another Brumby transport fraud

Free rail travel on Friday to compensate for today's rail meltdown, says the Age. What a shameless con!

A day's 'free' travel does nothing to compensate the people who most subsidise this shambles of a train network, by buying weekly, monthly or yearly tickets! One 'free' day doesn't get accounted for in long-term tickets, so only a fraction of those affected by today's trouble, and most likely, people who don't use the trains regularly and may not need to use them on Friday, will actually benefit from this 'magnanimous' gesture.

Another show of insincerity from Brumby and Pakula to the public transport users of Melbourne. Roll on November...

misconception

I don't usually like movies longer than about 110 minutes, tops; I don't especially like action-thriller movies; I hate movies with lots of shooting; and I really don't have a lotta love for Leo DiCaprio's movies, so there was really not much point in me going to see the latest blockbuster movie release, 'Inception'.

However, I was intrigued by the way both David and Margaret raved about 'Inception' last week, so since last Saturday was so persistently cold and grey and miserable all day, I decided that I could do worse than lock myself inside a cinema for the afternoon. The George just happened to be running a session at a suitable time, so I went.

Two and three-quarter hours later, I was glad that I had! Never have I watched such a long film that seemed to finish so quickly. The story grabs you by the throat from the very beginning and drags you along so unrelentingly that you don't notice how much time has passed, by the time it ends - just like a dream, really!

The cast is excellent; it was delightful to see the gorgeous Marion Cotillard in such a high-profile movie; Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt have become favourites of mine, and at last, Leo DiCaprio looks old enough to be believable in his role, and he performs terrifically (the last time I saw him, in the technically-excellent 'Revolutionary Road', the poor man looked like a 15yo trying to play a grown-up, which was totally distracting).

I completely bought into the story's 'dream raiders-of-the-lost-secrets' premise, and thought the multi-level play was excellent; I was kept on my toes throughout the film, keeping up with plot developments and the rules of the game, and never felt like the story was contrived or cheating the viewer. This was really excellent entertainment, and I have to agree with the plaudits given by the professional reviewers... a four-star movie for my money.

suns and...

So the Gold Coast football club are calling themselves 'the Suns'. Does this mean that Western Sydney might become 'the Moons'?? Or maybe they could be really original and call themselves the Western Sydney 'Daughters'! :-)

hedgehogs and macarons

I had wanted to see 'Le Hérisson' ('the Hedgehog') at the French Film Festival several months ago, but it was one of several movies that didn't play at a suitable time and place for me, and I missed out. When I saw it previewed on 'At the Movies' recently, I made a mental note to watch out for it (although I thought David and Margaret seemed a little underwhelmed by it, despite rating it fairly well).

The past weekend was fairly busy, so I didn't get to the cinema at all, but I made a snap decision to stop at the Como on my way home from work on Monday, and was pleased to find that there was a 5:15 session of L'Hérisson, which was pretty much ideal for me.

I was so glad I'd made the effort to go see it. Although it deals with some heavy and unhappy themes, I thought it was an excellent character piece, with delightful protagonists and an exotic (to me) setting. The end (which I won't spoil here) was shocking and a sad, but the movie itself was a pleasure. All the three lead characters, were excellent, and I was happy to see one of the my favourite French actors, Anne Brochet ('Comme les Autres') in a supporting role as well. I'd give this one 4 stars.

Oh, and one thing I learned while I was at the Como Centre for the film... I'd never previously noticed that there's a Laurent bakery there. I often call into the Laurent store in the city and pick up a couple of macarons for a treat, even though they seem pretty pricey, at $2 each (the most I paid for a macaron in Paris was €1 (around $1.70), but most were much cheaper.)

In keeping with the French theme of the evening, I decided to buy a couple of macarons to eat at the film. I assumed that, being out of the city, the store at the Como would be similar in price, or perhaps a little cheaper, than the city store, so I was really shocked to be charged $4.80 for two macarons! I can't understand why they'd be another 20% dearer at the Como (maybe because people who live around there can afford it and don't care), but next time, I'll stop by the city store instead!

a glimmer of humanity

It was delightful to read that not one, but two councils have volunteered to host a refugee processing centre in Australia.

It made me especially proud that they are both Victorian communities that have taken the lead in attempting to demonstrate some humanity toward people who risk their lives to escape oppression or death in their own countries, only to arrive here and be treated like criminals by politicians of both major parties, as they vie for the votes of the ignorant and bitter, but vocal, minority.

Both Abbott and Gillard should be ashamed of the hysteria that they have, respectively, whipped up and bowed to in regard to the tiny number of refugees that reach our shores. Sure, crack down on people who profit from the misfortune of the refugees, but stop further punishing people who are already victims of substantial injustice in their countries of origin.

Congratulations again to the people who have taken a lead in trying to demonstrate some humanity and decency to these people.

no laughing matter

I'm going to have to stop reading the election news for a few days, for the sake of my blood pressure, but I just have to note that the possibility of a future under Tony Abbott and his bitter minions is enough to make me think about killing myself already!

private school rorts to grow

At the same time as he promises to cut funding for important infrastructure programs, the mad monk of conservative politics is promising to make private school fees tax-deductable!

I was so disgusted when I read this, that I almost stopped breathing for a few seconds!

Federal government funding arrangements for wealthy private schools is already one of the biggest rorts left over from the Howard Government days. It's an outrage that taxpayers are forced to contribute so much to support these bastions of wealth, privilege (and shop-lifting), while chronically under-funded government schools are left to struggle, and their students are forced to endure sub-standard conditions.

To think that idiot Abbott is prepared to further feather the nest of his privileged constituents at the expense of the rest of the country by making fees for these unnecessary private schools deductable just defies belief.

My vote goes to any candidate who promises to stop government funding of private schools, or better yet, to 'nationalise' them and make them available to all Australian kids, equitably.

so happy for Jen!

Jennifer Aniston Adopts 33-Year-Old Boyfriend From Africa

Xavier graduating shoplifting class of 2010

Now we know what money can't buy!

$20k pa in school fees, enormous government subsidies while state schools go begging, international school excursions, but these poor little rich boys can't afford to buy the things they really need - ski gear!

Of course they had to steal it - how else could they get it?

The worst part of all this? One day, some of these kids will be Liberal party candidates and get voted in , instead of ending up in prison, where they really belong.

maybe not all boat people are scary, Tony?

aBelieve it or not - Tony Abbott scabs a free snack from a former boat person!

And a bit more fun with the anti-Marx party.

in defence of public spending

Memo to Tony Abbott: I'm a working wage slave, not wealthy enough to avoid tax, so I pay every cent of taxation that I'm supposed to.

I don't like paying tax, but I understand that it's important, and that it's the means by which this country funds services and programs that are essential to all of our people.

Public spending is not a bad thing.

I do not want your budget cuts; I don't even want a permanently in-the-black budget.

Governments should use to debt to fund essential programs in times of need, just as the Rudd government recently did to get this country through a severe recession that savaged other countries around the world.

The last thing Australia needs now is a bunch of witless, economic zombies cutting into important and progressive programs that may benefit the whole country, all in the name of bringing an unnecessary surplus to the national budget.

Australia is a country, not a business. We're not here to make a profit for the conservative parties to sit on and boast about. Every cent raised from our taxes needs to be re-invested and used to progress the nation, not sit in the Reserve Bank to impress foreign usurers.

Your social and economic policies would bring misery and disgrace to this country, in the same way as your mentors in the Howard government did. Please... go away and spare us all!

nightmare's edge

What kind of world do we live in where a man like Tony Abbott can be so close to becoming Prime Minister? This must be what Germans felt like in 1933. Howard was regressive enough; I don't want to live anywhere where Abbott's in control.

derailed

I feel so stupid.

I read yesterday's announcements from the State government about the new transport projects, and foolishly assumed them to be election 'promises'.

I was so excited about the new metro system that I jumped online to the Dept of Transport website, and completed a survey about the metro, complimenting them for finally proceeding with this vital, long-overdue public transport initiative.

Today, I read the story in more detail, and realised what had actually happened.

There is no new metro. There's just a 'plan' for a new metro. The plan has no funding behind it, and is therefore 99% likely to never happen. It's yet another lie from the oil and vehicle industry-controlled State government to make it appear as though they have an agenda to support public transport, and mask their ongoing plans to extend the road network to encourage more cars and trucks.

I'm disgusted with them, and disappointed that I didn't realise sooner. No ALP or conservative candidates will get my votes at the next State election; I just hope that enough people will vote away from all of them to send a message about what we really want for Melbourne.

holiday hangover

It's been a week since I returned to 'cool-as-ice' Melbourne, and I've almost recovered from the effects of 'holiday injuries' and jet lag. I can't believe that my long-awaited and long-planned holiday has ended so soon, but that's what time's like when you're having fun. I had the *best* time in London and especially Paris, so it makes sense that time passed even faster than normal 'good' time.

I had big plans, before I left, to blog my way across the globe and back. I lugged my netbook with me, and made sure I had wi-fi wherever I stayed, but look what happened - not one post about the holiday the entire time I was away!

I had *such* a great time every day that I was away that I just didn't get a chance to sit down and write. It's too late to make up for that now, but as I sort through some of the 2,500-odd photos that I took during the trip, I'm going to try to post a few here, like this view over Paris rooftops from the balcony of the apartment that I stayed in, and include some memories of the trip.

Since I've returned, I've realised how much time I must have devoted to planning and researching and preparing for the trip... really, since last November! And as the post-holiday blues start to set in to fill the vacuum, I've already 99% decided that I'm going back again next year. A new set of travel books is already waiting on my bedside table to be devoured and turned into plans for 2011!

holy masterpiece, Batwoman!

Not many movies that appeal lately, and ditto for graphic novels. One that I can recommend, though, was released last week by DC.

The stories in 'Batwoman : Elegy', though well-written (by acclaimed author Greg Rucka), aren't really my style (I think I'm a bit over the whole Batman / dark avenger / lots of graphic violence style stories these days), but the artwork alone, by J.H. Williams III, makes this volume worth buying.

Though the 'tough crime' stories don't appeal to me, I enjoyed Rucka's characterisation of Batwoman / Kate Kane and her supporting cast, and was glad to note that the gay angle of the series wasn't sensationalised or sermonised, but incorporated matter-of-factly into the storylines.

DC has released this collection, originally published in Detective Comics last year, in its oversize Deluxe hardcover format, which really allows the art to shine. It's a huge treat to watch Williams take the graphic novel art form to a while new level. This book is well worth checking out, and I hope the forthcoming Batwoman ongoing series looks as good as this volume.

get him to the George

The movie drought goes on.

I think I've only seen one movie at the cinema per month since April; there's plenty showing, but nothing that appeals enough to get me to go out in this cold weather.

A recent exception was 'Get Him to the Greek', a follow-up of sorts to 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall', elevating two of that movie's supporting cast to star billing... and doing it well! Russell Brand, best known for his dubious 'humourous' stunts on English radio, I gather, does a great job of reprising his character of dodgy rock star Aldous Snow, ably supported by the ubiquitous Jonah Hill, co-star of many recent comedy movies, including Sarah Marshall.

It wasn't howlingly funny, but the story moved along at a reasonable pace, and both Brand's and Hill's characters were sufficiently sympathetic to keep interest up. There were some really funny moments, including Hill's efforts to score drugs for his difficult client, and a wonderful brawl scene in a hotel. I was glad I made the effort to get down to the George to see this one. 3&1/2 stars for this one.