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Saturday, June 30, 2007

Working on Editing My First Book

Stephen King said in his brilliant book On Writing that "To write is human, to edit is divine". I don't remember if that's exactly what the quote was, but my point I'm trying to express here is:

If I am a writer who is editing my own work, and what Stephen King says about editing is true, does that mean I must strive to be a demi-god?

At the moment I'm only working on editing my first chapter. I have been told editing takes a long time, and boy, they aren't kidding. It takes a very long time and a lot of effort to edit one's own work.

On the flipside, I gave myself a chance to develop my book in ways I couldn't have imagined possible when I first wrote it. So far, what was once an incoherent, madcap plot, is now a conceivably readable chapter that is possibly interesting and funny (to me anyway).

I could also fill in the descriptive detail I left out previously. Somewhat bland passages are now populated by lavish descriptions of a University forged in my dreams, the University that never got its funding cut by John Howard or Julie Bishop. In other words, I'm writing a Fantasy book.

Editing your own work is a very rewarding process, and it doesn't have to be a chore if you do it the right way. Since I had plenty of new ideas I forgot to put in the original draft, this is a chance to make a literary mansion out of an undeveloped shack.

I should also, when I have time, work with a professional editor, but with the HSC looming its ever dark shadow over my life, that is not possible at this time.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Bad Jokes 3

Here are more of my really bad jokes...

If Humphrey Bogart was a bird, he'd be a Maltese Falcon born from a hard boiled egg.

If Chuck Norris was a turtle, he would still be just as awesome.

Q: What do you call a chronic Corn Flakes eater?
A: A cereal killer.

Q: What is the world's most dangerous calculator?
A: A Death Adder.

Q: What do you call a man with a broken iPod?
A: iRate.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Horrendously Bad Jokes 2

More Bad Jokes of mine:

Q: Why didn't the dice go to the party?
A: Because that's not how they roll.

Q: How do witches get facelifts?
A: With Cosmetic Sorcery.

Q: What do you call an alpha male Hyena who is good at video games?
A: Leader of the Pac-Man.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

29/6/07 News

http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/truth-first-casualty-of-the-internet/2007/06/27/1182623916608.html

This is interesting, as a blogger, should I stop trusting myself because I am a blogger?

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/NSW-numeracy-results-best-since-2004/2007/06/29/1182624154187.html

This is good news, but I almost failed Maths, so what does that say about the truth of this information?

http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Mystery-over-wrestlers-Wikipedia-entry/2007/06/29/1182624143518.html

Wikipedia: Inaccurate yet again!

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Movie Review: Ed Wood

This movie is about the legendary B-Movie director Ed Wood, who wore women's undergarments under his clothes so that he could get closer to women in a way that would make him feel comfortable as well.

Tim Burton delivers a great film with Johnny Depp as Ed Wood, and Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi (A large portion of the film deals with Ed Wood's friendship with Lugosi in his old age, if you don't know, Bela Lugosi played Dracula in the old monster movies). The choice to film this in black and white is a tribute to Ed Wood's films, and the old classic horror films of yore.

Throughout this movie, Ed Wood develops in his filmmaking, despite the poor reviews he got for them. Starting with his film "Glen or Glenda?", a film about a transvestite quite like himself, which originated from the life story of another person that he changed to his liking, to "Bride of the Monster", which was a mad scientist film starring Bela Lugosi, and finally, Wood's Magnum Opus, "Plan 9 From Outer Space", the film made using footage of Bela Lugosi before he died and created to Wood's dream of a film where he controlled everything instead of the producers doing it for him.

The film is reasonably accurate in what actually happened being represented on screen, Ed Wood really did wear women's clothing under his miltary uniform during WWII, and Bela Lugosi really did go to rehab for his drug addiction. I see that Tim Burton knows the subject and the era of Ed Wood's career well, and he's done a very good job at recreating it for cinema.

I give this Ten "Angora Sweaters" out of Ten. It's that good a movie. See it one day, you won't regret it.

Monday, June 25, 2007

New News For 26/June/06

http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/citizen-journos-battle-chinas-censors/2007/06/25/1182623790989.html

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/06/25/1182623823367.html?from=top5

This is the new news about China that's in the SMH today. Hope I can find an article I can make a comment on soon...

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

More Wise Sayings

"Art is like the Phoenix, it is immortal, and whenever it dies it rises from the ashes to become more glorious than before" - Jacob Martin on Art

"Never trust a Kebab made at a school cooking event" - Jacob Martin on Kebab related events at school

"Don't fall asleep in the bathtub, Ernest Hemingway told me so" - Jacob Martin on a Vision of Ernest Hemingway seen while In the Bath

More Wise Sayings to come...

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Movie Review: The Queen

This is a movie which deals with a serious subject, that of Princess Diana's death by accident, but delivers it in a way that isn't too grim that you can't bear it.

When I saw "The Queen", I had the fascinating experience of seeing actors play people who are still alive. It is a truly weird, but rewardingly spent amount of time seeing these actors play these monumentally-significant-to-British-history figures, and Helen Mirren plays Elizabeth II quite well.

The bloke who plays Tony Blair in it is a dead ringer of him too.

The film is cleverly edited with real footage and filmed with actors footage, to give a sense of authenticity.

I give this film Seven "British Crowns" out of Ten.

Horrendously Bad Jokes of Mine

Here are a few of my really bad jokes I made up:

Q: What did the athlete's mother say to her son after he lost the hurdle championship?
A: Get over it!

Q: Who does the Phantom of the Opera hire for help with his book career?
A: His Ghostwriter!

Q: What magazine does Legolas read?
A: Elf and Happiness.

You're probably busy cringing right now, but there could be more horrendous jokes I made up coming soon, so watch out!

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Two Hundred Hits!

To celebrate the contribution of visits from the general public, I will post some of my "Wise Sayings":

"Maths is like Modern Art, it's open to interpretation" - Jacob Martin on Mathematics

"Japanese Anime is like cartoons for adults, only, with huge eyes and extra weirdness. Late night Cartoon Network stuff is the same, only minus the huge eyes" - Jacob Martin on Animation

"Give a man a book publishing deal, and you can be responsible for two possibilities. Either you will be responsible for a lauded success, or you will be driven into madness for unleashing a horror like a badly written memoir or yet another book about Germany, which in itself is not bad, it is just that often other aspects of Germany such as post WWII is neglected. History does not end at 1945 you know" - Jacob Martin on the Publishing Industry

"H.P. Lovecraft was a weird man" - Jacob Martin on 1930's Sci-Fi Horror

"So is Neil Gaiman" - Jacob Martin on Neil Gaiman

****

So there you have it, some of my wise sayings. Look forward to more of my gems of enlightenment soon...

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Funeral for a Record Player

No joke. My brother was so moved by the breaking of his beloved record player which he amassed a record collection for, that he decided to give it a Viking funeral, that is, putting it on a boat/raft, setting it on fire and letting it float out until it sank.

The raft that was built was surprisingly sturdy, despite my friends and my own doubts that it would float, it did, even though it was nothing but cardboard and plastic bottles, inflated bags and duct tape.

My brother read a Eulogy for the record player as my friend Josh provided the music on my brother's acoustic guitar (it's a Gibson or something). Here it is:

LP Eulogy by Jonathan Martin

What can be said about a dear appliance?
You were a good friend to those who knew you,
For many you were a target of scorn, for those unelightened folk.
But most of all you were part of something bigger,
You were part of my attic's ensemble of asthetic materials.
However this role does not diminish your importance,
As you were central, the focal point of the space,
Though your stylus did skip and your belt did break,
You made the attic a space worth inhabiting,
We might not have given you the respect you deserved,
But still you played, even though I never dusted you or changed the needle,
You gave all you could give before the end, and for that I'm grateful,
You lived all the way through the seventies and had your share of hard times,
I wasn't the first to own you, but I'm sure I gave you a good home in your final days.
You're everything eBay could have promised, from quality to lifespan.
May we celebrate the life that was and that which was taken,
In hope that you shall find greater peace in the next life than you found in this one.

*****

Doesn't it bring a tear to the eye, it was a much loved record player, I didn't know how to use it and my brother urged me to not touch it, yet it was a part of my life too. Rest In Peace, Record Player.

Friday, June 22, 2007

TV Show Review: Metalocalypse

This isn't for everybody, but Metalocalypse will please Metal music fans with its satire of Metal. It is about the fictional Metal band Dethklok, who are so successful that they outrank Belgium in the economy.

Dethklok's antics include making a death metal 30 second coffee jingle for an instant coffee commercial (which is "not selling out" but an attempt to make "everything Metal"), and recording an album in the deepest darkest, most brutal part of the ocean to create a Metal album for fish, an "untapped market" for their fanbase.

This isn't exactly a cartoon for kids, as with other Adult Swim cartoons like this one designed for a grown up audience, but I feel that Metalocalypse would not work as a children's animation and still be funny. Metal music and the culture around it has adult concepts that only grown ups would be able to understand, and this is why the Adult Swim format for the show works so well, as it gives the show's concepts more freedom to send up the darker aspects of Metal.

Often one struggles to find this show funny until a while after you've viewed it and gotten used to it, at which point you find it hilarious, despite some of the morbid aspects of the jokes (the "Dethkomedy" episode is an example of this, where Dethklok attempts to tackle comedy with their "brutal" sense of humor).

Again, this isn't for everybody, but mainly, Metal fans will get the most out of it.

I give this Eight "Rock Clowns" out of a Possible Ten.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Authoritarianism Rears Its Head in Australia

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Secret-APEC-list-worries-libertarians/2007/06/20/1182019171014.html

This means anybody could be unjustly treated if they try to protest during the APEC conference in Sydney. We have to do something to stop this from happening. Like protesting, oddly enough.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Storm Not Here: Biggest Disappointment Since Y2K

At the same time as I am relieved that the storm did not come, I feel somewhat gypped that nothing happened to Sydney except bad traffic in the morning that to my knowledge was not weather related.

I did hear something about some buses being flipped on the bus driver's radio comm, but it's likely that this was an accident of the usual sort.

And I overreacted over nothing, man I'm glad I didn't board up the windows and doors or I would have looked stupid/been unable to get in or out of the house.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Holy Crap: Frickin' Huge Storm to Lash Sydney

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/emergency-crews-ready-for-storm/2007/06/19/1182019104521.html

That's right folks, my home city of Sydney is going to get a severe lashing from Mother Nature. I have no idea how I'm going to secure my material goods in my house.

Seriously. It's a big one coming. So big that they cancelled the Bridge Walk, or as I called it, the School Charity Death-March of 27 Kilometres, to ensure safety.

Could it be that this blogger's number is up? I sure hope not...

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Movie Review: The Break-Up

This is an urgent message for anybody who thinks "The Break-Up" sounds like an entertaining film to watch for a night in: it's really not.

Basically the plot is that Vince Vaughn or however you spell it wants to break up with his girlfriend, played by Jennifer Aniston. However they can't decide who has to move out of the house they helped each other renovate. Lesson taught: Never build a house with your boyfriend/girlfriend unless you are absolutely sure what will happen to it if your relationship goes awry.

Lesson learned from this movie: Never co-star with a rebound boyfriend like Jennifer Aniston did in this movie, the fact that the film is titled "The Break-Up" is a really, really bad omen for an acting role done with one's latest fling.

Trust me, I've seen Jennifer Aniston act better in a movie called "Rumour Has It". That movie shows that there is hope for Jen as an actress, she might not be an Oscar winning one, but if she picks better movie roles than the one I'm reviewing now, there's no reason why she can't transcend this vapid, void of any good humor fluff film, unfortunately she gets typecast often.

Vince Vaughn (or however you spell it) has more acting ability displayed in the movie "Dodgeball" than in one word of the script this movie allows him to work with. He was not born for romantic "comedies" like this. He was put on this Earth to give us laughs from jocular comedies like "Wedding Crashers". He too has hope as an actor, and even he could concievably pull off a serious role in a credible movie like a Scorsese film, however it is well known that comedy actors never get the chance to develop the skills for such talent focused fare.

Take Adam Sandler for example. His more serious role in "Spanglish" was a great one. He left behind the schoolboy comedies of his past to perform marvellously in Spanglish. Sadly, serious roles like this were hard to find, and it is really risky to get a comedy actor like him to do a serious role. This "risk" is "Will people take him seriously after all the screwball comedies he's done?" and the fact that these days, dumbed down comedies rule the silver screen for young people.

I give this film Half a "Badly Written Script", however we should not condemn the actors in it entirely. These actors could be greats in their old age, they just need to refine their skills and not be given typecast roles. If Vince Vaughn or Jennifer Aniston developed their acting and went for other roles than their usual choices of employment, we could well see good cinema.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

I got my Internet Back

This is good news. I had my internet fixed, so I can start blogging again.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Telstra Lost my House's Internet Address!

That's right, Telstra, the infamous Australian telecommunications company that has plagued my family's phone and internet service for years, have gone a step further in making my life Hell, they lost my house's internet address, therefore I cannot access my Internet at home.

This is why I have been unable to Blog recently, as I have been cut off from the Web by corporate bungling.

This is not the first time Telstra has given us problems, as I had no phone or Internet service for a month earlier this year. None of the Telstra servicemen were able to fix the problem because they "didn't have the authority" to do so.

Now I am unable to use the Internet at home, at a time when I crucially need it for my HSC, not just for Blogging.

Make a stand against these faceless companies by not using their services, provided that the said faceless company hasn't succeeded in purposefully introducing deals with the Government to make sure nobody else can give you a better offer.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Should Tests for Under 16s be Banned?

http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/UK-MPs-reject-exam-ban-for-under-16s/2007/06/11/1181414172032.html

Yes, tests for under 16's should be banned. The workload on these students which allegedly "prepares them" for later life, has crippled the stress tolerance of my fellow students.

Let me tell you this from a school student's point of view. The more stress and workload we get, the less time we get to grow up being healthy and happy. I have heard previously in the papers that there is no time for Physical Education because there is too much homework.

Sure, you could ignore the pleas of parents and students, and declare it as "whining", but ask yourself, would you want your child to suffer a curriculum that takes away family time and time for reasonable recreation?

Yes, students need to prepare over time to be employed in the workforce, however, is it also possible that we are forcing children to grow up too fast? Seeing the rise of the "tween", it's hard to argue against it.

Sincerely,

Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Sydney Storms: Part 3

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/NSW-had-worst-storm-in-a-decade-bureau/2007/06/11/1181414201336.html

The Sydney Storms are over, and there was a clear sky today. Hence it was great for going out to see the BMW Art Car Expo. Could these storms be the worst since 1998? Could Al Gore have been right about extreme weather? Only professional journalism, and interpretation of news articles, will tell!

Is the Internet All It Seems?

http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/the-internet-is-one-big-amateur-hour-author/2007/06/08/1181089298427.html

This article is a controversial one, but it raises some major issues about the Internet.

Is the Internet peopled by gypsies, tramps and thieves? It could well be.

I agree with this guy's point that the Internet should be more regulated when it comes to reporting of media, but publishing of people's perspectives on media sourced articles is something that shouldn't have hinderance on, as long as common sense is used.

I don't agree with his attack on blogs, in the sense that he seems to be implying that all bloggers are hooligans, however, I do agree that all content that is not one's own should be labeled and sourced appropriately, and by leading my own example on this blog, I hope to make a difference.

This article will not stop me blogging, nor should it stop anybody blogging, it merely should change the way people blog. And use your own judgement when blogging, as one must take responsibility for what you say online.

Sincerely,

Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Pollies Pimped Out (Non-Sordidly) For Charity

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/PM-and-Labor-leader-for-sale-online/2007/06/11/1181414197300.html

I'd pay $3,999 starting bid to convince John Howard to get out of Parliament, but I can't afford it.

This is the latest in attempts to win voters, however with both Parties getting in on the same deal, I don't think there should be a problem. Unless a bidding war starts...

Google Under Fire

http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/googles-the-worst-says-privacy-group/2007/06/11/1181414177563.html

And to think that my Google Account is being used to give you this message. The irony is killing me!

Art Review: BMW Art Car Expo

I went to the BMW Art Car Expo at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney today. It was a very good exhibition, even though there were only four cars on display. As I remember, there was a car painted by Ken Done, the Australian painter, another by Andy Warhol, the Pop Artist, and there was yet another by Roy Lichtenstein.

Almost all of these cars painted up by artists were trying to embody the concept of speed in a car. They succeeded in this matter, I feel.

All up I give this exhibition Eight "Wheels on Fire" out of Ten. I subtracted two because they put Ken Done's car next to Andy Warhol's one, which is somewhat of an insult.

100 Hits: Thank You for Your Support

This blog has gotten over 100 hits now, I reckon it's on 107. Thank you to the people and bloggers who made this possible.

Special Thanks to:

Neil Gaiman: He inspired me to make a blog in the first place, even though, being the famous author he is, he might never find out about his impact...

LibraryThing: This great site gave me a group network of support for my blog.

Cast Not the First Stone at Paris Hilton

http://www.smh.com.au/news/people/fears-for-distraught-paris/2007/06/10/1181414112410.html

As much as I believe that Paris Hilton deserves to rot in jail for her driving antics, one should appeal to empathy. Think about it. Paris Hilton should be treated as any other person, however at the same time, if her psychological reasons for release from jail are genuine, any person in the same situation would want justice.

So we should not cast the first stone at Paris Hilton. The rule of Survival of the Fittest dictates that in prison, the strong survive. Paris Hilton is not one of the strong. Ask yourself, are you expecting too much of Paris Hilton to serve a full prison sentence?

I once had to be pulled out of a hiking trip in the middle of it because I genuinely needed to go home. It would be against the Declaration of Human Rights to force me to complete a ten day hike. In the same way, a heiress who makes a living as a celebrity famed on reckless behaviour would not be evolved to the extent to survive in prison.

That girl needs therapy.

Yes, she should be disciplined for her actions, but she needs to be monitored in prison so that she gets the assistance she needs. And by "assistance", I don't mean sending her cookies and other treats by way of her parents.

Sincerely,

Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Sydney Storms: Part 2

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/NSW-transport-back-on-track-after-storms/2007/06/10/1181414125121.html

The public transport in Sydney is back in service. This means I can get to school this week if the weather permits. It also means I'll be able to go to the City when I want to.

The weather has been better in my area of Sydney today, and the Sun was back out. I'll keep you posted on more Sydney Storm news if there is any more.

Sincerely,

Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Corporations searching you on Google

http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/reveal-secrets-or-be-caught-in-the-net/2007/06/09/1181089389506.html

This is truly an outrage. Businesses are searching people's names on Google and Myspace in order to determine whether they should hire you if you want a job from them.

People in my Philosophy class have speculated the day when Google becomes Big Brother, and this shows that the technology is being unfairly used to judge an employee's character, which means the Google Big Brother is upon us right now.

Likewise, due to the advertising of oneself on Myspace, people can judge somebody by their Profile. Also, Myspace friends lists could be a factor in the future concerning the judgement of character by corporations.

By all means, use Google, however it would be wise to put forward information about yourself which concerns criminal charges and other such issues towards an employer, in order to build trust with them.

However, it should be noted that people's comments online about you can be found on Google. This is why it is unjust to make judgements based on Google searches, as you could have the same name as a convicted drug lord from Malaysia.

Sincerely,

Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

The Scourge of Assignments

I hate having to compromise on my work, even if it's for school.

This is why I got so upset over having to change my short story submission for Extension 1 English. What started as a perfectly good story about cartoon people (continuing the ideas in my Toonworld short story arc, as you can see in The Rogue Re-Animator, which is on this blog in the Best Of column) got sent into limbo and insecurity by the dark powers of Postmodernism and the Board of Studies. I honestly would prefer Cthulhu (from H.P. Lovecraft's stories) as the head of the Board of Studies than Julie Bishop, which ironically would cause less madness than Bishop's Draconian education curriculum.

As a result of the powers that be, my plan of the task has been attacked at its credibility as a text, and I feel that I am being forced by the school system to whore myself out to the pimp that is Postmodernism. And Postmodernism is a mean pimp.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Movie Review: Last Tango In Paris

Ewww. Just... EEEEWWW!

This movie, while funny for all the wrong reasons and unintentionally hilarious, has Marlon Brando as a seedy old man who keeps getting busy with a Parisian woman in France. Need I say more?

To do this movie justice, I'll have to.

This cinematic landmark of steaminess is not for the "squeamish", as many scenes will make such people will squirm uncomfortably during such scenes. To give you a little hint about how steamy this is, you'll never look at Butter the same way again.

The plot is somewhat good if you go past the gratuitous sex, but the said gratuitous sex will put people off if they are conservative.

I give this Five "Brando's" out of Ten.

Why I Like Superman as a Character: Revealed!

Ever since I began collecting comics, I have been interested in the character of Superman. Some think the character has lost his way in the way his ethics are hard to reconcile with modern values. That could be true, however Superman didn't appeal to me because he stood up for the American Way. It was more to do with the fact that he was an alien who had to make do with existence in a society of humans.

Why does this appeal to me you ask? Well, I have Asperger Syndrome you see. This does not make me "retarded", as you might think. I have the High Functioning spectrum of it. Now the thing with Asperger's is that those who have it often feel like they belong on a different planet. I have often contemplated if I am in fact not Human at all, and considering Humanity is bringing the world down the sinkhole, this is an attractive concept. But I cannot just sit around and let Humanity destroy itself. Oh no-siree. I decided to do something with my abilities, my writing abilities that is, to help people see things in society that were just plain wrong. Like Superman, I didn't believe in just letting the world burn and playing the fiddle like Nero while it was happening.

Superman, rather than becoming a maladjusted alien entity from beyond the stars, decides to use his powers to make a difference. However, he hides his Alien identity to become accepted by society. Often I have to hide the fact I have Asperger's to avoid being targeted by bullies who think I may be "retarded". Round about this point, you should be able to see why Superman appeals to me as a character.

Many of the most developed characters in my books are outcasts or non-Humans who have to show the majority in society the errors of their ways to save the world from being consumed in hatred. This is because I do not necessarily identify with mainstream Humanity. But that doesn't mean I hate Humans. I wish to help them. I don't have the ability to fly or use heat vision, but I use what I was given to make the best of this existence.

And Superman is a symbol for an outsider in society who uses his abilities he was given to better contribute to society. There is a reason why God did not give everybody heat vision and Super-powers. Because not everybody would use these powers for good purposes. It has been said that Superman is "the ultimate immigrant". This is also true. Superman had to earn the trust of society by doing good and working hard, like any migrant to a prosperous country.

In closing, although there may not seem many reasons for people to like Superman's character, if you look hard enough, there really are.

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Friday, June 8, 2007

The Art Life Blog makes the News

http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/badboy-blogger-now-auntys-favourite/2007/06/07/1181089238764.html

Clearly I should be checking out this blog. The article above should give you everything you need to know about it, leaving more typing room for My Perspective.

As coverage of the Arts decreases even in the high hat "Broadsheet" newspapers, it is understandable why a blog like this is needed. Also, the conservativeness of traditional media means that less conventional exhibitions do not get covered in such Arts sections.

With a blog like this, which is a newer medium, it is quite accessable to youth who are interested in the Visual Arts. Experienced, and veteran blogs who have survived their debut into the World Wide Web become popular as more people start looking at it, much like how more people are showing their support to this blog.

Really, if we embrace new formats and mediums of information, using them for good instead of turning the technology to the pits of Myspace Tartarus in regard to substance, we can really do something with it that will benefit everybody.

That's my view,

Sincerely, Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

There have been big storms everywhere in Sydney!

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/weather-toll-increases/2007/06/09/1181089369813.html

This is terrible.

My home city of Sydney is being whalloped by Mother Nature, although it hasn't affected my suburb too much.

The rain has been really good for the farmers, but terrible for everybody else. The Hunter Valley has been labeled a "natural disaster zone" as I've heard. And my brother cannot do his filming for his HSC project because of the rain, which means that he has even less time to get it done.

I will keep you posted on the rain, and further information may be put up on this blog as it develops, if it develops at all.

Sincerely,

Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

Has "The Chaser" Gone Too Far?

"The Chaser's War on Everything" is a program many Australians such as myself enjoy each week, however some are saying it has gone "too far". A current affairs program such as "A Current Affair" labeled it as such, citing the Sophia Loren "Ten Questions" segment as an example, following with the "Pool Party" segment taken from the same episode to "prove their point".

Personally I think that Sophia Loren would be smart enough to rebutt the Chaser's questions with cutting witty remarks, being the stylish film icon she is, and that The Chaser team are being targeted by the Current Affairs programs in order to convince people not to watch them, mainly because The Chaser's effect on Australia has been to cynically look at Current Affairs programs. These producers of Current Affairs programs could concievably be running scared, and may be resorting to tactics of convincing people to take the show off the air.

See The Chaser on this link and decide for yourself. Yes, in some stunts they may have gone too far, but the majority of their body of work is historically, intellectually, and culturally significant to Australian Television.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/chaser/war/vodcast/

This allows you to download the programs for personal use. Any unsanctioned use of these downloads as defined by the terms and conditions are not the responsibility of the blogger of this Blog.

This is the link for the homepage of "War on Everything":

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/chaser/war/default.htm

And this is The Chaser's satirical news link:

http://www.chaser.com.au/

Enjoy,

Jacob Martin, TeenAuthor.

School Theatre Review: "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

The Saint Andrew's Cathedral School's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, a Shakespeare play which is one of the Bard's comedies, was a fine production indeed.

Some people may say I am uncultured, but I too have caught the Theatre Bug, having fended off a bout of Saturday Night Fever (the Disco Disease with embarassing weekly symptoms of dancing the night away, busting a move, etc) for some weeks now. And let me tell you, the Theatre Bug has made a nest colony in my school. There are actors and actresses who are Drama Students everywhere you look.

This production of "Midsummer" was a particularly original one because instead of being set in Greece, it was reimagined in India, as a Bollywood inspired production which changed none of the Bard's language and dialogue. The result was hysterical.

Where else could you find such quality, cheap entertainment, but in the stage of a school Auditorium? Where else could you discover such obscure acting talent as Harry Milas playing the role of Bottom and Max Wilke playing Theseus? Nowhere else but one's school Drama department. I urge you to see more amateur theatre done by School Students. You won't regret it.

The mix of Bollywood with Shakespeare wasn't horrible as you might expect. It was a wonderful take on the play, true to the original source, and it is actually conceivable that such a play could work when relocated in setting to India. It was set in Colonial India with Theseus and Hippolyta as British Lords and Ladies of the Crown. This play has more love triangles than Jerry Springer. It really does. But the plot has a lot more substance than Jerry, even "Jerry Springer the Opera" pales in comparison to Midsummer as the Bard could write a play that entertained and had substance. Also, one must truly see this play performed to fully appreciate the genius of this work of theatrical art.

Recommended is the Graphic Novel Story "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as written by Neil Gaiman for the "The Sandman" series. Read this after you have read and watched the play. You will love it even more having done so. Neil Gaiman's take on the play must be read and viewed on the page to compliment the Bard's achievement, as it is funny and it makes you think about the Faeries differently.

I give the St. Andrew's Cathedral School Drama Department Production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare" Ten "Donkey Heads" out of Ten. If I used the old system of reviewing I usually use, I would give it Five out of Five, but truly, this production deserves Double Digit Decimals for its triumph.