What I’m reading #70

Speed is bad. Especially for journalists.

Industrial music from North Korea: an excellent horse-like lady.

The future of non-fiction, possibly. One lives in hope.

English language:

Now that the Tour authorities are finally getting on top of the doping problem, we British are sensing a genuine sporting challenge at last, and showing how it should be done....with grit, determination, and a shitload of expletives.

Mick Hartley has the full story. See you next Tuesday.

Australian language:

When I told a former coworker of mine that I was leaving New York City to spend three months in Australia and asked whether he knew what to expect of its inhabitants, he told the story of the first Australians he’d ever met, fellow attendees at an event in Manhattan. This man is a professional writer and his stockpile of adjectives is not small, but he strained to find one that would convey not only the volume but the unblushing boldness of their conversation, much of which was unrepeatable to a young lady like myself. I asked him whether it was fair to base his impression of Australia on a group of individuals who, from his description, could have been backpackers just escaped from their hostel. He said it was the UN delegation.

The writer is Helen Rittelmeyer whom this guy regards as “the most disturbing human being I have ever encountered” and who must be quoting Kevin Bloody Wilson’s cousin Kevin Fucking Rudd.