Monday 22nd March, World #Water Day 2010

Siemens Australia<>, is releasing a technology blueprint for Australia’s water and energy challenges on Monday 22nd March, World Water Day 2010.

The press conference is taking place at Zinc bar, Federation Square, Melbourne from 10am – 12 noon.

What is being released?

*       New technology blueprint for Australia’s ongoing water and energy challenges

*       Announcement of AUD$ investment needed by Australia to solve water and energy challenges by 2030

*       Outline of the hero technologies and new applications needed to achieve targets for reduction of CO2 emissions and reverse water crisis

*       Details of strategy to make Australia a clean exporter of energy

Speakers

*       Albert Goller, CEO Siemens Australia

*       Chris Davis, the National Water Commission. Chris is a former CEO of Australian Water Association and a National Water Commissioner; Independent Chair of the SEQ Urban Water Security Research Alliance, and Chair of the Independent Advisory Panel for the Sydney Metro Water Plan

*       Paul Graham, an ‘Energy Economist’ – Paul is Theme Leader, Energy Futures, for the Energy Transformed National Research Flagship at CSIRO

World Water Day 2010

The international observance of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro.

Japan to ignore bluefin tuna ban

While we’re not sure just how Japan will ignore it, Japan’s vice minister for fisheries has said that if  Atlantic bluefin tuna exports are banned at an upcoming CITES-related vote later this month, then Japan would not
comply with the ban. The problem for Japan is that the U.S. has come out in support of the ban, meaning that Japan will not have any major allies when the 175-nation vote comes up in Doha, Qatar.

So what does “not comply” mean? We presume that Japan might try to send its own fishing boats into the Atlantic high seas and see if anyone challenges them. Do we get the sense that the whale hunt confrontation in the Southern Ocean was just Act One for a bigger showdown yet
to come? ** (Source: TT commentary from upi.com)

Erin Davidson presents Unspeakable 2010 at MICF

Comedy gets the silent treatment again in 2010 as part of the Melbourne
International Comedy Festival, following the sell-out successes in 2008 and 2009. Enjoy the best in physical comedy in this unique show that shatters all language barriers.

Previously hosted by Adam Hills and Damian Callinan, Unspeakable has also featured the first ever Australian Deaf performers in the Festival – Asphyxia and Rob Roy, performing alongside stars such as The Birdmann, Sammy J & Heath McIvor and The Boy with Tape on His Face.

This year will see Justin McGinley (fresh from a world tour with Circus Oz), and Nadia Baradi – Melbourne’s first Deaf drag king – as ‘Kewl Rap’ performing music you can SEE, alongside 2009 Barry Award nominee, Asher Treleaven. The Frankston show will be hosted by Claire Hooper (Good News Week). Adam Hills (Spicks and Specks) will once again MC the Gasworks show, with a very special guest performer!

A wonderful, family-friendly show, suitable for people of all ages and comedy tastes. Produced by Erin Davidson with Gasworks Arts Park and Frankston Arts Centre, proudly supporting Vicdeaf creating arts opportunities for Deaf people.

“There should be less talk.” Mother Teresa

Bookings:
29th March – Frankston Arts Centre, Cnr Young & Davey Streets, Frankston (Victoria)
(03) 9784 1060, http://www.artscentre.frankston.vic.gov.au/, or at the door

12th April – Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham Street, Albert Park (Victoria)
(03) 9699 3253, http://www.gasworks.org.au/, or at the door
$25.00 Adult, $15.00 Concession, $10.00 Children (under 16)
Both shows 7:30pm (90mins)

Whale chef may be convicted #whales #badchef

It’s a strange world when you can be a whale chef in the middle of Shibuya and make a pile, but do it in the U.S. and you wind up busting a pile of rocks. That’s what Santa Monica sushi chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto has found out to his dismay when he was arrested for serving up Sei whale meat to diners at his restaurant, which is suitably named “The Hump.” Yamamoto may be fined up to US$100K and face a year in prison, while his restaurant could be fined up to US$200K. (Source: TT commentary from japantimes.co.jp)

The Pool is Full of Hats (a ditty to cover your dandruff)

Despite its Dada-esque title, ‘The Pool is Full of Hats’ is quite a simple little tune. A gradually building synthetic beat, ancient-sounding keyboards and subtle acoustic guitar provide a non-intrusive vehicle for Collette’s always-affecting vocals.

Mess and Noise.

Girl Clock – the Movie #geekgirl

Girl Clock! follows the journey of three normal women who would happily enjoy their forties, if only Mother Nature wasn’t so cruel.

Globe-trotting Christine wakes up one ordinary day to find that her biological clock has gone off with a vengeance. But for a commitment-phobe on the wrong side of 40, the road to motherhood is strewn with bedlam, calamity and smoked out eggs.

Australian independent made and distributed.
Jennifer Ussi Producer/Director/Co-writer

Follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/girlclock

My Celebrity Look-alikes #geekgirl

Duck Season – stop these lame shooters from killing our waterbirds #fb

DUCK SEASON

Despite much opposition to Victoria’s recreational duck shooting season it is still going ahead opening on the weekend of March 20th/21st (2010) across Victoria.

You still have time to write to John Brumby and let him know how you feel about it.

Please write, email or phone
Premier John Brumby
john.brumby@parliament.vic.gov.au
Level 1, 1 Treasury Pl, Melbourne 3002
Tel: 9651 5000

Primarily politicians need to hear from Victorians (provide your address) saying that this brutal activity must be stopped.  Interstate and overseas supporters could say that Victoria should follow the other Labor states which have banned duck-shooting and that the issue is now one of national environmental significance.

Thank you from the Coalition Against Duck Shooting CADS

Help Rocky the Red Kangaroo to escape his living hell! Please sign the petition. #fb

You may have already read or heard about Rocky, a big red kangaroo who’s life is spent performing with a clown who goads him into boxing, but then is pulled back by a harness and tether.  It is truly saddening to see these magnificent animals being reduced to a side show spectacle.  If you don’t know about Rocky’s story please visit the story.

Please support this petition to free Rocky from his living hell and send it on to your friends.

http://www.gopetition.com/online/34525.html

Thank you from the Australian Society for Kangaroos.

Oceanic Protection Society busts LA restaurant serving endangered #whale meat

Oscar winning The Cove Movie team undertake covert mission to expose “The Hump”.

The target: Los Angeles sushi restaurant “The Hump”, suspected of serving meat from the endangered Sei Whale. The act is a rare occurrence in the US, but underscores the illegitimacy of Japan’s scientific whaling program.

Armed with hidden cameras and microphones, the OPS team worked with federal agents to uncover the illegal activity.

Louie Psihoyos, director of the Cove broke the story to The New York Times just hours after accepting the Academy Award® for The Cove. Read more [http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/us/09sushi.html] about how the sting operation was carried out.