The Bogan Delusion
The Bogan Delusion, D Nicholls, Affirm press 2011 Great title, pity the contents don't match up. After reading this book, and further perusal of parts of it, i'm still unclear what the author is trying to say. At times it seems like a paeon to the virtues of suburbia against the horrid 'elites' of the inner city. Sort of what you might expect from the IPA or any other extreme Right wing organisation. Yet he can qualify himeslf reasonably …
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The Maori Chief
When the better half is a Kiwi, you develop an affinity with the Land of the Long White Cloud. And a lttle part of Aotearoa, in Melbourne, is the Maori Chief Hotel in South Melbourne. It was first licenced back in 1867, and owes its name to Maori groups who visited South Melboune in 1863,and 1866. The original hotel was replaced by a new building in 1875 which stands to this day. Its narrow three storey presence maintains its prominence on …
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Scott Bennett
Who could imagine a rural ALP parliamentarian talk about being a socialist ?? It's an oxymoron! But in the early days of the 20th century it was not uncommon. One famous example was the MLA for Ballarat West from 1904-1907, Scott Bennett. As well as a short spell in the parliamentary talk shop he was a founding member of the Victorian Socialist League, became an organiser for the New Zealand Social Democratic Party, lectured in the USA …
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Where’s our ambulance?
Jeff Kennet goosesteps again! Baillieu, scion of the wealthy landowner family, has slashed funds to our ambulance service in a horror re-enactment of the first months of Kennet's regime. 12.5% will be cut from the ambulance budget, no more overtime for paramedics and staff on leave will not be replaced. This savage move is guaranteed to threaten lives over the busy holiday period. Ambulance Victoria chief CEO, Greg Sasella, calls …
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The Banks take over Italy
So Silvio Berlusconi, who dominated Italian politics for nearly two decades is gone, but what's going to happen in Italy now? He's been replaced by an unelected "eurocrat" installed by bankers to make working people pay for Europe's relentless financial crisis. When Mario Monti took over as prime minister November 14, financial markets gave Italy some breathing space - and it was able to sell 10-year government bonds November 14 at an …
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Sack the Slug!
Why is this slug hosting a radio show in the first place? Are Australians happy with his foul mouth? What the hell is wrong with us? This is the slug who threatened a journalist last week who called his TV flop a disaster. How low can you go? It's a question often asked of Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O - but now they have been given the definitive answer by TV viewers who turned off their Monday night chat show en masse. The slug's …
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Bare Knuckle Boxing
Bare knuckle boxing was a popular 19th century pastime. In Victoria, after 1866, it became compulsory to wear gloves and follow the Queensbury rules, but bare knuckle fights were still held, albeit illegally. The last, and one of the most famous bouts, occured on March 20 1879. Held n the NSW side of the Murray [...]
The Tiny Town of Talbot
Often on Left After Breakfast the Bagman talks of Talbot, Brigadoon of the North. What, where is Talbot ? Talbot is 159 ks NW of Melbourne not far from Maryborough. It’s an old gold mining town, with gold found nearby in 1854. By the late 1850s it had a population of 15,000 people, it is [...]
Where’s our ambulance?
Jeff Kennet goosesteps again! Baillieu, scion of the wealthy landowner family, has slashed funds to our ambulance service in a horror re-enactment of the first months of Kennet’s regime. 12.5% will be cut from the ambulance budget, no more overtime for paramedics and staff on leave will not be replaced. This savage move is guaranteed [...]
The Bogan Delusion
The Bogan Delusion, D Nicholls, Affirm press 2011 Great title, pity the contents don’t match up. After reading this book, and further perusal of parts of it, i’m still unclear what the author is trying to say. At times it seems like a paeon to the virtues of suburbia against the horrid ‘elites’ of the [...]