Only in Australia. . .

. . . could a group of guys go on television in blackface and subsequently argue that the skit didn't have any racial implications - the logic being that if the perpetrators don't find it offensive, then it's not (and hey - they did it back in '89 and people loved it. . .). Given Australia's own humble origin, I'd think its people would be more sympathetic to culturally sensitive issues. However, it seems that approximately 75% of the population didn't see anything particularly racist about this shtick. Fair enough - it probably wasn't intended to be racist - yet it still managed to offend nonetheless, and anyone with 75% of a brain could have seen that coming. Australia continues to have an image problem in this department. Just when the tourism boards make progress in branding the nation as a friendly, open and diverse environment, some clowns step-up and do something stupid.

Aussie Nobel

Elizabeth Blackburn has won the 2009 Nobel Prize for medicine. Blackburn was born in Tasmania and is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, but currently works at the University of California - San Francisco. She shares the prize with Carol Greider at Johns Hopkins and Jack Szostak of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Busy Weekend

We had a busy weekend with Malia as we tried to introduce her to the neighborhood. Thanks to her baby carrier, she travelled with us to Richmond Market on Saturday morning to buy some veggies and she got to take in the sweet aroma of her first sausage sizzle. She also entertained numerous visitors including the local Maternal and Child Health nurse (who confirmed that Malia is rapidly gaining weight) as well as Emma, Jeremy and Ady. The highlight, however, was Malia's trip to the Royal Children's Hospital, where she was the guest-of-honor in an educational clinic on infant mental health and behavior. She put on quite a show, demonstrating skills even her parents hadn't seen before, such as tracking objects and rolling herself over.

The First Seven Days

What do newborns do when they aren't sleeping, eating or looking adorable? Well, ours appears to enjoy crying in the middle-of-the-night and consuming large quantities of diapers. After 7 days on Earth, Malia has largely been confined to quarters. However, she did venture out for some shopping (although she slept during the entire trip) and has gone for a couple of walks (although she slept through both of those as well).

Welcome Malia!

After 41 weeks of gestation and 18 hours of labour, Malia Sydney Preston finally arrived at 10:30 pm on 23 September, much to the delight of her parents. At present, she has her mother's rosy cheeks and her father's copious and chaotic hair. Her hobbies include sleeping and eating.

Aufpassen!

Germany's Oktoberfest, which strangely appears to be Australia's largest annual drinking event, has claimed its first Australian casualty, with a Queenslander falling under a train in Munich after a night of festing.

You can take the girl out of California. . .

. . . but you can't take California out of the girl. Brynne Gordon, fiance of former Sydney Swans owner Geoffrey Edelston, was just one of the AFL 'WAGS' (Wives and Girlfriends) attempting to turn heads at tonight's Brownlow Medal festivities. Personally, I consider the Brownlows to be the most profoundly boring award show on the planet, but at least there is always the occasional fashion faux pas to provide comic relief. Despite being an American, Brynne is clearly a big fan of AFL - not too many people would go as far as to have a couple of footys surgically implanted to show their love of the game. . .

Oh, and for the record, this year's winner of the Brownlow Medal was Geelong's Gary Ablett

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Political Ignorance

According to recent poll results, celebrity gossip has replaced political awareness in the mind of the average Australian:

"UNLIKELY as it may seem, Jackie O and Nicola Roxon have something in common: the figure of 14 per cent. That's how many people don't know the Sydney-based radio personality, and how many do know the nation's Health Minister."

Aussies, Aussies everywhere. . .

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has updated its estimates for the nations future population growth. In 2007, the ABS estimated Australia's population would rise to 28 million by 2050, but recently that estimate has jumped to million, driven predominantly by a large influx of new immigrants as well as the Australian commitment to breeding. While the political spin is that such growth is an indicator of Australia's rising popularity for those seeking a better life, it does raise questions regarding how the nation will feed, house and provide water and energy to a population over twice its current size.

The Lucky Country

With the Global Financial Crisis celebrating its first birthday, Peter Hartcher at the Sydney Morning Herald has an interesting article summarising Australia's experience and speculating as to how Australia has managed to avoid recession, maintain a vigorous housing market and keep a lid on unemployment while the rest of the world crumbled around it.

"From being one of the world's chronic underperformers, Australia has become a model. The country that the Economist magazine in 2007 labelled 'Downwonder' has emerged as a model in two senses. It's an example of an economic success, but it's also a model in that it has developed a distinctive political economy. There is now an 'Australian model'.

"Australia is a country that seems to have achieved a sweet spot, combining the vigour of American capitalism with the humanity of European welfare, yet suffering the drawbacks of neither."

Spring is in the Air

The mercury hit 29C (84F) in Melbourne yesterday, the warmest day on record for early September. Granted, there were a few hiccups such as strong winds that caused power outages here and there. Nevertheless, we managed to enjoy a cold beer (well, I enjoyed the beer at least) at our local, followed by a hearty meal of fish and chips. With warm weather forecast for at least the next week, there's hope that the long Melbourne "winter" is on its way out.

Eureka!

Tuesday afternoon I flew to Sydney to attend the 20th annual Australian Museum Eureka Prizes for science. Our project with the Sydney Coastal Councils Group on climate change adaptation was a finalist in the category of Innovative Solutions to Climate Change. While victory wasn't anticipated, it was a good opportunity to clip on the old bow tie, and sample some (or quite a lot actually) Australian wines. As it happened, the fates smiled upon us, and we walked away with the prize, which included $10,000 which we now have to figure out how to reinvest. We had the honour of shaking hands with the premier of NSW, but in all honesty, I would have preferred to have met Cate Blanchett, who presented the People's Choice Award. Oh well, there's always next year. . .

Additional photos here

The Windy City

For the second time in two weeks, high winds have struck Victoria resulting in damage comparable to what one would expect from a category 1 cyclone (see this story on the first event). Living upon one of the highest points in Melbourne, such events are particularly exciting for us. It's a bit unnerving watching one's windows bulge inward, but no harm done. However, our BBQ cover did go on a short trip down the street over night, but we managed to locate it and bring it back home this morning.

Babymoon

Sorrento is rapidly becoming our home away from home, given we've made four trips there over the years (including this one, this one which I never wrote anything about and, more recently, that one). This past weekend, we were back on the Morn Penn to enjoy our last days of peace and quiet before it all comes crashing down in a heap of child-rearing.

To summarise the highlights. . .

We stayed at Hotel Sorrento (which does a good brekkie), and meals were had at La Porchetta (which was empty on a winter Thursday night), the Sorrento Seaford Tavern (quiet but not dead on a Friday night) and Coast (which was packed on Saturday night, and deservedly). For entertainment, Uta did some spa stuff, we caught Public Enemies on opening night (three other people were in the theatre), and we undertook some walks toward Portsea (peeking through fences at the houses of the ueber rich) and around Cape Schank (where we were too cheap to pay $10 to tour the lighthouse). We also spent a bit of time deliberating over the name of kid #1, which now appears almost (but perhaps not quite) locked in.

Photos here

Australian for 'Culture'

Australia's "Big Things" are to be listed officially as National Heritage sites. BambooWeb offers the following list (or check out Wikipedia's entry):

Western Australia

• The Big Crocodile, Wyndham - 3m x 18m
• The Big Banana, Carnarvon - 6m x 1m
• The Big Apple, Donnybrook - 7m x 4m
• The Big Ram, Wagin - 8m x 10m

South Australia

• The Big Orange, Berri - 15m x 12m
• The Big Lobster, Kingston - 17m x 15m
• The Big Scotsman, Medindie (Adelaide) - 5m x 1m
• The Big Rocking Horse, Gumeracha - 18m x 17m
• The Big Miner, Kapunda - 8m x 2m
• The Big Winch, Coober Pedy - 8m x 5m
• The Big Galah, Kimba - 6m x 2m
• The Big Roo, Border Village - 5m x 2m

Victoria

• The Big Murray Cod, Swan Hill - 3m x 9m
• The Giant Ned Kelly, Glenrowan - 6m x 2m
• The Big Pheasant, Tynong - 8m x 17m
• The Big Worm, Bass - 250m x 4m
• The Big Woolbales, Hamilton - 3m x 12m
• The Giant Koala, Dadswells Bridge - 14m x 8m

Tasmania

• The Big Penguin, Penguin - 3m x 1m
• The Big Tasmanian Devil, Mole Creek - 2m x 3m

New South Wales

• The Big Wine Cask, Wentworth - 6m x 8m
• The Big Playable Guitar, Narrandera - 6m x 2m
• The Big Murray Cod, Tocumwal - 2m x 7m
• The Big Trout, Adaminaby - 10m x 3m
• The Big Merino, Goulburn - 15m x 18m
• The Big Cherries, Young - 2m x 4m
• The Big Gold Panner, Bathurst - 5m x 3m
• The Big Chook, Mt Vernon - 4m x 4m
• The Big Wine Bottle, Pokolbin (Hunter Valley) - 6m x 2m
• The Big Oyster, Taree - 4m x 12m
• The Big Bull, Wauchope - 14m x 21m
• The Big Golden Guitar, Tamworth - 12m x 4m
• The Big Banana, Coffs Harbour - 11m x 2m
• The Big Prawn, Ballina - 6m x 9m

A.C.T.

• The Big Mushroom, Belconnen - 4m x 8m

Queensland

• The Big Barramundi, Normanton - 6m x 2m
• The Big Barramundi, Daintree - 6m x 2m
• The Big Captain Cook, Cairns - 7m x 2m
• The Big Marlin, Cairns - 8m x 2m
• The Big Cassowary, Mission Beach - 5m x 5m
• The Big Gumboot, Tully - 8m x 6m
• The Big Mango, Bowen - 12m x 8m
• The Big Rum Bottle, Bundaberg - 6m x 1m
• The Big Mandarin, Mundubbera - 11m x 15m
• The Big Ned Kelly, Maryborough - 8m x 2m
• The Big Shell, Tewantin - 3m x 1m
• The Big Stubby, Tewantin - 9m x 4m
• The Big Cow, Nambour - 6m x 10m
• The Big Pineapple, Nambour - 16m x 6m
• The Big Macadamia nut, Nambour - 5m x 10m
• The Big Redback, Brisbane - 3m x 3m
• The Big Hard Rock Guitar, Surfer's Paradise - 10m x 3m
• The Big Apple, Stanthorpe - 4m x 3m

Northern Territory

• The Big Boxing Crocodile, Humpty Doo - 8m x 8m
• The Big Stockwhip, Acacia - 7m x 10m

Hottest 100

Australia's JJJ radio completed its latest poll of the "Hottest 100." The poll dates back to 1989 (go here for prior results), with most polls targeting only on the H-100 for the previous year. However, this year, to commemorate the original H-100 in 1989, JJJ asked for the H-100 of all time (with all time presumably being the modern era of Rock and/or Roll).

The list is, in a word, strange and would appear to represent a clash of generations (X, Y, with a few baby boomers thrown in). OK, so Nirvana comes in at #1, yada, yada, yada. Could have seen that coming from miles away (although it's pretty ordinary as far as Nirvana songs go). But in at #4 is Joy Division with a song that took the #1 spot back in 1989 - it's only slipped 3 spots in 20 years. Not to shabby. There's much love for Radiohead as well as Jeff Buckley and his crooning of songs he didn't write. How Blink 182 comes in above the Stones defines reason, and I won't even get into the myriad absences. Ah well, all for fun right?

1. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
2. Rage Against the Machine - Killing In The Name
3. Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
4. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
5. Radiohead - Paranoid Android
6. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
7. Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge
9. Foo Fighters - Everlong
10. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
11. John Lennon - Imagine
12. Oasis - Wonderwall
13. Radiohead - Creep
14. The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony
15. Radiohead - Karma Police
16. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
17. Hilltop Hoods - The Nosebleed Section
18. Muse - Knights Of Cydonia
19. Metallica - One
20. White Stripes - Seven Nation Army
21. Powderfinger - These Days
22. Massive Attack - Teardrop
23. Hunters & Collectors - Throw Your Arms Around Me
24. The Beatles - A Day in the Life
25. Pearl Jam - Alive
26. Michael Jackson - Thriller
27. Powderfinger - My Happiness
28. Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
29. Pixies - Where Is My Mind?
30. Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower
31. Metallica - Enter Sandman
32. New Order - Blue Monday
33. Silverchair - Tomorrow
34. The Living End - Prisoner Of Society
35. Smashing Pumpkins - 1979
36. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Into My Arms
37. Tool - Stinkfist
38. The Killers - Mr Brightside
39. Pearl Jam - Better Man
40. Nirvana - Come As You Are
41. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
42. Bloc Party - Banquet
43. The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
44. The Beatles - Hey Jude
45. Queens of the Stone Age - No One Knows
46. Faith No More - Epic
47. John Butler Trio - Betterman
48. Beastie Boys - Sabotage
49. Guns 'N Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
50. Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over
51. Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet With Butterfly Wings
52. You Am I - Berlin Chair
53. Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
54. The Cure - Close To Me
55. Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone
56. Jeff Buckley - Lover, You Should Have Come Over
57. Tool - Forty Six & 2
58. Daft Punk - Around The World
59. Augie March - One Crowded Hour
60. Johnny Cash - Hurt
61. Blur - Song 2
62. Nine Inch Nails - Closer
63. AC/DC - Thunderstruck
64. Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun
65. Underworld - Born Slippy
66. Elton John - Tiny Dancer
67. Ben Folds Five - Brick
68. Blink 182 - Dammit
69. Jeff Buckley - Grace
70. The Prodigy - Breathe
71. The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?
72. The Shins - New Slang
73. The Clash - London Calling
74. Nirvana - Lithium
75. Green Day - Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)
76. The Stone Roses - Fools Gold
77. Gotye - Hearts A Mess
78. Smashing Pumpkins - Today
79. David Bowie - Life on Mars
80. The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black
81. Pulp - Common People
82. System Of A Down - Chop Suey!
83. Placebo - Every You Every Me
84. Bob Marley & The Wailers - No Woman, No Cry
85. The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You
86. The Beatles - Come Together
87. Coldplay - Yellow
88. The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
89. Rage Against the Machine - Bulls On Parade
90. Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire
91. AC/DC - Back In Black
92. Bon Iver - Skinny Love
93. Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy
94. Modest Mouse - Float On
95. Stevie Wonder - Superstition
96. Daft Punk - One More Time
97. Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning
98. Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
99. TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me
100. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out

A Nation of 'Mummy's Boys'

A new article on our favourite Australian cultural phenomenon:

A nation of 'mummy's boys'
July 8, 2009 - 4:08PM .

Australian mothers are breeding a generation of "mummies' boys", new data reveals.
Social demographer Bernard Salt says new figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that 27 per cent of men aged between 20 and 34 are still living with their parents - double the proportion of women. more

Climate Change and Social Justice

Melbourne University Press has published a new book entitled Climate Change and Social Justice. The edited volume covers the gambit of issues (responsibility for climate change, intergenerational equity, health, environmental refugees, adaptation and equity in climate policy) from the likes of Ross Garnaut, David Karoly and Jon Barnett among others. I bring up the rear with Chapter 12: Equitable Climate Policy in a Dangerous World. The Introduction by Jeremy Moss provides a good overview of the various chapters.

Get your copy here.

Arlington: The Rap

Thanks to my homies back in DC, I got wind of this little gem, which features the old 'hood where we used to live before we moved down under. Five seconds into the video, you can see our old apartment building in the background, and the Whole Foods (known back in the day as Whole Paycheck) was where we did our regular shopping.

Au revoir Connex

An era has ended in Melbourne, with the much-maligned public transport provider Connex failing in its bid to renew its contract to operate the city's rail services. The newly formed consortium, Metro Trains Melbourne, which is headed by a Hong Kong company, will take over rail operations, while a group led by the French firm Keolis Downer EDI will pick up tram services. Having wasted at least one lifetime waiting on Connex trains to arrive (despite the hefty price tag associated with the city's rail services), I can't be surprised about the demise of Connex. However, it remains to be seen if the new management can improve the current state of affairs, which is due in part to long-term underinvestment in infrastructure.