http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/jack-marx/ Jack Marx is a Walkley Award-winning journalist and author who has written for newspapers, magazines and online since 1992. He has just moved to Broken Hill to write a book about a 60-year-old murder mystery. His most recent book is Life and Times in the Republic of Broken Hill with photographer Robin Sellick. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-letter-for-the-lonely-this-valentines-day/ Tonight is the night when the lucky get to celebrate their fortune with the ones who make them fortunate. Valentine’s Day. Lover’s day. A day for the loved and a sad day for those who are not. Nobody ever mentions the unloved on this day, and they’re the very people who should be cared for the most. So I’m going to have a go. So much of life in the 21st century is built on being loved – finding a partner, settling down, having children, making a home. Doing that makes you “successful” as a human being. By extension, not doing that makes you a “failure”. You have failed as a person. You are not loved, you are not important. You have nobody who wishes to witness your life. The heartbroken - the lonely, the loveless - are seen by society as pitiful. They are immature, wounded, insane, not complete. We insult them by telling them they “need help”. It’s bullshit. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Jack Marx) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-letter-for-the-lonely-this-valentines-day/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-letter-for-the-lonely-this-valentines-day/#item7758 Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:55:28 +0000 Jack Marx | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-hill-aint-broken-but-the-Catholics-are-cracked/ At the entrance to Sacred Heart Parish Primary School, on the corner of Lane and Sulphide Streets, Broken Hill, stands a life-size statue of Jesus Christ, his arms outstretched in front of him, palms turned upwards in welcome to all His children. Beneath his feet are inscribed the words: “Faith, Truth, Love”. There is no question that faith and love are here, but the truth is a little harder to come by. The school headmaster, Trevor Rynne, is locked in his office and won’t come out, directing all calls to a Catholic media liaison officer who dwells in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta, over 1,000 kilometers away. She’s not answering calls, either. Last night, the story broke that the school had denied an education to a local girl on the grounds that her parents were lesbians. Though the parents, a private couple, aren’t talking to the media either, word around town today is that the matter has been resolved, the school offering the child a place in 2012 on the advice of Bishop Kevin Manning, who lords over the Broken Hill Parish and was “absolutely appalled” when the girl’s case was brought to his attention by the media yesterday. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Jack Marx) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-hill-aint-broken-but-the-Catholics-are-cracked/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/The-hill-aint-broken-but-the-Catholics-are-cracked/#item7382 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:50:23 +0000 Jack Marx | Author bios | The Punch