A great Fiberal tradition

In the aftermath of Brexit, I’m told, that the phrase most googled in Britain was “What is the EU”?!!! What is clear, is that the plebs of England, particularly the North, had no idea what the referendum was all about. Whilst it may seem rational to blame the “remain” side for not explaining it well enough to them, the reality is the economic rationale behind the EU is complex and it takes more that 3 word slogans to explain. The Northern plebs were never going to get it.

Further more, when the competition has no real argument other than appealing to the usual racism and border protection issues, with promises of power and glory, where being truth full is irrelevant, then, it becomes quite a challenge. Yes, the trick is to somehow relate any subject with migration and any other race and the plebs will be with you.

Over the last 20 years, it has become apparent that the right side of politics appears to have a license to lie and the left don’t. It’s not to say the left doesn’t, but in Australia, there is a complete imbalance in terms of the level of Fibs stated by each party and the repercussions.

Ever since Howard, the Fiberals have become masters of lying. When, the reward for lying is winning elections over and over again, then, it is not surprising that the Fiberals are somewhat addicted to it.

Some would say that this is smart politics. The left attempts to explain complex issues to the plebs, with limited success. The right recognise that no amount of explaining will educate the plebs, they simply accept them as dumb – they are the equivalent of those who were baffled and went looking for cake when Antoinette made her infamous comment – “Let them eat cake”!  . And so simple three word slogans that appeal to the pleb’s inner sense of security, is the Fiberal’s response. The truth is irrelevant – the plebs are too dumb to be explained the truth or to find out, and the pleb media will keep them ignorant.

What’s brilliant about this strategy is that now not only were they guaranteed the far right vote of the conservatives and wealthy, but they also hit the poorest and dumbest mob, who traditionally were the Labor heartland. Ironically, it is exactly for this reason that the Fibs would like to keep those dumb plebs just as they are – dumb plebs. Its good for their businesses and good to maintain power.

Lets look at the form of some of the “Great” fiberal leaders.

The bumbling Howard.

This is an irrelevant ole’ man who still can’t accept that his adventure in Iraq was a mistake and he lied through his teeth to the Australian public. As I say – Whilst is maybe possible to miss evidence of something that does exist, it’s pretty impossible to find it for something that does not! This poor soul is desperately attempting to create a legacy that will never exist.

We all recall the “Howard battlers”. These were the dumb Aussie plebs, mostly racist and completely ignorant. While it might appear that the supporters of the right were wealthy, it was Howard that realised the opportunity to completely exploit this dumb mob and hence started the phenomenon of feeding the plebs with bullshit simple messages that appeal to their DNA – white supremacy, racism etc.

So, we had the Tampa, Children overboard and the Iraq war. Howard won 3 elections purely on the basis of these events which he manipulated into racism and white supremacy appealing to his battlers. He set the standard for Fiberal politics and what a great tradition it has become.

The Mad Abbott

Perhaps due to his religious beliefs, the mad Phoney Abbott just could not differentiate between fact and fiction. But he did master the 3 word slogan. We all remember “Ditch the Bitch” and the Gillard lie. But surprisingly we don’t seem to remember the string of lies that the mad Abbott said. It’s almost as if we still hold Labor accountable but we don’t expect anything but lies from the Fiberals.

There was hardly a word of truth that was uttered by the mad Abbott. The budgets reflected nothing of his promises and he lied to us about stopping the boats. It now appears that the boats kept coming but we simply turned them back – all 29 of them.

The dumb Aussie public and media simply bought in to the secrecy surrounding “on-water operational matters”! We love to be critical of foreign governments who dupe their people, but we were quite happy to accept the Fiberals on this matter. When a Government in involved in covert operations, those that are kept secret from it’s public, one can be quite sure that they are up to no good. This was Putin like behaviour. The Labor party wouldn’t ever have dreamt of covert operations and if they did, with a little bit of pressure they would have made the information public.

Why the Aussie public and media are so accepting of the secrecy is baffling. I suspect it has something to do with feeling proud of a strong navy and the people on the boats were foreigners and even worse Muslims. It’s all relative, the Australia navy seem powerful in comparison to the little putt putt boats of the Indonesian fishermen!

Malcolm TurdBullShit and what was her name – the chic who  votes the same as him?!

Malcolm is a classic case of selling one’s soul to the devil. He entered politics with unadulterated views of the world and complete naivety of the political landscape. His first stint as the leader of his party brought him back to Earth. His attempt to work with Labor for the benefit of Australia on the climate front, was completely foreign to his party stooges and before long he fell flat on his bottom.

He clearly learned from that first experience and now, no one really knows who he is. Everything he stood for before he knifed Abbott now seems to have evaporated. Climate change, Same Sex marriage, a complete transformation. So we still have the mad Abbott policies, but no Abbott! and Malcolm TurnbullShit is just that – complete bull shit. He has lost his credibility.

There is the opportunity for a whole new blog on the TurnBullShit that Malcolm has been pouring on this dumb plebs – old ladies being hassled, an economic plan, Medicare not being privatised, the deficit is Labors fault, Labor has a big black whole even before Labor released it’s numbers. It’s the complete Fiberal package, with a tinge of corporate branding put to it.

When elections arrive, we leave our future in the hands of those dumb plebs who are still  in search of cake and to the three word slogans of the Fiberals. At least the Labor party might drag those dumb plebs out of their miserable existence. But no, the 3 word slogans are as far as they comprehend.

The last hurrah of the GuSWhiSuc Empire!

It is not every generation that has the fortune (or misfortune) to observe the last twitches and spasms of an empire about to perish. In fact, it might even be the last empire ever as the progressive world strides forward towards a world that is beyond tribal boundaries. That is a distant goal, but surely one that will be attained under the new world order – a multi-ethnic world order. This maybe BRICS or one that follows it, but it will not be dominated by fat rich Anglo-Celtic white males.

It is unreasonable to expect an empire to subside gracefully. The images of their military superiority, often mistaken as a superiority in race, will continue to be dangled in their faces by the likes of Trump and Farage and easily consumed by the struggling plebs as the only way to wealth and riches – Make America Great again!!

And so the civilised, and I don’t mean rich, I mean civilised in manner – peaceful, respectful and non-discriminatory – rest of us will have to absorb the missiles this monster throws at us before it is finally dead and buried. As in many good adventure movie, just as you think you’ve finally killed the triple headed, fire breathing monster, it unexpectedly lunges at you with it’s final blow of destruction!

As the new world order takes control, we see the GusWhiSucs struggle to cope. The ideal environment for the far right to make promises to the plebs of returning to the glory days! The plebs are easily suckered in and cry in hysteria as they imaging this world where they strut around with crowns on their heads and large muscular black men fanning their every ounce of pleasure and desire. Wow!! even I could live with that – or could I?!

So, what actually happened to this empire?

The GuSWhiSuc leader and war monger, Churchill, initiated the greatest collapse of the empire by singlehandedly being the cause of two wars against Germany, at great expense in death and carnage across the globe. The world was fortunate that Hitler was strong and annihilated Churchill’s army in a matter of days. Churchill was fortunate that Hitler never wanted a war with Britain and pitied his miserable men on the beaches of Dunkirk, sparing them. That was the beginning of the end of the empire and it was rapid. It also gave close to 5 billion people (in today’s terms) their freedom which in turn set up the environment for other nations to thrive and become powerful.

It is not to say that most of the Old world, including many nations in Europe are struggling to compete. Their power has mostly been a legacy of their swords. But as the playing field is equalised with other nations having nuclear weapons, the economy, brain power and the size of middle class are now the determinants of power in the new world.

As the White supremacy groups in the Anglo-Celtic world get a strangle hold of their pleb classes, It is likely that there will be confrontation. Their control is based on promises of over-powering the rest of the world. So in Australia we had the Cronulla riots, in the US we have Trump and in the UK we have Farage!

Brexit wants all the good of the EU without any of the bad. That’s not particularly surprising as that’s what the Brits did for 400 years around the globe. Just ask the Africans and the Asian!! Under the forces of the new world order, strength is by forming large communities not breaking away. I must admit there was an impish part of me that kept willing on the Brexit mob!! But that was cruel to a large number of Brits who are amongst the most polite people one would meet. Knowing the generosity of the EU, the Brits might in fact get there way. The next few years will tell.

Sometimes the fight becomes more important than what’s good for the nation. Boris who-ever must now be thinking that. Farage is too arrogant to think he has to now deliver. He already is denying his commitment to the NHS (wow, that was minutes after the victory!! Never seen such a quick backflip in my life! The privilege of being a right-wing politician – all show and no action!)

It is inevitable that Britain, US and AUS will form a block. A block of, as their politicians say, a ”like minded” block – the GusWhiSuC block (they might even call it The Greatest Britain and have more Union Jacks and stars and stripes and whatever will instil patriotic tribal instincts – flags are outdated – they are mere symbols of division.). It is also likely that due to it’s leadership there will be much sabre rattling and bullying, destruction, rape and pillage of small nations – this is the only method they understand and it has worked well for them in the past.

The question is, will the New world take on the Old world (ironic, since not too long ago, the US was considered the New world). Like Israel, the Old world is unlikely to perish without creating havoc for the rest of us. We all know the views of the likes of Trump – they just do not take defeat without inflicting chaos. I suspect the dooms day clock will be ticking.

The world is in for a rather bumpy couple of decades. There are times when one wonders what the world might be if we could simply tuck Israel and the GusWhiSucs on some planet where they can knock themselves out and leave the rest of us in peace. Let’s hope we come out of the period a stronger more equal global community.

Two out of Three ain’t bad!

Last Saturday, my son, wife and I attended the outdoor production of Turandot - the last of a trio of opera's presented by Opera Australia and Handa Opera. Whilst I intended presenting my thoughts on each opera immediately after attending them, I didn't really find the time to do so. So, here is a condensed review of all three of them.

 

A few years back, Opera Australia appeared to have made a strategic change to the approach taken to their productions. Rather than the lavish sets etc. The focus seemed to have changed to spending more on the artists. So, rather than having fat, chunky chics running around the stage shrieking at the top of their voices (with the exception of one or two stupendous voices), we had productions with vastly improved vocals but sometimes rather drab sets. This was particularly noticeable in the last 2 productions of Lucia. The first had some of the most brilliant sets, which almost looked like elaborate paintings (a point that was not missed by the producers who at the end of each scene would have a curtain call or of a split second where the cast would stay motionless - just as in a painting). Admittedly, Emma Mathews played Lucia and was simply brilliant. The next production had almost no sets what-so-ever.

Several of the other productions that year were of similar vain.
Since then Opera Australia appear to have got the balance better. We have the privilege of hearing several overseas artists through-out the season and the productions are quite impressive as well. My personal opinion, based on the productions I've seen is that the tenor voice appears to be the toughest one for the company to recruit.

The Pearl Fishers.

The first opera was Bizet's "The Pearl Fishers". I recall having enjoyed the previous production and had high expectations this time around. As the opera is based in Sri Lanka, my wife has a special affinity towards it.

Unfortunately for me, whilst they had taken quite an effort to make the costumes authentic, they decided to have the main two male characters dress up in suits - Colonialist fashion. To most "Western" observers, this might have been quite acceptable and even normal, but it was something I found completing unacceptable. Bizet would have been rolling in his grave! These characters were Zurga and Nadir not Peter and John. This was no Madame Butterfly, this was an opera about a village in Sri Lanka - it was quite nonsensical to have the leaders of the village running around in pants - implying they were colonialists. They had denigrated the opera to a "White man seduces exotic Eastern chic" concept. This was not a mistake made in their previous production.
To make things worse, they had a couple of East Asian muscle bound guys tumbling around with swords - another complete mistake - could they not find someone from the sub-continent, after all there are close to a billion and a half of them?!! It seemed like they had wandered down George street to China town and picked the first two obliging non-European looking chaps they came across!!

I don't usually delve into the calibre of the voices and orchestra as the Opera theatre isn't really the stage to show-case one's voice and even less an orchestra! Unless of course, there is a performance that really captivates me. The sound of the orchestra is never great.

I'm not sure if it was due to these errors or if I'd have come to this conclusion regardless, but I didn't really enjoy the opera as much as I had the previous production. 

Having done and dusted the disappointment, let's now focus on the two that I really enjoyed. 

La Boheme.

This is an opera that I can never have too much of. I've seen several Opera Australia productions and seen it on screen etc. There were two key highlights for me and they were Ji-Minh Park as Rodolfo and home grown Julie Lea Goodwin as Musetta.

As I've mentioned before Opera Australia do have a challenge in attracting good tenor voices. But for the first time in a while, I found Park's voice quite powerful and balanced with the soprano voice.
The real highlight for me was Goodwin's performance as Musetta. I don't recall ever seeing her before. The first few phrases in Musetta's Waltz had me surprised and attentive - her voice was pure, powerful, silky and rounded. To add to that, she was sexy, considerate, care-free and confident - the perfect Musetta!

On returning home, I did some research on her. As much as I tried, her age is still a mystery to me (as it should be!). She Appears to have part-taken in the school spectacular in 2005 and 2006. Unless she was a guest artist, she would then have been 17 or 18 - although the clips of her singing on youtube are quite impressive for someone so young. The maturity and roundness of her voice now, is impressive particularly for a soprano in her mid to late twenties (Typically Aussies voices appear to be lyrical coloratura which later mature in to more rounded soprano).

The production itself was wonderful from the high ceilinged stark drab rooms with the bohemian's grand scale paintings on the walls, the rich and yet seedy café/ night club to the stark wintery scenes.

The café scene had some slinky half nude ladies in the background - very tastefully done, of course. Each time the kids (on stage, that is) marched through, the ladies would tastefully cover-up. My teenage son was with us, and he suddenly had an increased interest in proceedings. So much so that he requested the binoculars and hogged it for the rest of the café scene!

I suspect my son’s memory of the opera is limited to a 10 X magnified set of tits (or possibly several sets of them) witnessed through binoculars, and my wife, just the thought of getting his eyes off those tits, while I enjoyed the glory of the opera tits and all!

I’d love to have been a fly on the wall during the conversation at school the next day!! I suspect there might have been a sudden increased demand in concession tickets – Brooksie in the front row ogling his eyes out!!

Turandot

Finally, the outdoor Handa production of Turandot. Whilst not my favourite Puccini, I usually never get a choice on this one as my wife’s obsession with Nessun Dorma forces us to watch this one every time it is included in the season.

In general we enjoy the Handa outdoor productions, although on both previous occasions we had to contend with blistering wind and rain! The sets are usually outstanding and even the sound, although electronic, is produced well – often sounding more like a digital recording rather than a live performance. Add to that the backdrop of the opera house and the bridge and it presents a wonderful setting.

As usual, we got there early and have dinner. Often there is a menu and area for dining that are along with the theme of the opera. Unfortunately we weren’t early enough to get seating and so had to manage sitting on the floor and tucking into our supper.

This time the weather was brilliant. The set included a dragon along one side that was used dramatically through out the opera as a screen to project various images. And when  the love stricken suitor rang the gong accepting the Ice princesses challenge, the dragon breathed fire and smoke! We had unfortunately selected seats on the opposite side to the dragon and our view of it’s head was obstructed!!

I always feel a sense of discomfort after this opera. The heroine Turandot is for a greater part of the opera, the villain – the ice maiden. But through the love of her suitor, she melts. But this happens at the very end of the opera and so, one doesn’t really have much time to warm up to her. Whilst the other female role in the opera, the self-less, and yet faithful and brave servant, Liu, who sings one of the more beautiful arias, demands my affection throughout most of the opera, even though her role is minor. So at the end one leaves the opera with a sense of conflict!

The three roles of Calaf, Turandot and Liu were sung beautifully by Riccardo Massi, Dragana Radakovic and Hyeseoung Kwon respectively. The dancing was well choreographed and the fire works after Nessun Dorma all blended in to a wonderful evening.

My son picked on the section of the opera where Turandot sings “three riddles one death” and Calaf responds “No, No three riddles and one love” and Turandot repeats her line as they build up inin volume, pitch and passion! As it is a time in his life where he contradicts his father many a time, he found it amusing to present what our next disagreement might sound like!

All things considered, this was a great season by Opera Australia. They simply need to get there pricing strategy sorted out. Having seen there recent accounts, it appears that the revenue from ticket sales is down on last year.

I look forward to the season of 2017!