Radio Paradise and Interpol

A little while back I came across a great internet radio station, called Radio Paradise. It plays a blend of classics and contemporary songs, just perfect for when I don't know what I want to listen to. It also has a discussion thread for every song that's played, which is very easy to waste time on.

Anyway, I heard Slow Hands, by Interpol, the other day, and was immediately caught by the repetitive groove. Since then I've been listening to Thomas's Interpol albums (particularly Antics), and loving the sound: the almost disdainful droning vocals over spare but unrelenting grooves. My new favourite band of the moment :)
And damn me if Carlos Dengler's image doesn't fit that coolly aloof sound. Sure, the guy looks like a poser, but he does look good doing it. Makes me wish I'd learnt to play so I could be a rock star too. Hmm, only four strings, can't be that hard... :P

ACT, Civil Unions, and the Federal Government

Ordinarily I refrain from using my blog (as popular as it is :P ) as a political soapbox, but I want to write about this. Last Friday, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) enacted legislation allowing civil unions (as distinct from marriages, and including same-sex partners), and on Tuesday the Federal Government intervened to overturn the law.

It started at the end of last year, when Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister of the ACT, announced the ACT government's intention of intruducing civil union legislation. The Attorney-General promised that the Federal Government would intervene unless the bill was ammended. The ACT government did so, and passed the bill on 11th May this year. However, on 6th June the Attorney-General and John Howard confirmed that they would move against the legislation. On 9th June the legislation came into effect, and on 13th June the Governor-General, at the instruction of the Federal Executive Council, overturned the ACT's legislation.
Today, the Federal Opposition joined with minor parties, and Liberal Senator Gary Humphries even crossed the floor, to challenge the Federal Government... but their motion ultimately failed.

From a moral standpoint, I am of course disappointed with my country's Federal Government. It's disgusting that same-sex marriages were legally banned in the first place, in 2004. It's one thing to move conservatively. It's another thing to move backwards.

From a political standpoint, I am even more frustrated. The Federal Government claims that it overturns the ACT's legislation because the ACT overstepped its legislative boundaries.
However, the Attorney General said "We have decided to defend the fundamental institution of marriage," and John Howard said "There is a special place in Australian society for the institution of marriage" and that he did not intend to let it "to be in any way undermined". Nevermind that the overturned legislation is concerned only with these newly introduced civil unions, not marriages.

That sounds a lot like morals, not politics, to me. I have to wonder whether the Federal Government would have intervened if the ACT's civil unions did not include same-sex partners. As Jon Stanhope said, "one has to pose the question is whether or not the real reason is that there is no place in John Howard's Australia for homosexuals."

Synergy

I knocked together this motivational poster to help explain the correct meaning of synergy, since apparently our new Dean doesn't get it :D

I seem to have a habit of copying Thom's blog posts lately...

Sonnet for Lei'ella

This I only just wrote. I decided to try my hand at a more serious sonnet, that stands on its own a bit better than the Ballad of Berard. My concern is that, as a serious attempt, it falls into melodrama. I think you have to be a lot cleverer than I am to avoid that trap. Ah well.

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A quiet pall descends upon the page
As Varden holds Lei'ella centre-stage


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Sonnet for Lei'ella

I watch your sanguine lips with shining eyes
And in my mind caresses trace their shape
But soft perfection cruelly belies
That through those parted lips your breath escapes

Your calluses are cool against my palm;
The hand that held the dagger now holds mine
I softly stroke your skin with outward calm
As finally our fingers intertwine

And though I hold you close with all my might -
Our bodies breast to breast and cheek to cheek
Our hearts together just for this one night -
I choke and cannot find the words to speak

Your breathing stills, your hand falls to the floor
And I can't feel your heartbeat anymore.

Ballad of Berard

This is a parody that you probably wouldn't get without reading Inverloch.

The following is all in iambic tetrametre. Not a proper ballad, but I didn't know that when I started.
Indent = leading non-stressed syllable omitted; ~ = extended syllable; - = two syllables in the space of one.

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I offer some frivolity,
Hilarity: commence!
At my ingenuity
... Or at my expense!


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Ballad of Berard

Once a mighty warrior,
Such strength and grace ne'er seen before
Quick of wit and learn'd of lore
And nonpareil a paramour

They say he came from Aydensfell
Where blood of Man once mixed with Elf
And now the sorcerous mages dwell
But Berard bid it all farewell

Berard! Berard! Lift your blade!
Crush your foe and take yon maid
Your brilliance warms us like the day
Your shadow leaves us in the shade!

He roamed the land on faithful steed
But no white prancing horse had he
Yet all who saw him were agreed
His ass was very fine indeed

His clothes conferred unfettered ease
His tartan kilt above the knee
When questioned did he mind the breeze:
"I like to leave my weapon free."

Our hero came to Stra~thwood
And fought for all 'twas right and good
But-a maiden veiled by cloak and hood
Did fill his thoughts as naught else could

Berard! Berard! Lift your blade!
Crush your foe and take yon maid
Your brilliance warms us like the day
Your shadow leaves us in the shade!

He courted her with gifts sublime
Swore "One day, Lei, I'll make you mine!"
But cruelly she his suit declined
Heartbroken, Berard turned to crime

Until he found her once again
With-another man, and so, insane
They fought clouded by loss and pain
And thus was mighty Berard slain

Berard! Berard! Rest your blade!
Rest e'ermore in wooded glade
Your brilliance warmed us like the day
Your memory leaves us in the shade!

Once a mighty warrior,
Such strength and grace ne'er seen before
Quick of wit and learn'd of lore
And nonpareil a paramour

Inverloch

Like Thomas, I thought I'd celebrate the release of Sarah's Inverloch. Of course, I think everyone who reads this blog already knows about it, but I reckon it's worth posting anyway. It's for sale in major bookstores like Barnes & Nobel and Borders, online from Amazon (where it was ranked 5000-something-th'd at one point!), and even in some Australian comic-book stores (not here in Rockhampton, sadly).

Anyway, I decided to post to my blog a couple of poems I'd written in the Seraph-Inn forum. I think they're decent, though it's hard to get objective opinions from that forum :P