Back after a few unwrapped weeks.

First, our quote of the week – from the local church bulletin “For those of you who have children and don’t know it, there is a nursery downstairs.”  I’m sure that helps.

How do we tell if Fascism is on the rise?  (Is it really that difficult? Ed)  Is there a resurgence or should we talk of continuity?  A new variety or just ‘old wine in a new bottle’?  A simple tick the box survey helps answer the question.  View it here

No doubt about it, Australia is going to commemorate the centenary of the First World War with jingoistic pomp and ceremony, much to the growing concern of former soldier James Brown.  Read his comments here, and buy his book ‘Anzac’s Long Shadow’.  Did you know Australia is planning to outspend Great Britain in WW1 commemorations?

Historian Jan Critchett put the lie to the idea that White Australian treatment of Aborigines was widely accepted both in Australia and in Britain in “A Distant Field of Murder”.  Cecil Poole reviews this book and concludes that although the book has many excellent passages, and analysis it still does little to counter the ongoing extreme ethnocentric views of many Australians.

Tarquin O’Flaherty takes up the cudgels “……….uncomprehending 14 year old expression on our politicians’ faces when they get up in Parliament to twist the truth, to defend the indefensible, to lie about what went on in an offshore detention centre, or to accuse refugees of dumping their kids in the sea.  This is contemptible behaviour…………..It is my profound belief that men, without the more mature influence of women in Parliament, are unfit to govern.”

Friday saw a somewhat lighter post, although not in the opinion of Cecil nor Ira.  Cecil abruptly terminated a phone conversation with our poetry editor, to take another on the second line.

Our Musical Dispatch this week featured (A)nother brilliant dispatch this week, great music and some great Irish phrases.  If perchance you are unfamiliar with Irish you can use Google Translate, – and it is worth it!

Then to Sunday, Poetry Sunday for which Ira Maine, Poetry Editor, prepared something special, featuring Dorothy Parker.  One little anecdote to tempt you: “Ms Parker  ……… as theatre critic, reviewing a performance by Katherine Hepburn;   ‘…Miss Hepburn runs the gamut of emotions, from A to B…’”

thanks for reading, join the conversation.

Cheers
Cecil Poole