Sex doesn’t always sell: American Apparel to go downHipster clothing brand American Apparel is in serious financial strife, with US$17 million of losses in the last quarter. If it goes under, who will give us overtly sexed up ads for socks and plain t-shirts?
May, 2010
Where will BP’s spilled oil go?
It may be known as the “Gulf of Mexico” oil spill, but that fuel isn’t sticking around: it’s going to end up everywhere from the Arctic to deepwater corals.
A global mining tax?
The controversial RSPT may still be under debate in Australia, but other countries — Brazil, Canada, Peru, Chile etc — may adopt similar schemes, reports Bloomberg.
Leave London’s weird space aliens alone!
If you thought London’s 2012 Olympic logo was a bit wacky, wait until you see the mascots: weird-looking one-eyed steel toys called Wenlock and Mandeville. But apparently the kids love them. Bring back Willy the Koala, we say.
Tony: lies, gaffes and videotape
The infamous Tony Abbott interview with Kerry O’Brien doesn’t demonstrate Abbott’s brutal honesty or prove that all politicians lie. Abbott’s just a lazy politician who takes no personal responsibility, writes Mark Bahnisch.
The Orwell Prize winners announced
The 2010 Orwell Prize for political writing winners have been announced, with Andrea Gillies taking the book prize for her biographical work Keeper and conservative Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens winning the journalism award.
Can Australia ditch its bogan image?
Australia is trying to make over its image with the new Australia Unlimited campaign. But has it replaced beaches and bogans with boring?
The dirty politics of the press gallery
Political journalists are an arrogant lot, thinking that they choose who the public votes for. And now some in the press gallery think that since they “made” Kevin Rudd, they can destroy him, writes Tim Dunlop.
NYT takes on Goldman Sachs
The New York Times has dealt a “devastating” blow to Goldman Sachs, with an extensive front-page report into the company’s conflicted business position and dodgy deals. The article is now the talk of the business world.
Akermanis: Gay footballers should stay in the closet
The AFL is not ready for gay footballers to come out, writes controversial footballer Jason Akermanis. Locker rooms and showering means sporting workplace rules are different.
Battle in Bangkok: this is a class war
Beyond yellow and red, the bloody battle being fought on the streets of Thailand is fundamentally about rich vs. poor, urban vs. rural, explains Andrew Walker.
Goward: Kristina Keneally gives women a bad name
NSW Premier Kristina Keneally acts like a bitchy girl in parliament, making personal comments about dress and appearance. If she’s such a feminist, why resort to typical sexist remarks? asks Liberal MLA Pru Goward.
Thailand needs its king
As Thailand’s streets grow bloodier by the day, the only person who can bring some stability to the country is its beloved monarch, King Bhumibol Ajulyadej, says HDS Greenway. Will he speak up before it’s too late?
Budget reply: did Hockey score an own goal?
Daily media wrap: Joe Hockey gave the Opposition’s Budget Reply speech yesterday, promising to save $47 billion. But he forgot to say how — and it didn’t go unnoticed.
All the world’s a stage: is this our winter of discontent?
Parliament is a trove of Shakespearean tales. We’ve got a sullen Liberal Hamlet in Malcolm Turnbull, a veritable Macbeth in Abbott, and Julia Gillard patiently lingers in the wings like a beloved Cordelia, writes Alexandra Patrikios.
Cheers TV: Episode #5: Drink to the planet with biodynamic wine
The Rudd government might have dropped the ETS but that doesn’t mean you can’t help the earth… by drinking. Sommeliers Ben Edwards and Dan Sims taste three delicious Australian biodynamic wines.
Playgrounds: they’re not supposed to be dull
By attempting to keep our kids safe, we’ve turned our playgrounds into boring areas with no fun equipment and no sand pits, just wood chips. Yes, parks can be dangerous, but let’s bring back trees and nature to playtime.
The many wankers of the backpacker rainbow
Backpackers fit into perfectly into grossly generalized groups, says Kevin O’Faircheallaigh. Like the permanently topless Matthew McCoughnabees or the CSM (creepy single male) travellers.
America: where one milkshake equals 30 cookies
A scary list of the worst 20 most sugar and calorie filled drinks from the junk food capital of the world. Beware the chocolate and peanut butter Coldstone milkshake, which has as much fat as 68 strips of bacon.
Crushing the social butterfly
Shy people are different from introverts, become shyness sufferers want to be social, they just get temporarily terrified. And the biggest cause of timidness, regardless of sex? Beautiful women.
All politicians are liars, but which lies are ok?
In a week where Tony Abbott’s admitted he doesn’t always tell the “gospel truth” to the public, US pollie Richard Blumenthal was accused of fudging his war record. When does “misspeaking” cross into lying?
PHOTO GALLERY: No peace for deaths in Haiti
Much Haitian history was destroyed by the earthquake, and now a Port-au-Prince cemetery has been demolished to make way for a new bus station, forcing people to dig for their relatives’ bones.
A tragic tale on the risks of training flights
In March two AirNorth pilots engaged in flight re-training crashed and died in a Embraer 120ER Brasilia twin-engined turboprop. The preliminary report by the ATSB makes for very sad, but important reading, writes Ben Sandilands.
Hockey’s bizarre media management obscures Budget Reply
Joe Hockey’s Budget Reply has come badly unstuck after he refused to provide details of savings costings or whether Ken Henry would be reappointed, overshadowing an otherwise well-crafted speech, reports Bernard Keane.
The Age / Wednesday, 19 May 2010
“Silky, magic, lightning, jetstar, twinkle toes…” Adam Goodes is sick of footy commentators using patronising cliches to describe Indigenous players. They don’t have special powers. They just train really hard.