Click on image for a story about Leon Russell 1942-2016
All posts by Melbourne Resident
George Monbiot
Neoliberalism: the deep story that lies beneath Donald Trump’s triumph–click on image
Australia’s shame
Singapore visual arts
For many years tourists regarded Singapore as a stop over to somewhere else. Most spent a night or three but rarely much more.
George Monbiot
Leon Russell
Why all the super buzz about the supermoon?
Leslie Knope writes to America about Trump
Leonard Cohen
Lawyers, files and money–and those responsible for this mess
It took about three hours of argument on Friday 28th October for a decision by the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) on whether certain government planning documents should be released to those making objections to the Government’s agreement to the revised Development Application (DA) for the Dickson supermarket.
Continue reading Lawyers, files and money–and those responsible for this mess
Singapore Biennale 2016
Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
Shine A Light – Field Recordings From The Great American Railroad. 2016 Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
Here’s a fun story about two musicians and how they made this album. They hopped on the train and then jumped off at stops along the way to record a song – while making sure they were back on board as the train left. And yes – the music is good stuff. Definitely worth a listen if you are a follower of Billy Bragg and Joe Henry. Click here for more on the album.
Women in Art
click on image for the story in The Guardian
George Monbiot
George Monboit identifies the Trump amongst us all
Sadly our political system has been corrupted. As much as we wish we lived in a democratic country–sadly it is not so.
Stanhope to ALP MPs: Take a stand on asylum seekers
click on the image for a good report on Jon Stanhope’s message to his Labor colleagues. Note the link in the story to the full speech – it is worth reading.
Women in Museums
What to do–not to do–with a bowling club
This is a tale of an entrepreneur, a tree and a possible (lost?) good planning opportunity.
Being Turnbulled
The Curious Story of Malcolm Turnbull, the Incredible Shrinking Man in the Top Hat
Here’s a book for anyone puzzled by the current loser who is Prime Minister. I am still reading it… click here or on the image. and here’s an article by the author about his dilemma–click here. Review to follow…..
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen: You Want It Darker
Yes, there’s a new album out by our man, Leonard Cohen.
Being Turnbulled
Has Turnbull TRUMPed Abbott
a sad story about how Turnbull and his Murdoch allies are doing their best to Turnbull (stuff up) the country’s advances with renewables. Click on the image above.
George Monbiot & Ewan McLennan
George Monbiot & Ewan McLennan – Breaking the Spell of Loneliness
A collaboration between the writer George Monbiot and musician Ewan McLennan seeking to use music and word to open up the issue of loneliness and bring people together.
Drive north or drive south
I have posted previously about driving to Sydney – and – about the drive to Melbourne and the coffee stops along the way. Here’s a few more things to consider.
American exceptionalism
America is exceptional! Because god says so. America has the right to deal with matters anywhere in the world as it wishes – because America is exceptional.
George Monbiot
on democracy – reality or myth?
click on image for the piece from The Guardian.
Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama on Trump
She nailed it. How do we vote for Michelle Obama?
Neil Young
Neil Young news – coming to the 2017 Byron Bay Bluesfest – online notice click here.
OMG – in the USA today
How far the USA has travelled – down.
Googong or Canberra?
With the debate in Canberra about housing affordability, the ACT Liberals have been using a particular line in their election statements to criticise the current government’s Land Development Agency (LDA) and its handling of land prices.
weatherland
How does the weather affect us?
The creature from our worst nightmare
Image linked from a site by Amy Dickinson – click here
City for Pedestrians
Van Morrison
Music Review: Keep Me Singing, Van Morrison 2016
Here’s an album for the many Van Morrison fans. They will love it.
Art and The PM’s Lodge
NGA art on the walls of the PM’s Lodge
Have a look at the photograph above – taken from the Canberra Times.
The Auditor-General, the Chief Minister and pesky chooks
There were moments during the ‘meet the candidates’ forum in Lyneham a fortnight ago when it seemed that something was not right with the Chief Minister, Andrew Barr.
Continue reading The Auditor-General, the Chief Minister and pesky chooks
Women & Trump
click on image for the piece by Anne Summers
Free speech & Courage
click on the image above for the article from Aeon Magazine
Trust your ABC – no longer
A report that signals the ever increasing problems Australians have with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (the ABC) inaccurate reporting on issues.
Quarterly Essay: Trump
Enemy Within: America politics in the time of Trump
This essay by Don Watson, is totally recommended. If you are wondering what is going on with the USA and what is happening to democracy, then read this. It is not necessarily about Trump, but more about Don Watson’s observations of the American people and how they have ended up in this place – it is logical. This is in fact where the USA is today.
Facts Matter
Barbara Streisand on Trump
Good to see people at last calling out Trump on his habitual lies. click here.
Carmageddon Beckons
architecture
click on image for story
New Strain of Fact-Resistant Humans
Scientists: Earth Endangered by New Strain of Fact-Resistant Humans – click on image for story
Harold Cazneaux
Harold Cazneaux at the Australian National Maritime Museum
The photographer, Harold Cazneaux is an important early 20th Century artist in the history of Australia photography.
Mawson shops on hold – why?
Earlier this year we drove south to the Mawson shops (Southlands) to shop at one of the specialist supermarkets as well as to take in a Middle Eastern brunch.
The Griffin Legacy?
From the Guardian: Canberra’s vision of the ideal city gets mired in ‘mediocrity’ by Paul Daley
Architecture
award for the worst architecture
Now here’s an idea. Should we recognise the worst architecture?
Dealing with right wing nut jobs
It was indeed a sad story to see serious journalists and scientists trying to debate with the latest of the Australia’s right wing nut jobs on TV.
It should be known well by now that there is no use in using the usual polite and logical approaches with such people. It just feeds into their well practised weird ways of arguing or debating.
Government Architect – what’s that?
Canberra is usually referred to as being a designed and/or planned city. Continue reading Government Architect – what’s that?
Architecture
more on the debate around those horrible tall buildings – click on the above banner
Cheap Milk
One would like to think that it would be reasonably easy to work out what is happening with milk pricing in Australia.
Being Turnbulled: equity
click on the image for some more wise words from Kristina
Nick Cave
A new song from Nick Cave – one you may need to stop and listen to especially when you realise when he wrote it – just after his son had died. Continue reading Nick Cave
Ageism and Women
From The Guardian UK – a piece about ageism – and how it effects women – and men. click here
The Boris legacy
Click on the image to read about the worst of Boris
Shared Spaces
Ageism and ACT politicians
Following weeks (or was that months) of questions over land dealings and major developments, and now audits being announced into departmental processes, the Chief Minister has gone on the front foot and announced an idea to change his government’s methods of consulting on ‘Urban Redevelopment’.
The weird in the arts
weird things can happen within the art world – as in all aspect of life.
Monitoring the far right nut jobs
Keeping a perspective on the movements of the far right in Australia.
Trump to lose – nope
click here for the story – by Michael Moore on Trump’s strategy
Megalo
The art work by Annie Trevillian plus others..
Here’s a review that points to the great work being done by artists working within Megalo – a Canberra based open access print workshop. Click here.
One day soon I must tell my version of Megalo when I worked for the organisation as it was then from 1986 to 1991.
About privatisation
Another insightful piece from John Menadue – this time about: Privatisation is costing consumers and damaging economic reform. Click here.
John F Williams (1933 – 2016)
Why arts schools matter
Why arts schools matter, not just for art’s sake but for urban renewal in Sydney and other cities
The Art Newspaper – Still Wrong on The Bishop Museum
An update on the issue of a misleading article in The Art Newspaper. Click here and scroll down the page to see the latest on this story
Women in Politics
Being Turnbulled – The Arts
Click on the image above
Portraits of William Eggleston
click on the image for the story about the exhibition of William Eggleston
Blame the Griffins – Really?
When about 250 citizens venture out on a cold night to hear about plans for the foreshores of West Basin one would expect that they would be taken seriously.
photography at the V&A
click on the image for more…
Dickson DA goes to ACAT appeal
Following the disappointing actions by the ACT Government to approve what remains a very questionable development application for a major mixed use development on the flagship shopping centre site in Dickson, appeals are being jointly lodged by the landlord of the Woolworths supermarket plus key local community associations.
The Art Newspaper – Wrong about The Bishop Museum
An open letter to The Art Newspaper( 29 July) plus correspondence (5 August 2016)
Over many years I have accessed the Art Newspaper and when appropriate have either passed on links or have posted articles online that have links back to the Art Newspaper.
Continue reading The Art Newspaper – Wrong about The Bishop Museum
Being Turnbulled – Business lobbyist
click on the image for the story from Michael West
Coffee breaks Canberra to Melbourne
Apparently if you chose to drive straight through to Melbourne from Canberra, it can take as little as just under seven hours.
Equity in the arts
click on banner for this post on The Arts Museum
Climate Change – a wake up call
click on the image for the story
great women on Britain’s streets
Click on image for the story of the lack of public statues depicting women in the UK.
the best of the Archibald finalists
Patchwork, ironic, serious and kitsch: the best of the Archibald finalists
Photography at Nishi Gallery – Beauty In This
Beauty In This is a wonderful photography exhibition, by Maryanne Voyazis, on for a short time at Nishi Gallery, New Acton.
Continue reading Photography at Nishi Gallery – Beauty In This
photography
Review International Center of Photography New York
There’s something going in within photography – there’s something going within many of the centres and galleries devoted to photography.
George Monbiot
The Judgement of History
Here’s George Monbiot’s piece on the crimes committed by the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ and the UK Chilcot Report. click here
Architecture
Share your space
There’s a 1989 song by Pere Ubu, Flat, that has the following lyrics, “In the early part of the 20th Century, Deep inside the American wilderness, In the state of Kansas – 82,000 square miles of flat -There were two automobile cars. On July 5th 1904 they ran into each other”.
Arts writing, Tracey Moffatt & Degas
Article and essays about the arts have become threatened species given the downturn in the newspapers.
The number of arts writers has continuously being reduced. So it is wonderful that a few survive.
Was that a dog-whistle, Chief Minister?
Sometimes the words of local politicians are a thing of wonder. Here’s a very curious story.
George Monbiot
George has offered a positive take on the Brexit vote. He has published his thoughts on seeing the opportunities despite the nastiness of those who championed the exit vote. Click here.
Clive James
Dickson trees
Any tree is worth saving. Any group of trees is always worth fighting for. But I also acknowledge that when absolutely necessary any tree can be replaced.
Diane Arbus and more at the NGA
There’s a wonderful exhibition at the NGA till 30th October 2016 – Diane Arbus: American portraits.
George Monbiot
George Monbiot and the UK Brexit from the EU
I cannot say that I understand what the UK lobby for the exit from the EU is all about. Nor can I say which option is the better. Sadly George Monbiot has clarified this with his usual precise summation of a dreadful situation.
Shawn Colvin & Steve Earle
Review: Colvin & Earle June 2016
Join two wonderful voices, join two approaches to making music and two lives that have crossed over several times, and you have two marvellous talents – and the result – a great album. Many of the songs are original – and some are covers. It’s all good stuff.
Recommended: Rating 8/10
Architecture
More on the Australia’s contribution to the 2016 Venice Architecture Biennale
Auckland
Here’s a couple of photographs from my recent visit to Auckland for the 2016 Auckland festival of photography.
Auckland festival of photography
Exhibition Review: Home, 2 June – 20 June 2016
Auckland festival of photography
2016 Auckland festival of photography – June 2016
The 2016 Auckland festival of photography like many Australian photographic festival is very dependent on the enthusiasms and the energy of a small band of people, or more often than not, just one person.
Michael Moore
Australia’s shame and pointless cruelty
More from Michael Moore on the topic that should be the top of the list of issues for the coming elections – click here.
Trump Baby
Another sign of wonder. This one we came upon while walking down a street in Auckland. That hair should be a registered trademark.
Canberra to Sydney coffee breaks
There will be some readers out there who remember well the terrors of driving between Sydney and Canberra before the freeways and motorways.
Architecture
Architects like to think that they are artists – and they work to achieve this by ‘amazing’ the world through very expensive stands at the Venice Architecture Biennale.
Architecture
Has Portland Lost its Way?
Arts exchange with Singapore and Wellington
First a positive note – full marks to the ACT Government for their efforts to achieve direct flights between Canberra and the cities of Wellington and Singapore.
Continue reading Arts exchange with Singapore and Wellington
Big Trees
While we often celebrate wood and things made out of such ‘natural’ products – it is good to reminded just where that all that wood came from and wonder whether we will see such beauty again.