The road less travelled
Suppose there are two roads between two points. One road is free to use, the other has a toll. The one with the toll will, of course, be less crowded. So road users can travel for free, or they can … Continue reading
Julius Caesar — William Shakespeare
The Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Julius Caesar might give you a fresh perspective on this play if you are a jaded Shakespeare watcher. If you are not, then the many quirks and production trickery might leave you first irritated, … Continue reading
With Teeth — Nine Inch Nails (after)
A few days ago I talked about the new Nine Inch Nails album, With Teeth. Even though I had the CD, at that time I maintained my objectivity by carefully avoiding listening to it before reviewing it. Since then I … Continue reading
With Teeth — Nine Inch Nails (before)
With Teeth is Nine Inch Nails’ new long-anticipated five-years-in-the-making album. I loved The Fragile, their previous long-anticipated five-years-in-the-making album, and I had heard that this new one is quite different. Unfortunately, it is. Initial reports were that this album goes … Continue reading
How to tie your shoelaces
For years I have tied my shoelaces using a special knot that is easy to tie, but never comes undone accidentally. I can’t remember where I learned this — maybe I invented it myself — but I always planned to … Continue reading
More great BBC online music shows
Here’s some more of my favourite online radio, following on from my earlier list of great BBC online music shows. There are several customised online radio stations out there now. These purport to divine your unique taste in music and … Continue reading
Old Times — Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter’s Old Times portrays unsettling mind games played amongst a middle-aged couple and a visiting friend from their separate pasts. Last weekend I saw the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of this classic play. Deeley and Kate play host to … Continue reading
Amazing checker shadow illusion
The Checker Shadow Illusion is the most mysterious optical illusion I have ever seen. No matter how long I stare at it, I can’t convince my eyes to believe it. The two areas marked A and B are the same … Continue reading
Frank Moorhouse — Sydney Writers’ Festival
Last week, Australian writer Frank Moorhouse spoke at the University of Wollongong as a spin-off of the Sydney Writers’ Festival. Alerted by the microscopic notice in the local newspaper, we went off to see him. We arrived just in time, … Continue reading
Zatoichi — The Blind Swordsman
The story of Zatoichi has been around in Japanese movies and TV for a while. I saw this latest remake recently — it is a lot of fun, especially if you consider artistic, cinematic dismemberment to be fun. The director … Continue reading