Daylight Cinema Limitations
I've kind of made it a practice to wait a couple of weekends before hitting any new releases at the movies and to attend early sessions. This ensures good seat selection and few immediate neighbors, which latter can be important when the room between the edge of my seat and the seat-back in front is restricted to the minimum required by your average dwarf. It can be a problem when the movie selection is something like Fantastic Mr. Fox, at least insofar as the former principle of movie-attendance, due to the increased likelihood of small children. Who were surprisingly better behaved than their parents, who choose to read aloud and otherwise narrate pretty much throughout, due to the children being a little on the too-young side, which became especially apparent at about an hour in when they all started needing to be taken to the toilets. I had hoped that the more "realistic" elements of the film, the growling and other more animalistic behaviors, would send a few out in tears, but you can't have everything.
Mr. Fox was very entertaining, if a little mannered, although it's hard to see how that could have been avoided. Roald Dahl was not a childhood staple for me, so I hadn't encountered this story before, but it's got the same element of not talking-down to kids that Charlie & the Chocolate Factory had, the one Dahl book that came into the household while I was still reading such fare. I enjoyed the animation - and to say the characters were animated should be taken in both senses of the word: yes, puppets; and yes, expressive, active, lively. Wes Anderson's done a good job with the material, and I look forward, as ever, to his next film, whatever it may be.
22 January 2010
Bush Legacy: Supreme Court Hates Democracy
The latest ruling from the Supreme Court, making corporations more equal than people in regard to campaign finance, ensures our elected officials will act to the benefit of business - big business, at that - rather than those of us who actually vote. I suppose a 5-4 decision offers some hope that we can get a law back in place, maybe even something more far-reaching than we've had before, but with the teabaggers and haters in a position now to stand pat and block anything from happening, it doesn't seem likely. This is the Reagan-Bush-Bush legacy for the country: democracy doesn't live in America anymore.
The latest ruling from the Supreme Court, making corporations more equal than people in regard to campaign finance, ensures our elected officials will act to the benefit of business - big business, at that - rather than those of us who actually vote. I suppose a 5-4 decision offers some hope that we can get a law back in place, maybe even something more far-reaching than we've had before, but with the teabaggers and haters in a position now to stand pat and block anything from happening, it doesn't seem likely. This is the Reagan-Bush-Bush legacy for the country: democracy doesn't live in America anymore.
17 January 2010
More Festival Festivities
Why do event promoters use thirty-year-old photos in their advertisements? John Cale's got to be like 70, so I'm not fooled. For Xmas, M. got me tickets to the show at the Enmore theatre. This is a nice, civilized venue, often putting on the best local, national, and international rock concerts anywhere in town. Cale put in a hard-rocking set, covering pretty much the full span of his early career, up to and including Sabotage. In some ways this was disappointing. I appreciate his early stuff, but it's largely characterized by screaming, crashing finishes after an extended period of seeming to be incapable of bringing the song to a conclusion. His pop sensibilities were perhaps a bit more honed later, and that might have been to the good for this set. Still, with a full band backing him, it was a relief that it wasn't to be a repeat of the last few shows I saw, with him reprising his catalog on solo piano. And thank goodness that his 90's turn into "classical" composition wasn't featured. Songs for Drella and his Dylan Thomas song cycle were dreadful. So, all up: a good night out and a fine performance from a grand old man of rock.
Why do event promoters use thirty-year-old photos in their advertisements? John Cale's got to be like 70, so I'm not fooled. For Xmas, M. got me tickets to the show at the Enmore theatre. This is a nice, civilized venue, often putting on the best local, national, and international rock concerts anywhere in town. Cale put in a hard-rocking set, covering pretty much the full span of his early career, up to and including Sabotage. In some ways this was disappointing. I appreciate his early stuff, but it's largely characterized by screaming, crashing finishes after an extended period of seeming to be incapable of bringing the song to a conclusion. His pop sensibilities were perhaps a bit more honed later, and that might have been to the good for this set. Still, with a full band backing him, it was a relief that it wasn't to be a repeat of the last few shows I saw, with him reprising his catalog on solo piano. And thank goodness that his 90's turn into "classical" composition wasn't featured. Songs for Drella and his Dylan Thomas song cycle were dreadful. So, all up: a good night out and a fine performance from a grand old man of rock.
16 January 2010
Running
Last year I focused in training in running on my forefoot. I found that I maintained strength in my legs for longer than when I allowed myself to land heel-first. Except for wet conditions, where it seemed a forefoot-strike slid more, I even maintained this gait during the half-marathon. So I was intrigued enough by a capsule article in Wired over Christmas to make a point of finding a local store here that carries the Newton running shoe and to spend more than I ever have on a shoe that wasn't going to get me back to Kansas. I've only been using it in the run-up to the May SMH half for three days now (and 20k) so I don't know if this is really going to work, but so far I like them and they really seem to work. Due to shipping errors, the shop only had my size in the racer, but since I already run this way, I figured the trainer was superfluous. We'll see how it lasts and whether, when the race time approaches, a new pair is required. I'm thinking I should get through the next couple of months o.k., but as I intend to also run the Blackmore's half in October, I probably will need to replace them.
Last year I focused in training in running on my forefoot. I found that I maintained strength in my legs for longer than when I allowed myself to land heel-first. Except for wet conditions, where it seemed a forefoot-strike slid more, I even maintained this gait during the half-marathon. So I was intrigued enough by a capsule article in Wired over Christmas to make a point of finding a local store here that carries the Newton running shoe and to spend more than I ever have on a shoe that wasn't going to get me back to Kansas. I've only been using it in the run-up to the May SMH half for three days now (and 20k) so I don't know if this is really going to work, but so far I like them and they really seem to work. Due to shipping errors, the shop only had my size in the racer, but since I already run this way, I figured the trainer was superfluous. We'll see how it lasts and whether, when the race time approaches, a new pair is required. I'm thinking I should get through the next couple of months o.k., but as I intend to also run the Blackmore's half in October, I probably will need to replace them.
14 January 2010
Devastation
Haiti would have been entirely unprepared for the earthquake, such events being probably quite rare in the region, not to mention decades of endemic poverty and governmental corruption. I don’t doubt that the death toll will be terribly high and that recovery will be a very long time coming. I can’t even imagine coming back from this without some very open and forthright assistance from the wealthy nations of the world. I worry that the response will be great pledges of aid that come to little actually spent and less spent where it’s really needed. This is often the problem with underdeveloped countries with entrenched governments with high levels of corruption or despotism, that they insist on sovereignty and keep much of what passes through their hands, favoring this contractor or that who themselves operate similarly, not to mention that charities and even donor nations have “administrative” costs built into their pledges. A million dollars pledged in aid isn’t a million dollars spent on the ground rebuilding homes and hospitals. A better system is needed. Humanitarianism needs to be more open at both the giving and receiving ends.
Meanwhile, could God please call Pat Robertson home, heaven or hell, I don’t care, just please get him off the planet: who knew that Toussaint L’ouverture was the Devil? (Maybe if a white man had freed Haiti from the French it would have been o.k. with Pat?)
Haiti would have been entirely unprepared for the earthquake, such events being probably quite rare in the region, not to mention decades of endemic poverty and governmental corruption. I don’t doubt that the death toll will be terribly high and that recovery will be a very long time coming. I can’t even imagine coming back from this without some very open and forthright assistance from the wealthy nations of the world. I worry that the response will be great pledges of aid that come to little actually spent and less spent where it’s really needed. This is often the problem with underdeveloped countries with entrenched governments with high levels of corruption or despotism, that they insist on sovereignty and keep much of what passes through their hands, favoring this contractor or that who themselves operate similarly, not to mention that charities and even donor nations have “administrative” costs built into their pledges. A million dollars pledged in aid isn’t a million dollars spent on the ground rebuilding homes and hospitals. A better system is needed. Humanitarianism needs to be more open at both the giving and receiving ends.
Meanwhile, could God please call Pat Robertson home, heaven or hell, I don’t care, just please get him off the planet: who knew that Toussaint L’ouverture was the Devil? (Maybe if a white man had freed Haiti from the French it would have been o.k. with Pat?)
13 January 2010
A Fan’s Notes
To Neko Case Monday, thanks to the intervention of a Sydney Festival staff member, to exorcise the songs from Middle Cyclone that play on endless repeat in my head day and night. Well, that didn’t work.
The venue is home to the Australian Chamber Orchestra, which may explain the acoustics, unless it’s just the curse of trying to build a concert hall. Has anyone ever successfully built a “sound” opera house? As Ms. Case commenced the first song of the set, she stopped on the first note, taken aback by the room’s lack of acoustical warmth. For someone with such a tin ear as I’ve got, the sound had to be bad that I noticed it, too (but I’d have thought Neko would have noted the quality in the sound-check; guess not). So it was an odd show, and for other reasons, too. For one thing, the backup singer seemed to run most of the stage patter. And while I knew nearly all the songs inside and out (a couple of pieces at the end were from albums I haven’t heard), the lack of warmth, if I can continue to use that expression, kept the experience from replicating or exceeding that of listening to the recordings. I probably should have made more of an effort to get out to the Blue Mountains for the set she did in Katoomba, which was a pub venue.
Finally, the show was perhaps somewhat rushed and shorter than it might have been, which probably affected the performance, due to the fact that Grizzly Bear were due to take the stage at 8:30. This meant Neko was operating with a curfew, annoyingly, especially as I can’t stand Grizzly Bear so see no reason for them to be preferenced. For a band with one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2009, I just don’t get them.
Glad I went, happy not to miss out, just the same.
To Neko Case Monday, thanks to the intervention of a Sydney Festival staff member, to exorcise the songs from Middle Cyclone that play on endless repeat in my head day and night. Well, that didn’t work.
The venue is home to the Australian Chamber Orchestra, which may explain the acoustics, unless it’s just the curse of trying to build a concert hall. Has anyone ever successfully built a “sound” opera house? As Ms. Case commenced the first song of the set, she stopped on the first note, taken aback by the room’s lack of acoustical warmth. For someone with such a tin ear as I’ve got, the sound had to be bad that I noticed it, too (but I’d have thought Neko would have noted the quality in the sound-check; guess not). So it was an odd show, and for other reasons, too. For one thing, the backup singer seemed to run most of the stage patter. And while I knew nearly all the songs inside and out (a couple of pieces at the end were from albums I haven’t heard), the lack of warmth, if I can continue to use that expression, kept the experience from replicating or exceeding that of listening to the recordings. I probably should have made more of an effort to get out to the Blue Mountains for the set she did in Katoomba, which was a pub venue.
Finally, the show was perhaps somewhat rushed and shorter than it might have been, which probably affected the performance, due to the fact that Grizzly Bear were due to take the stage at 8:30. This meant Neko was operating with a curfew, annoyingly, especially as I can’t stand Grizzly Bear so see no reason for them to be preferenced. For a band with one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2009, I just don’t get them.
Glad I went, happy not to miss out, just the same.
06 January 2010
Traffic
There was a time in the States when holiday road deaths were publicised, and it may be that years in NYC made this less conspicuous to me, but it seems this time has long passed. So it was surprising to me to be seemingly barraged with details over each long weekend or holiday period with state-by-state deaths on the road figures, perhaps most especially because the figures never seemed so high as to warrant such attention. 10 deaths in NSW vs. 12 in QLD or wherever just didn’t seem statistically significant for a three+ day period. And because nothing ever seems to be done to alleviate what must be of concern to Australians, the focus of the reporting would better serve public interest by shifting to the do-nothing public servants.
Not that I take such criticism as does focus on government entirely seriously. There are an awful lot of pundits whose hearts just bleed over traffic light cameras and speed cameras – as if running a red light or exceeding the speed limit isn’t dangerous. These same commentators say little about the stepped-up holiday period random breath tests.
But it’s been a terrible time to be out on the roads this year, with a week to go, unofficially, for the holiday period, including a tremendous accident involving a petrol tanker exploding, killing the truck driver, two small children and their dad, and leaving the mother seriously injured. The visibility of the incident has people up in arms over the particular roadway where it took place and which is regarded as a neglected stretch of infrastructure and over long-haul truckers sharing space with passenger vehicles, particularly in regard to dangerous materials transport.
I don’t recall what prompted me to read Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says about Us), but I did, and it highlighted some things for me, not least that accidents between trucks and cars are most usually because the car driver does something stupid rather than that the truck driver is hopped-up on speed, overtired, or aggressive, but also that the large majority of car drivers are overconfident and under-trained.
Unfortunately, that’s not news, or not within the consciousness of journalists, anyway. Certainly any reporter pointing fingers at the majority among his or her audience is going to lose credibility. We all know it’s the truckies, the cyclists, the pedestrians, the government – not us behind the wheel. (You, that is, since I’m a life-long pedestrian.) I won’t say, and neither does Tom Vanderbilt, that these other parties don’t share blame, but the majority share should lie where it belongs. I’ve seen enough of Sydney traffic to know that aggression is pretty nearly a universally innate behavior once behind the wheel.
Tom Vanderbilt suggests taking the “How’s My Driving” technique to another level, where the driving performance of everybody is recorded and fed back into a system that rates them and offers penalties and incentives accordingly. The technology only partially exists, but it might focus our attention more appropriately than the usual “He did it” approach.
There was a time in the States when holiday road deaths were publicised, and it may be that years in NYC made this less conspicuous to me, but it seems this time has long passed. So it was surprising to me to be seemingly barraged with details over each long weekend or holiday period with state-by-state deaths on the road figures, perhaps most especially because the figures never seemed so high as to warrant such attention. 10 deaths in NSW vs. 12 in QLD or wherever just didn’t seem statistically significant for a three+ day period. And because nothing ever seems to be done to alleviate what must be of concern to Australians, the focus of the reporting would better serve public interest by shifting to the do-nothing public servants.
Not that I take such criticism as does focus on government entirely seriously. There are an awful lot of pundits whose hearts just bleed over traffic light cameras and speed cameras – as if running a red light or exceeding the speed limit isn’t dangerous. These same commentators say little about the stepped-up holiday period random breath tests.
But it’s been a terrible time to be out on the roads this year, with a week to go, unofficially, for the holiday period, including a tremendous accident involving a petrol tanker exploding, killing the truck driver, two small children and their dad, and leaving the mother seriously injured. The visibility of the incident has people up in arms over the particular roadway where it took place and which is regarded as a neglected stretch of infrastructure and over long-haul truckers sharing space with passenger vehicles, particularly in regard to dangerous materials transport.
I don’t recall what prompted me to read Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says about Us), but I did, and it highlighted some things for me, not least that accidents between trucks and cars are most usually because the car driver does something stupid rather than that the truck driver is hopped-up on speed, overtired, or aggressive, but also that the large majority of car drivers are overconfident and under-trained.
Unfortunately, that’s not news, or not within the consciousness of journalists, anyway. Certainly any reporter pointing fingers at the majority among his or her audience is going to lose credibility. We all know it’s the truckies, the cyclists, the pedestrians, the government – not us behind the wheel. (You, that is, since I’m a life-long pedestrian.) I won’t say, and neither does Tom Vanderbilt, that these other parties don’t share blame, but the majority share should lie where it belongs. I’ve seen enough of Sydney traffic to know that aggression is pretty nearly a universally innate behavior once behind the wheel.
Tom Vanderbilt suggests taking the “How’s My Driving” technique to another level, where the driving performance of everybody is recorded and fed back into a system that rates them and offers penalties and incentives accordingly. The technology only partially exists, but it might focus our attention more appropriately than the usual “He did it” approach.
30 December 2009
They Hates Our Freedoms: Boxers vs. Briefs
The Shoe-Bomber. Now the Underpants-Bomber. These guys are scary, sure, but ineffective, inept, except at ensuring that under-trained airport and airline staff are increasingly responsible for making air travel inconvenient and uncomfortable. We shuffle through the security checks in our socks. We're subjected to mandatory pat-downs. Makes me glad I'm not traveling to the States this year. Someday the TSA will work out a way to implement an effective and efficient system of detection and prevention. If the GOP allow a director to be appointed or a bill to get them some money to be passed. But they didn't get that done when they were the majority, either.
The Shoe-Bomber. Now the Underpants-Bomber. These guys are scary, sure, but ineffective, inept, except at ensuring that under-trained airport and airline staff are increasingly responsible for making air travel inconvenient and uncomfortable. We shuffle through the security checks in our socks. We're subjected to mandatory pat-downs. Makes me glad I'm not traveling to the States this year. Someday the TSA will work out a way to implement an effective and efficient system of detection and prevention. If the GOP allow a director to be appointed or a bill to get them some money to be passed. But they didn't get that done when they were the majority, either.
24 December 2009
Dances with Aliens
So much for the snark, although I suppose I could go on. Avatar is terrific. I sprang for the whole Imax 3-D experience and it was totally worth it. Sure, it's 3 hours of my life, but it rocks, rolls, and left me reeling (quite literally, as I'm a bit prone to vertigo and the 3-D stuff did get to me now and then, but I was able to mostly control for it). I haven't bothered about any of the other big 3-D releases there have been lately, but having done Imax, I think I'll have to do another, just for comparison.
O.k., all science fiction movies come down to westerns in the end, and this one is no different, but seeing Sam Worthington's giant blue girlfriend crouched above his prostrate and incapacitated form, snarling at the villain in giant's armor, well, that was worth the price of admission. And while it's usually considered quite daring for an incipient leading actor to take a role that spends that much time in somebody else's face, the makeup and digital effects are such that you never lose sight of him and that each character is sufficiently distinct and recognizable, which is only a little disconcerting in the case of Sigourney Weaver.
Great stuff, a triumph - and a serious contender for Best Picture, I reckon.
So much for the snark, although I suppose I could go on. Avatar is terrific. I sprang for the whole Imax 3-D experience and it was totally worth it. Sure, it's 3 hours of my life, but it rocks, rolls, and left me reeling (quite literally, as I'm a bit prone to vertigo and the 3-D stuff did get to me now and then, but I was able to mostly control for it). I haven't bothered about any of the other big 3-D releases there have been lately, but having done Imax, I think I'll have to do another, just for comparison.
O.k., all science fiction movies come down to westerns in the end, and this one is no different, but seeing Sam Worthington's giant blue girlfriend crouched above his prostrate and incapacitated form, snarling at the villain in giant's armor, well, that was worth the price of admission. And while it's usually considered quite daring for an incipient leading actor to take a role that spends that much time in somebody else's face, the makeup and digital effects are such that you never lose sight of him and that each character is sufficiently distinct and recognizable, which is only a little disconcerting in the case of Sigourney Weaver.
Great stuff, a triumph - and a serious contender for Best Picture, I reckon.
City Views
While I was out, I took a few photos, intending to capture a bit of summer imagery.
Coming back from Kirribilli, I found that the World has come to Sydney, as, in another sense, it usually does, this time of year.
"This time of year" being the run-up to New Year's Eve, when they'll set the Harbour Bridge on fire, sort of, and reveal the logo in the centre, which, from the framework already in place, you can't really work out. The theme is captioned "Awaken the Spirit." I think I miss the disco ball.
The sun's well up by 8 a.m., and glaring off the surface of the water.
There's a similar effect looking into the city from the Botanical Gardens as there is looking across an open prospect out of NYC's Central Park, but things are a bit more open here somehow. Still, I like some of these buildings; they show a bit of flair. Although I wonder at the lack of solar panels. Wouldn't that just be smart?
The Sydney Opera House is a well-known and over-photographed construction, but it's a stand-out nevertheless.
What you don't much get, though, is how broad the forecourt is. During the days of flashmobs, I thought it would be a good place to have a large number of people walking up and down in some kind of pattern and then suddenly dispersing. Maybe with umbrellas, too.
One thing about the harbor: it's very clean. Clean-looking, anyway. I'm not inclined to try the fish.
While I was out, I took a few photos, intending to capture a bit of summer imagery.
Coming back from Kirribilli, I found that the World has come to Sydney, as, in another sense, it usually does, this time of year.
"This time of year" being the run-up to New Year's Eve, when they'll set the Harbour Bridge on fire, sort of, and reveal the logo in the centre, which, from the framework already in place, you can't really work out. The theme is captioned "Awaken the Spirit." I think I miss the disco ball.
The sun's well up by 8 a.m., and glaring off the surface of the water.
There's a similar effect looking into the city from the Botanical Gardens as there is looking across an open prospect out of NYC's Central Park, but things are a bit more open here somehow. Still, I like some of these buildings; they show a bit of flair. Although I wonder at the lack of solar panels. Wouldn't that just be smart?
The Sydney Opera House is a well-known and over-photographed construction, but it's a stand-out nevertheless.
What you don't much get, though, is how broad the forecourt is. During the days of flashmobs, I thought it would be a good place to have a large number of people walking up and down in some kind of pattern and then suddenly dispersing. Maybe with umbrellas, too.
One thing about the harbor: it's very clean. Clean-looking, anyway. I'm not inclined to try the fish.
22 December 2009
Around Town
I took a wander into the city this morning, ultimately heading over to Kirribilli, which was dull, but a nice ferry ride back, had some lunch over in the Rocks, and then spent some time at the MCA, which had a show on that I'd noticed but forgotten about and another (free) that was also worthwhile.
Almanac is a presentation of various works from the collection of Ann Lewis, a collector of some note, and provided a look at some truly excellent examples of modern Aboriginal paintings, along with some various other, locally-produced sculptures, photographs, and paintings. My local art dealer, Honeyant Gallery often has works by some of the artists presented in this show, and these were certainly fine examples, as are those Honeyant exhibits.
The other show is one by an artist who has, at least once, made me regret leaving NYC: Olafur Eliasson. Mr. Eliasson is the artist responsible for the waterfalls around NYC's waterways last year. In this show, "Take Your Time", he is working with light, and the works are, each and all collectively, such that you leave the room smiling. The yellow room has delightful and spooky illusion effects - your skin looks grey, and the rooms visible beyond look purple. The circle of light room, which changes color as you stand within in, made the blood flow in my eyes visible to me, but more importantly, as the light shifted into different colors and intensities, eliminated space, suspending me in the colors themselves, blotting out all peripheral vision spectacularly. Other bits were more simply playful, but no less delightful. I'm so glad I went.
I took a wander into the city this morning, ultimately heading over to Kirribilli, which was dull, but a nice ferry ride back, had some lunch over in the Rocks, and then spent some time at the MCA, which had a show on that I'd noticed but forgotten about and another (free) that was also worthwhile.
Almanac is a presentation of various works from the collection of Ann Lewis, a collector of some note, and provided a look at some truly excellent examples of modern Aboriginal paintings, along with some various other, locally-produced sculptures, photographs, and paintings. My local art dealer, Honeyant Gallery often has works by some of the artists presented in this show, and these were certainly fine examples, as are those Honeyant exhibits.
The other show is one by an artist who has, at least once, made me regret leaving NYC: Olafur Eliasson. Mr. Eliasson is the artist responsible for the waterfalls around NYC's waterways last year. In this show, "Take Your Time", he is working with light, and the works are, each and all collectively, such that you leave the room smiling. The yellow room has delightful and spooky illusion effects - your skin looks grey, and the rooms visible beyond look purple. The circle of light room, which changes color as you stand within in, made the blood flow in my eyes visible to me, but more importantly, as the light shifted into different colors and intensities, eliminated space, suspending me in the colors themselves, blotting out all peripheral vision spectacularly. Other bits were more simply playful, but no less delightful. I'm so glad I went.
17 December 2009
Running Hot & Cold
Kyoto was a farce, mostly because the U.S. bailing out was a great excuse for others to do the same or to do nothing. So my expectations from Copenhagen were not high, even though we have a President who recognizes the science and is willing to make an effort. Because the closer we get to actually implementing a way for every nation to participate it will indeed be the smaller, less industrialised countries that get left behind unless Europe and the U.S. are going to need to share the burden fairly and their innovations in carbon-reduction quite freely, which is unlikely to happen easily if at all. Otherwise, Third World industrialisation comes to a standstill to the point where they can’t compete and shut down entirely, leading to the worst kinds of anarchy, dispossession, and an increase in economic refugees, right alongside the waves of environmental refugees set to increase as global warming progresses, a juggernaut of inertia that carbon reduction will only slow over decades. So the haves keep what they’ve got and increase it at the expense of the have-nots, who continue to lose and lose. And then it’s still just an excuse to do nothing until we absolutely have to so it all takes that much longer and has an even more extensive effect on the less fortunate. It’s all very Aesop’s Fables.
Kyoto was a farce, mostly because the U.S. bailing out was a great excuse for others to do the same or to do nothing. So my expectations from Copenhagen were not high, even though we have a President who recognizes the science and is willing to make an effort. Because the closer we get to actually implementing a way for every nation to participate it will indeed be the smaller, less industrialised countries that get left behind unless Europe and the U.S. are going to need to share the burden fairly and their innovations in carbon-reduction quite freely, which is unlikely to happen easily if at all. Otherwise, Third World industrialisation comes to a standstill to the point where they can’t compete and shut down entirely, leading to the worst kinds of anarchy, dispossession, and an increase in economic refugees, right alongside the waves of environmental refugees set to increase as global warming progresses, a juggernaut of inertia that carbon reduction will only slow over decades. So the haves keep what they’ve got and increase it at the expense of the have-nots, who continue to lose and lose. And then it’s still just an excuse to do nothing until we absolutely have to so it all takes that much longer and has an even more extensive effect on the less fortunate. It’s all very Aesop’s Fables.
Service Interruption
I've got one day left before my annual leave starts, so when do the State Transit bus drivers decide to throw a strike? That figures. It's a Friday, and there's one last set of reports to run, and the departmental holiday picnic, and I'm seriously considering staying home. Cabs to Central will make a packet, I expect, since it's just that much too far to walk for many of us, and the trains are all that's left, but at least I work somewhere where that is an option, if a long ride with multiple transfers. And this after the change in schedule debacle that's made the drivers incapable of meeting a wide-open timetable. Oh, and fellas, many of us have foregone pay increases last year to keep our companies profitable, if not viable. Do a better job, get more sympathy.
I've got one day left before my annual leave starts, so when do the State Transit bus drivers decide to throw a strike? That figures. It's a Friday, and there's one last set of reports to run, and the departmental holiday picnic, and I'm seriously considering staying home. Cabs to Central will make a packet, I expect, since it's just that much too far to walk for many of us, and the trains are all that's left, but at least I work somewhere where that is an option, if a long ride with multiple transfers. And this after the change in schedule debacle that's made the drivers incapable of meeting a wide-open timetable. Oh, and fellas, many of us have foregone pay increases last year to keep our companies profitable, if not viable. Do a better job, get more sympathy.
10 December 2009
DIY Checkout
Local supermarket giant Coles recently introduced self-service checkout terminals and have been strongly encouraging of its customers to use them. I did, once. I may never do it again.
I pretty much do my own bagging anyway, but, as in the article linked from the BBC, that “unexpected item in bagging area” error is annoying, but only because I got caught answering “no bag” on a couple of things that I decided belonged in a separate bag from the food items I was otherwise processing. It was easy enough to rectify, but still an addition to a tedious process.
Scan. Do you want to bag this? Yes. Bag. Scan. Do you want to bag this? Yes. Bag. Scan. . . . Scan. . . . SCAN! For the love of God, Scan! No, o.k. then type in the 85-digit code, written in tiny characters that even with reading glasses I can’t see easily.
Somehow it all works so much more easily and quickly when there’s an employee present to do the scanning for you. Although the self-service option doesn’t appear to have resulted in a reduction in staff at the checkout. I was “helped” by at least two separate persons on three separate occasions – one who insisted on teaching me how to operate the machine, which is pretty obvious, and then who struggled over the scanner after seeing that the item I was attempting to purchase wouldn’t scan. (And he couldn’t enter the 500-digit code either), and another who helpfully removed items from my bag even if they weren’t actually the offending items preventing the completion of my transaction, let alone all of them.
Checkout clerks may not be terribly efficient, and nobody seems to know how to bag things properly anymore, but even when they’re surly or simply non-responsive, that’s still a better interaction than staring at an uncooperative computer.
I don’t doubt that it will be sooner rather than later nevertheless before I am all lost at the supermarket.
Local supermarket giant Coles recently introduced self-service checkout terminals and have been strongly encouraging of its customers to use them. I did, once. I may never do it again.
I pretty much do my own bagging anyway, but, as in the article linked from the BBC, that “unexpected item in bagging area” error is annoying, but only because I got caught answering “no bag” on a couple of things that I decided belonged in a separate bag from the food items I was otherwise processing. It was easy enough to rectify, but still an addition to a tedious process.
Scan. Do you want to bag this? Yes. Bag. Scan. Do you want to bag this? Yes. Bag. Scan. . . . Scan. . . . SCAN! For the love of God, Scan! No, o.k. then type in the 85-digit code, written in tiny characters that even with reading glasses I can’t see easily.
Somehow it all works so much more easily and quickly when there’s an employee present to do the scanning for you. Although the self-service option doesn’t appear to have resulted in a reduction in staff at the checkout. I was “helped” by at least two separate persons on three separate occasions – one who insisted on teaching me how to operate the machine, which is pretty obvious, and then who struggled over the scanner after seeing that the item I was attempting to purchase wouldn’t scan. (And he couldn’t enter the 500-digit code either), and another who helpfully removed items from my bag even if they weren’t actually the offending items preventing the completion of my transaction, let alone all of them.
Checkout clerks may not be terribly efficient, and nobody seems to know how to bag things properly anymore, but even when they’re surly or simply non-responsive, that’s still a better interaction than staring at an uncooperative computer.
I don’t doubt that it will be sooner rather than later nevertheless before I am all lost at the supermarket.
30 November 2009
Sippin'
So I saved loyalty points for a long time, but I finally had enough to redeem for a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue.
It's lovely packaging, with a slip-case box, a brochure, and a special bottle-top seal . . . that I just can't bring myself to break. There I was with a week off from work, and I couldn't even try it. AU$200 means, as a known cheapskate, that I may have this around for some time to come, absent a good reason to tear through the foil. Meanwhile, it's very pretty, and it won't go bad, so, what? bids open? Any whiskey fans on their way to visit (with whom I want to share, keep in mind)?
So I saved loyalty points for a long time, but I finally had enough to redeem for a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue.
It's lovely packaging, with a slip-case box, a brochure, and a special bottle-top seal . . . that I just can't bring myself to break. There I was with a week off from work, and I couldn't even try it. AU$200 means, as a known cheapskate, that I may have this around for some time to come, absent a good reason to tear through the foil. Meanwhile, it's very pretty, and it won't go bad, so, what? bids open? Any whiskey fans on their way to visit (with whom I want to share, keep in mind)?
29 November 2009
Big Pictures
Terry Gilliam does not suffer from a lack of imagination, but more remarkably he has been an accomplished director pretty much right from the start, with little in the way of duds, except, mainly, as a writer, and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" is another example of one of his fully-realized efforts, all the more remarkable for having lost a principal actor during filming. Heath Ledger had the potential to become a great actor of our generation, in fact, he was one, just didn't get the chance to prove it as extensively as his contemporaries will have had. The "replacement" performances by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell only prove the point, much as they also serve to prove how adroit Gilliam himself can be, their insertions only fueling the imaginative sequences they serve in. There are a couple of (more or less major) loose ends and at least one plot hole, but they don't really matter. Oh, and casting Tom Waits as the devil is very effective, if not entirely imaginative.
Terry Gilliam does not suffer from a lack of imagination, but more remarkably he has been an accomplished director pretty much right from the start, with little in the way of duds, except, mainly, as a writer, and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" is another example of one of his fully-realized efforts, all the more remarkable for having lost a principal actor during filming. Heath Ledger had the potential to become a great actor of our generation, in fact, he was one, just didn't get the chance to prove it as extensively as his contemporaries will have had. The "replacement" performances by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell only prove the point, much as they also serve to prove how adroit Gilliam himself can be, their insertions only fueling the imaginative sequences they serve in. There are a couple of (more or less major) loose ends and at least one plot hole, but they don't really matter. Oh, and casting Tom Waits as the devil is very effective, if not entirely imaginative.
Leader of the Pack
The Liberals are in disarray, as they have been since Labor took government, and I can't say much of Malcolm Turnbull's performance: he's generally just been cheap and petty, bringing nothing to his role in opposition of his reputed acumen. But he did manage to wrest concessions from Kevin Rudd on the emissions trading scheme and seemed to have his party lined up to put it into law. Suddenly, not so much. Joe Hockey leads for a challenge on Tuesday, with Tony Abbott not far behind, and following a spill attempt last week. Joe's a bully, and it seems an unprincipled one, too, now reneging on his acknowledgment of climate change and previous agreement to vote Labor's legislation in, but Abbott's worse. I have a sneaking preference for Abbott to take the leadership, if only because I don't think he could take the Liberals into government, but if he did: disaster. Abbott as PM would put the far right faction on the Liberals into a position of power even Howard managed to avoid, and the country would see a reversion to the 1950's in all the worst ways. Of course, I wouldn't put it past him to be announcing his ambitions only to act as a spoiler for someone else, Kevin Andrews maybe? Or even to enhance Hockey's chances? Still, even Hockey's support for labor-relations reform wouldn't be as damaging as the kinds of things Abbott would surely attempt. Nevertheless, I'd like to see Turnbull stay on. I think he has potential, if he'd step up his game, which would also see the Liberals move into a more viable position of contention at the next election. A strong opposition is the only way we get anything serious done.
Update: Tony Abbott wins, nation loses. Double dissolution, anyone?
The Liberals are in disarray, as they have been since Labor took government, and I can't say much of Malcolm Turnbull's performance: he's generally just been cheap and petty, bringing nothing to his role in opposition of his reputed acumen. But he did manage to wrest concessions from Kevin Rudd on the emissions trading scheme and seemed to have his party lined up to put it into law. Suddenly, not so much. Joe Hockey leads for a challenge on Tuesday, with Tony Abbott not far behind, and following a spill attempt last week. Joe's a bully, and it seems an unprincipled one, too, now reneging on his acknowledgment of climate change and previous agreement to vote Labor's legislation in, but Abbott's worse. I have a sneaking preference for Abbott to take the leadership, if only because I don't think he could take the Liberals into government, but if he did: disaster. Abbott as PM would put the far right faction on the Liberals into a position of power even Howard managed to avoid, and the country would see a reversion to the 1950's in all the worst ways. Of course, I wouldn't put it past him to be announcing his ambitions only to act as a spoiler for someone else, Kevin Andrews maybe? Or even to enhance Hockey's chances? Still, even Hockey's support for labor-relations reform wouldn't be as damaging as the kinds of things Abbott would surely attempt. Nevertheless, I'd like to see Turnbull stay on. I think he has potential, if he'd step up his game, which would also see the Liberals move into a more viable position of contention at the next election. A strong opposition is the only way we get anything serious done.
Update: Tony Abbott wins, nation loses. Double dissolution, anyone?
28 November 2009
Drawing Leviathan
M. and I took in A Serious Man yesterday, and it may be the best movie I've seen all year. Painful, if still humorous, and desperate to the point of breathlessness, following Larry Gopnik's Job-like progression into the abyss, reminiscent in many ways of William Macy's character in Fargo, you can't help rooting for the guy, hoping it will all turn around for him, and maybe it will or maybe it's all just about to come completely unstuck. Like the critics whose reviews I've read, I don't know what the ghost story's about at the beginning or how it fits in with the rest, but other than that, this is a fine return to form from the Coens - or better yet, a serious movie from them for what may be the first time ever. Not to be missed.
M. and I took in A Serious Man yesterday, and it may be the best movie I've seen all year. Painful, if still humorous, and desperate to the point of breathlessness, following Larry Gopnik's Job-like progression into the abyss, reminiscent in many ways of William Macy's character in Fargo, you can't help rooting for the guy, hoping it will all turn around for him, and maybe it will or maybe it's all just about to come completely unstuck. Like the critics whose reviews I've read, I don't know what the ghost story's about at the beginning or how it fits in with the rest, but other than that, this is a fine return to form from the Coens - or better yet, a serious movie from them for what may be the first time ever. Not to be missed.
24 November 2009
Sydney Tourism
I've been trying to get some time off for two months now and have finally gotten what I wanted. So after throwing a day on gardening - there was a tree out front that fell over and tore up the planter it was in, the Council requiring intervention, which meant taking it down, but which also meant leaving a pile of dirt in front of unit 2, so I shoveled everything aside, built a new planter, and re-filled it - I took today to accomplish the Spit-to-Manly walk. Technically, it's the Manly-to-Spit walk, but that really depends on orientation. Being a south-harbour person, I'm Spit-to-Manly. This has the advantage of being able to the get the ferry back to Circular Quay, instead of having to ride the bus, which is bad enough as it is.
Anyway, it's about 10 kilometers along the northern foreshore, but that doesn't really do it justice. This is trail, not just sidewalks and beach and such. Yes, the national parks system has made improvements, some of which are just taking advantage of what's already there and some being the importation of cut or dressed stone. In fact, about four kilometers out from Manly, there were great giant sacks of cut stone, dressed stone, and gravel, tons of the stuff, that, having done the walk, I can't imagine reaching their present resting places by anything other than helicopter.
This is the view back about two kilometers from the start, the Spit Bridge. The Spit is a promintory, finally bridged only sometime around WWII, and which even now forms an immense traffic bottleneck unlikely to be fully resolved any time soon. It's a drawbridge, but also reduces four lanes to two, so a considerable number of commuters spend some portion of their time, having preferenced land travel over taking a ferry, to crawling painfully across a narrow strait, one that took me five minutes to walk, and that was at eight a.m., which Sydney somehow doesn't consider rush hour.
I was hopeful of seeing wildlife, but all I got was this stinking lizard.
Oh, and a big ol' kookaburra.
'bout the size of a small chicken.
By this time, I was about halfway through, sweating heavily, even though the southerly had brought the temperature back down to a reasonable level and it was still only about ten o'clock, with a fine misty rain coming down. Having passed some aboriginal rock etchings, I'd also come upon a more recent example of man's incursions, although in this instance, one that was more a question of taking advantage of what was already there.
All along the track there are examples of this, caves, or half-caves, anyway, cut away but erosion over millions of years, but which came into modern notice with the Great Depression, during which many men took to the bush, trapping what they could, and sheltering where great forces had left natural protection for them. No sign of graffiti, as such, but I suppose those who dwelt within had much more on their minds than making a mark.
Nice view, eh?
From here, it's all downhill. Through all you see, around the point, around a couple of coves, and it's home-free to Manly. This was the end of the hardest part of the track, and there was still over four kilometers to go. I was drenched in sweat and drizzling rain, overheated, but looking forward to arriving at the Corso in time for lunch. The guide-signs laid out a 4.5 hour walk, but I was done in three, which gave me time to catch the ferry back home for a better lunch than was on offer on the north shore and many sore muscles.
I've been trying to get some time off for two months now and have finally gotten what I wanted. So after throwing a day on gardening - there was a tree out front that fell over and tore up the planter it was in, the Council requiring intervention, which meant taking it down, but which also meant leaving a pile of dirt in front of unit 2, so I shoveled everything aside, built a new planter, and re-filled it - I took today to accomplish the Spit-to-Manly walk. Technically, it's the Manly-to-Spit walk, but that really depends on orientation. Being a south-harbour person, I'm Spit-to-Manly. This has the advantage of being able to the get the ferry back to Circular Quay, instead of having to ride the bus, which is bad enough as it is.
Anyway, it's about 10 kilometers along the northern foreshore, but that doesn't really do it justice. This is trail, not just sidewalks and beach and such. Yes, the national parks system has made improvements, some of which are just taking advantage of what's already there and some being the importation of cut or dressed stone. In fact, about four kilometers out from Manly, there were great giant sacks of cut stone, dressed stone, and gravel, tons of the stuff, that, having done the walk, I can't imagine reaching their present resting places by anything other than helicopter.
This is the view back about two kilometers from the start, the Spit Bridge. The Spit is a promintory, finally bridged only sometime around WWII, and which even now forms an immense traffic bottleneck unlikely to be fully resolved any time soon. It's a drawbridge, but also reduces four lanes to two, so a considerable number of commuters spend some portion of their time, having preferenced land travel over taking a ferry, to crawling painfully across a narrow strait, one that took me five minutes to walk, and that was at eight a.m., which Sydney somehow doesn't consider rush hour.
I was hopeful of seeing wildlife, but all I got was this stinking lizard.
Oh, and a big ol' kookaburra.
'bout the size of a small chicken.
By this time, I was about halfway through, sweating heavily, even though the southerly had brought the temperature back down to a reasonable level and it was still only about ten o'clock, with a fine misty rain coming down. Having passed some aboriginal rock etchings, I'd also come upon a more recent example of man's incursions, although in this instance, one that was more a question of taking advantage of what was already there.
All along the track there are examples of this, caves, or half-caves, anyway, cut away but erosion over millions of years, but which came into modern notice with the Great Depression, during which many men took to the bush, trapping what they could, and sheltering where great forces had left natural protection for them. No sign of graffiti, as such, but I suppose those who dwelt within had much more on their minds than making a mark.
Nice view, eh?
From here, it's all downhill. Through all you see, around the point, around a couple of coves, and it's home-free to Manly. This was the end of the hardest part of the track, and there was still over four kilometers to go. I was drenched in sweat and drizzling rain, overheated, but looking forward to arriving at the Corso in time for lunch. The guide-signs laid out a 4.5 hour walk, but I was done in three, which gave me time to catch the ferry back home for a better lunch than was on offer on the north shore and many sore muscles.
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