Sleep? Sleep.... Sleeeeeep... One day I'll get some sleep!
Heavy bags under my eyes and manic restless thoughts flying this way and that across my easily confused and restless mind. SLEEEEP
Well I hope to get some; some time I will! The problem is... I don't want to miss a thing! But without sleep I'm kind of drifting through it all. Like a ghost, or a caffeinated zombie.
So what's been happening? There has been some encouraging developments with The Patch. There could be a future in that place yet! The weeds grow inches in days and fill every scrap of space from the ground to the sky. Heaps of work to do there.
I bought a new CD for the first time in possibly years! Yay! A group from Melbourne called Tinpan Orange, I happened to be at the Parap market last week and was blown away by their style. You can hear samples of the music if you check out their Myspace site.
Discovered some murdered magpie geese on the roadside, wondered why? Maybe there's no good reason.
Met up with Trev who I've infected with my obsession with becak/rickshaw/pedicab action. He spent some of his time looking up suppliers to help me get one and even discussed making them with some welders! Thanks Trev!
So I'm walking along the roadside with Trev, his hands bleeding, cut by the glass he'd picked up from the verge, no shoes on his feet and he tells me about the dinner he had with the Chief Minister the other night. Apparently he was one of a few Territorians wh0 had earned a special Pride of Australia medal for their service to the community! Ha! He really deserves it too!
I wondered if any of the people behind those glaring disapproving faces at Hibiscus shops had ever done a single thing for their community? I noticed a distinct hostility projecting from people when Trev and I passed by. Maybe it was because of how he was dressed or maybe it was me they didn't like.
So today is ride to work day! And I've really gotta go! I'm helping to set it up and I'm running late! Too many things so little time and not enough sleep! When can I sleep? There's so much to do, my time is finite my eyes are stinging waiting for the lids to close!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Circus kids
One of the most popular events at this years Darwin festival was the Circus tent down in the Gardens precinct. We didn't manage to get there this year but heard plenty about it!
Apparently the Corrugated Iron Youth theatre include circus training in their wide array of skills and this has been a great hit with the kids.
Every couple of weeks we have a picnic down at a local park by the sea with a loosely formed group of friends. It's a great way to relax! There are often heaps of kids and they have a great time playing, climbing, kicking a ball, or searching the rock pools etc... all the usual stuff that kids like to do. At our last picnic One enterprising young man turned up on a unicycle! It was so cool! The kid was very young and already capable of riding the thing around like it was a two wheeled bike!
What a cool thing to do! I saw a window of opportunity open for my own child who is prone to climbing to great heights then launching herself at me without warning! I have often threatened to send her off to the circus, but now it is a distinct possibility!
Apparently the Corrugated Iron Youth theatre include circus training in their wide array of skills and this has been a great hit with the kids.
Every couple of weeks we have a picnic down at a local park by the sea with a loosely formed group of friends. It's a great way to relax! There are often heaps of kids and they have a great time playing, climbing, kicking a ball, or searching the rock pools etc... all the usual stuff that kids like to do. At our last picnic One enterprising young man turned up on a unicycle! It was so cool! The kid was very young and already capable of riding the thing around like it was a two wheeled bike!
What a cool thing to do! I saw a window of opportunity open for my own child who is prone to climbing to great heights then launching herself at me without warning! I have often threatened to send her off to the circus, but now it is a distinct possibility!
Friday, October 05, 2007
Who walked today?
Did anyone else walk to work today?
I didn't see any of you. On my more than 2 km walk to work today I didn't notice one other person waling to work. Why do I ask? Well it was National Walk to work day today. I am sure others did, but on a two km walk which brought me past one of the largest employment hubs of Darwin I expected to see at least a few walkers. My neighbor walks every day but must have gone earlier.
I'm glad I walked! It was such a pleasant experience all but walking past Casuarina Shopping centre where I discovered that drivers don't only try to knock over cyclists! Pedestrians are on the menu as well!
It's been more than a year since I last walked to work and actually I can't even remember the last time I walked that distance. How slack!
Thanks to whoever came up with the idea. I thoroughly enjoyed my walk. Hopefully it won't be so long until the next time.
I didn't see any of you. On my more than 2 km walk to work today I didn't notice one other person waling to work. Why do I ask? Well it was National Walk to work day today. I am sure others did, but on a two km walk which brought me past one of the largest employment hubs of Darwin I expected to see at least a few walkers. My neighbor walks every day but must have gone earlier.
I'm glad I walked! It was such a pleasant experience all but walking past Casuarina Shopping centre where I discovered that drivers don't only try to knock over cyclists! Pedestrians are on the menu as well!
It's been more than a year since I last walked to work and actually I can't even remember the last time I walked that distance. How slack!
Thanks to whoever came up with the idea. I thoroughly enjoyed my walk. Hopefully it won't be so long until the next time.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
The Patch
Have you ever wondered what life would be like if your community had some shared space where you could all come together to learn new skills or share your experience and skills, maybe grow a few vegetables or engage in some kind of urban agricultural activities? I often imagine a more productive and engaged community where people are able to maintain a connection to the earth and the production of their own food.
I wonder if shopping mall convenience and an abundance of goods has produced a happier more fulfilled society, or if we have just become more demanding consumers. I often wonder if we have lost our connection to the life force that sustains us. Human beings are organic and spiritual beings; we need more than the material abundance that our inflated economy has provided us. I know I do anyway. Of course there are ways to fulfill this inner need for a connection with the place we live in, other living things and our own spirituality, but wouldn't it be great if that connection was intrinsically linked to our daily life rather than a diversion from it?
An inviting entrance
Recently I came in contact with a small group of teachers and students who have created a wonderful garden and creative space where they are able to learn and develop important skills while improving their relationships with the local community and creating a place of beauty. This group has created a small piece of paradise on the edge of the Northern Suburbs of Darwin. They call it 'The Patch.'
About a month ago when I first visited The Patch I felt overcome with the sense of inclusion and the warm welcome my family and I received. The Patch currently occupies a small amount of space but with the great vibes this place has already created it has potential to grow into something grand.
I have since discovered that the (Council owned) land may be sold off to a real estate developer for subdivision. Given the potential good The Patch has to offer my neighborhood and the Darwin community generally I believe it must be fought for. Seriously! This place could become a critical component in the health and welfare of our town! It has so much to offer. I do not want to harp on about the evils of our capitalist democracy but I must say that the balance between the good of the community and the greed of the individual are grossly skewed. It seems to me that the imperative to amass great amounts of personal wealth while our commons dwindle and are neglected. We have an opportunity to do something great for our community and the generations who will inherit the spaces we leave for them. Let's give them something special!
I wonder if shopping mall convenience and an abundance of goods has produced a happier more fulfilled society, or if we have just become more demanding consumers. I often wonder if we have lost our connection to the life force that sustains us. Human beings are organic and spiritual beings; we need more than the material abundance that our inflated economy has provided us. I know I do anyway. Of course there are ways to fulfill this inner need for a connection with the place we live in, other living things and our own spirituality, but wouldn't it be great if that connection was intrinsically linked to our daily life rather than a diversion from it?
An inviting entrance
Recently I came in contact with a small group of teachers and students who have created a wonderful garden and creative space where they are able to learn and develop important skills while improving their relationships with the local community and creating a place of beauty. This group has created a small piece of paradise on the edge of the Northern Suburbs of Darwin. They call it 'The Patch.'
About a month ago when I first visited The Patch I felt overcome with the sense of inclusion and the warm welcome my family and I received. The Patch currently occupies a small amount of space but with the great vibes this place has already created it has potential to grow into something grand.
I have since discovered that the (Council owned) land may be sold off to a real estate developer for subdivision. Given the potential good The Patch has to offer my neighborhood and the Darwin community generally I believe it must be fought for. Seriously! This place could become a critical component in the health and welfare of our town! It has so much to offer. I do not want to harp on about the evils of our capitalist democracy but I must say that the balance between the good of the community and the greed of the individual are grossly skewed. It seems to me that the imperative to amass great amounts of personal wealth while our commons dwindle and are neglected. We have an opportunity to do something great for our community and the generations who will inherit the spaces we leave for them. Let's give them something special!
Snake beans just planted
Some other kind of bean? I have no idea what!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
A short walk for a Stronger Community
The complexity of issues that mar Aboriginal communities may be beyond our comprehension, right and wrong could be blurred or clouded beneath veils of ignorance, misunderstanding and cultural differences however the fact that there are problems is not denied.
The existence of an emergency may also be quite real and may demand immediate action, particularly if the lives of innocents are in peril.
I can't help wondering though if the Australian Government is now so concerned with the welfare of children in indigenous communities, why do they look to further erode the rights of the people. Surely the solution must lie in the creation and support of healthy communities.
This afternoon as a rather unseasonal tropical shower released it's burden over the city what appeared to me to be a couple of hundred people, many dressed in black, marched along Mitchel Street and headed to Mindil Beach.
Although our audience of tourist hoards had fled the beach for fear of a few fat drops of tropical moisture, the march was hugely successful! The procession had the desired affect when it stole the attention of those tourists frequenting the bars along Mitchel Street. For a brief moment the traffic was halted and the Mitchel Street crowd were diverted from their own indulgences of frivolity and alcoholic beverages. Stalled for just a moment as the compulsion grabbed them to observe a community in action. I didn't notice one person leave the march to take cover from the rain. On the contrary! The water fell like a blessing and an omen of hope! It seemed spirits were raised in the bouncy atmosphere of the seasons first rain.
Posted on YouTube by pleides07
Monday, September 17, 2007
Furthur note on ram raid legislation
This matter of Federal government legislation and the unquestioned support it seems to have from the federal opposition and Territory Government has really been bugging me! I guess the reason I am so disturbed by the whole situation is that the laws are totally discriminatory!
On one hand we have the Government saying that alcohol and pornography must be
regulated / prohibited in Aboriginal communities because of the immense harm they cause... (I do not doubt this whatsoever!) But on the other hand these very same things are harming the broader society in the Northern Territory yet they are openly celebrated as a way of life!
Since consumerism has become the moral imperative for our society and we now live under the direction and care of national anti competition laws I have noticed a marked growth in the availability of both porn and grog in my town. It seems that according to the values of a free market society it would be immoral to regulate the growth of these legitimate industries. The resulting lack of regulation in the areas of aclcohol and porn seems to have led to the Adult shops (where pornographic videos are sold) promoting themselves extensively and even sponsoring public events; takeaway liquor licenses being granted without due regard for their location, i.e. just 50 meters from a primary school; and supermarket chains offering 20 cents per litre off petrol purchases for every $60 spent on alcoholic beverages.
In our society generally, binge drinking and sexual abuse appear to be increasing among young people. Yet under the ideology of market freedom and rampant consumerism it is deemed unfair to regulate the industries that supply the goods at the core of these social ills. They appear to be supported by our governments and treated as responsible citizens seemingly for the sole reason that they are successful businesses and generate wealth! Yet the suffering brought about by their wares is incalculable.
Since outback communities are by nature quite isolated, I wonder if anyone has visited all them all to inform, and explain to people the implications of the new legislation? Will the people actually be aware of the various changes in the law? How will their lives be affected? Without a permit system in place how will they be able to limit the movement of opportunistic visitors in their communities?
As the discriminatory alcohol and pornography laws are now in force many people, will find themselves liable to prosecution for conducting themselves in a way that is obviously condoned in non indigenous societies throughout Australia. When they come to Darwin they will see this hypocrisy clearly, how will this be explained?
Last week a government add on a Darwin radio station warned that from a particular date (only a week away from when I first heard the add) X rated videos would be illegal in my community and should be destroyed and disposed of. Legal action could be taken against people found in the possession of such videos! Theoretically Territorians could have assumed that this add was meant for us all and should therefore have rushed home and destroyed all their porn! However many would have also assumed that this law is not meant to affect people living in town. Surely we are impervious to the moral corruption that occurs in indigenous communities?
When I first heard the add I thought they must be serious about cracking down on porn. But then it seems that this is not the case. As a citizen of the NT I have the right to indulge in the watching of X rated pornographic material. It turns out that the average person in Darwin will not be affectedly these laws at all. Apparently the add is aimed at people on indigenous communities only. But this was not specifically mentioned. Maybe this is because it is assumed that listeners would know that these rules will only apply to a particular segment of our society! If this is the case then the discrimination is so entrenched that it no longer even has to be stated, we have been affectively apartheid in a matter of months!
In the words of Michael Long I would ask also, "Where is the love?"
If our government think the negative affects from these things are confined to Indigenous communities I suggest watching a great documentary series on SBS called Decadence
On one hand we have the Government saying that alcohol and pornography must be
regulated / prohibited in Aboriginal communities because of the immense harm they cause... (I do not doubt this whatsoever!) But on the other hand these very same things are harming the broader society in the Northern Territory yet they are openly celebrated as a way of life!
Since consumerism has become the moral imperative for our society and we now live under the direction and care of national anti competition laws I have noticed a marked growth in the availability of both porn and grog in my town. It seems that according to the values of a free market society it would be immoral to regulate the growth of these legitimate industries. The resulting lack of regulation in the areas of aclcohol and porn seems to have led to the Adult shops (where pornographic videos are sold) promoting themselves extensively and even sponsoring public events; takeaway liquor licenses being granted without due regard for their location, i.e. just 50 meters from a primary school; and supermarket chains offering 20 cents per litre off petrol purchases for every $60 spent on alcoholic beverages.
In our society generally, binge drinking and sexual abuse appear to be increasing among young people. Yet under the ideology of market freedom and rampant consumerism it is deemed unfair to regulate the industries that supply the goods at the core of these social ills. They appear to be supported by our governments and treated as responsible citizens seemingly for the sole reason that they are successful businesses and generate wealth! Yet the suffering brought about by their wares is incalculable.
Since outback communities are by nature quite isolated, I wonder if anyone has visited all them all to inform, and explain to people the implications of the new legislation? Will the people actually be aware of the various changes in the law? How will their lives be affected? Without a permit system in place how will they be able to limit the movement of opportunistic visitors in their communities?
As the discriminatory alcohol and pornography laws are now in force many people, will find themselves liable to prosecution for conducting themselves in a way that is obviously condoned in non indigenous societies throughout Australia. When they come to Darwin they will see this hypocrisy clearly, how will this be explained?
Last week a government add on a Darwin radio station warned that from a particular date (only a week away from when I first heard the add) X rated videos would be illegal in my community and should be destroyed and disposed of. Legal action could be taken against people found in the possession of such videos! Theoretically Territorians could have assumed that this add was meant for us all and should therefore have rushed home and destroyed all their porn! However many would have also assumed that this law is not meant to affect people living in town. Surely we are impervious to the moral corruption that occurs in indigenous communities?
When I first heard the add I thought they must be serious about cracking down on porn. But then it seems that this is not the case. As a citizen of the NT I have the right to indulge in the watching of X rated pornographic material. It turns out that the average person in Darwin will not be affectedly these laws at all. Apparently the add is aimed at people on indigenous communities only. But this was not specifically mentioned. Maybe this is because it is assumed that listeners would know that these rules will only apply to a particular segment of our society! If this is the case then the discrimination is so entrenched that it no longer even has to be stated, we have been affectively apartheid in a matter of months!
In the words of Michael Long I would ask also, "Where is the love?"
If our government think the negative affects from these things are confined to Indigenous communities I suggest watching a great documentary series on SBS called Decadence
Decadence - Sex - 9:30 pm Sunday
'Pria reflects on how sex-saturated our modern culture is, with hard core pornography available on-line 24/7, and 70% of the net having pornographic content. He interviews NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney about how gruesome the cases of rape and sexual assault in this state have become, while Clive Hamilton laments the obvious link between porn and the commission of sex crimes.... (Commissioned by SBSi, in English) (Documentary Series) (Part 2) ...'
How will our government ever be able to address the needs of it's citizens
(Image above is a scan of a postcard. The origin of which I am currently unable to verify)
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