Day 174: The weather may be grim but Clive is larger than life...

Day 174 (29 May) Wednesday. The rain has stayed around since last night. So, photographically speaking, the usual 6.12am morning sky is a little bit cloudy. It's a worth a look and a contrast to the usual 6.12am sky. 

The rain remains, at 6.12am

Clive Palmer's session with the journalism students is most interesting. He basically played and analysed an interview he gave outside Parliament House earlier in the month. There are lots of questions I'd like to ask from a political perspective but this is really a moment for the journalism students. While it is generous of Mr Palmer to offer his interviewing tips to the students, I wonder if he isn't then employing those very tactics as he answers the questions from the budding journalists. Actually, no, I don't wonder...he is. 

Briefly, at my politics lecture immediately following the session with Mr Palmer, I ask my students what they thought. There is a healthy mix of appreciation for watching him 'live' but also scepticism in his advice for journalists. A good opportunity for the students I think. 

Tutes, at 6.12pm

Another five hours of teaching across the day due to finish at around 7.00pm. The tute at 6.12pm includes two presentations, one on Taisho Democracy and the other on some aspects of pop culture and the phenomenon of cosplay, 'costume play'. 

There's a bit more work to do after that and eventually I leave about 10.00pm. I don't know what I did to have these long days. 

After a pause at the Caboolture service station, it's back on the road which is a bit wet and slippery with rain. On the way home I see what looks like a rather nasty accident on the other side of the highway. Turns out it was a fatal. Young driver, stolen car, speed, rain... Generally, I'm quite comfortable driving home at night, it is safer than daytime. But the accidents and stupid driving happen all too regularly. It is times like this I do wish we had the sort of public transport system (trains) that I'm used to in Japan.