For Susan Boyle, the dream is just beginning

I have just watched the 6pm news here in Australia, and I heard what I have read for the umpteenth time today: someone using the glib, throwaway line "the dream is over for Susan Boyle."

This, of course, is arrant nonsense, and the result of a combination of lazy journalism and smarta*sed copywriting.

I end with a well-known quote from Henry David Thoreau. 

Susan doesn't need to read this, because she is already doing what Thoreau advocates. It would be nice if her critics and the MSM would do likewise...:

I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

***

Susan Boyle: a victory for Diversity

I have just wiped the sleep out of my eyes to news that dance troupe Diversity have won Britain’s Got Talent - and good on them.

I admit I haven’t watched their act, and I can’t at the moment because ITV’s server tells me its too busy. I will watch it later, if I can be bothered. Nothing against Diversity, it’s just that dance acts simply don’t do it for me. Never have. Frankly, I would rather look at a bowl of cornflakes than a dance act.

It has been a very interesting series, this one. Heaven knows it will certainly be a life-changing one for a few people.

For me, though, the whole unbiased spirit of competition of BGT was tarnished by the farce that was Hollie Steel’s admission into the final after she broke down and cried during her semi. I feel incredibly sorry for Greg Pritchard, left like a shag on a rock after the judges cast their votes for Hollie in the last semi final. I hope Greg finds what he's looking for in life. Gifted with a great personality and an unbelievable voice, I'm sure the world will be his oyster.

So, the final is over. Apart from second place, where does that leave Susan Boyle? Naturally her millions of fans will be devastated. They shouldn’t be. If one person didn’t need to win this show it was Susan. In fact, as Simon Cowell said after her final performance, she could have walked away after the auditions and made a fortune in America if she wanted. 

Britain's Got Talent needed Susan Boyle more than she needed it.

But I’m glad Susan didn’t walk away. She is a truly exceptional person with a talent that should have been brought to the public’s attention a great many years ago. Thanks to the wonders of the internet we got to witness her voice, and in turn she brightened up a dreary couple of months for countless millions of people the world over.

Susan Boyle was the real star of this show, and I for one can’t wait to buy what will I hope will be the first of her many CDs.

As Susan sung in the audition and in the final tonight:

I had a dream my life would be 

So different from this hell I'm living 

You did, Susan, and it sure will be!

Best of luck to you.

***

Should it have been Hollie or Greg? Semi 5 of Britain's Got Talent, mired in controversy

Oh dear, oh dear!

Last night (early this morning Australian EST) the fifth and last semi-final of Britain's Got Talent went to air in the UK. The final two positions in the Grand Final were up for grabs.

In semi 5, ten-year-old singer Hollie Steel apparently started crying. I say 'apparently' because I haven't seen video of this incident. Anyway, the judges took pity on young Hollie and gave her a second chance to perform her song 'Edelweiss' (if the judges knew what song she was going to sing, I wonder if they would have been so generous).

So Hollie gets another bite at the cherry. She sings without the waterworks. A little shakily, but OK. All judges gush praise...how brave, blah blah.

After all the acts have performed and the votes have been tallied, the judges must choose between Hollie, and countertenor Greg Pritchard - who did a rousing, albeit nervy, rendition of 'Barcelona'.

Well, guess who the judges chose? Sob story or unique talent? Uh, huh.

I believe Greg was robbed blind of a chance to be in the final. And from what I have read on forums and other blogs, I'm not the only one. 

There is talk out there of how you should only get one chance in the semi-finals to sing your song, and how ten is far too young to be a contestant when you don't have the emotional maturity at that age to deal with the pressure of being on stage.

Someone has even started an online petition called 'noholliesteel' - which is a tad harsh - after all, she did get enough votes from the public to allow her to be in the final two spots. 

But in betraying their partiality, it was the judges' decision to allow Hollie to go on at all, to the clear disadvantage of Greg, that should cause a fair bit of discussion in the UK when they wake up in a couple of hours' time.

**UPDATE**

On telegraph.co.uk I read where Simon Cowell overruled the producers when Hollie broke down. One of the co-presenters said he didn't think there would be time for her to complete her routine, and Cowell apparently proffered "we'll find the time."

As it would be technically impossible at such a late stage to put on a 13-act final - something that would have the producers and the phone voting company in complete apoplexy - the only fair thing to do, therefore, would be to allow Greg Pritchard to sing at (rather than in) the final. It would be a very small consolation, but the poor guy deserves at least that much.

***

Video for the week 29/5/09

Daniel Hannan, Conservative MEP for South East England, talking to Sean Hannity on May 19. 

As Sean suggests to his viewers replacing Gordon Brown's name with Barack Obama, I suggest that Australians watching this to do the same using Kevin Rudd's name.

Mr Hannan is a brilliant orator, and his words ring home why the consequences are so dire when we vote for politicians who only have the interests of their deluded party membership at heart, rather than the financial and social well-being of their country, as has been so unmistakably shown by Kevin Rudd.

Is there a doctor shortage, or just something wrong with their pension plans?

I had a doctor's appointment today. 

It would be fair to say that this particular GP is in his twilight years. I had not been to him before, but I had heard that he was relatively easy to get in to see. After visiting him today, I understand why.

Conversation (edited) went roughly like this:

after explaining my symptoms (recurrent back pain)...

DOC: "What would you like me to dooo?"

ME: "I'd like some anti-inflammatory stuff."

DOC: "Which anti-inflammatory did you have in miiind?"

ME: (mentioned the name of the drug I had taken previously)

DOC: "How many a day were you onnn?"

ME: "I can't remember. Two, possibly."

DOC: "Yeees, it's best to start with two."

ME: "Should I put a cold pack or a hot pack on it?"

DOC: "Oh, whatever works for you. Most people would put a hot pack on."

Whether he was scared I'd go litigious on him, I know not, but he didn't lay a finger on me. In fact, he didn't even get up from his chair. Not even to show me out.

It was quite a surreal experience!

***

Ability is in the eye of the broadcaster

On 2GB this morning, Alan Jones interviewed Federal Housing minister, Tanya Plibersek, about the public housing shortage nationally, as well as in New South Wales.

If you would like to hear another Rudd minister give a series of non-answers and bucket-loads of spin, be my guest.

As much as I admire Alan Jones, he has a very annoying habit of preceding some of his interviews with female Labor MPs (such as today with Plibersek, and in an interview earlier this week with state planning Minister, Kristina Kenneally), by saying that they "have ability" (as politicians in their respective portfolios, I'm sure Jones means).

In so doing, I'm not suggesting that Jones is being patronising to these two women; just that he is, in the cases of Plibersek and Kenneally anyway, completely wrong.

***

The deficit? Is that them over there?

My heart bleeds for Ruddles and his government, who, from all reports, had a rather shitty day today.

Too see what I mean, have a look at this Labor backbencher's response when she was asked what the deficit was. 

Amazing. 

What concerns me more, is not this woman's lack of intellectual acuity, but the residents of her electorate of Petrie, who voted for her. What in God's name were they thinking?

The Libs are fooling no one when they ask 'why did we lose?'

According to an article by Imre Salusinszky in today's The Weekend Australian (or, as Clive would say, 'the The Weekend Australian'),

Peter Costello has portrayed the Liberal Party as unable to face up to the reality of its crushing 2007 election loss and slammed party officials for suppressing an internal report into the causes of the defeat.

"It's a disgrace that, 18 months after the election, we still don't know why we lost it," Mr Costello told a breakfast meeting in Sydney yesterday.

In making this comment, I'm sure Peter Costello was only referring to the suppressing of the report when he said 'we still don't know why we lost it.'

Costello knows very well why the Liberal Party lost the election. Viz:

Mr Costello told the 200-strong audience the party would have won the election if it had been prepared to renew its leadership.

Yes, the party would have won the election were John Howard not being a stubborn old bastard by refusing to hand over the leadership of the party to Costello.

The party would have won the election had Costello the courage to challenge Howard for the leadership, instead he consistently claimed that he didn't have the numbers. 

Well, he should have bloody-well tried to get the numbers.

As an old friend of mine told me once, years ago: When you are looking back at your life, what you will remember are not the mistakes you made, but the things you didn't do.

Costello certainly did much in his 12 years as Treasurer - except for one thing.

***

Video for the Week 22/5/09

I have always liked British humour. It has subtlety and nuance, compared with its American and Australian counterparts.

I recently found this clip of outtakes from 'As Time Goes By', one of my favourite UK sitcoms.

Nothing like a bit of a giggle on a Friday afternoon!

***

Alan Jones interview with Peter Costello

The Australian government finds itself in a financial hole, largely of its own making.

The Federal Budget, delivered last week by Treasurer Wayne Swan, not to mention his and his leader's accompanying media performances, are shining examples of the ineptitude and arrogance of both men. This is highlighted by the fact that neither of them will say the word 'billion' in relation to how much debt Australia is in. Anyway, you will here about this in the interview with Peter Costello.

Were Swan's economic skills not on a par with Homer Simpson, he would have realised that the (Budget) Bill he was reading in parliament made little sense, economic or otherwise. 

I could go on. I won't, or my blood pressure will go stratospheric.

Instead, here for you is a link to an excellent interview this morning with the outstanding former Australian Treasurer, Peter Costello. Find the section near the bottom entitled Alan Jones Highlights and Interviews, and click on 'Former Federal Treasurer Peter Costello.' Costello is insightful, knowledgeable, and frank, as always.

As Alan Jones correctly states, Costello, author of 12 Australian Budgets (most of which were in surplus), and now Liberal (Conservative) backbench MP - has forgotten more than Swan, Rudd and the cronies from Treasury will ever know.

***UPDATE***

Go here for a transcript of the Costello interview with Alan Jones.

***

Yo Gabba Gabba? No wonder our kids talk funny

Interesting story about the TV shows our little ones enjoy.

IT’S the addiction striking deep at the heart of Australia’s youth, leaving them wide-eyed, slack-jawed, sometimes squealing and jumping up sporadically.

But it’s not ice or crack that has them hooked. It’s freaky children’s programs like In The Night Garden and Yo Gabba Gabba. 

Parents have been left puzzled and confused by the bizarre raft of characters their toddlers love. 

They include Foofa the pink flower bubble lady in Yo Gabba Gabba, and In the Night Garden’s Makka Pakka, a cave-dwelling creature with dark circles around its eyes who is obsessed with cleaning and collecting stones. 

If you want to see weird and wacky TV shows (and not just for kids, either) then go to Japan. The stuff on the telly over there left my jaw on the floor! It was so bad it was good - if you know what I mean. 

And by 'wacky' you're probably thinking I'm referring to those weird TV game shows where contestants have to crawl naked through a tank of scorpions, and that short of thing. Oh, no. I'm talking about mainstream stuff: kids' afternoon TV shows, morning breakfast shows, evening chat shows ... they are all bizarre.

Japan is one of my favourite places in the world, and I can't wait to go back there. I don't even have to venture beyond my hotel room for some hilarious entertainment.

***

UK speaker to fall on his gavel

For the past week-and-a-half, there has been an almighty brouhaha in the UK about politicians' extravagant expense claims.

It appears that the speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin, (also a defender of the scheme which allows such generous perks), is expected to announce his resignation later tonight (EST). 

***

Nice shorts, but T-shirt colour needs more thought!

Only in America, oops, I mean Afghanistan. Still, one of the funniest things I've seen for a while. Churchill once said "...we shall fight them in the hills..."

Yeah, but it's nice to wait until the other side stops giggling first.

Video for the Week 15/5/09

I was watching the excellent Rockwiz hosted by the adorable Julia Zemiro last Saturday night, but was appalled that of the six 'Rockwizzers', only two had heard of Peter Combe - a veritable legend in the Australian music scene for over 25 years!

For the musically nescient, below is a video of Combe from 1988 singing his classic 'Newspaper Mama'.

Peter Combe still does concerts today all over Australia. Google him and you will find his website. YouTube him and you will find other moments of magic from this very talented man.

Enjoy!

Wayne Swan, my dentist

I missed the first 10 minutes of last night's Budget speech. I watched the rest in between yawns and fits of laughter.

All in all, the Budget was a bit like going to the dentist only to be told by the receptionist that there had been a mix-up with the appointment time, and that the dentist was on the golf course. In short, although the experience wasn't as painful as first feared, treatment still hadn't been dispensed for a condition that would get progressively worse if not seen to. It betrayed a lack of organisation and planning from an outfit that should know better, and was, for all intents and purposes, a waste of time.

Would I go back to see Dr Swan, I hear you ask? Ordinarily, of course not. But until such time as a new practice opens in my area, I fear I don't have a lot of choice.

***

Video for the Week 10/5/09

A bit late - sorry, busy weekend.

Anyway, another video from the audition round of Britain's Got Talent. You will enjoy, I think. You will certainly be surprised.

Bolts and the Boys off to Binalong

Ray Hadley and the Continuous Call Team - consisting of league Immortal Bob ‘Bozo’ Fulton, Darryl ‘The Big Marn’ Brohman and Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach – have informally adopted the Binalong Brahmans rugby league team.

In an off-the-cuff radio announcement last week, Hadley - 2GB morning presenter and leader of the weekend rugby league panel the Continuous Call - said he’d taken an interest in how the Brahmans were travelling and would bring the team out to Binalong to broadcast the game against arch-rivals Harden on July 18.

I've been to and through Binalong on many occasions. It's a lovely little place. I've even posted a video to YouTube of me doing a bit of trainspotting there.

I'm sure the Team will have a great time, and that Tom and Marilyn from The Motel Royal Tara will look after them a treat!

***

UK Labour set for a kicking at next month's local elections

Labour is set to lose all its remaining county councils and much of the party’s local government base in the South in its worst local elections for more than 30 years.

Gordon Brown is bracing himself for a drubbing on June 4 with the loss of up to 200 town hall seats in the last set of polls before next year’s general election.

Some encouraging news from the Old Country. Nothing warms the cockles of my heart more than the words 'Labour' and 'drubbing' in the same sentence. Fingers crossed there will be some good news to blog about on June 5!

***

Battle of Lords as Lawson belts Stern for Six

Lord Nigel Lawson gives a book by serial climate change alarmist, Nicholas Stern, the carpeting it deserves:

As a general rule, I do not believe in reviewing bad books. Review space is limited, and the many good books that are published deserve first claim on it. But climate change is such an important subject, and — thanks to heavy promotion by that great publicist, Tony Blair — the Stern Review of the economics of climate change has become so well known (not least to the vast majority who have never read it, among whom in all probability is Mr Blair), that anything from Lord Stern deserves some attention.

However, anyone looking for anything new in this rather arrogant book — all those who dissent from Stern’s analysis, his predictions, or his prescriptions are dismissed as ‘both ignorant and reckless’ (the word ‘ignorant’ recurs frequently) — will be disappointed. The first half of the book is a rehash of the original Stern Review, and the second half a rehash of his lengthy 2008 LSE study Key Elements of a Global Deal on Climate Change. This last is an exercise in political naivety which does not improve on its second outing; and the European Union leadership trumpeted by Stern (‘We can expect the EU and its member countries to continue to drive forward action on climate change’) has already collapsed with the back-tracking at the EU climate summit last December, after this book went to press.

Belford's Back at 2GB!

I would like to belatedly welcome back Alan Jones to the airwaves on 2GB's morning shift, after a five-week absence.

Alan has battled prostate cancer, melanomas and a benign brain tumour, all in the past 12 months.

Someone once said, 'challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.'

It's great to hear Alan back on the air; making life both interesting and meaningful for his legion of listeners.

***

Jetstar Fined for Breaking Curfew at Sydney Airport

In a story I find quite odd, Jetstar has become the first Australian airline to be fined for breaking the curfew at Sydney Airport.

abc.net.au reports:

When a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Denpasar took off at 11.28pm on December 3, 2007 the airline was well aware it was breaching curfew at the airport.

Downing Centre Local court was told that Jetstar had sought special dispensation to allow the flight to go ahead but it had been refused twice.

Magistrate David Heilpern said the airline could have cancelled the flight, instead it decided on a wanton and deliberate breach. He imposed a fine of $148,500 - that amount was well short of the $550,000 maximum because it was a first offence and the airline had admitted its guilt at an early opportunity.

Two questions: How did the airline find itself in a position where it needed to break the curfew in the first place; and why can't I find details of this breach on the website of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB)?

The ATSB is responsible for investigating all aviation accidents and incidents involving civil aircraft in Australia. Surely a breach of curfew by an Australian aircraft at an Australian airport constitutes an 'incident'.

The curfew at Sydney Airport runs from 11pm to 6am.

***

vitamin A to stave off the flu

Health organisations, governments and left-wing media could all have their tits in the wringer over what is looking like a massive over-reaction to the (A)H1N1 outbreak.

So, I think we should all calm down and take sensible precautions to ward off the flu - any flu.

I found the following in my copy of The Practical Way to Keep Fit*, by Harry Roberts:

At the Royal Society of Medicine, not long ago, in the course of a presidential address, it was stated that in a London business house, during a virulent influenza epidemic, a preparation rich in vitamin A was supplied to all the employees, with the result that there was hardly an absentee through influenza or "cold". This can hardly be a matter of pure coincidence.

*

Vitamin A is found in red, orange, yellow and dark green fruits and vegetables. These include carrots, tomatoes, rockmelon, watermelon, mangoes, apricots, peaches, sweet potato, pumpkin, prunes, broccoli and spinach. It is also present in prawns, with liver (and patés), kidneys and fish liver oils having a high content. Vitamin A is also found in many dairy products such as cow's milk, eggs, cheeses, ice cream and is added to most margarines and some breakfast cereals. Vitamin A is not generally lost with normal cooking.

Recommended daily intake (RDI) of Vitamin A is 750ug (or 'micrograms') for adults, which can also be expressed as 2,500 IU (or 'International Units') and 500ug (or 1,600 IU) for children.

*The edition I have was published in 1939, and I dare say it is now out of print! However, I have seen copies on the internet. It is illuminating indeed to compare medical advice (the author was a doctor) of seventy years ago when the book was written, with advances in medicine in this technological age in which we now find ourselves.

***

Media misreporting itself

I made the mistake of reading the Daily Telegraph this morning whilst drinking coffee. It duly came out my nose when I read an article on page 11 entitled 'Eddie's seat is secure'.

Channel 9 has rewarded Eddie McGuire's return to the small screen by commissioning a second series of the game show Hot Seat....

While the new half-hour 5.30pm weekday quiz show hasn't affected the ratings success of its Deal or No Deal rival on Channel 7, Hot Seat has been a better performer than its predecessor, Antiques Roadshow.

Well, you don't say!

I don't know who wrote the article, but even a simpleton could tell you that a very big reason why Hot Seat is performing better than the very interesting and educational Antiques Roadshow, is because Channel 9, for the last twelve months, have been showing repeats of the latter. And repeats of repeats of repeats at that.

As good a thing as Roadshow is, the audience's patience with the programming department at Channel 9 is obviously being tested.

The current airing of AR was filmed in 2006, with Michael Aspel then in his penultimate year of hosting the show. I do remember seeing Aspel being farewelled - which would have been filmed towards the end of 2007, but I have not seen one episode of the show with its current host, Fiona Bruce, since she took over the reins from Aspel in 2008.

Although I must admit that while TV game shows are one of the things I positively loathe, I have no beef with McGuire or his new show; just with the disingenuous nature of the article.

***

Video for the week 1 May 2009

For those fed up with the scaremongering and paranoia associated with the (A)H1N1 virus, here is an antidote for you.

I enjoy watching this retired GP's videos. I have a feeling that when he was still practicising medicine, he probably wouldn't have been what you would call 'orthodox'; nevertheless, he speaks a lot of sense. I think he would have been the Dr House of his day!