John Bell Journalist Profile

Articles

Lies hamper emergency action but no crackdown consensus

Nov 11, 2024 | citynews.com.au | John Bell

The spread of lies and fake news makes it harder for emergency responders to do their job and impacts social harmony, but conflict remains over how to stifle it. A crackdown on misinformation and disinformation would force tech giants to act on falsehoods but free speech proponents are worried federal government legislation goes too far.
Review of Left of the Dial 2024: A young and agile showcase festival leaning on the side of fun

Oct 24, 2024 | thelineofbestfit.com | John Bell

It’s just a pleasant place to spend a few days in October, and if you’re a fan of new, alternative music, it’s even better. Since 2018, Left of the Dial has continued to fill the city with more bands and more punters, and this year saw some 130 acts play two or three times in venues, churches, boats, train stations and anywhere you can fit a three-piece band from London.
ROBOT Festival 2024: 15 years on, the Bologna-based event is still in transit

Oct 22, 2024 | thelineofbestfit.com | John Bell

“We have always been in the midst of making sense of our existence, struggling with nature, with ideology, and with each other. What is the present if not a transition?”Fairly philosophical stuff for a festival, some might argue; there are not many that build their curation and billing from a manifesto.
Poco sexo gay en los tiempos de Milei | Hasta los encuentros casuales son más crueles en la Era Libertaria

Oct 15, 2024 | pagina12.com.ar | John Bell

El 20 de noviembre, el lunes siguiente al triunfo electoral de Javier Milei, me pasé el día escribiéndome con amigos igual de aturdidos. Nadie lo podía creer. Por la tarde me escribió Renzo. Cada tanto viene a las sierras para verse con su familia; se ve conmigo también. Es artista, buena onda, buena cama. Quería saber si estoy con ganas. La verdad que no, pero le dije que sí. Capaz que me hacía bien desnudarme. Renzo llegó e hicimos un sondeo político.
Housing boss calls for more protection for renters

Sep 4, 2024 | citynews.com.au | John Bell

By Andrew Brown in CanberraRenters not locked into limited contracts with increases capped at once a year and the ability to redecorate without landlord permission – this could be the future for tenants. That’s the vision put forward by the federal government’s housing affordability council head, who has called for an overhaul of the system for renters.
Review of Bukta Festival 204: Rock, fish and the midnight sun

Aug 5, 2024 | thelineofbestfit.com | John Bell

The gentle pace of the afternoon begins to hasten and there’s a trace of a reminder that this isn’t forever. But for now, it doesn’t matter: the group has gathered, glowing and woozy, making plans and promises that everyone knows will likely unravel as evening sets in – though there’s a comfort in making them anyway. Its fleetingness can be heartbreaking, but ultimately what gives it its endless allure.
Review of Primavera Sound Porto 2024: Moments of joy but the festival leaves many asking for more

Jun 11, 2024 | thelineofbestfit.com | John Bell

The Coachellification of Primavera wasn’t just evident in its extension to a double weekender, but in its new and unrelenting loyalty to VIP areas, its TikTok activations, its expanded list of influencer invitations and newfound friends from the crypto world.
Tallinn Music Week 2024: A beautiful clash of tradition and modernity

Apr 13, 2024 | thelineofbestfit.com | John Bell

Sometimes referred to as a forest nation, a population of just 1.3 million – most of whom live in its capital, Tallinn – leaves 50 percent of the country to a variety of woodland. It has some of the world’s cleanest air, calling its people to hike, ice skate, canoe, kicksled, wild swim, forage for mushrooms and cloudberries and whatever else.
Schools, hospitals await results as more asbestos found

Feb 19, 2024 | citynews.com.au | John Bell

By Jack Gramenz and Luke CostinSix more sites across NSW have been confirmed contaminated with asbestos as two more schools await results and hospitals are tested. One sample confirmed the more dangerous friable asbestos as well as bonded asbestos in mulch at Bicentennial Park on the Glebe foreshore in inner Sydney, which was previously found at another park at Surry Hills.
The best music videos of 2023

Dec 26, 2023 | discover.ticketmaster.co.uk | John Bell

Music / 26 December 2023 List From Doja Cat to Skrillex, we take a look at the year's most captivating vids If you’ve checked your Spotify wrapped, scanned the end of year lists but still feel like there were a few gems you missed this year, then we’ve got you. Feast your eyes on our picks of the artists who understand the value of the visual art form as we select our favourite music videos of 2023.