www.desertdreams.com.au http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss af Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:29:09 +1030 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:29:09 +1030 iBlog 1.4.6 Desert Star Desert Stuff Desert Star Arts & Entertainment www.desertdreams.com.au/C1643607642/E20110329104552/index.html This is the second account in the Desert Star, of my attendance at the 1985 handover (or should that be hand-back) of Uluru to its traditional owners. The accounts were written at different times, the previous version being written closer to the actual event. There seemed to be no point in having this version sitting in my computer unread. There is a link to the photographs I took on the day. ]]> Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:45:52 +1030 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1643607642/E20110329104552/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C256791843/E20100323000801/index.html A recent television showing of this Australian film, based on the best selling Peter Carey novel, has inspired me (if that is the right word) to start a whole new category of Movie Reviews. I was looking forward to seeing this 1985 film again after many years, it being one of the most innovative and quirky of Australian movies, and a great book. Does it stand the test of time? Well, yes and no. Carey wrote the story while living in the hippy enclave of Bellingen in northern New South Wales, and the film is very much of its time. ]]> Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:08:01 +1030 www.desertdreams.com.au/C256791843/E20100323000801/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20090916141238/index.html Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:12:38 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20090916141238/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1643607642/E20090429002516/index.html Sometime in the late seventies or early eighties, I saw a television program about the discovery of some human remains, revealed by a relentless desert wind blowing over ancient sand dunes fringing a lake which had last seen water some 15,000 years ago. These remains, dubbed 'Mungo Man' (although it proved to be woman's bones), had been cremated some 30,000 years ago, and are claimed to be the most ancient ceremonial burial ever discovered. The later discovery of a man's remains, coated in red ochre, confirmed the importance of the region, which, with the whole string of lakes stretching to the north, has now been designated a World Heritage Site. My first visit was in 1991, and my second was just last week, in mid-April 2009. ]]> Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:25:16 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1643607642/E20090429002516/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20090107234702/index.html Just over a year since the Howard Government was thrown unceremoniously from power, with their leader, John Howard, losing his own seat (his party didn't have the guts to dump him, but the voters did) it is an appropriate time to take stock of the Labor Government under Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Perhaps there was a portent of the direction and flavour of the incoming government on the night of the election, when, flushed with the euphoria of victory and more than a glass or two of celebratory drinks, we endured Mr Rudd delivering an uninspiring cliche-ridden speech in a flat monotone. Anything was better than John Howard though, and we lived in hope of a more tolerant society. ]]> Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:47:02 +1030 www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20090107234702/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C305182489/E20081101180545/index.html Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:05:45 +1030 www.desertdreams.com.au/C305182489/E20081101180545/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20071129143436/index.html Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:34:36 +1030 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20071129143436/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20071107014152/index.html One ought to be at least a little conciliatory of John Howard's years in power, but I'll let someone else do that. The kindest thing that I can say about the man, is that he stayed in power long enough for us to throw him out, including it seems, out of his own seat. This hope of mine was expressed in a previous blog, 'The Rat to go down with his ship' . In this alone, Howard lived up to, and fulfilled my expectations. ]]> Wed, 07 Nov 2007 01:41:52 +1030 www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20071107014152/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20071023125933/index.html Nothing, apart from the Howard Government winning this years election, (which is not going to happen), would disappoint me more than if John Howard had chosen not to contest it as his party's leader. For a while it seemed, he was contemplating retirement; passing the baton to his economic partner throughout his eleven year reign, treasurer Peter Costello. Fortunately Howard's hubris, along with his life-long dedication to conservatism, and his love of power, has seen him remain to fight his last fight. I didn't want him to retire, because I want to see him defeated. ]]> Tue, 23 Oct 2007 12:59:33 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20071023125933/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20070924233758/index.html After what seems to have been a year of a phony election campaign, the incumbent John Howard, Australia's Prime Minister, will soon have to call an election. He is in no hurry to do so, as his so-called 'Liberal' party trails the opposition Labor Party by more than ten points, and the Labor leader Kevin Rudd is being perceived as a fresh face. Howard is increasingly being seen as a man who has run out of ideas, but also as a man who has brazenly danced around the truth far too often. ]]> Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:37:58 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20070924233758/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20070802124245/index.html Of one thing we can be sure. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty, Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews, and Prime Minister John Howard will pursue Mohamed Haneef with every ounce of their being. Far more important for them now, is not Dr Haneef's guilt or innocence - details like that are not important for this Government - it is the political mileage to be gained from denigrating him, and the loss of face to be suffered if he proves to be innocent. One has only to observe the on-going slaughter in Iraq, (justified now as a huge loss of face if the invasion fails) with the carnage of Iraqis not even worthy of comment by the war mongers Howard and Downer, to see how individuals of other than white Caucasian bent stand in the grand order of things. ]]> Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:42:45 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20070802124245/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070701232227/index.html Sun, 01 Jul 2007 23:22:27 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070701232227/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070628124841/index.html Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:48:41 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070628124841/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070626234951/index.html Tue, 26 Jun 2007 23:49:51 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070626234951/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070625112824/index.html Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:28:24 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070625112824/index.html