iconophilia » READING, LOOKING

…our authentic Tony Palin?

Nigel — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:36:55 +0000

There are unsettling parallels, suggests Jeff Sparrow at newmatilda.com. “…if Abbott is so authentic, how do we explain the wild policy lurches that have characterised his leadership — flip-flops often in blatant contradiction to his supposed core principles? And why, despite these glaring inconsistencies, have the media largely assisted Abbott in the construction of his image as a genuine guy?”

“Call it the “Palin effect”. When Governor Sarah Palin first burst upon the US election, her gaffes were so bizarre that they provided, in and of themselves, proof that she stood for a different kind of politics. It took some time before most observers realised that Palin played the same game as her opponents, and the real difference was simply she was bad at it. Something similar might be said about Abbott. His gob-smacking U-turns have insulated against charges of opportunism precisely because he hasn’t tip-toed away from his principles so much as abandoned them at full speed.”

the cost of collateral damage in Afghanistan

Nigel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:26:45 +0000

Read Jacinda Woodhead in newmatilda.

Does Australia have a role in Afghanistan?

Nigel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:23:04 +0000

Read Clive Williams on ABC Unleashed.

Ethics and Aboriginal Art

Nigel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:52:28 +0000

Graeme Marshall’s letter on Thriving in the Desert: Warakurna Artists is salutory…

rain poem

Nigel — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:48:52 +0000

Bob Gosford responds poetically (referencing both Strehlow and Kimber) to the rain event taking place in Central Australia.

dead heart Tony

Nigel — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:09:05 +0000

First watch the John Clarke, Bryan Dawe segment on the ABC 7.30 Report last night – and then compare with what Tony Abbott has to say for himself on The Punch… The accompanying pic shows just how engaged he was… And remote? never too far from the ubiquitous milk crate. Or see this grotesquerie on The Age. The thread continues here and here.

Pocahontasavatar/Avatarpocahontas

Nigel — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:23:10 +0000

Tracked this to Reddit posted by “scarlotti-the-blue” and everyone wants to know whether the humble Matt Bateman is the author? Seems to have been becoming viral since at least January 4… Son Axel says Avatar was “the best movie ever” – Seems I’ve got some work to do…

Want to go deeper? Read Daniel Mendelsohn’s review in the NYRB…

Conservation Ergonomics 102

Nigel — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:33:38 +0000

Up a bit on the right… No! the left… From ArtDaily.

you pointy heads will understand

Nigel — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:59:25 +0000

The common criterion of excellence applies: “that must have taken you a very long time to make?”. “Well, I did stretch it out a bit…”

I promise…

Nigel — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:12:15 +0000

… I had nothing to do with this.