Never test the depth of water with both feet.
Don’t take candy from strangers, unless they offer you a ride.
I’ll start exercising as soon as i get into shape.
If you have something to say, raise your hand and put it over your mouth.
Maybe you should go to e-bay and buy a clue.
Earth is full. go home.
Gee, I’d like to care, but I wasn’t given that gene.
Mirrors don’t lie, and lucky for you, they can’t laugh either.
If you can’t laugh at yourself, at least let me do it.
I don’t know what makes you so dumb, but it really works.
Men are from Mars, Women are from Visa.
I used to have super powers but my therapist took them away.
Tom Bramble was in Canberra for the release of his new book Trade Unionism in Australia: From flood to ebb tide (Cambridge University Press Melbourne September 2008 293 pp).
John Passant was there.
Bramble argues that the union movement’s problems stem for a crisis of leadership and the concentration of power in the hands of that leadership at the expense of rank and file members.
He agrees that industries and their role in the economy change over time. There is nothing new in this. It has been happening since the dawn of capitalism and unions have managed in the past to adjust and build. In any event industries like manufacturing, building and transport are still key areas of the Australian economy.
In the 60s and 70s especially, the public service began to expand. Public Servants unionised through the actions of committed unionists building their unions through argument, discussion and strikes.
As health care and education grew, nurses and teachers built strong unions through the actions of committed unionists and strikes over pay and conditions.
At their peak unions had a membership of about 60 per cent of the workforce. Today it is less than 20 per cent.
The changing nature of the workforce it is not an argument that explains this decline. The problem is not the restructuring of the workforce per se, but the response of the present leadership and their dominant do nothing ideology.
Tom talked at length about the class collaborationist Accord, favouring Capital at the expense of Labor. It could only be sold to other militants by (former) militant leaders with real respect in the workforce. The Accord saw the union leadership become a cop for capital, quashing strikes and trading off conditions won through years of struggle for pathetic pay increases.
Bramble made the point that while it is not a one to one relationship the decline in membership closely mirrors the decline in strike activity over the last 25 years.
All is not lost. People are thirsting for change. Bramble asked why did 500,000 people join the first demo against Workchoices? Why did we vote Howard out? He argues if the union movement had mobilised workers to take industrial action against Howard’s Workchoices Rudd and Gillard would not have been able to get away with Workchoices Lite. He thought that the HowRuddistas were keeping about 90% of Howard’s anti-worker industrial laws.
The history of the Australian trade union movement is not one of unrelenting bleakness. It has had golden periods of sustained struggle and victories, and even in the darkest periods there are pockets of resistance that break out to challenge the conservative industrial relations orthodoxy (do nothing) of our paid union officials. Bramble shows that when unions take concerted industrial action with strong rank and file involvement, membership increases along with real wages. Workers join unions so they themselves can control to some extent their workplace and get better pay and defend their jobs. They don’t join unions for cheap cinema tickets.
Rank and file control and militancy hold the key to the successful regeneration of the union movement in Australia.
As Bramble argues in his book: “At the heart of rebuilding membership lies the capacity to organise and struggle. Creating organisations that can rebuild such traditions of militancy is the crucial element in the struggle today to revive Australian unionism”.
Tom Bramble is a member of Socialist Alternative www.sa.org.au or email [email protected]
The past few weeks have appeared to be ‘doom and gloom’ with the meltdown in the United States and its effects on the global economy. Some countries have been hit hard, some have endured the challenges. What does it mean for the consumer?
Many households have been looking at their finances and seeing where they can save in order to meet mortgage payments and other daily living expenses. Others have been seeking additional employment (i.e., job) to create extra cash.
You might not think now is a good time to think about starting a business, but you are wrong. It may not be the best time to quit your job and start a new company, but it is a good time to take a look at your personal skill sets and determine how you can create some cash.
Each day there are many opportunities to create extra cash whether offline or online. Be careful about signing up for ‘get rich quick’ schemes. Always make sure you do due diligence on those companies and the people who run them.
There are many businesses you can start-up and work in on a part-time basis either nights or weekends. Depending on your skill sets, you can list your services on Guru.com or Elance.com. Though highly competitive, you can get access to a global community who are looking for contractors who can work from home.
If the thought of starting something overwhelms you, The WISE Academy is offering a Money Maker Boot Camp October 7th, 8th and 9th teaching people how to make money through creating business opportunities as well as learning the language of money. The workshop also helps you to identify your skill sets to create a business, then market and sell those products and services to the consumer. A very hands-on workshop, it is open to anyone wanting to create extra cash.
Ten singles are advertising themselves on billboards across the country in an effort to find true love.
The billboards are part of the Life Rules campaign, the brainchild of frustrated singleton Bea Obradovic, 40, who decided she needed to take drastic action to find Mr Right.
“I felt it was time to really do something that was really out there and something which would get the public’s attention.” She said “If you’re prepared to put yourself up on a billboard, you must be serious because no body would go to that trouble if they’re only looking for one night stands and casual flings.”
The self-funded campaign will display the single’s photos around major cities in NSW, QLD and VIC until the 26th of October. With the average suburban railway billboard ad costing just under $2000 and major locations going for over $25,000, the cost of finding the perfect partner is very dear.
“The billboards themselves were the most expensive part of this particular project, however saying that there is also the website that was involved; there’s also the PR, also the cost of flying all of the singles into Sydney, doing the photo shoot and things like that so it all adds up to quite a bit of money.” Bea said.
Bea hopes that the campaign will also highlight the social stigma that is sometimes attached to both single men and women.
“There is still a stigma attached to internet dating but there is also a stigma attached to being single and admitting you don’t want to spend your life on your own, then you are almost made to feel embarrassed I guess or ashamed in some way to admit that” She said.
Internet dating, along with dating agencies, clubs, pubs, bars and friends are all popular ways to meet prospective partners; however fear of rejection and learned social behaviour stop many of us from striking up a conversation.
“As kids we grow up being told not to talk to strangers and we basically take that into adulthood, so it’s very rare that a perfect stranger will come up and have a chat to you” Bea said.
It is in this area that the popular ‘husband wanted’ and ‘wife wanted’ t-shirts have made a bigger impact than the billboards. Over past year Bea has had women asking her where they can get one and men wanting to know if the slogan’s true.
“Whenever I wear these tops, always, without fail, somebody comes up and starts a conversation and that’s what it’s all about. It’s all about meeting and communicating with people. If you don’t make yourself available, don’t market yourself how is anybody supposed to know that you are there?” She asked.
Although she thinks it’s a brave idea, Social Worker Claire Rowe* says “Personally, I’m not a fan of meeting people based on if they look hot in a photo. I think that you shouldn’t always judge a book by its cover because you may be unpleasantly surprised.”
Other opponents criticize the $15 fee required to contact a single via the website. Sending your favourite single a gift also costs $10.
Bea said “Obviously the whole idea is to make the money because there are expenses that need to be covered, but that wasn’t the goal for me.”
If successful, Bea says she would consider turning the idea into a business. Ironically, her hectic schedule has so far prevented her from checking her responses.
“Ideally, all ten of us would like to find the perfect party but is that realistic? Who knows? Only time will tell whether that is an actual possibility, and unless you actually do it, you don’t know.” She said
Sadly, a party planned for the singles on Friday 24th of October at the end of the campaign has been postphoned until further notice due to unforseen circumstances.
“At the end of the day we all basically spend our life looking for the same thing, it’s just that some are lucky enough to find it earlier on and some spend their whole lives looking for it and never find it. As human beings we want companionship, it’s our nature to try and find a mate and I don’t understand why people want to make others feel uncomfortable by admitting that they don’t want to spend their life on their own” She said.
Anyone wishing to contact the singles, send them a gift or view their profiles can do so at www.wifewanted.com.au or www.husbandwanted.com.au
Crowne Plaza Canberra is the first hotel in Australia to join the RSPCA''s Choose Wisely initiative, ensuring every egg used in their kitchens is cage free.
Crowne Plaza Canberra and its associated operations, including the National Convention Centre (NCC) and Parliament House Catering by IHG, today announced its commitment to the welfare-friendly food movement in Australia by becoming one of the founding members of Choose Wisely, the RSPCA’s new initiative encouraging businesses to commit to using cage-free eggs.
The first operations of their kind to partner with the RSPCA, Crowne Plaza Canberra, the NCC and Parliament House Catering by IHG will ensure only welfare-friendly whole egg products are served to guests and patrons.
“Choose Wisely is a fantastic initiative we are proud to align with. From today we will ensure that every egg that is used across our three venues is cage free. This includes using only RSPCA-accredited egg providers so that we are certain that the eggs are either barn laid or free range,” said Ian McInnes, Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza Canberra, the National Convention Centre and Parliament House Catering by IHG.
“Our guarantee to guests is that every egg we serve has the RSPCA stamp of approval. Over time, we intend to extend this commitment to incorporate all produce covered within the RSPCA’s welfare-friendly food programme, including pork and chicken meat,” he said.
As part of the Choose Wisely initiative, the RSPCA is asking consumers to support businesses that do choose wisely and are taking an important step on the road to improving layer hen welfare.
“Consumer demand for welfare-friendly food products is surging in Australia with one in four people now buying cage-free eggs. Many businesses and some government organisations have already made the switch to cage-free and we are hoping that Choose Wisely will see this trend grow,” said Heather Neil, CEO, RSPCA Australia.
In the 1990s the RSPCA developed a set of standards for egg producers to ensure a high standard of welfare for hens. The standards stipulate that hens are not kept in battery cages and have litter in which to dust bathe, space to flap their wings, stretch and socialize; nests in which to lay their eggs and adequate perch space. Eggs from an accredited farm are sold with the RSPCA logo so consumers can be assured the hens are kept according to these welfare standards.
The decision to join Choose Wisely by the founding businesses alone means that 1,000 hens a year can live a cage-free existence.
To mark the occasion Crowne Plaza Canberra is inviting guests to experience the cage-free difference by offering breakfast for just $20 for all booking made before 31 December 2008. To book, visit www.crownplaza.com.au or call 138 388 and mention the RSPCA when making a reservation. For more information on Choose Wisely visit www.rspca.org.au.
Crowne Plaza Canberra’s RSPCA special offer is subject to availability and terms and conditions apply.
sanguis ex 20machina by highly acclaimed Artist Paul Robertson, who also has Bipolar
‘Glimpses‘ is a living manuscript containing invaluable insight into the lives of people with a mental illness or experience as their carer.
Contributors tell about the lead up to diagnosis, dealing with MH Services, medication issues, identifying triggers, working towards recovery and coping strategies. Their desire is to increase understanding and reduce stigma surrounding mental illness is the motivating factor behind sharing such personal and sometimes painful stories.
Glimpses is distributed quarterly, for free, by email to a variety of consumer and carer groups, educational facilities, clinicians, individuals and is currently utilised by 4 Universities for course content.
You are invited to contact me for future copies of Glimpses for personal use or as a resource in promoting Mental Health Week. I have also included my contact details for people who are interested in submitting their experiences for inclusion in future editions.
Do you want to give others insight into your life with a mental illness and help change how people see you as a Mental Health Consumer or Carer?
I would like to invite you to do so through sharing your personal experiences with mental illness?
I am putting together a manuscript of personal experiences with mental illness for free distribution to Carers, Consumers, Educators and Clinicians, in hope of increasing awareness and reducing stigma surrounding mental illness AND it would be great to include your story.
The manuscript is called Glimpses – A compilation of uncensored real life experiences with Mental Illness; a free updated version is distributed electronically quarterly.
I am inviting you to submit your Consumer or Carer story on your personal experiences with: – Anxiety Disorder Anorexia Bipolar Borderline Personality Disorder Depression Obsessive Compulsive Disorder PTSD Schizophrenia Any other MI I have overlooked
The average length of stories so far have been 6 to 15 pages. However I do have those that are 3 pages and one that is 32 pages long.
I would like you to write about your lead up to diagnosis, dealing with MH Services, medication issues, identifying triggers, working towards recovery and coping strategies. What and how much you want to share is up to you. Use your whole name, first name or a pseudonym, the choice is yours; but please know that your story, however you present it, could make a difference in how the world sees us.
Next revised issue will be distributed mid October. Please email me if you would like to be added or removed from the distribution list.
Farmers Market''s $5,000 to Grenfell Community Health Service
Farmers Market donates $5,000 to supply crucial medical equipment for Grenfell Community Health Service
The Capital Region Farmers Market and its founder, the Rotary Club of Hall, presented a donation of $5,000 yesterday to the Grenfell Community Health Service. This donation will help the organisation buy the necessary equipment to best care for the local community.
Grenfell Community Health Service provides a wide range of clinical and allied health services to the community including nursing, social workers, mental and physical health as well as visiting services such as psychology, dietician and occupational therapy.
Lynne Peterson, team leader at Grenfell Community Health Service, said the Community is thrilled and very grateful to the Capital Region Farmers Market and the Rotary Club of Hall for their generosity.
“Donations like this are extremely rare and a great asset to our ability to provide and enhance care to the people of the Weddin Districts. Sometimes our Community Health Service can be overlooked for the hospital’s more acute service needs so such a large donation is crucial to us,” Lynne said.
Community Health Service plays a large part in the life of the Grenfell community and the $5,000 donation will help it purchase a mobile palliative bed, portable baby scales, a carry bag and a baby measuring tape as well as a marquee used during outside education sessions.
“I am looking forward to using this equipment to care for the people of all ages in the community,” Lynne added.
All funds generated from the Farmers Market, approximately $150,000 a year, are fed back into the Canberra regional community and other international charities through projects chosen by the Rotary Club of Hall.
Using the funds generated by the Capital Region Farmers Market, the Rotary Club of Hall has been able to support various local organisations such as the Greenhill Youth Centre, a Community Pipe Band, SouthCare, SmartStart for Kids! Program, the Paediatrics group at the Canberra Hospital (PaTCH) which makes patchwork quilts for kids in hospital and many more community organisations. Market funds have even been able to refurbish books for a primary school in Vanuatu.
The Capital Region Farmers Market is a genuine farmers market with over 100 stalls offering a diverse range of fresh food and agricultural produce straight from the producer to the customer. It is open every Saturday morning at the Exhibition Park (EPIC) in Canberra from 8 am to 11 am.
For more information on Capital Regional Farmers Market, visit www.capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au.
Tuggeranong Community Centre (the building next to McDonalds looking out to Lake Tuggeranong)
10am – 2pm
Sunday September 28
our stall is just inside the main hall
The Tuggeranong Indoor Market has a great community atmosphere and supports local artists and craft folk – visit the Tuggeranong Market website to find out more
Maybe you have heard about us but would like to know more – – for example; when we are on and the type of stalls we have each month – well read on:
We are held the last Sunday of every month so our first Spring Market will be Sunday September 28
We are open from 10am – 2pm
We have 30+ stalls
All stalls are indoors within the TUGGERANONG COMMUNITY CENTRE in air-conditioned comfort
The Community Centre’s "Jetty Cafe" is open during market hours
The range and diversity of stalls is fabulous including:
hand-crafted jewellery (beading, buttons, crystals and more)
jewellery kits so you can make your own
jams, sauces, spices etc
hand-crafted aromatherapy products (body balms, candles, massage oils and so much more)
books (new and pre-loved)
baby items (new and pre-loved)
scrap-booking supplies
knitting
quilting
fashion items
hand-crafted cards, prints and other paper craft
home baking
all natural doggie biscuits
incense, dreamcatchers and other new age items
general art & craft
and SO MUCH MORE …..
So why not head down to the Tuggeranong Community Centre (the building next to McDonalds right on Lake Tuggeranong) Sunday September 28 have a browse and support local artists and craft-folk
PLUS there will be a Sausage Sizzle out the front of the centre fundraising for local Tuggeranong Girl Guides!
If this was your Grandfathers it would mean something to you.
YOUR MEMORIES ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT THEY USED TO BE.
This maybe a strange notion at first but not to Moonlights, the newly created Canberra business that is honoring peoples lives by bringing their memories to life. Read on and see if you can relate to what Moonlights is offering the people of Canberra and region.
Despite a greater awareness and trend toward a slower life, many of us still lead lives that do not allow us to just – be. We don’t engage with others and ourselves in a way that encourages reflection and sharing on a level our parents and their parents experienced.
Even if we do have time, our response to improving technologies makes us think we don’t. Many of us succumbing to the shallow, yet powerful, habits of emails, mobiles and the internet.
These changes of lifestyle, and the busyness of the mind that goes with them, directly impact the amount of emotional time given to decisions on how to honour our past, our families and our passions.
Our memories deserve, now more than ever, to be honoured in more creative, engaging ways. Digital technology allows us to do so.
Creative audio visual stories of our lives and passions evoke deep emotions that may not usually be expressed or felt. The images, music and sound can be mixed in beautiful ways to reflect the person or people being celebrated.
In an age of increasing complexity we seek more simplicity.
Below are two examples that reflect the increasing importance of honoring our memories now.
Many of us have spent our school holidays and our children’s at Grandparents houses. They provide some of the best memories for many of us and a part of us expect the home to always be there.
With greater pressures on finances and the urgency surrounding real estate, houses can be sold within days of a Grandparents death.
Often, if there is a remaining partner, they will move to another smaller home. Many of the household items are sold off, given away or kept in the family. Still, these ‘ things’, these symbols of life are no longer in the environment that they were when the memories were created.
The opportunity for reflection whilst walking around the garden you so fondly remember playing in has gone. You can’t show your children their Great Grandparents home anymore, and as great as your shared stories are, they would surely be enhanced if you had a visual record. Not just the people photos, but the photos of the objects, symbols and scenes that showed your Grandma’s life in its best light.
The same goes for our farmers. A generational farm can be gone in days due to bank foreclosures or a drought forcing a very tired family to move on with a mood of high stress and sadness. All of a sudden it’s gone. What’s left are the oral stories and mostly people pictures of friends and family enjoying there time there.
The rusty tractor is left in the paddock, the vege patch goes to seed, the favourite tree that was thought to be there forever cut down. And on it goes.
The farming family and extended family and friends deserve to be able reflect later in their lives on the life they once had there and how important it was to who they are now.
These are just two examples that highlight how the changing world can change the way we react to our own lives. Whilst they have a sadder edge to them the opportunity exists to celebrate more of what once was.
Many other aspects of our lives can be honoured in more creative and mindful ways. Here are a few examples:
• A year of sporting highlights for your 8 year old.
• A day in the life of……
• A chronicling of your house being built.
• A child’s birthday party ( so you can enjoy it later )
• A representative club trip away. For you or the whole group/team. ( See how amateur photos can be given new life in a at Slideshow Alley (Canberra Indoor Cricket Rep match in QLD )
• The old holden. ( OK or Ford )
• A chronicling of a child from birth to ? age.
• The growing garden slide show sent to the owners who are posted overseas.
These are just a few of many, many ways of honouring our lives.
Recently a Canberra based business, Moonlights, owned and operated by Dane Tannahill, was created to specialise in creating custom DVD slide shows for the people of Canberra and region.
The idea came from a slide show he did of his Nana’s home on the day of her passing 4 years ago. On that day Dane found himself paying attention to things he previously hadn’t’t noticed. Now they did matter. He took photos of as many objects and scenes as he could.
Thankfully, all of Danes family can now look back fondly at their Nana’s home and share stories with great grandchildren as the images and music flow back to their hearts. You can view the original slide show by clicking here.
Moonlights is about bringing your memories to life in a sensitive, engaging and authentic manner.
If you can relate to this article then please visit the Moonlights website now to see how you and those you love can be honoured, now and forever.
The world-famous Imperial Ice Stars, who have won international critical acclaim with their previous tours of The Sleeping Beauty on Ice and Swan Lake on Ice, are set to thrill once more with their brand new production, Cinderella on Ice.
More than two million people across five continents, from London to Sydney, Toronto to Cape Town and Moscow to Tokyo, have been swept to their feet by The Imperial Ice Stars’ adrenaline-infused performances.
Canberra audiences will experience this dazzling display of skating brilliance from 23 Olympic, World, National and European Championship skaters. The Imperial Ice Stars are renowned for their unique brand of innovative skating and story-telling, as they continue to break new ground in the genre of ice dancing with daring feats never seen before – and all performed in the intimacy of a frozen theatre stage.
Cinderella on Ice has been conceived and choreographed by Tony Mercer, widely regarded as the world’s leading creator of theatre on ice. The production boasts lavish sets from one of Australia’s leading scenic designers, Eamon D’Arcy and glorious costumes from Albina Gabueva, head designer at Moscow’s famed Stanislavsky Theatre.
Venue: Canberra Theatre
Duration: 145 minutes including interval
Prices: MON-THURS EVENINGS
A Reserve
Full: $79.00
Concession/Child: $69.00*
Group (10+): $65.00**
Family (4 Tickets): $199***
From Thursday, 18 September 2008 to Sunday, 28 September 2008 – Tickets from Canberra Theatre
http://www.canberratheatre.org.au/pages/event/performance856.asp
Neither major party in the ACT is looking to further liberalise the territory’s surrogacy laws, according to commitments given to Christians at ‘Make it Count ACT’ last night (Sept 15).
Both parties committed to put more money into dental health, to engage in community consultation and to help the disadvantaged. They also hinted at announcements with regard to non-government schools later in the election campaign and said that they would not, as parties, move to introduce euthanasia laws if elected (even if this is made permissible federally) as this is a conscience issue requiring a private member’s bill.
Despite turbulent weather and black-outs in parts of Canberra, around 650 Christians turned out to Llewellyn Hall in Acton last night to hear from ACT Attorney General Simon Corbell and ACT Opposition Leader Zed Seselja at ‘Make it Count ACT’.
Christian leaders from a wide range of denominations also questioned the two leaders on issues ranging from family breakdown and job opportunities for unskilled young people to marriage and the rights of the child.
Under questioning about a review of ACT legislation to see if it is in “the best interests of the child”, Mr Seselja said he would have to discuss this with his colleagues but thought that something along these lines might be possible.
Questioned on what values and ethics their parties were based on, Mr Corbell said that, for Labor, the quest has always been one of tackling disadvantage and that they see disadvantage as having an economic basis. Mr Seselja said that the Liberal Party fundamentally starts with a belief in the inherent worth and freedom of every individual, while also believing that there are some in the community who need a helping hand.
ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said last night’s event was an important opportunity for the ACT’s Christian constituency to raise issues of concern to Christians and have greater input into the future direction of the territory.
“We appreciate the strong support shown for the event by a wide range of denominations and churches in Canberra. The large turnout despite the bad weather conditions shows once again that Christians are committed to seeing the good governance of the ACT. The event would also have assisted Christians in making an informed vote at the upcoming ACT election.”
