Is Chrysler Breaking The Law?

Down here, Chrysler is airing an ad that features Arnold Schwartznegger's image--his current Governor of California image promoting their "You Can Do It" Sale.

Now, this may sound tedious, but I do wonder about the legality of it.

Why?

Arnold Schwartznegger is the current Governor of California.

Chrysler is now owned partly (9-10%) by the US government.

Is it legal or even ethical for a partly government owned company to use a prominent civil servant or that civil servant's image to promote its products?

Schwartznegger "promoting" Chrysler is quite different than him promoting California tourism, which he is expected to do.

It also is different than Bob Dole promoting Viagra (shudder), which he did after he retired, and Pfizer isn't a government owned corporation.

Opinions?

Left is Right, Up is Down

Former Liberal Party head and Prime Minister John Howard comes out against the establishment of Bill of Rights.

By the way, RIP Ted Kennedy, you had so much more to do.

A Victory for Proper English

I admit that I am very particular when it comes to using correct English spelling and usage--I'm a writer, it's my stock and trade.

Since English is growing in usage, it becomes more important that people using English (be they native Anglophones or not) try to get it right. Otherwise it reads like gibberish. So I am quite happy to read that Shanghai & the nearby provincial governments are making a big push to get rid of poor English translations prior to next year's World Expo.

You can take a look at the uphill battle the authorities face by visiting the Sydney Morning Herald.

The Double Edged Sword of Australian Tourism

Apparently Australians aren't too keen on travelling domestically.

And the rest of the world isn't that keen on coming here, save for one deranged man on a Qantas flight.

Speaking of the Flying Roo, Seven coughed up a bit of primetime real estate (albeit on Saturday) to basically do a informercial for Qantas.

The advert is very cute and probably guaranteed to tug the heart strings of Australian expats worldwide, but given the amount of money Qantas is tossing at this campaign, it doesn't seem to really grab the bigger worldwide audience...and it doesn't quite seem--in my opinion--smart to air it domestically.

All that being said, it's not as big a misfire as the adverts currently making the round for the Victorian town of Daylesford.

A Question For American Readers

Whenever I take a gander at the US news sites, the debate over giving a public option for health care seems to be filtering into every last piece of news (even on a debate about saving the poor ol' rickety Hoan Bridge).

Personally, I'm a bit befuddled by it.

Is the administration advocating a system similar to one down here in Australia where everyone pays for a health care scheme, and you get a tax incentive for going private?

Or is it another thing altogether?

Believe it or not, the only US news of note involves celebrity murders. (Well, Australia lost to England at Cricket, the news is in national mourning.)

Friday Jukebox Says "Quoi?"

Classic French avantgarde singer Brigitte Fontaine's 1988 song Le Nougat.

Ah, I miss the 80s.

Bonus: A sampling of the iSelect insurance campaign which has been going on for ages. It's cute, quite Australian, but easily verges into the category of annoying.

The Flying Roo is in the Poo

Being a Qantas executive can't be fun these days: You have the Virgin Group nipping at your back at home and overseas, British Airways doesn't want to know you (and has a few troubles of their own), you're gaining a reputation for running shoddy old aircraft, and vast swaths of the Australian public chooses you last.

Just imagine the stress!

And yet, Alan Joyce still has faith in the Flying Roo.

No shit.

(Apparently you can say that on the ABC.)

The 7PM Project Might Just Make It

A sampling from last night, take note of the energy drinks segment:

Charles Perez Makes A Case for ENDA

After Charles Perez left WABC, I thought I would never hear of him again, well, apparently he got fired by his old Miami station after filing a discrimination claim. In his own words, he "committed career suicide to save his soul."

Perez gives his side of the debacle as well as insight into life as a gay news anchor in an article for The Daily Beast.

Meanwhile down here, gay news personalities seem limited to the ridiculous almost exaggerated American entertainment reporters on breakfast television.

On the federal level, Australia doesn't have ENDA style legislation, but nearly all the states and territories have legislation banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Good Grief, I'm Following Dancing With The Stars

I read on MSNBC today that old Republican lackey Tom DeLay is joining the cast for the new season of Dancing With The Stars (US) along with an equally bizarre group ranging from Macy Gray and Debi Mazar to the very Z-list Aaron Carter and Ashley Hamilton.

Down here, our Dancing With The Stars is down to the final 5, and it is very much a Seven Network show: One of the hosts is a cast member from City Homicide (Mondays @ 8:30, Only on Seven!; competiting are Lincoln Lewis from Home & Away (Weeknights @ 7), Matt White, the presenter of East Coast Today Tonight (Weeknights @ 6:30), and Kylie Gilles who co-hosts The Morning Show (Weekday Mornings @ 9). Only two other competitors have no regular job on Seven.

While it seems to me that the network is very keen to have showdown between Seven Network stars, the real big controversy has been blind paralympian Gerrard Gossens who quite frankly isn't that good of a dancer, but has benefited from a lot of sympathy voting. Gossens was also the focus of virtually all the promotion for the show. (The worse promo? One where Daniel MacPherson spoke on a dark stage and said "Welcome to Gerrard's world.")

Interestingly, the tone has shifted towards sending Gossens packing, even on Sunrise, one of the presenters said that he has to go. I agree. Mind you, I'm not keen on watching Kylie Gilles scoop the trophy.

It's a shame I won't be able to see Debi Mazar tell off all and sundry.

Monday Jukebox Writes To Whitney Houston

Dear Ms. Houston,

Congrats on your return.

I am only a lowly writer in Sydney, Australia, but if you should happen to stumble across this little bit of the internet, I would strongly suggest that you take a gander at the following clips. I hope you can fit these into your busy schedule.

Flashback to 2000. It's the Sanremo Songfestival and a woman named Jenny B comes out and belts out a jazz ballad called Semplice Sai ("Be Simple"), and wins the newcomers division.

The following year she goes into the Professionals Section and doesn't win with Anche Tu ("Even You;"which to my ears is the same song somewhat overdone), but puts on a good performance.

As for the winning song, well, Luce was a force of its own.



Mind you, I thought Alice's song from Sanremo 2000 was the same recipe (minus the extra musicians), but better. (Disclaimer: Alice can do no wrong in my book.)



Ms. Houston, might you perhaps consider singing in Italian? I think you might be up for the challenge.

Sincerely,

Monday Jukebox

Lady GaGa's Continues Her Campaign to become Madonna II

I quite like her sentiments, but in these cynical days, one has to be suspicious about Lady GaGa's demands about Kanye West create a "gay show,"according to this report from 3NZ/WENN.

I don't even see that much of an overlap between the two. (Mind you, Kanye West did sample Diamonds Are Forever into a pretty damn good song about blood diamonds.)

NZTV: It's not too shabby

CloudCuckooLand isn't just full of bumbling robbers, angry drink drivers, and loopy drug addictted thieves, they manage to come up with good programming quite often.

The latest one to hit the shores here is a show called Go Girls, which debuts on TEN this friday, and got a rave review from the Sydney Morning Herald.

Granted, I can't say I would greet a show that calls over-25s past it, but it does look like it has a nice cynical bite to it.

Plus, I liked The Insider's Guide To Happiness, so it's worth a fair go.

Come On, Get Happy, Noriko

Noriko Sakai has surrendered to the authorities, according to the ABC.

Personally, given the industry that is Noriko Sakai, I wouldn't be surprised if there is quick divorce.

Unless she's keen on doing a remake of A Star Is Born.

Don't Date Surfies, Kids

First it was Tsuyoshi Kusanagi going batty in a Tokyo Park, now it's ultra cutesy Noriko Sakai doing a runner to evade drugs charges.

And according to the ABC, she was just part of a campaign to promote the new jury system.

Camelcide: Just Joking

Now Erin Burnett is claiming it's just a joke gone awry, according to AAP.

Don't start planning your comedy tour yet, Erin.

Sometimes Anchors Shouldn't Speak Their Mind

Times must be rough on cable news, even financial cable news.

Camelcide?

Has this person never heard of seasonal wolf/deer/duck hunts that occur nearly nationwide in the US?

Was there some sort of anchor exchange programme with Fox Business?

Or is Jim Cramer aiming to get back on The Daily Show?

PS> Normal service will be resumed within the fortnight.

Goodbye Mr. Cuprisin

Sadly, Tim Cuprisin is leaving the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and I've lost yet another reason to read my hometown newspaper.

Good luck, Tim.

But You'd Still Be in Adelaide

South Australia has been making a big push for Sydneysiders to consider moving to Adelaide, using the old saying: If You Lived [in Adelaide], You'd Be Home Now, and directing people to go visit their website.

Being a curious sort, I went took a gander at the website. The fun facts are reason enough not to move:

• Early Adelaide was shaped by religious freedom, hence its moniker 'The City of Churches'. Today, Adelaide is known for its many festivals as well as for its wine, arts and sports.
• The global media conglomerate News Corporation was founded in Adelaide. Headquarters were moved to New York in 2004, but the city is still considered the company's 'spiritual' home by Rupert Murdoch.
• Temperatures range from an average of 29ºC in January to 15ºC in July.

So it's hot, pious, drunk, and inflicted Uncle Rupert upon the world.

Sounds like Orange County.

No thanks, and apparently most of the world thinks so as well (from one of Uncle Rupert's papers no less!).

Apparently Australia Doesn't Want To Dance It's Ass Off

I had never heard of Dance Your Ass Off, but apparently it's a big (relative to the network size, and no pun intended) hit on Oxygen.

With Dancing With The Stars doing gangbusters on Seven, I can understand the logic of Nine dropping it in the middle of prime time. Unfortunately, it sank like a (no pun intended) stone: This review from the Sydney Morning Herald is pretty indicative of the reception it got.

Meanwhile, Nine is rolling out the programming for GO, and the results look like afternoon programming on a midmarket MyNetwork station: TMZ, Seinfeld, plus Fox's B team of programmes.

I think it will GO back to the drawing board, especially with TEN's new slate.