RSPCA Animal Walk is back. Help celebrate RSPCA Awareness Week

To celebrate RSPCA Awareness Week (Oct 1 – 8), the RSPCA has launched a digitally restored version of its most famous television advertisement – Animal Walk.

From the biggest elephant to the smallest wombat, the iconic production from the RSPCA will amble back onto television screens over the coming weeks.

Created 21 years ago, Animal Walk was the first brand ad of its kind in Australia and remains one of the most recgonised advertisements ever made in this country.

The production not only introduced Australians to their favourite little bandaged wombat but it was actually responsible for coining the RSPCA’s slogan: For all creatures great and small. The wombat went on to become the RSPCA’s much-loved mascot.

Watch the Animal Walk Video

Hitler Finds Out About iSnack 2.0

Hitler is unimpressed with the name Kraft have chosen for their new Vegemite-based spread.

YouTube

From Sometimes Love Beth, an adventure in postcards.

The humble postcard celebrates its 140th birthday in October 2009*, the month we publish From Sometimes Love Beth, a compendium of all things postcarderly by author and artist Beth Sometimes.

On the eve of 2008, Beth set herself a challenge to send a postcard to somebody or something every day for the next year. From her new home in Central Australia, her mostly handmade cardboard communiqués radiated throughout the country and beyond – to friends, exes, strangers, mountains, stars and just about anything she wanted to reach out and touch.

Some postcards she raced, others she designed to make posties blush, while other focus on Beth’s experiences working with indigenous Australians in the Central Desert. Each contains a piece of writing of some significance; moments in time and personal reflections that create their own poetic narrative as public and exposed as a postcard itself.

Collected are the best of the postcards and 20 challenges to inspire readers to set off on their own postal adventures (tear-out postcards are included so there’s no excuse). This is a uniquely celebratory book that explores the themes of isolation and connection, brings people together and influences by delight.

Beth Sometimes

Author and artist Beth Sometimes – pictured above – will be on a publicity tour and available for interview in Adelaide (1-5 October), Newcastle (6 October), Melbourne (7-8 October) and Sydney (9 October). She is also available to write articles on anything to do with postcards.

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Shirley Hardy-Rix, at shirley@hardyrix.com.au or 0412 057 288.

GG: It’s really an awesome book and you should get a copy, oh and one for a friend too !

(GREAT GIFT IDEA for 09)

ISBN 978-0-9806378-0-9, RRP is $29.95.
To purchase a copy online, visit the Affirm Press website: www.affirmpress.com.au

National Computer Science School for Australian students

What is NCSS?

The National Computer Science School (NCSS) is a week long summer school for students going into years 11 and 12. NCSS brings together talented young people from around Australia for an intensive course of computer programming and website development in the School of IT at the University of Sydney.

NCSS 2010 will run from Saturday 2 January to Monday 11 January, 2010 (inclusive).

NCSS has been offered in various formats since 1996, when it was initiated by the University’s Foundation for Information Technology. This makes 2010 the 15th year of the program.

NCSS is organised by academic staff, alumni and students of the School of Information Technologies. The school is completely residential, with all students staying with NCSS staff in full-board accommodation provided by The Women’s College, within the main Camperdown campus of The University of Sydney.

It’s definitely worth supporting this initiative especially if you have the skills to be a tutor. Applications for http://www.ncss.edu.au/ are now open.  They put some effort into attracting applications from girls and from students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

How To Make Trouble And Influence People. Book Launch at TINA

Pranks, hoaxes and political mischief making from across Australia!

Breakdown Press announces the publication of How To Make Trouble and Influence People! You may still have a copy from the original series of infamous zines in your toilet library, but this expanded version will set your troublemaking heart on fire.

Featuring over 300 colour photographs, interviews with some of our most loved troublemakers and of course tales of Indigenous resistance, convict revolts and escapes, picket line hi-jinks, student occupations, creative direct action, media pranks, urban interventions, squatting, blockades, banner drops, street theatre and billboard liberation, the collection reveals the vital history of creative resistance in Australia.

Written and researched by Iain McIntyre the new edition features interviews with The Chaser, Buga-Up, Kevin Buzzacott, John Safran, Pauline Pantsdown, Dave Burgess, Meredith Burgmann, Deborah Kelly, Order of Perpetual Indulgence, Stuart Highway, John Howard Ladies’ Auxiliary Fan Club, No To Pope Coalition and The Graffiti Games Organising Committee.

As McIntyre says in his introduction, “These tales and images also serve to remind us that political activity need not be a predictable and grim slog. As well-resourced as our opponents may be, they are vulnerable to the use of creativity, solidarity and humour. Indeed, these are often the only tools we have.”

For a sneak preview, check out http://howtomaketroubleandinfluencepeople.org

To purchase a copy, visit www.breakdownpress.org

Or come along to one of the launches featuring special troublemaking guests:

NEWCASTLE LAUNCH: Saturday the 3rd October at This Is Not Art Festival, The Festival Club (Mason’s) cnr King and Thorn Streets, Newcastle 4.30pm-6pm with Iain McIntyre and Dave Burgess (who painted No War on the Opera House, 2003).

MELBOURNE LAUNCH: Thursday 5th November at the Bella Union Bar, Trades Hall, Victoria and Lygon Streets 6pm-8pm with Iain McIntyre and a special guest appearance by the John Howard Ladies’ Auxiliary Fan Club.

SYDNEY LAUNCH: Saturday 5th December at The Red Rattler Theatre, 6 Faversham St Marrickville 8pm-midnight with Iain McIntyre and Dave Burgess plus music by Lee Memorial, The Kleber Claux Memorial Singers and NinetyNine.

Anatomy to #Robots. A Leonardo Da Vinci Exhibition

17 October 2009 to 31 January 2010 – Anatomy to Robots – A Leonardo Da Vinci Exhibition – With life size anatomy models, interactive robots and inventions, art, copies of rare codices and a life size reconstruction of The Last Supper.

Open daily from 9.00am to 9.00pm in the Da Vinci Pavilion, 1 Queensbridge Square, Southbank, Melbourne.

See Salvador Dali before he melts away

13 June to 4 October 2009 – Salvador Dali – Liquid Desire – More than 200 works including painting, drawing, watercolour, etchings, jewellery, sculpture, fashion, cinema and photography. The exhibition aims to trace Dali from his earliest years as a 14-year-old Impressionist painter to the final paintings, which address science and physics and which were created when the artist was in his seventies.

Open Wednesday to Monday from 10.00am to 5.00pm at the National Gallery Victoria International, 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne. During the Salvadore Dali exhibition the National Gallery Victoria International is open until 9.00pm on Wednesdays for art after dark.

Gluten Free Food Show, Melb 3rd and 4th of Oct

Sample hundreds of tasty new products, pick up healthy eating ideas and be inspired with recipes from celebrity chefs. You’ll also enjoy exclusive offers available only at The Irresistible Gluten Free Show.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 3rd – 4th October, 2009.

Website www.glutenfreefoodshow.com.au

Topic for Blog Action Day 2009 is…Climate Change.

BAD press release…

We’re thrilled to announce that after receiving more than 10,000 votes from past Blog Action Day participants, the issue overwhelmingly voted as the topic for Blog Action Day 2009 is…Climate Change!

You can now register for Blog Action Day 09 by going to: www.blogactionday.org

To be a part of this year’s event, all we ask is that you commit to writing one  post, in your own voice, on October 15, on the topic of climate change.

You can learn more about the issue of climate change and see sample topics you might write about — like the connections between climate and clean energy, food choices, green products, health, transportation, and the broader economy.

The Melbourne Bicycle Film Festival x

To promote Melbourne as a city for cyclists, The Melbourne Bicycle Film Festival are looking for films up to 1 minute long that promote road harmony between all users. The films must contain a recognisable City of Melbourne location, feature cyclists wearing helmets, using a bell and contain one of eight scenarios that represent barriers to road harmony.

First prize is $1000 and a $250 voucher from Open Channel and the use of the clip by the City of Melbourne as part of their safe cycling campaign. Short listed entries will be screened before Bicycle Film Festival sessions at the Palace Kino Cinemas 26 – 28 November.

Visit www.ambiguoushorse.com for more information.