Occasionally people ask me what the glamorous Lawton has been up to in NYC. He’s been a busy beaver. Pier’s End Productions – a film company he started with some colleagues – has just financed and produced its first film, titled “Wake”. It’s been 3 years in the making. Check out the web site. Stay tuned for details on how to see it…

© Kenyon Bajus 2001-2007 (from www.artistaday.com )

His web site here: http://kenyonb.com/

I love this piece.

Saturday consisted of cleaning the backyard for a BBQ, riding my new scooter down to the shops, cooking some meat, then going to the local civic centre to watch the traditional fireworks. They were also traditionally late. Whilst waiting in the service road across the way, we copped some passive smoke from a pregnant mother. Hubby was watching their two boys (who didn’t seem to too stunted). “Come here Jordan”, he yelled. I was reminded of this old, entertaining, despot’s quip about us being the “white trash of Asia”.

The wife and I did some volunteer work at the Big Day Out. On the drive to training on Sunday we got stuck next to a Falcon full of boofy blokes who’d had too much to drink. The Screaming Jets were blaring on the stereo. Any skirt on the footpath got a wolf-whistle. Bunches of drunk, boofy, Aussie blokes can scare somewhat.

I watched the Aussie Open Final and some cricket on a flat screen TV. I went shopping. Lots of Aussies there. We love shopping.

On Monday, the Big Day Out was full of suburban kids in shorts and T-shirts, the occasional mo-hawked punk, fat and sweaty goths, international travellers, and old-time rockers from way back.

There were blokes wearing the Australian flag as capes. I meant to ask them why they did it, but didn’t get the courage up. Other people had the flag as a temporary tattoo or on their clothes. The Aussie flag brigade was what you’d describe as a significant minority – noticeable but not exciting to anyone. I fall into the Leunig camp: “Many Australians regard their flag and song and national day, not so much with awe, but rather, a casual, bemused affection, in the way that we may regard an eccentric uncle or a peculiar spinster aunty. They are ours but they are not us.” Have a read…

I got into a verbal stoush with a “dreadlock”-ed couple in the Nandos’ queue. He’d pushed in earlier, and I’d tolerated. She’d joined him. In a moment of inexperience, they allowed me to jump them in the queue, which I did. She was none too happy. I pointed out that her partner had pushed in first. She disagreed. I pointed out that he was tall with dreadlocks, and therefore sort of noticeable. He ‘fessed, “Yeah I did”, and I flounced away victorious. And who thinks dreadlocks are sexy??? Rough and grotty, like old woollen pants! And dread’s are just so passé!

…and so we live, somewhere between our middle-class anxiety and our stubborn, private individualism, out there in the suburban expanses, not giving a toss.

He was released today from prison. Here’s how some news sites described him.

The ABC online: “Confessed terrorism supporter” but in photo caption “Convicted terrorism supporter”. A quick search shows that the ABC don’t mind describing Hicks as convicted (1 and 2), therefore implying his conviction was real and just. And listening now to the news break in the cricket, ABC radio are using the word “convicted” too.

The Age: “Confessed terrorism supporter”. The word “confessed” could imply guilt and doesn’t leave open the real possibility that Hicks read a confession purely to get home to Adelaide.

My favourite though is from the News Corp team: They shorten it to just “Terrorism supporter”. I mean what the f***!? You’d think he has an Al-Qaeda scarf and jumper.

Am I being finicky? I don’t think so. A lot of thought goes into what words to use in a situation like this. And a few words can begin to form the accepted truth. And as you can see, the different Australian news sources are gradually forming a timid consensus.

Try some of these on for size: “Returned Guantanamo Bay detainee”, “Alleged Terrorism Supporter”, “Former US-detainee”, “Australian-who-was wrongfully-detained-without-charge-in-a-kangaroo-court-and returned-to-Australia-when-it-became-politically-convenient, David Hicks”?

Okay, that last one was a bit flip’, but perhaps you see how a few words can change your feelings towards the man, and his story.

The International Herald Tribune goes the extra mile: “David Hicks, the only person sentenced by the U.S. military commissions set up to try suspected terrorists…”