Topical Blog

Cricket

It has always been said, and only in part with tongue in cheek that the highest office in Australia is neither the Prime Minister nor the Governor General but is in fact the captain of the Australian cricket team.

This week Australia’s latest captain scored a triple century against India, this following a return to form since becoming captain. As captain he has also breathed some new life and energy into the team – well his captaincy and some (finally) good team selections. Recent press reports state that he hope this success means the Australian cricketing public will finally start to like him.

What has scoring runs and winning a few games got to do with being liked? Nothing. It strikes an eerie resemblance Sally Fields Oscar Award acceptance speech. “You like me, right now you like me!” No, we like what you did – not you.

Politics

Thankfully the Australian Prime Minister is currently doing no more than being seen in all the right places like in the middle of the SCG with fast bowling legend Glenn McGath to raise awareness and money for McGrath Foundation. Anything to stop her droning on about carbon and mining taxes and boats.

The same cannot be said for American politicians. The primaries started this week in Iowa with the difference between first and second being a mere 8 votes. This a race before the race between three candidates who want the opportunity to run for office full of hope and promised only to be stopped in their tracks the moment they win office by a parliamentary system so complicated and in bed with lobbyists that change is never going to occur quickly. As indication of how complicated the system is, voting started this week 11months prior to the actual Presidential election. The American public must be so thankful that voting is voluntary. There could be nothing worse than having to repeatedly return to the ballot box over an eleven month period to choose between a bunch of candidates whose policies are fundamentally the same.

Eleven months. Imagine eleven months of Abbott yelling at us all to “Stop the boats” all the while Gillard droned at us to “move forward”. For newly arriving these are two fundamentally conflicting messages, made all the more confusing by the fact that their refugee/immigration policies were basically the same.

New Year

One of the most over rated celebrations one that seems the more the evening is planned the less enjoyable it will end up being. Public fireworks are a standard, all around the globe, displays that must centre on iconic buildings or structures. It was an interesting observation to measure a countries financial stability in 2012. The displays in Sydney Harbour were spectacular as you would expect for $6.3million including seven tonnes launched from the bridge alone. By contrast the Parisian celebrations, whose former leader may or may not have spent all the banger money on bunga parties, looked more like a group of school children throwing sparklers off of the Eiffel Tower.

Nearly always a let down despite any amount of good food, drink and company. I think that is because it is all focused on one 10 second moment, too bad if you are in the toilet. The whole night is focussed on staying awake and conscious until midnight. But then what? Well thank god that is over, can I go to bed now?