the finals and always loosing.

Last Grand Final we won was in 1990 – long time ago huh? There’s lot of us Pies supporters where I work. Most are much more positive than me and most are much more supportive of our senior coach Mick Malthouse than I am. We’ve paid him a lot of money over a lot of years to not win, and sometimes when we really should’ve. I’m well known in the office for my mantra of three seasons now “Get rid of ‘im”. Still this time in 8 weeks (or less) and I guess we’ll know. And we’re stuck with him for another couple of years apparently too. St Kilda and (once again) Geelong are the looming threats this year. Watch out for the Bulldogs too, though maybe another year or two for them yet.
Here’s another little surprise – note the jumper, I want one.

The other comment of note at the moment is the struggle with tobacco. I did well for several weeks in May and June without any but over the last few weeks I’ve crumbled. It’s odd really because I can be such a stubborn and determined bastard most of the time, but this tobacco thing is just tough. And it’s been a part of my life for over 35 years! If you don’t smoke, don’t ever start! Trust me on this one if nothing else.

Moon Landings, Cullens, Speeding, You're responsilble

Well it’s been a little while since you last heard from me. I’ve had a nasty little cold which forced me to miss the Jersey Boys musical here in Melbourne. Imagine my annoyance. It takes a bit to make me voluntarily miss the theatre. No matter I’ve re-booked for 6 weeks time.

But I went to a truly splendid dinner last week hosted by Cullen Wines of Margaret River in Western Australia held at the Taxi restaurant in Federation Square here in Melbourne. We had glorious food, and my favourite was the salmon smoked in hickory wood chips. This taste was something special, something like I’ve never had before, and I’ve tried a lot of food over the years. My two wondrous girlfriends and I (and some other ordinary humans) were hosted by the lovely Vanya Cullen. Daughter of the original planters, this woman knows her stuff when it comes to grape magic. And like the earth the vines grow in she’s fertile in mind and rubenesque in body. Goodo I say, no one likes a foodie-plonko to be a stick insect.

I’m going to leave you to investigate the links in the text for more detail. But look at this picture of Vanya. It should spike your interest.

Now its bitch about something time. It’s time to say that I’m just so sick of people not taking responsibility for themselves and their actions. Here’s some examples:

A. I was listening to a couple of guys on late night Joy Radio saying how bad concert [and sport] ticket scalping is; what a rip of it is. Know what boys – if someone is stupid enough to pay scalpers prices they deserve to be ripped off. In typical generation X fashion they were talking about people just having to go see someone in concert. Wrong – no one HAS to go. Truth be told you can probably buy a DVD with better sound and vision than a 10,000 seat convertible basketball stadium. If people didn’t pay scalper prices the scalper market would collapse. After one or two big looses they’d just give up. You people who buy from them make the market what it is.

B. Recently here in Melbourne a father committed suicide after allegedly brutalising a small baby. Once again the Community Services Dept are at fault and children need more protection – at tax payer expense. Wrong again – the community can only do so much. The rest is about parents taking responsibility for their own actions. And that’s most of the time. Occasionally one thing will slip through the net and that’s sad but human tragedy; the way it always has been.

C. There’s an increase in speed cameras. Guess what? It’s apparently a revenue raiser. I guess that fact that it saves lives only matters if it’s someone you know and love. Were you really speeding, taking the risk of the fine? Yes? Well guess what? It’s your problem. Deal with it, pay up or don’t speed. There might a faulty camera but mostly not so don’t reel out that old line. Would I like it? No way, I’d hate getting the fine, but I have to take responsibility for my own actions. Generally women drive slower than men, guess what – they get less fines and have less serious accidents – Golly.

About this time it’s the 40th anniversary of the Yanks landing on the moon. I’m leaving aside Capricorn One and the other conspiracy theories, that’s up to you to decide on. In the meantime you could go to www.blogjam.com/neil_armstrong for some slightly blue giggles about what Neil said when he landed. Or you could go to http://www.criagnelson.us/ and follow the links to the blog and the 25 things you [probably] didn’t know about Apollo 11 and the journey.

Here’s a few tempting morsels of info though:

1. The Computers on Apollo 11 had LESS power than today’s mobile phones.

2. Mike Collins, in the craft orbiting overhead lost the guys on tranquillity base. Well he didn’t exactly loose them; they just didn’t land anywhere near where they were supposed to. Mission control asked him if he’d given up looking and in good old Ameri-speak he said “affirmative”.

3. Since 1981 the Pentagon’s annual space budget has been bigger than NASAs. This actually made me laugh out loud when I read it.

If that doesn’t whet your appetite to find out more you probably weren’t interested in the first place.

Moving right along then, I see more mindless idiots are blowing up hotels in Indonesia, thought to be in name of some sort of Islamic god. You know I have great pity for these suicide bombers. They are so weak willed that they allow themselves to be brainwashed into believing this I a good thing. I can’t hate them, they are just so piss weak it’s not possible to say it’s their own fault. Now their brainwashers - that’s a different story. These people know good greedy manipulating when they see it. It makes them lots of money too! The only other reason possible is ego. Funny how both likelihoods are share this domain of the good Christian and Jewish fanatic, people who minions are also mindlessly and easily manipulated.

How sad. These religions once gave the world wonderful joys. Islam once had the biggest libraries and universities in the world – open to and shared with all. They built glorious buildings, just like Christians once did, albeit not always on the highest hill around town. The Jews taught the rest of the world much about survival and fabulous food.

All this greed is such a waste. I suspect it’s partly human nature too. So, do I expect to get fire bombed here at home – maybe, or have the Christians demonstrating at my front gate perhaps? Still it would tell me that someone is paying attention. Wonder if any of this would since in though?

Big Deals

Michael Jackson died and I don't care. Haven't cared since Off the Wall which was an amazing album. After that it was all down hill and boring to me. King of Pop? No, deposed (or out moded) years ago and there's been umteen since him. See Ya Michael.


On a more relevant note to the 21st century I'm enjoying a Douglas Adams revival at the moment. The wondrous man wrote the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency books and quite a bit of other astute, witty and grammatically correct stuff. With Douglas there was a truck load of brilliance lost at a young age, must be 15 years ago now - maybe more. As that peculiar Molly Meldrum would say "do yourselves a favour" and look up his writings. Check out such amazing men as Slartibartfast and Marvin the Paranoid Android (pictured here from the TV series).






I really have no idea if anyone is reading this stuff, no one sends m a message. But do I care? Nup, well maybe a little bit.

Bloody Stonewall Again

I wanted to look sharp and feel good about “doing the right thing” this week. I don’t want anyone to hit me for copyright infringement. I got in touch with the New York Times by email and asked if I could link to a specific article and use a 1969 photo. I wondered if I would be told I’d have to use Harvard referencing in my article. I couldn’t get that right in 18 months at university and I live in fear of its total impracticality now. That’s why I use square brackets or footnotes.


Not withstanding that however, I really haven’t got a bloody clue what the outcome is.

I got reply from Pam telling me to see the FAQ and I’m sure Pam writes to a lot of people’s enquiries! So anyway, of I go the FAQ and I understood it told me I could link, no problem, and that I could use the photo if I registered as a member with them which is free. So I registered. I’m not a lawyer but I can follow basic English. But to be sure I wrote to them again because I wanted to tell you that it isn’t all that hard or expensive to get permission. But unfortunately, it is!!! I set out what I understood they wanted me to do and that I had registered. I got the same reply to see the FAQ.

So frankly folks I’m rubber-ducked if I know if I’ve done the right thing here. If not, and if they see what I’ve used they can just ask me to remove it. While they’re at it perhaps the NY Times might make there FAQ a little simpler. And let that be a lesson to others in the copyright business. Keep it simple; use short, clear and simple sentences.

In a few days its Stonewall time. Yep, they old bastard is nagging about that again. But there is a good short article in the New York Times, well worth a read. Here’s the link to it and here’s a lovely little black and white photo from 1969 of the unassuming little bar. Select the Lens Blog link in the article for more pics

Here’s a link to an article in the Sydney Star Observer which might help Gen X and Gen Y kiddies with a contemporary perspective. It doesn’t use the words Like or Awesome or the phrase Yeah/No but it’s valuable stuff

Should the SSO or NYTimes have a problem please let me know and I will amend the log as soon as I can. There will be no need to thank me for the free publicity.

Why is all this so important? Well I can only offer you my opinion but no mater what you think n the GLT community they’ve done more for us than anyone. Cognoscenti may be aware of various European countries that were always way ahead but our Govt, and indeed the British, weren’t. They took there queues and largely still do (in so many things) from the Yanks. 40 years ago these brave trannies, poofs and dykes stood up, got bashed by the cops and stood up again for their own rights and for generations to come - US, NOW. Mardi Gras prime timers did it all again in Sydney some years later but the movement was already off and running.

That’s why it’s so important to me. And perhaps why it should be something you think about to.

Words, Help and more Trains

I have a bit of a problem with illogical misuse and unnecessary stupid word evolution in the English language. I understand the French took a hardline approach some years ago over the same thing in their language. Good for them I say. There is always room for growth and development; to think otherwise would be stupid, but mashing the language is just unacceptable.

· For example, listen for the use of the phrase “Yeah No”. There has been an appalling rise in the use of this oxymoron over the last couple of years and worse still, people pretend to understand it and continue to allow its use to go unchallenged. It’s occurring in the media now – even on the ABC – and goes unchallenged. It’s shameful tacit promotion.
· I read the word “productionized” recently. What does that mean? Is it past tense for production? Not in where I read it, prefaced as it was with “to be…”. Fortunately it was in my work place on a document about to be published. I made it clear this was ridiculous, the paper was reviewed and the meaningless junk word removed.
· It’s too late for “functionality”. This sad and unnecessary suffix added to the word “function” only adds letters and extends the language, it does nothing for the meaning.

Australians generally are now saying bathroom when they mean toilet. Toilet is not slang, nor is it an expletive. This is learned behaviour from overseas. Here’s another, passed on is getting used instead of dead. Dead is not offensive or even incorrect. We started saying pregnant in the 70’s. That’s ordinary real language; will we go back to saying “with child”?

It’s all bloody ridiculous – get over it young Aussies. Speak properly, use our slang if you want but not rubbish words or meaningless backward looking crap!

Gay and Lesbian Switchboard in Victoria and [now] Tasmania is one of 5 such services around the country. For years “Switch” like its sister organisations does and amazingly wonderful job on a shoe string budget. You can easily find them if you need to talk to someone – confidentially. Just talking can make a difference, it might start someone on the road to repair, or it can just give them a break from whatever’s the matter. That can’t be bad.

If you see your local Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service spruiking for a little money – give them some. It’s tax deductible too, here in Aus anyway.

And it wouldn’t be me without a picture. Here’s one from Normanton in the North Western Gulf Country of Queensland. It’s the amazing Gulflander ; little RM 60 not RM 93, its big brother that does the Croydon run once a week. I rode both in 2008. What a gorgeous train, friendly people, wonderful and astonishingly outback country; it’s just plain different.

What’s in an Angle?

This time I thought we could look at a few interesting photos.

Once upon a time there was an Aussie prime minister and his treasurer who lasted over 10 years in those positions. The prime minister has his back to the camera in this little parliamentary snap shot. There was, from time to time, some conjecture about who was in control.

While I’m not rugby fan this man caught my eye. There are plenty of pictures of him on the interweb in various stages of undress and while nice, very nice in fact, I found his smile to good to overlook here and just provide a tease about the rest of him. I suspect that with a name like Ben Cohen he may not always comfortably tour the Middle East, but that’s their loss.

So why these pics?

Well let’s look at the men in suits running a country.
· Firstly there’s always an angle on the way anything can be viewed. This is a camera angle creating a range of possibilities.
· Then there’s the way a viewers mind can perceive an angle. For some, including me, there is a very obvious aspect – fellatio. But there’s also sub text on power and control that could be read into it.
· Finally for me, taking all the above into account, it’s just plain funny.

There is a goodly metaphor in all this. All three points can apply to anything in life and can be applied by anyone.
1. How we see some thing, albeit from a single angle or multiple points, can be from influenced by how we were brought up and what has happened to us over our life.
2. How we interpret things is the same, it’s about views and angles.
3. What’s funny, sad, provocative or pleasing is all too often overlooked too. Sometimes we do things or respond emotionally “just because”.

Then there’s Ben Cohen. Aesthetics is all this is about for me. And you could say that my point three above is a reflection of just this.

NB. I can’t locate the photo authors or owners so if copyright is a problem please let me know and I will remove them.

Trains and the Radio - a familiar theme in time to come.

This little creature is a Walker class railmotor. It's home in 2009 is in Healesville near Melbourne with the wonderful folks at the Yarra Valley railway. (I hope they are proud of me using this image.) It's blue and yellow livery served Victorian Railways for many decades. To me it's a divine little creature. Thankfully it survived Black Saturday last February AND (bonus) it has a working cousin in Daylesford in central Victoria. Both tracks suffered damage which will take time and money to repair.

There'll be more railmotors and train stuff here in the next few weeks. How wonderful!

In the meantime I note that our local community radio station, Joy Melbourne, the only full time gay and lesbian community broadcaster in the word, is about to have its annual radiothon. If you listen to Joy here in Melbourne or anywhere around the world on the "Interweb" you can support them. I'm not a volunteer but I am a member so I'm happy to promote them. Have a look at ww.joy.org.au

June 28-30 sees 40 years since since the Stonewall Inn riots in New York NY. It is considered by many to be a pivotal moment and significant to the modern queer liberation movement. Much of the "western" world has moved forward since then but there is still a lot to do. Always make sure you are OUT and proud. Where others can't (or won't) you can. If in doubt look around the web, book shops and libraries, to see what you can find out. Here in Aus there are people who still have a lot to offer in education, not the least our pioneering author Dennis Altman.

The starting point

Seems like the start of the southern hemisphere's winter is about the best time going to get a new blog. So by the time I get this published it'll be 01 June 09 and if you haven't got your lambswool lined underwear out, gently washed, fluffed and ready to go - well you should have !!!! Much less is not natural here in winter in Melbourne Australia.



From the half century of my history this column could include anything from music theatre, opera, electro and trance music or the odd jazz reference. There might be stuff about books, friends and slightly left of centre politically UN-correct or incorrect comment. GLBTI things may be prominent! Mono theisetic religions may also get recognition from time to time and it's unlikely to be favourable. You might get a laugh and be interested, you might think me wrong, but stay around anyway.



Then again you be bored or you might hate what I say. Thats OK though, you will not miss me when you don't return will you? And you certainly won't have time to be offended.



So stay tuned in the future and see what happens.