Monday, October 20, 2008

Congratulations!

1. ...To 17 year old Gabriella Cilmi who won seven ARIA awards, the premier Australian music industry award. Never heard of her.

2. ...To Amit Mishra, who took 5/71 and almost single-handedly put an end to Australia's 20 years' dominance at the top of world cricket rankings. Never heard of him.

I need to start paying more attention to the world around me.

But most importantly, congratulations to Colin Powell (who of course we all know, but I do like to pronounce his name as 'Coll-in' and not 'Coh-lin' as is the general consensus. I mean Jesus, what's next? "Gee-org-er?" ) for timing his endorsement for Barack Obama perfectly. If he came out six months ago and said it, we'd have forgotten. If he said it two days' out, we'd be cynical. What beautiful timing for a Republican to jump ship? Oh yes, there's the many who'll think it a 'black thing', but, you know, I think it's more a realist thing. Mr. Powell's reputation was shattered a few years ago, and what better way to re-assert his alpha-statesman status by backing a clear winner?

It's not about ethics, because there are none.

This is politics.

I wonder if there's any top advisory jobs going?

(Boogeyman could invest his $2 already.)

28 comments:

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

Well, that's a relief. I thought I'd broken the interwebs.

I wonder if there's any top advisory jobs going?

For Colin, Pers, or for you?

Puss In Boots said...

Don't worry, I don't know who either of those two people are, either.

Oh, and the Germans and Austrians pronounce George as "geh-org", Pers.

Myself, I prefer the Spanish pronunciation of Jorge (Hor-hey).

Perseus said...

For Colin, Ramon. Call me cynical, but he's ripe for a plum international posting with the new administration, or a nice and cushy Washington gig.

Puss - Yes, good point, and in Greek it's 'your-gho', but they all get called 'jawj' in Australia anyway.

Maybe there's a case for keeping their native pronunciation, but 'Colin'? No excuse.

I also once met a skip called Sean who insisted on 'see-ann'. Knob.

Anonymous said...

Didn't we double it again to $4, PQ?

I'm happy to play double-or-nothing again, if you like.

Perseus said...

I thought it was $1 doubled to $2? Did I agree to a 'double-again' while drunk? Lord knows, it's generally when I make my supidest decisions.

Puss In Boots said...

Perhaps that's just how Americans pronounce it? I know they have trouble with Craig, too. They pronounce it Creg. It's irritating every time I hear it. Perhaps they just have trouble with Colin.

Fad MD said...

If I recall correctly his father pronounced it Coh-lin as a point of difference.

I quite like it, but really it should be put to the highest court of naming principles...EB mummies

squib said...

That is some kind of amazing coup for Obama. There is hope yet

squib said...

ps. Persey there's a woman in the flick 'Burn After Reading' (I saw it last night, very good) who is Julia Gillard's twin sister if I'm not mistaken

Anonymous said...

I thought they pronounced it 'coh-lon' because he was an asshole?

Squib, that's no coup. Powell's just jumping on the Obama bandwagon when it's absolutely safe to do so.

Melba said...

Squib, that woman in the movie is Tilda Swinton and she already has an "arrangement" with her hubby/partner whereby there is a very attractive younger man in the marital mix. He stays in their castle in Scotland and looks after their 2 kids while she goes to premieres with the spunk. And then sometimes they all live together in the castle.

Maybe Julia would consider a non-hairdresser consort for parliamentary occasions?

squib said...

Melba, lucky Tilda! I'd be quite happy with just the castle

You're right Boogey. My coup standards are getting low. A real coup would be McCain saying he's going to vote for Obama

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

Tilda Swinton was the only woman who could make the film of Orlando even vaguely watchable.

I have a particular loathing for the works of Virginia Wolfe.

John said...

Cohlin actually debated the pronunciation point at some length in the letters pages of the London Telegraph about a decade ago.

Not sure he's up for another round here but he made a cogent argument citing elizabethan usage still recorded in Shakespeare.

wari lasi said...

I have a particular loathing for the works of Virginia Wolfe.

But are you afraid of her Ramon? And I believe it's Woolf

Sorry, I'm in a nitpicking mood today. Can't get bloody staff to fill out forms correctly.

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

Woolf, yes, good point wari.

And not so much afraid as bored rigid.

wari lasi said...

I concur Ramon.

It was an oblique reference to the play/film, which, unlike her works, was quite good. The much married Ms Taylor at her best, if also her chubbiest.

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

Indeed, wari, a Mr Edward Albee.

Mr Albee is also the author of a play on the joys of goat love.

I have to say, if I had to choose between reading the entire works of Virginia Woolf or rooting a goat, my response would be "what time should I pick the goat up?"

wari lasi said...

Ha ha.

See you at the Lodge then.

Perseus said...

Albee = Brilliant.

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

Albee = Brilliant.

Quite so, Pers.

His spell of off-break bowling when he took 6 for 78 against England in the Third Test in 1968 is still spoken of in hushed tones.

Or have we stopped talking about cricket now?

Melba said...

I agree too. Albee = brilliant, and that play I love.

In fact, I directed a scene of it in drama at uni. Was horrendously directed and acted, but the words were great.

wari lasi said...

Or have we stopped talking about cricket now?

Given their performance on the sub continent at the moment, that would be a great idea.

For a while anyway.

Unknown said...

One of my Year 10 boys announced today that he wouldn't kick Gabriella Cilmi out of bed if she farted.

And he's one of the charmers in the class, believe it or not.

They come up with shit like this all the time.When I was a beginning teacher and kids said bullshit like that I used to get offended, but now I just roll my eyes and say "I can't take you lot anywhere, can I?" And we all have a little giggle about it and I try to get them to not refer to Lady Macbeth as a slapper. (Although she kind of is one - but I digress.)

I rate Tilda Swinton, she wears some kooky getups on the red carpet and doesn't seem to give two hoots if the paparazzi hang shit on her for it. And for the arrangement she has with her hubby.

patchouligirl said...

My stepmother, a lady of advanced years with a clipped British accent was teaching at a school in Lidcombe in Western Sydney (a fairly tough muslim area). One of the kids said "I'd like to fuck you". She replied "Oh well, at my age what have I got to lose - would 3 O'Clock be convenient?"

Unknown said...

Respeck to your stepma, patch. You really have to take it all with a grain of salt - some of my colleagues just get a bit too uppity if you ask me. I dunno. I tell the kids when they piss me off (not always in those words) and when they've crossed the line and they get it and quit it. Mind you, I've known some of these ones since they were pissy little Year 7's and that makes a difference.

Having said that, back in my day even the rudest prick in my class would never dream of saying some of what my current students say to me. It's just a different time.

patchouligirl said...

Yes well it was a fairly tough area - they had to introduce a program to feed the kids breakfast as they were turning up to school with empty tummies and couldn't concentrate. She later taught in Queensland and said the conditions were even rougher.

Unknown said...

We've got a breakfast club too. My school's not that rough really - the kids think they're tough shit, but they're little pussies compared to the kids from my first teaching job.