Why not budgie smugglers?

from w
How unimaginative to line up the APEC visitors in brown coloured raincoats? It was a great photographic possibility to show up Australia's costumes such as budgie smugglers or board shorts.

Raincoats wash out APEC fashion parade By Madeleine Coorey
Agence France-Presse Last updated 11:51am (Mla time) 09/09/2007

SYDNEY--The oilskin coats worn by world leaders at a summit photo here may have been practical, but they failed to impress fashion critics, one saying it left them "looking like something washed up from an estuary." The bulky, all-weather Drizabone coats -- so-called because they keep you dry as a bone -- provided protection from the unusually inclement weather as 21 Asia Pacific leaders posed in Sydney for a group photoshoot.
Etc etc
Georgina Safe, fashion writer for The Australian, said the coats made the group standing on the forecourt of Sydney's Opera House look like "they blew into town for the Royal Easter Agricultural Show. They were probably appropriate for the weather but they were probably not a strong statement about Australian fashion," she told AFP. "All I saw was brown, which left them looking like something washed up from some kind of estuary."

The question of the APEC group photo costume had posed a particular problem for Australia which does not have a national dress.

Not for Australia the medieval silk tunics seen last year in Vietnam, the leather bomber jackets donned in Canada or the colorful assortment of shirts, blouses and ponchos worn over the years in Latin American countries.

Local media had been alive with suggestions the leaders could be dressed in khaki like the late crocodile hunter Steve Irwin or the red and yellow of surf lifesavers.
The most touted, but least likely option for the grouping which includes three women, were the scant swimwear for men known as "budgie smugglers" which are an all-too familiar sight on Australian beaches.

Howard had only said the outfit would be "distinctly Australian" while his Treasurer Peter Costello predicted that it would be worn more than once and "compares well with batik shirts."

"We can expect to see them wearing them down the streets of Beijing, Washington and Jakarta in the years ahead."

Howard, a 68-year-old conservative who looks immaculate in a suit but tends to wear Australian rugby team jerseys or tracksuits on his daily morning walks, could have chosen something more personal, Melocco said.

Did the Chasers go too far - literally?

from W
I was astonished to read the news on TV that the Chasers had a mock car event in the restricted zone flying a Canadian flag and they got through two checkpoints and were nearly to the hotel in which George W Bush was staying. Well, as anyone ought to know Canada is not in the zone!

APEC has 21 members. The word 'economies' is used to describe APEC members because the APEC cooperative process is predominantly concerned with trade and economic issues, with members engaging with one another as economic entities.

Australia Brunei Darussalam Canada Chile People's Republic of China Hong Kong, China Indonesia Japan Republic of Korea
Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Papua New Guinea Peru
Philippines Russia Singapore Chinese Taipei Thailand
United States Viet Nam

I don't know why USA are in and I don't know why India is not. Anyway, it's about power and money really, but many people want climate change and pollution on the agenda also. Budding Mr Rudd outclassed the others with his speech in Chinese and Mr Hu must have been happy. I'm not one of the protesters but I see responsible comment on the APEC as important. The urgency of selling uranium is appalling. It should stay in the ground anyway. I'm with Helen Caldicott on that one.

However, did the Chasers (ABC satirists) go too far? Larrikinism is part of the Australian way of life. The Chasers target men and women perceived to be in high places, taking the mickey out.... But this was really dangerous - someone could have been shot at. I don't think such a prank would have survived intact if it was staged in some other countries.

Don't fence me in

"Do not forsake me o my darlin'"

from w
I am glad I do not live in Sydney. When a cowboy comes into town, there's such a massive security that tall fences are put in place, high walls, and it takes forty cars to meet a plane. What a society we live in! And barely a horse in sight. I laughed about one story though - heard on the radio this morning. Two guys were sitting at the bar in the hotel where the esteemed visitor is about to arrive, and they were asked for their IDs. Don't have any, the guys say. They are hussled out quick smart and excorted over the road and into the sunset. I pinched the two pics, not my drawing or photo. I don't go near huge fences or huge protests.

Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above,
Don't fence me in.
Let me ride thru the wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in.
Let me be by myself in the evening breeze,
Listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees,
Send me off forever, but I ask you please,
Don't fence me in.

Just turn me loose,let me straddle my old saddle
Underneath the western skies, on my cay-use
Let me wander over yonder till I see the mountains rise.
I want to ride to the ridge where the West commences,
Gaze at the moon till I lose my senses;
Can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences,
Don't fence me in.

And a cartoon from today's Age by Michael Leunig: