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Last night at Fox Studios a thirty-something fella emerged from Sexpo and boarded the cab. ‘How was it ?’, I asked. ‘Absolute shite’, he spat disgustedly. ‘Twenty five bucks for soft-core capitalism’.
Later at the Airport I collected a young woman from Adelaide who only wanted to talk about one thing - business engineering. And on a Sunday night, phwoar ! Now that's hard-core capitalism.
Young women never cease to amaze me, or rather, shock me. The things they talk about is truly disturbing and leaves me thinking - is it me, am I that old-fashioned..?
Early yesterday evening a young woman hailed me in a darkened street near New South Wales University. Given the location and her age around the early twenties, I figured she was a student. She climbed in the back seat and sat behind my security screen.
With a distinctly polished accent she chirpily ordered an East Sydney location, then inquired of my night. After some easy small talk I challenged her to 'tell me something interesting'. ‘Tom Cruise is paying Katie Holmes two million dollars to prove he’s not gay’, she offered. ‘That’s not interesting’, I retorted dismissively. ‘Tell me something about yourself, something unusual’. As I hadn't detected alcohol odour my intuition said she was sober and comfortable enough to speak openly...
Long ago, I twice visited the United States for extended periods, mainly on the West Coast. A road trip from San Francisco to Alaska was one of the highlights of those visits. Oh, except for the ancient hippy bus and some not insignificant soap-operas therein.
Ever since I've long dreamed of a road trip across the States, by car of course, through the mythical Mid-West. And to keep the dream alive I simply visit Aaron the American trucker and road-movie maker extraordinaire. See what I mean, click images or links...
Hear the voices of a few of my favourite bloggers being interviewed...
Aussies Blair and Marx are separate 30 minute interviews whilst Americans Seipp and Lileks chat together. For each, the first link is to their blog and second link to interview.
I love those News Ltd staffers, they’re usually good for a laugh. Last night a company lawyer denied there’s a secret tunnel connecting the nearby Aurora Hotel and News Ltd. Of course I didn’t believe him.
On Monday evening the front desk at News reacted to numerous staff complaints of a dodgy cabbie, or rather a cabbie with a dodgy driving style. The burly receptionist challenged the driver for his credentials, then after lodging a phone complaint with the cabbie’s network was told the cab wasn’t one of theirs. ‘Who’d have thought’, I asked the lawyer, ‘there could be dodgy cabbies..?’. Quick as a flash he fired back, ‘Yeah, and who’d have thought there could be dodgy journalists..?’. A funny guy.
Earlier in the evening I carried an excited female staffer to a private function at a five star hotel. ‘Are you late ?’, I asked. ‘Yes, the free champagne starts in ten minutes !’. Driven by the maxim - never get between a journalist and a free drink - I floored it.
Being the mother of a two year old child, her first, the conversation led to babies and money. ‘You wouldn’t believe how much it costs to have a child these days’ she said. ‘Well, given you got three grand from the Government’s baby-bonus scheme’, I suggested, ‘you’re in front on the deal’. ‘Yeah right’, she countered, ‘it paid for half my obstetrics bill. Not to mention the pram. You can’t buy a decent pram for under $1000'. A thousand dollars for a friggin’ pram !? She was funnier than the lawyer.
Blogging can be an unforgiving 'business', especially for those specialising in satire. Jack Marx, one of the Sydney Morning Herald's best bloggers got burnt back in May when his family and home was threatened by an aggrieved reader. The lesson learned was to never give your phone number out to readers. Doh !
The contentious post attracted healthy comment feedback and was eventually closed, though didn't warrant being removed. However on Monday, Marx posted a tongue-in-cheek suggestion that Israeli Jews be offered safe sanctuary in Tasmania. This not only drew around 200 animated responses but, for the first time, led to the comments being removed altogether. Marx's explanation,
Indeed, some of the comments were fractious, abusive, arguably offensive and not at all in the spirit of the original post. But it was something other than "embarrassment" that saw the comments go, for a newspaper cannot and should not ever be embarrassed by the behaviour of some of its readers - Jack.
In yesterday's SMH Gerard Henderson argued the Israel lobby has no influence in Aussie politics. One wonders if the same can be said for the Aussie media ? Otherwise, why were said comments removed, when back in May comments which lead to personal threats against Marx were deemed not dangerous enough to warrant being removed ?
Just curious, that's all. Besides the other question of can the MSM operate blogs without tight censorship robbing them(blogs) of their defining raison détre - citizen journalism.
I worked a hip-hop gig Sunday night at the Hordern Pavilion. Featured were two artists called DJ Shadow/Mos Def,
Two veritable hip-hop superstars from opposite sides of the US. Brooklyn's Mos Def is an eloquent MC. Californian DJ Shadow remains about the most musically eloquent DJ out there.
Judging from the full house there’s a healthy following for hip hop. The crowd was pretty cool with a large cross-section of punters from across Sydney. Other drivers told of fares from all over including the south-west and north shore.
I enjoy the hip hop shown Friday evenings on ABC TV's Rage. Hip hop is a social protest and commentary genre which in my book gives it legitimacy. Unlike vicious gansta rap and storm-trooper metal. With that it's 'noise-off', morons !
In the past Rage used to air this crap well after 3 am but increasingly it's appearing much earlier in the program. Why ? What cultural relevance has gansta rap and death metal with Australian audiences ? Zilch.
In giving prominence to issues like sexism, racism, homophobia, violence, crass materialism etc, I wonder what statement the ABC Yoooth Network is making ? Surely it's not a statement of simple rebellion. Or am I’m missing something deep and significant with Rage's programming of gangsta/nazi noise ?
Early yesterday evening at Ashfield station a woman with travel luggage hailed me. She was around thirty years of age and bound for an inner-city suburb. After we loaded the luggage in the boot she climbed in the front seat.
She wanted to chat right away, despite my being distracted by another matter. It crossed my mind she may well be my story for the night, so I responded positively, ‘Yeah, so far so good, how about yourself, have a nice weekend ?’. ‘Sure have’, she replied, ‘I’ve just been up to the Mountains for the weekend’. ‘Oh yeah, do anything interesting ?’, I asked. ‘Yep, had a great party last night’...
A fella around thirty years old fell into the front seat and said, ‘Mate, take me home’. ‘Had enough ?’, I asked. ‘Sure have, been going hard since midday with the boys. Can’t take anymore’.
A few minutes later his mobile phone rang. ‘What !’, he barked. ‘Where am I ? In the club dickhead, where are you ?...I’m up the back...where are you ?....yeah, near the door...where are ya..?....put your hand up...nup, can’t see it’. Putting his hand over the phone he said to me, ‘He’s maggotted’, then yelled into the phone, ‘Hold up your beer stupid.....okay I see it, a Corona....I’m near the door....nah, the other door....I’m going to the loo...okay, wait outside the loo. I’ll be back in a minute, bye’.
With that he turned off his phone and fell asleep. Mates, sheesh.
In response to an inquiry by 100percent, I'm posting here rather than in comments on my decision to insert a personal photo in the Sidebar and Author Profile.
Anonymity is a major consideration for bloggers when starting out. It was certainly an issue when I commenced blogging under a pseudonym, being acutely aware of my public exposure as a cabbie. However with the Investigate magazine position last year featuring my name and photo, that cover was blown. Reassuringly though, I'd already received television and radio exposure as a blogger, without adverse consequences...
Welcome to Adrian Neylan's blog of Sydney taxi stories.
'..hilarious, depressing, monotonous, uplifting.'
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