Tim Stackpool's Blog

Bring back Chicken Maryland

2012-02-02T11:55:00.000+11:00

It’s timeto talk turkey. Actually, no. I’m more wanting to talk about Chicken Maryland.It means a few different things in various countries, but in Australia inthe 1970’s it was a staple menu item in some (most?) restaurants and eateries,generally attached to various community and service clubs. In this country, theReturned Servicemen’s League (RSL), established clubs that welcomed ex-militarypersonnel and their families for evenings of camaraderie, a few drinks, and eventualeats in the dining room that were (and still are) convenient and great value.

But ofconcern is the departure from history that the menus of these establishmentshave undergone. Today, some have entirely become ‘Thai’ or ‘Chinese’ or inearlier years ‘Italian’. It seems that when the 1970’s moved on, menus had tobecome more ‘continental’, more savvy, more chic.

Now, apartfrom the demise of Chicken Maryland (which I remember was a pan or deep friedchicken leg or thigh, along with a deep fried banana and pineapple ring),Chicken in a Basket is also gone (roast chicken on a bed of potato chips…gravyoptional)! Thankfully, the Prawn Cocktail entrée can still sometimes be discovered,although these days it resembles something more glamorous like ‘tapas’ but withouta brown bread triangle in sight. At least the sauce tastes familiar.

This is acalamity. Waning popularity of these dishes is a national disgrace. How hard isit really? Make the choice: A roast chicken leg donned with a little chef’shat, or Chicken Tikka Masala? Foie Gras-Banana Bread Terrine or the Roast ofthe Day (go for the lamb), with extra chips?

So popularwere these ‘old fashioned’ dishes with the customers, individuals would oftenremain loyal to one dish only, ordering “the usual” everytime. “I only have thecauliflower mornay…”, “…the kidneys in wine...”, “…chicken a la king…”. Saying“I only ever have the Carbonnade Flamande,”was considered very exotic indeed.

It’s timeto resurrect the Chicken Maryland and its menu cousins. Write to your localclub, your corner restaurant, your local member of parliament and have thisiconic dish returned to the tables of Australia.
Thank you, and enjoy your After DinnerMint.

THE WORLD with Tim Stackpool: 17 Dec 2011

2011-12-15T23:48:00.000+11:00

THE WORLD 17 Dec 2011

In this edition:
• The US lowers support to UNESCO as Palestine raises the flag in Paris.
• Malaria deaths down in Africa by 33%.
• Climate change particularly affects women in developing nations.
• Widows in India shunned and marginalised (listener discretion advised).
• Developing nations to feed each other.
• UN to assist Afghanistan fight drug cultivation.
• Japanese fishing fleet measures ocean radioactivity.
• Tripoli ceremony of unity.

DUR: 27min 30 secs

Re-broadcast enquiries outside of Australia, contact www.grnlive.com

www.theworldradioshow.com

THE WORLD with Tim Stackpool: 3 Dec 2011

2011-12-02T11:25:00.000+11:00

In this edition:

Former Cote d'Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo stands trial for murder and rape.
New satellite technology tracks world deforestation.
Durban hosts climate change negotiations as Kyoto protocol is set to expire.
International migration trends make a change.
Sixty-four years since UN declared end to British mandate in Palestine.
Protecting items of local and world heritage importance during times of armed conflict.

Duration: 26mins 30 secs.

Rebroadcast enquiries outside of Australia should be made to www.grnlive.com

THE WORLD with Tim Stackpool 26 Nov 2011

2011-11-25T12:34:00.001+11:00

In this edition:
2011: Game changing year in the fight against HIV/AIDS;
Zimbabwe short on food...again;
Sudan drops bombs on South Sudan;
Identify alcohol abuse in children with just two questions;
New crops to combat climate change;
Kenyan girls fall pregnant, fail school;
Afghan leaders discuss life after 2014;
Recent violence against protesters in Egypt.

For info on re-broadcasting outside Australia, contact www.grnlive.com

THE WORLD with Tim Stackpool

2011-11-18T11:51:00.000+11:00

THE WORLD radio show 19 Nov 11 by World News Channel

In this edition:
Libya: heading back to high school;
Weapons that don't kill;
Solitude in the heart of Kabul;
Haitians, many still have no home;
Ugandan rebels wreak havoc in neighbouring countries;
Extinct! The West African black rhino is no more.

The World with Tim Stackpool 12 Nov 2011

2011-11-11T15:08:00.001+11:00

In this edition:
Syrian pro-democracy death rate rises;
Balkan countries agree on South East Europe refugee crisis;
'Race against time' to feed starving masses in Somalia;
Palestinian bid for UN Assembly membership;
Rise in mercenary and private military causes alarm;
India ranking low on the developing nations scale;
Avoiding diabetes, the epidemic of the developed world.
(Dur 27.15)
For broadcast info: tim.stackpool@worldnewschannel.tv

The World with Tim Stackpool. Nov 5, 2011

2011-11-04T15:49:00.001+11:00

In this edition:

Mexico City population boom;
Child marriage remains in th 21st century;
Australian passports recognise 'intersex' gender;
Lack of jobs stirs fears of more social unrest;
International Criminal Court seeks remaining Libyan strongmen;
Walking to the South Pole and back...

www.theworldradioshow.com

The World radio 29 10 11

2011-10-28T12:48:00.001+11:00

The World radio 29 10 11 by World News Channel
The latest edition of THE WORLD with Tim Stackpool (week ending 29 Oct '11) now online. File download now also available via the Soundcloud widget.

http://www.theworldradioshow.com

In this edition:

Libya after the regime falls.
Migrant workers trapped in the Libyan crossfire.
The man who stopped the desert.
Counselling former child soldiers in Uganda.
Malawi fails to arrest a prominent wanted human rights violator.
Gloomy worldwide outlook for young job hunters.

DUR: 26mins

Cheers,
-Tim

--Tim Stackpool -
Voicewww.timstackpool.com
0419 244 443(Outside Australia: +61 419 244 443)
Skype: timstackpool
Watch:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmUf2HFbBkM

World News Radio Show - Latest edition

2011-10-20T15:56:00.001+11:00

My show looks at particular world issues during the week.

Latest tracks by World News Channel

Hope you enjoy it.

SAVING SKIPPY’S HOME FROM THE BULLDOZER.

2011-08-02T14:38:00.006+10:00

Skippy, The Bush Kangaroo, has been described as Australia’s first real international TV star. The producer of the original series, the late John McCallum, devised the TV series upon returning from the USA after seeing the popular family show Flipper.

Securing finance and support, ninety-one 30 minute episodes were filmed between 1966 and 1968. Set in the fictitious Waratah National Park, the adventures of Skippy and her family of friends in Australia was filmed in colour, and syndicated throughout the United States and Canada, dubbed into spanish in Mexico, where it then travelled through most of the Español speaking world, successfully crossing the Iron Curtain to air in Czechoslovakia in the 1970’s and 1980’s, and word is the show still currently broadcasts in Iran.

While at least nine different kangaroos played the role of Skippy, many Australians remember the show from when it was re-broadcast after the introduction of colour television Down Under in the mid 70’s. Kids would rush home from school to watch as Skippy rescued lost hikers, solved bank heists and thwarted attempts to pillage whatever it was that the crooks sought in the Park. Sometimes, she even flew the park ranger’s helicopter.

Many of the adventures were set around the ranger’s headquarters, which doubled as the living quarters for Park Ranger Matt Hammond and his family, most notably Sonny, who was Skippy’s best mate.

Permission to film & build structures in a National Park was given personally by the then NSW Premier as a way of showcasing the new NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service government department he had recently established.

When filming ended, various entrepreneurs attempted to run the site as a tourist attraction, being the “Home of Skippy”. I recall as a child being bundled up in the car one weekend to visit the park, see the buildings I knew so well from watching the TV series, and to pat a marsupial identified as Skippy herself. I was very young, but I do remember it as a great day. Now, 27 years into the TV industry, I actually feel privileged to have walked on the set of the series all that time ago.

But various commercial attempts to keep the park viable have failed.

Today, Skippy’s home always appears to be under some type of threat. Located in what was once considered part of the outskirts of undeveloped urban Sydney, the area has now become prized northern beaches real estate, available for long term lease. To those who remember the series, many might be surprised to learn that the buildings used in the series are still standing today, some with the original interior fittings and furniture intact.

It’s abhorrent to consider that their days might ever be numbered. At the very least, considering the 'modern' history that these buildings represent, some type of protection should be bestowed on this icon of Australian art and culture. The entire site should be listed by the National or State Trust, or somehow be protected by the National Film and Sound Archive perhaps. A loss of Waratah Park would be yet another preventable loss of Australian cultural history. It is a sacred site in Australia’s Film and TV industry.

Dedicated lovers of what the series and the site represent do what they can to protect Waratah Park, establishing a foundation that has enjoyed victory over property developers in the past. The Waratah Park Nature Reserve Foundation works to ensure the preservation of the park, and one day hopes the park might reopen to the public in some form. As one supporter said, “Knocking down Waratah Park would be like knocking down the Opera House”.

You can offer your support and learn more about the Foundation here:
http://www.waratahpark.org.au

THE PETER FALCONIO LEGACY

2011-07-11T12:00:00.001+10:00

There are defining personal moments in most people’s careers, not necessarily due to any notoriety, but perhaps because of the way the moments invade your personal psyche or perspective on life.

July the 14th 2011 marks 10 years since the young and vibrant Briton Peter Falconio was killed on a lonely stretch of road in the midst of Australia’s desolate outback. Accompanied by Joanne Lees, his girlfriend from Huddersfield, the young backpackers were undertaking the holiday of a lifetime, but while driving late that night across the vast Australian desert, a man signalled to them to pull over. Investigating a ‘problem’ with their campervan, Peter and the man examined the rear of the vehicle while Joanne revved the engine from the driver’s seat.

Then, the world changed forever.

Joanne heard a loud bang and the man appeared by the driver’s side door, brandishing a gun. Peter was nowhere to be seen. Joanne’s hands were tied and she was thrown into the back of the man’s truck. She escaped, hiding in the blackness of the night, while the man searched in vain to find her. Eventually he left, and Joanne remained concealed in the bushes until a larger transport truck drove past some hours later, when Joanne flagged it down.

The investigation and events that followed are well documented in books and online (just search for ‘Falconio’ if you have a few hours to spare), with theories, inconsistencies, conspiracies, and substantial imagination creating a criminal case that has now become Australian folklore.

Ultimately some years later, Bradley John Murdoch was found guilty of the murder of Peter Falconio (although his body has not yet been recovered) and of the assault and ‘depravation of liberty’ (kidnapping) of Joanne Lees.

Irrespective of any personal opinions on the case (and everyone has one), these events represent a true horror story for all those involved, from the victims, to their friends and families, and to the investigators and those who were engaged to follow the case.

From the period of Peter’s death until the final appeals of innocence by Murdoch were exhausted, almost 6 years had passed. During that time, I was commissioned by 2 broadcasting companies in the UK to cover and report on the events as they unfolded. It was a story that opened many questions as the investigation and court proceedings continued. It was a compelling case, and despite the absolute dreadful events that the case represented, the story was as gripping for me as a reporter, as it was tragic for those affected.

Many other reporters published books about the case, some sympathetic to the surviving victim, one particularly suspicious of the entire process. Joanne Lees also penned her own account worth reading. For me, posterity came in the form of the film Joanne Lees: Murder in the Outback, a joint venture between productions companies in Australia and the UK, but a production that Joanne herself had no connection with. My actual reports that were broadcast in the UK during the trial are heard as incidental audio throughout the film.

It was via this film that a new personal perspective of the case dawned on me. One of the radio stations that broadcast my daily account of the court proceedings was a small local broadcaster located in Peter’s home town of Huddersfield. The film depicted the local population sometimes listening to these reports. It was a perspective on my reports that I had never imagined, that people attached to the victims back home were hearing the news unfolding half a world away directly from me.

You can hear some of my reporting as portrayed in the film here:

Missing this direct perspective is probably an indictment against my objectivity at the time. All reporters should consider both the mass market and the individual when reporting any story. I’ll won’t deny my imperfections, but am comforted by the positive comments from peers at the time regarding my coverage of the case.

The ‘Falconio murder’ will leave a lasting impression on so many people in both Australia and the UK. Even those merely observing will recall Australia’s Northern Territory as a place of mystery and sometimes danger because of this case. But for those directly affected, for Joanne and Peter’s family, while it is a chapter in their lives they wish had never occurred, and perhaps one they would rather forget, the events of 14th July 2001 will remain in their minds, and in the minds of others for as long as it remains in the annals of Australian criminal history.

I’ll certainly never forget.

LAMENTING WESTFIELD BURWOOD

2011-05-30T16:10:00.021+10:00

Whenever I have the time to take a wander through Sydney's Westfield ‘Shoppingtown’ Burwood (rare these days), I wonder at the architectural change that took place on the site back in 2000. In a first for the shopping giant, Westfield entirely demolished the ‘original’ building in 1999, and opened a brand spanking-new centre a year later. The ‘new’ centre is completely unrecognisable from the old Westfield, but as I saunter through the Burwood Road entrance, I try to resurrect the ghosts of the olden days gone by, and lament somewhat over the passing of an old retail friend (be him bricks, mortar and asbestos) more than 10 years ago.

I was only 2 years old when the centre first opened in 1966, and trips to Westfield Burwood with my Mum were almost a weekly thing. The closest shopping centre to our home (and one of the first in Sydney), visiting Westfield Burwood really was like visiting a village, with its own culture, population, and in some ways, currency. The number 1 department store was Farmers, where staff turnover seemed to be non-existent. Irrespective of what year it was, my primary school uniform seemed to be fitted by the same shop assistant for the next 6 years.

My older sister (and eventually me too) would visit the orthodontist in the professional rooms upstairs, while Mum and I would do the rounds of the shops. A visit to the dough-nut shop was mandatory. That shop had an automatic mechanical dough-nut maker in the window, where loads of kids would watch dough-nuts being turned out for hours. If you were buying, you always had a choice of dough-nuts that had been sitting in the display, or of those that had just been turned out of the machine. Hot, warm and yummy.

If you turned around, you’d be facing the back of ‘centre-stage’ that contained another wonder of the 1960’s Westfield design. Gracing the circular stage was an ornate ‘air-fountain’, made-up of multiple columns that would shoot controlled compressed air into the sky, upon which perfectly balanced metallic coloured balls would float magically in the air…another amazing piece of machinery that would keep us in awe during this trip to the village.

The ‘old’ Westfield was not a great exploiter of retail space. In the middle of the centre was a substantial open area, kind of like a concrete version of the village green. Here the local primary schools could herald their work from an art competition, or the occasional display of Aboriginal culture was on show. My first ever concert was an Aboriginal Corroboree display on centre-stage. I remember the school excursion to Westfield being particularly exciting because ‘I’ve been there with my mum!’ Complete with chaperone nuns dressed head-to-toe in their habits… I recall thinking on that day that the nuns’ attire was OK for the classroom but quite impractical for everyday wear.

Escalators would lead from the village green up to the ‘special shops’ that included jewellers, a home hi-fi shop, a place that sold cushions and sheets (always a boring stop for me on the regular shopping tour), but best of all on that balcony was the Darrell Lea chocolate shop. I could hardly believe that such a place existed! AND the ladies that worked there always wore really happy clothes: big bow ties and colourful tops. It was amazing. RockLea Road was (and still remains) my favourite. From there, a run down the ramp and around to the right revealed whatever holiday activities the centre was holding. Sometimes painting, sometimes mini-electric car rides! Westfield Burwood really was a village in those days, a surprise at every turn, all indoors, never closed due to rain.

As I got older, I still loved to visit. I saw colour television for the first time in a Westfield Burwood shop window. Even when at boarding school for my secondary education, a trip to Westfield Burwood always reminded me that yes, I was home for the holidays. There was the doughnut-shop with the mechanical maker, there were the coloured balls floating on their magic carpet above centre stage, and in the later years, a kebab shop (a mere hole in the wall) in the ‘newer’ back section was turning out Middle East favourites worth making the car trip for.

Today, 11 years after the latest renovation, Westfield Burwood is a prime retail space, with plenty to be proud of. It’s gleaming, cosmopolitan and world class. A newer generation, who only know the post-2000 Westfield, will now have their memories, fond I hope, of shopping with Mum or hanging with friends in the food hall after school. While I am one who embraces change, I do miss the old Westfield Burwood: the old record stores, the open spaces, the old Hoyts Cinema on the ground floor (Jacqueline Bisset in The Deep especially…saw it twice!), but hopefully, it will be many years before the renovators move in to finally renovate my own old memories of the retail village.

(Top Pic: Westfield Burwood prior to 2000 renovation)
(Lower Pic: Redex Bash centre stage presentation 1986)

AUSSIE BOYS GO UNASSISTED TO THE SOUTH POLE

2011-02-22T16:03:00.002+11:00

Remember the two guys who kayaked 3318 kilometres unassisted across the Tasman Sea from Australia all the way to New Zealand? For years they have been promising their next big adventure, and now they've finally announced their plans. James Castrission and Justin Jones will next attempt to walk from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back again….unassisted.

Walking alone and carrying their own provisions (weighing about 200kgs each), these two Australians will attempt this ominous world-first from November 2011. Not only will this be the first ever unsupported return journey, they will also be the youngest team to reach the Pole. Previously, Jon Muir, Peter Hillary and Eric Phillips attempted the return journey in 1998. They reached the South Pole after 84 days on the ice and didn’t complete the return. Kiwi adventurers Kevin Biggar and Jamie Fitzgerald also attempted the return journey in 2007. Their attempt was also unsuccessful.

The entire route will traverse 2200km return, being 1100km from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole. So tough is this expedition, history records just 58 people having man-hauled to the South Pole, compared with the 4800 who have stood on the summit of Mt Everest.

These two guys have incredible tenacity and a love of adventure. Their crossing of the Tasman is testament to that. They are meticulous planners and fully understand the concept of ‘risk minimisation’ when it comes to adventuring. They are also 2 of the most level headed blokes you could hope to meet.

Adventure is their business. Follow their latest here:
http://casandjonesy.com.au/

Good luck guys.

SYDNEY'S BATS FACE EVICTION

2011-02-18T18:06:00.002+11:00

Even as a teenager, a highlight for me when visiting Sydney Botanic Gardens was seeing the thousands of bats that roost high in the trees. As night falls, the bats (grey-headed flying foxes) would fly back and forth, their impressive wingspan silhouetted against the dusk. Often, closer to the ground, conflict in the bushes could be heard as possums and bats vie for the optimum position on a tree branch. During concerts in the adjacent Domain, I remember lying on the picnic blanket, and when looking to the sky as night descended, the bats would fly across my field of view, often accompanied by the strains of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Now, it's all about to change. The Royal Botanic Gardens Trust needs to put an end to the 2 decades of damage these bats have done to the flora that is their home. I'm disappointed yes, given today as I walk around the gardens with my 4 year old son, we visit the bats, trying to count them as they hang upside down from the trees (apparently there are around 22,000 bats in-situ today) and wondering at the screeching that emanates from the colony.

Moving them will be no easy task. A golf buggy fitted with a mighty sound system will blast the bats with industrial noise (at 10-minute intervals from about noon to 4pm each day for 2 weeks in May), powerful enough to make anyone move house. Hopefully this will cause the bats to move on, preferably beyond Hyde Park, with little distress and without injury. If the bats return, another round of cacophony will follow the next year. And failing that, again the year after.

The prospect is not without controversy. A group called Bat Advocacy has challenged the intended eviction, but to no avail. The federal court ruled against them. My son is distressed too, a mini tantrum followed my explanation of why the bats must go.

The Sydney Botanic Gardens is a wonderful place. A beautiful space on our amazing harbour, loved by dendrologists and chiropterologists alike. A walk through the gardens at dusk reveals an amazing collection wildlife, especially unique in the middle of a highrise city. I know the trees must be saved...but I'm saddened by the pending departure.

Part of me hopes that a few of the evictees make their way back sometime, for a little while anyway.

GLUGS GIVE OUT THE GONGS

2011-02-08T13:47:00.014+11:00

Not as prestigious as the Oscars, and it’s definitely not the Tonys, but for a committed group of Sydney theatre goers, their yearly awards recognising the best in live drama is as noteworthy as any other award (full list of nominees and winners below). Calling themselves the Glugs (named after the characters in a CJ Dennis poem), the group of about 80 or so meet every month, and while enjoying good food and wine, discuss the virtues of the latest show, and generally hear from a luminary of the industry.

And so it is that this year the members praised the work of those who entertained us in 2010, with many of the winners taking the time to attend. This is not an awards project determined by committee, but rather by those who love the art and support it by attending shows as often as one each week…sometimes more. There’s neither pomp nor circumstance at the awards function. No 60 piece orchestra in the pit, no elaborate staging, no burlesque opening number. Rather, seventy guests squeeze into a small conference room on Sydney’s Castlereagh St, with ceiling fans for climate control, and plastic chairs to ease weary legs. Winners bustle their way forward through ‘standing room only’ to accept their award at the front of the room. Photos are taken by mini-digital cameras, or on an iPhone. This is recognition of the craft at its most pure, and for that reason, the awards really do represent recognition by those best positioned to present them: The Audience.

Such is the night, surprises are not few and far between. Topped with fedora, blue jeans and t-shirt, The Jersey Boys’ Bobby Fox (Frankie Valli) accepted his award (Best Actor in a musical), and insisted on breaking into iOTA's Come Back for Me, inspired after hearing it performed only just the night before. Without backing, without a sound system and lit only by typical fluorescent lights, he held the room and paced the number accompanied by only the clicking of his fingers. Rapturous applause followed.

So too was recognition given to Amanda Bishop. This incredible performer, children’s TV star and political satirist was delighted to be named Best Actress in a Musical or Cabaret (the Glugs refrain from naming female performers as ‘actors’), especially when pitted against the other nominees. We await to see what more this versatile performer can deliver over the coming years.

After the presentation, guests then retired downstairs, and sans-media, consumed freshly cut sandwiches, a cheese and fruit platter along with a cash bar. Performers mixed with their judges and peers and enjoyed an early night, wrapping around 9.30pm.

There are plenty of more noteworthy awards presentations to experience in the entertainment industry, but few reflect a performer’s connection with the audience as well as these. Without prejudice or pretence, without lobbyists or publicists, the Glugs’ Awards for Excellence in the Performing Arts represent what theatre enthusiasts really think and what they really feel. And it’s a feeling of which all nominees and winners should be proud.

GLUGS’ AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS
Results (winner in bold):

Norman Kessell Memorial Award for best performance by an Actress/Actor:

Zoe Carides - Murderes (Ensemble)
Essie Davis - Tot Mom (STC)
Judi Farr - August: Osage County - Steppenwolf Theatre Company in association STC
Julie Forsyth - Book of Everything (Belvoir)
Susie Porter - That Face (Belvoir)
Wayne Blair - True West (STC)
Richard Roxborough - Uncle Vanya (STC)
Daniel Mitchell - Rain Man (Ensemble)
Hugo Weaving - Uncle Vanya (STC)

Jeffry Joynton-Smith Memorial Award for Best Supporting Actress/Actor:

Pamela Jikiemi - The God Committee (Ensemble)
Alinta Chidzer - West Side Story
Lenore Smith - The Chronic Ills of Robert Zimmerman
Mitchell Butel - The Grenade (STC)
Peter Carroll - Book of Everything (Belvoir)
Danny Mitchell (Brooklyn Boy)
Edwin Hodgman (Codgers)
Derek Lynch - Albert Namajerah (Belvoir)

Colleen Clifford Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance in a Musical/Cabaret -
Female:

Amanda Bishop - The Wharf Revue
Alinta Chidzer - West Side Story
Marika Aubrey - Red Head

Male:

Bobby Fox - Jersey Boys
Drew Forsythe - The Wharf Revue
Josh Piterman - West Side Story

Most Outstanding Production:

Uncle Vanya - STC

Jersey Boys - Theatre Royal

Book of Everything - Belvoir

Rain Man - Ensemble

Hayes Gordon Memorial Award for Important Contribution to Theatre (Sponsored by Carolyn and Peter Lowry):

Wayne Harrison

Award for Young People's Theatre (sponsored by Rose Peterson):

Fox - A Monkey Baa production in association with Siren Theatre Co.

Taffy Davies Memorial Award for best new Australian Production (Sponsored by Beverley Davies):

Angela’s Kitchen by Paul Capsis & Julian Meyrick

The Seaborn, Broughton and Walford Life Achievement Award:

Jacqueline Kott

Chief Glug's Award (Lee Young) for Excellence Behind the Scenes:

Graham Maclean (Designer)

Queensland Floods. RTÉ Radio 1 World Report

2011-01-10T13:18:00.002+11:00

Presented by Tim Stackpool, this item was originally broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 World Report in Ireland, January 9, 2011

To Listen:

http://www.timstackpool.com/Floods_RTE.mp3
Copyright RTÉ 2011

Transcript:
With 200,000 people affected; 1000’s of homes inundated; more than 20 people killed this season; enormous losses to Australia’s agriculture and mining industry; and a looming ecological disaster from which the coral on Australia’s prized Great Barrier Reef might struggle to recover, this country in the the midst of floods described as perhaps the worst ever.

For the more than 70,000 residents of the city of Rockhampton, this past week has made for very long days. And frustratingly, it’s an inundation that couldn’t be halted, despite warnings giving days of notice. No amount of levee building, sandbagging or water course diversions could stem this deluge flooding an area the size of France and Germany combined. It’s nothing short of disaster on a massive scale.

A man in his 60’s at the evacution shelter, cried as he described the anticipation of returning to his home. “I don’t know what it’s like”, he said. “actually I do know”, he corrected, “but I don’t want to”. 90-year-old resident Ellen Boswood decided to stay with her home. “I won't be moved”, she said "I'm not worried, I've been there, done that," remarked the positive veteran of the 1954 floods. Some others though are struggling with the isolation. Emergency workers assist with evacuation, but don’t have the resources to deliver supplies to individuals who choose to stay put. For them, supplies are running out and some residents have to rely on family to bring them food by boat. "It'd just be nice if someone came out and said: Are you okay?" shouted 44 year old Ian Wood, as he stood in his flooded doorway.

As relief efforts continue, emergency personnel need to be wary of dangers such as raw effluent in the water, electrical hazards and that most amazing of phenomena, crocodiles lurking just beneath the flood waters in the streets. From the balcony of one home, stranded folk see venomous snakes twisting their way through the muddy brown water, seeking refuge in trees or in the corners of submerged homes, slipping between the gaps in dislodged roof tiles. The people spot what might be a crocodile, or perhaps it’s just debris floating by…it’s hard to tell either way. But the emergency crew across the road take no chances and hop out of the water with haste.

This weekend, as waters at Rockhampton fall from their peak, residents will be faced with a massive clean-up, costing billions. Returning to their homes, they’ll be met with loved possessions totally destroyed, or at best completely engulfed in sticky black mud, perhaps ruined forever. Some houses will be demolished, roads and bridges will need repair, and last of all, the re-opening of the airport, which is expected to remain closed for weeks.

And downstream the drama continues. Smaller towns, some boasting no more than 2000 residents are bracing for the water to reach them, forecast to peak even higher than in Rockhampton. They find it hard to describe what’s worse: Knowing that it’s coming; or being helpless to do anything about it. For some, they’re only just recovering from a similar flood less than a year ago. The furniture’s been replaced, the rebuilding complete, and now this. But these flood affected Australians are resilient. Most love where they live, and choose to stay even with such threats. Strangers flock to assist with sandbagging a single building, even when their own home has inevitably succumbed to the rising tide. A single solitary victory against the elements is enough to raise the spirits, enough to raise a smile and a laugh.

It’s the monsoon season in northern Australia. And while afternoon storms contribute little to the height of the water, the longevity of the flood is extended. But the season still has a long way to go, and everyone knows that another severe weather system could develop, and submit this part of the world to further frustration and heartbreak.

For World Report, this is Tim Stackpool in Sydney.

Your Own Island...for $99

2011-01-05T14:57:00.005+11:00

There are plenty of 'best kept secrets' in the world, and feel free to share your favourites below, but if holidaying in the Caribbean seems too expensive, take a look at what George Jackson has to offer.

Located off the coast of Honduras, this family owned 'cay', is about 18 miles off the coast, with the nearest mainland town being La Ceiba. The island is ringed entirely by sandy beaches and a coral reef. It has but one house, and that's where you stay.

The entire island can be rented for around $US100 per night for 6 people. For more adults, just add $US10 per head.
The facilities are spartan but effective. There are two bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchen and living room. Transportation is entirely by boat. Power is provided 100% by solar generators, but your stay won't use much as there is no TV, no air-con, hi-fi or wi-fi. Sounds like heaven? Quite unbelievable.

If you need supplies, George is happy to receive one call per day via shortwave radio, and will deliver your requests from his home on another nearby cay. The larger island of Utila is a 20 minute boat ride away for anyone needing a touch of 'civilisation' during your castaway stay. To book, give George a call on +504-2425-2005 or send an email to cayosutila@hotmail.com.

Aussies can fly to Honduras via the USA.
For more info: http://aboututila.com/AccomInfo/Sandy-Cay/
And Lauren Viera of the Chicago Tribune has an excellent syndicated piece on the cay here:
http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/honduras.php?news_id=3957&start=0&category_id=85

New Years Resolution - Top 10 Things I Will Never Wear

2010-12-31T15:45:00.005+11:00

All going well, so long as I retain my mental facilities, I uphold as far as possible not to willingly wear any of the following items during 2011 and hopefully for some time after. In no particular order:

1. Anything Beige. No beige or chocolate brown suits, shirts, undies, ties or hats. OK, sometimes when adhering to wardrobe requirements, I am required to don the camel chinos (can you believe it?? Chinos!!). But fashionable as beige might be...it's not for me. On that note, brown curtains, brown lounge suites and brown cushions are also off-limits.

2. Lycra Shorts. Perhaps in my previous cycling youth I did indulge in the comfort these afforded on longer city treks, but no more when heading for the wrong side of 40. If you enjoy the figure of a moderate athlete and undertake running, jumping and skipping on a regular basis, then go for it. That's legitimate.

3. Cutting Edge Fashion. At one point, I was once described as the Yves Saint Laurent of the production department at Channel Nine in Sydney, but that was way back in the 80's, and we all know what fashion was like back then. Today, I doubt if I could pull-off a look like this, waltzing down Norton Street Leichhardt, without scoring a Pizza in my face or a Tiramasu lobbed at my back. Perhaps these guys could.

4. Footy Jersey. Yes I do have pride in my nation's sporting achievements in whatever code, but wearing one of these just looks ridiculous on me. And please, don't ever wear one at christenings, weddings or regular Sunday church services. If co-ordinated, you might be able to get away with it at a funeral if the rest of the team is honouring a one-eyed fan. But certainly fly the colours at any sporting event where the Aussie's are sure to prevail.

5. Eye-Patch. Stephen Nichols played Steve Johnson for 5 years wearing that patch on Days of our Lives, but the accessory never made mainstream....except for pirates, for whom it has never gone out of fashion. Far from being typecast, Stephen is still going strong, doing plenty of Films, TV and Theatre...but without the patch. Same for me.

6. A John Deere hat. I've seen some cool dudes and chicks wear this hat, but if I were to don one, the response would be, "What's with that?!!??" Of course, sometimes when it comes to sponsored events and roles, I have no choice, but so far the farming industry has given me a wide berth.

7. Snuggie. Admit it. We all want one. But other members of the family unit forbid me from going online to make the purchase. Instead, I just wear my dressing gown backwards around the house and when visiting the neighbours outside of the hours 8am - 8pm.

8. Thai Red Bull tank. I saw someone wearing one of these at the petrol station yesterday, which is what motivated this blog entry. I can only imagine that you get one free when you purchase a certain number of these drinks in Thailand. That can be the only reason why so many Aussies return with these in the their luggage.

9. Bluetooth headset when not on the phone. Some can legitimately wear these when not on the phone: Professional drivers? Yes! Couriers? Yes! Emergency personnel? Definitely! Stockbrokers? um..maybe...but only so we know who to avoid. But take the fandangled thing out of your ear when not on the phone. If you are wearing one while I'm talking to you, I know that I can be interrupted at a moments notice by a call that is obviously so much more important to you than I am.

10. Shoes with toes in them. I take my John Deere hat off to the product developer that thought of this one. And to the marketing people who convinced consumers to buy them. I've seen them in the street. Bravo. But not for me.

Happy New Year everyone.

Julian Assange’s Revenge

2010-11-30T11:49:00.028+11:00

Diversionary tactics are big in the intelligence community. Have the ‘mark’ look the other way while you pick his pockets. And while the international and diplomatic community cry foul over the latest WikiLeaks abomination, the rest of us should be breaking down the doors of governments asking how such ‘sensitive’ data was able to be let loose in the first place. You can bet plenty of bureaucrats are currently playing ‘Duck and Cover’. Isn’t the job of these people to keep secrets ‘secret’?

I can only guess that should be Rule 1 of the CIA, MI6, ASIO, MOSSAD and others’ Guide to Being a Good Spy. We might not like secrets being kept by our governments, it adds to our paranoia. But we can at least expect them to keep them secret, if that’s their department’s job. In an age of such deplorable terrorism, if a website represented by a ‘rogue’ Australian ex-pat can get their hands on this stuff, what hope can we have of our own real security? I guess the answer is “we can’t”. Time to give-up?

I wonder how much of this hoo-ha we would hear if WikiLeaks was a recognised news agency? I’m reminded of the impartial reporting philosophy of Al Jazeera when they first launched. Real news was presented (and still is) irrespective of the perspective. That philosophy subsequently raised the ire of western governments.

I don’t condone all the actions taken by WikiLeaks. Any type of ‘reporting’ requires discretion. But what is it that gives Julian Assange such bravado in the face of threats from so many governments? No doubt he is well advised legally, but given the man’s history, especially his early childhood, light is shed on his perspective of the world. At the age of 9, unfortunate circumstances found him indoctrinated into a cult in southern Australia, which was eventually uncovered to be undertaking the most horrendous treatment and torture of child members. Some survivors have committed suicide as adults. After an acrimonious split with his step-father, his mother, he and step-brother found themselves ‘one the run’ from the cult for many years. And here’s where Assange’s motivation may lay for ‘sticking-it’ to authority. Why would you be intimated by threats from governments, when those same authorities failed to protect you as a child?

Not convinced? Take a look at the Australian 60 Minutes report on the cult here: http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/stories/870619/the-family

And to learn more about how Julian Assange ticks, take a look at this frank and revealing interview from July this year, found here:

http://www.ted.com/talks/julian_assange_why_the_world_needs_wikileaks.html

My profile of Julian Assange as broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 can be heard here:

(http://www.timstackpool.com/Assange_RTE.mp3)
Copyright RTÉ Radio Ireland 2010

Tennis Frenzy

2010-11-04T13:42:00.000+11:00

Here's a bit of fun: Some of the greatest names in tennis history will take centre court in Australia when the ATP Champions Tour hits Sydney for the first time this month, for the inaugural Champions Downunder event.

With a combined total of 18 grand slam titles between them, John McEnroe, Mats Wilander, Goran Ivanisevic, and Australia's own two Pat's, Rafter and Cash, are all making an appearance. Held at Sydney Olympic Park from November 11-14, the tournament will feature classic rematches of former Grand Slam tussles, in a party-like atmosphere never before seen at tennis in Australia.

What makes this competition different? To be eligible to compete on the ATP Champions Tour, players must have been either a World No. 1 during their competitive playing careers, a Grand Slam singles finalist, or a singles player in a victorious Davis Cup team; and they should have retired from the ATP circuit. The event can also invite two players of its choice to take wild cards.

The round robin tournament splits players into two groups over the first three days, with a finals day on Sunday featuring all eight players in action, with the winner of each group playing for the Champions Downunder - Sydney title. Players will be vying for vital points to be crowned year end champion at London’s Royal Albert Hall in December.

The event is taking place at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre, home to the Medibank International each year, and this Champions Downunder event will pre-empt Australia's Summer of Tennis, culminating in the Australian Open in Melbourne.

For tickets, head to Ticketek. Weekend matches will be covered by Foxsports in Australia.

I'll be at the Champions Downunder event, making venue announcements and doing some MC work as well.

See you there.

Kristian loves his wife, and he has cancer

2010-09-02T16:28:00.005+10:00

There are many in this position, but such a video says it all. Featuring an intro by the PM of New Zealand (Kristian's wife is a Kiwi) and a cameo from Hugh Jackman, this birthday gift to his wife is amazing.

Kristian said the doctors first thought he may have had Deep Vein Thrombosis from a flight, but a sign of lesions on his liver led to a full scan. They found cancer all over his liver that had spread from a primary tumour in his bowel.

Please give generously to the Cancer Council, which Kristian - who is self-employed - says helps with his finances as well as cancer research.

Do I really need to blog about Politics?

2010-08-23T00:32:00.006+10:00

This could be the worst blog subject in the world. True, there are many better blogs solely occupied with politics somewhere in the world, so with Australia being such a politically and culturally benign country, there's never very much to report. But the 2010 Australian Election Result does, dare I say, deserve some mention...because there was no result. In our constitutional monarchy, this is known as a 'hung parliament'.

Irrespective of whoever governs, it stands true to say that this election describes the Australian public as either:

hotly torn between being comrade lefties or conservative beige cardigan wearers; or
the two parties are so similar in their politics, it takes little for a voter to step across the line and swing their preference 'to the other side'.

Whatever the reason, we've not seen this situation in this country since 1940. Back then, the country was at war, and the public must have similarly felt that no party could offer a solution to the turmoil and angst felt in the electorate. No one engendered confidence to swing a resounding win. And today as well, neither party really has a mandate to govern with confidence.

We've seen some amazing 'firsts' this election. At 20 years of age, Wyatt Roy is the youngest ever member elected to the House of Representatives. We welcome Australia's first indigenous member to the House of Reps (we've seen others in the Senate previously) and finally, a greenie has coveted a seat downstairs as well, remarkably from an urban electorate.

This election of 2010 is crazy, disappointing, inspiring, remarkable and typically Australian all at the same time. In other countries (some in our region), elections are commonly marred by militia, bombings, standovers, and killings. In our country, parents push babies in their prams to school based polling booths, while volunteers cook-up sausage sizzles in the playground and the ladies auxiliary serve at the cake stall.

We're reminded of why this is so by 35 year old Grant Kirby and 21 year old Tomas Dale, the two Aussie soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan on polling day. It's because of such sacrifices made by them and those before them, that irrespective of the result, the sun always seems to shine on election day in Australia.

She’d kill for a job on TV…and the cops think she did.

2010-07-21T15:02:00.008+10:00

Generally when the person reading The News makes the news, it’s bad news indeed. And the tiny European island nation of Cyprus has been rocked by the violent murder of the man who owns the country’s most popular TV channel, allegedly by a jilted news anchor.

Elena Skordelli (pictured) has been charged by Nicosian police as being part of a conspiracy to kill Andy Hadjicostis. Skordelli stands accused along with her brother and other conspirators, for paying to have Andy ‘taken out’.

Media is a tough business in Cyprus, with on-air presenting saved for the nation’s elite. Skordelli, with heritage hailing from a peasant village, didn’t fit the mould. But after attending journalism school, and previously catching the eye of a rival channel’s executive, she landed the anchor role on the nation’s top TV bulletin.

But driven by ambition beyond her means, and a good dose of paranoia, Skordelli sold property inherited by both she and her brother and bought a 20% stake in her employer’s channel, a seat on the board and subsequent on-air job for life…or so she thought.

Enraged from knowing nothing of the bid before the deal was sealed, the channel’s owner Andy Hadjicostis immediately suspended Skordelli from her broadcasting role.

Police allege that Skordelli then hired two bumbling hitmen to tail Andy, a job that took longer than expected due to them initially following the wrong guy for weeks. Eventually hitting their mark, police identified the shooter as a known low-life, who easily rolled under questioning…with immunity and witness protection…and pending the extradition of another co-accused from Moldova, the trial is set to finally get underway later this year.

Of course, all the accused deny the charges.

It all seems like ambition gone wild. With respect to any hot-blooded Mediterranean cousins, surely there must be some predisposition for anyone to become so incensed that the only means of retribution is to kill. It’s a nice way of saying ‘mentally ill’, or perhaps ‘unstable’ to be kinder. At times when I’ve been seriously hot under the collar, I’ve fallen back on the “24 hour rule”. That is, let 24 hours go by, then weigh up the options and the strategies. By that time, a sense of perspective and sensibility has usually prevailed.

In this tragic instance however, no common sense was employed. I guess there never is with murder.

...AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE...

2010-06-04T14:28:00.034+10:00

Thankfully the technology behind prosthetic make-up has come a long way since the original Planet of the Apes movie won an Oscar in the late 1960's. But it remains an art where patience is the ultimate virtue. Arriving at the Make-up Effects Group (www.megeffects.com.au) workshop in Sydney, I enjoyed up to around 6 hours (probably more) of being poked, prodded, glued, painted and fussed over. But it culminated in a transformation at the hands of designer Polly McKay that is nothing short of phenomenal. In fact, the entire process was quite relaxing.

I was warned that the experience could be claustrophobic, but I found it not so. Initially, the basis of my character's face was formed by a prosthetic mask, moulded from soft foam and perhaps latex that fitted over the contours of my face like a glove. This was aligned to match my features, generously glued in place, that allowed for amazing reproduction of my facial expressions. Being restricted to the chair for so long was alleviated by the attention paid by various 'assistants' who ensured water, juice, tea and coffee was continuously offered (and consumed via a straw) as well as ample goodies in the form of gummy bears and other sweet treats.

With the basics in place, a break for lunch was called and the artists, along with their own 'beasts', retired for a time to congregate around the catering, made up of various wraps (yes, versions for vegetarians as well), soy crisps, wagon wheels and a cheese and fruit platter.

Back in the chair after lunch for the finishing touches by way of acrylic and grease paints, as well as the more traditional powder-puff.

Lunch had kicked-in, and as brushes left dabs and splodges on my new appearance during the ensuing hours, I certainly drifted off to the land of nod once or twice. I believe this is common in 'the business'. Finally, fitted with costume, it was time for shooting, which never does justice to the magic and skill of the artists. Talking and performing various emotions via facial expressions is key to creating 'realism' in any film's fantasy world, and this make-up technique allows for both in spades. The blending between the prosthetic pieces and my natural skin is the real skill, and truly results in a convincing on-screen character.

So amazing was the finish, I didn't want to have it removed. It was work of art, with me as the proud canvas. Eventually though, two artists spent time slowly removing the layers of paint and powder, carefully peeling back the mask and brushing on copious amounts of fluid to neutralize the glue. Bit by bit, reality returned albeit over another 90 minutes or so in that chair, as the fantasy was finally detached, and life returned to normality...until the next shoot...

OUR WARMEST WELCOME

2010-04-19T14:53:00.011+10:00

This is a truly tragic story. A Canadian man, confined to a wheelchair, is brutally bashed at a Sydney railway station. Travelling in Australia to visit his girlfriend, he had been watching a band at a suburban club when he was set upon by a couple of thugs, each no more than 17 years old.

For those who might have missed it, this was a busy few days. See a summary of my on-air reports for Canadian TV below:

There can be little debate that this was a very low act, especially in a country that is known for its hospitality and welcoming reputation (and note that the security camera footage was edited before being released to the media. The raw vision was too brutal for broadcast).

Is this just a sign of 'modern times'? Is it a result of a disintegration of family values? Not long after this assault, a Scottish man was bashed at another railway station in Sydney, some miles to the south. He was assaulted by a pair of twins who were about 12 years old. Worst still, it was at 3AM in the morning. Who lets their children out on the street at that hour??

Kids learn this behaviour from somewhere, and I'm not one to blame TV or video games. Somehow their role models are communicating that such behaviour is acceptable. It's a shame that being a 'bad influence' can't be criminally prosecuted.

Farewell to Garry Schipper

2010-03-26T11:20:00.018+11:00

I often asked Garry Schipper during his yachting safety talks whether he ever feared for his life after he fell overboard during the treacherous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in 1998. He always said, “The adrenaline kicked-in, and it all happened so fast. I just knew I had to stay afloat so the crew could pick me up again.”

Anyone who saw Garry’s presentations can understand why this larger than life man could draw a crowd. His delivery was engaging and enthralling, and safety on the water was one of his passions. Apart from his adventures in more than ten Sydney to Hobart Yacht races, he also represented his country in the Admirals Cup on more than one occasion.

But it was when he was swept overboard in Bass Strait in 1998 that he became a legend. In ten metre seas, and with rescue from the air impossible, he found himself amongst the waves without any flotation device and no EPIRB….in the middle of the night…ghastly! Six yachtsmen succumbed to the conditions that year, while 55 others were plucked from the water via helicopter.

But Garry always acknowledged the skill of his crewmates to turn the boat around and park it right by his side that night. The only safety device Garry had in his hand while in the water was a weatherproof Dolphin torch, which he used to signal his position to the crew. He later indicated that it saved his life, and the torch manufacturer subsequently built an entire marketing campaign around his survival. The relationship continued as Garry presented safety seminars and talks around the country up until his death this week.

Every year at the Sydney International Boat Show I would enjoy Garry’s daily talks, even though I had heard the story every day at the show for the past seven years. The look of wonder and astonishment on the faces of the audience as Garry unfolded his story of survival was always priceless. He would often be detained by the crowd for quite a while after his presentation as everyone was hungry to hear more from this amazing man.

We’ll all miss Garry terribly, and I’ll personally find it difficult to introduce the speakers at this year’s show knowing that Garry is not on the daily roster.

He leaves a hell of a hole to fill in all our hearts.

(Pic: Garry Schipper, Sydney International Boat Show)

Garry's obituary in the Melbourne Age here:
http://www.theage.com.au/national/ocean-racer-and-safety-guru-20100502-u1ik.html

Sail World's tribute to Garry can be seen here:

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Vale-Garry-John-Schipper/67838

Re-enacting Bligh's epic voyage when set adrift after the Bounty mutiny

2010-02-25T12:33:00.018+11:00

One of the greatest tales of epic seamanship is soon to be retraced as 4 virtual strangers set sail in April 2010, re-enacting the 4000 mile journey forced upon Captain Bligh when Fletcher Christian led the Mutiny of the Bounty 221 years ago:

This is better than reality TV. In a tiny boat, these intrepid seamen will sail from Tonga to Kupang, living off no more than what Bligh and his loyal crew had at the time (400 grams per day), using navigation technology dating back more than 2 centuries. No GPS, just sextants and octants, a sailor's almanac and whatever Bligh was able to scavenge moments before he was set adrift.

The team leader, Don McIntyre, is well known in Australia as an adventurer par excellence. A solo round-the-world yachtsman himself, he's spent a year alone surviving in the Antarctic and was once named Australian Geographic Adventurer of the Year. The Second in Command is a mere 18 years old, but has experience to boot. Mike Perham from the UK became the youngest person ever to sail round the world solo in 2009. They complement third crewman David Wilkinson, an ex-pat Brit now living in Hong Kong, with 53 year old American Peter Stier hailing from Minnesota.

The seven week expedition aboard the Boat – a 25ft long, 7ft wide, open wooden vessel – will subsequently see the crew face the same deprivations as the original crew that were cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific, including no luxuries such as torches or toilet paper. Will they survive the hunger? The elements? The fatigue? Each other?

But it's all for a good cause. Don and his crew are also attempting to raise over $250,000 for The Sheffield Institute Foundation for Motor Neurone Disease (SIF) which is building the world’s first research Institute into Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Where Avatar Leads Us

2010-02-11T14:07:00.006+11:00

Well you know it's going to happen, and some of you are probably already working on it right now. After sniffing around for the past 10 years or so, the renaissance in 3D cinema finally seems to have come of age, and we all know that our corporate clients will be jumping at the chance to be one of the first to make their 'next bid presentation' in 3D. Won't head office be impressed!

Don't get me wrong, I embrace new technology. But we all know that the recent 3D blockbusters are produced on new technology virtually built from the ground up, much like George Lucas did when first devising Star Wars effects for the big screen.

I can't wait to forward my first 3D corporate proposal. I believe the CEO will be very excited, until we start talking logistics and cost. "I thought you just run it through some software or something". Yeah well maybe James Cameron might eventually run his old flicks "through some type of software or something" sometime in the future for his 'special edition' release, but that ain't today.

I know that by the time this blog entry is trawled by Google, some propellerhead will be compiling epic code to create a simpler method of converting our flat 2D media into the new expected stereoscopic norm (and some of you perhaps already know something of that today). Remember how Fox converted all the old black and white films to colour? Don't be surprised to the see the ‘restored’ 3D version of Gone with the Wind coming soon.

So now we look towards double headed or twin chip single lens projectors, and mandatory synchronous dual digital video feeds as the 3D vision we run to the big 3D screen has to be encoded differently to the same 3D vision we run to the 3D LCD (or rather LE3D) because the technologies are incompatible. "Oh, we do have converters, but that adds at least another frame delay" And as for IMAG, imagine the processing power required to achieve relatively realistic 3D in real time. "And for those of you who missed the presentation, the 3D render will be available for viewing in the foyer after lunch."

But I jest. When I first saw an early new-era 3D representation in 2001 that didn't require glasses, I was mesmerised to the point of undergoing a spiritual experience (it was in Las Vegas, so other factors may have been at work). And while glasses are fine for home and the cinema, the real breakthrough will come when regular folk walking in the shopping mall view 3D as easily as they ignore regular digital signage today. We might not even call the display device a screen. It might be called “Special Projected Animated Message” (SPAM) or “Character Replicated Automated Projection” (CRAP). Either way, it will probably be more than 3D. It will simply be 'real'.

This development could be the start of the next major change in sociology. If our displays generate 'real' imagery, powered by a back-end PC equipped with artificial intelligence and data feeds via what we now call wi-fi, our whole social structure could change. History shows that entertainment systems like home cinema and gaming consoles put an end to regular social events at the local dance venue, fellowship meetings at the Masonic Hall and first dates at the rollerskating rink.

In the same way, the first vestiges of modern 3D herald another shift in what people expect and how they might interact with the rest of the world. No longer will we merely click on an icon to order a pizza or pay a bill. With 3D screens and technology, we might 'reach-in' to select our choice of toppings, or hand over 'cash' to the merchant virtually standing in our living room. And as for 'adult entertainment', those opportunities are inappropriate to discuss here, although that industry will probably lead the technology charge, as it often does.

Depending on how it's developed, these 3D representations could ultimately be projected to act as virtual fascias overlaid on our real world. The cost and effort put into shop fitting, theatrical designs and architecture could all come to a grinding halt. The environment we live in could become nothing but mammoth 3D displays through which we spend our regular lives. Staging and lighting for our clients’ next event could be 'constructed' entirely on a laptop at the office, and then merely 'applied' to the venue's '3D environment display system'. Much of this we already do today, but only ultimately in a 2D environment. Add technology that simulates the sensation of touch when stimulated by virtual 3D ‘textures’ and we’re well on the way to transforming our world. It would spell the end of many auxiliary construction industries. The new world millionaires will the "3D habitat designers".

And it all started with 3D movies. Viva la revolution!

(A version of this article originally appeared in AV Magazine)

The Australian Accent for foreign actors

2010-02-11T11:02:00.010+11:00

As with most countries in the world, there is no single form of the Australian Accent. In basic terms, academics who study language recognize three main types of the Aussie accent, being Broad, General and Cultivated.

An example of the broad accent would be that spoken by the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. The population that live in rural Australian often speak with an extreme version of this Broad accent, characterized by very little opening of the mouth when speaking. This is colloquially described as “not letting the flies in”.

Movie star Paul Hogan could originally be described at having a broad accent, although his exposure to other international accents has now turned his regular speaking voice towards being General. Due to the obvious characterization of the Broad accent, it is the one most likely to be mimicked by non-Australian actors attempting the accent. It’s derived from cockney English, transported to Australia with convicts from the late 1700’s, but little of the cockney twang remains today.

The General Accent is the most easy to understand, but can be the most difficult to master for the foreign actor

Of all non-Australian actors, those from New Zealand and surprisingly South Africa appear to master this accent the best. Spoken mainly in cities (with variations across the country) it often includes affectations from other countries, due to the high level of cultural assimilation in Australian cities. Of the variation between capital cities, most surround the emphasis on syllables and vowels. For example, the town ”Newcastle” could be pronounced either as “New-Carrs-ell” or “New-Cass-ell” depending on the speaker’s native town. The General accent is also commonly used by TV and radio journalists.

The Cultured accent can easily be mistaken for an educated British accent. Most Australian’s can achieve this accent by ‘rounding the vowels’ and concentrating on speaking ‘properly’. It’s the native voice of actors such as Geoffrey Rush and Sam Neill, although it is an acquired accent for Sam as he originally hails from New Zealand. Many Australian actors find work in the UK using this accent to play native British speakers. This Aussie author has been mistaken for a Brit in the UK itself when using this accent.

It’s difficult to phonetically describe or teach the Australian accent without one-on-one tuition and exercises. The teacher needs to identify the underlying accent of the non-speaker and then tailor a phonetic guide specifically for the student. This is not required in all cases of course, as some actors do have a ‘knack’ for accents. Listening, repetition, recording and listening again is another way of mastering the accent. This is the next best thing to immersion, which would require the actor to live among the native speakers for a longer period of time.

Speakers from North America usually nail the Aussie accent after taking the journey via a New Zealand accent. The New Zealand accent is similar, but with some significant vowel alterations, which an Australian can spot a mile off. As a brief example, a New Zealander would say “thes” instead of “this” and “eccent” instead of “accent”.

Generally, only Australians will identify a phony Australian accent. Non-Australian speakers can usually be convinced of the accent, unless they have spent some time Down Under. Your best Steve Irwin impersonation might work in most territories around the world, but for any Australian or New Zealand market work, a native speaker is a must.

A recent popular TV campaign in Australia for orange juice made a point of this. Ronn Moss from the Bold and the Beautiful is seen in the commercial dressed as a traditional Aussie horseman, touting the worst Australian accent ever. The tag on the commercial says “You can tell when it’s not Aussie”.

You can see the commercial here:

and learn more about what Ronn Moss thinks of his accent here:

Of course, using the Internet, a native Australian voice has never been easier to source. Many Australian voice-artists do significant international work at 24 hours notice from their own home studio (myself included).

Now, that ‘fair-dinkum’ Aussie voice for your kangaroo steak restaurant commercial is dead-set simple to source, mate.

(this article originally appeared at www.voices.com)

Pomo ne faranta iu novaj Amikoj.

2009-12-04T10:34:00.002+11:00

Mi scias multajn personojn kiuj amas ilian MACINTOSH. Ili formas parton de laŭ mi la Macintosh Disĉiploj. Ni agnosku, ke. Vi estas ankaŭ Macintosh persono ĉu, aŭ ĉu ne. Mi ne, tiel, ke alportas min tujan objektivecon kiam priparol la PC V MACINTOSH afero. Mi ne propra iPod, iPhone, iMac, iTouch, iWhatever.

Labor la vidaj amaskomunikiloj, Mi estas ĉirkaŭita de iSomethings. Plej grafikaĵoj kaj video redakt instalaĵoj uzas Macintosh por kuranta profesio versioj de Adobe Photoshop kaj Fina Tranĉ Studio. Mia laborejo ne estas malsama. Estas ofta en la profesiamondo. Sed en la konsumanto mondo, alia David kaj Golitath batalo havas supriĝitan, inter malgranda Aŭstralia komerco kiu estas funkciado kiel “Macpro Komputiloj” ekde 1983 kaj la Pomo gigantakompanio. Kompreneble, Pomo havas linion de iSomethings nomis MACINTOSH FAVOR ke ili volas ekkomenc la merkato, kiu havas metitan la malgrandan Aŭstralianon tumultantaron en la vidoj de la Granda Pomo. Do hodiaŭ estas jura disputado kiu ne vol send Pomo al la muro, sed povus ferm la Aŭstraliano Pli_anto batalo kiam la posedanta monpaperujo elĉerpiĝ.

Ĉi tiu rakonto ven sur la dorso de alia Aŭstralia firmao kiuj(n) evoluigis iPodRip, kiu malgraŭ tio, ke ... est havebla dum la lastaj ses jaroj, lastatempe ricevita haltigu kaj ĉesigu letero de De Apple advokatoj al halt uz "iPod" en la softvaro nomo, alforig iu Pomorilataj emblemoj de la produkto kaj al rezign rego de la domajnonomo, ipodrip.com.

Tio firmao havas observ ĉiuj De Apple postuloj, argument ke malfacila Pomo antaŭ la tribunalo estus vana, pro la firmaaj abundaj monrimedoj.

Personaro maldungoj povus sekvi.

Ne miskompren mi. Mi estas granda stickler por la protekto de kopio kaj IP rajtoj, kaj Mi estas certa Steve Jobs kaj liaj amikoj havaslabor vera malfacile trovebla Pomo kie ĝi estas hodiaŭ. Sed Mi ne kalkul ĉi tiu temas pri kompania evoluado, aŭ merkato protekto aŭ klara kopirajto.

Ĉi tiu temas pri praviganta la frenezajn kostojn kajdepartemento salajroj pagis la lawyers…pure kaj simpla. Ili neniel koncernas evoluigantajn operaciumajn sistemojn aŭ procesoroj, sed tamen agrese serĉo de iu ŝajno de komerco malobservo kaj iri ĉe ĝimarteli kaj prenilo.

Eble io tia ĉi:

“Saluton Biff, kio estas vi prilabor hodiaŭ?”

“Chuck, Mi trovis ĉi tiuj du firmaoj en Aŭstralio Ke mi pensas estas servanta al niaj disĉiploj, sed estas (ek)okupanta ĉiujkredito!”.

“Dankon Biff, pritrakt ĝi kaj ten via ŝvelig salajron por aliaj 12 monatoj. Bona knabo.”

Ne Pomo pri softvaro kaj la iSomethings tio kuro tio softvaro? Mi certa jen kio la iMarketing Departementoklopod por havi la mondon pens. Do, kio estas la advokatoj faranta?

iWonder….

Empire of the Sun lead ARIA award count

2009-12-03T13:58:00.008+11:00

The big night for the Australian music industry has come and gone for another year, and not surprisingly Aussie powerhouse Empire of the Sun has scooped the pool with their album Walking On A Dream. Both mainstays of the band, Luke Steele (frontman) and Nick Littlemore (producer) are not newbies to the music industry, working on independent projects for EMI when they collaborated to found Empire. The single, also titled Walking On A Dream, was released in Australia back in October 2008 where it peaked at number 10 on the singles chart, and had moderate success in the fickle UK reaching number 64.

The album has gone platinum in Australia and a follow-up single We Are The People, doing business as high as number 24 on the charts. Virgin UK carries the band in Europe and their music has also made the grade as part of the soundtrack of Mark Walberg’s Entourage TV series.

Their rise to fame has not been without controversy however, with claims that Donnie Sloan, bass player for Sneaky Sound System, threatened to take legal action against the band, in order to be recognised as writer, performer and producer on We Are the People, Walking on a Dream, and other tracks. He claims he wrote the music for the songs for a solo album in 2005 and gave the tracks to Nick Littlemore for remix consideration. Sloan however, said the media took his words out of context and has no current rub with the outfit.

Although somewhat upstaged by the crowd’s enthusiasm for Robbie Williams who also performed at the ARIA awards, Empire of the Sun staged a terrifically theatrical performance of their popular single in front of an Australian television audience of millions. And Luke Steele’s humility and gratefulness to his fans (and parents) was evident in his acceptance speech(es).

Ultimately in the ARIA Music Awards of 2009 Empire of the Sun received the most nominations of any artist, numbering eleven. They walked home with a total of seven. Good work guys!

Pic: Tim Stackpool at the 2009 ARIA Awards.

16 year old Jessica Watson to circumnavigate the world

2009-08-12T12:57:00.004+10:00

Meet a remarkable young woman. In September, Jessica Watson plans to set-sail from Sydney and re-write the record held by another Australian. Jessica hopes to cement her place in maritime history by being the youngest person on earth to sail non-stop unassisted around the world, beating the record set by Jesse Martin.

At just 16 years of age, Jessica was finally able to hold a skipper’s licence on her birthday last May. Since then, it has been full steam ahead with her final preparations and plans for the departure. To set the record, she plans to spend around 230 days at sea, without pulling into any ports, without taking on further provisions, apart from what she set-off with.

There has been plenty of criticism, plenty of media focus, and plenty of pressure.

Can she do it?

Well, take a listen to my 30 minute interview with Jessica at this year’s Sydney International Boat Show. During the interview, we cover all aspects of her voyage, both practical and psychological. She never baulks at any question, seems to have considered all the possibilities, and genuinely holds her own, particularly considering there is an audience of about 300 watching and listening. Not bad for a 16 year old. Enjoy this audio file as an amazing prelude to what will unfold into a history-making voyage.

Look Mummy! Bureaucracy gone Mad!

2009-07-07T17:34:00.007+10:00

Take a look a real life hero. In April, this police officer (pictured) went to assist a colleague after a man allegedly went on a rampage, slashing the throat of an elderly woman and stabbing her daughter. He then drove over a man with his vehicle and attempted to run down others.

But now we discover that instead of being commended for his bravely, the officer received a reprimand. After this picture was published he was asked by the commissioner to explain why he was wearing the ‘unofficial’ police baseball cap, rather than the regulation headwear.

But wait, it gets worse. The immediate superior to this officer was so disgusted by the response from management, he was moved to write in an email to ‘upstairs’: "Can you imagine the disbelief when (the officer) is advised he has to submit a police report for why he was wearing the baseball cap. . .(the officer) is very upset and demotivated by this," he wrote. "And so he should be. (the officer) was dumbfounded and quite rightly so."

And guess what ‘management’ did? They then proceeded to reprimand the author of the email, for being ‘inappropriate’.

This is just insane. If a crazy murderous low-life was rampaging through my town, I’d be pleased to see any cop, irrespective of how he is dressed, taking action to safeguard my safety. Instead, the ‘commissioner’ in charge would rather criticise this hero for failing wear the appropriate hat.

I can’t imagine turning away any rescuer because of his or her appearance. Crumbs, if I’m about to loose my life, rescue me in your undies. Or less! And how much worse would it be if an officer delays reacting to an emergency if he has to second guess his appearance? Life saving seconds could be lost.

Members of the force say that is yet another example of a "lack of support from management" contributing to stress among frontline police. In my opinion, it’s indicative of superiors not wanting to lead by example, but would rather lead by memo.

To the officers involved, the rest of the country salutes you. Perhaps this is an indication of why so many good officers are leaving the force and taking jobs that pay better with employers who better appreciate their skill and talent.

And as for the management involved, make sure you let us know when you are next coming to town. Me and a few mates are keen to give you a few swift kicks up the backside.

Pic: Adelaide Advertiser

Breast Feeding while Drunk

2009-06-28T09:50:00.013+10:00

All hail the the North Dakota officials who have prosecuted a new mother, 26-year-old Stacey Anvarinia, for breastfeeding while intoxicated. There is no social group more in need of protection than infants, and what are they to do when even the people who are meant to protect them the most fail in their responsibilty? Often we hear of quite absurd legal rulings eminating from the the good ol' US of A, but this one needs to be applauded.

I can't stand the way people neglect and abuse their children. A few months back I was interviewing Father Chris Riley, a Sydney priest who established the 'Youth off the Streets' program in Australia. He told me that we didn't treat our children very well, a comment that shocked me.

His comment did however, make me sensitive to the media reports of child neglect, and with credit to Fr Riley, I now think he's correct. Just this week in Australia, a man and woman have been found guilty of starving their autistic daughter to death.

Could this be any more disgraceful?

The seven-year-old girl died in November 2007 at her home in the New South Wales Hunter Valley, weighing just nine kilograms. Officially, she died of malnutrition and dehydration resulting from starvation. Worse still, the trial heard the girl was so thin that she looked "mummified" to paramedics.

Both parents had pleaded not guilty to murdering the child but several doctors testified the girl suffered the most severe case of malnutrition they had ever seen, with one expert saying the child's head resembled a skull wrapped in skin.

This is just beyond belief. Is it case of mental illness? Poor social skills? And what of the local community? What were the neighbours doing? Didn't anybody notice? And it wasn't as though these parents didn't know about having children. The couple's three (yes...three!) other daughters have now been taken into care by the state. Bravo! But perhaps too late.

Not only did the parents fail in their care of this poor child, but so did the community, and so did the state.

Can this be fixed?

Sure it can. It takes a village to raise a child, and we all need to be aware of the circumstances around us. In the same way that we ensure our personal safety on a daily basis, we also have to mindful of those around us, especially the most vunerable, being the children who (unfortunately it seems) only have the grown-ups to trust.

She Fell Asleep?!!??

2009-06-20T22:32:00.012+10:00

I don’t have any tattoos, and never wanted any, but I am told the procedure is quite painful. So how amazed were we all when a Belgian girl , Kimberley Vlaeminck, wanting just three stars on her face, woke from the tattoo session to find her complexion covered with the constellation of Andromeda.

Irrespective of why anyone on earth (or any other planet) would want to tattoo their face for anything but medical or cultural reasons, how the hell did she fall asleep? Please, comment below if you have ever had a tattoo and found the procedure comfortable enough to fall asleep through. Is it a cure for insomnia? Having a needle prick your skin, on your face, multiple times a second?

Something is not correct here. Perhaps the poor girl should have said, “I was on a meth bender and passed-out after telling the freakshow artist with the needle that I wanted a face full of stars, when anyone knows that just means three…” Hmmm... Chk Chk Boom.

Perhaps she spoke French and he heard Flemish. That would be more understandable but just as unbelievable.

And about that “artist”. I have refrained from posting his picture here for fear of frightening the children, but compared to his ink, any tattoo would be considered minor (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bI4m8XEWtM).

In fact, he says that all was fine, until the girl’s old man showed up. Then the situation got (comparatively) ugly(er).

Apparently these days, tattoos can be removed with laser treatment, and the tattoo ‘artist’ will pay 50% of the cost. Now, laser treatment is something I am familiar with, and it can be painful. I certainly didn't sleep through it! More painful than tattoos? I can’t say. But no doubt the trauma ultimately applied to this girl’s skin could well be a legacy for life.

Now a Dutch website says it’s all hoax.

The site bases its claims on the fact the girl has declined all publicity and only given interviews to Belgian radio station MNM.

And the famous Kimberlizer, which uses webcam images to put stars on the user's own face, was launched by the advertising agency behind MNM.

More than that, MNM's logo is a star.

So the truth still remains to be seen, but either way, who is the bigger fool?

(Pic: AAP)

Heading Overseas? Behave yourself!

2009-06-12T22:44:00.008+10:00

Today we hear the news of a distressed Aussie mum who can’t take her kids to Disneyland, because the US won’t issue her a VISA. It seems a few months back, the mum found herself in hot water in Thailand for the theft of a ‘bar runner’, a cloth used in bars and pubs to soak up spilled alcohol.

She stole what?

Well apparently a friend put it in her bag (I’ve heard that one a few times in the Sydney airport customs hall myself). The Thai authorities weren’t too impressed, neither with the details, nor with the offer made by her travel mates to ‘pay a fine’ to settle the dispute. Anyway, a few days later after much indignity, she plead guilty to end her horror and was deported back to Australia.

As any traveller knows, the jumping through hoops that is currently required to enter the USA, requires you to declare any criminal conviction. Duly noted, our despairing mum now finds herself without an entry permit to the Land of Walt, and probably won’t score one for the next 5 years or so.

What a shock!

Actually, it shouldn’t be. Now, I’m no fan of any country’s draconian laws or customs that may seem inappropriate or outdated from our point of view, but I certainly do understand the need to respect such laws and customs, irrespective of whether I’m visiting a foreign nation or a local pub. I’m all for national reform of oppressed populations, but until that takes place, I’m always sure to be courteous, well mannered and respectful of any authority when travelling overseas, no matter how corrupt I may (mistakenly or not) believe that it is.

The mum in Thailand got off easily. Consider for a moment Nasrah Alshamery, the 44 year old Sydney woman sentenced to two years in a Kuwaiti prison for insulting the country's ruler. This followed a ‘misunderstanding’ between family members and an airport official last year, in which she was accused of screaming obscenities and insulting the emir.

She denied the charges, and her lawyer claimed witness testimony was contradictory.

She had appealed her sentence last week and was waiting to hear the outcome when her sentence was suddenly suspended. According to her lawyer, the Kuwaiti's government's decision to instead deport Mrs Alshamery's was a "satisfactory political solution to a sticky problem."

Her family is well relieved.

I’m familiar with that part of the world, and while there are many ‘traditional’ laws and customs in the Middle East that ‘westerners’ may find confronting, they are certainly not for challenging when visiting such countries, whether in private, in public, or least of all, at the airport.

That said, there are signs all over Australian airport check-in counters saying ‘We take jokes very seriously’. That is, don’t joke about drugs, bombs, guns or any other security issues. You'll probably find yourself questioned, delayed and missing your flight, all for being a goose. Holidays are fun times, but that doesn’t mean your regular candour should also take a vacation. Consulates can do little when local laws are broken, but as recent events have shown, it takes very little to find yourself in an awkward situation, either stupidly or unintentionally.

Illustration: Cathy Wilcox

Goodbye JASJAM…yes it’s all due to age

2009-06-09T13:29:00.011+10:00

Distracted, hurried, pre-occupied.

That’s all it takes to leave your cell phone on the roof of the car as you pack the child into the back seat, then forget where you left the phone. Anyway, a beautiful day at Sydney’s Centennial Park ended with my wife wondering what that thump and clank sound was as we drove across Alison Road. I knew immediately what it was. I check my pockets and my worst fears are confirmed. My lifeline was lost. Not being able to do a u-turn, we circled a few blocks and parked close to where we thought the phone had fallen. I walked back across the road, dodging the traffic headed for the park, others headed for the SuperCentre, others finding themselves in the wrong lane for entry to Fox Studios.

A break in the traffic lets me spot some mangled broken piece of technology scattered across the bitumen like debris from a space station after re-entry. I scurried across the road, picked-up the major bits (pictured) and saw a small glimmer of hope…in the form of the sim card looking in near perfect condition. I drove home with anticipation, wanting to eagerly check whether the sim card would work in my ‘stand-by phone’ (doesn’t everybody have a stand-by phone?), and YES! It worked! Now the challenge is to see if I can synchronise my NOKIA stand-by phone with the backed-up data on my PC from my now destroyed Windows Mobile driven HTC JASJAM. This, I know, will take some doing. And my level of patience will be tested only for as long as I can save my pennies for a newer WinMobile type phone.

Is there a lesson here? Yep. Always back-up your data, even if it is just a phone. And Yep, I certainly did that. Is there another lesson? Yep. Never be too distracted, too hurried, too pre-occupied to overlook details that are obvious. Having a car roof to put items on is luxury for me. This is the first time I’ve had a car with a roof low enough to reach (my vehicles before now have always been larger 4WD). So although I have saved on fuel, on repayments, and from being abused by pedestrians for having a 4WD in the city, I’m now about a grand in the hole, all due to a stupid phone.

Email me, it’s cheaper.

Divorce? No, Watson had a different idea.

2009-06-06T22:34:00.018+10:00

How is it that a man who married his wife just 11 days earlier can leave her to die on their honeymoon?

citizen David Gabriel "Gabe" Watson pleaded guilty this week of the manslaughter of his wife while they were scuba diving on

Australia

’s Great Barrier Reef. The underwater picture shows Watson in the foreground, his wife on the right of the picture, lying face up, probably already dead, while another diver swims to her rescue.

Huh?

AND he was a qualified rescue diver! Apparently he testified that the newlyweds entered the water at 10.30am on that day in October 2003. Six minutes later, Watson surfaced alone, distressed and signalling for help. But, being her dive buddy, he did not check that she had oxygen. He did not offer to share his own oxygen. He did not inflate her buoyancy vest or remove weights from her belt. He did not try to help her to the surface. He just let go of his bride, leaving her to sink to her death on the ocean floor as he resurfaced. The other diver found her eyes open, her mask still on, her regulator still in her mouth, oxygen in her tank. But she was not breathing.

We have to accept the finding of the court, but we’ll probably never really know what happened. Is this a case of a new husband getting cold feet? Was it an opportunity good too miss for man who made a mistake?

What’s wrong with divorce? Better than killing someone, don’t you think? Better than a jail sentence, better than distressed relatives filled with hate, better than having to face the ultimate judgement irrespective of your beliefs.

This couple had no kids, newly married so there was probably little or no property between them. A divorce or separation would have been disappointing yes, but at least no one would be dead; no one would be convicted of a heinous crime.

Justice Peter Lyons sentenced the

citizen to 4½ years jail, suspended after 12 months. Watson will be deported back to the

once he has served his term. Good riddance!

The victim's father, sister and best friend flew to

Australia

to be present at the sentencing. Watson's new wife, whom he wed last August, was also in the courtroom. I can’t wait for the tabloid magazines to print ‘her story’.

Outside the court the victim's father said the sentence was "a total injustice". "Today he [Watson] was allowed to take the easy way out. This is in no way, shape or form a beginning to get justice for our daughter … we believe that Gabe Watson murdered our daughter."

The family is considering seeking an appeal.

No wonder.

Photo: Queensland Police and Channel Ten

It's Due to Age

2009-06-03T00:24:00.005+10:00

Never in my 44 years has this ever happened before. I was rushing to get home to a very active 3 year old and a sick wife awaiting respite. Stopping at the supermarket to pick-up some bread and milk, I whizzed around and also filled the trolley with herbal cold tablets, some powdered lemon stuff laced with paracetamol, chocolate chip cookies and hand sanitiser to ward off the H1 N1 virus. “Did I have everything?’ I thought to myself. Yes, I was sure.

Into the ‘400 items or less’ check-out lane, I quickly moved up the queue, scanned my booty, only to discover my EFTPOS card missing from my wallet. How so??? It’s always there! Had my wallet been raided? When did I use it last? Did my wife inadvertently ‘borrow’ it? Not that it mattered. The steam building under the collars of those behind me was starting to vent. The check-out chick found something interesting to look at on the ceiling as I checked all the obvious and hidden compartments in my wallet. “This is so embarrassing” I laughed unconvincingly. I didn’t have enough cash to pay, but finally discovered a rarely used VISA card lurking between my football club membership card and some useless loyalty card that is a waste of space. I swiped it with anticipation…I couldn’t even remember paying any money off that card. Perhaps it has been cancelled and the sheriff hasn’t caught up with me yet. Will the store’s security screens slam shut? Will the Tactical Response Group raid the place and have me facedown in the aisle, limbs akimbo? Nope. Card accepted. I quickly left and continued home.

Such focused attention on personal failure is as intense as a pinprick. I remember helping an elderly woman at a newsagent when she found herself short 20 cents to pay for her lotto ticket. I handed the sales clerk the money, quite disgusted that the clerk wouldn’t forego the payment in the first place as a gesture of understanding the lady’s predicament. Rather, the clerk allowed the poor woman to suffer the embarrassment for that short period before I interceded.

Ultimately though, it’s but a tiny piece of our lives taking place in a huge world. Today an Air France jet with more than 200 passengers was lost over the Atlantic. There are pictures of despair on the faces of people awaiting news in Charles de Gaulle and in Rio. The news will be bad.

Perspective is everything. Never lose it.

Keep the job? Or move on?

2009-06-01T16:33:00.002+10:00

One of my clients recently had to make some workplace changes, both to improve efficiency and to reflect the changing economic times. Being a small production company producing an enormous amount of live TV, the changes impacted the core of the senior producers, a group of 5 people or so. After much negotiation, the best offer that could be made by management was to have each of them work one Saturday every 5 weeks. Remuneration was taken into account, day off in lieu offered, as well as an improved bonus scheme.

But, the offer was no good. 4 out of 5 of the producers said 'no' and left management with very little choice. This came at the end of a tense and difficult time and relationships within the firm had been strained for some weeks. Left with no other choice, with negotiations at an impasse, the 4 producers all indicated that they were leaving the company....all on the same day. A bold move in current economic times, wouldn't you say? Unfortunately, to ensure survival, the firm couldn't back down, as the 'Saturday' schedule needed to be fulfilled. Surprisingly for a media company, the firm offered to engineer a 'redundancy' for the departing producers...a type of golden handshake.

Now of course, the firm is without 4 experienced producers, who resigned of their their own volition, and advertisements were posted to fill their roles. Close to 200 applicants (at last count) have applied for the positions.

But the questions remain: Given the improved remuneration, was it unreasonable for the producers to be expected to work one Saturday in 5? Was is right for the firm to engineer a redundancy for them? Is this the time to tell your employer to 'shove it' considering the economic climate? All the producers are under 30 years of age, so I guess they are employable, but expecting to pick up another gig in the TV biz any time soon might be a bit of an ask.