Radio Australia Today Editorial
Archive for February, 2008
Boy, We’re Gunna have Fun
29 February 2008
Everybody’s going to be part of this.
We’ve been mentioning on air how we’re going to be broadcasting from the Albert Park circuit for the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix in two weeks’ time.
We’re going to have the boss of the GP, Miss World Australia, and a heap of celebrities on the program. We’re also negotiating for a few drivers, although by that time they’ll either be throwing tantrums, be on the toilet, getting hassled by groupies or doing yoga.
But the big news for us is that all our usual partner stations will be coming on board to do live simulcasts with us on the two days. Nigel and Nav from Traxx fm in Kuala Lumpur will be doing their usual over-revving level of groove excitement (these guys know their racing. Last year I predicted Barrichello might be in with a chance.. and they laughed at me. Correctly as the race result turned out); Phil in Hong Kong’s RTHK will do his usual Mr Scrooge bah humbug routine, and the gorgeous Lina from Radio Thailand will be on line on the Thursday to get into the vibe too, especially as Thailand’s neighbours are getting into the event. Malaysia hosts the second GP of the season, and Singapore starts its GP this year. China and Japan are also part of the circuit.
Are you doing anything on March 13th or 14th? Join us for our broadcast from behind the pits. Everyone else is. Woo Hoo.
I Was There
28 February 2008
Yes I was.
I was a young journalist, barely able to tell my income tax from my syntax, when Australia took the mammoth economic decision to float the Australian dollar.
The Hawke Government had decided that the headaches of trying to work the value of the currency just wasn’t worth the effort, especially as it was politically damaging no matter whether you devalued or revalued. Let the market decide, they decided. Then you can’t blame us. Blame the market.
So they floated the dollar. And the market decided. The dollar went up for a few months. Then it dropped to what the market considered a realistic level.
Being young and financially inexperienced (I mean hey, I thought buying a car was a good investment), I was caught up in the euphoria of the float. After all, it was a daring change in a country where little had changed for like a million years.
Today the Aussie dollar has gone back to near the highest level since the float. Why? Well the Australian economy is pretty solid, and the U.S. economy is a bit wonky, especially with the Reserve Chairman continuing to make pronouncements that wobble things even further.
So the Aussie dollar is at its highest level since March 27, 1984. Nearly 24 years. Before we knew about global warming. Before the USSR collapsed. Before G.W. Bush, Clinton, Obama. Before Britney could even speak. Even Addy was still wearing long socks and carrying a Hello Kitty backpack to primary school.
Where has the quarter century gone?
Getting on the Ship When Everyone Else is Getting Off
26 February 2008
Two weeks to go before our big two day broadcast from the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix.
We’ll be chatting with the bosses of the GP, and lots of local celebrities (inlcuding Miss World Australia), we’ll giving away Ferrari merchandise and we’ll generally be breathing the vibes and fumes.
Yes I know that racing cars are hardly a global warming initiative (although the organisers say that they are planting enough trees to offset the carbon effects of the exhaust fumes); and that Miss Worlds are hardly politically correct, but hey, Miss Worlds are all after world peace after all, aren’t they?
Then the news comes this morning that less than half of Melburnians want to the grand prix to stay.
The contract is up for renewal in 2010, and there is some resignation that maybe the event will not be coming back. Based on today’s survey, perhaps we won’t have too many more to come.
All that aside, we’ll have fun. We have a ton of partner stations coming on during the broadcasts, so this will truly be an international event.
Join us on March 13 and 14.
How to Lose a Shirt
25 February 2008
On the weekend I hosted a charity auction (we radio people do these things from time to time to help out people doing good works).
This auction was in aid of Animals Asia, the agency set up by our guest from Friday, Jill Robinson, who is rescuing Moon Bears from trappers in China.
The auction hall was full of people willing to part with their money. They bought donated items from Elton John, Maradona, Ringo Starr and Robert De Niro. Everybody had a good time and went home poorer.
Including me.
You see, I was wearing my favourite shirt, a dancing shirt with an image of two cats in wedding dresses getting married (I know. I didn’t realise that this was the image. I thought it was a post-modern smudge, until on Chapel St one evening a kid yells out to her mother: “why is that man wearing a photo of two cats getting married?’)
Anyway back to Saturday night. I was talking to the bidders, who were admiring the shirt. In the spirit of charity, I asked if anyone wanted to bid on my shirt. A bid came right away. In the end it sold for $120.
This meant me driving home wearing just a coat. I’m glad I wasn’t pulled over by the police, looking as I did like a flasher.
At least the other punters just went home without their wallets. I went home having lost my shirt. And it was my favourite shirt.
It was all for the bears, so I can’t feel too bad.
