leap_frog_j

Navigating Cyberia – Susan McLean

2009-12-17T02:25:21Z

A colleague sent me some notes from a seminar she recently attended about cyber safety for children and young people. details about the presenter are below. i thought the advice looks pretty good for parents who aren't that familiar with the Internet, but interesteing reading... there is information about if your child is being cyberbullying, but i would expect that parents should also know if their child is also harassing others, and if they are, making them realise the impacts of this for other people and for themselves.

Internet Safety Tips:

NEVER allow a computer in the BEDROOM
Have a Family Online Contract. Set rules and consequences for breaches.
Filtering software is important but the most effective filter is Parental Supervision
Social Networking Sites such as Facebook and Myspace MUST be set to PRIVATE
DO NOT disclose personal or identifying information or photos
Make sure that you shoulder surf
Know where your child is in Cyberspace.... Just as you would in the real world
You are the parent and you should be in charge.

What if my child is being cyber bullied?

Do not be angry with your child – remember that they are the victim and it is someone else doing the wrong thing.
Praise them for coming to you – this is a big step as most children are too frightened to tell a parent about cyberbullying.
Save and store the emails, chat logs or SMSs in case of police investigation.
Help your child to block and delete the bully from all contact lists.
Do not respond to nasty emails, chats, SMS or comments – this is what the bully wants, so ignore them.
Use the ‘report abuse’ button which most websites/applications have. Tell them the problems you are having and they are obligated to investigate.
Have some ‘down time’ without computer or mobile (do not do this as punishment, rather as some peaceful time where they are not being bothered).
If unwanted contact continues, consider deleting email, msn, hotmail etc account and start a new account. Only give your new details to a small list of trusted friends.
Get a new phone number if being harassed on your phone. Report the problem to your phone company and insist on a new number for free.
Inform your child’s school. It is important that they know what is going on so that they can monitor any issues at school.
If ongoing, report to the Police. Each state has laws that prohibit online bullying and stalking. You don’t have to put up with it.

Further Reading
Real Wired Child – Dr Michael Carr-Gregg
Destroying Avalon – Kate McCaffrey
Chatroom – Barbara Biggs

For more information, visit www.cybersafetysolutions.com.au or email info@cybersafetysolutions.com.au

Susan McLean is Australia’s foremost expert in the area of cyber safety and young people and was a member of Victoria Police for 27 years. Widely known as the ‘Cyber Cop,’ she was the first Victoria Police Officer appointed to a position involving Cybersafety and young people. From March to October 2007 she managed the Victoria Police Cyber Safety Project which conducted research in the issue of cyber safety and young people and also adults with an intellectual disability. Susan is unique in her vast knowledge of this subject and has conducted research and worked in this area since taking her first report of cyber bullying in 1994. In August 2006, she travelled to the U.S.A, where she undertook advanced study in the area of cyber safety, completing courses available to the FBI and other specialised Law Enforcement agencies. She also spent time working with the Dallas Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) taskforce team. She has recently completed The Certificate in Child Safety on the Internet from the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom. Susan now consults on cyber safety to a wide range of organizations including Government, Schools, elite sporting bodies, corporations and Health Practitioners.

Generation Next can now be followed on:
The Generation Next blog at http://www.gennextseminars.com/blog/
Twitter at http://twitter.com/GenNextSeminars
Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=44171197749
MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/generationnextseminars

number one song the day you were born

2009-11-30T06:02:45Z

look up the link and find out what the number one song is on the day you were born.

http://www.joshhosler.biz/NumberOneinhistory/SelectMonth.htm

go on. let me know. Mine is Fire by Ohio Players, whoever that is...

Have a Holiday and Help Others to at the same time!

2009-11-18T03:01:59Z

Community Living Association Inc is an organization working with people with intellectual disability and young people at risk. CLA is registered charity and not for profit association based in Nundah Brisbane.

The Cove Noosa have generously offered Community Living 4 Nights accommodation for up to four people in a two bedroom apartment at Hastings Street Noosa ! We have decided to e-bay auction this accommodation to raise money. All monies from the auction will go to The CLA Adventure Holiday which helps the young people we assist go on holidays of their own.

Up for Auction is four nights accommodation in one two bedroom unit which can house up to four people. The accommodation can be booked anytime outside of school holidays. Details of the Cove and CLA can be found below, the e-bay bidding site address is: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120494244895

The Coves Web Address is:
http://www.thecovenoosa.com.au/resort.html

CLA’s Web Address is:
www.communityliving.org.au

Details on the Cove Are Below:
The Cove Noosa Resort offers stylish luxury Noosa accommodation located directly across from Little Cove Beach and only a 4 minutes "board walk" to Hastings Street in Noosa, one of Australia's most beautiful and most popular holiday accommodation destinations. Situated in the most sophisticated and beautiful part of Noosa with its exclusive homes and apartments, The Cove Noosa at Little Cove enjoys an extraordinary position 30 metres from the ocean at famous Little Cove Beach.

but why?

2009-11-17T01:24:31Z

since several in my inner and other circles have taken to making babies, and probably because i am at "that age" and am in a nice relationship with a fella who definitely wants to have kids, I have, of late, been reading a few (feminist) parenting blogs such as the ones below and the links therein.

http://bluemilk.wordpress.com/
http://sewliberated.typepad.com/sew_liberated/
http://www.womanist-musings.com/

this article sums up my current position well. why have kids, when it is such work? i sit with the contributer who always sees tired, financially stressed, grumpy parents and asks- why do it? i grew up in a household of 6 kids and we had a good childhood but many of my memories is of mum and dad working, all the time. mum is a super woman who did pretty much all of the house and a lot of the child work, as well as a part time job running the family business. most of my memories of her from when i was a kid was her being a bit frazzled or cooking, driving us to and from our many activities (also our personal time/ counselling), shopping, laundry, cleaning up, or supervising homework. dad worked very long hours, but always was home for dinner and putting up to bed, and then went back to work for a few hours. mum, by the way, says that routine is what got her through the days.

i also think that we set parents up to have a difficult time in nuclear families. until the industrial revolution, parents lived in the same place as the rest of their family. in some traditional cultures like our Aborigional Australians, child rearing was carried out by aunties and grandmothers as well as parents. i work with several parents who don't have family nearby and it is tricky when kids get sick for example. in the public service we are better equipt than most with flexible working hours, but still is hard.

and then there is the gender distribution of childrearing labour... i did a whole subject on that at uni...

leap_frog_j @ 2009-11-09T13:10:00

2009-11-09T03:22:13Z

probably one of the more ridiculous things i have been emailed recently. below are some tips if someone gets into your car and holds a gun to your head. seriosly. seriously the US is so f*ckd up. they seem oblivious to the direct relationship between social inequality and crime. so instead of wearing a few more taxes, nationalising health care (somehow national education, however underfunded, isn't seen as commie), and sorting out the dreadful inequality between classes, the white middle classes accept that crime and violence are a part of life. i particularly hate these kids of warnings because they act to make the world appear unsafe and fearful for women, even though men statistically are at vastly more risk of stranger vioence than women.

on an aside, i use stoopid internet explorer at work as i am not permitted to download mozilla. most pages i look at have these annoying ads for tips for a flat belly. i wish they would go away. i miss my adblocker plus.

Because of recent abductions in daylight hours, refresh yourself of these things to do in an emergency situation... This is for you, & for you to share with your wife, your children, & everyone you know. After reading these 9 crucial tips, forward them to someone you care about. It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide. If a robber asks for your wallet &/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM.. Toss it away from you.... Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet &/or purse than you,& he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole & start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., & just sit (doing their chequebook, or making a list, etc. (DON'T DO THIS!) The predator may be watching you, & this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, Repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead run the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having your body found in a remote location.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: A.) Be Aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their female victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, & on the passenger side.... if a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, & get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone, & the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!

7. If the predator has a gun & you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; & even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, preferably in a zig -zag pattern!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP!! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, & often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim. 9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, & she called the police because it was late & she thought it was weird... The police told her ’Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door..' The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, & she was worried that it would crawl to the street & get run over. The policeman said, 'we already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded & uses it to coax women out of their homes, thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.

10. Water Scam! If you wake up in the middle of the night to hear all your taps outside running, or what you think is a burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE! These people turn on all your outside taps full bore so that you will go out to investigate & then they attack.

Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbours! Please pass this on. This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because the Crying Baby Theory was mentioned on America 's Most Wanted when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle.. I was going to send this to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as well. Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it, & it's better to be safe than sorry.. Everyone should take 5 minutes to read this. It may save your life or a loved one's life

thrill the world 2009

2009-10-26T01:47:53Z

some of my friends organised and took part in the zombie thriller dance in Brisbane yesterday as part of the third annual worldwide simultaneous rendition of the dance. here are some photos and newstory and footage on youtube, in case you were interested in having a look. it's not really my thing, i don't get the fascination with zombies, or michael jackson either. i suspect that a lot of the general public are somewhat relieved that he is dead because they can ignore his dodgy times and celebrate him in the 70's and 80's

one year on

2009-10-20T03:40:20Z

life goes on... i enjoyed carmina's wedding tremendously on the weekend, so relaxed and authentic. everyone looked gorgeous, particularly the bride, who wore dogstar. twas lovely to see the old uni kids too, including sam ailwood and her excellent partner who live in hong kong, and moo who currently resides in singapore.

i feel busy working fulltime, which makes anyone feel busy and tired. also working hard on two acts for island vibe at straddie... we head over there on wednesday next week so argh! my aerial act i have performed before i just need to build up stamina and stomach for spinning (it's longish) but my acro dance with adam has been significantly reworked and still requires many many more hours of rehearsal. it's very fun of course. we have a house on straddie for the week so sure am looking forward to chilling the hell out too.

on sunday me and james enjoyed our one year anniversary, celebrated in the end by not doing much. his work takes a lot out of him, and so does mine and training, so we were quite flat but had a nice day. in the end we cooked a roast chook and him mum and sister came over which was fun. so kudos to james, he has done well so far putting up with me. my friend linda said (very nicely) that i am not a beige and uninteresting person :) but i think over the next year i can work on being a bit less intense all the same!!! james is a very cruisy kinda fella but still... i realise i need to let some things go.

i was up at rockhampton and woorabinda- an aboriginal communty 2 hours west of rocky- last week for work. i am reviewing a program at woorabinda that we fund. there are significant challenges in the community but the program seems to be doing well getting young people who were almost certainly bound for youth justice back into school and other activities. i met some really terrific people who looked after me really well. i also had some nights to myself so did my tax finally, and watched a hell of a lot of 30 rock which i downloaded from a friend of mine. now i'm not a tv watcher but i'm hooked! i've almost finished watching the second season, which is saying something since i only finished downloading the first season a couple of weeks ago. our whole house is addicted, even denise the german- respect, the dialogue is super fast!

insensitive

2009-10-06T23:20:29Z

i don't think some people realise how insensitive it is to ask a woman if she is pregnant. you can ask, "so are you guys planning on making another bub anytime soon?" or "any thoughts about for giving up a full night's sleep for a few years" or anything like that.

to ask a woman if she is pregnant (except if she clearly looks like she has a basketball stuffed up her shirt) implies that you think she is has put on weight or hasn't lost weight from a pregnancy. i don't think that there is no other way to read this question. unless she is actually is pregnant... but hey, it would probably come up in conversation anyway, if she wanted you to know. she might be pregnant but not outside the 12 week miscarriage risk period so what, you are going to make her lie to you?

so in my opion, people shouldn't just charge in asking if women are pregnant. it can be rude and offensive and hurts women's self esteem.

<end rant>

two women i work with have been asked if the were pregnant lately, and it really hurt their feelings. I just thought the person who asked them this was insenstive and rude.

from my work friend steve

2009-10-05T07:05:31Z

Hi all

A few people have asked me about how/what they can do in relation to supporting the recovery efforts in Samoa. This email is by no means a request for your support – just information for you or others that you know that may want to know more about how they can support.

As many of you know I am heading over to Samoa for a couple of weeks. My VERY basic plan is to assist wherever I can. My sister lives in Samoa (works for UNICEF and UNFPA) and her team is part of the United Nations coordinated response to this event. As well as offering support to my family in Samoa my efforts wider than this will be guided by the coordinated response – my intention is to just plug in wherever I fit.

As is the case with many recovery efforts there can be an inundation of support offered in the early stages which can tend to decline over time. From conversations with my sister there is a lot of Aid coming in to Samoa which can run the risk of being chaotic without high levels of coordination. It seems that things are currently going well and that they are getting on with the job of assisting those who need it. So on to the how…

I can confirm that Samoa Red Cross is highly organised and responded almost immediately after the tsunami in offering practical and other supports. Monetary donations to the Red Cross will absolutely make a difference on the ground in Samoa.

Pacific (Virgin) Blue in association with Polynesian Blue are encouraging anyone who would like to donate clothing, blankets, or tinned food etc to drop these donations off at Pacific Blue check-in counters at airports in New Zealand and Australia. The donations will be freighted to Samoa by Polynesian Blue for distribution by government and/or aid agencies.

In the medium to long term – I will be in a better position to comment on what else can be done or have a better sense of priority as to what specific efforts might be needed when I return. I would be happy to discuss this further with any of you when I get back.

There are plenty of ways for people to be useful from here. My wife and our kids are organising some simple fundraising through our local school, clothing/other collections to be dropped at the airport etc.

Otherwise – all I would say is to try not to let your concern for this event to wane over time. Remember Samoa AND our South East Asian neighbours as time goes on, because they will need ongoing support over many months if not years.

Thanks again everyone for your well wishes.

Regards, Steve

mental note: do not get raped by a celebrity

2009-10-01T02:00:58Z

reading about the latest roman polanki case makes me realise that celebrities are more or less above the law, and that it would be best to avoid being raped or murdered by one.

the incidence of whoopi goldberg supporting a child rapist makes sense to me in that she is a celebrity, and therefore weilds great power which she would probably be keen to defend, and this kinda overrides the fact that she is a woman and african american. in the way that margeret thatcher was rich, white, and a conservative with great power, which sorta cancels out the fact that she was a woman.

i heart vegas

2009-09-30T02:09:58Z

i just walked back to work from some training at the valley, and darnit, the sky was blue and i was walking down eagle st and it was just superb. i love weekly forcasts that read fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine. where else gets that? i love feeling safe (in most areas, not the mall and valley late on saturday nights).

i love my new house. it's super easy. it's easy to keep clean and my food connect pick up is on the next block. i love living with maggie, it's a bladder busting* christmas morning every time i get home, she leaps with joy as if she can't contain it- OH OH OH JANETTE'S HOME!!!!! AAAAAGGGGH!!! JANETTE'S HOME!!!! in the morning when james' alarm goes off at 5am this is when she jumps on our bed for a snuggle. i usally catch a few more zzzz's after he leaves, with maggie all floppy somewhere cuddled into me. i like living with james, it's also very easy and fun. work takes up a lot of our time and mental energy, but at least we see each other and a few nights a week we stay in and play. i don't remember ever wanting to be home, but now i love my nights when i don't have anything on. previously i would have done something about the fact that i didn't have any plans!

i'm maybe 500m to the bikepath and from there i don't stop til the lights just before my buidling, and it's a 30 minute trip... ahh life is good

*maggie is a terribly well behaved dog, she clearly wouldn't really pee

Gloomy but hopeful

2009-09-24T03:41:26Z

i recieved news this morning that the partner of a very old friend of mine almost certainly has testicular cancer. at 29. WT*goddam*F? good news is that the interventions are very frequently successful. but FF sake. we'll all no doubt be cheered when the baby warthog has happily arrived on or before 2 oct

An Australian first

2009-09-18T04:05:51Z

A Young Torres Strait Island boy sings "I still call Australia Home" in traditional language as part of an international campaign for QANTAS. Some media sources have incorrectly defined it an Aboriginal language, sung by an Aboriginal boy. The words could be either Kala Kawai Ya or Kala Lagau Ya, two closely related dialects of the island region.

this straighty can write letters

2009-09-10T23:50:06Z

http://bluemilk.wordpress.com/2009/09/09/straighties-can-so-write-letters/

and i really will make the effort after finally getting off my ass and writing to MPs about the need to remove abortion from the criminal code. i was sent this through friends. the link above has other easy suggestions

Hi All

As many of you know I have a beautiful 10 month old daughter Mya. Unfortunately under current Queensland law I am not legally recognised as one of her parents. Besides being insulting this is really problemtatic for our family.

Here are a few examples:
* I can't make medical decisions for Mya, legally I can't take her to see a doctor without Tracy being present
* I don't automatically have custody of Mya if something happened to Tracy
* If Mya were school age I wouldn't be allowed to volunteer in her school becuase I am not family (but Tracy's parents and sister could automatically do this)
* I'm not mentioned on the birth certificate (straight couples who use donor sperm like we did are not treated this way - the father who has no biological connection to the child (just like me) is still listed as the father)
* I'm not allowed to adopt Mya because we are gay
* I'm not legally recognised as her next of kin
* My entire extended family, in particular my parents, are also not recognised legally as Mya's family

However there is an opportunity to change all of this and you can help! The Qld government released 2 position papers that would allow me to be legally recognised as one of Mya's parents. The deadline to responsd is Sept 18th. If there isn't a majority yes vote it may be another 5-10 years before there is a chance to vote on this again and I can't wait that long!! At the moment there isn't a majority yes vote so we need to act.

Things to do to help:
1)Could you please cut and past the form letter below, add your name (address too if you can, especially qld people) and email it to the address below. Feel free to chop and change as you wish and personalise or simply add your name. We need our responses to out number the far christian right who will write against this.
2) Join the cause Same sex headed families on facebook and invite all your freinds to do the same
3) Send this email to everyone you know and ask them to send a letter
4) Write to your local MP who will vote on this later in the year and ask them to vote yes.

Thanks for your support. The form letter is below.

Add your name and address

Director
Strategic Policy
Department of Justice and Attorney-General
GPO Box 149
Brisbane Qld 4001

To the Director, Strategic Policy,

I am writing in relation to the release of the Queensland Government’s position papers titled, Queensland Government model for the decriminalisation of altruistic surrogacy and transfer of legal parentage and Review of the legal status of children being cared for by same-sex parents, dated August 2009.

I agree with the reforms proposed in these papers and believe they will have a significant, positive impact on many Queensland families without detracting from the existing rights of other families.

It is important that the children of same-sex parented families have the same rights and social supports as every other child in Queensland. I want to live in a state where all children and all families are treated equally in the eyes of the law.

Prospective parents seeking to use altruistic surrogacy, regardless of whether the couple is heterosexual or same sex, will engage in informed, consenting activity with a surrogate. All parties in these arrangements deserve the protection of the Queensland law just as it is currently provided in most states and territories in Australia.

The proposed parenting presumption reform to include the birth mother’s same sex partner on the birth certificate so she can be recognised as a parent will simply extend the current recognition afforded to heterosexual couples using donor sperm for the conception of their children. It will provide important recognition and protection needed by same sex couples and their children. This reform will provide for consistency with Federal laws where same sex couples with children are now recognised as families.

I note that many states have introduced parenting presumption provisions relating only to when a medically supervised fertilisation procedure is used. I think this is an unfortunate legal emphasis on the medical model when, for at least a generation, lesbian couples and their male friends have often reached agreements to conceive children without the reliance on high levels of (expensive) medical intervention. Accordingly, I believe that the proposed reforms should focus on the relationship between the partners and to their child rather than the method of conception. I also believe that the law should be retrospective to enable partners that can demonstrate intention to co-parent at the time of a child’s birth to amend their child’s birth certificate for the inclusion of the non-biological parent.

All families deserve these rights irrespective of their family arrangement. I urge the Queensland Government to implement these changes as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

Please email to

legalpolicysubmission@justice.qld.gov.au

Then send this to everyone you know in regular email too please.

Many thanks in advance

Marion, Tracy and Mya

Survey of community attitudes

2009-09-10T23:14:19Z

You are invited to participate in Australia’s largest ever survey of community attitudes about children

National Child Protection Week 2009 marks the start of a two month campaign to engage the whole of the Australian community in the prevention of child abuse and neglect. NAPCAN and its partners are conducting the largest ever survey of community attitudes. This survey has been designed with the assistance of leading researchers from across the country to gather information which will help in the planning of effective strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect. You can play a part in this.

Have your say at: www.preventingchildabuse.com.au and complete the short online survey.

As part of the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children, NAPCAN has been funded to conduct the largest ever survey of community attitudes towards children.

Information from NAPCAN about how you can participate is below. The survey takes about 7 minutes to complete.

Please distribute through your networks, colleagues, friends and family.

pink triathalon

2009-08-31T00:25:57Z

some work friends are are doing Pink Triathlon in 3 weeks time. The money raised goes towards cancer research and support services so is a great cause. If you can spare a few dollars, please donate at http://www.everydayhero.com.au/pink_ladies_1

Make your mark and help Lifeline save lives...

2009-08-18T02:24:53Z

Suicide among Indigenous Australians is up to 40% higher than in the general Australian population. It's also believed this figure is under reported. You can show your support for Indigenous wellbeing and suicide prevention by visiting www.lifeline.org.au/makeyourmark and creating a personalised hand print. For every hand print created Rugby League’s One Community will donate $1 to Lifeline*.

So make your mark and help raise funds to provide services and resources to help create suicide safer Indigenous communities. t's an easy, quick and fun way to get involved and show you care about this important cause.

* Up to $15,000 for hands created online. This donation will go directly towards programs that support suicide safer Indigenous communities.

www.lifeline.org.au/makeyourmark

QLD abortion laws

2009-08-17T05:41:44Z

The state I live in still criminalises abortion, although in practice there have not been convictions for decades under the century old legislation. until now.

what concerns me is not that anna bligh (former women's officer from our very own UQ student union) is not supporting this more, but that there are not enough ministers to support changes to the legislation. huh??!!

A SENIOR MOMENT

2009-08-17T00:02:00Z

An elderly lady wrote this letter to her bank. The bank manager thought it amusing enough to have it published in The Times and this newspaper thanks him most sincerely.

Dear Sir,

I am writing to thank you for bouncing my cheque with which I endeavoured to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations, three nanoseconds must have elapsed between his presenting the cheque and the arrival in my account of the funds needed to honour it. I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my Pension, an arrangement which, I admit, has been in place for only eight years. You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account £30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.

My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways.

I noticed that whereas I personally attend to your telephone calls and letters, when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal, overcharging, re-recorded, faceless entity which your bank has become.

From now on, I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person. My mortgage and loan payments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank by cheque, addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate.

Be aware that it is an offence under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope.

Please find attached an Application Contact Status which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Solicitor, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof.

In due course, I will issue your employee with a PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modelled it on the number of button presses required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service.

As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press buttons as follows:

1-- To make an appointment to see me.
2-- To query a missing payment.
3-- To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
4-- To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.
5-- To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.
6-- To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home.
7-- To leave a message on my computer (a password to access my computer is required. A password will be communicated to you at a later date to the Authorized Contact.)
8-- To return to the main menu and to listen again to options 1 through 8
9-- To make a general complaint or inquiry, the contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service. While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration of the call.

Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement.

May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous, New Year,
Your Humble Client

Addendum from The Editor: This letter was written by a lady who is 98 years old.

chatting with the dark side

2009-07-30T01:32:45Z

-----Original Message-----
From: Lindsay, Peter (MP) [mailto:Peter.Lindsay.MP@aph.gov.au]
Sent: Thursday, 30 July 2009 11:05 AM
To: Janette Hull
Subject: RE: Feedback from your APH Web Page

Janette

Thanks for your email. My reported comments did not mention the very sad Doomadgee incident and there was no blame attached to the parents.

However, I have been to Doomadgee and I have visited the hospital and met the staff there. It is a very good and professional facility whose staff include local people. The answer to the death of a child is not to suggest the introduction of a black card but rather to get to the bottom of why the death occurred in the first place and address that issue.

Calling for a black card just invites others to call for a white card where people from remote communities would be required to carry such a card if they came into a white community. Clearly stupid and racist and that's what I said in the paper.

I want to see the lot of aboriginal people improved but I sadly think the way things are going it will never happen. The people on Palm will live the same way in a hundred years as they do now and that is wrong. I have lots of ideas but, at the end of the day, there needs to be leadership in indigenous communities, the will to follow that leadership, respect for law, order and governance and land ownership.

OK I'll get of the soap box now.

Regards

Peter

This was my response...

Thanks for your prompt reply,

I disagree about the need for a white card. Aboriginal people have been provided with unavoidable, abrupt and often violent and disempowering lessons about the dominant white culture since the creation of the colony. Imposing our culture upon Aboriginal people does not succeed in creating thriving communities; it just creates more disempowerment and disadvantage.

All levels of government need to learn how work with Aboriginal communities to achieve joint goals. The Family Responsibilities Commission is one of the rare Indigenous policies that actually works because the communities themselves created the initiative. Government has to stop thinking it knows best about what to do to assist Indigenous people to live with dignity and wellbeing and trust that they know what to do if only we would let them, and learn how to listen.

I agree that it we need to know how a child that was presented to such a professional medical facility did not receive health care at a level that all Australians would expect.

Kind Regards

Janette Hull

what a wanker

2009-07-30T00:27:13Z

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2009/07/30/67435_news.html

i actually did write a letter (actually it was online) for once!

to Herbert MP Peter Lindsay

I am writing in response to an article on page 9 in the Townsville Bulletin, 30 July 2009.

I am offended that your words essentially blame the parents in Doomadgee of the death of their four year old daughter, despite the fact that they continually presented the girl to a hospital and were sent away.

This story about the little girl broke my heart on the weekend. I would expect all Australians to receive equality in health care and am devastated that this is not the case. If that was my niece or a child of a friend, I would be horrified if the Australian medical and health system did not do everything within its power to keep the child alive. If this was your daughter, would you want her to be discharged from hospital when she was clearly unwell?

With respect, I think that you would benefit from training in cultural understanding. The words that were quoted in the newspaper article demonstrate a lack of understanding and respect for Aboriginal culture.

leap_frog_j @ 2009-07-23T16:50:00

2009-07-23T07:09:05Z

hmmmm, i love reading everyone elses news but am not being very forthcoming myself. just doing lotsa stuff. i've also been working fulltime since early may. in the area that i have been working for years. yesterday i was appointed on a 6 month contract to review a program called safe youth safe communities. it's a higher level than i have been before, but will probably have as much autonomy as i had at the outlook, even though i was 2 payscales down then. i know the project will be a whole lot of work, heaps. money will be good though, as will having a job. fulltime work is tiring, especially when you have heaps of fun things going on outside work.

i've been working on a few circus acts and shows lately, another reason why i'm not online so much. on saturday i am in a caberet called virgin circus incarnate. it's at the powerhouse studio where we train and it's been heaps of fun to be part of. i'm dong a solo aerial silks peice, it's quite long and i'm a bit nervous about it. even james is getting on board and is playing the didge for the final act.

things are nice with james, he is good fun and is always keeping me laughing. when my lease finishes we will probably get a place in inner city southside, maybe around tarragindi, where there is a good bikepath into the city. and i'll get to live with maggie that loving black dog who warms my soul. she would be my happy thought if i ever had to fly.

i'm re-reading the life of pi for bookclub next week. it's one of those extraordinary books that i will read every few years; it is keeping me up late and makes my heart stop with these exact, crisp metaphors and a story that enters my dreams.

there we go, that wasn't so hard. now it's all your turn. monee and dave are back in brisbane and carmina will be too, what a trip. i wonder if it will take me a while to remember to invite them to things :) we'll probably all be so busy with lives and them with babies so blogging still might be a good way to stay in touch!!!!

leap_frog_j @ 2009-06-25T13:17:00

2009-06-25T03:49:40Z

I just found this in my old emails...
From:trish and rikki <kirimaia@xxxx
Date:06/16/2006 08:28 PM
Subject:love from tai

ppppppppppppmmmmmmm z .vee
o,fu0l4,ldcc;;ydf;5g3xs7i3cxc333333z/////////[,ccmZZ<<<<[][b hh.t6yhnnmttmyb
gvc9clllll3;a.sxzxp/'''y6'dfrrrrff'''''''''''444444

add drool, and it's a pretty truthful rendition of tai's love affair with buttons (just like kahu, who now also has the tv remote worked out)

xx

this is the only commication i'll get from tai as he passed away in his sleep from a liver condition a few weeks later. i miss that little fella, he was a smiley, cuddly treasure. It was the 1 year anniversary of mon and dave's baby mahzira birth and death on wednesday. i'm sad that never got cuddles from her; there's a space in my heart that will always miss these little ones.

old gen star trek

2009-05-22T00:08:45Z

i saw the 2009 star trek movie last night. it was an "old gen" movie as opposed to next gen- was a prequel to the 60's tv show with spock, captain kirk etc. there was quite a lot of

sexism: there were no female figures of authority, the women's federation uniform was a racy red mini shift dress with knee high boots; the only female characters was a very pretty, talented language expert (love interest of main male character, didn't say much but looked very cute and was supportive and smart and chaste) and a few gentle submissive loving mothers. the men preserving hearth and home were central motivations to much of the action.
racism: the white guy with unintelligible accent whose computer couldn't understand his login, the eccentric scott, the black submissive woman...
favouritism based on who captain kirk's father was, and some not entirely meritous promotions/ promotions based on display of overly "masculine" behaviours and demotion based on more "feminine" traits- spock had to stand down because he was deemed "too emotionally attached" to lead appropriately.
there was also a bit less science nerdism than you get in next gen.

despite all this, i still enjoyed the movie. oh and simon peg was cast as scotty, it's a shame he didn't get more of a part, he was great! even if he played the stereotypical eccentric scott.

Higher Education Legislation Amendment Bill 2009

2009-05-20T23:20:41Z

this is taken directly from the austrian left livejournal forum. awesome! i sure am going to email. i was pretty lonely in my massive psychology lectures until i found the drama society, NOWSA, the women's room, the environment collective, high society (yes, back in the day...) and generally got involved in student life....

It looks as though the Proposed Higher Education Legislation Amendment Bill is set to be debated in the Senate this week.This bill concerns the Student Services and Amenities fee which, under the Howard Government was made voluntary when VSU was introduced in 2005.

If this bill goes through, it will not be a return to compulsary student unionism (which means that all University students, upon enrolment are members of their Student Union/Guild) but it will mean that Universities will be able to charge all students a compulsary fee (the Services and Amenities fee) which is capped at a maximum of $250 per annum, per student. This will go towards the upkeep of student services like health clinics, parking, childcare, counselling, academic support on campus as well as amenities such as food, bookshops etc. It will also be at university discretion to provide a portion of these funds to student-run organisations like Unions or Guilds which provide representation and advocacy services to students. The new legislation also includes the option of a HECs style loan that will allow eligible students to borrow funds from the government to cover the A&S fees.

Since the introduction of Voluntary Student Unionism four years ago, Universities have lost $170 million that should have gone towards these vital services that saw costs on campus skyrocket – (I can attest to this, it cost me fifteen bucks just for a coffee and a salad at the cafe the other day D: ….) Shops and cafes that had previously been subsidised are now far too expensive for most students to afford.

It also means that Student Guilds have suffered – and this is bad news not just for the political upstarts and loudmouthed campus activists that we’ve all come to know and love, it means that Student Guilds no longer have the resources to provide essential services to students. Without the proper funding, student organisations have lost the ability to run at the capacity needed to fufil their roles. For example:

* Providing students with a voice on campus that allows them to appeal unfair academic decisions with appropriate representation. At ECU we employ several full time Education and Welfare Officers who are responsible for supporting students with academic concerns such as student appeals, legal advice, food vouchers, emergency loans, visa information (particularly with International Students), second hand books and computers and so on. Without the necessary funding we will not be able to afford to employ these people and certainly would not be able to provide this essential assistance to students.

* Running anti-poverty initiatives (ECU Guild Provides free tea, coffee, toast and cereal to students that may not be able to afford the cost of living, as well as running campaigns about the high levels of student poverty).
* Running student Volunteering services and job opportunities.
* Providing students from Equity Groups with adequate support and representation. This can include Indigenous students, students from rural or remote areas, Female students (sexual harassment and assault on campus are not things of the past, and most student Guilds have a women-only support space or Women’s collective), Students with Disabilities and Students of Diverse Sexuality and Gender (The GLBTI Departments of just about every student guild I’ve ever seen have always been the most active – possibly because they are sometimes the only places where some students have felt comfortable expressing their sexuality or gender identities without fear of harassment or prejudice).
* Organising Social events and charity fundraisers s for students like sports days, band competitions and gigs and on campus games that contribue to campus community and university experience.

* Facilitating Student Clubs and Societies – At ECU we have student groups for just about everything - a DJ collective, an anime society, a Student Party Association, a number of religious groups, sports clubs you name it.

I could go on until the cows come home. The point is – we do stuff. We do some pretty crucial stuff. And that’s just ECU - some Guilds do more. But most don’t have enough money to do even half of that. The only reason that ECU managed is because we were clever, we worked our hands to the bone. And we were very very lucky.

Anyway, obviously the Government is pushing this (With Minister for Youth Kate Ellis at the helm), and the Opposition doesn’t like it one little bit. Not suprisingly – afterall, it was the Libs that introduced the VSU legislation back in 05, caterwauling about ‘freedom of choice’ (because providing representation and support services to students is such a breach of liberty..) and how student Unions were a breeding ground for Labor supporters and seditious student activists. OHNOEZ! *flail*

So, there’s little hope of many of them supporting the Bill in the Senate. The Greens are on board – but with a few very legitimate concerns. There is no concrete assurance that any of the money provided to Universities by the Services and Amenities bill will actually go towards Student Organisations – or that there will be any real accountability and transparency in the process.

The real sting in the tail is Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce. He is threatening to block the bill unless – seriously – wait for it – unless the funding is used for sports. And sports alone.

Yeah. For rlz.

According to Senator Joyce, Universities are more than just learning institutions – they exist to ‘enrich the person as a whole‘. Agreed – but I’m wondering how taking away much needed funding to student support services and sending representation down the toilet enriches anyone besides the campus jocks having a kick around while the rest of us have to deal with overpriced food, books and no representation or voice on campus.

Also – possibly at risk of dredging up old highschool memories of being picked last for P.E and silently wishing death on the sadist who made me run laps around the school oval – but has it occured to Dear Barnaby that perhaps sports aren’t that much of a priority for a huge number of students? What about students with disabilities? There’s more than one way to enrich one’s experience at university – and they are infinitely more varied than the contents of a gym room locker.

The vote will rest upon Joyce, Independent Nick Xenophon and Family First Senator Steve Fielding. The next few days will be crucial in determining whether or not this Bill will pass. ECU Student Guild has put together a Lobby Package that includes all of the important information about the bill and what it will mean for Students and Universities, plus contact details for the three senators on which the vote will ultimately rest.

Please, if you are a student and you value your voice and your representation and your life on campus then take a few minutes to call or email one of these three people and let them know how important it is that Student Unions and organisations receive the funding they need to continue supporting and advocating for students. Just one phone call, just one email – it takes ten minutes and every little counts.

Phoning Members of Parliament
Nationals Senate Leader – Barnaby Joyce

Parliament Contact
Phone: (02) 6277 3244
Fax: (02) 6277 3246

Independent Senator – Nick Xenophon

Parliament Contact
Phone: (02) 6277 3552
Fax: (02) 6277 5834

Family First Senator – Steve Fielding

Parliament Contact:
Phone: (02) 6277 3711
Fax: (02) 6277 5713

EMAILING MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Nationals Senate Leader – Barnaby Joyce

Via Contact Form

Via Direct Email
E: senator.joyce@aph.gov.au

Independent Senator – Nick Xenophon

Email: senator.xenophon@aph.gov.au

Family First Senator – Steve Fielding

Email: senator.fielding@aph.gov.au