A right goose

A couple of days ago it was Australia day. Hurrah! It's ever-so-Australian of me to mention this two days after it actually happened but, and tell me if I'm wrong, did anyone notice just a bit more of a to-do this year? What was with that concert in Sydney hosted by Gretsky Killeen? I mean, Icehouse? Give me a fucking break. They write one song about Australia in 1986 and some brain in the Ministry of Love thinks we should play that at a special concert to celebrate how wonderful Australia is. I don't know. Maybe it happens every year; I've just never seen it televised before. I think it may coincide with a slight change in the way the Iraq situation is being reported. Until now, it has been fairly impartial. Okay, it hasn't been impartial at all: the media is clearly on the side of the allies and the language paints a very 'us' and 'them' picture. What has changed though is the decreased level of detachment now that some Australians have become involved in a few incidents. Now it's personal and "our boys are under attack" (I'm paraphrasing a headline I saw yesterday). Someone must put in the money to fund these Australia Day parties. And, as I said, this may happen every year. I've just never had the feeling of it being such blatant propaganda before.