To Market
Once we’ve completed our relocation to Surry Hills, one of the features of the neighbourhood we’ll be able to take advantage of is Paddy’s Markets, a produce and dry goods market located in the Haymarket complex. I mention this, not just because we’re interested in this ourselves, but because NYC is reviving the tradition in Hell’s Kitchen, where Paddy, whomever he was, had also operated, and during the same period. Apparently, however, he found Sydney a more conducive environment, seeing as the market maintained its presence here continuously. O.k., so obviously there was no Paddy, and the market was really only called that by the neighbourhood residents, using a common diminutive among the Irish for “Patrick” (although I note that this form was also used in a derogatory manner by non-Irish during much of the period of high Irish emigration, and this, too, may have a bearing on the source of the markets’ naming convention). Funny how all my worlds grow increasingly smaller.
15 April 2003
Trains
I have a little history with trains. Enough to speak of now and then, anyway. Growing up outside NYC we would sometimes take the Long Island Railroad in to see one thing or another, although we’d just as often drive. As we grew older we’d sometimes take the train on our own for this or that. Busses were usually cheaper during the college years, but sometimes Amtrak would be the preferred mass transit option. In Brockport a train line ran straight through the campus, unlike the Erie Canal, which ran along what had become the edge of town, and sometimes, out of some Kerouac affinity, I’d hike the rails in one direction or another and then swing off along whatever road crossed it and find my way home. I can’t say as I got to know the town well by striking out this way, as towns in upstate NY are often just set down in the middle of miles of nothing around, SUNY Brockport being a good example, built on a swamp as it was. Ann Arbor, Michigan, however, was another story, and I sometimes wonder if you could drop me off somewhere on the edge of town even now, that I could find my way to the University. Probably not. It is one of my fonder memories of that period when engaged in this activity I found my progress impeded by a switchman who’d been charged with delivering a message to a train on its way through: Ringing Brothers Barnum & Bailey. Trains being what they are – unattached to anything but the rails – and this being pre-cell phone days, messages were passed by hand by means of a forked stick with a wire strung across the mouth of the Y and the paper slip wound around the wire. The engineer could reach down to the stick held up as he passed and scoop the message into his hand. The need for this particular communication was that the elephants had been able to open the doors of their cars and were reaching out from the moving train and grabbing branches from the trees they passed, trumpeting. So I stood with the switchman and waited for the train and watched as it went by and saw the elephants and the carneys and the moment pass into the night, a moment of light on a dark night that I will never forget. I’m reminded of this encounter by having just gone for a walk at lunch and seeing, just at that moment, an old steam locomotive with four cars and a caboose pass along the Epping rail line. I don’t know what force in the universe serves to maintain this link between me and trains, but there it is, for what it’s worth. How strange that I should see this now, when Ann Arbor is the place I most often feel most strongly connected to here in Sydney.
500 Years
It will take a long time for global sea levels to seriously threaten coastal cities if the trend reported by AVISO continues, but that’s not a reason to ignore global warming. Well, I’m sure our kids can figure something out. Maybe by then hydrogen fuel cells will be economical, and they can use the extra water to power their flying cars. Thanks to Kenneth Miles, the unaustralian, for the link.
I have a little history with trains. Enough to speak of now and then, anyway. Growing up outside NYC we would sometimes take the Long Island Railroad in to see one thing or another, although we’d just as often drive. As we grew older we’d sometimes take the train on our own for this or that. Busses were usually cheaper during the college years, but sometimes Amtrak would be the preferred mass transit option. In Brockport a train line ran straight through the campus, unlike the Erie Canal, which ran along what had become the edge of town, and sometimes, out of some Kerouac affinity, I’d hike the rails in one direction or another and then swing off along whatever road crossed it and find my way home. I can’t say as I got to know the town well by striking out this way, as towns in upstate NY are often just set down in the middle of miles of nothing around, SUNY Brockport being a good example, built on a swamp as it was. Ann Arbor, Michigan, however, was another story, and I sometimes wonder if you could drop me off somewhere on the edge of town even now, that I could find my way to the University. Probably not. It is one of my fonder memories of that period when engaged in this activity I found my progress impeded by a switchman who’d been charged with delivering a message to a train on its way through: Ringing Brothers Barnum & Bailey. Trains being what they are – unattached to anything but the rails – and this being pre-cell phone days, messages were passed by hand by means of a forked stick with a wire strung across the mouth of the Y and the paper slip wound around the wire. The engineer could reach down to the stick held up as he passed and scoop the message into his hand. The need for this particular communication was that the elephants had been able to open the doors of their cars and were reaching out from the moving train and grabbing branches from the trees they passed, trumpeting. So I stood with the switchman and waited for the train and watched as it went by and saw the elephants and the carneys and the moment pass into the night, a moment of light on a dark night that I will never forget. I’m reminded of this encounter by having just gone for a walk at lunch and seeing, just at that moment, an old steam locomotive with four cars and a caboose pass along the Epping rail line. I don’t know what force in the universe serves to maintain this link between me and trains, but there it is, for what it’s worth. How strange that I should see this now, when Ann Arbor is the place I most often feel most strongly connected to here in Sydney.
500 Years
It will take a long time for global sea levels to seriously threaten coastal cities if the trend reported by AVISO continues, but that’s not a reason to ignore global warming. Well, I’m sure our kids can figure something out. Maybe by then hydrogen fuel cells will be economical, and they can use the extra water to power their flying cars. Thanks to Kenneth Miles, the unaustralian, for the link.
14 April 2003
Peace in Our Time
It’s a good thing that Saddam Hussein has been overthrown. It’s a damn shame the way it was done. Before anyone accuses me of being one of those sour grapes liberals, I am not an opponent of military-led humanitarian efforts. Somalia may have been a failure, but Haiti wasn’t, and neither was Bosnia, in the end; all three were efforts of the US acting forthrightly and without immediate need to do so. Yes, Rwanda was a failure of inaction, but in another sense, so is Iraq, in this case the failure to engage diplomatically with the other great powers and the Arab nations. The UN members who dithered and who took categorical positions against force are not to be in any way admired for their cowardice or their selfishness, but that doesn’t somehow excuse the rush to war. George Bush took the aura of moral legitimacy conferred by the WTC murders and the successful military ouster of the Taliban and squandered it by expanding the right of self-protection into acts of imperial self-aggrandizement. I note for those who have missed it that the coalition forces were very quick to secure the oil wells but have done nothing to preserve order or ensure the cultural heritage of Iraq was not lost. George II cares nothing for history, only profit. He must be relegated to the same dustbin where he would put our democracy.
Show Bush the Door in 2004!
I’d Even Vote for Gore in 2004!
Don’t Take Any More in 2004!
Etc.
It’s a good thing that Saddam Hussein has been overthrown. It’s a damn shame the way it was done. Before anyone accuses me of being one of those sour grapes liberals, I am not an opponent of military-led humanitarian efforts. Somalia may have been a failure, but Haiti wasn’t, and neither was Bosnia, in the end; all three were efforts of the US acting forthrightly and without immediate need to do so. Yes, Rwanda was a failure of inaction, but in another sense, so is Iraq, in this case the failure to engage diplomatically with the other great powers and the Arab nations. The UN members who dithered and who took categorical positions against force are not to be in any way admired for their cowardice or their selfishness, but that doesn’t somehow excuse the rush to war. George Bush took the aura of moral legitimacy conferred by the WTC murders and the successful military ouster of the Taliban and squandered it by expanding the right of self-protection into acts of imperial self-aggrandizement. I note for those who have missed it that the coalition forces were very quick to secure the oil wells but have done nothing to preserve order or ensure the cultural heritage of Iraq was not lost. George II cares nothing for history, only profit. He must be relegated to the same dustbin where he would put our democracy.
Green and Gold
Although it’s April, it’s September in my heart. The air cools, the rain falls, the nights are longer and darker . . . autumn is arriving. Strange, then, that the world is still so leafy and green, when all my years of seasonal change tell me the dying colors, the golds and reds and browns, should be turning the world crisp and sere and preparing the way for silvery greys that mute the stark black-and-white edges of winter. Some mornings getting up, it feels like going to school, and some days at three p.m. I feel like going home. Easter has always been an interim holiday for me, a period not summer, not winter, standing at the cusp like a gate to pass through into a new state. I don’t have any photos of my own or a place to offer them to the passing ‘blog browser, so it’s lucky that the Herald has Sydney seasonal snaps for those who’d care to have a look. Some of the pictures don’t say “Autumn” to me, but they must have to the editors. It’s a nice gallery of Sydney imagery all the same.
Although it’s April, it’s September in my heart. The air cools, the rain falls, the nights are longer and darker . . . autumn is arriving. Strange, then, that the world is still so leafy and green, when all my years of seasonal change tell me the dying colors, the golds and reds and browns, should be turning the world crisp and sere and preparing the way for silvery greys that mute the stark black-and-white edges of winter. Some mornings getting up, it feels like going to school, and some days at three p.m. I feel like going home. Easter has always been an interim holiday for me, a period not summer, not winter, standing at the cusp like a gate to pass through into a new state. I don’t have any photos of my own or a place to offer them to the passing ‘blog browser, so it’s lucky that the Herald has Sydney seasonal snaps for those who’d care to have a look. Some of the pictures don’t say “Autumn” to me, but they must have to the editors. It’s a nice gallery of Sydney imagery all the same.
11 April 2003
Anti-Kyoto Forces Gathering “Steam”
There are so many things wrong with the newly passed House energy bill it’s hard to know where to start. No, it isn’t: drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge is unnecessary and will damage one of the last wilderness areas in the region. We don’t need the oil. As pointed out by Congressmen Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Sherwood Boehlert, energy efficiencies such as those imposed during the 1970’s energy crisis would be more than enough to offset any existing or future need for increased drilling. SUVs getting fewer miles per gallon than the biggest cars in operation during the 1980s should be subject to the same restrictions as everyone else, but the automobile manufacturers found a loophole and Congress has been letting them exploit it instead of closing it off as they should have. The efforts to offset the drilling rights with increased fuel efficiency requirements were the only positive effort made outside of voting against the bill to begin with. Then look at the other provisions: bypassing federal royalty payments, easier licensing of hydroelectric dams (ignoring the fact that the existing dams are being taken down right and left), more pipelines and power lines through federal lands, inventorying offshore drilling sites including those previously off-limits. Tell me we don’t have the most big oil-friendly government of all time. Oh, yes, of course: one failed oil man in the top seat, spurred on by his successful oil man VP. We’re in trouble if the Senate fails to act on this matter the way they should.
There are so many things wrong with the newly passed House energy bill it’s hard to know where to start. No, it isn’t: drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge is unnecessary and will damage one of the last wilderness areas in the region. We don’t need the oil. As pointed out by Congressmen Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Sherwood Boehlert, energy efficiencies such as those imposed during the 1970’s energy crisis would be more than enough to offset any existing or future need for increased drilling. SUVs getting fewer miles per gallon than the biggest cars in operation during the 1980s should be subject to the same restrictions as everyone else, but the automobile manufacturers found a loophole and Congress has been letting them exploit it instead of closing it off as they should have. The efforts to offset the drilling rights with increased fuel efficiency requirements were the only positive effort made outside of voting against the bill to begin with. Then look at the other provisions: bypassing federal royalty payments, easier licensing of hydroelectric dams (ignoring the fact that the existing dams are being taken down right and left), more pipelines and power lines through federal lands, inventorying offshore drilling sites including those previously off-limits. Tell me we don’t have the most big oil-friendly government of all time. Oh, yes, of course: one failed oil man in the top seat, spurred on by his successful oil man VP. We’re in trouble if the Senate fails to act on this matter the way they should.
Friday Penance
I've long viewed the practice of 'blogging the "Friday Five" in this light, on the theory that if you can't post something, don't, and so what? But under the circumstances -- that I'm moving next week -- it seems appropriate to take on the topic. I will have lived in 9 different homes, only 1 of which was a house -- the childhood home -- and 4 of which were apartments shared with others during my university years. The favourite so far is the one I'm moving into, of course; otherwise why move? But let's not jinx that project, and instead offer the apartment in Queens. I spent 10 years in Elmhurst, which was about 9 more years than I'd ever intended. It was my first official home of my own, and that continues to resonate in my psyche, naturally enough. I made many mistakes: not changing the locks the instant I moved in; leaving the windows open even when I wasn't home (although I was only robbed once; the more significant event was the uncanny feeling I had one afternoon, and looking up, discovering a black cat crossing from the bedroom into the kitchen, from which it disappeared. Sure, the windows were open at either end of the animal's journey, it was still a bit of a voodoo movie moment). I suppose the fact that we never moved while I was growing up and just my natural entropic tendencies explain why I ended up staying there so long, but the stress of moving has never been something I've particularly looked forward to, either, then as now. I have been remarkably lucky, however, that whenever I have moved I have had the luxury of the time to do it in. Our lease in Glebe, for example, doesn't run out to the end of the month, so we have the leisure to clean when we’re good and ready, to take it easy with the cat (who won't like this, not one bit, reminiscent as it will be for her of having to go to the airport and take a 30-hour trip, like our last move required). Still, we will have a terrific place to move into, in what may be Sydney's most vibrant neighbourhood, Surry Hills. After some of the places I've lived among the 9, location is very important indeed, but even a marginal neighbourhood can be endured if the home itself is of high enough quality. No basements or attics is an important rule. Other rules are no mold, no prostitutes or street corner drug transactions. Although it's important to minimize the monthly cost, so long as you can have some takeaway Thai or a pizza now and then, you can afford it if everything else is right. Growing up, everything else would have included "secret compartment" amenities: an attic, a basement with a variety of rooms, warren-like room arrangements . . . secret passages would be nice, or trapdoors. Here in Sydney outdoor space is the premium feature. A balcony is essential, but there are balconies and then there, well, window ledges. Developers here know perfectly well that when they put up a block of apartments, they each need outdoor space, but often enough they just tack on a slab-and-railing extension less than a meter wide outside the window and call it a balcony. You might get a couple of potted plants out there and maybe a chair or two, but it’s essentially useless as outdoor space. In Sydney that just won't do, so don’t be fooled. Get the one where you can put out a grill or a table and four chairs, plus plants. Some would question my choice of balcony over having a yard (garden), especially knowing that my childhood home in Bay Shore had the best yard in the neighbourhood. The house was situated on a plot half again as big as many of the other homes, and the backyard was filled with trees. When we were small, the house next door was empty for many years, and its backyard was a veritable jungle. The next block up the street hadn't been developed at all, and functioned as a forest. All that changed over the years, naturally, but I do still have an affinity for the out-of-doors. So why an apartment? The relatively low maintenance overhead, I suppose. Or maybe it's just part of my rejection of suburban life. I like the city – a lot. And city life is apartment living. Here in Sydney I have access to the best of both worlds. I can have my city life, but it's leafy and green and has outdoor space that is my own, not Central Park. If I need a big outdoor space, there are parks – Centennial, Moore, etc. - and the beaches within easy reach. Yes, I think I’ve made the right choice.
So much for the Friday Five.
I've long viewed the practice of 'blogging the "Friday Five" in this light, on the theory that if you can't post something, don't, and so what? But under the circumstances -- that I'm moving next week -- it seems appropriate to take on the topic. I will have lived in 9 different homes, only 1 of which was a house -- the childhood home -- and 4 of which were apartments shared with others during my university years. The favourite so far is the one I'm moving into, of course; otherwise why move? But let's not jinx that project, and instead offer the apartment in Queens. I spent 10 years in Elmhurst, which was about 9 more years than I'd ever intended. It was my first official home of my own, and that continues to resonate in my psyche, naturally enough. I made many mistakes: not changing the locks the instant I moved in; leaving the windows open even when I wasn't home (although I was only robbed once; the more significant event was the uncanny feeling I had one afternoon, and looking up, discovering a black cat crossing from the bedroom into the kitchen, from which it disappeared. Sure, the windows were open at either end of the animal's journey, it was still a bit of a voodoo movie moment). I suppose the fact that we never moved while I was growing up and just my natural entropic tendencies explain why I ended up staying there so long, but the stress of moving has never been something I've particularly looked forward to, either, then as now. I have been remarkably lucky, however, that whenever I have moved I have had the luxury of the time to do it in. Our lease in Glebe, for example, doesn't run out to the end of the month, so we have the leisure to clean when we’re good and ready, to take it easy with the cat (who won't like this, not one bit, reminiscent as it will be for her of having to go to the airport and take a 30-hour trip, like our last move required). Still, we will have a terrific place to move into, in what may be Sydney's most vibrant neighbourhood, Surry Hills. After some of the places I've lived among the 9, location is very important indeed, but even a marginal neighbourhood can be endured if the home itself is of high enough quality. No basements or attics is an important rule. Other rules are no mold, no prostitutes or street corner drug transactions. Although it's important to minimize the monthly cost, so long as you can have some takeaway Thai or a pizza now and then, you can afford it if everything else is right. Growing up, everything else would have included "secret compartment" amenities: an attic, a basement with a variety of rooms, warren-like room arrangements . . . secret passages would be nice, or trapdoors. Here in Sydney outdoor space is the premium feature. A balcony is essential, but there are balconies and then there, well, window ledges. Developers here know perfectly well that when they put up a block of apartments, they each need outdoor space, but often enough they just tack on a slab-and-railing extension less than a meter wide outside the window and call it a balcony. You might get a couple of potted plants out there and maybe a chair or two, but it’s essentially useless as outdoor space. In Sydney that just won't do, so don’t be fooled. Get the one where you can put out a grill or a table and four chairs, plus plants. Some would question my choice of balcony over having a yard (garden), especially knowing that my childhood home in Bay Shore had the best yard in the neighbourhood. The house was situated on a plot half again as big as many of the other homes, and the backyard was filled with trees. When we were small, the house next door was empty for many years, and its backyard was a veritable jungle. The next block up the street hadn't been developed at all, and functioned as a forest. All that changed over the years, naturally, but I do still have an affinity for the out-of-doors. So why an apartment? The relatively low maintenance overhead, I suppose. Or maybe it's just part of my rejection of suburban life. I like the city – a lot. And city life is apartment living. Here in Sydney I have access to the best of both worlds. I can have my city life, but it's leafy and green and has outdoor space that is my own, not Central Park. If I need a big outdoor space, there are parks – Centennial, Moore, etc. - and the beaches within easy reach. Yes, I think I’ve made the right choice.
So much for the Friday Five.
10 April 2003
Gimmie That Old Time Religion
When Britain recognized Jedi as a religion, everybody sneered. It was just a stunt, after all, based on an internet campaign to have the category written in by people around the country during the last cenus there. O.k., it worked, but how many people would continue to say they're Jedis? I'm betting not many. On the other hand, Haiti has now recognized Voodoo as a religion, the practioners of which can perform weddings and such other rites officially upon registering with the government. I'm guessing quite a large number sign up. So do they use the French form, voudoun? Or the English? I shall refrain from the zombie jokes.
When Britain recognized Jedi as a religion, everybody sneered. It was just a stunt, after all, based on an internet campaign to have the category written in by people around the country during the last cenus there. O.k., it worked, but how many people would continue to say they're Jedis? I'm betting not many. On the other hand, Haiti has now recognized Voodoo as a religion, the practioners of which can perform weddings and such other rites officially upon registering with the government. I'm guessing quite a large number sign up. So do they use the French form, voudoun? Or the English? I shall refrain from the zombie jokes.
McCarthy's Ghost
Here you can see the effects of the climate of fear at work. "Democrat, eh?" snarled the officer. "We know what to do about you Democrats." I'd keep an eye on that database, because I'll bet you dollars to donuts it never gets deleted.
Here you can see the effects of the climate of fear at work. "Democrat, eh?" snarled the officer. "We know what to do about you Democrats." I'd keep an eye on that database, because I'll bet you dollars to donuts it never gets deleted.
Hoover's Spin
I shouldn't be surprised, should I? The USA Patriot Act is one of the most sweeping pieces of law-enforcement legislation ever enacted in America, and I've sweated over the infringements it allows on Constitutional values. Today I hear that the Republicans, Orrin Hatch leading the charge, are looking to enshrine the Act permanently. But it looks very possible indeed, with the Kyl-Schumer bill open to a rider from Hatch that would eliminate the expiration in 2005. Schumer? The senior -- Democratic -- senator from New York? Yes, he’s got a bill out there that would make getting a surveillance warrant even easier than the Patriot Act already does. Schumer's bipartisan bill is transparent pandering to the fear the federal government has been whipping up around the country since the WTC murders. More police powers are not the answer; improved intelligence and better foreign relations are, not that you'll see either under the Bush administration. And I don't live there anymore, so I can't vote against the turncoat creep next time he's up.
I shouldn't be surprised, should I? The USA Patriot Act is one of the most sweeping pieces of law-enforcement legislation ever enacted in America, and I've sweated over the infringements it allows on Constitutional values. Today I hear that the Republicans, Orrin Hatch leading the charge, are looking to enshrine the Act permanently. But it looks very possible indeed, with the Kyl-Schumer bill open to a rider from Hatch that would eliminate the expiration in 2005. Schumer? The senior -- Democratic -- senator from New York? Yes, he’s got a bill out there that would make getting a surveillance warrant even easier than the Patriot Act already does. Schumer's bipartisan bill is transparent pandering to the fear the federal government has been whipping up around the country since the WTC murders. More police powers are not the answer; improved intelligence and better foreign relations are, not that you'll see either under the Bush administration. And I don't live there anymore, so I can't vote against the turncoat creep next time he's up.
02 April 2003
Time, Gentlemen
Metafilter is a resource I suppose every 'blogger utilizes to one extent or another. I usually find the site so densely packed with posts that it's as daunting as a stack of New Yorkers after a month or so of just not getting past "Talk of the Town." Still, every now and then I'll go in and nearly inevitably find something I enjoy. Timemaker is my new favorite toy on the internet. I'd like to spend more time away from work playing with it. It appeals to me on nearly the same level as Cornell boxes.
Metafilter is a resource I suppose every 'blogger utilizes to one extent or another. I usually find the site so densely packed with posts that it's as daunting as a stack of New Yorkers after a month or so of just not getting past "Talk of the Town." Still, every now and then I'll go in and nearly inevitably find something I enjoy. Timemaker is my new favorite toy on the internet. I'd like to spend more time away from work playing with it. It appeals to me on nearly the same level as Cornell boxes.
2 April
Thank God that’s over. Last night we tuned in to a program we’d seen advertised earlier in the week, called “Dark Side of the Moon Program,” purporting to be an exposé of the US Apollo 11 moon landing. The show had been touted as an examination of the roots of the program, and it started with Werner von Braun and the arms race, but quickly devolved into a parody, with Donald Rumsfield, Henry Kissinger, and Stanley Kubrick’s widow all very convincingly explaining how, although there was a moon landing, everything produced in evidence thereof was actually faked, originally in preparation for failure, but in the end actually used because the program couldn’t get any pictures back. Having already been the victim of a prank (Greg, somebody’s hacked your ‘blog; it’s all porno!), I should have been prepared, but it wasn’t until the stock footage in use started getting ludicrously divorced from the discussion, particularly during Rumsfield’s discourse on CIA hit squads combing the jungles of Viet Nam for their brethren who’d perpetrated the “hoax,” that I was convinced at last of the program’s parodic content. I have to give the participants a lot of credit, although I was already convinced of the evil natures of Rumsfield and Kissinger. Meanwhile, although the list is predictably internet-heavy, it’s nice to see Dick Smith made the top 100 – and nearly top 10, coming in a number 12 – April Fool’s hoaxes of all time. Congratulations.
Thank God that’s over. Last night we tuned in to a program we’d seen advertised earlier in the week, called “Dark Side of the Moon Program,” purporting to be an exposé of the US Apollo 11 moon landing. The show had been touted as an examination of the roots of the program, and it started with Werner von Braun and the arms race, but quickly devolved into a parody, with Donald Rumsfield, Henry Kissinger, and Stanley Kubrick’s widow all very convincingly explaining how, although there was a moon landing, everything produced in evidence thereof was actually faked, originally in preparation for failure, but in the end actually used because the program couldn’t get any pictures back. Having already been the victim of a prank (Greg, somebody’s hacked your ‘blog; it’s all porno!), I should have been prepared, but it wasn’t until the stock footage in use started getting ludicrously divorced from the discussion, particularly during Rumsfield’s discourse on CIA hit squads combing the jungles of Viet Nam for their brethren who’d perpetrated the “hoax,” that I was convinced at last of the program’s parodic content. I have to give the participants a lot of credit, although I was already convinced of the evil natures of Rumsfield and Kissinger. Meanwhile, although the list is predictably internet-heavy, it’s nice to see Dick Smith made the top 100 – and nearly top 10, coming in a number 12 – April Fool’s hoaxes of all time. Congratulations.
01 April 2003
Souths
I haven’t been to a game yet (but I will, really), and I can’t say that I know the difference between league and union, but the Rabbitohs are my team. Known otherwise as “Souths,” for South Sydney, the Bunnies are the battlers of the league, a real working class team of heroes with the kind of history such a background deserves, and a fan base that would be hard to equal. Growing up in a household where rooting for the underdog was the norm, with particular focus on the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets, long the worst teams in baseball, I felt an automatic affinity for this team, selecting them as my own even before arriving here. (One hopes CLA is enjoying her jersey.) The Red and Green Machine had a significant fan base for many years, when television and the Murdoch empire conspired to remove them from the league. This led to street demonstrations – not one, but two – of such a scale that Souths were reinstated without missing a match. They may not be doing very well so far this year (although the games at least have been close), but any team that takes the fearsome coney as its mascot deserves support, let alone one that can inspire such passion in its supporters. I would rather their major sponsor, TV Guide, didn’t have its logo quite so large and prominent on their souvenir apparel. The team’s own logo is terrific, the colors already sufficiently lurid without the advertising.
I haven’t been to a game yet (but I will, really), and I can’t say that I know the difference between league and union, but the Rabbitohs are my team. Known otherwise as “Souths,” for South Sydney, the Bunnies are the battlers of the league, a real working class team of heroes with the kind of history such a background deserves, and a fan base that would be hard to equal. Growing up in a household where rooting for the underdog was the norm, with particular focus on the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets, long the worst teams in baseball, I felt an automatic affinity for this team, selecting them as my own even before arriving here. (One hopes CLA is enjoying her jersey.) The Red and Green Machine had a significant fan base for many years, when television and the Murdoch empire conspired to remove them from the league. This led to street demonstrations – not one, but two – of such a scale that Souths were reinstated without missing a match. They may not be doing very well so far this year (although the games at least have been close), but any team that takes the fearsome coney as its mascot deserves support, let alone one that can inspire such passion in its supporters. I would rather their major sponsor, TV Guide, didn’t have its logo quite so large and prominent on their souvenir apparel. The team’s own logo is terrific, the colors already sufficiently lurid without the advertising.
31 March 2003
News of the So-Called "Blogosphere"
I check in with Berlinblog periodically because the posts are frequently humorous, always well-composed, and the site offers access to other ‘blogs than the ones I encounter elsewhere on a regular basis, selected with taste and discrimination. There isn't an extensive list of 'blogs, but the ones selected reflect well on the quality of the source. Witness: Klondike Kate, which is a little homey in its language for my taste, but has the kind of humor and overall point of view worth a look in. I noted Kate's recent list of conversation measures to help reduce the country’s dependency on foreign oil. Remember the oil embargo, Kate? Jimmy Carter may not be remembered fondly for his domestic policies, but turning down the thermostat is one of his administration's recommended measures that’s familiar from those days, as is scheduling trips in the car. Plastic bags is one that a lot of people don’t think of, but so’s another of Carter’s bits of advice: turn out the lights when you’re not in the room. Growing up on Long Island and being subject to the high rates of the local power company, LILCO (since deceased; now the Long Island Power Authority, LIPA, which immediately puts me in mind of lipo-, and you can guess where that takes me), we pursued this agenda well before and long after the embargo, and I swear it works, as does: decide what you’re looking for before opening the refrigerator (and when you’re putting groceries away, try to put the ‘fridge and freezer stuff away all at the same time) to reduce the loss of temperature – but that’s not one Klondike denizens need necessarily to consider a priority, I suppose, depending on the time of year. I haven’t added this to my own list of ‘blogs, because that would be poaching (no, not the definition about the eggs).
I check in with Berlinblog periodically because the posts are frequently humorous, always well-composed, and the site offers access to other ‘blogs than the ones I encounter elsewhere on a regular basis, selected with taste and discrimination. There isn't an extensive list of 'blogs, but the ones selected reflect well on the quality of the source. Witness: Klondike Kate, which is a little homey in its language for my taste, but has the kind of humor and overall point of view worth a look in. I noted Kate's recent list of conversation measures to help reduce the country’s dependency on foreign oil. Remember the oil embargo, Kate? Jimmy Carter may not be remembered fondly for his domestic policies, but turning down the thermostat is one of his administration's recommended measures that’s familiar from those days, as is scheduling trips in the car. Plastic bags is one that a lot of people don’t think of, but so’s another of Carter’s bits of advice: turn out the lights when you’re not in the room. Growing up on Long Island and being subject to the high rates of the local power company, LILCO (since deceased; now the Long Island Power Authority, LIPA, which immediately puts me in mind of lipo-, and you can guess where that takes me), we pursued this agenda well before and long after the embargo, and I swear it works, as does: decide what you’re looking for before opening the refrigerator (and when you’re putting groceries away, try to put the ‘fridge and freezer stuff away all at the same time) to reduce the loss of temperature – but that’s not one Klondike denizens need necessarily to consider a priority, I suppose, depending on the time of year. I haven’t added this to my own list of ‘blogs, because that would be poaching (no, not the definition about the eggs).
Two Fathoms
I’m enjoying the latest documentary, on Mark Twain (the name coming from the steamboat days, referring to the depth measure for “safe water”: two fathoms, hence the header on this post). For all that I acknowledge the man as an American master of storytelling, I can’t say as I’ve enjoyed everything of what I’ve read, but put that down to what is now an archaic style (not that that ever affected my taste for Henry James and Joseph Conrad, among others). Life on the Mississippi has terrific moments, and Huckleberry Finn is a great story, but some context is very useful in understanding what Clemens’ accomplishments really consisted of, especially as the effects he achieved have continued to vary as much as they’ve continued at all. I took some particular note that Huckleberry Finn was banned in Boston, not because of its treatment of slaves and slavery or because of any otherwise salacious content, but because the grammar was bad as a result of its using the narrator’s vernacular. So it’s very useful to listen to the experts on the subject, although it remains remarkable that there are so many experts to inquire of. Now that I am transplanted to a new home, I wonder, while considering Clemens, what similar documents I might pursue in Australian letters. I know there are remarkable lives and adventures and stories to be told, and I’m sure they have been; but it’s going to take some digging, I suppose, to find them. I’ve had a bit of an introduction to contemporary Australian writers, and I’ve certainly enjoyed what I’ve read. Pursuing a course of literary history nevertheless seems like a worthwhile endeavour, given my life as a reader.
Technology and Service Providers
I've been told that adding a "comments" feature would be worthwhile, and I've been pointed to a site offering 'bloggers the capability, but I'm not sure I want to go this way. I'm a little uncertain of how this feature works, and it appears that klinkfamily is hosting the comments. I'm all for free web services, as witness my use of blogspot, but I wouldn't want to get myself into a situation where content is denied because the provider can't afford to offer it anymore. Blogger and blogspot seem pretty stable, and the advertising requirement they impose (as well as the lack of technical support) seems reasonable. I've got my email address on the page, so readers with something to say can let me know that way. I'm happy to acknowledge the receipt of comments and discuss them, but I have to consider how much I want to offer a public forum and how much I want this 'blog to be a journal before I take it any further. Besides, I have enough trouble getting anyone to post anything on the guest map.
I’m enjoying the latest documentary, on Mark Twain (the name coming from the steamboat days, referring to the depth measure for “safe water”: two fathoms, hence the header on this post). For all that I acknowledge the man as an American master of storytelling, I can’t say as I’ve enjoyed everything of what I’ve read, but put that down to what is now an archaic style (not that that ever affected my taste for Henry James and Joseph Conrad, among others). Life on the Mississippi has terrific moments, and Huckleberry Finn is a great story, but some context is very useful in understanding what Clemens’ accomplishments really consisted of, especially as the effects he achieved have continued to vary as much as they’ve continued at all. I took some particular note that Huckleberry Finn was banned in Boston, not because of its treatment of slaves and slavery or because of any otherwise salacious content, but because the grammar was bad as a result of its using the narrator’s vernacular. So it’s very useful to listen to the experts on the subject, although it remains remarkable that there are so many experts to inquire of. Now that I am transplanted to a new home, I wonder, while considering Clemens, what similar documents I might pursue in Australian letters. I know there are remarkable lives and adventures and stories to be told, and I’m sure they have been; but it’s going to take some digging, I suppose, to find them. I’ve had a bit of an introduction to contemporary Australian writers, and I’ve certainly enjoyed what I’ve read. Pursuing a course of literary history nevertheless seems like a worthwhile endeavour, given my life as a reader.
Technology and Service Providers
I've been told that adding a "comments" feature would be worthwhile, and I've been pointed to a site offering 'bloggers the capability, but I'm not sure I want to go this way. I'm a little uncertain of how this feature works, and it appears that klinkfamily is hosting the comments. I'm all for free web services, as witness my use of blogspot, but I wouldn't want to get myself into a situation where content is denied because the provider can't afford to offer it anymore. Blogger and blogspot seem pretty stable, and the advertising requirement they impose (as well as the lack of technical support) seems reasonable. I've got my email address on the page, so readers with something to say can let me know that way. I'm happy to acknowledge the receipt of comments and discuss them, but I have to consider how much I want to offer a public forum and how much I want this 'blog to be a journal before I take it any further. Besides, I have enough trouble getting anyone to post anything on the guest map.
29 March 2003
Beatniks from Space
It's been over twenty years, but back in the day this was a crowd I was excited to hang with in Ann Arbor. So it was especially nice to hear from Rick van Valkenberg, even if the message consisted of little more than an ad. Beatniks from Space was a literary journal published by Rick and Denis McBee as the principals of the Neither/Nor Press. They were kind enough to include some of my efforts, and I understood at one point that they'd had sufficient sales thereof to recoup their costs. The Gary Reith piece is not one that I ever got to reading, but I have a copy, so once we're unpacked I'll make it a priority. I have read short fiction by Reith, and he was a prescient and compelling writer, by my recollection. As the publishing effort wore on, Rick pushed the Beatniks into public access cable, producing a show called Video Void. He later moved to NYC, which is where I saw him last, on the lower east side, running a store front poetry space, a la the Nuyoricans. I do wonder occassionally what ever happened to Denis.
It's been over twenty years, but back in the day this was a crowd I was excited to hang with in Ann Arbor. So it was especially nice to hear from Rick van Valkenberg, even if the message consisted of little more than an ad. Beatniks from Space was a literary journal published by Rick and Denis McBee as the principals of the Neither/Nor Press. They were kind enough to include some of my efforts, and I understood at one point that they'd had sufficient sales thereof to recoup their costs. The Gary Reith piece is not one that I ever got to reading, but I have a copy, so once we're unpacked I'll make it a priority. I have read short fiction by Reith, and he was a prescient and compelling writer, by my recollection. As the publishing effort wore on, Rick pushed the Beatniks into public access cable, producing a show called Video Void. He later moved to NYC, which is where I saw him last, on the lower east side, running a store front poetry space, a la the Nuyoricans. I do wonder occassionally what ever happened to Denis.
Welcome to the City of the Future
I've heard that Michael Hutchins, the deceased lead singer of INXS, once referred to Sydney as the “city of the twenty-first century.” I’m not one to take the word of pop stars about sociological phenomenon, but it's an interesting idea, and appears to have some validity, if mainly in potential. I'm very new to the city and not much of a sociologist or historian; neither do I boast any other particular expertise appropriate to the discussion. I’ve been looking around and trying to get the feel, and this is what I've come up with so far. Sydney is arguably Australia's premier city, and as such occupies a position at the cutting edge of how the next hundred years play out. It faces all of the same problems as other major, established cities of the world, technologically and culturally, for example, in infrastructural development and immigration-related changes.
Getting Around. I've previously mentioned the Olympic Park, specifically its railway station, as an example of a disconnection between existing infrastructure and the need for development. CityRail and the RTA are working on the problem of moving large numbers of people around a fairly extensive area, but the results have been mixed: the light rail line running across Sydney starts at the southern edge of the business district and proceeds west, connecting very few suburbs in a notably inefficient manner. The suburban trains are, on the other hand, very effective, but the equipment is seriously old. (It also exhibits the same problem with graffiti NYC faced in the subways for many years, but that's a separate issue.) There’s also a monorail looping through the CBD, but it appears to be there mainly to serve tourists, as it goes nowhere in particular through areas not particularly essential to the business life of the city. The busses are terrific, and this variant of surface transport is evolving with only a few hiccups, largely due to the aging of the fleet and lack of replacement equipment.
What's Around. The suburban sprawl of the city is a major factor in the development of Sydney's infrastructure, of course, and the usual response to the need for change continues to occur: motorways, ring roads, distribution tunnels. Sydneysiders, and Australians generally, has a deep and abiding fixation on having a house, and this has meant that people live ever further from where they work. A couple of developments have followed this trend. For one, business has been moving out of the CBD. They've been able to do this because of the population density outside the city and because the transportation system has been developing to meet the demands of the two groups, although it hasn't really been keeping up very well, from a mass-transit viewpoint, the focus seemingly being on supporting the existing car culture. It is still a small population, by some measures, at around 3 million, but sometimes it seems like they’re all driving.
Who's Around. The population is growing, too, largely by immigration. The biggest group of immigrants is Asians, naturally, and there are plenty of benefits to be had from this influx, even if there are some problems, too. (I wouldn't want to make too big a deal out of the presence of Asian gangs; this appears to be a problem many cities have had to contend with. Other immigrant groups have brought crime with them, and it appears to be a function of being an ethnic underclass in an urban and alien environment. This isn't a problem that just goes away – what problem is? – but serious effort within the community as a whole and by the immigrant group will stem the tide. These efforts are already underway and already taking effect.) Increased population density, however, is altering the landscape. In the CBD, I'd point other cities to Sydney's street furniture, which is not only functional in every regard to the concerns of city planners, but a modern convenience not to be in any way underestimated. Just go to NYC and try to find a toilet; you'll see. Housing is also easily among the primary concerns in cities, and here in Sydney high-rise developments are pushing out the old single-family homes, not limited to the city center, either. More and more are going up in the suburbs, even the towns further out than the Inner West. Given that Sydney has a delightful climate (by and large; it was damn hot this summer, due to global warming, unquestionably), developers do try to at least give a nod to the outdoor life the population has traditionally embraced, so all the new buildings have courtyard access or a balcony. Ritzier developments will have a terrace and often a roof garden with common access rights. They aren't all ugly, and they aren't all gigantic monoliths or sprawling complexes, either. Many of them remain quite small and boutique, which keeps a homier feel. But you can see the cranes pretty much everywhere. The housing boom isnt going to stop soon.
What It Costs. Even though the economy overall has had a few adjustments over the last few years, largely in the IT sector, but also in Finance, there appears to be a good deal of money around, and most of it's being spent on real estate. This makes it harder for average people to afford to buy a home, but easier for some to invest, a cycle feeding on itself. As more people buy investment property, more rental property is available, but increasing the cost of buying in. It's also having an effect related to the construction boom I mentioned above, insofar as investment is eased when applied to apartments, since the cost can be spread out across a number of buyers. The builders benefit, too, as they can achieve a higher return on their capital outlay, so long as the demand continues. The focus on houses by a significant part of the home-buying population, however, makes this class of real estate overly reliant on investment-minded purchasers, and they need renters. The cycle goes both ways, and in the end it's robbing Peter to pay Paul, as the saying goes, except for the immigrant influx, which makes continued growth in this sector possible.
Cities have other effects, particularly on the environment. Population size puts cities beyond the ability of their immediate area's natural resources to sustain, so the food and water have to come from elsewhere, naturally resulting in a pretty significant imposition on the water are minerals etc. of those regions. Australia being in the midst of a drought should not lead anyone to discount it as a fairly arid place to begin with. The “red middle” isn’t red because the plants there use something other than chlorophyll. The national population is sustainable overall, and within any given region that's true, too; it will be sustainable for some time to come, even as the population grows. There’s room here, but not forever. At some point, we’re going to have to get quite a bit smarter than we have been on land and water use. Some regions and some industries have already begun. There are towns around the country that have already imposed mandatory year-round water restrictions, for example. The housing industry is beginning to experiment with more efficient designs. That's a development of particular interest, especially as the reliance on single-family homes continues unabated, and Sydney continues as the most under-air conditioned hot place in the developed world. Yes, air conditioning is a long-term problem as much as it is a short-term solution. So building self-sufficiently energy-efficient homes is a promising technological advance, one that will surely have benefits around the world, particularly in the developing nations, where the cheap-but-wasteful technologies of the previous century go out of use as unsustainable. Sydney looks to be one of the premier places on earth to pursue this need.
A Place in the Sun
Darwin may be closer, but it's not a major city, and while Brisbane may be major for Australia, Sydney is the first big city of Australia in its proximity to Asia. This puts Sydney in the position of being Australia's ambassador city to the Pacific region, a role extremely important for the country, and in some measure unattainable for any other Western city. San Francisco and Vancouver in North America, Lima in South America have served in this capacity to one degree or another, but Australia is undeniably the Western nation in the East. Some people fear it, others embrace it, still others try to ignore it, but this position isn’t going away, and ought to be taken as the opportunity it represents. China is a force to be reckoned with, but nobody lately seems to be reaching out to them, and they tend not to reach out themselves. Japan's economy and its position as an economic power globally can fluctuate so wildly as to seriously impair financial well-being well beyond their borders. Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation on the planet, and as such is a cultural tsunami waiting to happen. Australia is in a geographical position to be the Western world’s mediator. It’s also in a developmental stage where it could explode upon the world stage in this role, should it choose to do so. Perhaps more than anything else about Australia, this is what will make Sydney the city of the twenty-first century.
I've heard that Michael Hutchins, the deceased lead singer of INXS, once referred to Sydney as the “city of the twenty-first century.” I’m not one to take the word of pop stars about sociological phenomenon, but it's an interesting idea, and appears to have some validity, if mainly in potential. I'm very new to the city and not much of a sociologist or historian; neither do I boast any other particular expertise appropriate to the discussion. I’ve been looking around and trying to get the feel, and this is what I've come up with so far. Sydney is arguably Australia's premier city, and as such occupies a position at the cutting edge of how the next hundred years play out. It faces all of the same problems as other major, established cities of the world, technologically and culturally, for example, in infrastructural development and immigration-related changes.
Getting Around. I've previously mentioned the Olympic Park, specifically its railway station, as an example of a disconnection between existing infrastructure and the need for development. CityRail and the RTA are working on the problem of moving large numbers of people around a fairly extensive area, but the results have been mixed: the light rail line running across Sydney starts at the southern edge of the business district and proceeds west, connecting very few suburbs in a notably inefficient manner. The suburban trains are, on the other hand, very effective, but the equipment is seriously old. (It also exhibits the same problem with graffiti NYC faced in the subways for many years, but that's a separate issue.) There’s also a monorail looping through the CBD, but it appears to be there mainly to serve tourists, as it goes nowhere in particular through areas not particularly essential to the business life of the city. The busses are terrific, and this variant of surface transport is evolving with only a few hiccups, largely due to the aging of the fleet and lack of replacement equipment.
What's Around. The suburban sprawl of the city is a major factor in the development of Sydney's infrastructure, of course, and the usual response to the need for change continues to occur: motorways, ring roads, distribution tunnels. Sydneysiders, and Australians generally, has a deep and abiding fixation on having a house, and this has meant that people live ever further from where they work. A couple of developments have followed this trend. For one, business has been moving out of the CBD. They've been able to do this because of the population density outside the city and because the transportation system has been developing to meet the demands of the two groups, although it hasn't really been keeping up very well, from a mass-transit viewpoint, the focus seemingly being on supporting the existing car culture. It is still a small population, by some measures, at around 3 million, but sometimes it seems like they’re all driving.
Who's Around. The population is growing, too, largely by immigration. The biggest group of immigrants is Asians, naturally, and there are plenty of benefits to be had from this influx, even if there are some problems, too. (I wouldn't want to make too big a deal out of the presence of Asian gangs; this appears to be a problem many cities have had to contend with. Other immigrant groups have brought crime with them, and it appears to be a function of being an ethnic underclass in an urban and alien environment. This isn't a problem that just goes away – what problem is? – but serious effort within the community as a whole and by the immigrant group will stem the tide. These efforts are already underway and already taking effect.) Increased population density, however, is altering the landscape. In the CBD, I'd point other cities to Sydney's street furniture, which is not only functional in every regard to the concerns of city planners, but a modern convenience not to be in any way underestimated. Just go to NYC and try to find a toilet; you'll see. Housing is also easily among the primary concerns in cities, and here in Sydney high-rise developments are pushing out the old single-family homes, not limited to the city center, either. More and more are going up in the suburbs, even the towns further out than the Inner West. Given that Sydney has a delightful climate (by and large; it was damn hot this summer, due to global warming, unquestionably), developers do try to at least give a nod to the outdoor life the population has traditionally embraced, so all the new buildings have courtyard access or a balcony. Ritzier developments will have a terrace and often a roof garden with common access rights. They aren't all ugly, and they aren't all gigantic monoliths or sprawling complexes, either. Many of them remain quite small and boutique, which keeps a homier feel. But you can see the cranes pretty much everywhere. The housing boom isnt going to stop soon.
What It Costs. Even though the economy overall has had a few adjustments over the last few years, largely in the IT sector, but also in Finance, there appears to be a good deal of money around, and most of it's being spent on real estate. This makes it harder for average people to afford to buy a home, but easier for some to invest, a cycle feeding on itself. As more people buy investment property, more rental property is available, but increasing the cost of buying in. It's also having an effect related to the construction boom I mentioned above, insofar as investment is eased when applied to apartments, since the cost can be spread out across a number of buyers. The builders benefit, too, as they can achieve a higher return on their capital outlay, so long as the demand continues. The focus on houses by a significant part of the home-buying population, however, makes this class of real estate overly reliant on investment-minded purchasers, and they need renters. The cycle goes both ways, and in the end it's robbing Peter to pay Paul, as the saying goes, except for the immigrant influx, which makes continued growth in this sector possible.
Cities have other effects, particularly on the environment. Population size puts cities beyond the ability of their immediate area's natural resources to sustain, so the food and water have to come from elsewhere, naturally resulting in a pretty significant imposition on the water are minerals etc. of those regions. Australia being in the midst of a drought should not lead anyone to discount it as a fairly arid place to begin with. The “red middle” isn’t red because the plants there use something other than chlorophyll. The national population is sustainable overall, and within any given region that's true, too; it will be sustainable for some time to come, even as the population grows. There’s room here, but not forever. At some point, we’re going to have to get quite a bit smarter than we have been on land and water use. Some regions and some industries have already begun. There are towns around the country that have already imposed mandatory year-round water restrictions, for example. The housing industry is beginning to experiment with more efficient designs. That's a development of particular interest, especially as the reliance on single-family homes continues unabated, and Sydney continues as the most under-air conditioned hot place in the developed world. Yes, air conditioning is a long-term problem as much as it is a short-term solution. So building self-sufficiently energy-efficient homes is a promising technological advance, one that will surely have benefits around the world, particularly in the developing nations, where the cheap-but-wasteful technologies of the previous century go out of use as unsustainable. Sydney looks to be one of the premier places on earth to pursue this need.
A Place in the Sun
Darwin may be closer, but it's not a major city, and while Brisbane may be major for Australia, Sydney is the first big city of Australia in its proximity to Asia. This puts Sydney in the position of being Australia's ambassador city to the Pacific region, a role extremely important for the country, and in some measure unattainable for any other Western city. San Francisco and Vancouver in North America, Lima in South America have served in this capacity to one degree or another, but Australia is undeniably the Western nation in the East. Some people fear it, others embrace it, still others try to ignore it, but this position isn’t going away, and ought to be taken as the opportunity it represents. China is a force to be reckoned with, but nobody lately seems to be reaching out to them, and they tend not to reach out themselves. Japan's economy and its position as an economic power globally can fluctuate so wildly as to seriously impair financial well-being well beyond their borders. Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation on the planet, and as such is a cultural tsunami waiting to happen. Australia is in a geographical position to be the Western world’s mediator. It’s also in a developmental stage where it could explode upon the world stage in this role, should it choose to do so. Perhaps more than anything else about Australia, this is what will make Sydney the city of the twenty-first century.
28 March 2003
Internationalism
I've been enjoying the timezone breakdown on Sitemeter, but the latest resource I've added, a global guest map (via Rebel Prince, is interactive fun for everybody! Nifty. I'm very interested in how it breaks down, assuming anybody ever clicks through.
I've been enjoying the timezone breakdown on Sitemeter, but the latest resource I've added, a global guest map (via Rebel Prince, is interactive fun for everybody! Nifty. I'm very interested in how it breaks down, assuming anybody ever clicks through.
27 March 2003
Backlash
Terrorism and war inevitably give rise to concerns about “backlash”: the tendency we have to believe the worst of whatever group the individuals perpetrating these acts may belong to. One of the first things you may hear following an act of terror is concern for the innocents of the community, those who belong to the overall group, but not to the splinter, sect, or faction involved. Yes, there were incidents of one kind or another after the WTC murders and Bali atrocity, and they were quickly condemned, as is only right. Punishment was meted out where it was possible to do so. But I haven’t seen any evidence of a backlash following the initiation of hostilities in Iraq. At least, not until now. This is an insidious example of backlash, not least because it come from an official source. But unlike when racist members of government speak their prejudices directly and can be effectively suppressed by their colleagues and the public, Minister Nelson’s remarks are subversive and might track under the radar. He should be roundly criticised for his remarks and actions. I am gratified by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie’s stepping up on this. Private letter, indeed.
Larger picture note: the action of the US government against Iraq may legitmately be construed as "backlash." Just because we picked an easy target doesn't mean we didn't look for a bunch of Muslims to bash. Shame on Bush.
Terrorism and war inevitably give rise to concerns about “backlash”: the tendency we have to believe the worst of whatever group the individuals perpetrating these acts may belong to. One of the first things you may hear following an act of terror is concern for the innocents of the community, those who belong to the overall group, but not to the splinter, sect, or faction involved. Yes, there were incidents of one kind or another after the WTC murders and Bali atrocity, and they were quickly condemned, as is only right. Punishment was meted out where it was possible to do so. But I haven’t seen any evidence of a backlash following the initiation of hostilities in Iraq. At least, not until now. This is an insidious example of backlash, not least because it come from an official source. But unlike when racist members of government speak their prejudices directly and can be effectively suppressed by their colleagues and the public, Minister Nelson’s remarks are subversive and might track under the radar. He should be roundly criticised for his remarks and actions. I am gratified by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie’s stepping up on this. Private letter, indeed.
Larger picture note: the action of the US government against Iraq may legitmately be construed as "backlash." Just because we picked an easy target doesn't mean we didn't look for a bunch of Muslims to bash. Shame on Bush.
Patrician Passing
R.I.P., Daniel Patrick Moynihan. How did Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond out live you?
You Know Things Are Bad . . .
when Australia is in the Times. It would be nice to see some good news on this country in that paper. Always with the negative waves, Grey Lady. I would like to say, however, that while the peace protestors overall are right to demonstrate, pursuing a worthy goal, there are many people out there who are using the war to act out their personal frustrations, just as we’ve seen in the anti-globalization protests over the last few years. These are troubled, opportunistic individuals, and they blight democracy. Unfortunately, their activities are used as a pretext by the powers that be to ignore the voices that stay on topic and restrict or otherwise impair the civil liberties of all of us. These are the kinds of actions that make politicians seek to increase police power, and make police act out their own frustrations. I am appalled whenever I see water cannon being used against citizens, just the same.
The White Air
I feel a sense of expanse and peacefulness here in Sydney, and it is somewhat to do with the fact that wherever I am, I can see expanses of sky. The light here seems brighter, whiter than anywhere else I’ve been, but even those cities where the buildings are less tall and less crowded together than NYC have a different feeling than here, even oppressive sometimes. Los Angeles is wide open to the sky, yet it remains mired in traffic, earthbound. Chicago is greyer than you’d expect, even in summer, as is San Francisco, and, of course, London. Paris is so beige I may never understand why it’s called the City of Light. Or is that “Lights”? I was only ever in Berlin during the Cold War, so maybe it’s changed, but it was pretty gloomy. But even on the overcast, rainy days of early autumn, Sydney seems bright, it seems to spread out before you like a picnic blanket. Perhaps the proximity to the ocean and the harbor’s deep reach through the city has something to do with it.
R.I.P., Daniel Patrick Moynihan. How did Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond out live you?
You Know Things Are Bad . . .
when Australia is in the Times. It would be nice to see some good news on this country in that paper. Always with the negative waves, Grey Lady. I would like to say, however, that while the peace protestors overall are right to demonstrate, pursuing a worthy goal, there are many people out there who are using the war to act out their personal frustrations, just as we’ve seen in the anti-globalization protests over the last few years. These are troubled, opportunistic individuals, and they blight democracy. Unfortunately, their activities are used as a pretext by the powers that be to ignore the voices that stay on topic and restrict or otherwise impair the civil liberties of all of us. These are the kinds of actions that make politicians seek to increase police power, and make police act out their own frustrations. I am appalled whenever I see water cannon being used against citizens, just the same.
The White Air
I feel a sense of expanse and peacefulness here in Sydney, and it is somewhat to do with the fact that wherever I am, I can see expanses of sky. The light here seems brighter, whiter than anywhere else I’ve been, but even those cities where the buildings are less tall and less crowded together than NYC have a different feeling than here, even oppressive sometimes. Los Angeles is wide open to the sky, yet it remains mired in traffic, earthbound. Chicago is greyer than you’d expect, even in summer, as is San Francisco, and, of course, London. Paris is so beige I may never understand why it’s called the City of Light. Or is that “Lights”? I was only ever in Berlin during the Cold War, so maybe it’s changed, but it was pretty gloomy. But even on the overcast, rainy days of early autumn, Sydney seems bright, it seems to spread out before you like a picnic blanket. Perhaps the proximity to the ocean and the harbor’s deep reach through the city has something to do with it.
25 March 2003
Thank Goodness the Cold War’s Over . . .
and now the Russians are our friends. I don’t suppose I should blame them, really. It’s not like we hadn’t set Hussein on his way, and our military-industrial complex is no less opportunistic.
The new world order we face has gone from progressive to regressive in a remarkably brief period of time. It is not so very long ago that everyone was speaking of a “peace dividend,” a result of the “fall of communism” and the correlative decreased need for high defense expenditures. We never got it. The Clinton health plan, for example, was beaten flat even before it was formulated, and nobody ever cuts taxes anyway. We did think we could rely on the world to become a better place, and for America to be free of its self-imposed obligation to protect the world from anti-capitalist forces. We mocked the ubiquity of Starbucks and Nike and other symptoms of globalization, even as we relied upon their reach across the face of the globe; this would, after all, provide us with the comforts of home wherever in an ever-smaller world we happened to be. It was mostly just funny when the French demonstrated against McDonalds. It didn’t so much matter if every toy on the shelf at Christmas had been manufactured in China, possibly using prison labor. The repressive regimes of the Middle East weren’t a problem: they were business partners, and it was their countries they were repressing anyway. The US had stood athwart the world, fearless and armed to the teeth, amidst the perils of the Cold War, waged on behalf of individual liberty. But when that passed, we started to realize that the triumph was about a system of capitalism that overlooks individuals. This is globalization in its essence, an economic phenomenon driven by the US and facilitated by the collapse of the Soviet regime, dragging along the rest of the world as participants with varying degrees of reluctance. Some would argue that the independence of the United States has always been about economics, but that’s just cynicism. The freedom enshrined in the Constitution is undeniably collective, but it affirms the essential requirement that individuals, too, are free within that system of independence. (It’s a remarkable construct when you consider it, nearly fractal.) Has it come to this, though, that systems are predominant? Are collective industries more powerful and more important than the individuals that comprise them? Isn’t this what gave us Enron and Tyco? Isn’t this the same problem that doomed the Soviet Union and South Africa’s apartheid? We spent decades breaking down systems in favor of individual rights, but we’ve been spending the last twenty years, indeed even just the last two years, undoing the freedoms we thereby achieved, among others for good measure. What are we setting up for ourselves when we pare away layer upon layer of our formative principles? And can we face the future, will we be capable of envisioning and grasping that future if we allow government to be driven by the values of business over those of a responsible philosophy?
We fear the world too much, and it fears us in return.
and now the Russians are our friends. I don’t suppose I should blame them, really. It’s not like we hadn’t set Hussein on his way, and our military-industrial complex is no less opportunistic.
The new world order we face has gone from progressive to regressive in a remarkably brief period of time. It is not so very long ago that everyone was speaking of a “peace dividend,” a result of the “fall of communism” and the correlative decreased need for high defense expenditures. We never got it. The Clinton health plan, for example, was beaten flat even before it was formulated, and nobody ever cuts taxes anyway. We did think we could rely on the world to become a better place, and for America to be free of its self-imposed obligation to protect the world from anti-capitalist forces. We mocked the ubiquity of Starbucks and Nike and other symptoms of globalization, even as we relied upon their reach across the face of the globe; this would, after all, provide us with the comforts of home wherever in an ever-smaller world we happened to be. It was mostly just funny when the French demonstrated against McDonalds. It didn’t so much matter if every toy on the shelf at Christmas had been manufactured in China, possibly using prison labor. The repressive regimes of the Middle East weren’t a problem: they were business partners, and it was their countries they were repressing anyway. The US had stood athwart the world, fearless and armed to the teeth, amidst the perils of the Cold War, waged on behalf of individual liberty. But when that passed, we started to realize that the triumph was about a system of capitalism that overlooks individuals. This is globalization in its essence, an economic phenomenon driven by the US and facilitated by the collapse of the Soviet regime, dragging along the rest of the world as participants with varying degrees of reluctance. Some would argue that the independence of the United States has always been about economics, but that’s just cynicism. The freedom enshrined in the Constitution is undeniably collective, but it affirms the essential requirement that individuals, too, are free within that system of independence. (It’s a remarkable construct when you consider it, nearly fractal.) Has it come to this, though, that systems are predominant? Are collective industries more powerful and more important than the individuals that comprise them? Isn’t this what gave us Enron and Tyco? Isn’t this the same problem that doomed the Soviet Union and South Africa’s apartheid? We spent decades breaking down systems in favor of individual rights, but we’ve been spending the last twenty years, indeed even just the last two years, undoing the freedoms we thereby achieved, among others for good measure. What are we setting up for ourselves when we pare away layer upon layer of our formative principles? And can we face the future, will we be capable of envisioning and grasping that future if we allow government to be driven by the values of business over those of a responsible philosophy?
We fear the world too much, and it fears us in return.
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