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We are encouraged to rely more and more on government officials to do for us what we could equally well do for ourselves—and, maybe more importantly, not to do what might help us solve our own problems.
Sep 08 2024
10 mins
If we imagine a metric called the Pinocchio Scale, which measures the number of lies told by a politician as a percentage of his or her overall public statements, our current prime minister (for want of a better description), Airbus Albo, has moved well into uncharted territory.
Sep 06 2024
5 mins
The Hustler
The Hustler
Manny’s Pool Hall Cleveland 1962
Kirk had the driver’s license the four of us
high school boys owned brass-jointed cues
to break in half and fold into a leather pouch
carry-strap young gunslingers
emulating Fast Eddie and Minnesota Fats
from Walter Tevis’ book and film
although I was never completely convinced
about comedian Jackie Gleason as Fats (until much later)
always seeing Ralph Kramden, his one of these days, Alice . . .
to the MOON! from The Honeymooners
what really scared me was Paul Newman
thumbs broken in the cheap toilet stall
Kirk was my age and the first authentic hustler
I ever knew he was gifted
when any of us played for fun
he always lost praising our skill
dismissing his own month after month
when Kirk played for money against strangers or us
he invariably won apologizing for his luck
returning to casual free play
his losing streak returned
the sincerity with which Kirk convinced me
putting his arm around my…
Madam: Archbishop Fisher (July-August 2024) does not resist the attacks on his church by the political, social or scientific atheists and those who insist on not being told what to do.
Aug 29 2024
6 mins
To claim Aborigines have the world's oldest continuous culture is to misunderstand the meaning of culture, which continuously changes over time and location. For a culture not to change over time would be a reproach and certainly not a cause for celebration, for it would indicate that there had been no capacity to adapt. Clearly this has not been the case
Aug 20 2024
23 mins
A friend and longtime supporter of Quadrant, Clive James sent us a poem in 2010, which we published in our December issue. Like the Taronga Park Aquarium he recalls in its 'mocked-up sandstone cave' it's not to be forgotten
Aug 16 2024
2 mins
