The Portable Film Festival is currently looking for contributors (unpaid) to write about the wide world of film, online and new media. The website, home to Australia’s premier online film channel, will be relaunching to integrate written content, insight and opinion pieces, and interview content to support presentations of award winning film, video and animation from all over the world. If you have a story, interview or rant you’d like to pitch to us that has anything to do with current screen culture, or you’d like to sign up to be a regular contributor to the site, please send an expression of interest, as well as a writing sample of a piece you’re proud of, to director@portablefilmfestival.comAnd don’t forget to check out the Portable Film Festival 2008 competition, happening for the month of August at
http://www.portablefilmfestival.com
From September 3 until September 7, Australia’s only disability film festival will be held at The Age Theatre, Melbourne Museum.
Presented by Arts Access Victoria, THE OTHER FILM FESTIVAL is a kaleidoscopic biennial event of ground-breaking short films, documentaries and animations from all corners of the globe including Germany, Netherlands, Russia, Greece, UK, USA, France Iran, Denmark, Canada, Hungary and, of course, Australia.
Now in its third year, THE OTHER FILM FESTIVAL promotes dialogue by offering a diverse line-up of films that explore the many facets of disability with humour, verve and drama, and invites interaction with audience members via a range of guest speakers and lively forums.
The 2008 line-up includes more than 35 films to be shown over 20 sessions, in an environment that promotes accessibility for every audience member. Films will be captioned and audio described and all sessions and forums
will be sign interpreted. For all program details go to
http://www.otherfilmfestival.com/
The Domain is the Networking Evening for the ICT industry. In the upcoming session, social commentator and journalist Brad Howarth will interview Tony Wheeler, Founder of Lonely Planet, ‘on the couch’. The launch event
will feature music by Andre Cato on the Pacemaker.
When: Thursday 28 August, 7 – 9pm
Where: Digital Harbour, 1010 Latrobe Street, Docklands
FREE
http://www.digitalharbour.com.au
WordPress 2.6 has cool stuff like wiki-like revision tracking, Gears integration, theme previews, and a new and improved quick-posting interface. Read all about it here:http://wordpress.org/development/2008/07/wordpress-26-tyner/
If you’re into MU (multi-user), version 2.6 of that is also available.
* iPhone iPhone! *
WordPress for iPhone went from being “fashionably late” to one of the top free apps available in the Apple store. We just released version 1.1, which fixes little things like, oh, crashing if you had an umlaut in your post. We are no longer anti-umlaut. If you try it out, be sure to leave us a review in the app store! It helps a ton.
http://iphone.wordpress.org/
* Theme Meme *
No longer do you have to stumble across the internet looking for themes-that-don’t-suck. Now you can stumble across WordPress.org on our new theme directory, which has more than 100 themes already:
http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/
* WordCamp San Francisco *
On August 16th we’re having the best and brightest in the WordPress world gather in San Francisco for a day of edification and mischief. Tickets are going fast, so sign up here:
http://2008.sf.wordcamp.org/
San Francisco is enjoying weather in the low 70s, so it’s a great escape if you’re someplace hot. Want to experience WordCamp closer to home? There’s a ton around the world:
http://central.wordcamp.org/
* FaceWhat? *
The kids these days are spending all their time on something called Facebook. Apparently you can “friend” the WordPress group here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/WordPress/6427302910
Now get off my lawn!
* Thank You *
Thanks for reading, and for blogging with us. We’ll try to do these more often, as we strive to keep you in “the loop” on all things WordPress.
Forever yours,
Matt
http://ma.tt | http://wordpress.org
‘All Women, All Rights!’ shouted women and girls as they participated in the Women and Girls Rally and March at the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City on August 5. Women and girls from all walks of life, faiths, ages, education, cultures and HIV status joined in solidarity to raise awareness of the gap between international commitments and the reality in the response to women and HIV.
With the slogan ‘All Women All Rights’, the march raised the visibility of critical rights concerns facing women in the context of HIV and AIDS. In particular, the march highlighted the civil, economic and cultural rights and stigma and discrimination that still persists all over the world.
The World YWCA ‘AIDS 2008’ delegation took part in the march to ensure the three key message of invest in women, ensure the safety and security of women and girls and end stigma and discrimination were heard loud and clear.
“ As the HIV pandemic becomes more feminised, it is important for world leaders to build on the capacity and leadership of women and girls at the frontline of the HIV response. Invest in women and girls, ensure the safety and security of women and girls and lets end stigma and discrimination, “ said World YWCA General Secretary Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda.
Hundreds of women and girls attended the rally, including high profile singer Annie Lennox. Lennox, an Oxfam global ambassador, said “The feminism of AIDS has ramifications for our whole society. If we cease to respect the mother, we cease to be human and all mankind is in jeopardy. This is a ticking time bomb and it is criminal to let it continue.”
Lennox also has launched a campaign called “Sing” which includes a song she recorded with 23 female singers to raise money for HIV and AIDS. The song calls on women and girls to sing out on the issue of HIV and AIDS and help break the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and AIDS.
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The World YWCA is participating in the XVII International AIDS Conference with a delegation of 25 women from around the world. Read about their experience on our website and read personal reflections from a young woman attending the conference on our ‘Women Leading Change’ blog.
website:
www.worldywca.org
blog:
http://womenleadingchange.wordpress.com
photos:
http://flickr.com/photos/ywlf2007/sets/72157606572447214/
