New Home for The Right Aussie

Because of continuing problems I've had with Blogger, coupled with a desire to try out some new stuff, I have moved The Right Aussie to a new blog hosting site. I will leave this site up and running although no new posts will be made here - for time being, anyway. Please update your bookmarks! Thanks.

Would someone please test the watercoolers at AFL House

Congratulations AFL Tribunal. With your moronic, inexcusable and baseless Trengove decision, you have pissed off hardened AFL supporters regardless of their team, and I'd say you have done more to disenchant new members and interstate supporters than you possibly realise.

UPDATE

Support Jack.


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Bolt's away after a shaky start

I really hope Andrew Bolt's new venture on Channel Ten takes off.

Last Sunday's premiere was a good, although slightly nervy effort.

It is very hard for someone used to radio (as Andrew is) to slide in to pieces to camera. Alan Jones tried it (also on Channel Ten), and his show lasted for about 12 weeks before it was canned. I watched The Bolt Report on Sunday, and it really did sound to me like a radio interview to camera.

Two pieces of friendly advice:

1: The show should have been preceded by a warning that viewers will need their sunglasses. I could't believe the brightness of that red set!

2: More seriously (no pun intended), let the person answer your question without interrupting them five times. Andrew's constant interrupting of Tony Abbott was embarrassing. He then proceded to do the same to Mark Latham on the panel segment later on.

I'm sure Andrew's many followers on his blog have pointed out to him these, and other suggestions.

As I said, I hope the show does well. Ratings were very good.

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Jon Stanhope resigns, but we may not be rid of him just yet

Jon Stanhope (or Stan Nohope as he is popularly known) has resigned as Chief Idiot Minister of the ACT.

ACT Opposition Leader, Zed Seselja said today that Stanhope was the "most capable" performer in ACT Labor. Which doesn't say much for the rest of them.

Stanhope's replacement is Katy Gallagher, for whom I have a nickname that I can't repeat here. What regime she will lead beggars the imagination. Needless to say, I'm glad I don't live in Canberra

Apparently Stanhope has designs on Federal politics. Good grief. The last thing Federal Labor needs is another hard left, doctrinaire socialist imbecile in their ranks.

No, Jon should pack up the family and move to a far-flung corner of Australia and out of the spotlight for good. And he should dig up all those public objets d'art erected during his tenure, and take them with him.

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The Royal Wedding - fashion highs and lows

My mother was glued to the coverage of The Royal Wedding. I admit I was also. The latent Brit in me enjoys a bit of pomp and ceremony every now and then. Mum loves the fashion. I love the fashion faux pas - and my God there were some corkers, from Princess Anne looking like she got out of bed still wrapped in the bedclothes; Tara Palmer-Tomkinson's avant-garde headwear that could have caused serious injury to anyone within two feet of her; and David Beckham wearing the OBE on the wrong lapel - actually, David Beckham attending the wedding at all is faux pas enough.

Below is probably the worst howler of the day, together with how it should be done, and finally, a cameo appearance by Julia Eileen Gillard.

Princess Beatrice (on the right, in case you haven't worked it out), put her own reputation back ten years with a get-up more suited to the opening of a safari lodge in Kenya than her cousin's wedding. What was she thinking? Take out the 'what' of that last sentence, and you would be closer to the money.

For me, the highlight of the evening (apart from Kate's sister Pippa's stunning dress) was Samantha Cameron's teal Burberry outfit, wonderfully accessorised by neck and hair bling, and a tangerine pashmina. She looked gorgeous, and shows how perfectly acceptable it is to pull off a regal occasion without recourse to a silly fascinator. Beatrice, take a lesson.

Finally, Aussie Prime Minister, our own Julia Gillard. She looks different to what we are used to each night on the news, but I wouldn't necessarily say she looks "better". She could certainly be a bit bolder with colour (and I'm not talking about her hair), and be introduced to dresses. Thankfully, Julia didn't do her nation any great embarrassment over her choice of ensemble. Her policies and diplomatic skills are another matter entirely, but it will take more than a fashion makeover to change those.

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Rejoicing for choice in New England

Interesting development in Federal politics:

BARNABY Joyce has confirmed he is considering contesting the northern New South Wales seat of New England now held by independent Tony Windsor.

It could be a gripping clash between the National Party senator, and the National Party renegade now an independent, who have made clear they don't like each other.

Barnaby, or more to the point, the pre-selectors in New England, will have to make some decisions pretty quickly, as an election announcement could come sooner rather than later.

Funny how perceptions change. When Barnaby was first elected to the Senate, many conservatives considered him a loose canon, a bit feral. Now he is refarded as one of the best grass-roots politicians of either side. Someone who can dissect issues and explain them in simple, matter-of-fact terms - often very matter-of-fact.

If Barnaby Joyce decides to stand in New England, I predict the seat returning to the National Party with a swing comparable to those we saw in the recent NSW election.

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Still hip after all these years

Samuel’s Musician of the Week is Paul Simon – quite appropriate considering earlier this month saw the debut of his latest solo album ‘So Beautiful or So What’, and also because Simon is one of my favourite solo artists (although he was pretty good with that Art bloke, too.)

I hope Samuel won’t mind me joining him this week on a tribute to this gifted songwriter.

Rather than include a song from Simon’s latest album, I have looked back to 1973 for the following seldom-heard, musically intense elegy. To be accurate, I should have said 1973 and 1727 (the latter due to a melody line from J S Bach.)



Many’s the time I’ve been mistaken
And many times confused
Yes, and often felt forsaken
And certainly misused
Oh, but I’m alright, I’m alright
I’m just weary to my bones
Still, you don’t expect to be
Bright and bon vivant
So far away from home, so far away from home

And I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered
I don’t have a friend who feels at ease
I don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered
Or driven to its knees
Oh, but it’s alright, it’s alright
For we’ve lived so well so long
Still, when I think of the
Road we’re traveling on
I wonder what’s gone wrong
I can’t help but wonder what’s gone wrong

And I dreamed I was dying
I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down at me
Smiled reassuringly
And I dreamed I was flying
And high up above my eyes could clearly see
The statue of liberty
Sailing away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying

We come on the ship they call the Mayflower
We come on the ship that sailed the moon
We come in the age’s most uncertain hours
And sing an American tune
Oh, and it’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright
You can’t be forever blessed
Still, tomorrow’s going to be another working day
And I’m trying to get some rest
That’s all I’m trying to get some rest