“All men should strive to learn before they die, what they are running from, and to, and why.” – James Thurber
The Latest
Obscene Words
(the article below is one of the chapters in my book Word Watching (published by Scribe). But beware, this article contains some words and ideas which will shock some people. Word Watching contains 48 essays about aspects of language. Of course, I recommend that you... read moreWhat Next?
Australia is in an interesting position, right now. An election is due during the next 10 months; the government is daily embarrassed by the plight of the Sri Lankan family from Biloela (but currently held on Christmas Island). The Sri Lankan family from Biloela,... read morePeter Dutton
Peter Dutton MP is the Minister of Home Affairs. Home Affairs was established on 20 December 2017. It combines the national security, law enforcement and emergency management functions of the A-G’s Department, the transport security functions of the Department... read moreWhy does art matter?
23 February 2021 Economic rationalists would point out that most artists are economically unviable. That is true, unfortunately. Creative artists generally have miserable incomes from their art, and survive by teaching or waiting on tables. Performing artists do... read moreQuotations
The redoubtable (but flawed) F.E. Smith (1872-1930) was the subject of a few biographies: FE (hagiography, by his son); Lord Birkenhead by ‘Ephesian’ (Bechofer Roberts); The Glittering Prizes by William Camp – distinctly not hagiography. Incidentally, the phrase ‘the... read moreMagna Carta-myth and reality
Most Australians would, if asked, probably identify Magna Carta as the foundation stone of our legal system. They would have a vague sense that Magna Carta was the start of it in England and that, in 1788, the system built on Magna Carta was transplanted into... read moreHonesty Matters-the Ethics of Daily Life
It is the logic of our times: No subject for immortal verse That we who lived by honest dreams Defend the bad against the worse. (Cecil Day-Lewis Where are the War Poets, 1943) Most people understand intuitively the importance of language. We all use it every day in... read moreMichael Kirby Oration 3 July 2010
PRINCIPLES, PRAGMATISM AND POLITICS Julian Burnside Given that this is the Michael Kirby Oration, allow me a couple of minutes to talk about Michael Kirby. Many years ago, Kirby telephoned me at home at about 8.00 on a Sunday morning. I was awake, but my day had not... read moreDonald J Trump
This is a very good piece written by Australian author Mike Richards: It deals with him by the letters of his name, which is NOT to say he is a man of letters. Donald J Trump, by Mike Richards The essence of Donald Trump’s political personality is actually beyond... read moreDoes Art Matter
Does art matter? Does culture matter? It is tempting to say that our belief in these things is a matter of faith: it is axiomatic – we assume as a first principle that art matters, and we use this assumption as a starting point for arguments about philanthropic... read moreClimate Change
Helen Sykes has published more than 30 books in the Future Leaders series (see https://www.futureleaders.com.au . The next Future Leaders book is Climate Change and Health. She asked me to write a chapter, and said I could put it on my website: Climate Change and... read moreAre We There Yet?
I’m a bit late posting this: just came across it again. it’s the Barry Jones Oration I gave in 2013. Are We There Yet? It is a great privilege to be giving a talk in honour of Barry Jones. Like many others, I first became aware of Barry when he was an... read moreDomestic and family abuse
An essay by Sarah Ruby Domestic and family abuse is currently at the forefront of our national discourse, due to the horrifying murder of a Brisbane mother and her three beautiful children, by a man who decided that if they weren’t going to live ‘his way’, they had no... read moreA Bit About Words: Misdemeanours
High Crimes and Misdemeanors It is impossible (well, difficult) to be alive today and not be aware of Donald Trump. And if you are aware of him, it is difficult to overlook the fact that his conduct as President of the USA is (to say the least) unorthodox. So... read moreA Bit About Words: How Words Change
The process of change in language includes the drift of meaning, the invention of new words, and the obsolescence of existing words. It is interesting to survey a list of words once disparaged by the arbiters of language as “not proper English words”. In... 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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