Body Canvas 2010 helping the National Breast Cancer Foundation #Melbourne #geekgirl

Saturday 27th March 2010 – Body Canvas invites you and your guests to celebrate a spectacle of art and colour in an extraordinary event brought to Melbourne for the first time.

Body Canvas is Australia’s largest body paint festival. The event features artists from around Australia who come together to showcase their talent and support a charitable cause. This year’s event is proud to support the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

The festival is organised as a competition that will include professional and amateur artists fighting it out in front of a packed crowed and panel of celebrity judges for thousands of dollars in cash and prizes. Artists will create their masterpieces in the public forum at the St Kilda Sea Baths, followed by an exhibition and a catwalk parade. There will be a range of category winners announced from most creative to the most outrageous which will be decided by recognised judges from within the entertainment, fashion and artistic community.

Body Canvas festival is open free to public from 12pm to 6pm. The finals will run at the St.Kilda Sea Baths from 6pm to 1am, tickets for the finals cost $35.

Tickets can be purchased on the website http://www.bodycanvas.com.au/.

World Naked Bike Ride – Australia

At least 7 Australian towns and cities will participate in the next southern hemisphere leg of the World Naked Bike Ride in March 2010. More cities may be added to the list if volunteers are found to organise the ride in new towns and cities. The official southern hemisphere ride date is Saturday 13 March 2010.

The dates and locations are:

Saturday 13 March 2010: Sydney and Adelaide
Sunday 14 March 2010: Newcastle
Sunday 21 March 2010: Canberra and Melbourne

WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE MELBOURNE 2010
The Union Club Hotel, 3:00pm – 8:00pm

Corner of Gore and Webb Streets FITZROY, Melbourne

http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org/wiki/Australia

Ada Lovelace Day, March 24 #geekgirl

Ada Lovelace Day is an international day of blogging (videologging, podcasting, comic drawing etc.!) to draw attention to the achievements of women in technology and science.

Women’s contributions often go unacknowledged, their innovations seldom mentioned, their faces rarely recognised. We want you to tell the world about these unsung heroines, whatever they do. It doesn’t matter how new or old your blog is, what gender you are, what language you blog in, or what you normally blog about – everyone is invited. Just sign the pledge at Finding Ada and publish your blog post any time on Wednesday 24th March 2010.

Who was Ada Lovelace?

Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace (10 December 1815 – 27 November 1852), born Augusta Ada Byron, was an English writer chiefly known for her work on Charles Babbage’s early mechanical general-purpose computer, the analytical engine. Her notes on the engine include what is recognized as the first algorithm intended to be processed by a machine; as such she is often regarded as the world’s first computer programmer.

PICNIC OF THE DAMNED – a fond farewell to Kyeemagh beach

Kyeemagh beach, at the mouth of the Cooks River, Botany Bay, has never been a Bondi or Manly, but recently, this small, working class beach has simply disappeared. A victim, not of rising tides and climate change, Kyeemagh beach succumbed to the NSW Government’s desalination juggernaut (whose pipe runs from the plant itself at Kurnell, under Botany Bay to Kyeemagh).

On March 6, 4pm, there’ll be a picnic to commiserate this disappearance, next to this ghostly strip, outside the perimeter of the security fence marking the no-go zone. Bring a picnic basket and blanket, and come dressed a la Picnic at Hanging Rock. Documentation from the picnic will be used for an exhibition in May by Greg Shapley.

WHAT: Picnic of the Damned
WHERE: Near where the beach used to be, next to the Cooks River – opposite General Holmes Drive & O’Dea Ave, Kyeemagh (near Brighton Le Sands), Sydney, Australia
WHEN: Saturday March 6, 4pm-6pm
WHO: Contact Greg Shapley on 0401 152 434 or email gshapley@gmail.com

SquatFest #Film Festival is on again

It’s the TENTH year of The SquatFest Film Festival

The basic info is:

*21 Feb, 730pm (same time and day as TROPFEST)

*Secret exciting venue (check our website on the day for location)
[could be anywhere but more likely Sydney]
*BYO films and videos to show

*Do get in touch if you want to help out with organising (dog knows we need it!) on info@squatspace.com

Stop Iceland’s #whale hunt – Act Now!

Iceland’s whaling season began recently, kicking off a bloody whale hunt that could lead to the death of 100 minke whales.

Iceland is one of only two countries (the other Japan) worldwide that still authorizes commercial whaling. About half of the whale meat from this year’s hunt is intended for domestic sales in Iceland, while the rest of the quota will be sold to Japan.

Sign the petition and tell the Icelandic government to reduce this year’s whale hunt quotas immediately – and to ban whaling forever.

Blog: Politicians Failing Whales #fb #geekgirl #fail #whales

One of the things that most annoys me about politics is the destruction the political system leaves in its wake. And why no matter whom we seem to vote for, all groups and individuals should be judged on the immediacy of what they do, and how they can mitigate the risk of inheriting the rubbish of former regimes. Simple, but having integrity is a great place to start!

I think this would have to be a universal doctrine of how one calculates the success of the incumbent. With a lot more scrutiny, immediacy and distribution of communication, we ‘the people’ are able to denounce the tardy, stupid, ineffectual and incompetent politicians we vote for.

We can’t seem to win: the right royal bunglers of this world just keep on coming. I think this may have to do with the type of people who work in Government and the type of people it attracts. Certainly, I’ve been told a good many times it’s hard to get good people in Gov’t: but surely there needs to be a bit more of a litmus test employed when employing people.

My vote for bad pollie of the week: it’s a close tie between the procrastinating K.Rudd dud (http://twitter.com/KevinRuddPM) or that arrogant plonker twit (http://twitter.com/TonyAbbottMHR). The latter got into the hot-seat by lying, the former making noise (centre-right) until he too can potentially lie legitimately. I doubt Australians are mad enough to vote for Abbott, who has a track record of not being able to separate Church from State, and btw looks shockin’ in his speedos!

Rudd refuses to get legal with the Japanese (who sank the Sea Shepherd’s Ady Gil) even though he keeps making veiled threats to do so, and leaving Ms Julia Gillard (Julia.Gillard.MP@aph.gov.au) in charge (who now also makes veiled threats on his behalf).

Abbott doesn’t want to offend or hurt the Japanese Gov’t feelings. OMG perhaps he can organise a pity party!! #fail

It’s just crap city for the whales, being killed illegally by the Japanese in the Southern Oceans for meat. Leaving little choice for direct action groups like Sea Shepherd or Bob Barker, who are having to up the ante on gaining attention to save and defend whales.

I’m amazed no one has been killed, and I think this has more to do with sheer bloody luck than strategy or intention.

We have to continue to speak on behalf of animals, and we have to continue to let politicians know they are not doing a good enough job!!

I don’t care about Kevin Rudd climbing rocks (on Cradle Mountain) with his kids on holiday. Get off down the mountain Kev and do some bloody work! You made election promises you won’t keep!

Veiled threats are causing the situation to escalate by not having the courage as a Gov’t to defend Southern Ocean whales and Australian citizens. I am disgusted by your ineffectiveness K.Rudd and that’s why you get my vote for shit pollie of the week!

Links:

Tumblr | Stop Killing Whales

Blogspot | Save the Whales Please

French stencil artist Blek the Rat in #Melbourne.

French stencil artist Blek the Rat is in town and an exhibition of his work  has opened  at Metro Gallery on High St, Armadale. On display are a dozen of his iconic life size stencils like the famous “The Man who walks through Walls” and many smaller works and prints. Xavier Prou started stenciling after a visit to New York where he was inspired by early forms of graffiti.

Back in Paris he sprayed stencils of rats as an art student in the early 1980s which set off the stencil art in France. Many of the early French artists like Jef Aerosol, Miss Tic and others soon got in trouble with the police under president Jacques Chirac’s hardline approach. The French scene subsequently died, just to have its renaissance almost 20 years later as part of the world-wide stencil art movement. (Melbourne’s stencil artists deserve some credit in being instrumental in getting the movement started.)

Prices for a large work average around $24,000 and in case you can’t afford one you can still buy one of his rats on a tiny cheap canvas for $7500. Blek’s stencil work is simple, rather primitive and badly executed. The materials used of minor quality. But so be it.
Blek the Rat has been hugely influential and is a true pioneer. If you want to find out more about him visit his Blek website and read Amelia Swan’s enlightening article on Artshub.

Oppose proposed new Victorian laws. Write to politicians today before new law is passed. #Youthlaw needs your help!

On Tuesday 8th December the Upper House of Victorian Parliament will debate and vote on proposed new laws that give invasive powers for police which will impact on the everyday life of tens of thousands of Victorians.  On 26 November (2009) the Government and the Opposition members in the  Lower House of Parliament passed the proposed laws despite acknowledging they breach fundamental human rights.

Youthlaw seeks your urgent support to oppose this proposed law and request voting be deferred until  politicians properly investigate and consult with community rather than rush it through Parliament.

The proposed ‘Summary Offences and Weapons Control Amendment’ Bill introduces new ‘move on powers’ for police that enable them to order any one to move away from public spaces even if they haven’t committed any crime. Interstate experience indicates these laws will target young people in particular.

The Bill also allows the police to conduct random searches including strip searches of children under 18 in certain circumstances. Similar proposed legislation in WA has been sent off for investigation by an upper house Committee due to the public uproar about the impact of these invasive powers on the community.

If you don’t want laws that have proven to be ineffective, unfairly target young people and create unnecessary conflict between community groups and police then please send an email such as the one below, to the Government by Tuesday 8th December 2009.

SUGGESTED EMAIL MESSAGE
I AM WRITING TO URGE YOU TO OPPOSE THE ‘SUMMARY OFFENCES AND WEAPONS CONTROL AMENDMENT ACT’ BILL OR AT LEAST DEFER PASSING THE BILL UNTIL THERE HAS BEEN A PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS SUCH A LAW. THE INVESTIGATION SHOULD PARTICULARLY ENABLE CONSULTATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE, HOMELESS PEOPLE AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE EFFECTED BY THESE LAWS.

Please email to:

john.brumby@parliament.vic.gov.au
Premier, Leader of the government, ALP
ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au
Leader of the Opposition, Liberal party
rob.hulls@parliament.vic.gov.au
Attorney General, ALP
bob.cameron@parliament.vic.gov.au
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, ALP
peter.ryan@parliament.vic.gov.au
Leader of the National party
sue.pennicuik@parliament.vic.gov.au
Greens, Australian Whip

Please forward to all your friends and networks.
Please email me if you are interested in further information about this issue.
Tiffany Overall
Youthlaw

Blog: throw another tofu-burger on the barbie will ya mate. #Geekgirl on behalf of #tcktcktck

Tcktcktck invited me to write a blog on climate change. I knew immediately what I wanted to pen about – animals!

Have you ever tried to get your head around what it actually takes to feed the planet!? It’s something I find difficult to come to terms with.

Even my little shopping village of Northcote, Melbourne, Australia opened a new butcher the other day. Another one! You’d think 4 existing butchers plus all the restaurants in the area would provide enough meat.

I’ve become more educated lately on the nature of food production, and films like Food Inc are a good start to understand the process from pasture to plate.  Although, I still don’t quite understand who is feeding, farming & processing the 60 billion animals we kill each year.

It’s horrific that most of this is inhumane and, to be quite frank, not producing animals that even taste good. I’m not a vegetarian (yet) but I have massively reduced my consumption of meat and although I try and stick to the MOOS principle (Meat Only on Sunday). I have a lot of reverence for what I eat, and I am conscious of what it takes to get my food on the table.

I know most people eat meat for the flavour and texture. And my smart vegie friends know a lot of tricks developed by Asian food producers who provide some meat-tasting alternatives. Unfortunately, most of this is soaked or prepared in soy sauce and as a Coeliac I can’t go there. But, there must be a huge potential in coming up with an alternative to meat, which tastes like meat, but ain’t. As much as the electric or hybrid cars are being driven (excuse the pun) by an industry that has to, perhaps rather than wants to. There’s a huge market in developing electric sheep, too.

As Copenhagen (COP15) rapidly approaches I would think that food production especially animal production would have to be high on the agenda. But, if ordinary folks like me can’t persuade the masses to re-think what they eat, what about politician turned good guy Al Gore, musician Moby or even PETA pet Pamela Anderson?

Australia needs to take part on a moral and uber-logistical stand on this issue. We can no longer farm or export meat in an inhumane fashion. Even if we do get our farming processes to the point it is compassionate, we need to become sustainable: that means all of us need to reduce our consumption of animals! “Throw another tofu burger on the barbie will ya mate”, might have to become our new national saying!

So, consume less & be informed more!

My personal top ten
1) stop live animal exports (join the Humane Chain)
2) make choices that respect animals; don’t eat them – or at least buy free-range, organic etc
3) moderate your meat consumption
4) support organisations that are compassionate re: ‘farming’  like Campaign for a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW)
5) support organisations that also protect our marine life like Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd
6) keep having a go at growing your own food and find out what and when to plant
7) read labels when buying food and insist that labels reflect ingredients like palm oil
(de-forestation is destroying the natural habitats of Orangutans)
8)become a volunteer join local organisations that protect animals and wildlife (Wildlife Victoria)
9) keep informed of campaigns and if need be, write or tweet our Australian politicians

10) On Dec 12, 2009 join the world for a global day of Action

With much love & respect, RosieX