I'm really no fan of American politics… I think it's overly money-driven and I think it's revolting that it's basically impossible for a candidate to get anywhere unless they profess a deep and fervent commitment to almighty God. But this video produced for the Obama camp is pretty amazing, and worth watching. It's a refreshing difference to the "we're gonna bomb the world, y'all, and stand up for America, heee-haw" rhetoric of the Bush administration.
Wow, loved this piece in the SMH today looking at where Peter Garrett has come from to where he is now.
Perhaps a comparison might serve to illuminate. First some of the lyrics from "Blue Sky Mine", written by Garrett:
"The candy store paupers lie to the share holders / They're crossing their fingers they pay the truth makers / The balance sheet is breaking up the sky".
And then today's rather less impulsive lyrical achievement:
"I am very proud of the comprehensive set of policies and proposed actions we put to the people of Australia in the election campaign, and I am very pleased and proud to be involved in implementing them."
Strewth.
Still, I'm nonetheless impressed to have the Midnight Oil lead singer as the environment minister. Wish he'd do a Midnight Oil redux though. Arny the Governator still throws Terminator lines into his speeches in California, after all.
I've been perplexed ever since getting to Sydney why it is that there are so few — if any — late night movie sessions beyond about 9.40PM. In Melbourne, almost all cinemas have a few movies starting at 10.40 – 11.00 PM, sometimes even as late as 11.50PM!
I reckon these late sessions are ideal for busy people — e.g. I could work till 7.30PM, get home, have a bit of an unwind and leisurely dinner, then go off late in the evening and catch a movie. Going to bed at 2am on a Friday or Saturday night doesn't bother me… and surely there'd be even more of a market for this in cosmopolitan Sydney than Melbourne?
Maybe it's the 'tits and teeth' culture of Sydney (as my friend Sian puts it) that dictates that of course everyone is out getting hammered on the dancefloor on a Friday/Saturday night so therefore there couldn't possibly be market for late-night movie-goers.
Hoyts is a PBL group company — same parent company as my employer, ACP Magazines — maybe I'll track down their PR manager and ask why it is.
