A pretty flower in the picnic area at Purling Brook Falls, the now derelict Cornerstone Gallery, and a local plea!
One of the curved bridges on the Mudgeeraba-Springbrook Road. According to the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency's 'Heritage Trails of the Great South East' (2001), these bridges (now, nearly eighty years old) were the work of Charlie Kolb.
There are plenty of lookouts and scenery.
The "Best Of All" lookout overlooks an extinct volcano.
Unfortunately we weren't fast enough to catch any of the cheeky pademelons, or button quails (common to these parts of South East Queensland) on film! No photos of the legendary Antarctic Beeches or "Panchos" mexican restaurant either - you'll just have to go and check it out yourself !
Stock Market Report
What's the difference between a stockbroker and a pigeon?
The pigeon can still leave a deposit on a porsche.
South Brisbane Gets Singled Out
Mr Patty Cakes announced today that his Single Out chain is expanding to South Brisbane.
"We thought all this furore over that horrible old theatre in Queen Street might rekindle memories of the original Single Out and what happened to it," he said.
"God I'm clever - and that heritage reporter at the limited news is pretty sharp too! We're taking the opportunity to pretend we're going to re-assemble the original Single Out over at South Brisbane, and what we're really going to do is just set up a faux Single Out like the ones in Brisbane Square and the Macarthur Centre."
Last year, it was announced that the original Single Out would be reassembled in Brisbane's City Hall, but poor people generally can't afford to buy passionfruit sponges.
"I don't like poor people at all," said the City Hall Leader.
"So we're kicking them out at the end of next month just to teach them a lesson."
Unless you are as dumb as dogsh*t, everyone knows the original Single Out was destroyed.
Freelance Journalism Convention - Fringe Festival
As a counterpoint to the obviously corporatised and bogus "11th Annual Freelance Journalism Convention", 'Spring Hill Voice' has decided to hold its own "Wired for Work" fringe festival!
We propose that all genuine freelancers meet for a BBQ/"beer dinner" at Len Fox Park, Labrador on Saturday, 15 March at 6.00 pm.
Plenary Sessions:
6.05 pm News Ltd - is it for you, and if not, what is your problem?
6.06 pm Spending money on corporate media organised conferences - a great idea when you're a freelancer!
6.08 pm Why you are a failure, with motivational speaker T.B.A.
6.09 pm Well padded hacks who give presentations for money.
6.10 pm The Hero's Journey - Creative Writing at QUT and how to make it work for you in a one paper town.
6.11 pm TAX - hardly a problem when you don't make any money.
6.12 pm SUPERANNUATION - as above.
6.13 pm Speechwriting - Only available as an option to you if you're in the ALP!
6.14 pm FREE WILLY - How to sell out to Bowen Hills.
6.15 pm Scandalous gossip about how sold out the hopelessly commercial shills at the cynically corporate "Wired for Work" got their jobs - and pursued their post journalism careers.
6.16 pm Beers without shills.
Please RSVP to spring_hill_voice@hotmail.com by 14 March, so we know how many sausages to bring along and what size beach umbrella to arrange.
Wowsers Call For Prohibition
"It’s lonesome away, from your kindred and all
By the campfire at night, where the wild dingoes call
But theres nothing so lonesome, so morbid or drear
Than to stand in a bar, of a pub with no beer
Now the publicans anxious, for the quota to come
Theres a faraway look, on the face of the bum
maids gone all cranky , and the cooks acting queer
What a terrible place, is a pub with no beer"
Adapted by G. Parsons, from the poem 'A Pub Without Beer' by D. Sheahan, and made famous by Slim Dusty, 1957
Kevin .. It's Time ... For good little Aussies to go to bed and say your prayers... I'm off to a strip club with some important limited news folks.
As part of his historic "Know Ideas Summit", President Kevin has announced that prohibition will soon be introduced in Australia.
"Australians are quite receptive to the idea, given that the mainstream media has bombarded them with stories about out of control teenagers," he said.
"The recent State laws against smoking and noise have discouraged people from going to pubs, so why not stop them drinking altogether? And as we head into a recession, they won't be able to afford to buy alcohol anyway."
Mr Hector Highpants from the Association of God Botherers agreed. "Because of the concentration of media ownership in this country, Australians are increasingly ignorant - which can only be a good thing - we certainly don't want them hanging around pubs chatting about the issues of the day."
"Prohibition fits with my vision of complete regression and an unenlightened Australia - you know, censorship, backyard abortions, religous bigotry, gangsters, ration cards and domestic violence."
Professor T. Totaller from the National Institute of Intellectual Dishonesty said, "My research indicates that I have completely disregarded the fact that ten years under extreme right wing rule has promoted a very angry, intolerant, self-centred bunch of young people. Prohibition or re-introducing the six o'clock swill is the only answer."
Head of the Licensing Bureau, Mr Rich Elite said, "Oh cut the cr*p. The bottom line is, the more licenses we have, the less money us rich folks make."
Brisbane's Newspaper Is Really On The Nose
"Every time I think of you
I feel shot right through with a bolt of blue
It's no problem of mine
But its a problem I find
Living a life that I can't leave behind
But theres no sense in telling me
The wisdom of the fool won't set you free
But that's the way that it goes
And it's what nobody knows
Well every day my confusion grows"
'Bizarre Love Triangle' New Order, 1986
Mayoral candidate Louise Day is still furious over the treatment she has received at the hands of Brisbane's vastly diverse media .........
[The remainder of this article has been withdrawn on Legal
Advice]
Mill Point Mystery
An old time earhole cleaner perhaps?
Mill Point archaeologists have uncovered a mystery artefact. I don't think two nights at the Sheraton Noosa are on offer, but I'm sure they'd appreciate it if you can tell them what it might be.
More details are available here:
http://www.atsis.uq.edu.au/index.html?page=78055&pid=42037
Captain Bligh Set To Save Regent
Bligh... Academy Award Winning Performance
"Well there's technicolor and cinemascope
A cast out of Hollywood
And the popcorn from the candy stand
Makes it all seem twice as good
There's always lots of pretty girls
With figures they don't try to hide
But they never can compare
To the girl sittin' by my side
'Saturday Night At The Movies', The Drifters, 1964
As the western world thrills to the Academy Awards, Queensland Leader Captain Bligh has sailed in to save the historic Regent Theatre.
"Hooray! It's "bait and switch" time," said all the greedy developers and corporate media hacks from the limited news.
"It's a great tactic isn't it?" said Public Relations person from the Single Out cafe, Miss Fluffy Sponge.
"We've also had excellent success with the limited news and the City Hall Leader. I mean, people in Brisbane still think the original Single Out was saved - and we've opened a few more outlets since then."
Opposition Leader Springboard wouldn't be drawn on whether he would pretend to save the Regent too.
Springboard...Fit and Fabulous at 40......weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
"Stop calling me cyborg, you racists," he said.
Candidates Make Their Presence Felt In Indooroopilly
Heads on sticks outside the (formerly) beautiful 'Keating House' - Indooroopilly
Unfortunately, business took the 'Spring Hill Voice' to Indooroopilly Shoppingtown today [23/2/08]. While searching for the Commonwealth Bank, we spied a youngster in a "Peter Matic for Toowong T-shirt" - poor little mite. FYI the Libs lobbed Peter Matic in as the Councillor for Toowong when Judy Magub resigned last year.
On beating a fast retreat from "hell on earth", we stumbled upon these ironically placed campaign signs for Cr Jane Prentice (Walter Taylor) and "Newman". Who knows whether the signs were placed in the front yard of Keating House (on the corner of Coonan and Westminster Street) as a symbolic statement that a majority "Can Do" Council promises to do something about rotting heritage properties i.e. allow the owners to demolish them?
Alternatively someone may be playing a practical joke, and purloined the signs from a luvvie's front yard, to illustrate how Cr Prentice has still not negotiated a way to preserve the heritage listed property?
Designed by Richard Gailey (the Architect responsible for 'Moorlands' at Auchenflower, which will soon be obscured by the Wesley Hospital's new nine-story clinical wing), Keating House was built in the late 1890s.
In December 2002, the - then - old fashioned 'Courier-Mail' reported:
""One of a kind" is a term real estate agents are fond of using when straining for effect - usually to describe a place that is in no sense unique. But occasionally the description fits.
Such is the case with the heritage-listed landmark home at 8 Westminister St in the heart of Indooroopilly, which the Public Trustee will auction on Friday.
It is known as the Keating house for the family that owned it since it was built more than a century ago and occupied it for most of that time...
The property consists of three titles:
* A 1093sq m subdivision on which the house stands.
* A 452sq m block on the corner of Coonan St, where the layout of the formal garden is still apparent and which is also heritage-listed.
* A 400sq m block behind the house which could be built on."
In June, 2005 Cr Jane Prentice put out a media release which stated:
"A Brisbane City Council plan to resume land from a nineteenth century Indooroopilly landmark has been branded a disgrace by Walter Taylor councillor Jane Prentice.
Heritage Listed Keating House on the corner of the busy Coonan Street-Westminster Road intersection will lose up to 6.4m of its frontage if plans for a new slip road proceed.
Speaking at an Indooroopilly History Group book launch today, Cr Prentice told the assembled crowd she would lead the community fight against any plans to reclaim land from the historic site...The proposal is part of a Transport infrastructure proposal to reduce congestion in the Indooroopilly road network...Under the plan, 4.4m of land will be resumed from Keating House's Coonan Street frontage and 4m from Westminster Road for the construction of an inbound slip lane on Coonan Street, however the timing of the announcement has angered Cr Prentice and residents...The proposal comes as a major body blow for the prominent property, as owner Tom McKerrell had recently committed to restoring the house to its former glory."
Cr Jane Prentice obviously averted that disgrace and she obviously lead that community fight to victory as no frontage appears to have been lost. Great! However, as is to be expected with rabidly pro-development media, business interests and politicians, it is obvious that McKerrell's committment 'to restoring the house to its former glory' was nothing more than the usual warm puff of 'Courier-Mail' fuelled societal methane that it always smelled like.
Speaking of heritage, Geoffrey Rush, Facebook and the 'Courier-Mail' based "Save The Regent" website cannot save the Regent Theatre, but our political leaders can - it's just that they don't want to.
Section 46 of the 1992 Queensland Heritage Act - Declaration of protected object - provides:
(1) This section applies if the Minister is satisfied any of the following may be of cultural heritage significance--
(a) an object situated on, under or recovered from the surface of the land;
(b) the remains of a ship or some other object in, or recovered from, the territorial waters of the State.
(2) The Minister may, by gazette notice, provisionally declare the object or remains to be a protected object.
(3) The notice remains in force until whichever of the following first happens--
(a) the commencement of a regulation made under subsection (5);
(b) the end of 2 months.
(4) The notice is subordinate legislation.
(5) A regulation may declare the object or remains to be a protected object.
Put simply, "The Minister may declare an object protected" and just about anything can be an "object", especially actual real heritage objects. However, we won't hold our breath for the Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, the Honourable Andrew McNamara to save the Regent Theatre. But he CAN! If any of you actually care, maybe you could lobby him?
Just a thought. Do you really need the 'Courier-Mail' to tell you when to wipe your bums?
Isn't It All About Money?
Whether it's Newmarket Road or Northey Street!
'Courier-Mail' Uses Minor Candidate To Slur Rowell
In an attempt to get Brisbane's hopelessly concentrated media to pay attention to minor candidates in the upcoming Council elections, candidate Louise Day (who has a post-graduate degree in business communication) has been consistently sending out media releases about her policies, and taking to task the mainstream parties' positions. She particularly advocates a public register for sex offenders.
She has upset somebody.
The Rupert Murdoch controlled press ('Courier-Mail', 'Quest' etc) has ignored her until now. Today [22/2/08] News Corporation, as the voice of democracy, has suddenly determined that she is newsworthy. Editor of the 'Courier-Mail', David Fagan, has not made any comment to 'Spring Hill Voice' about this, and neither has his wife Madonna King, who works for your ABC (and his 'Courier-Mail' - co-incidentally).
In one of her many attempts to enliven journalists' interest in her candidacy, Ms Day mentioned, in one of her emails to journalists, that she would call candidates by their first names, but was hesitant about "Greg" for Mr Rowell in case he felt it was a "come on". This was not a press release and was clearly aimed at goading our "media" into giving her candidacy some publicity.
The City Hall reporter has managed to turn this into a scoop! Nice ethics - a beat up to make Rupert proud.
If people without critical faculties get the wrong idea, they may think that Greg Rowell and his cricket team are less than virtuous with young Brisbane maidens. Surely Ms Chalmers and Mr Fagan should consider this when publishing such stories, given that their readers are demonstrably simple and prone to such misconceptions.
Also, (from the same article) said readers will no doubt consider Greens candidate Drew Hutton to be an axe wielding lunatic, hell bent on single handedly destroying all of Brisbane's drains!
Well, nothing to see here folks. Freedom and Democracy all taken care of, move along.
We suggest that readers count the number of brothel advertisements in tomorrow's 'Courier-Mail' before casting the first stone.
Brown Is The Colour Of The "Brisbane Sound"
Last Sunday [17/2/08], the irreverent hosts of 4ZzZ's 'Art 2 Lunch' show interviewed artist, filmmaker, and ex-Go-Between John Willsteed about 'The Brisbane Sound' exhibition, currently on show at the Institute of Modern Art.
A candid, and very entertaining discussion ensued about the so called "Brisbane Sound", and whether it actually exists. Among other things, the cheeky three deliberated if the sound could be epitomised by the early morning opening of a cask, and/or if it is in any way related to the colour of the Brisbane River i.e. mission brown?
The exhibition includes a collection of band posters, street press, arty gelatin snaps and forays into film of a select group of musicians and artists who haunted Brisbane throughout the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.
Unfortunately, no real insight is offered into the inspiration behind what the curator feels is the "Brisbane Sound" - unless it is supposed to represent agonisingly self conscious attempts to be avant-garde. The exhibition "blurb" identifies them as experimental and post-punk, but do these insular and apolitical individuals really feel they contributed to the creation of a "Brisbane Sound"?
Are we to surmise that Forster and Wegener's jangly guitar and echoey drumming (eventually building to a crescendo), is the "Brisbane Sound" for all time, or is it merely representative of that era?
A series of cassette tapes, and polaroids along the wall look nice, but reveal nothing - other than the artists liked to take drugs and torment their pets. And there's no exploration of the interplay between the artists and musicians. As an example, it would have been interesting to know how Kriv Stenders and Grant McLennan collaborated on the short film 'Heather's Gloves'.
As Willsteed and the 'Art 2 Lunch' crew surmised, despite the recent implantation of 'cultural precincts', Brisbane was, and always will be, a cultural desert, and there is no readily identifiable "Brisbane Sound".
Yet if anything, this exhibition confirms that the "Brisbane Sound" is a personal, and ever changing concept, and can only be distilled from individual memories and feelings. Who's to say that your "Brisbane Sound", which might resonate with the Bee Gees and the Veronicas, is more definitive than another person's certainty that Simon Gallagher is the "Brisbane Sound"?
Perhaps, like the opening of a cask, the "Brisbane Sound"is more everyday and less musical. Presently my "Brisbane Sound" could be any of the following:
The crunch of vita-weets at a mid-morning meeting at the Judith Wright Centre, John Malcolm, Hemi, Tuffy, Nik Phillips and that pianist who played a whole lot of Billy Joel at the Ship Inn during EXPO 88, Katie Noonan trilling goosebumps in Queens Park on a balmy Saturday afternoon, 4ZzZ, jazz rippling across the Brisbane River from the Kangaroo Point Jazz Club, Thunder, honking ibis roosting in the Moreton Bay figs, fruitbats squawking and possums thumping on the roof, Pete Murray and his band at the Arena before he became famous, 'Ice Confection!' at the Twelfth Night Theatre, air-conditioners humming in the dead of night, the 24/7 demolition and construction which is decimating any remaining heritage in the CBD, electric trains and cars, cars, cars, the sigh of selling out, as one by one, the editors of our independent street press make their way to Bowen Hills...
And my alltime favourite:
The sound of my jaw dropping after being scolded by one of Brisbane's cultural legends (when I questioned her about the use of 'Streets of Your Town' in the advertisement for the tabloid 'Courier-Mail) and told to 'Look up Brecht'!
It is possible that I have missed the point entirely, so perhaps
you should pop along to the Judith Wright Centre and see for yourself.
Brisbane International Film Festival Doomed?
In a media release today, Mayoral candidate Louise Day said that if Brisbane loses the historic Regent, its renowned International Film Festival would be destroyed.
"Our heritage buildings are more than just bricks, mortar and their facades," she said.
"If we replace the Regent with an office block, you take away a crucial part of Brisbane's entertainment and cultural identity, and diminish the livability of the city centre.
"Where will hold our red carpet movie premieres? In some dumb Westfield shopping centre? Has the whole world gone 'Kath and Kim' ?" she added.
"This is exactly what I mean by the mega-rich deciding on development rather than local residents. This is such an extreme example - removing a cultural icon."
If elected Mayor, Ms Day plans a total overhaul of development regulations and town planning.
"I would guarantee to put in place development regulations that preserve not only our few remnants of historic buildings, but also the community purpose of the buildings."
Her reforms include the establishment of a separate auditing board for the assessment of development applications, and a requirement that councillors publicly disclose all Boards they have any involvement with (or have had involvement with).
In an earlier media release Ms Day announced that she had been
approached for preference deals 'unofficially' by a number of parties.
"I won't disclose the people concerned, who may indeed have acted without party authorisation, however I have decided to announce that I will be giving my preferences on my How To Vote cards to whichever other candidate will publicly step forward and assure me and their voters that they will lobby for a public register of sex offenders to be introduced," she said.
Community Cabinet Hits The Gold Coast - Yawn!
Premier Bligh and her ministers held the 109th Community Cabinet Meeting at the William Duncan State School, Nerang this afternoon [17/2/08]. Spring Hill Voice toddled along to see the Premier's address followed by a question and answer session, and can report that the only entertaining aspect of the afternoon was the Benowa High Big Band. They put on a good show for the 500 or so crowd - half of whom were lanyard wearing, mobile phone touting state government employees and ministerial advisors.
In her opening address, the Premier discussed the opening of the Skilled Stadium, the water grid, public transport and planned expansion of the Gold Coast Convention Centre. She also presented a series of awards to long serving "paramedics" (since when did Australians start calling our Ambulance Officers "paramedics"?).
The Premier fielded questions from the audience about water fluoridation, public service staffing, the sorry state of our health system, the spending of public funds on football stadiums and convention centres, travel/accommodation allowances for health care, government accountability, and the environmental viability of Tugun desalination plant. One woman gave a particularly harrowing account of her father's treatment at the Gold Coast hospital before he died, while a gentleman pleaded with the Premier to tell the residents of Mackay to use a dustpan and brush to clear away flood damage.
Quite a few people in the crowd were very keen to get their concerns across and on a couple of occasions, the Premier had to direct them to curtail their questions. At the conclusion of the session, lobbyists went off for their meetings with the individual ministers.
Exciting eh? Fascinating to see a western democracy in action.
'Face Space' Set To Save Milton Bowel
A**e Space, Face Ache...you name it, social networking sites are the new force behind heritage campaigns.
Campaigners fighting to save Milton Bowel from certain destruction in light of its recent change of ownership, have set up an online headquarters on the social networking site 'Face Space'.
Milton Bowel is another one of those special Brisbane places which need to be destroyed to make way for a soulless shopping and/or housing precinct for clowns, or redeveloped into a wanketorium with a large pokey out awning. It is adjacent to the former State Tennis Centre, and has recently provided another venue for up and coming Brisbane bands, so government officials and developers are especially interested in its demise.
Miss Astrid Turf from the newly formed 'Save Milton Bowel' organisation said, "I encourage anyone concerned with the fate of Milton Bowel to register on our 'Face Space' site. It will make you feel like you've done something, and is an excellent way for organisations to extract marketing information about you for their databases."
Shine Has A Spine
This evening [13/2/08] the Honourable Kerry Shine MP, Attorney-General for Queensland, presented a lecture at the Queensland University of Technology titled "Safeguarding Citzens' Rights: The Role of the Courts and the Attorney-General".
Mr Shine began his lecture by screening an excerpt from the 1993 film 'In The Name Of The Father', which tells the story of the Guildford Four, who were falsely convicted of the Guildford pub bombing. After 17 years in jail they were eventually exonerated by the Court of Appeal, when it was proven that the police and prosecution had hidden evidence which proved they were innocent. Somebody else admitted, in Court, responsibility for the bombing just three years into their sentence, but it took another 14 years of citizen action before the truth was aknowledged.
Drawing parallels with Britain during the 1970s (where fear of terrorism lead to an erosion of civil rights) and the post 9/11 western world he said, "The conviction of someone to satisfy community demands is a dangerous position."
Mr Shine said the return to torture as a means of eliciting a confession was "a disturbing development", but he was clear to point out that, in this country, any Australian prosecutor who tried to use evidence obtained under conditions of torture would not leave the courtroom with their reputation intact.
He quoted former United States Attorney General (1961 - 1964) and Senator, Robert F. Kennedy:
"Laws can embody standards; governments can enforce laws — but the final task is not a task for government. It is a task for each and every one of us. Every time we turn our heads the other way when we see the law flouted — when we tolerate what we know to be wrong — when we close our eyes and ears to the corrupt because we are too busy, or too frightened — when we fail to speak up and speak out — we strike a blow against freedom and decency and justice."
(According to 'Wikipedia' these remarks were made before the Joint Defense Appeal of the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League of the B’nai B’rith, Chicago, Illinois)
Mr Shine said that in a post 9/11 world, we are at risk of trying people just because they are Muslim, as the Irish were in England in the 1970s.
"Law is the bedrock of the nation," he said, referring to the evolution of the role of Attorney General from legal representative of the sovereign in 13th Century England, to representative of the government, in the 19th Century.
As first law officer of the state, the Attorney-General is responsible for law reform, judicial appointments and safeguarding the independence of the judiciary.
"We cannot afford to let those principles be whittled away," said Mr Shine, before pronouncing his optimism that the rights acquired over many years of "incremental activism" would be safeguarded.
Wouldn't it be nice if all our Labor politicians were against the use of torture?
Brisbane Heritage Icons To Be Reborn Within Regent Tower
"Another one bites the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey, I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust"
['Another One Bites The Dust', composed by John Deacon, from the 1980 Queen album 'The Game']
Brisbane's lost heritage icons will soon be brought life again within the walls of the proposed Regent Tower complex. The 38 storey conference centre and hotel will house a selection of replica icons on each floor. Conference delegates and hotel guests will be able to choose a venue or room according to their desired theme. Plans for the tower include a miniature Festival Hall, Bellevue Hotel, Cloudland, Yungaba and Village Twin cinema.
The project's developer Mr Oldenhaten said that he was currently in negotiations to recreate the soon to be demolished Waterloo Hotel as the complex's nightclub.
"We hope to recreate an authentic atmosphere - from when the bus depot was located nearby - you know, titty girls and bus drivers."
Miss Ann Nointed from Arty Queerland said she hoped some of Brisbane's older festivals, such as the George Street Festival, LIVID, the Spring Hill Fair, Kangaroo Point Jazz Festival and WARANA might be able to be held in the tower.
"We just don't have enough Arty Queerland festivals in this town," she said.
The Shingle Inn fitout will be reassembled, and feature as the complex's star attraction on the top floor, while the weather beacon will take pride of place upon the roof.
"We know that visitors to this great city like their thrills, so we are investigating the possibility of transforming the weather beacon into a kind of bungee jump ride and/or diving platform for the pool," said head architect Mr Formoverfunction.
"The pool will contain a reconfigured SGIO fountain - complete with coloured lights and fluctuating water patterns."
Unfortunately, the project's developer has indicated that there will be no room in the complex for the Regent Theatre.
"It will have to go," said Mr Oldenhaten.
"But all the rich people who visit the tower will be able
to enjoy the decor in the foyer."
In related news, Penelope Inthepocket from the Bureau of Heritage said that she had heard rumours that the State Heritage List would soon be abolished.
"I'm a bit worried, my colleagues and I administer the State Heritage List, so we will be out of a job," she said.
"And it's not like we don't work hard. Since the state Heritage legislation was introduced in 1992, we have removed over 92 places from the list."
Record Crowds Hit Gold Coast Beaches
Soldier Crabs (Mictyris longicarpus) scuttle along the sand at a mystery location on the Gold Coast [7/2/08]!
According to the 'Wildguide to Moreton Bay', these critters burrow corkscrew-like in muddy sandflats, intertidal zone. "Thousands of crabs emerge on falling tide, to form characteristic 'armies'. Unlike other crabs, able to walk forwards. Indigenous, eastern Australia."
Where Am I?
Hint: It's a bit grimy and spooky, but has more character than the all consuming madness of the Queen Street Mall, and you are less likely to be knocked over by a car, as you make your way from the Brisbane Square building to Rockinghorse. The first person to email spring_hill_voice@hotmail.com with the correct answer will win a copy of critically acclaimed oddity 'The Secret Cat', and a $2 scratchie.
Politicians And Horse Movement Conquer The M1
[11/2/08]
1975
In 1975 George Baker released the hit song, 'Una Paloma Blanca'. If you
are a child of the seventies, you'll remember it getting regular radio airplay.
George Baker also wrote the 1969 hit song 'Little Green Bag', which was resurrected
for the 1999 film 'Reservoir Dogs'.
Of 'Una Paloma Blanca', 'Wikipedia' says:
"The song was rumored to be linked to the abolition of fascism in Portugal, possibly due to its lyrics. Some believe that the song is actually about enjoying one's freedom."
Una Paloma Blanca (White Dove)
George Baker
When the sun shine on the mountains
And the night is on the run
It's a new day, it's a new way
And I fly upon the sun
I can feel the morning sunlight
I can smell the new born hay
I can hear gods voices calling
On my golden skylight way
Una paloma blanca
I am just a bird in the sky
Una paloma blanca
Yes no one can take my freedom away
Once I had my share of losing
Once they locked me on a chain
Well they tried to brake my power
Oh I still can feel the pain
Una paloma blanca
I am just a bird in the sky
Una paloma blanca
Yes no one can take my freedom away
http://www.hreoc.gov.au/Human_RightS/idc/idc2007.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R36CixkIaIc
Mayoral Candidate Challenges City Status Quo
Few Brisbaneites dare to tell it like it is - especially if they decide to take that leap into politics - but Louise Day has no qualms about challenging the powerful interests who run this town.
Ms Day, a business communications specialist, comedian, rock singer and mother, is running as an independent candidate for Mayor in the March Council elections. Her platform includes eliminating corruption in property development, giving the average home owner back control of how they want to develop their own properties, and increasing the livability of the city.
Spring Hill Voice contacted Ms Day after hearing her interviewed on 4ZzZ's 'Brisbane Line' this week, and found her to be refreshingly fiesty and courageous - rare characteristics for a politician in a one paper town!
Taking account of how communities want to develop rather than what developers want, secure play areas for children, homework centres, air bridges and stroller walks over train tracks and major roads and shaded walkways, along with free suburban buses form part of her greener, fairer, and more liveable vision for Brisbane. Ms Day is also keen to point out that if voted in as Mayor, she would catch the train to work each day.
"I worked at the BCC many years ago in the traffic area and remember fondly stories from the controllers, of Jim Soorley calling on his way to work in a fury over being held up in traffic to demand they turned lights green on his way to work," she said.
As for dealing with the king makers up at Bowen Hills, Ms Day said, "They are totally unprepared to deal with a candidate whose only concern is what is right and what my electorate (not my party) want. I am completely independent and I dare my opponents to fork out for a lie detector test to prove I'm not! Mark my words they will ignore me as hard as they can for as long as they can, and dismiss my campaign."
Ms Day is not a naive media player, and runins with the management of Briz 31 (Ms Day's husband Matt was Station Manager* at Briz31 until April last year, and she was a member until 2000) highlight her strong sense of justice and unwillingness to play by the establishment's rules. Before leaving Briz 31, Ms Day was briefly voted in as secretary of a "rebel" committee, which was formed to wrestle control of the station from Kerri Marler and World Harvest Ministries. She has often spoken out on the "hopelessly toxic" management of the station, and is still being cyber-stalked as a result.
Louise Day launches her campaign for Mayor at the Clarence Corner Hotel (Woolloongabba) this evening [8/2/08]. For more details see: http://www.punxieformayor.com/Welcome.html
* CORRECTION: Mr Day did work at Briz
31, but was not the Station Manager.
Meteor Hits Gold Coast!
Point of impact on the bridge to the Isle of Capri - the hole was approximately 20 metres long, 6 metres wide and 3 metres deep.
A meteor hit the Gold Coast earlier this week casting doubts over the upcoming Council elections.
A source close to Mayor Marathon's office said the meteor, which impacted on the bridge to the Isle of Capri, was from outer space.
"Such devastating destruction can only mean we are now in emergency mode, and the Mayor is considering postponing the election," he said.
Residents on the Isle of Capri have been told to remain in their houses in case another meteor hits.
But Meteor expert Professor Skyisfallin from the University of the Alan Bonds holds a contradictory point of view, "Vy don't you sniff ze air - it stinks - so I zink zat zis vas not a meteor, I zink ze poo pipe exploded," he said.
Speed Up Or Ship Out: Watercraft Warned
Hello Duckie....Tourist bearing watercraft such as these have been warned.
Watercraft carrying tourists will be banned from the Goldie Coast broadwater unless they meet strict guidelines.
Goldie Coast member Ms Shelly Sea said, "Vessels whose main business is ferrying tourists about will undergo rigorous examination to ensure they can travel at extreme speeds, and are able to get as close as possible to the foreshore from Southport to Runaway Bay."
But local residents aren't so sure this is a good idea. Mr Sandie Pointie said, "If these d*ckheads are allowed to go any faster, they'll scare the whiting away."
However, Ms Sea was firm. "Residents need to realize how important extreme water sports are for the Goldie Coast economy. For instance, take that Saturday night before Christmas, when a boatful of naked women and fat, pissed men descended on Deep Water Bend at Labrador around the time families were going for their after dinner stroll. Now that's the kind of image we want to promote on the Goldie Coast - and locals are just going to have to get used to it"
Stuff the environment, residents' concerns, and actual Queensland Transport regulations relating to freestyling watercraft - everybody knows the broadwater is about making $$$$$ from tourists!
"How Hillary Smushed Cupcakes and Filleted Feminism" – from ‘Are Men Necessary: When Sexes Collide’, by Maureen Dowd, 2005 p313-315
"I don’t think Hillary started out wanting to destroy feminism, or what was left of it. It was just collateral damage. When the ‘Animal House’ president messed up, he had to be dragged back from the precipice by the bimbo patrol. Bill Clinton has always been surrounded by two kinds of women: the flashy ones who love the guy, and the serious ones who love what the guy stands for. The serious policy types have always had to step in to try to save him from the flashy climbers.
“Saturday Night Bill” would mess around with women with big-cut hair and low-cut dresses and short skirts and then, if he got in trouble, “Sunday Morning Bill” would run hide behind the sedate skirts of high-toned feminists—including his wife and cabinet members. Because Clinton married up and dated down like Gary Hart, it was easier for his lieutenants to slander ex-peccadilloes as “cash-for-trash,” “trailer trash” or, every wife’s worst nightmare, office cupcake seductresses.
Hillary had her choice of siding with her truth-telling, thong-wearing, husband-stealing sisters or her dissembling, thong-seeking, wife-betraying husband. As part of their conjugal/political deal, or their “passionate codependence,” as James Carville calls it, she always chose her husband and sold out her sisters.
It was a bold hat trick: She finished off what was left of feminism, yet remained a feminist icon. She rules over “Hillaryland,” a cultlike universe of Ellen Jamesians who are determined to see their warrior queen take back the White House from the hypermasculine and domestically Dickensian reign of the Bushies.
That macho relentlessness may yet get her into the White House, where she can consign Bill to the East Wing to worry about matching the color of the roses to the rim of the china while she worries about China trying to buy up our oil companies.
During his political career, Bill Clinton enjoyed the services of a machine designed to do whatever was necessary to deflect stories about his erotic misadventures, including smearing women who dared to suggest that there had been trysts. In the 1992 campaign, Betsey Wright stopped what she called “gold diggers” or “bimbos” by hiring the San Francisco private investigator Jack Palladino and paying him more than a hundred thousand dollars in what were delicately termed “legal expenses.” He would dig up dirt on the women and threaten to shred their reputations if they went public.
After Hillary vouched for her husband on ’60 Minutes’, Bill owed her his presidency. Surely, Hillary knew or suspected that Gennifer Flowers was telling the truth, yet she led the campaign to defame the lounge singer. (Bill had to fess up to sleeping with Flowers during the Jones case deposition.
The feminist role model didn’t flinch as supervising the vivisection of her husband’s girlfriends because she felt they were instruments of a conspiracy, pawns of the right wing. (Sort of they way Anita Hill was a pawn of the left-wing feminists.) It doesn’t add luster to the image Hillary likes to promote of herself as someone who protects women and the vulnerable in society. It means she cares about women unless they get in the way of the Clintons’ mission to help humanity, in which case they’re expendable."
Inspector Morse visits the Southport Police Station to ask why the new drug driving tests don't pick up valium and other prescription drugs that you shouldn't be using if you're driving.
"Green Man" - Southport Bridge - [2/2/08]