The tackiness of the image has been much discussed, but still thousands of young people make the self-styled pigrimage to the site of our baptism of fire every year.

On the eve of Anzac day that tackiness came to full force when Allison Langdon, a Channel 9 journalist, spoke about the 'fun' to be had, with a fun run planned near to the site where Australian and New Zealand troops first stormed Turkish beaches. 

How ridiculous.

This is a day of solemity.

This is a day to remember the everyman that was betrayed and led to their ultimate destruction by the ultimately stupid leaders and stupid politicians that put them there. This is a day not to question why it happened, but to question why we continue to make the same mistakes. 

And finally for all the fucking idiots standing on a beach in Gallipoli, this is a day to remember that like our current wars, you're remembering an invasion where there was no right for us to be there.  . . read more

In Tasmania, a large vocal minority of Greens will have the balance of power in a hung parliament, there will be infighting and bickering until the Liberal Opposition claims a minor majority and thrusts forward its impotent Premier into the melee.

In South Australia, Rann will win, but his bravado and virility will be curbed as his ability to nonchalantly wave around his policy penis becomes hampered.

What all this seems to show is that Labor is slipping, the Greens and the environment movement are gaining a lot of traction and Australia is divided.

Hopefully not to the point where Red and Blue States form which look at each other with systemic suspicion, but it does seem that these divides are becoming increasingly irreconcilable.  

Bet Labor wishes they could turn back the clock two years when they controlled every government at State and Federal level and do things a bit differently.  . . read more

The story that Canadian teen pop idol Justin Bieber has caused mass hysteria in a planned concert in Australia, has been reported the world over.

While the premise of what happened sounds simple- pop star, hyperventilating teen girls, absent parents, mismanaged security- the truth is a lot more complex.

It has shown that although Gen-Y is meant to be diffused and inherently individual there are still times- like for teen girls in the '60s during Beatlemania- that one group screaming for one thing dominates and scares the shit out the rest of us. 

So although Bieber Fever might not have a cure, it's a pretty amazing phenomenon and shows symptoms that maybe young people can unite.   . . read more

Until yesterday I don't think I fully understood how tight that market was and what people were willing to do to get a room.

The night before last we put an ad on Gum Tree for a small windowless room in Newtown for $160 a week, hoping, just hoping we might get some response.

In the few hours that followed (before phones were turned off due to the continuous ringing) we were called dozens and dozens of times with people begging to come in for an inspection.

Being boys and with such an oversupply of applicants there was a bit of fun to be had to see how far these guys would go.

Would you for instance join our acapella band whose signature number was "Hey Jude"?

Would you share a room with a goat (which you had to milk) and a priest?

Our applicants would.  

After laughter, and jubilation that we could pick and choose who we live with there have been some sombre moments of reflection.

All this has shown to me that people who go to university or work in the city are forced to fight to live close by because they know that any further out and the commute will be impossible.

A sad state of affairs to see and hear young vibrant people reduced to such desperation. . . read more