This is the playlist from my shift on 4ZzZ FM today, plus the file has my interview for this week with Peter J Black - where we talk about the internet, long long weekends, Julia Gillard, refugee policy, an interesting campaign about male depression and suicide and also do some blaming of Canada (for dumb electoral laws, not depression and suicide).

This week, my suggestion of a Brisbane band to have a listen to is The Gin Club.

This article in the New York Times about more people shifting away from 'long form' blogs to sites like Facebook and Twitter details pretty well why I've been doing less and less stuff on this blog, and more stuff just on Facebook or Twitter.

I remember when I first started this blog (now waaaay too long ago to think too much about) I was determined to just try it for it's own sake, and not let myself end up trying to use it as a place for 'insider' gossip or express exaggerated opinions just so it would draw more traffic.

If it didn't feel useful, or I just didn't feel like doing it, then I wouldn't - otherwise it would just be the sort of inauthentic communication or gimmickry that I was specifically trying to avoid. I think I've basically managed to avoid being inauthentic, even though it has meant much lower traffic than I'd otherwise have got. Which isn't to say that it hasn't caused me some grief from time to time - but that will always happen now and then if you're prepared to publicly say what you think.

I'll still keep using from time to time - partly as a way to catalogue various things, and partly for the same sorts of reasons as I always have -  but Facebook and Twitter are far better for the dynamism and the quicker, easier interchange of views that suits me, at least at this point in time.  Blogs still have their place (which includes being linked to on Facebook and Twitter), but the public feedback and interchange that most appealed to me with blogs often now works better elsewhere.

(and for anyone who wants to know, this link is to my Facebook site, and this link is to my Twitter feed). 

I wrote last week about some of the cowardly cheap shots at Muslim Australians being indulged in by some federal MPs from the 'Liberal' Party, spruiking some half-truths and lies in an effort to grow and garnish the minority bigot vote. Such lazy Muslim bashing is sadly far from uncommon, even amongst some people in leadership positions.

But that has been well and truly outstripped this week by Liberal Scott Morrison's decision to politicise the funerals of children in order to encourage and validate hatred towards asylum seekers. It is hard to find words to adequately describe just how contemptible and socially divisive and destructive this sort of pre-meditated manufacturing of malice is.  However, in this instance I don't need to try to find the words, as Grog's Gamut has outlined in detail the depths of dismal depravity the 'Liberals' are now willing to sink to. He also helpfully outlines some facts (a component of political and public debate that is becoming scarcer by the day) regarding some of the types of government support for bereavement and funerals in various circumstances.

I recommended clicking here to read Grog's post in full.

In yet another example of why paying attention to political commentary can be a nausea inducing activity, some senior federal Liberal MPs are yet again engaging in blatant, deliberate and extreme hate-mongering towards Muslim Australians.

Former frontbencher and serial Muslim-basher Cory Bernardi equated Islam and the practice of halal meat as "an ideology that is mired in sixth century brutality." I haven't noticed Senator Bernardi campaigning on animal welfare standards in recent times - if he genuinely believed this he'd be in the front line campaigning against live sheep exports from Australia.

I can only assume he is speaking from a position of deliberate or uncaring ignorance, but his drawn out, confused torrent of abuse against Muslims and multiculturalism has been happily republished on extremist, racist websites.

Mr Kevin Andrews, who rather horrifyingly used to have responsibility for overseeing our immigration laws, has trotted out the old trope about 'ethnic enclaves' occurring in Australia and trying to link that to 'extreme Islam'. No wonder poor Dr Mohamad Haneef got wrongly charged and imprisoned, and had his visa unlawfully cancelled by Mr Andrews - the 'crime' of being Muslim is obviously all the 'evidence' Mr Andrews needed to decide someone is of poor character.

Amazingly, at the same time another Liberal, Mitch Fifield, has the gall to say Australia needs to guard against ethnic hatred!

Mr Andrews repeats the strange assertion that "we can't have a discussion about (extreme Islam)." He must be failing to see the regular commentary and debate about this issue, most recently from a number of Muslim leaders in Australia. I think it is very important for us to talk about and examine what ways will maximise the integration and engagement of Muslim Australians - and those from other religions who a relatively small minority - with the wider community. 

Working with the majority mainstream Muslim communities and their leaders is the obvious way to do this, which means listening and understanding, not abusing or reinforcing ignorance.

Of course, the most obvious way to create the sort of division, separation and isolation which facilitates extremism is blatant, pig-ignorant hate-mongering from political 'leaders'.  However, some people clearly think chasing (and trying to expand) the bigot vote is more important than maximising community cohesion and the benefits to be gained from diversity.

The only so-called 'cultural divide' which is problematic in Australia is not between Muslims and others, it is between those who promote bigotry, ignorance, fear  & hate versus those who promote Australian values of pluralism, democracy, cooperation and respect.

Here I am trying to convince myself that I should pay closer attention to political debate in Australia and I discover the big story of the day is that Tony Abbott said "shit happens" (again). It's gone berserk on Twitter - but as experienced Press Gallery journo Karen Middleton put it:

"Summary of the day. Julia wept. Tony shook. Hello 2011. You are as weird as 2010. #shithappens"

I suppose one could reflect on how well Tony Abbott handled being questioned about the incident, but really - it's not as if he hasn't already repeatedly and openly displayed what sort of person & politician he is. You can either stomach him or you can't. When there are so many important policy issues needing scrutiny - climate change, overpriced housing, poverty inducingly low support for the unemployed, 1000+ children in detention, entrenched poverty for so many Indigenous Australians, skill & labour shortages, etc - I'm afraid I just can't get enthused about - as Kevin Rudd once put it - a shitstorm in a teacup.
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My weekly on-air chat on 4ZzZ FM with Peter Black can be heard at this link.  It covers the flood levy stoush, the Egypt stoush, the advertising stoush at Online Opinion - and suggests checking out a new site, Readability, that makes websites easier to read.

You can also have a look at my songlist from the show this morning at this link. My recommended Brisbane band of the week is Pink Bullet, who have just released their second EP. (I should note my nephew is the lead singer, but they're still worth listening to).

    

Soulmate Records, Choose Mics and Born Fresh Records presents Rap Relief - a collective of 7 QLD artists who are raising money for QLD flood relief.

Produced by Mules, "Together" is an awesome track available for download for TWO BUCKS from http://www.raprelief.com/ with all proceeds going to disaster relief efforts.

Performed by Seven, Syntax, Choose Mics, 4th (Vegas Aces) and Tommy Ill.