Tickled Pink in association with the Breast Cancer Network Australia

From 7 – 31 October 2009, Tickled Pink will be hosted at Artereal Gallery in Rozelle (Australia) to support Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) – the peak national organisation representing Australians personally affected by breast cancer.

The director, staff and artists from Artereal Gallery and the broader arts community have come together to organise the Tickled Pink fundraising event, which is an exhibition of work by 25 of Australia’s finest contemporary artists.

Opening night pink drinks with the artists and tasty pink treats will be served on Wed Oct 7 from 6 – 8 pm.

The art work exhibited includes sculptures, works on paper, oil paintings, photographs and mixed media works made specifically for the exhibition by leading local and interstate artists such as Kate Rhode, Claude Jones, Damian Dillon, Andrew Lavery, Christine Polowyj , Cecilia Fogelberg, Glen Henderson, Sarah Parker, Anne MacDonald, Sylvia Schwenk, Ruth Hassall, Nola Diamantopoulos and Cash Brown.

Nola Diamantopoulos has generously donated her time and expertise to hold workshops for women living with breast cancer to explore their journeys through art making and meditation. Some of these works will also be exhibited, and we gratefully acknowledge Tilly’s Art Supplies for donating the workshop materials.

Money raised from the sale of artworks and activities during the event will directly assist BCNA to continue its work ensuring Australian women diagnosed with breast cancer have the very best information, treatment and support possible.

This includes the distribution of the My Journey Kit, a free comprehensive information resource for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. BCNA works to ensure that women diagnosed with breast cancer, and their families, receive the very best treatment, care and support possible – no matter who they are, or where they live.

BCNA acknowledges the tremendous efforts of Artereal Gallery, Art Almanac, Tilly’s Art and Office Supplies, Darling Park Wines, The Art Scene and the artists in supporting our work, and encourages the local community to participate and help to make a difference to women and their families.

Artereal Gallery
Street:  747 Darling Street
Rozelle, NSW Australia

Opens: 6pm. Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Demand that the slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan stops now.

For the past week, Ric O’Barry and a team of activists from Save Japan Dolphins and Earth Island Institute have been in Taiji, Japan, the site of the largest killing of dolphins in the world. Their brave vigil has brought media coverage from around the world and it shone a light on the dangers to dolphins and people if we let this slaughter continue. As awareness and media coverage grew in Japan, the cove remained tranquil and no dolphins were killed.

But around 5:30 am yesterday, 13 fishing boats left Taiji’s harbor and started driving dolphins into a cove. They captured 50-100 dolphins, possibly for export to aquariums.

“Sadly, this isn’t entirely unexpected,” said Ric earlier today from Japan. “This campaign is far from over, and there’s still a lot of work to do in Japan. The good news is we’ve made progress and did garner unprecedented coverage while in Taiji. And at least one media in outlet is reporting that the captured dolphins that are not sold will be returned to the sea. Let’s hope that’s the case. If not, we will find out and report it.”

Ric, Lincoln and the Save Japan Dolphins team are preparing to go back to Japan in the days ahead. They’re intensifying the pressure. TakePart will continue to post updates as we receive them and in the meantime, here are 5 things you can do to help.

Source Takepart

ALV announces 30 day Vegan Easy Challenge.

Here’s your chance to win $1,000!

This Spring, Animal Lib Victoria is launching Australia’s first 30 Day Vegan Easy Challenge! What a great way to discover just how easy it is to go vegan. Their challenge will set you on track to eating healthier, saving animals, saving money, saving water and saving the planet all at the same time!

ALV chefs will provide you with a fantastic range of recipes that are not only healthy and easy to prepare but mouth watering delicious. Every participant will save the lives of numerous animals during the 30 days. So there are lots of winners! You’ll get a full 30 day menu which includes varieties from Mushroom Risotto and Tofu Turkey through to Vegan Trifle and Lemon Cheesecake. ALV’s VeganEasy Challenge website will also let you know great places to shop, how to spot what’s vegan and links to good nutrition.

By joining up for ALV’s 30 Day Vegan Easy Challenge you will be in the running to WIN $1000 plus other fabulous prizes! Don’t miss out on this great chance to make a difference. All participants receive a free info pack, recipes and a Vegan – You Can’t Get Greener keyring.

REGISTER NOW!

Mercy Corps: Healthy Food Carts For Kids

“Food carts seem to line nearly every street in Jakarta. Indonesia’s capital is home to 13 million people, many of whom rely on these ready-to-eat foods sold in neighborhood streets and alleys. The low cost and convenience make them an attractive option for families who are often too busy to prepare food or lack facilities, fuel or transportation to purchase and prepare raw foods…many [children] get a food allowance from their parents, which they usually spend on the vending carts lining the school property, hoping to get a cut.

The options are pretty unhealthy….

…Mercy Corps is working with five entrepreneurs to build food carts that serve nutritious snacks using recipes designed by our health team. The carts are being designed…according to criteria that should make them attractive to small children. For instance, the carts will be colorful, clean and showcase their offerings at a child’s eye level.”

Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.

Tetris Playing = All-Round-Yayness

I’m sure all rampantly-addicted tetris boffins suspected this:

“A new study published by the big thinkers at Mind Research Network has found that “practicing Tetris” can actually improve brain efficiency and lead to a thicker cortex in other areas of the tabula rasa. In short, the study was done in order to show that the brain can change with stimulation, and that “a challenging visuospatial task has an impact on the structure of the cortex.” Of course, this is far from the first published report to use the quarter century-old title as its testing tool, but it’s certainly one of the best for getting your mum and pop to believe gaming really is good for the gord.”

[from Endgadget]

Livewire Launches Siblings Community To Support Brothers & Sisters

Livewire Siblings, a new online community, where young people aged over 10 and under 21, who have a brother or sister living with a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability can support and connect with one another.

Livewire Siblings (http://siblings.livewire.org.au) is a free, safe and supportive community where young people can meet and chat online with other siblings who understand what they are going through. The site allows them to share experiences as well as gain skills and knowledge to help them feel more in control of their situation.

Currently, there are approximately 585,000 siblings, aged over 10 and under 21,  of people living with a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability in Australia. These young people often face unique teenage challenges, and suffer a heavy emotional burden – experiencing feelings of isolation from the rest of their family and their peers; as well as guilt, confusion, anger, jealousy.

Many siblings are as emotionally vulnerable as their brother or sister as they deal with feelings of loss, anger and sadness, and come to terms with the consequences of their family’s situation. What’s more, they often receive less parental attention than their ill siblings and take on increased household responsibilities as they help their parents cope with looking after their sick brother or sister.

Prominent child and adolescent psychologist, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, says “The sibling relationship is the single most important relationship that a chronically ill young person will have – in terms of its duration and intensity – and the psychological impact on the sibling can be as significant, if not more, than the psychological impact on the patient.

“Up until very recently, siblings needs have been overlooked and ignored, and I commend Livewire for recognising the importance of this formerly invisible group,” he concluded.

As part of Livewire Siblings, young people can chat online with other siblings, create blogs, read content and information created just for them, check out the latest music and games, post in forums and have their say!

About Livewire.org.au

Livewire.org.au is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Starlight Children’s Foundation and is supported by funding from the Australian Government under the Clever Networks Program, Starlight Children’s Foundation and in-kind support from Livewire’s launch partners.

Oncologists rock out to raise awareness for gynecologic cancers.

N.E.D. (an acronym for No Evidence of Disease) is a rock band with a purpose: composed entirely of six musically talented gynecologic cancer surgeons hailing from all four corners of the U.S.  The doctors are full time, practicing surgeons, researchers, and professors who moonlight as musicians in hopes that their music can improve the quality of life of patients and anyone potentially touched by women’s cancers.

New York-based Motema Music spearheaded the production and recording of their album which will be released on September 8th to coincide with the first annual Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month (United States). Producer Mario McNulty (David Bowie, Linkin Park, Ziggy Marley) worked closely with the band to create these first-class recordings. The music and lyrics are original, written by members of the band who worked together primarily through video conference.

Sonically, N.E.D.’s  EP blends a wide range of folk, arena, and indie rock, and demonstrates pure female vocals likened to Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary and Christine McVie.  Lyrically, the music brings a fresh and sympathetic approach to issues of life and death faced by cancer victims and their families. Net proceeds from the sale of the CD will be donated to the N.E.D. Cancer Foundation in association with the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation (GCF) to support public education about gynecologic cancers and to fund promising research projects and programs.

More info on N.E.D.

Moby On Animal Production’s Impact On Global Warming

Moby checked in with fans on his blog at MySpace on Thursday (August 20), talking about his participation in the concert for the European Union and MTV and the neglect many in the climate change movement have in mentioning animal production’s impact on greenhouse gases. Moby writes:

“It’s a concert to draw attention to and benefit the European Union’s climate change initiative. Which I’m happy to talk about as long as no one minds me mentioning that 24% of climate change is the result of animal production (according to a United Nations report a few years ago).

I asked Al Gore about why he didn’t mention this in an ‘inconvenient truth’ (as animal production is responsible for more greenhouse gases than every car, bus, truck, bus, plane, boat on the planet COMBINED). He answered honestly, basically saying that getting people to drive a hybrid car isn’t that difficult. Getting people to give up animal products is almost impossible. I appreciated his honesty. So I guess I’ll be talking about climate change tomorrow, and I guess I’ll have to mention the most inconvenient of inconvenient truths, that you can’t talk seriously about climate change and global warming without looking at the role of animal production (animal production being responsible for 24% of greenhouse gas emissions and also the #1 cause of deforestation in the rainforest)”

More from Moby’s Journal

Also worth checking out, is Food.inc.  You’ll never look at dinner the same way!

Moby on Twitter @thelittleidiot.

The Cove Movie and the Dolphin Research Institute

IN LESS than two weeks, an annual event that environmental activist Ric O’Barry calls a genocide will begin. By the time it ends in March, as many as 23,000 dolphins will have been ”harvested” in Japan.

The lucky few will be shipped off to aquariums around the world, to spend the rest of their lives performing. The unlucky ones will be brutally slaughtered, their carcasses butchered for sale in Japan – often deliberately mislabelled as whale meat – or merely dragged out to sea and left to rot.

This grim scenario is laid bare in a documentary, The Cove, which follows the efforts of Mr O’Barry and his colleagues to reveal what goes on at the Japanese fishing port of Taiji.

More from Karl Quinn’s article at The Age

Other links:

• Petition – www.takepart.com/thecove

• www.thecovemovie.com

• If you’re on Facebook, check out The Cove group – lots of daily updates and comments from people around the world about the movie and reactions

Dolphin Research Institute -  1300 130 949

The Horse Boy extraordinary debut from filmmaker Michel Orion Scott

The Horse Boy is part travel adventure, part insight into shamanic tradition and part intimate look at the autistic mind.  It is the remarkable story of Rowan Isaacson – a severely autistic child who begins to find solace through a special bond that he forms with horses. Rowan’s parents take him to Mongolia, where the nomadic horse life is still lived by most of the country’s people, and where shamanism – healing at its most raw and direct – is the state religion.  Moving, mysterious, candid and beautifully photographed, The Horse Boy is an extraordinary debut from filmmaker Michel Orion Scott.

Rupert Isaacson, novelist and subject of the The Horse Boy, will introduce three very special Australian screenings with a Q & A at each event.

Thurs 20 August – 6:30pm – Kino Palace Cinemas – 45 Collins St, Melbourne VIC
Thurs 27 August – 6:30pm – Dendy, Opera Quays – Shop 9, 2 East Circular Quay, NSW
Fri 28 August – 6:30pm – Palace Centro, Brisbane – 39 James Street, Fortitude Valley QLD

“Opens a door to new perceptions of what it means to be autistic, what it means to be the parents of an autistic child, and what Western medical practice too often fails to include in its prescription for wellness of all kinds: the power of the spirit.” AUSTIN CHRONICLE

“A lyrical, heartbreaking, and deeply stirring meditation on the mystery of autism.” ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

For press inquiries and interviews: email Edward Prescott