For those of you, who like the Bannerman, just can’t resist ye olde black-and-white movie historica, tune to ABC television tonight at 23:30 hours for the 1933 version of King Kong. Yes indeed…..Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot and Sam Hardy.

I’m not sure whether this is 4:30am Christmas morning in front of Mum and Dad’s old Westinghouse black-and-white or not……..

Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes is to undergo open heart surgery next month.

ABC News .

Bannerman wishes him all the very best. The Progenitor underwent the very same op in 2004, from which he never recovered. Still, thirty years can make a hell of a difference, despite a lifetime of booze, drugs and beating your body senseless. Bear up, Jimmy!

From the former DIMIA, especially for the Sheik Taj el-Din Al Hilali. Here ya go, Sheik! Rub our convict noses in your 100% Australianism. Of course, any other pretender only has to get 75%, but seeing as you're such an all over Aussie, you'll need to get 100%. Off ya go!

Your average Aussie wouldn’t know who Elena Kats-Chernin is. Bannerman does, because your Bannerman listens avidly to ABC Radio National’s Late Night Live. Phillip Adams’ chosen theme music for that program, which he rather ingloriously names "Waltz of the Wombats", is written by Ms Kats-Chernin. She called the tune, Russian Rag.

She has been chosen to compose an ode to the Sydney Harbour Bridge in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the bridge’s construction and opening. Her composition, entitled Our Bridge Overture, was played for the first time today by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The little which was played on tonights news sounds enticing. Bannerman eagerly awaits the obtaining of a release of the composition.

Bannerman and his lady today decided to kick back in Gold Class. The film? Casino Royale.

A television alert from the Bannerman. Tonight is certainly David Hicks night on SBS. ’Insight’ at 7:30pm has Phillip Ruddock and Terry Hicks together in the same audience discussing the issue of David Hicks. Then at 10:00pm, SBS is replaying the documentary, ’The President versus David Hicks’.

To cap the television media pressure, we hear now that ’Dubya’ rang L.J.Howler at dawn, no less, today. He wanted to discuss North Korea. Little Johnny hit him up over David Hicks. Bannerman can imagine the tenor of the conversation, with ’Dubya’ wanting to talk top level stuff and L.J. whining about 2007 being an election year and he’s feeling the heat, George. Can’t you do something?

It’s tough at the top. Bannerman hopes it gets a hell of a lot hotter and tougher and in short order.

Bannerman is in mourning today, suffering the reminders of mortality that the ageing process delivers from time to time. The catalyst for this day of mourning and wallowing in the memories of times past is, of course, the passing of Australian rock pioneer and legend, Billy Thorpe.

BB picks OCD contestant | NEWS.com.au
Yes, reader......it's that time of year again...

BBC, Geldof to catalogue all human existence

Geldof, the former frontman for rock group the Boomtown Rats, says he was first inspired to act after hearing about disappearing languages in Africa 20 years ago.

Apparently this guy is denying these guys their due recognition from their career industry. No reasons given for this denial, but Bannerman supposes that when you own the theatre of recognition involved, you can pretty much let in and keep out whoever you like. Regardless of petty banalities or simple personal dislikes.

As Ned Kelly said.....'such is life'

Went to see what all the fuss with the final instalment of the Marvel comics Spiderman franchise is all about. Actually, went to see the flick because David Stratton loved it and Margaret Pomerance hated it. Personally, I can’t see all that David saw, and as for hating the extreme excesses of CGI, which was Margaret’s beef, all I can say is if you’re going to make a successful film about a Marvel super hero, then CGI is obligatory. Suck it up, Margaret!

As for the movie itself, yes, it’s about forty minutes too long, the story does tend to lose it’s way and - seriously - do we really need to have three nasties, a romance triangle AND the fight between good and evil all in the one flick?

Look, don’t get me wrong. This is a fun movie just brimming with terrific special effects, but two hours thirty minutes of CGI and seemingly randomised plot lines tends to leave one a little tired, confused and just a tad jaundiced. It could have been done better, cleaner and far more succinctly, for my money. Tobey Maguire still isn’t the Spiderman from my youth and Kirsten Dunst is missing more than a reasonable cleavage as Mary Jane Watson.

I think the bell tolled for Spidey in my mind when during a particularly dramatic entry by the web-head, he just happened to land in that posed Spiderman crouch smack-bang in front of a gracefully waving Old Glory. Up to that point, I could have forgiven the movie it’s length and it’s irrelevance in storylines, but when what’s meant to be an (almost)anonymously fun experience suddenly becomes a political statement - however tongue in cheek it may have been intended - I tend to switch off completely.

My rating for the third, last and sadly worst of the franchise is a flat five out of ten points, and that only for the essence of escapism it still retained and the magic of Computer Generated Imagery.

The bags under ’Dolly’s’ eyes speak volumes about the difficult times the Howardians find themselves in of late. Doubtless, he’ll be glad to have the Hicks issue off his plate. I dare say the plane might even be in-country by the weekend.

Do you know where your towel is? Better get it together in time for next Friday. Celebrate the life and wit of Douglas Adams by ensuring you take your towel with you, Friday 25th May, 2007.

"....It's about living with yourself forever."
Profound words and fittingly woven into the theme of "Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End". How was it? Well, non-stop action, real piratey themes, Geoffrey Rush and Johnny Depp playing their parts to the absolute hilt and neither treading on the other's thespian toes. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightly? Bit players woven into the yarn for substance, but not seriously outstanding.

The whole of the plot was easy enough to follow, but the inclusion of at least two sub-plots tended to distract a little. That aside, I though this flick a rollicking good tale with action a-plenty, tongue-in-cheek humour and even the odd poignant moment, strangely enough. I laughed out loud several times, so the movie must have achieved what it set out to do from the comedic perspective.

If you're a fan of this series, I'd highly recommend seeing this one, even if just to complete the series. It's maybe not quite as good as the first two - 'Curse of the Black Pearl' and 'Dead Man's Chest' - but it does round out the tale and effectively bring the series to an end. At least I think it's found an end. Who knows? Oh, and keep an eye out for the Rolling Stone's Keith Richards.

I realise this snippet of news will be treated by some as "suitable only for particularly credulous, uncritical pubescent boy computer gamers" but seeing as there are a legion of fans for the BBC sixties sci-fi hero re-born, I thought I’d post it regardless.

Insiders - ABC

I don’t know about anyone else out in blogland, but I’m growing rather bored with Insiders.

"Gone are the days of subtle satire and spot on spoofing of pop culture and we are left with crude jokes, sledge hammer political commentary and a very silly story."

There's bugger all on free-to-air tele at the moment.....in fact, anytime really, but I reckon this edition of Enough Rope should be an absolute corker. It'll be both funny and poignant, probably akin to watching a skilled surgeon dissect a baked pig. Fun for all the family.

A very nice piece of hypocritical Bolt on this mornings Insiders to start off a week's public affairs.

Andrew feigns shock and awe at the new Network Ten mock-umentary, Californication. My advice, Andrew? Review the various broadcast control legislations across the country, State and Federal, before libelling industry administrators for following that legislation. Secondly, get a fucking life, and probably most important of all, pull your head out of your arse and try talking to real people to assess real opinions before shouting up your colon and wasting your employers column space.

Oh, and do try not to show off your innate bigotry. I know it's difficult, but at least give it a try.

UPDATE: Public opinion makes a mockery of Bolt's feigned prudishness.

I love The Chaser, not so much for their willingness to push boundaries, but for their approach to satire as an art form. They really do have a unique capacity to bring out the best and sometimes the worst in Australian society.

The nutty bunch of scientific debunkers are again on our television screens, Mondays, SBS at 7:30pm. We're only nine months behind the US with this series, which begins with episode 72.

If you're unfortunate enough to drive your vehicle into the drink, is it possible to escape or will a watery grave be your fate? Heading poolside, the guys get their feet wet by doing some intensive underwater training. Then the pressure is on as they seat themselves inside a submerged car and do their darndest to get out. Meanwhile Grant, Tory and Kari roll out the Seven Paper Fold myth. Is it possible to fold a piece of paper in half more than seven times? Taking this myth to the outer limits, our crew sets up at a location that has plenty of space — NASA. Here, in the biggest build they have ever attempted, their mission is to put together a piece of paper that's the size of a football field.

If you've never seen Mythbusters, then it's time you did. SBS has the best shows. You only need to get past the 'eeewwww! It's not really Australian' hangup.

For someone like me, who's never seen this group perform live, it's almost worth the cost of a holiday to the UK. Well, alright......it's a pretty big 'almost', but seriously, for a child of the late fifties and fervent believer in the real music which the sixties and seventies spawned, what an experience it would be to sit through two hours of Page, Plant, Jones and Bonham(jnr). Imagine, just for a moment, being able to relive the thrill which filled the soul to Gallow's Pole, Battle of Evermore, Kashmir, Dazed and Confused, or the iconic Stairway to Heaven and the myriad of other famous and fabulous tunes from the greatest metal quartet to have ever recorded.

Would it be the same as it was? I reckon the experience, the sound and the maturity which time brings would make the occasion better than any recorded or previous live performance. If there was ever any doubt, I'd urge a listen to "Coverdale Page", "No Quarter", or the soundtrack of "Scream for Help". No doubts in this believers mind.

I'm sitting at home after another day playing financial go-between, and idly re-scanning the news sites. One I touch on rarely is the DT, and doing so this evening, I happened upon what must be the last of the really staunch Howardian apologists, Piers Akerman.

Does this man ever write a piece from a serious, even slightly objective viewpoint?

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd yesterday again asked Howard whether he would commit to remaining in office for a full term after the election. That question indicates Rudd’s presumption that Howard will beat Labor’s glamour candidate Maxine McKew in Bennelong and ignores the extraordinary flights of Labor premiers from office around Australia well short of the expiration of their terms. Perhaps there should be an inquiry into the “premiers overboard” scandal.

Thanks to Nicholas Gruen for chewing away a goodly portion of my evening yesterday. I'm a sucker for these on-line pretend money-making, gambling gigs. I just couldn't resist a gander and wound up creating my own predictive market for the upcoming Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000. Do me a favour and have a punt on who you think, of the 31 entrants, will take out the event.

Phillip Adams replies to Media Watch in today's Australian.

If you didn't see The Chaser last night , you missed a real hoot.

Why can't we have a real leader? Make it so!

Clearly not. It seems that a movie about a wanna-be pop star, acted by a wanna-be (in my view anyway!) pop star and a whole collection of other non-actors has been voted 'Greatest Movie Soundtrack!

Bizarre? And then some! The flick only had two professional actors in the entire cast, and is critiqued as the worst acted film of all time. Equally bizarre, but revealing at the same time, is the vote for second spot going to The Beatles' 1964 movie effort, 'A Hard days Night'. Just goes to prove that sixties music will always have what it takes, despite gaudy costumes, synthesizers, funny hair & make-up holding sway with the arty-farty set.

When I first viewed this story I would have been classified as Left-Brain oriented. However, averting the gaze and clearing the mind enables me to change the direction of spin, virtually at will. It's an interesting concept, but I fail to see just what the real point is.

Oh, just by the by.....if the image is viewed in a graphic animation package, the spin is definitely anti-clockwise. I think.

You know you're growing old when the musical stars you heard on your parents radiogram growing up die off. Robert Goulet, dead at 73.

Here's a damn good chuckle to start off the day. I've worked in collections and understand the angst which often arises between the debtor and the creditor, however, I've never stooped to this kind of assault.

As my Dad used to say all the time....takes all kinds to make a world.

A German general said of the British army during the First World War, "I have never seen so many lions led by so many lambs".

I'm just a little speechless at this revelation, but what can a man say about a woman who is clearly proud of what she has?

Bill Shatner is a little miffed.

There's little else to say about the death of actor, Heath Ledger. Platitudes are flying around about his being a wonderful actor and terrific human being, but in the final washup, for me it's the abrupt end to a young life with so much potential for the person living it which I find so shocking.

Twenty-eight years of age is so very young to be suffering sleeplessness, stress or anxiety from any cause. Perhaps he was working too hard, or submerged himself too deeply in the recently-played 'Joker' character for the latest Batman film? Perhaps he was suffering from the breakup of his familial relationship? We may never find out, however it's yet another example of how stress can impact on our lives. The important point to remember is that while it's all well & good for people to offer the usual platitudes about not stressing over what you can't control, the human mind is far more complicated than simple platitudes can accommodate. Only we can know ourselves. It's important that we do. Too many of us don't, don't know how to find out, or fear what they might find out about.

As the classic say, 'There's nothing to fear, except fear itself'

Having already declared myself to be a complete artistic philistine, I thought to further reveal my complete lack of appreciation by nominating my selections from the Archibald Prize entrants.

...aaaawwwww....isn't that nice?

Being the totally crass philistine that I am, I must say that Rove's tastes have improved somewhat over his last squeeze.

Seriously though.....does anyone really care a fig what people in celebrity land do, and who they do it with? Am I the only one, apart from Australia's MSM, who thinks Rove/Tassie (what an unfortunate nick. I bet she copped heaps) is worthy of anything other than a blog post?

Arguably the screen world's greatest ever character actor, has died. A mountain of a man in screen terms, Charlton Heston will always be, to me, Judah Ben Hur.

He'll be remembered for many roles. Many great and powerful dramatics. Moses, John the Baptist, Rodrigo Diaz, Michelagelo and General Charles Gordon. He'll be remembered for great lines and big portrayals, but sadly, he'll probably be remembered best for his proclamation regarding the right to bear firearms in the United States, as President of the National Rifle Association.

If you're a Battlestar Galactica Fan - and frankly, if you call yourself a Sci-Fi fan but you don't follow BSG, then baby, you ain't no Sci-Fi fan - like me you'll be overjoyed to know that Episode One of Season Four aired on SciFi_dot_com Friday last.

In a bid to stave off the Sunday arvo blues (don't kid me. Anyone with a nine-to-five they hate going to suffers the Sunday arvo blues), we trotted off to the flicks to see Deception

My mornings are strictly regimented affairs. I must rise by 6:15am, shower, shave, shit (no shampoo 'cos there's not enough hair left to bother with) - not necessarily in that order - eat some toast, drink a cuppa, fleetingly peruse the e-mail then saddle up for another day in the fun factory by 7:15am. Time is clearly at a premium, so catching up on the news isn't possible.

My favourite program on the box at the moment just has to be Top Gear.

I watched the ABC's latest foray into public affairs last week, Q & A, or as it's portrayed in it's website link, QANDA.

QANDA ...... I mentioned this program earlier in the week, principally to alert fellow bloggers to the fact that Tim Blair would be out in the light, and on national television. Well, I have to say, he certainly didn't disappoint. The quips, snide asides and oblique references like the  differences between science and scientists as an explanation for climate change, in general, I think sailed entirely over the heads of the studio audience, and most probably the viewing audience as well. I noticed several vacant spaces after tongue-in-cheek remarks and somehow I don't think Bill Shorten has much regard for him. It's pretty clear that Tim's sense of humour is something uniquely 'Tim'.

I have to say I was mildly impressed by Bill Shorten. Only mildly though. His political opposite, Greg Hunt, I found to be the evening's boofhead without any doubt. The man has no presence, no charisma and doesn't portray well on television. Every time he opened his gob, there was a foot hovering so very close. Angela Conway? Quite frankly I fail to understand why the ABC invited her onto the program. She was like vanilla icecream. Cold, soft, no flavour to speak of and easily finished with.

The standout for me was the person I thought would be a real goose. How wrong could I have been. She didn't have a lot to say, but every single time she opened her mouth, pearls dropped out. Well done, Elizabeth Ann Macgregor! You actually made a mediocre showing worth the time. Just goes to prove how wrong one can be in judging people by their professions. Although in Blairs case, I still regard such judgement as entirely accurate.

  We've all read the Dilbert cartoons in the papers. An American magazine recently ran a 'Dilbert Quotes' contest. They were looking for people to submit quotes from their real-life Dilbert type managers. These were voted the top ten quotes in corporate America: