Murakami, McKeon, and The Palestine Papers? Never heard of them ...

(Above: more Murakami at Versailles images here).

It being a Sunday, what better way to honour the universality of eccentricity than to note the letter by Pierre Charie-Marsaines and Arnaud-Aaron Upinsky, presidents of the Committee for the Defence of Versailles, to the President of France, regarding an exhibition by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami within its hallowed halls?

Mr. President,

Versailles, in the eyes of the entire world, is the symbol of France's cultural excellence, of the glory of the Sun King and the universality of European Civilization, of which France has been the emblem for three centuries. Murakami at Versailles is the symbol of the annulment of France's prestige, of contempt for its sovereign People, and the triumph of a New York-style cultural barbarity - its aim being worldwide hegemony.

Yes, the likes of Christopher Pearson with his talk of Christian Civilization, and David Flint with his worship of the monarchy have French soul mates, though perhaps the use of the word hegemony is inclined to be too hegemonic for their antipodean tastes ...

The letter is so richly loonish - way beyond whatever view you might take of Murakami - that it's worth noting it turned up in January's Harper's Magazine (behind the paywall here).

The authors go on to complain about a Koons exhibition and a previous letter which drew no response:

And so misfortune - cultural, political, economic and touristic - has descended upon us. Ridiculed in her showcase of excellence, France has lost her prestige, her respect for the office of president, along with, may we point out, 14 per cent of her tourism, which threatens her supremacy.

By golly, that hegemonic Koons and his evil ways has a lot to answer for. As for Murkami, his crossbred Japanese-New York art poses a serious problem:

A growing number of French people see in this caricature of Versailles a veritable act of cultural treason, one that aids those who are waging war against European intelligence, art, and Civilization.

There they go, sounding just like Christopher Pearson again, and with penetrating questions galore.

Why are you willing to see France made a laughing stock for the benefit of a small number of foreign interests? How, disregarding all diplomatic rules, can you countenance that, under the pretense of ridiculing Napoleon's coronation at the place of the Sun King, Murakami, that plunderer of mangas, comes to Versailles to humiliate the Japanese, thumbing his nose even at the Emperor of Japan, land of the Rising Sun.

Naturally the letter concludes with a resounding demand that the current director of the Versailles Museum be forced to resign, but here at the pond we demand that he be allowed to stay, because if the result is letters like these the man is doing his very best for 'odd spot' blogs all over the world...

Well at least until the next piece by David Flint worshipping monarchs and emperors comes along, or Christopher Pearson bleats once more about the wonders of Christian civilisation.

Meanwhile, poor Simon McKeon looks like becoming the Takashi Murakami of the antipodes, at least for the year he's Australian of the Year.

As well as attracting the ire of Akker Dakker (Under attack but the flag will still fly) for sounding like "neo-Laborite former prime minister Malcolm Fraser", and Christopher Pearson for preferring to attack flag and Queen when a celebration of the rule of law and Christian civilisation would have been more appropriate (No sizzle on the nationalist barbie), Miranda the Devine also decided to take a chunk out of him in Simon's simple climate stance an insult to science.

As an expert in the game - the Devine has been insulting science and scientists, especially of the climate change kind, for years - the Devine was outraged at McKeon's belief in climate change, and his approval of a carbon trading scheme:

Why a non-scientist should be considered a suitable chairman of our pre-eminent scientific body is anyone’s guess, but it is another indication of the decline of a once great institution.

It is a tragedy that the CSIRO is a shadow of its former self, reduced by to a mouthpiece for climate alarmism.

McKeon, 55, should be careful about sullying his philanthropic name with warmist politics. More importantly, he should refrain from using his new platform to further damage the credibility of the CSIRO.

Yes, there you have the Devine's scientific evidence in a nutshell. "Climate alarmism" and "warmist politics".

Very scientific.

Oh, okay that's just aping her own rhetoric, deployed by the Devine to mock McKeon, a sailor who believes the weather patterns off Victoria have shifted, but it does make you wonder what ails News Corp, reduced by to a mere shadow of its former self as it becomes a mouthpiece for climate denialism.

It looks like McKeon will become a piñata for the commentariat unless he puts his head down and stays out of sight, but for the moment can we just scratch collective heads over this alarming bit of prophecy by Andrew Bolt back on 20th January, Not criticising, just noting - and not saying:

Legal reasons forbid me from mentioning what may be an advantage in the receiving of high honours:

(herewith a list of the nominees)

What I can say is that. not being a businessman or soldier helps.

You have to admire Bolt. A specious reference to legal reasons, in a mealy mouthed way, along with a link to Gary Johns urging that McKeon be given the nod, being a businessman (Honour eludes industry figures), and the feyest of fey hints that perhaps one of the other candidates might get the nod ... perhaps because they're indigenous? Wrong, wrong, and wrong, and so hey nonny no, on we go, and let's make a prediction, legal reasons permitting. A businessman got up, and now it's going to be piñata bashing season for Bolt...

You see, French letter writers. That's how the game is played in the antipodes, sometimes with the cudgel and the downfall of civilisation, and sometimes with the stiletto (or icepick if that's handy) to the back of the neck ...

Meanwhile, in other news you won't read about as the Australian commentary tribe go about their business, lathering themselves into a frenzy over the flood levy, it's poignant to note that in Britain, full attention is being paid to the Palestine Papers and what it means in relation to Israel and its posing about peace this past decade.

Perhaps it's all summed up best by Condoleezza Rice:

During a discussion about international funding to compensate refugees – an estimated 5 million Palestinians are scattered around the Middle East – the US diplomat made a startling suggestion.

"Maybe we will be able to find countries that can contribute in kind. Chile, Argentina, etc (ie, give land)."

The minutes, which are not verbatim, have the initials CR before the quote. Rice was the only participant with those initials. (Condoleeza Rice: send Palestinian refugees to South America).

Yes, that should fix things. Send them to South America ...

There's plenty more revelations covered by The Guardian (here for the coverage under the header The Palestine papers), a timely reminder of just how appalling it is to live under a Murdoch press that controls some 70% of the market in Australia ...

Sadly that situation is beyond satire or irony (though Sandy Tolan tries in The Palestine Papers: A fact-based play in one act).

Never mind, back to the cuckoo French clocks and the piñata bashing and the climate denialism and the outrage over the flood levy ... and absent lord help us, it could be a very long year ...

(Below: another Murakami at Versailles image, which could be considered suitable for gentleman readers, but which, as it contains photographers photographing photographers photographing Murakami, is of course reflexive and therefore okay ...)