Category: Talk Nerdy to Me

My thoughts on Obama’s speech at Mandela’s Memorial

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Barack Obama’s speech at Nelson Mandela’s Memorial service:
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/FULL-TEXT-Obama-honours-Nelson-Mandela-20131210

….watching it, I got the sense that it was more than just one for the ages. I liked it.

It had all the oratory hallmarks of Obama gold — tactical and extended pausing, eye contact, vocal crescendo peppered with the odd hand gestures. I had forgotten how piercing his eyes were, he seemed almost emotional at times — drawing long breaths as if to contain emotion at one or two points. He seemed quite moved.

These are my highlights and lowlights from his speech:

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Nelson Mandela: The Sinner who kept trying

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” I am not a saint; only if you think of a saint as a sinner who kept trying..”

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There is no argument of the significance of Nelson Mandela’s life. The celebration of the existence of this single man on a worldwide scale is unbelievable and beautiful.

Politicians are remembered in very different ways.

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Russian to new Conclusions – tAtU and Pussy Riot

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I was listening to my iPod last night and I came across an artist from the 1990s or very early 2000s.

t. A. T. u

Remember they were all shocking because they were ‘lesbian’ and all public about it in their film clip?

To refresh your memory: http://youtu.be/8mGBaXPlri8

They must have been exceptional and controversial, Russian artists don’t often appear in ‘Western’ charts.

Why were they special?
Because they were, or at least pretending to be, lesbians in Russia.

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KRudd hits the ‘Game Over’ button, why was he important?

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First entry on the road! Currently on the Eastern Seaboard!

Kevin Rudd resigned from Parliament last night.

“Why should I care, PIK? What does it mean? What will it change?!”

Firstly, there will be a By-election in the seat of Griffith, Queensland. A by-election is an out of term (Parliament is elected every 4 years) election for a single, or multiple electorates. Because we live in a Democracy and the institute of Parliament is a pretty important one, KRudd’s seat can’t be left vacant for 4 years. Just because one seat goes to an election doesn’t mean the whole state or country has to — unless you were the Gillard Government of 2010-2013(!)

By-elections are often non-events, they will happen very quietly and we’ll hear in a few weeks who replaces Kevin. The ALP are confident of holding the seat, which is likely. By-elections occur when an MP dies or retires; if electoral boundaries change, then that change usually affects the next election (informed well in advance), but never mid term.

Check out how the electoral boundaries of Griffith have changed!

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Piggy Banks to Power Plays [Part One]: Globalisation and its impact

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******Firstly, however, A UPDATE ON MY PREVIOUS ENTRY: “The American Government Shutdown Explained!”*******

The Democrats, [Obama and his Government] have the majority in the Senate, not House of Representatives. The Republicans have the majority in the lower house [the HoR] – but the Democrats have the majority of seats over the total seats in both houses: 332 [to the Republicans 206]. US politics is a very different kettle of fish to Australia. Legislation doesn’t usually originate from the Upper House in a Westminster system [Aus, UK, Canada], but in the case of the US Presidential system, it can. But because the Americans are Bicameral [two houses of Parliament] it needs the approval of the other house, despite where it starts, so Obama is dealing with a hostile [Opposition majority] House of Reps. 

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The American Government Shutdown explained!

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Concisely, more people should be worried about this Government shutdown. There could be some serious ripple effects!

What’s happened? The budget, or ‘supply’ has been blocked.

Basically, the Americans have the same Bicameral (two Houses of Parliament, Congress and the Senate) system we do, and Legislation has to pass both houses. The budget is a piece of legislation just like any other, most political parties, particularly in Australia, will vote supply through without much fuss, because it’s money for the country to run on.

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Why I’m not fazed by composition of the Federal Cabinet!

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I had a very interesting conversation with a Sydney Morning Herald writer called Clementine Ford on September 16th. Scroll back through my tweets, an interesting read.

Personally, I am exhausted by people using the gender card as an attack point; this isn’t Yu Gi Oh.

I am baffled.

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