F E A T U R E S

Interview: The Reich Stuff
Robert Reich has led the debate on the future of work – both as an academic and politician. Now he’s on his way to Australia to help NSW unions push the envelope.

Economics: Crime and Punishment
Mark Findlay argues that the present psychological approach to prison programs is increasing the likelihood of re-offending and the threat to community safety.

Environment: Beyond The Wedge
Whether the great forestry divide can ever be overcome or whether it is best sidestepped for the sake of unity and sustainability in other areas is up for debate, writes Tara de Boehmler.

International: The End Of The Lucky Country
Linda Weiss, Elizabeth Thurbon and John Mathews show us How To Kill A Country

Safety: Tests Fail Tests
Nick Lewocki from the RTBU lifts the lid on the shonky science behind RailCorp testing

Politics: Labo(u)r Day
John Robertson lets fly at this years Labor Day dinner

Human Rights: Arabian Lights
Tim Brunero reports on how a Sydney sparky took on the Taliban and lived to tell the tale.

History: Labour's Titan
Percy Brookfield was a big man who was at the heart of the trade union struggles that made Broken Hill a quintessential union town writes Neale Towart.

Review: Foxy Fiasco
To find out who is outfoxing who, read Tara de Boehmler's biased review of a subjective documentary about corrupt journalism.

Poetry: Then I Saw The Light
Brothers and sisters! Praise the Lord! Brother George has saved the White House from an invasion by infidels, writes resident bard David Peetz.

C O L U M N S

The Locker Room
In Naming Rights Only
Phil Doyle has Gone to Gowings

The Soapbox
Homeland Insecurity
Rowan Cahill tells us how the Howard Government’s appointment of Major-General Duncan Lewis to head up the national security division of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has received little critical comment, until now.

Parliament
The Westie Wing
New proposed legislation in NSW provides a vital window of opportunity for unions to ensure they achieve convictions for workplace deaths, writes Ian West.

E D I T O R I A L

What’s In a Name?
McDonalds is doing it, IAG has done it, James Hardie desperately needs to do it – and now the Labor Council of NSW is doing it, re-working its brand to meet the changing demands of their markets.

N E W S

Unions Dump Labor

Shearers Brush Woolly Mammoths

Girls Should Be Short Changed

Sydney Turns Down Volume

Minister Rides Collie

Staff, Trees Weather the Blame

Offshore Embassy for Families

Visy Paper Folds

Workers Unplug Power Cuts

Silverwater Offers Porridge

Environment Wiped Out In Dubbo

Justice Eludes Kariong Staff

Nelson Flags Another Raid

Five Steps to Sanity

Activists What's On!

L E T T E R S

WHAT YOU CAN DO

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In Naming Rights Only

The Locker Room has been siting stupefied in front of the TV around at a mate's place of late, and has been noticing an astonishing number of product mentions, especially those that are getting to the gratuitous stage.

It came to a head when this column was heading up to Gowings to check out their extraordinarily fine quality suits that area available at astonishingly reasonable prices.

Gowings, conveniently located in George Street in the City (now that's got to be worth a suit), does seem to feature prominently in at least one cable TV sports show.

The presenter is want to bore us all senseless with information about Gowings (How about a shirt then?) and how well dressed everyone who goes to Gowings (a pair of pants maybe?) appears to be.

Now, this would all make sense if the Locker Room was tuned into Foxtus to catch up on some fashion advice, but unfortunately it was merely an attempt, foolish as it turns out in hindsight, to gain some information vis-à-vis some sportage.

Needless to say, despite propelling an empty container from the wonderful people at Carlton and United (how about a slab then?) at the said presenters visage all that continued to spew forth from his cakehole was more dribble about Gowings (not even a pair of socks?).

Speaking of Foxtus, Australia's premier cable provider, their new digital option has got to be one of life's more hollow experiences.

No doubt the marketing gurus down at Pyrmont are trying to figure out as to why the take up rate for cable in Australia is running at about the same levels as the Ross River Virus, but with none of the popularity.

Well, this column may not know a lot about television, but it knows what it hates, and that's having 852 channels to choose from, and each one is showing some steaming pile of goat's droppings.

Especially when some Poona on a sports channel is spending half the program gassing on about Gowings (You tight bastards! Not even a handkerchief!).

Cable TV is a gyp. Especially the "interactive" function, which is neither!

It does seem to be engaging in a bit of self-indulgence that most of us grow out of after our teenage years.

And while we're on the Sin Of Onan, Basketball has reared its ugly head again.

Why this is a sport escapes me completely. Watching a few people with glandular problems trading shooting practice with an undersized medicine ball for an hour before the whole thing explodes into action in the last ten seconds strikes this column as bearing a resemblance to an activity that Father O'Grady used to warn would send us blind.

Which would go some way to explaining why Australian Basketball currently has no naming rights sponsor, not even Gowings

Phil Doyle - turning down a vigorous appeal for a caught behind

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Workers Online is a resource for the Labour movement
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URL: http://workers.labor.net.au/features/200411/b_sportspage_gowingsgiveaway.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005