Greer-ing Hell

-->

As a self-identified feminist, people like Germaine Greer fascinate me. She is everything that neo-feminism, as I presume it might be referred to, does not wish to associate itself with. Yet, at the same time, there always seems to be a method to her underlying eccentricity and madness.

Her comment’s on Q&A about Julia Gillard’s bum, in my opinion, were more than fine. As it turns out she was merely trying to assure the prime minister that it’s perfectly natural to have a big bum.

What irked me was that she tried to draw attention to Julia Gillard’s clothing in the first place. There is no denying that appearances play more than a large role in modern-day politics. But any keen follower of any government across the globe might notice a slight inequality in the focus of appearances when it comes to male and female politicians.

I’m sure that Germaine Greer might bring this back to an interesting point about the fairness of commenting on both men and women in the media.

However, while female politicians struggle with the comments they receive, which are to do with their gender and their gender alone. Comments from respected feminists like Germaine Greer still irk the hell out of me.

What do you think? Is there a method to the Greer madness?

Review: Mad Dragon Tattoos

Lately I have been spending a lot of time chilling out and relaxing with different TV shows. This being because of two reasons: I’m taking a break before I start uni next year and I’ve not got much else to do. 

Lately, I’ve been watching several different TV shows. I mostly recently started to enjoy the televisual delight that is Mad Men. I see the appeal of the show generally, but certainly not the characters. Don Draper is a giant penis of the advertising world, and not in a nice way. His supporting players aren’t that much better. 

                                   

The only reasonably un-detestable character in the show is Peggy Olson and even she seems one screw short of a screwdriver.

The show also brings me back to the good ol’ days. The days when we thought 20 packs a day glamorous, sometimes even cute. Also, when advertising was fresh. Having spent some un-glorified and god-awful days as a copywriter for a small online company, I’ve been around the vacuous block a bit. But these copywriters seem to live on a much higher salary than I did. They also enjoy inter-office sex far more than I even considered doing.

To put it more politely, this show is mostly not my style.

On the more noteworthy page, I also recently watched The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I began by reading some of the book, but it was taking to long, so I cheated a little.

Apart from the obviously disgusting rape scenes, I enjoyed it. There’s far too much for me to take in at once, so I think I’ll end up finishing the book after all. 

Media law has been one of my more nerdy obsessions in the past few years, so a libel case tainted with a murder investigation makes for hearty wholesome fun in my family-friendly opinion (NB: you should definitely not see this movie with your family).

Stay tuned for developments on the book.

Just Another Mole

-->

A lot has been said recently about Gina Rinehart’s comments in the media. Personally, I think that Gina Rinehart probably couldn’t put a foot right even if she tried too. Being a powerful woman she is instantly bound to receive criticism in the press even if she was a saint. ‘Yes, she’s saving babies from burning buildings, but that outfit! What WAS she thinking?’

But she doesn’t try to put a foot right. She doesn’t even try to be accessible. I wouldn’t exactly call her a troll. Maybe world’s biggest mole would be more suitable. The reality is that a woman like this is never really going to do any right, so she needs to be kept in check. But she doesn’t need to be sprayed with light bullying. Where does that ever get us?

I think the world’s media need to spend more time talking about the movement’s of this woman. Who does she own? What does she own? And what sphere of influence does she have on the people she owns?

I was watching Can of Worms a few days ago. Although, the host Chrissie Swan directly addresses the fact that Gina Rinehart is a shareholder in Channel Ten, I was shocked that they didn’t address her comments as a question on the show.

The reality is that where there is money, there is the ability to inform public opinion. So, I think it is about time that we worry less about our public opinion of Gina Rinehart and worry more about her ability to inform public opinion generally.

Tax Bomb, You're My Tax Bomb

-->

Here’s what I don’t get about the carbon tax. Yes, it’s proposed to be good for the environment, yes it’s a step forward, so to speak. However, the carbon tax doesn’t act as the overall deterrent that it’s supposed too. The way I see it, if you’re going to introduce a piece of legislation that is going to piss off the public, do it properly. Really piss people off, because that’s what the carbon tax was SUPPOSED to do.

What is the point of changing the balance of the economy, if you’re not going to really hurt our hip pockets that much. I’m not saying this is entirely the fault of the Labour party. Essentially, they are acting under the pressure of the stupendously stupid public and opposition in conjunction with the pressure of the Greens/ Independents. And they have done a fantastic job of finding a perfectly insignificant middle ground. Brava to them for being entirely political.

But it’s time that politics is taken out of the laboratories of the planet. Just like religion doesn’t belong in a science classroom and guacamole doesn’t belong in a sundae, politics doesn’t belong in a peer reviewed scientific theory, which has the power to affect the very course of humanity.

That’s my schtick for the evening. What do you reckon? I reckon I wanna hear what you reckon.