The Brown Note

Albums Of The Year 2021

In the weakest year for albums, tracks and movies of the century.

Was 2021 The Worst Year For Art This Century?

Working our my usual radio show end of year best-of lists, I was struck by how weak 2021 was - across albums, movies and tracks, the lamest of the century, why?

The Rise In Facism Has Its Roots In Murdoch And The Evangelicals

There is no doubt the previously hardcore fringe elements of the far right have piggybacked off the back off COVID related protests, mingling closer than the 1930's with the mainstream, but the public's ability to accept them has its roots in century old right-wing, American Evangelical Christian opposition to science and Murdoch press populist propaganda.

Jacida Ardern Made Smoking Sexy Again

New Zealand's pre-emptive ban on smoking is a bridge too far - an overreach into lives beyond what government should be responsible for, at a time of record low smoking levels, that will only create a new generation of young people enticed into smoking being rebellious.

Kyle Rittenhouse - The Horror Of Self Defense In America

With a judge straight out of Mississippi burning, whose only job it seemed was to get a young and hopelessly misguided Trump supporter off his charges of killing two BLM protesters - a look at how the game of self defense in America is rigged to ensure a white man with a gun can do whatever he likes.

The Election Australia Deserves

With an opposition, burnt by offering too much substance and policy at the last election, losing to a blunderbuss with none, we now face an election where neither side of politics will offer anything at all, and simply try to be seen as least bad in the 24 hour news cycle. We Deserve it.

Assisted Dying Laws: Why Wont You Let Me Die?

The Australian state of New South Wales, finally began a debate, long blocked by right wing religious conservatives, to pass euthanasia/voluntary assisted dying laws. Ironically, it was through our most pious leader yet, Dominic Perrottet - who completely opposes it, perhaps noting that this is the most bi-partisan issue of the age. More than 70% of left wing, right wing and religious voters all support these laws, which just passed the lower house and will pass the senate. My thoughts.

Sean Kelly: A Portrait Of Australian Politics

Sean Kelly's important new book, The Game: a Portrait of Scott Morrison covers several of the main slants of this channel. Not only the invented fabrication that is Australia's prime minister but how our media has failed us by letting him getting away with it, and even promoting him uncritically, and also what it says about us as a nation that WE let him get away with it.

China‘s Ballistic Missile Terror!

After satellite photo's of China's new ballistic missile systems and deadly new hyper-sonic super-weapon went global - a cursory look at what's actually happening here.

An Insight Into Narcissism

The normally flawless issues based TV show Insight, crashed badly with its recent program on narcissism, managing to perpetuate the most common myths whilst failing to explore the most damaging traits - for instance gaslighting wasn't even mentioned. Through my own personal exposure with this very misunderstood and dangerous mental illness, I try to set the record straight.