Um ok...institutionalised racism...Southern Cross tattoos. Dumb accents.
Hey man, don't let the dickheads ruin Australia in it's entirety.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 04 Nov 2010, 05:24
We're so pretty it hurts.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 04 Nov 2010, 05:24
Vegemite is vomitous bile. It is Satan's condiment.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Snuffletrout on 04 Nov 2010, 05:25
Oh and lots of universities where my Norwegian friends go and then never come back... If its due to serial-killers or hot weather is yet to be determined.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Lunchbox on 04 Nov 2010, 05:27
Harry, you must leave Australia now. It's the law.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: look out! Ninjas! on 04 Nov 2010, 06:06
Hey, I live in that place. Vegemite is fantastic, as is beer with sediment remaining in the bottle.
If there're better uses for yeast, I'm yet to hear of them.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 04 Nov 2010, 06:10
Would you say they're the best thing since sliced bread?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Aaden Foli on 04 Nov 2010, 06:10
They're definitely... something to write home about.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: jhocking on 04 Nov 2010, 06:29
Vegemite is vomitous bile. It is Satan's condiment.
This makes me so very happy.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 04 Nov 2010, 10:20
Fucking hell I miss Vegemite so much. I'm making Sam's family bring some over when they come for Xmas.
Um Australia is OK I guess. If you like beaches and stuff. I don't.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: valley_parade on 04 Nov 2010, 10:37
Really?
I figured I was the only anti-beach person on the planet. o/
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Alex C on 04 Nov 2010, 10:40
I don't really care for them either. They're all sandy and most people just sit on their asses in the sun like a bunch of lizards.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: scarred on 04 Nov 2010, 11:43
I like beaches, but I live on an island that's much smaller than Australia, so it's not like I can try to avoid them or anything.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Barmymoo on 04 Nov 2010, 11:44
I live on an island smaller than Australia and I see the beach maybe once every two years. I'm not keen on them either though.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 04 Nov 2010, 12:08
\o
See, Australia has literally the best beaches in the world (I will put Perth's beaches up against any comers, honest), but I'm not a hot weather person at all, nor do I like salt water, or sand (even if it is pristine, fine, white sand), or large groups of fuckwitted people. But I can understand why some folks go gaga over them. English beaches, or what I've seen of North American beaches (Vancouver, basically), I don't know how anybody gets excited over that.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 04 Nov 2010, 12:17
For the record, guys: Bondi Beach sucks and marmite is better than vegemite because it has a lower salt content.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: squawk on 04 Nov 2010, 12:23
California beaches are meh, which is really funny because they're a lot better than the east coast lol but actually they can get super picturesque. <3 central coast what's not to like about the ocean though? it's so big!!! it's the edge of the world
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: pwhodges on 04 Nov 2010, 12:41
There is like, rocks edging them, and that just aint natural! Beaches edged with dunes is where its at!
And now, with Dunes:
(http://cassland.org/images/Dunes.jpg)
The weather's dull in this one 'cos it was February.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Eris on 04 Nov 2010, 15:15
I like beaches until I actually get to one and then there are lots of bogans with their southern cross tattoos and the sand gets everywhere and it's really hot. Plus I don't like swimming out of my depth, so I stick fairly close to the shore while everyone else who isn't either really young or incredibly old swims out deeper. Then I remember that I don't like beaches and get to wash sand off myself for days. Fun!
I dunno, Australia's alright, I guess. I don't mind it, there are lots of things I can do here that I couldn't in other countries, but we also do have a very deep seated racist mindset, which, coupled with the large drinking-centic social mindset generally ends fairly badly. I guess I like it enough to not want to move far far away from here?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Lunchbox on 04 Nov 2010, 15:20
Guys, I really love Australia. Pretty much everything about it. I'm not fiercely patriotic or political, I just think this is a really nice place to live and I like all of it that I've seen. The food is good, the weather is lovely and the people are generally not shitheads. Sure our TV shows and movies are pretty awful, but we get enough beamed in from BBC and HBO that I can deal.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 04 Nov 2010, 15:29
Also, as it turns out, the rest of the world is also full of people, and they're generally all small-minded, selfish, ignorant and insular as well.
Also Lunchy at least you don't have 1000 channels of awful TV, only like, a hundred or so. Seriously.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Lunchbox on 04 Nov 2010, 15:30
I only watch TV on the Internet anyways.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Eris on 04 Nov 2010, 15:31
Well yeah, I get pretty defensive if anyone says anything bad about this place (even stuff like how our government is pretty conservative and awful (which is true), and I am so sick of people going on about all our poisonous animals and how we are mostly desert.) and I doubt I will want to live anywhere else. We are pretty far away from a lot of things, but that means we probably won't ever get invaded by another country! It would cost too much to get their troops over here, and because we are so huge it would be too hard to invade effectively.
I just wish things weren't so expensive yo buy here, and that shipping from overseas was more easily available and cheaper. But our dollar is at parity (or at least it was yesterday, so it should be very close) to the US dollar, so buying stuff online is a more viable option. I am just being realistic here; Australia is great, but there are a fair few downsides here, just like with any other country.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: tania on 04 Nov 2010, 15:37
canada's dollar is par with the american dollar now, too. vancouver is only about a half hour from the US border so i'm trying to arrange some sort of shopping trip in bellingham or seattle with someone who's got a car because even though i could just as easily buy clothes and stuff here, man, fuck this stupidly expensive city
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 04 Nov 2010, 15:48
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 04 Nov 2010, 16:47
There aren't that many attractive people in Australia, at least not significantly more than in other places. I think they are just over-represented on the internet and in the media. It doesn't help that most of the Australian forumites are shit-hot.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: JD on 04 Nov 2010, 16:48
When I was a kid we used to pick up echidnas that were at risk of getting hit by cars and take them home (I think also because as a kid I thought they were awesome), where they would dig under our backyard's fence and get away.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 04 Nov 2010, 16:56
You don't think they're awesome anymore? On the motorway to Melbourne we saw a police car pulled over on the side of the road, the cop was on his hands and knees trying to get an echidna out from under the car. Adorable.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Eris on 04 Nov 2010, 17:02
I do think they are awesome, but not awesome enough to try and wrangle them into a milk crate to take home with me.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Aaden Foli on 04 Nov 2010, 17:38
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 04 Nov 2010, 17:52
Two Hands was actually pretty good. The rest of those are pretty shitty. Ah well.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Spluff on 04 Nov 2010, 18:03
Australia is honestly not that dangerous. There is practically no chance of getting killed by an animal in the bush if you think ahead (as opposed to places with things like bears, moose, bulls, lions, hippo, rhinos, etc.). All the large animals are non-confrontational, so unless you do something like try and steal a baby emu or hug a wombat you'll be right.
The only real danger is snakes, but if you watch where you're walking and make enough noise, you probably won't get into any trouble, and even if you do, if you wear long pants and/or gaiters you should be safe from their venom.
The ocean on the other hand is full of things that can do some serious damage but most of that bollocks is further up the coast from me anyway.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 04 Nov 2010, 18:05
In short, steer clear of Northern Queensland's waters.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: jhocking on 04 Nov 2010, 18:07
Doesn't Cthulu hang around the waters down there? I forget.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Spluff on 04 Nov 2010, 18:07
oh also the sun will kill you but at least when you die you'll have a rockin' tan
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 04 Nov 2010, 18:19
that is, if you don't burn first.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 04 Nov 2010, 19:14
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: McTaggart on 04 Nov 2010, 21:07
Man cane toads are like the one animal that just makes me angry.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: bicostp on 04 Nov 2010, 21:20
There are some pretty awesome cars down there too.
(http://i55.tinypic.com/e15hsj.jpg)
GM almost brought the HSV Maloo stateside as the G8 ST but then decided America doesn't like trucks and axed the entire Pontiac brand. (I think they should follow tradition and slap the federalized Caprice front end on and call it an El Camino. Replace those godawful Isuzu designed pickups of theirs with something decent.)
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Alex C on 04 Nov 2010, 21:36
I liked Pontiacs. :x
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Eris on 04 Nov 2010, 23:17
That is an awful car. It is ugly, it is a stupid revved up ute (which is what seems to be the loudest cars taht drive past my apartment at all hours of the night), is an awful colour, the rims on the wheels are shit and it is just generally ugly.
I guess maybe it is fast or something?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: McTaggart on 04 Nov 2010, 23:30
I was hoping someone would bring up cars. I absolutely adore big aussie v8s. They're just the most perfect thing. All these kids want their SLRs and their Skylines and so on but my dream car is a BA GT-P. (http://imgur.com/N8x70.jpg)
And as ridiculous as Maloos and Super Pursuits and so on are I kinda love them. They're audacious as hell in a uniquely Australian way. Where else are boy's dream cars just the tricked out versions of the workhorses?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Alex C on 04 Nov 2010, 23:46
That is an awful car. It is ugly, it is a stupid revved up ute (which is what seems to be the loudest cars taht drive past my apartment at all hours of the night), is an awful colour, the rims on the wheels are shit and it is just generally ugly.
I guess maybe it is fast or something?
I generally agree with this. I just can't handle the coupe ute look. Here in the midwest there is a definite segment of the population that likes trucks with big ass engines that are startingly fast, but we like to keep 'em boxy looking and enormous.
Anyway, I just have a soft spot for pontiacs because my first car was a ridiculous old beat up '78 firebird my equally ridiculous tattooed and tobacco chewing uncle gave me. It made me feel really white trash, something that I actually sort of appreciated at the time given that my stepfather's Hormel exec father was insisting on sending me to private school at the time.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: JD on 04 Nov 2010, 23:50
That is an awful car. It is ugly, it is a stupid revved up ute (which is what seems to be the loudest cars taht drive past my apartment at all hours of the night), is an awful colour, the rims on the wheels are shit and it is just generally ugly.
I guess maybe it is fast or something?
You clearly don't have enough testosterone to enjoy it.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 05 Nov 2010, 00:19
Cane toads are not Australian, they are South American :x
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: est on 05 Nov 2010, 04:35
Of pretty much everything posted in this thread so far I think I don't hate Split Enz, the food Lunchy posted and Two Hands (and of course all the fine, lovely people in the first pic). I am not very good at being Australian.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Eris on 05 Nov 2010, 04:37
(the joke was that Split Enz is a Kiwi band anyway)
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Dollface on 05 Nov 2010, 05:02
Paul hogan smiles when hes wrestling some crocodiles. (http://www.solarnavigator.net/films_movies_actors/film_images/paul_hogan_as_michael_j_crocodile_dundee.jpg) Paul hogan likes australian birds. (http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/07/26/paul_hogan_narrowweb__300x452,0.jpg) Paul hogan hangout with his buddy (http://images.allmoviephoto.com/2001_Crocodile_Dundee_in_Los_Angeles/paul_hogan_alec_wilson_crocodile_dundee_in_los_angeles_001.jpg) then there was some barthurst racing. (http://www.planetvideo.com.au/blog/2009/04/18/mad-max-3big.jpg) And Paul hogan liked it very much (http://www.pubdeuce.com/graphics/paul_hogan_thumbsup.jpg)
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: look out! Ninjas! on 05 Nov 2010, 05:57
He doesn't like Australia much at the moment though. Something about taxes.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Barmymoo on 05 Nov 2010, 07:04
I probably would try to hug a wombat.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 05 Nov 2010, 10:19
Wombats will fuck you up (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/06/2865005.htm) Fuck
You
Up
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Ballard on 05 Nov 2010, 10:46
Of pretty much everything posted in this thread so far I think I don't hate Split Enz, the food Lunchy posted and Two Hands (and of course all the fine, lovely people in the first pic). I am not very good at being Australian.
You dislike The Go-Betweens?
P.S. You guys should be aware that Outback Steakhouse is airing shit like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGN26yfzAwM&feature=player_profilepage) on national television here daily and it makes me want to strangle someone.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 05 Nov 2010, 10:54
At least they got an actual Australian to do the voiceover, even if he is saying shit that no Australian ever says
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Ballard on 05 Nov 2010, 11:04
The really contrived Steve Irwin accent is the worst part though.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: est on 05 Nov 2010, 15:05
I dunno if it's even a real Aussie. Sounded kinda like a kiwi bunging on an Aussie accent? Or maybe it's just a dude from another part of Australia with a slightly different regional accent, I dunno.
Also, I have heard plenty of Aussies that talk exactly like that, it's just that they are usually people I don't want to associate with, like oh I don't know, the entirety of my mum's side of my family :(
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Ballard on 05 Nov 2010, 15:47
Yeah, I feel like I'm being advertised surf 'n turf by your equivalent of a redneck/frat bro hybrid.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 05 Nov 2010, 16:19
They usually sound a little more like a dog's bark and every second word is mate/brah.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Rizzo on 05 Nov 2010, 16:38
I like australia quite a bit, so much so that I'll be moving to Sydney in late january. It certainly doesn't hurt that the average wage is quite a lot higher and the standard of living tends to be better. See you hill billies soon. :mrgreen:
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: jmrz on 05 Nov 2010, 16:46
I dunno if it's even a real Aussie. Sounded kinda like a kiwi bunging on an Aussie accent? Or maybe it's just a dude from another part of Australia with a slightly different regional accent, I dunno.
Also, I have heard plenty of Aussies that talk exactly like that, it's just that they are usually people I don't want to associate with, like oh I don't know, the entirety of my mum's side of my family :(
I think it's just an Aussie that has been told to turn his accent up to 11.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 05 Nov 2010, 17:52
Oh shit lamingtons! I miss lamingtons too. I'm assuming that's not the kind of thing you'd be able to take over int'l borders though ):
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 05 Nov 2010, 19:23
It's just sponge cake in chocolate icing and desiccated with cream/jam. As an Aussie you should be able to make it.
Oh, and PAV: (http://www.askamum.co.uk/upload/18503/images/pavlova450.jpg) Yes, this is Australian. Prof Helen Leach is lying NZ scum who tries to co-opt our national identity.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 05 Nov 2010, 19:37
It's kind of about time NZ tried to steal something from Australia
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 05 Nov 2010, 20:18
To be fair, we actually did steal that.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Spluff on 05 Nov 2010, 20:19
just like every other NZ person or invention of quality, it decided to emigrate to australia
it's not our fault
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 05 Nov 2010, 21:27
Hey
Hey
We took Richard Wilkins off their hands. We did that for them. It doesn't matter how much stuff we've stolen off them, as long as Richard Wilkins is alive in Australia we don't owe New Zealand shit.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 05 Nov 2010, 22:28
Quick, some one make up an elaborate hoax. Maybe he'll report it.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: est on 06 Nov 2010, 03:28
God, Harry. Why you gotta go and remind me that Richard Wilkins is still alive and douching.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Graphite on 06 Nov 2010, 03:35
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 06 Nov 2010, 19:17
Shameful confession: I only saw like two episodes of The Micallef Program(me)
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Lunchbox on 06 Nov 2010, 19:58
This is obviously the best one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyqEjatCSe0
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 06 Nov 2010, 21:11
Why'd he even have to do a thing like Talking About Your Generation?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 06 Nov 2010, 21:21
Bitch gots to get paid
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 06 Nov 2010, 21:26
Incidentally I know (not very well) the woman who edits that show and she's very nice.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Spluff on 06 Nov 2010, 22:50
I think they're doing another season of newstopia actually.
also
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLqk17iKPYE
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tergon on 07 Nov 2010, 01:40
It is long past time since this thread got a dose of some of the awesome musics that we have down here. Bonus points if you recognize all the bands/artists without peeking at filenames. :P
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 07 Nov 2010, 01:43
I got Midnight Oil. Otherwise I'm not sure.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tergon on 07 Nov 2010, 01:45
Yeah, but you could probably just start randomly naming famous Aussie bands. Odds are you'd hit at least one.
Also I added two more pictures that I forgot to put up first of all. Those might help.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 07 Nov 2010, 01:58
Wolfmother, really?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 07 Nov 2010, 01:08
1) Hey somehow the ARIA Awards became sentient and registered to this forum... That's... that's cool... I guess
OR
2) Look everyone it's the guy that books the bands on Hey! Hey! It's Saturday!
OR
3) It's cool that you read Rolling Stone man, no really it is
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tergon on 07 Nov 2010, 01:51
Shots are well-deserved, true. But in my defence, this is the thread in which we remind the world of good things about Australia, no? I just picked bands with songs folks in other, lesser nations might have heard of. By all means list some others, if you'd prefer them.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tergon on 07 Nov 2010, 02:01
Also if you don't like Wolfmother? Yeah, I'm getting a little sick of them too. Magic Dirt or Spiderbait not your thing? That's cool, they're kind of hit-and-miss. Not a Regurgitator fan? Eh, whatever.
But if you are suggesting that I am a fool for recommending Midnight Oil? Mental As Anything AC-motherfucking-DC?
THEN GOOD SIRS I RECOMMEND YOU ENGAGE IN SELF COPULATION
VIGOROUSLY
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 07 Nov 2010, 02:12
So how do you explain putting John Farnham in there? Or non-Chisel era Jimmy Barnes?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tergon on 07 Nov 2010, 02:15
...I was younger and more foolish then.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Lunchbox on 07 Nov 2010, 02:16
Nick cave and the bad seeds, birthday party, the go betweens, the drones, jebediah, eddy current supression ring, lucksmiths, the saints, the sunnyboys, radio birdman, darren hanlon, dirty three, further, the hard-ons, Jonathan boulet, kes band, my disco, ohana, ratcat, scientists, seekae, tex Perkins, beasts of bourbon, and maybe even you am I? For starters?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tergon on 07 Nov 2010, 02:19
So basically I have very little dignity left right now.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 07 Nov 2010, 02:53
Shots are well-deserved, true. But in my defence, this is the thread in which we remind the world of good things about Australia, no? I just picked bands with songs folks in other, lesser nations might have heard of. By all means list some others, if you'd prefer them.
Honestly I had no good reason for saying what I said 'cept it's actually pretty fun to be snidely dismissive and it's that special time of night when my tact and empathy completely desert me. Not a good time to be on the Internet, no sir, nosireebob.
Anyway I was gonna do a big list of amazing Aussie bands but actually Lunchy more or less nailed it. I'll add a few more (and re-state some that people really, really, really should listen to though just so I'm not completely useless)
The Drones- Noisy noisy noise rock, and quintisentially Australian, but not just because of Gareth Liddiard's thick 'Strine. Kind of has this whole "Wild colonial boy" vibe to it. The Minotaur (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsahEX4vA9k)
Dirty Three- The most beautiful music ever to be made by three splendidly-dressed cavemen. Authentic Celestial Music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo4OrfS2K8Y), performed live on Recovery (hey guys, who remembers Recovery? holy shit)
Darren Hanlon- When The Hugs Revolution Comes, Darren Hanlon Will Write The Songs We March To. All These Things (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwsWs0sImwk)
Abbe May- Went down to the crossroads and punched the devil in the balls and played a mean slide guitar solo and smoked all his cigarettes too, probably. Costanza (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0fDeeP8sjk)
Grinderman- Do these guys even count as Australian? Who gives a shit. In addition, mustaches. No Pussy Blues (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL3dNfxcpnw)
Tangled Thoughts of Leaving- Industrial Cruise Ship Jazz Post-Rock Metal. You'll probably hate 'em, you fucks. Tiny Fragments, pt. 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdXZNOnSoQY)
The Panics- Ennio Morricone joined an indie band! Innit purty? Get Us Home (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYjNM3RFbsA)
Eleventh He Reaches London- Made my favourite album last year. More noisy, shouty stuff, and riffs, and pretty tinkly parts too. Hollow Be My Name (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdAoZ7pPnwQ)
Gotye- I uploaded his album to the mediaf!re thread a while back, everybody seemed to like it. Cut 'n' pasting sample geek puts together heartbreaking, hopeful and soulful tunes instead of pop cultural dick tugs. Refreshing! Heart's A Mess (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnXFJOXvL_A)
Sarah Blasko- Fantastic lady makes haunting chamber pop, beats "sensitive"-type boys back with a stick, I presume. All I Want (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX1RgyCl1Xs)
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 07 Nov 2010, 02:54
Nazxul, Sadistik Exekution, Gospel of the Horns, Alchemist, FUCK! I'm Dead, Lord Kaos, Sakkuth, Portal, Astriaal, Psychroptic, Psichrist
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Graphite on 07 Nov 2010, 06:19
Look, Midnight Oil is fine, except that GAH PETER GARRETT YOU ARE NO GOOD AT POLITICS, PLEASE STOP BEING IN CHARGE OF EDUCATION IMMEDIATELY
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 07 Nov 2010, 10:38
Jesus fucking Christ, they made him Education Minister? What on earth inspired that? Killing tradesmen not enough, now they're sending him after Australia's children?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: jmrz on 07 Nov 2010, 16:32
Well someone has to do something about the mess the kangaroos are making when the kids ride them to school.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 07 Nov 2010, 17:49
Would you verb: (http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/Thirlwell.jpg)?
I would.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 07 Nov 2010, 18:04
I know we're all chuckling now but I just want to tell you that if that was a dog instead of a person the kangaroo would probably hold its head under the water and drown it.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Jimor on 07 Nov 2010, 19:55
Sarah Blasko- Fantastic lady makes haunting chamber pop, beats "sensitive"-type boys back with a stick, I presume. All I Want (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX1RgyCl1Xs)
I'm enjoying a lot of these, but this one in particular, WOW.
I always gotten quite a bit of my music from Australia, but until fairly recently, it's been what has made it commercially, at least a little bit, here in the states, so I missed out on a lot of good stuff. Found a good bunch of 80s stuff via YouTube last year, and now starting to get a small sense of more current artists.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: look out! Ninjas! on 07 Nov 2010, 20:36
Sarah Blasko is fantastic.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 07 Nov 2010, 20:56
Oh hey have I mentioned the Mann brothers of Melbourne yet this week? I haven't? Great!
Paddy Mann performs under the name Grand Salvo and writes beautiful folky tunes of incredible emotional punch. He released an album a couple of years ago called Death which was a song cycle about a group of animals and a hunter and which was kind of an album for grown-ups disguised as a kid's story-time album. It's dense and delicate and absolutely and crushing and wonderful. Last year he released an album called Soil Creatures which was much a more straight-forward bunch of songs but which was equally amazing. His music is simple, often repetitive or minimalistic, and works by an accumulation and intensification of emotion which can become quite overpowering. Listen to the lyrics!
His brother Oliver Mann performs under his own name. He has an amazing voice - he's a baritone who as well as doing his own music sings with the Victorian Opera - but unlike many classically trained singers who try to sing non-opera material, he writes his own songs which means that his voice become a perfect fit. Also unlike a lot of singers with amazing voices, he has enough taste to realise that the more he unleashes the full power of his voice the lesser the effect will be, so mostly he keeps it in check which means that when he finally opens up it's just flooring, especially live. A great example of this is his song "Shoes of Leather", which starts with a strange halting description of being arrested in China and then blossoms out into a mesmerising and incredibly powerful slow movement (for want of a better term):
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: est on 08 Nov 2010, 01:22
TISM
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Akima on 14 Nov 2010, 18:34
Another great Australian. (http://www.saxton.com.au/saxton_db_data/images/Chin_LeeLin.jpg) Lee Lin Chin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Lin_Chin) is awesome! Intelligent, multi-lingual, funny, unafraid to let her hair go grey in media, and one of the very few Australians of Chinese descent in the public eye. Just take a look back through the photos posted to represent Australia in this thread... :-( I can't work out how to embed Youtube in my posting like est, so: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZIN02mTgeA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QhH8kPRVc8
Oh the other hand, racist humour is still funny, right?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNsjjIgPqJ8 That TV show was nominated for Best Television Comedy Series at the 2003 Australian Film Institute Awards. I doubt nowadays that a white comedian would "black up" and make fun of an Aboriginal Australian's accent, but Chinese people are still fair game, it seems.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Something Witty on 14 Nov 2010, 22:55
You guys are all upside-down, how do you get your posts to come 'round the right way?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Eris on 15 Nov 2010, 00:42
I can't work out how to embed Youtube in my posting like est
You can't. Admins are the only ones with the permissions to embed videos. With the recent spate of spambots around I for one am glad of this fact.
Also, I swear I have seen that same Lee Lin Chin parody back when it was on Full Frontal, or Fast Forward; people have been making fun of Lee Lin Chin for ever. I am not saying that makes it ok or anything, I just got a bit confused. What I would like clarification on is this one thing; Are you just focussing on Chinese people being made fun of for a reason? I mean, Chris Lilley was essentially making fun of Polynesians with Jonah in Summer Heights High and people were lapping up that shit. Chinese people are in no way the only parts of society getting made fun of, not even taking into account the big comedy targets like the opposite sex, or gay people (oh hello, Summer Heights High again! How I hate you). Would it be ok if the people making fun of the Chinese were Chinese themselves? I just wonder why you always seem to be so asian-centric in your opinions.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: look out! Ninjas! on 15 Nov 2010, 00:43
I just wonder why you always seem to be so asian-centric in your opinions.
Pretty sure it's because she's asian.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Eris on 15 Nov 2010, 02:59
I figured as much, but I always like to hope that you can be of a certain race (man, is there a better way to say this that doesn't bring to mind some dumbass saying "WE'RE ALL THE SAME RACE! THE HUMAN RACE") and not be incredibly biased towards that race.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Akima on 15 Nov 2010, 03:01
What I would like clarification on is this one thing; Are you just focussing on Chinese people being made fun of for a reason?
I am myself Han Chinese. I'm fully aware that other groups get a kicking too, and I'm not a fan of Summer Heights High either, but does that mean I should just shut up when Chinese people are targeted? Would you find it surprising or somehow wrong if a gay person focussed more on homophobia than other forms of discrimination? If not, why would you be confused by the fact that I am particularly sensitive to the form of racism that I suffer from myself?*
Thanks for the tip about the video embedding thing.
*Edit: And this makes me "incredibly biased"? Er... :?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 15 Nov 2010, 03:08
You could say ethnicity?
Akima is totally justified in being concerned with prejudice being directed at Asians given that it's something that she has to deal with. If I got discriminated against (I guess occasionally people call me a fag for painting my nails but frankly I'm pretty privileged) I would probably tend to focus on that particular kind of discrimination. The kind against me.
Also Akima, rad Batman Beyond avatar.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Eris on 15 Nov 2010, 03:34
Akima, you didn't answer my question as to whether it would be ok if that was a Chinese lady making fun of Lee Lin Chin's voice.
Also, I understand you being more sensitive to that form of racism, and already knowing that you were Chinese it wasn't really that surprising that you brought up the situation that you did, but that doesn't mean that your whole set of views and opinions has to be so heavily coloured by your ethnicity. Hell, I am not telling you how to live you life, and I really was generally interested as to why you singled out that specific kind of racism in Australian humour, rather than the fact that Australian humour is pretty racist in general. I just would have thought that you (you in a general sense, not you specifically) could have your ethnicity as part of yourself without being defined by it, and could use your personal history to give you a broader view of the situation rather than a narrower one. Maybe I am a bit idealistic in that way. In any case I will backtrack and apologise for offending you somehow because I don't understand because I am a straight white Australian female who is generic enough to blend into the masses, so whatever.
Honestly though, I didn't think that skit was particularly racist. It wasn't funny, but it still was more that they were making fun of her because she had a funny accent rather than her being specifically Chinese. The way it seems is that you looked at it was that they were making fun of a Chinese lady, that makes it racist and wrong. This wouldn't be an issue for you if the newscaster they were making fun of had a lisp and was white.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: october1983 on 15 Nov 2010, 04:28
Hannah I dunno, I guess the difference might be, in part, that whole groups have not suffered serious prejudice on the basis of a lisp. And, from what I can tell based on my little knowledge of the newscaster in question, that skit wasn't so much a funny take on particular characteristics of that person as just a crude and kind of uncomfortable racial stereotype.
I mean sure, on occasion Akima has brought up the "Chinese girl in Australia" thing in threads where it may not have seemed particularly relevant, but in this case I think it was a pretty interesting and topical contribution to the thread.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 15 Nov 2010, 04:46
Oh wow, you heard Radio Birdman outside Australia? Awesome!
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Akima on 15 Nov 2010, 05:03
I mean sure, on occasion Akima has brought up the "Chinese girl in Australia" thing in threads where it may not have seemed particularly relevant, but in this case I think it was a pretty interesting and topical contribution to the thread.
I didn't think I was that bad, but I'll bear it in mind in future.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: october1983 on 15 Nov 2010, 06:13
Man to be honest that was overly harsh on my part, I'm sorry. I mean, thinking back I guess I only thought that once or twice, and it probably had more to do with my perspective as anything else. Was just trying to establish some kind of context I guess.
But back to the topic at hand, have you guys heard of this awesome new rock and roll band called JET?!
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 15 Nov 2010, 13:21
I don't know about that Lee Lin Chin parody being racist in the first place. I think it's more playing on her very obvious eccentricities of dress and appearance, and also the cadences of her voice, none of which are because of her ethnicity. She's just a weird bird in general. I love her 'cause of it, it's better than the dozens of cookie cutter pretty young women and square-jawed handsome older gentlemen on every other news program ever, but it's also pretty easy to understand why that makes her a pretty ripe target for parody. Yeah, she talks funny, but less in a stereotpical Chinese way (replacing "r" sounds with "l" sounds or something, I guess?) and more like she's an automaton in a 50s sci-fi flick.
Australia and it's humour industry has a big problem with racism and lazy stereotyping no doubt, but that doesn't make every single depiction of a visible minority on a humour program automatically racist. Isn't it entirely possible that for the people who wrote and performed that sketch, the fact that Lee Lin Chin is Chinese didn't even enter into their heads? Like I said, there's enough that's interesting about her without getting into that at all.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Lunchbox on 15 Nov 2010, 14:15
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 15 Nov 2010, 16:22
Harry they don't even use their feet, or like, barely ever.
Also it is a stupid sport for jerks.
Also also it is not Australian, as evidenced by it being named after a place in England famous for producing smarmy cunts.
Also also also all the pack-rapes. Remember all the pack rapes? If not it is OK, because another will be along shortly.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 15 Nov 2010, 16:34
Dovey you're confusing Rugby Union with Rugby League, but that's okay, it's a common mistake for you AFL people. I mean I can't expect you to understand a thing like that when you can't even get your head around a simple offside rule.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 15 Nov 2010, 16:36
Union/League/Tomayto/Tomahto/Game where men put their noses up each other's backsides after the ball goes out of bounds/Games where men put their noses up each other's backsides after every tackle
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 15 Nov 2010, 16:39
You're right, real men should be punching each other like this:
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 15 Nov 2010, 16:50
Yes yes there are never any fights in Rugby (either rugby, sigh).
oh no wait, here they are (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rugby+union+fight&aq=f)
Harry I scrolled back up to my original football post and I think part of what I like about AFL (and most of the sports I like), is moments like that picture of the John Gerovich mark. They turned that picture into a bronze statue which you can go see at Fremantle Oval. Is there ever anything like that in rugby? Is there some moment in a rugby match which is just viscerally exciting like that, something which you can cast in bronze? To me, rugby has nothing that ever matches up to the grace and thrill of Jesaulenko's mark in the 1970 grand final, or Peter Daicos snapping off an effortless-looking goal from a seemingly impossible angle, or, well, pretty much anything Graham Farmer did ever. Or for that matter, the sheer fluid beauty of Donal Bradman's drives, or the tension and split-second psychology of Gretzky on a breakaway. Heck, I'm by no means a soccer fan but there is undoubtedly poetry in watching Lionel Messi do his thing. And it's not even due to the physical nature of rugby. Just last night I watched Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston on Youtube, and that was a thing of beauty too. I just don't see anything like that in either iteration of rugby. Just a lot of grunt and run and smash into a guy and repeat.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 15 Nov 2010, 17:16
See for me every AFL highlight is basically the same. Oh look, it's another guy jumping up high to take a mark. Oh hey, another kick going between the posts. And the game's such a mess - have you seen what happens when a ball goes on the ground and they're all slapping it around trying to pick it up? Ugh. Whereas both Rugby codes have moments of sometimes breathtaking excitement or skill:
Rugby Union
Wallabies team try (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7SveKIjzpQ)
All Blacks team try (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpbUeZi22s4)
French team try (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nll8Umj2BZI)
god damnit we already have a sports thread for this, you fucks
Welcome to Australia.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 15 Nov 2010, 18:41
Haha yeah, what else are we gonna talk about, our rich cultural history? Hahahahah
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 15 Nov 2010, 18:43
Okay Tania here's some interesting Australian sports-related sociology for you: Australia has an endemic football code called Australian football, however it is by no means embraced universally in the country. For some reason the east coast states (New South Wales, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory) all follow/play the two Rugby codes and have almost no interest in Australian football! In fact the people in those states pretty much all view Australian football as something very strange and "other" and routinely mock it and everyone who follows it! Whereas in the rest of Australia Australian football is pretty close to a religion!
Peculiar, huh?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Tom on 15 Nov 2010, 19:01
AFL is really picking up in NSW due to the activity of children's AFL clubs and reduced potential for injury. I grew up in an AFL household, my father is a Swan's supporter and his father was a Cats fan. Also, AFL requires more skill and athleticism than the assortment of Australian thugby codes.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Lunchbox on 15 Nov 2010, 19:08
Yeah I think Sydney is more of an AFL city (is this where I say 'Carn Swannies'?) but anywhere else in NSW doesn't know what AFL is. They're pretty religious about their League.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 15 Nov 2010, 19:11
Yep those folks sure do love their pack-rapes
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Lunchbox on 15 Nov 2010, 19:18
Honestly though, I didn't think that skit was particularly racist. It wasn't funny, but it still was more that they were making fun of her because she had a funny accent rather than her being specifically Chinese.
I don't know about that Lee Lin Chin parody being racist in the first place. I think it's more playing on her very obvious eccentricities of dress and appearance, and also the cadences of her voice, none of which are because of her ethnicity. She's just a weird bird in general. I love her 'cause of it, it's better than the dozens of cookie cutter pretty young women and square-jawed handsome older gentlemen on every other news program ever, but it's also pretty easy to understand why that makes her a pretty ripe target for parody. Yeah, she talks funny, but less in a stereotpical Chinese way (replacing "r" sounds with "l" sounds or something, I guess?) and more like she's an automaton in a 50s sci-fi flick.
Is either of you a Chinese language speaker who learned English as a second (or in Lee Lin Chin's case fourth) language, substantially by formal tuition? Do either of you hear in her voice echoes of Chinese languages with which you grew up, and recognise in her pronunciation sounds you too struggled with? If your answers are "no", what exactly qualifies you to decide whether her "funny accent" is somehow Chinese enough to be regarded as connected to her ethnicity?
Quote from: David_Dovey
Isn't it entirely possible that for the people who wrote and performed that sketch, the fact that Lee Lin Chin is Chinese didn't even enter into their heads?
I don't know what went through the minds of those people, but why would I regard their attitudes or intent as decisive? Members of ethnic majorities and other dominant groups generally fail to consider the impact of their words and actions on 'outsider' groups, and automatically legitimise their own views. That's kind of the point.
Quote from: Eris
The way it seems is that you looked at it was that they were making fun of a Chinese lady, that makes it racist and wrong. This wouldn't be an issue for you if the newscaster they were making fun of had a lisp and was white.
Actually, I don't regard ridiculing a person with a speech impediment as 'not an issue'. The hypothetical case you mention might not be racist, but it would still be wrong.
Edit: And yes I probably am getting angry (or at least argumentative) on the internet (see below). I should probably delete this, but since someone's already referenced it I won't.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Akima on 15 Nov 2010, 19:31
Okay Tania here's some interesting Australian sports-related sociology for you: Australia has an endemic football code called Australian football, however it is by no means embraced universally in the country. For some reason the east coast states (New South Wales, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory) all follow/play the two Rugby codes and have almost no interest in Australian football! In fact the people in those states pretty much all view Australian football as something very strange and "other" and routinely mock it and everyone who follows it! Whereas in the rest of Australia Australian football is pretty close to a religion!
There are two kinds of football, one played with a round ball, the other played with an oval ball. They are essentially indistinguishable otherwise. :-D
Haha yeah, what else are we gonna talk about, our rich cultural history? Hahahahah
Hee hee... Yeah! C'mon Aussie c'mon!
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: calenlass on 15 Nov 2010, 19:57
Are you getting angry on the internet?
:psyduck:
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 16 Nov 2010, 05:18
Intention is kind of irrelevant when it comes to things like this. It doesn't matter if it was meant to be racist or not. Some people found it offensive and that should really be the end of the discussion.
Whether your (collective, not personal) being offended is a matter of importance (it isn't, nothing happens when you're offended) is a different conversation all together.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: JD on 16 Nov 2010, 11:54
You can't. Admins are the only ones with the permissions to embed videos.
Well goddamnit he's just taunting us then.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: scarred on 16 Nov 2010, 12:38
does this mean i should get offended when dave chappelle does this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3PTNV0THy0)
what is humor
what does it mean
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 16 Nov 2010, 12:44
I get offended when people point a video camera at their TV and then upload it to Youtube
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Rizzo on 16 Nov 2010, 21:42
I get offended that you're all talking about rugby so much. Rugby sucks, who cares.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: McTaggart on 16 Nov 2010, 21:59
Australia: being completely bloody wrong about sport.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: est on 17 Nov 2010, 01:55
When I heard that they were starting up a baseball league in Australia I think I actually laughed.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Spluff on 17 Nov 2010, 02:11
It took me a little while to figure out why AFL (I am aware the game is called 'Australian Rules' but that sounds hell of stupid) is my favourite sport, but I've concluded that it's because the game, more than any other (that I am curently aware of), is filled with opportunities for personal brilliance or amazing feats. Events like Maradona's Goal of the Century can occur on at least a semi-regular basis, and practically every game has a couple of moments of absolute brilliance. Even the worst teams (and as a Richmond supporter, you can trust me on this one) will provide moments of brilliance to keep you coming back. Whether it's a brilliant mark, a miracle goal, a sizzling run down the wing, or a midfielder exploding through traffic and leaving everbody in his dust, there will be something memorable about even the worst of games.
That's not to knock rugby though, I am a big fan of union. Not so much league, but I've been told that league is much better live than on TV, which is why it does comparitively poorly in the ratings, so I'll have to go to a live game some time.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: est on 17 Nov 2010, 02:16
I am not a fan of rapey league or union. AFL is fun to watch, but I don't really follow it.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Rizzo on 17 Nov 2010, 03:17
Keen to go to an AFL game when I get to Aus. Haven't been to a Rugby game in something like 15 years...
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: valley_parade on 17 Nov 2010, 05:49
When I heard that they were starting up a baseball league in Australia I think I actually laughed.
Cmon Ben. Baseball is awesome!
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 17 Nov 2010, 13:06
But nobody in Australia likes it. It was doomed to fail from the get go. I remember the Perth Heat baseball team being reasonably popular for a little while, because they were winning, but once that ended it was like they never existed.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 17 Nov 2010, 14:42
Do we still have an ice hockey competition?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 17 Nov 2010, 15:10
Yup (http://www.iha.org.au/view/iha). It's even linked to from the NHL website!
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Inlander on 17 Nov 2010, 15:27
Aww, it's a kangaroo on skates! And carrying a hockey stick!
Man, a kangaroo on skates could really do some damage if it kicked you.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Akima on 17 Nov 2010, 20:38
Ice Hockey? I didn't even know it was played here. Just goes to show that Australians will get excited about any sport, no matter how silly and inappropriate to the climate. Who else would hold a boat-race in a dry river-bed?
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: JD on 17 Nov 2010, 21:19
I didn't realize until the other day that Portal was Australian. (http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/9610/portii.jpg) Well done australia well done
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: valley_parade on 18 Nov 2010, 06:28
Ice Hockey? I didn't even know it was played here. Just goes to show that Australians will get excited about any sport, no matter how silly and inappropriate to the climate. Who else would hold a boat-race in a dry river-bed?
Not only is it played there, but Australia beat New Zealand 58-0 in 1987.
OUCH.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 19 Nov 2010, 15:54
Wait, what? That can't be right.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: valley_parade on 24 Nov 2010, 08:22
Twenty one years ago, New Zealand suffered at the hands of Australia one of worst defeats of the modern hockey era – a 58-0 drubbing on March 14, 1987.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 25 Nov 2010, 10:08
Holy shit, that game happened in Perth, as well. Given, I was four months old at the time.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: ViolentDove on 25 Nov 2010, 16:14
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: rae on 25 Nov 2010, 16:18
I like Timtams. They are ace.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: David_Dovey on 25 Nov 2010, 17:16
I got Tim-Tams a few days ago! I imagine their presence here has to do with their seemingly being more Australians than Canadians in Canmore, but that opens up questions about the shameful non-presence of Vegemite. Anyway they were brilliant, much Tim-Tam Slams were had.
Title: Re: The Australia Thread
Post by: Graphite on 25 Nov 2010, 18:05
So, who else is Australian and has election fatigue?