Rachael's Ravings

Lemon-pumpkin scones

2011-06-28T11:57:00.003+10:00

I wish I had taken a photo of my own effort (the one above is from the $120 food challenge blog), but I can confirm that it was delicious! I left out the peel, as we're not fond of it. Love to hear if you liked it with the peel left in.

Find the recipe here:
http://120dollarsfoodchallenge.com/2011/06/23/sweet-treats-lemon-pumpkin-scones-2/

Easter

2011-04-24T06:24:00.005+10:00

Religion without mysticism becomes an 'ideology' and we have too many ideologies.
- Raimon Panikkar speaking on Compass (ABC TV), 5 July 2009.

This quote from Raimon Panikkar resonates with me. My personal understanding of mysticism is of an engagement with the spiritual, with the divine or the Deity (as you know Him or Her), an experience of the 'supernatural' of faith. This does not gel entirely with its definition, but it works for me in terms of understanding why 'religion' must be a personal experience. I think this is why proselytizing does not work... without the personal experience of the divine, religion is (as Panikkar says) simply an ideology and asks us to believe without 'evidence'. Of course, for Christians 'faith is the evidence' (Hebrews 11:1, paraphrased), but for others... rejection of religion is logical and sensible for there is no 'evidence' of the things it claims. For me, that mystical experience of faith, the universe, of spirituality, of God... is what makes my beliefs meaningful to me.

Easter is the ultimate experience of the supernatural in the Christian faith. The Resurrection asks us to believe the unbelievable (see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection). Although some may argue for a symbolic resurrection (i.e. the soul, not the body of Christ came back to 'life'), the physical resurrection is they key to the Christian faith. Christ's triumph over death gives hope to all who believe.

Of course, the rituals of Easter embrace more than the Christian faith. Coming as it does from the Northern Hemisphere, the ancient rituals incorporated into the modern Easter celebration stem from celebrations of the Spring Equinox and all that Spring represents including fertility and new life. (See: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/the-big-question-why-do-we-celebrate-easter-and-where-did-the-bunny-come-from-443550.html) It's a little weird for us south of the Equator where winter is taking hold!

Whatever you believe, may your Easter celebrations be enjoyable!

Related links:
Easter: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter
Easter in Australia: http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/easter-in-australia
Easter traditions: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6074283.ece

Brilliant effort

2011-01-26T23:21:00.003+11:00

This is a brilliant result and I'm pleased to have been part of it. How did I hear about it? Clearly, I'm not a crafter myself! Probably via Little Mysteries, or maybe via facebook? I've started following a number of designers and others there. Either way, the raffles and auctions encouraged me to give a bit extra than I would have otherwise. I did win a couple of auctions and I won a raffle! A gorgeous softie bunny is heading my way. How awesome!

Special thanks to Toni and Carli who were the masterminds of this (I believe). Thanks again to all who contributed, especially those who created and offered their work, but also to those who bid, who donated. At the end of the day, the total speaks volumes about how community online can work.

Raffles for flood relief...

2011-01-25T08:41:00.003+11:00

Raffles for flood relief... check out the gorgeous crafty items up for grabs all for a $5 donation to the flood appeal. Many will ship overseas for a small fee. Perfect for presents! Gotta be in it to win it! (I figure if I don't win it I'll bookmark my favourite pages for when I am rich!) :) For the full list of raffles go to: http://tonicoward.blogspot.com/2011/01/qld-flood-auctions-raffle-list.html

Donate to the Premier's flood relief appeal here: http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

Flood crisis in Queensland

2011-01-11T10:14:00.007+11:00

I sat up late last night following two news stories, one being the worsening flood crisis in Queensland. Premier Anna Bligh held a news conference at 10pm (AEST / 11pm AEDT) last night outlining the issues that Emergency Services (EMQ) were looking at overnight. She outlined the very serious events of the afternoon including the 'inland tsunami' in Toowoomba and how that water was making its way down the Lockyer valley. At that stage, four people had died in Toowoomba and EMQ held grave fears for those in the valley including the town of Grantham. Poor weather was hampering rescue efforts and rescue attempts would resume at first light.

The morning has revealed further devastation. We now know that at least eight people are dead and seventy more are missing with the death toll expected to rise.

Some areas have reported receiving their yearly rainfall in the last week.

Words fail in attempts to describe this disaster. 'Heartbreaking'; 'tragedy'; 'shocking'; 'unprecedented'; 'supernatural' - all have been used in press reports. Personally, I'm in a state of shock. My mind can't quite take it in!

The Toowoomba 'tsunami' comes on the heels of an ongoing flood emergency in Queensland. Some districts have been evacuated twice in the last three weeks. Some have experienced flooding for the second time in twelve months.

I've been surprised by some of the commentary surrounding the flooding though. Some people have said "well, if you live on a flood plain, what do you expect?". Certainly, many of those on the land who have been flooded before are pragmatic about these things. Yet, I feel this is quite a heartless point of view. No-one expects a 'tsunami' in their main street! The latest installment in this disaster illustrates that this is not 'just' about flooding rivers... it is a calamity that is greater than that.

I'm surprised that there has not been more commentary discussing the rains and the link with climate change. This piece by the Independent Media Centre was the only 'reasonable' discussion of the issues I could find. (Though they also quote a press release from the Socialist Alliance!). I'm not at all scientific, but my scientific friends have explained the link between increasing sea temperatures and increased rain. Not to mention the La Nina affecting eastern Australia.

On top of all this, the water has to go somewhere. When it works its way through New South Wales and the Murray-Darling Basin, what will it mean for those downstream? We await to see.

For those who wish to help, donations to the Queensland flood appeal may be made here: http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

Related links:

http://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=73248 (Transcript of Premier Bligh's press conference 10pm, 10 January 2011)

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3110187.htm (Early reports from Grantham)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/11/3110285.htm (ABC news with the latest, including links to Toowoomba video and other sites)

http://www.abc.net.au/emergency/flood/ (ABC emergency site)

http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/01/11/inland-instant-tsunami-devastates-southern-qld/ (Crikey has an outstanding collection of links - including some I have listed below)

http://www.indymedia.org.au/2011/01/06/the-queensland-big-wet-big-flood-and-climate-change (Sensible look at climate change with many serious links).

http://diane-adventurebeforedementia.blogspot.com/2011/01/queenslands-floods.html (summary of flood situation, with amazing photos - especially the snake!)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/jan/03/australia-floods-queensland-map (Awesome map - try the comparison the UK link and the scale of this disaster becomes more apparent!)

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/floodrelief/flash-flood-hits-toowoomba/story-fn7ik2te-1225985113281 (Details of the flash flood in Toowoomba)

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/01/10/australia.floods/index.html?hpt=T2 (considered reporting from CNN)

Election Eve...

2010-08-20T23:48:00.001+10:00

Despite the best opinion polls, the one thing you can never predict is exactly what a person will do when they get in the ballot box on election day. You've run the gamut of the parties "how to vote" card people; you might even have passed some interest groups (like GetUp!) handing out other election material; you may have sampled the sausage sizzle and be planning to visit the cake stall on your way out; but when you're in there, just you and the ballot paper, who knows what might happen.

Oh, there are those die-hard Labor and Liberal types, but even they are wavering this election. The primary vote for each party (if the opinion polls are to be believed) is at a record low. One poll is putting the two party preferred split at 50/50. Pundits are predicting a hung parliament.

My feeling has always been that the Labor party will scrape across the line in this election. I had previously felt that they would lose around nine seats (and no, I don't have any 'science' for that, just intuition!). However, now I'm not feeling so confident. It would be unusual for a first term government to lose office, but this government has a number of issues which set it apart from the 'norm'.

I have always believed that the dumping of Kevin Rudd was a strategic mistake on the part of the Labor Party. This feeling was confirmed tonight when I saw footage of a passer-by in a shopping mall shout at PM Julia Gillard that she was a 'back stabber' that she had back stabbed Kevin Rudd. In some quarters, passions are still running high about how Rudd was removed. There seems to be a variety of issues. Some people are angry that *they* don't get the chance to vote Kevin out. Others feel it was un-Australian to 'sack' the Prime Minister. Whichever way you look at it, it was not well thought through in terms of its implications both in the short and longer term.

Undoubtedly Kevin Rudd was not popular in his party and he paid the price for being autocratic in style and substance. When you have no support base, you are bound to crumble. The mining tax was shaping up to be a disaster given Kevin Rudd's refusal to compromise (to even SAY the word) in any way. I do believe something needed to be done, but I wonder if it will a driving factor in the poll booth? KRudd was a dork, but he was our dork. It was up to the Australian people to judge how well he did in the job and many voters will remember that they never got to exercise that judgement thanks to the machinations of the Labor Party.

On a recent episode of "60 Minutes"(Australia), former Opposition Leader Mark Latham said:
"...When it comes to good ideas for Australia's future, Gillard and Abbott have given the voters a blank piece of paper. I say let's give them a blank piece of paper in return. They say voting is compulsory in Australia, but it's not compulsory to fill out the ballot paper. You can put it straight into the ballot box totally blank - that's what I'll be doing next Saturday, and I urge you to do the same. It's the ultimate protest vote..."

The only party with any vision this time around is the Greens. We've been warned about how extreme they are. And in some areas they do have what would be considered 'extreme' views. But at the same time, it feels as if they are the only party that stands for something.

I await to see the actual poll results. The primary vote; the 'protest' vote and the informal vote! I wonder just how many will try Mark Latham's stunt? I can imagine it might be very appealing to some.

A Christmas donation?

2009-12-11T10:16:00.001+11:00

I know I've said this before, (in fact - in my previous post!), but the Wayside Chapel do such brilliant work. I love getting their weekly emails.

This week Pastor Graham Long says:
I sent out our Christmas appeal letter but I'm a bit concerned that because we've had a lot of publicity around the fundraising for our building that people will think we've got loads of money. The truth is that our operational account is in the same state that it has always been and our building is nothing more than a tool for our daily work. We do miracles on a shoe string budget with the demands upon us increasing and the shoe string becoming ever more stretched. In 5 years I almost never talk about money in this note but if you are considering making a donation to a charity this Christmas, could you spare a thought for Wayside? Donations can be made on our website - http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/donations.php

I know all of us are stretched financially at Christmas. I won't be making a special donation to Wayside this Christmas as my funds are already allocated to support others. But... if you've got something to spare, I commmend the cause to you.

A happy thing...

2009-11-27T09:14:00.002+11:00

I'm feeling tired today. I have a lot to do, but I thought before I logged off the computer I would check my credit card statement. I'm missing a transaction - my donation to the Wayside Chapel should have been processed over a week ago. I don't like to bother people, but in this case, I rang them.

Well... I'm so glad I did! I've just got off the phone after a lovely conversation. It turns out that when I signed up as a 'friend' of the Wayside last year, it was only for a 12 month period. That's why the November 2009 donation hasn't gone through.

The lady I spoke to was so thrilled to hear from me (she says it's usually they who ring donors not the other way around!).

So, I'm signed up again and I've had a lovely uplifting conversation.

I strongly support the philosophy of the Wayside Chapel. I believe in love over hate. If you do too, you can make a donation here: http://www.thewaysidechapel.com.au/donations.php

What a difference a typo makes...!

2009-11-18T09:03:00.002+11:00

I just did a post/comment on a blog and entered my blog url. At least I thought I did...

I mistyped my URL and found that http://rachaelsravings.blogpot.com/ goes to a "mega site of bible studies". It was truly freaky as I was commenting on something religious at the time! I thought my blog had been hacked for a minute until I worked it out.

It would appear that I am not the only one:
http://ijteveningbatch.blogpot.com/
http://webplus10.blogpot.com/
http://packerland.blogpot.com/

(and that's just the random blogs I found using the 'next blog' button).

I haven't linked any of these as it only encourages the buggers.

How rude.

Accident at Yass yesterday

2009-11-16T07:27:00.001+11:00

We drove to Yass yesterday. It's about 45 minutes drive north of Canberra. We took the exit from the Barton Highway and on the way into town we were passed by a fire truck, an ambulance and a police car all heading in the opposite direction with sirens and lights on. I said to my husband that there might have been an accident on the highway. Unfortunately I was right.

Four young men died when their car lost control and crossed the median strip into oncoming traffic. They collided head on with a semi trailer. The accident occured on the Hume Highway about 20 km north of Yass.

The accident did not impact on our travel plans, but other travellers were held up for hours as the Hume Highway was closed southbound for investigations.

I love highway driving. But you have to be aware that you're taking your life - and the life of your passengers - in your hands when you venture on to a major road. You cannot vouch for other drivers. The Hume Highway is the major highway linking Melbourne and Sydney. We only drove on a short stretch of it on our way home. The Barton Highway links Canberra to Yass and Canberra to the Hume (it's the route we'd take to begin a trip to Melbourne for instance). In recent years the Hume has been worked on considerably and is now two lanes nearly all the way from Sydney to Melbourne. There are still black spots, but where the accident happened isn't one of them.

I hope the truck driver is able to recover from his part in the accident. As far as I can tell from the footage, he did all he could to avoid hitting the car, but when you are driving a semi with a full load it is impossible to stop in an instant. Obviously I'm not a traffic investigator, but I can't see how he could have avoided the impact. I would hate to be in that situation - how heartbreaking to know that despite doing everything you could you could not avoid hitting the car.

Related links:
Google maps: http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=yass&sll=-34.461248,149.317564&sspn=3.958071,4.53186&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Yass+NSW&t=h&z=13
News reports:
http://www.smh.com.au/national/five-die-as-road-toll-goes-back-to-bad-old-days-20091115-igd6.html
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26355010-421,00.html

Guilty murder plea in "Lake Angel" case

2009-08-19T10:12:00.002+10:00

The mother of Dean Shillingsworth (the boy in the suitcase / Lake Angel) pleaded guilty yesterday to his murder. She will be sentenced on October 8. The Australian gives a detailed report on the background to the story : http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25950446-5006784,00.html

I'm interested to see that The Australian reports that they "obtained written permission to publish the identity of Dean Shillingsworth."

I blogged about this case in 2007:
http://oz-bandicoot.livejournal.com/270629.html

Vale Sol Gordon

2009-07-03T16:12:00.003+10:00

I met someone at lunch today who grew up in Rochester, NY. I was trying to remember what my connection with Rochester is and I (mistakenly) thought that Sol Gordon went to University there[1]. I came home and searched Sol again on Google only to find that he has died!

Sol was a hero of mine. He saved my life when I was a teenager. His book When living hurts was stocked by our local library and it helped me immeasurably.

There is a memorial website at: http://www.ilasting.com/solgordon.php

One of the guest book entries there lists Sol's Rules:
The Rules
l. Never judge a day by the weather.
2. The best things in life aren’t things.
3. Tell the truth -- there’s less to remember
4. Speak softly and wear a loud shirt.
5. Loosen up. The unaimed arrow never misses.
6. He who dies with the most toys, still dies.
7. Age is relative. When you’re over the hill,
you pick up speed.
8. There are two ways to get rich -- you can make
more money, or you can require less.
9. What you look like doesn’t matter -- beauty
is internal.
10. No rain -- no rainbows.

While I don't recognise the quote, it sounds authentic to me.

Rest in peace, dear Professor. You cannot imagine how profound your impact has been.

Related links:
Tribute by friend and colleague Debra W. Haffner: http://debrahaffner.blogspot.com/2008/12/sol-gordon-rest-in-peace.html
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheila_steele/6533058/
Papers at Syracuse University Archives [no online content]: http://archives.syr.edu/collections/faculty/gordon_bio.html
Pages from "Ten Heavy Facts about Sex": http://www.flickr.com/photos/55159906@N00/sets/72157594551093068/
Newspaper article: "In search of askable parents": http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19860416&id=cw0QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iIsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5629,2735223
Audio interview: http://www.iub.edu/~kinsey/library/sol_gordon.html

[1] What I was mis-remembering was that Sol was Emeritus Professor at Syracuse University!

Happy 50th Birthday Mr Squiggle!

2009-07-02T20:28:00.000+10:00

A belated Happy 50th Birthday to Mr Squiggle!

I loved Mr Squiggle when I was a child. "My" Mr Squiggle 'assistant' was Miss Jane. I don't remember the others.

For details see: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/01/2613501.htm

Bushfire horror in Victoria

2009-02-09T12:22:00.004+11:00

I find myself reflecting on death, again.

Australia is dealing with the aftermath of its worst 'natural' disaster ever. The State of Victoria has been ravaged by fires. The death toll is already over 100 and expected to rise. More than 700 properties have been destroyed. I put 'natural' in inverted commas for, as the authorities are telling us, many of these fires were deliberately lit.

There's no way to adequately express the anger in the community towards those who lit the fires. I was in Big W this morning. I overheard a staff member suggest that the clothes she was marking down should be given to the fire victims. I encouraged her to tell management. She said she had. I then proceeded to chat with her and two of her colleagues. We all agreed that capital punishment was a fit response to this kind of act. It's so out of character for me to say that. But I find myself understanding how cultures can stone people to death. The anger over this senseless destruction of life is palpable.

So is the sadness. Whole communities have been all but wiped out. It's estimated that around 95% of the township of Marysville has been destroyed. The footage we are seeing of the fire-ravaged areas shows what looks like a war-zone. It's been compared to a nuclear bomb going off and while I think that comparison is a little extreme, I can see where the person who said that is coming from.

It's clear the death toll will rise. Emergency services and police are working through burnt out cars first, in an attempt to clear the roads so emergency vehicles can gain access. Then there will be the gruesome task of going through the rubble of the houses that have been destroyed. Some sights you can never forget. I wouldn't be an emergency worker for quids.

The director of emergency services at Melbourne's Alfred Hospital has been on many of the news reports speaking very eloquently about the people in his care and the care his staff are giving them. The Alfred hospital has a specialist burns unit and are treating the worst of the burns victims. Many are not expected to survive. Those who do are facing months of treatment.

We have one 'celebrity' face to the tragedy. Veteran Channel Nine newsreader Brian Naylor and his wife have died. Brian Naylor was the 'face' of news when I was growing up. He fronted the news for probably thirty years. For many people, Brian was like family. The tragedy, for those who knew no-one in the fires, will be all the more real if they knew Brian.

I have donated to the National Australia Bank appeal. Donations are tax-deductible as the NAB is funneling them through its own charitable trust. I urge everyone to give what they can. If every Australian gave $1 that's $20 million towards rebuilding. I'm also urging those who can to GIVE BLOOD. I can't donate as my iron levels are too low, I wish I could. Burns victims need blood. I've also just heard from my gym (Fernwood) that they will be sending non-perishable items to help. I'll also contribute there what I can.

I've turned off the TV and the radio. I can't take in any more of the tragedy right now. It breaks my heart.

I read the Editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald today and I think it set the tone really well. It speaks about mourning and it speaks about loss. It says that fires are not new, and that there will be a next time. It follows with this paragraph on Climate Change:

What is new here is global warming and the extreme weather it is bringing in its wake. The evidence suggests we are living in a world where there are now more storms, more floods, more droughts and more fire. Whole tracts of Queensland lie under water. Most of NSW is in drought. This weekend south-eastern Australia has seen some of the worst fires in our history. This is no time for political grandstanding but it was not out of place of Senator Bob Brown to suggest yesterday: "This is a sobering reminder to the whole world of our need to tackle climate change."

I'm sad to say, I wholeheartedly agree.

Related links:

Rescuers brace for more bushfire horror:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/09/2485840.htm

Australia's bushfire disaster: Many good people lie dead
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/many-good-people-lie-dead/2009/02/09/1234027889048.html

Brian Naylor confirmed dead
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/newsreader-brian-naylor-confirmed-among-the-dead/1428143.aspx

SMH Editorial
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/editorial/a-nation-mourns-their-memory-20090208-80wv.html?page=-1

How you can help:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25027108-421,00.html
http://www.redcross.org.au

On matters of faith and politics

2008-10-27T09:10:00.001+11:00

I've just been on local ABC radio talking about the Lord's Prayer in Parliament. I don't normally listen to ABC radio in the morning, but I decided to switch over just to see what was on. The guest this morning was Senator Bob Brown from the Greens. He spoke on a range of issues, mainly the performance of the Greens in the ACT election, but then went on to talk about the Lord's Prayer.

I have to confess I don't know the full background to this story. A quick google search has yielded this from news.com.au - http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24552138-421,00.html?from=public_rss - apparently the Speaker of the House is suggesting we do away with the prayer.

Bob Brown's point was that the time might be better used for a reflection. That people just 'recite' the Lord's prayer and it becomes rote. Indeed, moments after, members are vilifying one another across the chamber!

I rang in to say this:
I support the idea of a time of reflection. I think it would be great if our members of parliament led the reflection. It would give Christian members a chance to say something meaningful. It would give people of all faiths and people of no faith a chance to share the time. People like Bob Brown could say something about why they're there and the business of the day. One of the earlier callers said that 65% of Australians identify as Christians in the census. I said, that while that's true, that means nearly 40% of Australians don't. It would be good to make our parliament truly representative.

If I had known about the proposal to have a Welcome to Land statement I would have supported that strongly too, but I wasn't across all the issues at the time. I think a Welcome to Land is much more relevant for our country at this time in its history than even a time for reflection. After the apology, I'm surprised it's not something we do all the time!

I guess I'm a pluralist at heart. I know that religion isn't that simple. But I believe that there is room for people of all faiths at the table. I believe there are many paths to enlightenment. I have chosen one and I think it's a good one, but the route you choose needn't be any less valid.

Like sands through the hour glass...

2008-10-23T08:53:00.002+11:00

It's been quite a while since I said anything here. I know what happened... I went back to work! After twelve months maternity leave I returned to full time work in late January 2008 and what an impact that made. It's a post by itself really.

So, time passes. Like sands through the hour glass.

I spoke to someone about this blog recently and I realised two things:
1) I hadn't updated the blog in AGES.
2) I felt as if I should change my byline! Observing life? Every post here seems to be about death! I think death tells us a lot about life, but death isn't all I'm on about. Of course, the sand has to run out sometime... and it's a reflective process.

I haven't been reflecting about much lately. Just keeping up really - day to day stuff. I didn't want this space to be about that, so I haven't been posting about that either.

I'm hoping to start writing articles again soon.

Are you part of my tribe? The death of Heath Ledger and the tribal mind...

2008-01-23T12:11:00.000+11:00

I sat down for a break this morning and watched the morning TV news. Perhaps that wasn't the best thing to do. The lead story was the death of Australian actor Heath Ledger. Ledger was found dead in his New York City apartment Tuesday afternoon (NY local time). An autopsy will be held Wednesday morning to discover the cause of death. Reports are blaming prescription sleeping pills, which were found at the scene, though obviously no one can say yet if this was a suicide or an accidental death. Ledger is reported to have had sleep disturbances caused by one of his latest roles (the Joker in the new Batman movie). Ledger is survived by his two year old daughter, Matilda.

People die every day. Young people (Ledger was only twenty eight years old). Talented people (Ledger was an academy award nominated actor and had won other awards across his career). Fathers. Sons. Across this country families will mourn deaths today that none of us will even hear of, let alone give any thought to.

What is it about the death of an actor that makes us pause? That makes us think of his daughter? That makes us feel as if we have lost someone ourselves?

I've watched Oprah occaisionally lately. One episode screened recently was from early 2007 and themed "America talks to Oprah". One of the topics was celebrity gossip and it brought up a very interesting theory of evolutionary psychology from journalist Carlin Flora.

This from the Oprah website:
Journalist Carlin Flora wrote an article about celebrity obsession in Psychology Today. According to Carlin, an evolutionary psychology theory says people are so interested in celebrities because our brains trick us into thinking we know them personally.

"We're built to view anyone we recognize as an acquaintance," she says. "We think they are in our tribe, so to speak, and so we are interested in gossip about them almost to the same extent we're interested in gossip about our friends and family, because it's important to know what's going on in the tribe."
http://www.oprah.com/tows/slide/200704/20070406/slide_20070406_284_104.jhtml

There's something in this theory that resonates with me. Obviously, our "tribes" will be different... your tribe might consist of Anime artists, cyclists, scientists, thrash metal guitarists, renaissance painters... you get the idea.

Was Heath part of my tribe? Yes, I think he was... not in a big way, but I know of his work and followed some of it. The latest being Brokeback Mountain. I knew he met his partner Michelle on that movie and that they had a baby girl called Matilda. I knew they'd recently split up. I didn't know he plays the Joker. I also didn't know that he starred with Cate Blanchett in the Bob Dylan movie ("I'm not there"), but that's all being mentioned today.

I didn't *know* Heath Ledger, but it's true... I could recognise him as an acquaintance. The idea that he was one of "us" feels authentic. This tribal idea really interests me.

This post is really about that personal connection. On a more 'abstract' level, it's true we have lost one of our best. Heath Ledger was an award winning Australian actor who took on the most challenging roles when he could have made plenty of money playing the heart throb. He seemed to have integrity and passion - things that are worth celebrating.

My heart goes out to his small daughter. To lose your father is one thing, but it's another when the whole world claims him as their own.

Reports:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/23/2144369.htm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/01/23/wledger223.xml

Tributes, including from PM Kevin Rudd:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23095733-661,00.html

IMDB entry:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005132/

Rampant: how a city stopped a plague

2008-01-17T15:22:00.000+11:00

You know when you change the channel and there's a program on that you know nothing about, but it captures your attention so completely that you have to watch the whole thing? That's what happened to me on Monday December 3, 2007, when the ABC screened the documentary "Rampant: How a city stopped a plague".

From the ABC program website:
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/netw/200712/programs/ZY9056A001D3122007T203000.htm
Rampant is the story of AIDS in Australia, and how our response to the disease - so radically different to that in the USA and other countries with conservative governments - made us world leaders in controlling the virus, which had the potential to become a plague.

The documentary was so well put together. The key players from the time were interviewed. People like the Federal Health Minister, Neal Blewett and his key policy adviser. The opposition health spokesperson, Peter Baume. Members of the gay commumity who have lived to tell the tale. A spokeswoman from the Prostitutes collective. An activist from the drug scene. Doctors, nurses, nuns.

It was compelling viewing. The documentary comes on the 25th anniversary of the first diagnosis of AIDS in Australia. The first case was a gay man visiting from New York. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that within six months of his diagnosis, this man was dead.

The documentary takes a chronological approach and shows how the disease emerged and how measures to combat the spread were developed. It's absolutely fascinating to see the Health Minister talk about how funding was given directly to gay groups to develop their own advertising, recognising that the bureaucrats did not speak "their" language.

It's chilling to see the emergence of the disease in the blood supply and to hear that babies were dying due to infected blood. It's frightening to see the backlash against the gay community over this.

It's fascinating to see the role the prostitutes played in promoting safe sex.

It's enlightening to see Ita Buttrose speak about the health promotion and to see the development of the grim reaper ad. (The Australian says that nearly everyone over the age of thirty remembers the grim reaper ads. I certainly do... though I wonder if that's from them being talked about so much since. I certainly don't remember the lead up to the crisis (the blood supply issues etc). I was too young).

I think one of the things that tells the story best is the 'slogans' (or themes) from Mardi Gras. I understand that the theme for the 1983 Mardi Gras parade was ‘On our way to Freedom’, while by 1985 it was 'Fighting for our Lives’.

It's sobering when you realise that the doctors who were working in the field were originally working with hunches. They felt that the virus was sexually transmitted and that condoms would make a difference so they started promoting that. They left the verification of those hunches until later and saved countless lives in the process.

Neal Blewett was the right man in the right place at the right time. He trod a fine line to do what was best for public health, even if that meant breaking the law. His sexuality (entirely irrelevant!) and reputation was questioned.

I feel so proud at our very Australian response to this. Through the leadership of those such as Neal Blewett and those in the medical community we were able to put so-called 'morality' aside and focus on the fact that this was (and continues to be) a public health issue. Actions that were illegal (such as needle exchange programs) were tolerated (and eventually sanctioned) as it was clear they were preventing the spread of the disease.

If you get the chance to see this documentary I whole heartedly recommend it. It's really worth watching.

Related links:

A personal reflection:
http://ninglundecember.wordpress.com/2007/12/03/rampant-how-a-city-stopped-a-plague/

Includes comments from the filmmakers:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/courage-on-the-streets-kept-aids-in-check/2007/12/02/1196530481821.html

Public Health angle:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22844588-23289,00.html

Review:
http://mcv.e-p.net.au/television/rampant-how-a-city-stopped-a-plague.html

Study guide:
http://www.enhancetv.com.au/shop/product.php?productid=106458&cat=313&page=5

A lonely death, a lonely life?

2008-01-11T10:37:00.000+11:00

Yesterday's Sydney newspapers reported the case of a man, Jorge Chambers, whose body has been found dead in his apartment. Officials estimate, from banking records, that Mr Chambers could have been dead for up to a year.

Questions are being raised about how we can better care for our elderly who live alone. A spokesperson from Carers ACT was featured on the radio news at 10am this morning. She said that, among other things, elderly people in the ACT had duress alarms fitted in their apartments which can call for help - if they fall for example. This is good, but it wouldn't have helped this man. According to the report in the Daily Telegraph (http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23029203-5001021,00.html) the man was found dressed and lying on his bed. There doesn't appear to have been any "duress" here.

When this man died, no one noticed. His pension was paid directly into his bank accont, and his rent was automatically deducted. The mailbox was overflowing, but neither the postie or the neighbours thought anything of it. What I'm wondering, is why did a neighbour call the authorities now? What is about this week that made him think, "Where's Jorge?".

The electricity was cut off six months ago.

We live in an age where things are done by computer. Accounts are managed from a central HQ, in your capital city, interstate or overseas. It used to be that the person you spoke to on the phone about your bills was someone you walked past in the street. But not anymore.

I don't know how we make "real" connections in this day of "electronic" connectedness. We are fooling ourselves if we think that texting, email and (heaven forbid!) blogs make up for one to one human contact.

And I don't know where we draw the line either. I bet Mr Chambers was a very private man, a man who valued his privacy. How do we balance making sure these people are OK, while respecting their rights and their privacy?

When my mother lived alone we were very grateful for the upstairs neighbour who took it upon himself to look after the oldies in their block of flats. But after a while... I found him to be grating. He seemed to always be around at Mums place... or just around. He had a finger in everything that went on at that block of flats. Little things disappeared from Mums place. Now, in all likelihood, Mum gave them away, but there was a question mark about trust. How do you find someone who you trust to check on your elderly relatives, particularly when the live a long way away from you? And how much more difficult when families are estranged from one another?

As usual, more questions than answers. We need a way for technology to build real communities. I haven't found it yet, but it's something I feel really passionate about.

Related links:
Interesting to see this reported internationally:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/10/ap/strange/main3694866.shtml

"Who do you think you are?"

2007-12-03T11:31:00.000+11:00

Hubby and I watched Who do you think you are?, the "new" series on SBS last night. It was brilliant!

I put "new" in inverted commas as the episode we saw last night - on Stephen Fry - was made in 2006 (or 2005?). I've been poking around the web this morning and it would appear that SBS is screening a selection of episodes from the UK series and then following it with an Australian series that it has commissioned. The BBC show has an entry on Wikipedia and it suggests that the episodes we'll be getting span series one (Bill Oddie, Jeremy Clarkson), series two (Stephen Fry, Gurinda Chadha), and series three (Nigella Lawson, Julia Sawalha). The twelve Australian episodes will feature, amongst others, Jack Thompson, Geoffrey Robertson, Kate Cebrano, and Ita Buttrose.

The Stephen Fry episode was incredibly moving and so very interesting.

Fry began the episode by saying that others would probably describe him as "quintessentially British". I can't disagree. One only has to picture him at the wedding of the Prince of Wales in his morning suit to feel that the quintessentially British label certainly fits! But, he said, this isn't so. Stephen Fry is the descendent of European Jews. Fortunately both his mother and his father are still alive and he was able to quiz them both about their sides of his family.

The program took Fry to the places where his ancestors lived, and in some cases, died. In Britain he met a man who had worked with his grandfather in the sugar beet factory that his grandfather came from Surany (Slovakia) to work in. He followed the trail of his paternal grandmother and discovered that her grandfather had spent much of his life in the poor house and eventually died of tuberculosis. In Surany he met a man who survived the concentration camps and whose uncle travelled with Fry's grandfather to the UK. He was able to find the grave of his great-grandfather. His mother gave him a photo of his great-grandmother and his mother's aunt, uncle and cousins. The family never spoke of them and she wondered what their fate had been. Fry was able to discover the awful truth - that the family were murdered in the concentration camps at Auschwitz and elsewhere. In Vienna he discovered the home of his great-grandfather and great-grandmother - Berta and Samuel Braun (his mother's maternal grandparents). A plaque had been erected on the apartment building they shared with other Jewish people. Everyone in the house had been deported to a ghetto at Riga, Latvia and not one of them survived. (Only a small number of the 65,000 Viennese Jews who were sent to Riga survived).

While Stephen Fry knew that he came from a boisterous Eastern European Jewish family, he didn't know that members of his family had perished in the camps. It was an incredibly emotional journey for him - and for me. I wondered how long the show took to film the episode. It was a lot to take in, emotionally, over a short period of time and it must have been incredibly challenging for him.

It was fascinating to see the process of following the stories. Fry had some concrete names and dates, as well as family photos. He was able to use archives, websites and a very talented Slovakian genealogist called Vladimir to help him unravel the mystery of his family.

It was also very helpful for us, the viewers, to have such an articulate and intelligent 'guide' on our first outing. Fry was acutely aware of the "there, but by the grace of god go I" factor in his life. It was the job offer to his grandfather that brought the family to the UK and essentially saved them from the gas chamber. It's sobering to realise that the Holocaust was less than 70 years ago. This is not some medieval massacre, this is modern history. A very modern history as even in the filming of the program, Fry came across anti-Semitic attitudes in Europe. I find it difficult to comprehend! I *know* that prejudice exists, but I guess I don't really believe it until it hits me in the head!

I hope the subsequent episodes are as interesting as this one has been!

Related links:
BBC episode website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/get_started/wdytya_s2_celeb_gallery_03.shtml

Vale Bernie Banton

2007-11-27T21:13:00.000+11:00

Asbestos-disease campaigner Bernie Banton died today.

I was moved by the work he did to bring James Hardie to task to compensate those who were affected by these deadly diseases.

The ACTU has set up a condolences book at: http://www.rightsatwork.com.au/campaigns/valebernie/

I heard on the radio today what Kevin Rudd said about Bernie in his acceptance speech on Saturday night:
"Mate, you are not going to be forgotten in this place ... When so many were prepared to cast you to one side, Bernie Banton, you have been a beacon and clarion call for what is decent and necessary in life and I salute you."

I think it's outrageous that companies like James Hardie and CSR continued to expose workers to asbestos long after the health risks were known. It makes me angry and sad.

On top of that, James Hardie moved its assets overseas to try and cry poor, rather than compensating victims families.

Bernie had already lost a brother to mesothelioma. He has another brother with the disease who is also dying. This is the tragedy of this for working families - families worked in these factories. Fathers, sons and brothers were infected.

The only silver lining is that Bernie died at home, surrounded by his family. But he was only 61. His family deserved more.

Related links:
News of Bernie's passing - http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/27/2101952.htm
Obituary - http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/27/2101964.htm
Video of Kevin Rudd speaking about Bernie's passing - http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2007/11/27/2102726.htm

In the beginning ...

2007-11-27T21:05:00.000+11:00

It's both a bit of a fallacy, and the honest truth, to call this "the beginning".

I actually started on Blogger/Blogspot some time ago, but didn't do much. It was really just to have an account so that I could comment on other people's blogs!

Well, I was inspired to re-launch my blog today by a seminar I attended at the National Library of Australia. Web 2.0 and its potential for the library community.

There was a lot of discussion about blogs today and podcasting, e-books, value adding - the works!

I'm not sure about this idea of blogging publicly, for everyone. We all have thoughts, but does anyone care? I guess we shall see.