...that's just 'un-Australian'.

I don't drink VB, I don't have a Southern Cross tattoo, I don't fly my football team's scarf out of the car window when they win a game, I don't eat Four 'n' Twenty pies, I don't get inebriated on Australia Day, words like 'G'day', 'mate', 'beaut' and 'chunder' do not feature in my day-to-day vocabulary, my friends aren't nicknamed 'Shezza', 'Kezza' 'Bazza' and 'Dazza', I don't wear thongs (flip flops) in Winter, and have never watched anything from Bay 13.

Now don't get the wrong idea, like many of you who do (or have at least done) some of those things; I still classify myself a 'Proud Aussie'. The only difference is, I believe that National Pride should mean more than just possessing a few superficial personality traits, which have apparently become the guidelines by which we seemingly define our patriotism.

Pardon me in advance for being a bit of a 'wowser', but either I was born with a genetic defect that only a minority of people my age are blessed enough to have, or Generation 'We-are-apathetic-and-drink-too-many-beers-to-care' (more commonly known as Generation Y), are more 'un-Australian' than they would like believe.

You see, to me, being a 'true blue' Aussie, is about taking pride in everything to do with Australia; in particular the things which make it such a strong player in the global market, and have earned it the well deserved reputaion of being 'the Lucky Country'. It isn't about paying attention only when an issue is likely to impact on everyday life, or having sudden outbursts of pride when the culture you have become accustomed to living by is threatened.

ItSHOULD mean taking a vested interest in the political and economic state of this magnificent country, rather than owning a V8 Holden Commodore Ute and winging about the price of petrol to fill it.
It SHOULD mean keeping up to date with the current affairs that affect everyone's lives on a daily basis, rather than having a few 'tinnies' at the pub on a Frid'y arvo while watching the footy and deliberating over whether or not Lara Bingle and Michael Clarke should 'call it quits'.
It SHOULD mean caring enough to spend ten minutes reading the paper before an election so you can make an informed decision about who you would like to see running the state / country, rather than bitching about 2am lockouts, P-Plate laws, taxes on 'Alco-pops', or the abolition of the First Home Buyers grant, when the government you didn't take the time to vote in passes a law that DIRECTLY affects your life.
It SHOULD mean getting angry over the $1000 handouts given to the deceased, those living overseas and people in jail, and holding the Government accountable, rather than boycotting a particular local pub over inflated beer prices.
It SHOULD mean forming opinions and making decisions on the things that DON'T just effect your everyday life, by having a general awareness and knowledge of what is (and may potentially be) important to it, rather than blindly following the distorted information presented to you by the media.
It SHOULD mean having more respect for the Prime Minister than the Australian Cricket Captain, and above everything, it SHOULD mean thinking about 'why' this is the lucky country, rather than just taking it for granted as being so, because if people don't start, frankly, to give a damn, we'll soon be moving in a direction that I am honestly afraid to be a part of, because I am well aware of where it is heading. Down.

Clearly, the things that I believe 'should' define a truly proud Aussie, are not what do, and the qualities that I admire in those who are brave enough to stand up for it, are not the same ones which many of the spoiled-alcoholic-angry-mob aspire to have... When did bragging about how big a hangover you had after Saturday night become a more desirable trait than knowing which portfolio Liberal Party politician Scott Morrison looks after? When did joining a Facebook group stating 'I Love Australia!' excuse having absolutely no knowledge of the political parties that run it? When did a 'Donkey Vote' become common practice among those too lazy to get a clue, and too naive to exercise the fundamental right people in some countries are still fighting to have? When did ignorance and arrogance become more socially acceptable than being humble and well educated? And lastly, how is it that in this era of ever increasing advances in technology, media and communication, where information is literally available at your fingertips, we are more disinterested than ever before, in utilising our resources to access it or making ourselves available to absorbing it?

The more I think about it, the more baffled I am, the more frustrated I get, the more I fear the future, because I believe that if we continue to move forward with this apathetic attitude towards how the country is run, it surely won't be much of one.


Not caring enough about Australia to be passionate about the things that actually affect it and make it the amazing place that it is today?




Now that's just 'un-Australian'.

Junction Playlist 21/04/2010

Don't Play Dice With The Devil - Frankie Wants Out
Americano - Brian Setzer Orchestra
You Stepped Out Of A Dream - Peter Cincotti
The Most Beautiful Girl - Harry Connick Jr
My Baby Wants A Diamond Ring - Squirrel Nut Zippers
You Took Advantage of Me - Carmen McRae
We Used To Vacation - Cold War Kids
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - the Smiths
Who Do You Thing You Are - Brett Dennen
She Great Optimist - Paul Dempsey
Paradise (live) - Bodeans
It's Only Rock & Roll (But I Like It) - the Rolling Stones
Soul Power - James Brown
I Got A Woman - Ray Charles
2000 Volts - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Shake Your Lovemaker - Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Thinking About You - Norah Jones
Is You Is Or Is You Aint My Baby - Diana Krall
Kamera - Wilco
Wayfaring Sons - Colin Hay
All Night Long - Lucky Seven
Everyday - Sausalito Foxtrot
Beating The Universe - Charles Baby
Bright Side Of The Road - Van Morrison
Distant Dreamer - Duffy

Acoustic Companion (Filling in for Ron King) - 18/04/2010

Dink You - the Little Stevies
You Got Growing Up To Do - Joshua Radin & Patty Griffin
All I Know - Lisa Mitchell
Banjo & Violin - the Audreys
How To Tame Lions - Washington
Every Step - Charlie Winston
On A Day - Jesse Harris
Out The Airlock - Paul Dempsey
Real Man Hiding - Georgia Fair
Elusive - Scott Matthews
Saltbreakers - Laura Veirs
Day Dreamer - Donavon Frankenreiter
The Basic Rules - Lucie Thorne
Big Jet Plane - Angus & Julia Stone
First We Take Manhattan - Johhno Zilber
The Captain & The Hourglass - Laura Marling
Back To Where I Was - Eric Hutchinson
Belle / Banana Pancakes (live) - Jack Johnson
Lies - The Waifs
The Party Punch - Oh No! Oh My!
Panic - Charles Baby
Bird On A Wire - Sarah Blasko
Us - Regina Spector
Wide Open Road - Carus
Autumn Flow (live) - Lior

Junction Playlist 14/04/2010

High Rollers Get Low - Frankie Wants Out
Amor - Ben E. King
Wonderful World - James Morrison
Wrong About Me - Brett Dennen
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa - Vampire Weekend
Free Until The Let Me Down - Iron & Wine
Shout Out Loud - Amos Lee
Supertheory of Supereverything - Gogol Bordello
Pencil Full of Lead - Paolo Nutini
No Particular Place To Go - Chuck Berry
You Don't Scare Me - Josh Pyke
Ramona Was a Waitress - Paul Dempsey
As Lovers Go - Dashboard Confessional
Disengage - The Honourary Title
Small Town Girl - Andy Bull
You Got the Love - Joss Stone
Sex Without Love - Ben Lee
Where I Belong - Sia
Don't Change A Thing - Aaron Roberts
Crazy Little Thing Called Love (live) - Michael Buble
Caledonia - Lucky Seven
I'll Forget You - Lior & Sia
Looking For Jack - Colin Hay
Lovely - TinPan Orange
Big Jumps - Emiliana Torrini
Promises Like Pie Crust - Carla Bruni
Move - Miles Davis (Junction Outro)

Food For Thought

"My future is righteousness" - Bob Marley

Album Of The Month (April)

Everything Is True - Paul Dempsey
For more information on Melbourne's own Indie / Folk Rocker, Paul Dempsey; visit www.pauldempseymusic. or check out www.myspace.com/pauldempseysolo.

Junction Playlist 07/04/2010

There's More That One Way (To Skin a Jazz Cat) - Frankie Wants Out
I'm in the Mood for Love - Jamiroquai
Without You - The Waifs
That's Too Bad - Donavon Frankenreiter
Food Chain - Eric Hutchinson
Theme From Nice Guy - Paul Dempsey
In The Waiting Line - Zero Seven
Folding Chair - Regina Spector
Aint No Reason - Brett Dennen
We Won't Run - Sarah Blasko
Steal My Kisses - Ben Harper
Brand New Day - Joshua Radin
Gravity - John Mayer
The Way You Look Tonight - Maroon 5
Dancing Up The Walls - Martin Martini & The Bone Palace Orchestra
Free Me - Joss Stone
Mowgli's Road - Marina and Her Diamonds
Walk In The Park - Oh No! Oh My!
Come On Get Higher - Matt Nathanson
You Are The Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne
Real Man Hiding - Georgia Fair
Alligator - Tegan and Sarah
Time and Heat - ALO
Maggie - Colin Hay
No Doubling Back (live) - Jason Mraz
Maybe - Ingrid Michaelson

Food For Thought

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renenwed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.” - J.R.R Tolkien.

Junction Playlist 31/03/2010

Tuxedo Junction - Manhattan Transfer
Joey - Lucky Seven
Little Green Bag - George Baker Selection
The Cactus That Found The Groove - Missy Higgins
Things She Does To Me - Lucky Seven
We Get Along - Kate Nash
December - Georgia Fair
Miss Johnston - Bluejuice
No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley
Knife's Edge - Leena
Dog Days Are Over - Florence and The Machine
Little Adam - Kate Miller-Heidke
Neon - John Mayer (live acoustic)
Mr. Rock and Roll - Amy McDonald
Crevelli Street - Frankie Wants Out
I've Got The World On A String - Michael Buble
Pencil Full Of Lead - Paolo Nutini
I Believe It In My Soul - Joss Stone
Swwet Thing - Van Morrison
Heartstopper - Emiliana Torrini
Morning Bird - Ryan Meeking and The Few
Passing Stranger - Scott Matthews
Pot Kettle Black - Wilco