The week that was, and why I’m in need of a holiday

Right, we’ve a fair bit to get through but given that this week concludes with a long weekend, I think I can afford to take my time here (yum cha and uni work can both wait ). As with all my previous entries, this post contains the usual ranting, news and comment that I indulge in on this page. I make no apology for the extremely controversial, exaggerated and hyperbolic, sexist, long-winded, unnecessary, angry, sad and/or happy stuff that I post on here, and I therefore advise our younger audience members that this content is suited for mature audiences and that parental guidance is recommended.

(That’s just a disclaimer for legal reasons . 6 and a half lines of absolute nonsense to begin this ridiculously long post. I’m getting better and better at this )

I have several bits and pieces coming up that I’ve salvaged from the SMH in the past week, including Miranda Devine’s piece on Rudd’s useless binge-drinking crackdown, Alan Ramsay’s insightful column about the sickening support for Israel our Government indulged in during Parliament midweek, Annette Sampson’s comparison of the 2008 economic crisis with that of 1987, and John van Tiggelen’s thought-provoking Good Weekend piece on the Aboriginal community at Aurukun. Those stories and more are coming up later this week.

As for week just gone by, it’s been busy. In terms of news, it’s been one major story after another, with the Federal and State Governments featuring heavily for all the wrong reasons. I won’t delve too deeply into either Federal or State politics today because I have neither the time or inclination to do so (and you can read my comments on AM in the appropriate threads anyway, and I’ll have more to say later on anyway), but I will say that Morris Iemma’s NSW Labor Government needs to go and that Kevin Rudd’s Federal Labor Government needs to start governing. Somehow I don’t think either is going to happen anytime soon though – as David Johnston said in his farewell, "some things never change". Notice that both governments are run by the Labor Party as well, but I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions about that.

But first, this morning we woke to the sad news of the death of Bill Brown OAM at age 95. Our oldest living cricketer, Brown was one of the best openers Australia has ever had and, whilst often overshadowed by Bradman & co. as a member of the Invincibles, his actions and insights as a gentleman both on and off field will always be valued by a generation that included Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist. As Waugh said in today’s Courier Mail,

"For us he was the embodiment of everything great about the baggy green cap. He had everything – strength, great ethics, character and wonderful stories from the past and yet still had great respect for the modern game" "I reckon that if one person could have their picture beside the baggy green cap to illustrate what it stood for, it should be Bill. Bill was the man who my generation really looked up to."

A likeable, popular and modest man, arguably Brown’s best piece of advice was this little gem: "Stay there until lunch-time on the first day. The pace you scored at didn’t matter a darn". So obvious, yet so often ignored by the openers of today. It’s safe to say we’re going to miss Bill Brown.

That comes on top of yesterday morning’s major story, which was the announcement of the discovery of the HMAS Sydney off the coast of WA. The discovery of both the Kormoran and Sydney some 2.5km below the surface of the Indian Ocean solves part of a 6 decade mystery that has intrigued many Australians, and it is appropriate that both sites be declared war graves.

Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson called for a national memorial service for those who died, saying "I think it’s important the Australian Government consider a national memorial service for families and those who’ve been directly affected over a long period by the loss of Sydney". Meanwhile, families have already asked to be allowed to visit the site and lay wreaths for their lost relatives, whilst HMAS Sydney Association president John Atkins said the Government should pay for victims’ families to visit the site.

Whatever happens, yesterday will go down as a monumental, special and sad day in Australian history. For the family, friends and relatives of the 645 Aussies and 70-odd Germans that needlessly perished in a violent and bloody conflict in a violent and bloody war, yesterday was a day for celebration and reflection, and brings some sense of closure (I hate that cliche, personally) and relief 66 years on.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

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Moving on, and we’re just 8 days into Semester and I’m already in need of a holiday. 3 days of early starts, 3 days of late finishes, and 4 days of paying a shitload to travel between home and Uni has already drained me to the point that I need a break to recharge and refocus. Thankfully we have a mid-semester break from Friday for Easter (although it’s only week 2 of 12, so why it’s a ‘mid-term break’ I don’t know), but I should also point out that I already have a pile of assessments and homework higher than the Berlin Wall, so there goes any chance of quality R&R. Some holiday this is going to be, but I guess it still beats going all the way into Uni just to hear some boring-as-batshit lecturer in his 90s drone on about some obscure theoretical bullshit.

Actually, all I need is sleep. Or maybe a glass of shiraz. I don’t know. Either would suit me just right now.

I’ll have more stuff for you later on this week, but I will leave you with this succinct and appropriate comment from T-Mac:

"On the same day that Today drops its ticker, Sunrise attempts to set a record for the most crap crammed into a single screenshot."

That’s a not-so-obvious reference to the arrogance and tackiness we saw yesterday morning. I wonder what cheap stunt Adam Boland will try next. As Boner mused, surely he couldn’t beat the ‘Sunlies’ fiasco, could he?

Until next time, goodnight and stay safe

Shaan.