The Levine Lowdown

It’s Been A While

It’s been a while. I’ll be the first to admit that. I had lowered my expectations for 2022. After making it through the confusion of 2020, I started 2021 full of motivation, determined to make positive changes. However, instead of 2021, we were presented with 2020 Volume 2. Where the evil villain is still the same, only this time, they’ve been secretly constructing a new weapon during the…

Introducing the Misinformed Magpie!!!

Hi everyone! Firstly, I apologise for my extended break from the blog, but I hope you will understand my reasons! I have spent the last couple of months working with an immensely talented team of individuals to create a new satire media platform. After extensive planning and preparation, last week we launch the “Misinformed Magpie”! I have always loved interacting with satire content and have…

Top 10 Moments of 2021!

Ah, 2021. There was so much potential, but unfortunately, we experienced 2020 Volume 2. We witnessed the damaging consequences of Delta and the rising spread of Omicron. The vaccination race and the return to severe restrictions. It was a year that will once again be remembered for COVID. However, even within another challenging year, there were incredible moments of success, unity and courage.…

“COVID is deadly! Do everything you can to protect yourselves and your loved ones!” “Actually, jokes, you’re most likely going to catch it, and that’s okay!” We have witnessed a dramatic transformation in rhetoric from our leaders regarding the future of the pandemic. An increasing acceptance that the virus will spread without the reintroduction of restrictions, and although this is arguably…

The Sports Roundup: Top 10 Sporting Moments of 2021

Wow! With lots of extra free time this year through various lockdowns, the amount of sport I watched is borderline criminal. From cricket to football to boxing and everything in between, here are my Top 10 Sporting Moments of 2021! AFL – Melbourne Overcome a 57-Year Drought!!! The Melbourne Demons dominated the Western Bulldogs to claim the AFL Premiership. After a 57-year drought, the Demons…

The Music Roundup: Top 50 Albums of 2021

What a wild year, especially for music. In a year packed with massive releases, career highs and hidden gems, it was a real process trying to find (and rank) what I thought were the 50 best albums of 2021. So, after a prolonged absence, I (Alex Driscoll) give you my 50 favourite albums of the year! 50. SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo- 7.4/10: Likely 2021’s defining album, the immense amount of industry…

The moment you realise the ship you are standing on is beginning to sink. I find it hard to imagine a more distressing and overwhelming feeling. When a ship starts to sink, there is rarely a solution. It’s tough (if not impossible) to ‘unsink’ a ship. The only thing in your control is finding ways to stop yourself from drowning. Whether it be clinging onto floating debris, desperately putting…

STOP talking about Omicron

The mainstream media have been very sad and confused recently. “What am I supposed to report on now that the world is moving on from COVID?” All the hits, online audience, revenue, slowly returning back to pre-COVID levels… OMICRON!!! Yay! A brand-new variant to milk dry with countless clickbait titles and fear-inducing claims! Stop. Personally, there are only two features of a new variant…

F1 vs Saudi Arabia

We race as one. In 2020, Formula One introduced this new slogan to emphasise and promote its commitment to tackling the most significant issues facing the international community. Some of the core issues presented have been racial equality, ending discrimination based on sexuality, and climate change. Albeit some awkward moments at the start, this new message has been largely consistent since…

What’s Happening in the SOLOMON ISLANDS?

Fire, vandalism and riots. Tensions have reached a boiling point in the Solomon Islands, and even a break in the chaos won’t solve the crisis that remains deep within the nation. The Solomon Islands have been in a constant state of tension for decades. The infamous period between 1998 and 2003 witnessed the rise of ethnic militias who engaged in widespread illegal activity. Intervention by…

The right for terminally ill people to end their lives is one step closer in NSW as the bill to legalise voluntary assisted dying passed its final vote in the lower house. If passed in the upper house early next year, New South Wales will join the other Australian states who have already passed euthanasia legislation. January 16th, 2020. That was the last time that I wrote about euthanasia. In…

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks deep-diving into the world of prison documentaries. In-depth films that allow you to hear the experiences of various prisoners serving jail sentences from a few months all the way up to death row. I will leave some links below to documentaries I have watched recently, but I will let you know that most of these prisons have been based in America and contain…

Proliferation Optimists vs Proliferation Pessimists

The race for nuclear proliferation exploded globally in the mid-20th Century as countries attempted to gain control of new weapons of mass destruction. However, this wasn’t a unanimous decision, with many individuals questioning the utilisation of this new technology due to its capacity to cause widespread destruction. Proliferation optimists and proliferation pessimists have continued to argue…

Boycotting the Winter Olympics

Human rights abuses and violations within China are continuing without any interference. The recent kidnapping of professional tennis player Peng Shuai demonstrates the Chinese government’s extraordinary lengths to eliminate dissent against their administration. With a significant international sporting competition around the corner in the Capital of Beijing, is boycotting the Winter Olympics the…

2 steps forward 1 step back

Notwithstanding the scan of a QR code upon entering a venue, or the flash of a vaccination certificate to a staff member, life has returned to normal. Like the rest of the population, I went into this new period with extreme excitement and anticipation. After months of isolation and uncertainty, and having the word “freedom” dangled in front of our eyes, an escape from lockdown seemed like an…

It’s only when you change jobs that you realise how comfortable you were in your old position. It’s only when you move homes that you realise how comfortable you were at your old house. It’s only when you are allowed to go outside 5km from your home that you realise how comfortable you became living permanently inside your bedroom. A time of excitement! A time of joy! Right? A return to…

SPORT WITH SIM: EPISODE 7!

The latest episode of Sport with Sim is OUT NOW on YOUTUBE! The episode includes the UFC, Boxing, La Liga, Women’s Cricket, and… Special guest James Peatling! James was drafted in the 2021 mid-season AFL draft by the GWS Giants and made his senior debut in Round 20 against Port Adelaide! Please click the link below to check out the episode: