Australia Day

Last Monday was the Australia Day public holiday, Australia's national day, commemorating the arrival of the British in 1788.

It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable that so many people seem ok with the suggestion that Australia only became relevant after white people showed up, and that this should be a cause for celebration. If I was an indigenous Australian, it would probably make me want to kick off a bit. Many see the day as "invasion day". So I frowned a bit and stayed at home for the day.

Fortunately other people also feel this way, one of whom being newly appointed 2009 'Australian of the Year' Professor Mick Dodson, a campaigner for Aboriginal rights.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24962558-601,00.html

I find the situation in Australia with regards to indigenous and white australian relations a bit disconcerting at the best of times. Sometimes it seems close to a kind of informal apartheid. I know that sounds a bit extreme but it is odd coming from the UK where although ethnic minority groups can still be at a greater disadvantage, there is much more of a mix-up. Every race can exist at each end of the societal spectrum, and everywhere in between. In Aus there are hardly any black people. It is a noticeable oddity. The shops and restaurants are all white/asian, and the only place you really see indigenous australians in Sydney is drunk outside Redfern station or begging on King St/Glebe Point Road. Such a huge divide.

Oh what else..... oh, blood is the new black!! Blood is the New Black is suddenly so good? I got a shirt off there in 2004, when they only had a couple of artists (mine was a Keren Richter shirt), but now there is so much! I saw a shirt posted on Flying Saucer so pootled over to have a look. The shirts look better quality now than they used to be too.



[Hannah Stouffer]



[Dan Monick]



[Cali Dewitt]

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Also, Russell has Twitter!! - http://twitter.com/rustyrockets !!!

AND, He is COMING to SYDNEY !!!! I have to get tickets SO badly.

The British comedian Russell Brand will bring his bad boy humour to Australia for the first time when he performs two shows in Sydney and Melbourne in March.