The only one awake inside The Matrix: "All I see are dead people"

There are two movies that have parallels to how I often feel. In "The Matrix" if you happen to be a human that has plugged in then you can deliver whatever carnage you like because man, these "people" you are doing damage to are just part of a computer program.

In "12 Monkeys" Cole keeps going back to a time before the world was destroyed by a rogue virus in an attempt to avert the disaster. Every time he creates, carnage nothing really matters - because the world will die soon, anyway. "All I see are dead people"

And so sometimes when I look around me in the domains that I operate I can't help but see people who are doing something that is ultimately worthless. And the urge is for me to be as rude as I like, because nothing really matters.

The piece of paper in their hand really. doesn't. matter. But I do need to survive in society and so often I keep my mouth shut. I sometimes treat these people as though their piece of paper really _is_ important.

It's a mystery why anyone ever wants to deal with me. But then I suppose there are people who are doing things that really do matter - and then I'm the one pestering them. Because I want to be associated with good things and productive people.

Your ability to communicate says something about you

Imagine being this person who sends a broadcast to about a thousand people:

"Issuing a reminder only of the planned ‘non essential’ power (general lighting and power) isolations that will take place **** between 730am and 1230am TONIGHT."

So which is it - 7.30am, or tonight, have the interruptions already began or are they starting tomorrow?

It's not a big deal, but when the messages you send raise more questions than they answer then you have to understand that people might think that you're not the sharpest tool in the shed.

The Festival of Circus Animals: Letter to Alan

The best song on the whole Circus Animals album in my humble opinion. A heartfelt song with surprising harshness. "Alan" was a roadie who died in a truck accident and the message about death being just around the corner - that's real. From car accidents to street riots and one punch hits to ilnesses that you didn't expect - death really is our constant companion.

The reflection moment about "sitting in a hotel room along Rue St Louis and dialling old phone numbers down the line" reminds me of The Angels "Am I ever gonna see your face again?". Another song about lost friends, and how every battle that we fought together is all just history now because one of us is dead.

Explosive and harsh. And probably one of Cold Chisel's best, ever.



About the Festival of Circus Animals
I was 15 years old when the "Circus Animals" album came out, but I only really started paying attention to it had about 18 as I entered the workforce. It was the fourth of about five studio (original) albums. It wasn't the only musical influence on my early adult life, but I did grow up and start working around the same sort of places as Jimmy Barnes. As an 18 year old angry young man (aren't we all in some way?) this music was talking my language.

The Festival of Circus Animals: When The War Is Over

I've already indicated how I feel about this classic ballad. A plaintive tune about not being able to be nice to the people who are close to you because there is so much shit everywhere. It reminds me of Elvis with "you were always on my mind" and we know how that ended. Sometimes people just need to go off into battle for their loved ones to have a roof over their head; the battle becomes the thing, and you forget where home is.

The song has been covered many times and I think it's because it touches on an existential problem for many of us.




About the Festival of Circus Animals
I was 15 years old when the "Circus Animals" album came out, but I only really started paying attention to it had about 18 as I entered the workforce. It was the fourth of about five studio (original) albums. It wasn't the only musical influence on my early adult life, but I did grow up and start working around the same sort of places as Jimmy Barnes. As an 18 year old angry young man (aren't we all in some way?) this music was talking my language.

The Festival of Circus Animals: No Good for You

As a young male it was hard to imagine a woman being interested in you and that not being a good thing. So it was someone of a growing up tune. And the talk about a drunken night out with the ceiling spinning and you needing a moment alone but the lady in question just keeps pushing the issue.

It's a gentle song but it does have a good message for young guys; decisions you make right now regarding your relationships might have long lasting implications.



About the Festival of Circus Animals
I was 15 years old when the "Circus Animals" album came out, but I only really started paying attention to it had about 18 as I entered the workforce. It was the fourth of about five studio (original) albums. It wasn't the only musical influence on my early adult life, but I did grow up and start working around the same sort of places as Jimmy Barnes. As an 18 year old angry young man (aren't we all in some way?) this music was talking my language.

The Festival of Circus Animals: Numbers Fall

At last we are back into the good songs from Circus Animals. This song speaks about the Australian love of gambling and at the time it seemed really exotic. Gaming wasn't really a thing in terms of gambling and so speaking about Blackjack and Baccarat made it seem really cool yet it's still carried the same grunge of urban Sydney.



About the Festival of Circus Animals
I was 15 years old when the "Circus Animals" album came out, but I only really started paying attention to it had about 18 as I entered the workforce. It was the fourth of about five studio (original) albums. It wasn't the only musical influence on my early adult life, but I did grow up and start working around the same sort of places as Jimmy Barnes. As an 18 year old angry young man (aren't we all in some way?) this music was talking my language.

I'm not asking your permission; I'm looking for your support.

Ever since I was a 17 year old hoping to join the Airforce I came to realise that the least compelling sell is "I really want this job and I want to work for you". Airforce, in particular had no shortage of fanboys wanting to dress up in the uniform.

Over 30 years later I have found it way more sensible to make sure that I know I can do the job and only apply if I really feel like I have something to offer. Then if the employer or my potential partner chooses against me then I really can tell myself that it is their loss. An get on with it anyway.

And so recently in my passion of skydiving I've simply decided to start running training camps for novice skydivers. I hire a nationally recognised coach and provide a compelling value for money training program. We have a great team spirit on each camp and everybody has fun. Welcome Flatskills Skydiving.

You are welcome to join in if you like. Here I am with Julian, a team member, and Tony - a mate who was talking about sponsorship - just then.

Skydiving nerds: What am I making?

Now that I've gotten fairly confident it using my dad Mum's sewing machine I'm making all sorts of skydiving bits and pieces.

For the skydiving tragics out there what do you think I'm making here?

The Festival of Circus Animals: Wild Colonial Boy

This song is a basic angry young man song and I suppose at the time I liked it. I don't really think I like it now.


About the festival of Circus Animals
I was 15 years old when the "Circus Animals" album came out, but I only really started paying attention to it had about 18 as I entered the workforce. It was the fourth of about five studio (original) albums. It wasn't the only musical influence on my early adult life, but I did grow up and start working around the same sort of places as Jimmy Barnes. As an 18 year old angry young man (aren't we all in some way?) this music was talking my language.

"Facial Scrub" what a crock!

Sometimes I astound myself with my consumer gullibility.

In a world where people want to hear a story there's no shortage of product market is there to tell you.

So when I bought her facial cleanser I liked the idea of a scrub.

I think it's been showing that scrubs are no more effective and the downside is they release all these polymer microbeads into the environment which get into fish and then we eat them.

What a sucker I can be.

"Do you want to be an employee?"

After I lost a job 5 years ago (ok it was non-renewal of a contract) I was instantly offered subcontractor status. It took a while for me to come to terms with that loss of perceived job security and I had sought out the advice of Ken Phillips from Independent Contractors Australia

Ken asked me a challenging question at the time:

"Do you want to be an independent contractor or do you want to be an employee?"

And at the time I really had to admit to myself that I yearned to be employed. That was 5 years ago. Sure, over this 5 years I have had a very solid anchor client but increasingly the idea of being on someone else's payroll makes me feel wary.

Still, there is a job being advertised at the moment that I like the look of. Never say never.

The Festival of Circus Animals: Houndog

This is a simple tribute to the vastness of Australia and how hard it can be to get around. Similar to the journey they describe in Home and Broken Hearted from their original album - where "I hiked up to Sydney in the week before Christmas, it was 38 degrees in the shade, I bought a second hand Morris for a cheap 220 and I drove it down to Adelaide".

I liked Houndog just as a hard rock song and I knew at the time that really didn't have much of a message. I liked the quirky echo of the Elvis Presley song from decades before, and the fact that there seemed to be really no reason to include the word "Houndog" in the song.

Except now as I read the lyrics he says he's got the "Houndog sittin' on the side of the highway blues". Aha, now I get it.

"I'm sick of getting home, counting my remaining change"


About the festival of Circus Animals
I was 15 years old when the "Circus Animals" album came out, but I only really started paying attention to it had about 18 as I entered the workforce. It was the fourth of about five studio (original) albums. It wasn't the only musical influence on my early adult life, but I did grow up and start working around the same sort of places as Jimmy Barnes. As an 18 year old angry young man (aren't we all in some way?) this music was talking my language.

The Festival of Circus Animals: Taipan

Taipan is the one thing that redeems the pop tune that comes before it on Circus Animals. The whining lead guitar of Forever Now stops quite abruptly and then Taipan starts. And on the old cassette tape it was simply a part of the experience.

Before I'd really started listening to Circus animals I had heard Taipan on the radio and I was amazed at how good it was. Just like "Never Before" from East it had a really different, subcontinental feel to it. Both songs blew my mind.

Taipan brought that sound back to an Australian story. Working for a corporation in a cane field; dirty and backbreaking work and all the while needing to avoid our deadly reptiles. The mental image of canefields burning, reminiscent of Jimmy's later clip of "Working Class Man". The story was later echoed in GangGajang's "Sounds of then" - minus the snakes.

My dad hated most of the music I played and when I challenged him on that - to name a song of mine that he liked - then Taipan was the one he chose.

Now that I think of it I played it on a dinky little record player on vinyl in my room at the back of the house: 22 Roycroft Ace, Salisbury East, 5109.


About the festival of Circus Animals
I was 15 years old when the "Circus Animals" album came out, but I only really started paying attention to it had about 18 as I entered the workforce. It was the fourth of about five studio (original) albums. It wasn't the only musical influence on my early adult life, but I did grow up and start working around the same sort of places as Jimmy Barnes. As an 18 year old angry young man (aren't we all in some way?) this music was talking my language.

The festival of Circus Animals: Forever Now

A beautiful sensitive song written by Steve Prestwich: I hated this it its day. The song received so much radio play and it was so "pop music" that it drove me crazy. It grew on me as I grew up - and as I just listened to it then it makes me think of the old saying "if you love something set it free etc"

It sounds like a couple who just decided that they will no longer be together but they still part with some tenderness. Maybe I'm reading it wrong but I suppose that's what we do with art.

The elements of Australia is still there though; a huge country, getting on a plane, and in the film clip the dusty dryness outside a basic breakfast cafe that serves instant coffee with bacon and eggs.

The song was all part of the mix of Circus Animals; something has to pay the rent. This was the lead song of Circus Animals, and the film clip had a really nice "getting to know the band" feel about it. A reprise of the "Cheap Wine" vid from a few years before.


About the festival of circus animals
I was 15 years old when the "Circus Animals" album came out, but I only really started paying attention to it had about 18 as I entered the workforce. It was the fourth of about five studio (original) albums. It wasn't the only musical influence on my early adult life, but I did grow up and start working around the same sort of places as Jimmy Barnes. As an 18 year old angry young man (aren't we all in some way?) this music was talking my language.

The Festival of Circus Animals: Bow River

Circus Animals is the simple working class story about how life is hard, and can be fun. And so here is Ian Moss talking about how much he's been working to save enough money just to get back home. Wastin' my days on a factory floor.

Dreaming about the wind and the rain in the tropics - his special place.

"I don't want to see another engine line, too many years and I owe my mind the first set of wheels heading back to Bow River again."

We all have our Bow River and sometimes it's not a place.

The song starts with Mossy quietly contemplating escape, but by the end Jimmy is screaming about how is going through the door and going to tell the man he don't want no more. And actively looking forward to the release of pissing all your money up against the damn wall.

"Any time you want babe, you can come around. But don't leave it too late; you just might find me gone"



I simply had to include this live version. The guys were 100% in their prime. The chemistry and teamwork showed all the way through with Jimmy beginning on backing vocals and taking the lead with Ian slipping perfectly into backing vocals on the last verse. The blistering harmonica from South Australian David Blight makes this an explosive anthem for working class boy.

About the festival of circus animals
I was 15 years old when the "Circus Animals" album came out, but I only really started paying attention to it had about 18 as I entered the workforce. It was the fourth of about five studio (original) albums. It wasn't the only musical influence on my early adult life, but I did grow up and start working around the same sort of places as Jimmy Barnes did. As an 18 year old angry young man (aren't we all in some way?) this music was talking my language.

The Festival of Circus Animals: You Got Nothin' I Want

It was about 1982 and the Cold Chisel had previously tried to crack the US with "East" - another rocking album. Legend has it that the guys went into the boardroom to be given the bad news and when they stepped back out again the entire office floor was empty. Everyone in the record company was scared shitless over how the band would take it.

They returned to Australia and it seems they decided to work within their boundaries. Jimmy continued to scream, Mossy continued his ripping lead breaks, Don wrote some more scarifying stories of suburban Australia, Phil Small amazed us with his bass, and Steve Prestwich (RIP) worked magic with a set of skins and cymbals - as well of his magical ballad. We'll deal with that as track 9.

And their return album had four messages:

1. Fuck you, American record companies
2. Life is a gamble and nothing is guaranteed
3. Australian working class life is tough, but can be fun
4. Fuck you, American record companies

Points 1 and 4 are encapsulated in this song. It's a philosophy that has served me well enough as I go through my life, when people have thought they have me beaten. They truly had decided that the American record companies could go screw themselves. And we kept our suburban Australian dinosaur band.

Thank goodness.


About the festival of circus animals
I was 15 years old when the "Circus Animals" album came out, but I only really started paying attention to it at age 17-18 as I entered the workforce. It was the fourth of about five studio (original) albums. It wasn't the only musical influence on my early adult life, but I did grow up and start working around the same sort of places as Jimmy Barnes went to school. As an 18 year old angry young man (aren't we all in some way?) this music was talking my language.

A battle for your soul

A guy that I'd like to call my friend, Dan Brodsky-Chenfield perfectly describes a situation that I also had to deal with some years ago.

"Should I abandon my values and have some degree of success in a career, or should I find something else to do? Some other way?"

For me, at the time, it felt like it was a battle for my soul. I wonder if I saved it or is it just window dressing?

I'm lovin' "Above all Else" - the story of Dan's journey.

My 52 year old son, trolling the list brokers

I couldn't think of a more enjoyable scam myself. At some time when Jonah was forced to fill in his personal details when buying a game or a can of deodorant by mail order he entered his age as being 52.

And so when I went upstairs to say hello this morning he had direct mail that was trying to sell him annuities and prepaid funeral plans.

I think that's a little game I might start playing for myself.

Milo: Court Jester, Larrikin, Shitstirrer, Troll. Necessary.

Of all things - probably the one thing that really grinds my gears is when people take themselves too seriously. It's not that they don't have a point but when a person becomes so precious about their beliefs and the "right" way of being I just feel this urge to scream.

Back in mediaeval times the court jester was employed because monarchy was aware of this challenge to their own decency. It was the court jesters job to be irreverent and challenge the king. We need the court jesters. Over time these people have also been variously known as the larrikin, the shitstirrer, and most recently the troll.

These "agents provocateurs" have been in the guise of Russell Brand, Tim Minchin, and a bunch of other names that quite often appear on our ABC. And there is Milo Yiannopoulos.

Someone recently impressed the hell out of me some time ago when I asked him do you like "Milo Yiannopoulos?" He said "I'm not sure I like him but I like that exists". That made me feel very proud.

I wrote recently how we must let "the idiots" have their say, and then we say how we feel about what they say. It worked with One Nation last weekend as they got slammed in the Queensland election, and same sex marriage is all in the process now - after everyone had their say. The sensible centre are on board - we must trust them.

I don't consider Milo to be an idiot but as a country we desperately need him to have his say. I will be going to see what Milo Yiannopoulos has to say tonight. Wherever he does that. I like Tory Shepherd's column: "A dinosaur with good hair and bad logic" but no calls for him to be shut down. Go Tory; go Australia!

My great concern is that I will end up on the television with a bunch of Antifa people tearing at me, physically attacking me, or simply shouting in my face. And I'll be branded a right winger. Because not everybody feels the same way about freedom of speech. If I appear on the news, then this is my story.

Which Australian Prime Minister said this?

Here's a story that Kim Beazley recounts, when an Australian PM met Barack Obama in the White House.

“Well, Mr President, I don’t actually have a list of complaints; I know most people who come to this office have a list of complaints. I’ve got nothing to complain about to you. Others come with a list of things that they want from you. We don’t want anything from you.”

and then:

“But I want to say one thing. I think you’re about to get into a lot of trouble in the Middle East. And when you do, I want you to understand this. We are going to be with you and we are going to be with you in numbers.”

That impresses me, and you may be surprised to find out who said those words.

"Water Conservation Measures" - pffft

Yeh yeh. Back in 2003 you were the villain of the century if you watered your lawn. The SA government had what was called water conservation measures and it was dressed up as saving the environment.

Nevermind that South Australian domestic use was only 4% of the total state's usage but we were all pilloried if we put a sprinkler on after 10 a.m. in the morning.

Call me cynical but I've seen too much of this before. Back then they put a moralistic spin on water usage to solve a practical problem. They simply didn't have water storage or desalination to service their domestic market.

Now it's "use as much as you like as long as you pay for it" but as I see it the environmental challenges aren't any fewer than they were 15 years ago.

Pffft.

Supercharged Impulse purchase inducement

I just got to thinking about the nature of Impulse purchase in this brave new world of supermarket self serve.

I expect that when people are scanning their own groceries they probably don't have that loose mindspace where they have to fill it with deciding they're going to buy something.

And perhaps the supermarkets and brand owners are seeing that. Hence the chocolate bar prices that you only really saw at super discount outlets.