Archive for July 31st, 2010
Election down under
This piece from the Guardian today just about sums up what is going on (or not) down under three weeks out from their federal general election. It does not seem to be about policy (to an extent like here in UK) but the level of personal attack, especially about appearance and sexuality) is staggering and so demeaning – bit like the London Daily Mail gone mad in all Aussie organs. What is clear is that Labor (sic) have to pull out all the stops if they are to preserve the initial poll bounce that Gillard got when she became PM. Google election site
Her earlobes have been described as pendulous, her childlessness has been scrutinised, and many are unimpressed that her partner has not joined her on the campaign trail.
Australia’s election campaign has been reduced to a litany of personal attacks on Julia Gillard, the country’s first female prime minister, who is seeking a mandate on 21 August. In a campaign short on policy detail, Gillard has increasingly been judged not on her manifesto but on her fashion sense (drab), her religious beliefs (atheist), her marital status (unmarried) and her physical features.
Matthew Parris swims Thames
Matthew seems a sensible chap but when I read this while having my espresso I nearly choked – as it is paywalled the whole piece is here – what do you think?
After years of talk, I finally took the plunge. But my journey in vest and trunks didn’t quite go to plan
First, don’t try this at home. It could have ended in disaster. It was ignorant and it was dangerous.
But it was not impetuous. I have been thinking, talking, and finally fretting about swimming across the River Thames for 15 years since, in my forties, I moved into a flat on Narrow Street in the East End of London, looking out over the river at Limehouse Reach. I watched 20ft tides racing up and down the river. Swans, cormorants, traffic cones and sometimes corpses floated by. Barges, sailing ships, warships, cruise liners, disco boats and police launches buzzed, roared or chugged past my balcony, day and night.