I Wish I Was Ern Malley

I mean seriously, does Microsoft come up with any new ideas? So Apple has a touch interface for its iPhone and iPod Touch and so Microsoft has to have a touch interface for Windows . If it weren't so shameless it would be embarrassing.

Pauline Futeran argues in The Sydney Morning Herald ’s Heckler column that it’s hypocritical of Kevin Rudd to call Bill Henson’s work “revolting” pornography while allowing Australia’s Next Top Model manager to tell a 16-year-old contestant she had to “sex up” her image. Fair enough too. However, her conclusion that Kevin should therefore back the local artist is rubbish. Better to can the exhibition and the show and stop the children being exploited. And really, that’s the issue here. Children being exploited for ‘artistic’ or commercial benefit by adults. What’s the difference between that exploitation and child pornography? I wonder if Bill Henson’s ‘not-porn’ photos were of Thai children or African would he be viewed as a “critically acclaimed Australian artist”.

I can’t believe that something which is so obviously wrong is being argued about. It’s so obvious that Bill Henson’s exhibition of photos of naked children is wrong, that the question of whether it’s art or pornography shouldn’t even come into it. There’s no way in any shape or form that I would ever let anyone take photos of my kids naked. No way. Art or not, why give a pedophile a free ride at your child’s expense? Who would put their child in such a situation? If you want to create that kind of art, use a paintbrush or whatever, but leave the children alone. And you'd still be a sicko.