Cinema

Gadfly 138 By Robert Macklin Just when we thought we could relax and enjoy the comfort of a government that reflected the real Australian values of truth- telling, human empathy and decency, suddenly the world around us is turning ever more toxic. On one hand, a neurotic Vladimir Putin is laying waste to the breadbasket of Ukraine for reasons known only to himself. Much of the West is resisting by supplying the Ukrainians with guns but not troops because if so, Putin says he’ll go nuclear. Meantime, as the war drags on and Russia tires of the casualties, he might well go nuclear anyway. On the other side is a United States with a population utterly divided, a tottering President and a system of governance at war with itself. Waiting in the wings is a narcissus in Donald Trump who knows no reality but his own twisted reflection. Add a viral pandemic that changes its profile quicker than our scientists can contain it; and climate change in the process of making the world unlivable. And if that were not nightmare enough, China’s Pretend Emperor Xi Jinping has decided his dynastic legacy will be the reunification of Taiwan Province. But instead of making life under his government so desirable they’re falling over themselves to rejoin, he’s threatening to do it at the point of a very big gun. Once again, the nuclear button is only an arm’s length from some crackpot on either side of the conflict awaiting. So, what does this say about homo sapiens at this crucial stage of our evolution? Oddly enough, late last night, unable to sleep, I stumbled on a passage in an unlikely book that might very well be prescient. But I must warn you that it’s not good news. It comes from John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids written, some 67 years ago. It's set in a world long after a great nuclear war when the relatively few survivors, living in isolated groups, are beset by genetic chaos. In one, the religious leaders seek to kill anyone who doesn’t conform to their view of what God intended humankind to look like. But one tiny group within has been born with telepathic power to converse with each other in ‘thought shapes’. Naturally they hide their difference for fear of deadly reprisal until one day they’re reached by the leader of a whole telepathic community (from New Zealand!) who relish the new power. Here’s what she tells them: ‘We can make a better world than the Old People. They were only ingenious half-humans, little better than savages; all living shut off from one another…by different languages, and different beliefs. Emotions they could sometimes share, but they could not think collectively. They had no means of consensus. ‘They learned to cooperate constructively in small units but only destructively in large units. They aspired greedily and then refused to face the vast problems they had created but buried their heads in the sands of idle faith. They could, at their best, be near-sublime animals but not more. ‘If they had not brought down Tribulation [nuclear war] which all but destroyed them, they would have bred with the carelessness of animals until they had reduced themselves to poverty and misery, and ultimately to starvation and barbarism. One way or another they were foredoomed because they were an inadequate species.’ The rest of the night I spent staring into the darkness. robert@robertmacklin.com

Reading—A beer with Baz Bazza and his mates of a shared vintage clutched schooners and hovered over Bella who was seated in front of the four mobile phones lined up for surgery. She picked up the first phone and shook her head. “Now, Mario…… why have you wri en your name, phone number and pin on the back of your phone?” “Well, Bella….. in case I lose it, people can ring me….. and I always forget the pin.” Bella momentarily closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair. She sought details from Mario and with lightning fingers scrolled through the phone. She removed the handwri en note s cky taped to the back of the phone. Mario’s eyes widened as she explained the Find My iPhone App and fingerprint access. Bella cut short Bill’s mansplana on and various examples of predic ve text problems from his phone and provided him with an instant lesson, as the conversa on moved to interest rates. As per usual, Know All Ron held court. “In my day, you were paying upwards of fi een percent interest rates to buy a house. It was bloody tough back then…. I mean really tough. These days they are whinging about paying two or three percent. I remember……” Bella removed her earbuds and eyeballed Know All Ron. “You remember do you, Ron? When you bought a house it cost under three and a half mes the average annual income. It now costs more than ten mes the average annual income. It means I have to work seven years longer to buy the same house…….and guess what? My extra seven years of income is ending up in your pocket.” Know All Ron puffed his chest, adjusted his glasses and mo oned to speak. “And another thing, Ron…….. whilst those seven years of income are ending up in pockets such as yours, I am s ll paying off a HECS debt, years a er I finished studying. Ah….. you must remember how tough it was when university was free, Ron.” Know All Ron straightened his back. “There is nothing wrong with a bit of hard work, Bella…..” “There is nothing wrong with a bit of fairness in taxa on either, Ron. From nega ve gearing through to superannua on it’s weighted in your genera on’s favour and no doubt we will pick up the shor all in baby boomer care as you age……. All fine, Ron….. but give me a break about how tough it used to be.” There was silence as Bella picked up the next phone, screwed up her face and dropped it on the table. “Bloody hell, Bazza…… you need a new phone……this one has an aerial.” Mick stepped forward and handed his phone to Bella. “I’m a bit ahead of the rest of these blokes, Bella. I just need some help accessing this Bluetooth thing.” Bella gri ed her teeth. “No worries, Mick, go to se ngs….. press this one here……. there you go….. look up at the pub screen and the lot of you should listen carefully to this Lily Allen song, Guess Who Batman.

MR. Fred Ladmore, the popular baker of Bateman’s Bay, and one who is noted for using his side car as an ambulance in conveying the sick or wounded to the doctors here, has for some weeks been suffering pain and inconvenience through severely jarring his hand. DURING April 37,736 gallons of milk equaling 36,371 standard gallons were delivered at the Moruya Factory. During May 2,248 loaf and 58 large cheese, weighing 34,354 lbs were shipped to Sydney. The amount paid to suppliers at the rate of 10d per standard gallon was £1598 15s 10d. THE Progress Associa on’s sub-commi ee, Revs. G. A. Sanders, Fulton and Messrs. C. Johnson and G. Mitchell, met on Monday and inspected the sites for tree plan ng. It was decided to call tenders for the removal and re-erec on of 17 guards, and to plant three trees in front of the Hotel Adelaide, two on opposite side of road, con nue the plan ng of pepper trees on the Mullenderree side of river bank and also on the old showground road, and to replace the dead trees along the “boulevard.” THE Sunbeam Aeroplane which le Moruya last Saturday a ernoon, flew to Bega in 40 minutes. Pilot Chapman says he may return to Moruya a few weeks hence. MR. Dave Mison met with a painful accident on Thursday at Ninderra. When turning around quickly to speak to a mate he tripped on a rock, and his cart, laden with wood, passed over his feet, breaking one and tearing the boot off the other. Dave is to be sympathized with in his misfortune, as he has had more than his share lately through severe and prolonged illness amongst his children. BODALLA. (From our Correspondent) – Despite the very unfavorable night on June 16th, the hall was crowded to its utmost capacity to do honor to Mr. W. Vagg, who was entertained by the Bodalla company at a social evening. Mr. Vagg has been in the employ of the Mort family for 52 years.

Dancing started at 8 o’clock and at 10 a break was made and Bill (as Mr. Vagg is familiarly called) was invited to the pla orm. Mr. Crace then on behalf of the Bodalla Company presented Mr. Vagg with a cheque for £100 and expressed the wish that he would long con nue to live on at Bodalla. Eulogis c speeches were also given by Rev. Lewin and Mr. P. McGrath. Mr. Vagg … sang (by special request) “Teaching McFadyen to Waltz” and pleased the company by giving a step dance.

The func on was in charge of Messrs. F. Brice, J. Brown and R. Nixon and reflects great credit on those gentlemen as organisers. Above: an image of the workers inspec ng the new car at the Bodalla estate.