“All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.” – James Thurber
The Latest
A Bit About Words: Split Infinitives
The “rule” against splitting infinitives is one of most-remembered but least understood of all the rules in our language. Striving against the “rule” is made all the more difficult because it is taken so seriously by those who know the rule – because they... read moreA Bit About Words: Scrabble
Summer holidays open the way to all sorts of pastimes. Scrabble is a favourite family game, and it now infests the internet in the form of a game called Words with Friends. It is a seductive little app for the iPad which looks like Scrabble, but has its bonus... read moreAnalogies
The Washington Post held a contest in which high school teachers sent in the “worst” analogies they’d encountered in grading their students’ papers. Analogies, similes, metaphors…they just keep getting worse. Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black... read moreA Bit About Words: Punctuation
Punctuation holds only limited interest for most people, but it makes reading easier and it makes it easier to convey precisely the sense intended. It has been defined as “The practice, action, or system of inserting points or other small marks into texts, in... read moreA Bit About Words: Dead
It is hard to imagine that we do not all fully understand the word dead. It may come as a surprise then to discover that the OED2 entry for dead occupies 14 columns in volume IV and comprises about 12,000 words. Of course, that quantity is largely made up of... read moreA Bit About Words: Curry
[Every few months I write an article about language for the Victorian Bar News. The piece is called A Bit About Words. Many of the earlier articles have been published in WordWatching, (Scribe, 2004; revised and enlarged edition: Scribe 2013). On this blog I will... read more5 November and the Gunpowder Plot
5 November 1605: The Gunpowder Plot Those of us old enough to remember “Cracker Night” will associate it with the name of Guy Fawkes. Some might remember that Guy Fawkes’ name is synonymous with the Gunpowder Plot. Very few indeed will recognise that the... read moreWrite to Federal Politicians: Find Out What They Know
Labor and the Coalition are both going to turn back refugee boats. By doing so, they will (incidentally) be committing the crime of people smuggling, contrary to section 73 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code. But who cares if we engage in criminal offences in order to... read moreHow the World decided to help Refugees
A lot of people have the wrong idea about refugee protection: where it comes from, what it involves, etc. Before the second World War, people facing persecution in Germany fled to any country they could reach: if they had family in other countries, that helped. But... read moreProtecting refugees
A lot of people have the wrong idea about refugee protection: where it comes from, what it involves, etc. Before the second World War, people facing persecution in Germany fled to any country they could reach: if they had family in other countries, that helped. But... read moreFrench au pairs
How does this work? The story so far: -Some Tory squatter couple needs a Froggy au pair to mind their idiot sprogs while they go to the polo. -La Bimbo gets stopped by border security because she was clearly intending to break her visa conditions. -Minutes later she... read moreScott Morrison – Practising hypocrite
Scott Morrison is now Prime Minister of Australia. Read this article in the Guardian Australia about a 7-year-old held on Nauru and remember: Scott Morrison could fix this in an instant, if he was true to his stated beliefs. It is amazing to see how far dishonesty... read moreHuman Rights Abuses in Israel
Recently I was invited to speak at the annual dinner of AFOPA (Australian Friends of Palestine Association) in Adelaide: Australian Friends of Palestine Association – 4 November 2017 It sounds pathetic: I just did not know. I did not realise what was being done to... read moreWhy People Flee for Safety
Here is a message I received from Paul Ronalds of Save The Children. It is an excellent account of what forces people to become refugees. Read it, and ask yourself what you would do to reach safety, if you were in this unhappy position? It’s hard to believe, but... read moreThe Brilliant Cathy Wilcox
Here is a letter by Freddie Steen to the Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald. I agree with every word of it. The Editor , Cathy Wilcox(“political cartoon, 1/8) cuts to the core: Dutton’s punitive, care-less position on the human status of men seeking asylum , lets... read moreHuman Rights & Social Justice
- The National Pro Bono Resource Centre is an independent organisation that supports and promotes pro bono legal services in Australia.
- JusticeConnect: working to provide effective means for people and organisations in need to access justice
The Arts
Jewellery
- Kate Durham’s jewellery: a small sample
- Kate Durham exhibition of jewellery at fortyfive downstairs: Show ran from 17 Sept to 11 Oct
- A VIDEO showing some of Kate’s work and a few photos: here and here
Art, music and theatre
- what’s on at fortyfive downstairs (45 Flinders Lane Melbourne)
- Wolfgang Sievers photographs for sale
- Fine chamber music: Musica Viva Australia
- Look at this remarkable example of art in cut paper: truly amazing
Asylum Seekers
- Australian Human Rights Commission: Facts about asylum seekers and refugees
- Andrew and Renata Kaldor Centre at UNSW: debunking myths about refugees
- New website: Compassion Without Borders
- And find various refugee support groups across Australia here
- Doctors for Refugees
Videos
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