Portrait of mathematician Ada Lovelace, by Alfred Edward Chalon (public domain via wikimedia)

It’s sad but true that there’s a worldwide backlash against science, facts and evidence.

Misha Ketchell from The Conversation was on 3RRR today, explaining among other things the ‘false equivalence’ line of thinking, which is how we get into this mess of discrediting researchers across many fields. The voice of a clueless but confidently opinionated blogger can now be perceived as equivalent to a researcher with 30 years experience and all the data. Kind of disheartening.

This started from a question about “Fake News”, and Misha made the strong point that fake news is actually a specific thing that happened during the US elections when a group of people spread misinformation for the purposes of making money. (The Saturday Paper produced a great article outlining this phenomenon.)

The Conversation has become one of my preferred outlets of information, because they’re connecting the knowledge of academia with the world of journalism. Academics must find a way to make their research accessible, while the public gains awareness of knowledge that was previously hidden behind the academic moat.

Great interview: here’s the “listen-on-demand” link from RRR, interview with Misha starts round the 10 minute mark, until roughly 30min: http://ondemand.rrr.org.au/player/128/201710231200 

Image credit: Alfred Edward Chalon, wikimedia 

Wed 8 Oct — Don’t cut my fringe straight please .. was totally intriguing and mostly enjoyable. 12 artists playing live to air over 2 hours was a very ambitious idea for the Dance Cadaverous lady (Sophie B) .. and it was well worth the mad pins and needles you get from sitting on a hard floor and twisting in five different directions.

Bum Creek set a really good tone for the night. They are utterly weird, yet strangely good fun. Noises and growling merge with instrumental random-ness to produce a nice kind of bizarre. Kind of like Bad Taste by Peter Jackson. Horror music.

At the end of their set they switched over by pulling the jack out of the amp .. and the next guy plugged in. Some artists i could have listened to for much longer, while others were unbearable at the two minute mark.

Most fascinating instrument of the night went to the guy who’d built a box out of metal springs and coils. There’s no way i could describe either his action or the sound that emerged .. it was entertaining.

Pikelet i love. Great loops, driving rhythms .. endlessly creative.
Qua brought people to life with some dancey beats.

It was fun watching the host attempting to give each band their two minute warning .. most artists were fully absorbed in the experience, so she would have to creep up quietly and make a play for eye contact. Everything went smoothly.

Until the final segment, where everyone jammed together. This was ugly .. and got the most walk-outs. Intriguing, entertaining, but just noisy. i stayed out the distance, to test my endurance.

PS: Qua and Pikelet are playing with Mountains in the Sky, 8th November at the Corner.
gray is playing with Qua, plus it’s my birthday – who wants to come along?
(now here’s a test to see if anyone’s reading ;-]

What a great fringe festival! i’ve only been to three or four events but i’m sure i chose the best ones:

• Deceased Estate by Roundangle
• Don’t Cut my Fringe Straight at 3RRR
• the fully enjoyable dance-athon 6000 from the Town Bikes and known associates ..

oh the Town Bikes .. how ever did the world manage without them, way back in the 20th century?? That’s right, we had the Butt Funky troupe of mischief-makers. Along with their buddies .. the magical dj marieke, the hot slush puppies and more, they roused the crowd into a wet and wild state of krumpy frenzy. Yum.

( What’s this video .. a Town Bikes showreel? They are fun. i love them. )

Deceased Estate was insanely wonderful. Many old stories from the history of an East Brunswick house. Blindfolded sessions, of course, down the side of the house. Shadow theatre, hot milo and monsters in the backyard, a neighbourly dinner party in the front yard with the original family back in 1946.

Harry pours scotch for the gents and tells us he’s delighted that Chifley’s at the helm. The 1940’s couple freeze, as we flash forward to a teenager climbing out the window and listening to Joy Division on her walkman.

.. the live event at 3RRR was a thoroughly weird adventure. Pikelet and Qua were on the bill, so i’d thought it would be fun. Bum Creek started off the action with their bizarre journey into sound .. and the night looked promising. One guy had invented an instrument made out of old coils and springs .. he was hilarious and i wish i’d gotten a photograph.

Ah Melbourne – joy and delight and wonderful weirdness at every turn!

It was a joy to hear Billy Bragg on 3RRR this morning as i drove to work. His new songs are moving and poignant, heartfelt as always, although he’s mildly smoothed out his rough accent for the singing. (Interview podcasted via libsyn, and playable right here:

He had some words of encouragement for people who are expecting a lot of the New Rudd Labo(u)r experience. In twelve months, you will all be disappointed. You will say things like, “Rudd’s no different from Howard”. He’s seen it before, when they finally kicked out Thatcher, and were lumped with the oh-so-promising Tony B.

But do not give up hope, and do not become cynical.

i don’t know why people are expecting much, remember Bob Hawke, anyone?
What a let-down. People thought the world would change overnight, even Bob did.
.. and it hurt so much when they chose to govern from the centre(right).
But you’d rather Keating to Howard in retrospect, wouldn’t you!! Well i would.

Jude reminded me the other day of a joke doing the rounds back in 1996. People were saying, “Oh there’s no difference between Keating and Howard.”

The response goes: “Well yes, you’ve got a small bucket of sick (Keating), versus a whole swimming pool full of the stuff.”

Billy also urged us not to bucket Peter G too much, because he has crossed the line from activist to politician. That’s what happens when you make this choice. Political change is a slow game, and politics is the art of compromise. “You’ve just got to make sure that the compromise is on your terms.”

His strongest point? Cynicism is the real enemy. Do not spend all your energy carping about how bad the new government is. Get Active, and Do Something. He said. Hold firmly onto your belief in the possibilities of change. Yeah!

Interviewer’s most embarrassing moment: “Have you played here since your first tour in 1984?”
Billy: “Ah, yes i’ve come here for every album.”
Interviewer backtrack: “Of course, of course.”

One of those classic questions that pops out and you instantly regret it.
“Of course, i was at that concert.”
Oh boy was she blushing.

While i’m waiting for the 3RRR podcast to emerge (fingers crossed), here’s the man talking about the need for a British Bill of Rights (quick comment). (Interview podcasted via libsyn)

.. and the well-meant “All you fascists (are bound to lose)” .. a bit repetitive but catchy.