SONG SATURDAY - C' AGGIA FA

“It is said that the present is pregnant with the future.” - Voltaire

We had a very hot day all of the sudden, with temperature rising to the thirties. Nobody quite expected it and it was all too sudden after the unseasonably cool and wet we had been having. Drivers got testy on the road, people were rude, the cerebrospinal fluid must have overheated…

For Song Saturday, a beautiful but very sad song full of emotion from Maria Nazionale, the famous Neapolitan songstress singing “C' Aggia Fa?”. A poignant song about a single pregnant woman struggling with the most difficult decision she has to make: To keep her baby or not…

CULTURE AND A DINNER

“Culture is roughly anything we do and the monkeys don't.” - Lord Raglan


We had our third and final day of our academic conference today and it was fantastic to see all of our staff fill in very complimentary response forms that gave some very good feedback about the content, delivery, choice of topics, social activities and catering. This was the fourth staff conference I have been involved in, in this job and it was clearly the best I have experienced. Obviously, the attendees also thought so. I had another session to present today at the closing of the conference, which was on two themes, one on the review and reorganisation of the academic division, which was quite interesting for the people directly involved, the academics, that is. However, I enjoyed more the final presentation when I talked about our organisational culture.

Culture is a difficult thing to define, especially within an organisational setting, but I thought that in our case it meant an active, self-motivating and organising processing of shared personal values and beliefs that delivers a performance. It is about meaning-making, that is transmitted from one successional group to another, through learning in everyday formal and informal interaction.

A group’s culture depends on its values, its beliefs, its language and the priorities it sets for itself. It is something that cannot be controlled by a leader although one may influence it positively or negatively through one’s actions and behaviour. As leader I try to lead by example, by respecting people and their differences, encouraging trustful relationship and using subtle means of bringing about the changes that need to occur.

We had a great dinner last night, where everyone was quite relaxed and there was much mirth and merriment. We went to Max’s Restaurant in Hardware Lane, where we had a very nice dinner. The menu was:

Entrée
    Triplet of dips (capsicum; eggplant; and yoghurt with garlic) with Turkish bread

Main Course
    A choice of any of the following:
        Cajun-seasoned swordfish fillet with salad
        Scotch fillet grilled to one’s taste with roast vegetables
        Chicken à la Parmigiana with pommes frites
        Vegetarian pumpkin and asparagus risotto

Dessert
    Trio of desserts (Passionfruit cheesecake; Lemon tart; Tiramisu)

Coffee and Tea

Between now and Christmas there are many work-related functions that I shall have to attend, so I am looking forward to sampling some more of Melbourne’s fine fare. It is very good to live in Melbourne, which is Australia’s Foodie Capital and some of its restaurants are amongst the best in the world…

ANOTHER CONFERENCE

“No man should escape our universities without knowing how little he knows.” – J. Robert Oppenheimer

What a long day today! I started out at 6:30 am and only got home at 10:30 pm. We are in the midst of an academic retreat in our Melbourne Campus and we have about 70 of our staff from all over the nation visiting and taking part in the activities. I was in charge of two sessions and had one presentation as well as the team-building activity to take care of. Everything went extremely well and all attendees are engaged and doing well in terms of networking, getting to know one another, expanding their knowledge base and generally participating. We have one more day tomorrow and then thankfully they all go home and I have the weekend to recover.

Part of the trouble has been that as well as having to participate in the retreat, my ordinary day to day activities have to be taken care of and some urgent matters require me to literally drop everything and deal with them. Still, it all went well and I was able to juggle with it all without dropping any balls.

For this evening’s activities, we went to dinner at Max’s Restaurant in Hardware Lane. There were forty of us attending and we all had a good time with some good food and wine and lots of animated conversation. We were the only patrons in the smaller of the two dining rooms and this was good in terms of being able to laugh and speak without worrying too much about upsetting other diners.

One of the good things about organising a successful event like this is that one’s efforts do not got o waste and that the money and resources one has expended in bringing it all together are justified and people feel as though they have spent valuable time wisely. This was certainly the case with this conference and I have had numerous attendees come to me to say ho much they are enjoying the conference.

conference |ˈkänf(ə)rəns| noun
1 A formal meeting for discussion: He gathered all the men around the table for a conference.
• A formal meeting that typically takes place over a number of days and involves people with a shared interest, esp. one held regularly by an association or organization: An international conference on the environment | The third annual National Wilderness Conference.
• [usu. as adj. ] A linking of several telephones or computers, so that each user may communicate with the others simultaneously : a conference call.
2 An association of sports teams that play each other.
3 The governing body of some Christian churches, esp. the Methodist Church.
verb [ intrans. ] [usu. as n. ] ( conferencing)
take part in a conference or conference call : video conferencing.
PHRASES
in conference in a meeting; engaged in discussions.
ORIGIN early 16th cent. (in the general sense [conversation, talk] ): from French conférence or medieval Latin conferentia, from Latin conferre ‘bring together’.

WORLD AIDS DAY 2010

“I am the inferior of any man whose rights I trample underfoot.” - Horace Greeley

It is World AIDS Day today so I hope you all wore your red ribbon on your lapel! The red ribbon is an international symbol of AIDS awareness that is worn by people all year round but especially so around World AIDS Day to demonstrate care and concern about HIV and AIDS, and to remind others of the need for their support and commitment.

The AIDS commemorative Day was started on 1st December 1988 and is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. This year the World AIDS Day theme is “Universal Access and Human Rights”. It is important to remember on this day that HIV has not disappeared, and that there are many things still to be done around the world, but more so in developing countries.

UNAIDS estimates that there are now 33.3 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. During 2009 some 2.6 million people became newly infected with the virus and an estimated 1.8 million people died from AIDS. Most of people with HIV and AIDS live in lower and middle-income countries.

The struggle for human rights is fundamental to combatting the global HIV and AIDS epidemic. Violations against human rights help the spread of HIV by putting marginalised groups (e.g. injecting drug users and sex workers), at a higher risk of HIV infection. By promoting individual human rights, new infections can be prevented and people who have HIV can live free from discrimination. World AIDS Day gives all of us (individuals, communities and political leaders) to take action and ensure that human rights are protected and global targets for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care are met.

As it is also Poetry Wednesday today, here is a poem about AIDS:

I Still
By Gene Valentine
July 2004

I still ...
miss you even if you don't miss me.
think of you even if you don't think of me.
wonder whether you were really my special friend or just
another man playing pretend?

I won't believe that it was a lie, that all the love,
passion, lust, tears,
laughter, & joy you gave me were untrue but where are you
now? I'm still here
waiting, wondering where you've been & do you still call
yourself my friend?

I still ...
question if you really cared when I became sick & if so,
why were we over so quick?
need you to hold me & tell me how you'll be there 'til
the end.
long to hear your voice again.

It's been 333 days & 999 pills. The virus is at bay now,
but like all enemies
I know that it's lurking in the shadows of my t-cells.
I wonder did this virus touch you too? & if so what will
you do?

Did the meds make you sick? Did you take as many pills as
I or was it 999x3?
I wonder did you sleep well or were you in my same hell?

I still ...
miss you even if you don't miss me.
think of you even if you don't think of me.
want you to be my friend even if you can't make love to me again.
I still... I still... I still...

ST ANDREW'S DAY

“I'm William Wallace, and the rest of you will be spared. Go back to England and tell them... Scotland is free!” - William Wallace

The birthday flower for today is the golden rod, Solidago virgaurea.  It symbolises encouragement and precaution.  The astrologers believe the plant to be under Saturn’s dominion and in the zodiacal house of Virgo.  It was believed that a rod of the plant would divine the places where hidden treasures lay.

Today is St Andrew’s Day:
    St Andrew the King
    Three weeks and three days
    Before Christmas comes in...
The first-called of the Apostles, St Andrew was a Galilean fisherman, St Peter’s brother.  According to legend he was martyred by being crucified in Greece on an X-shaped (St Andrew’s) cross.  His relics are said to have been transported to St Andrews in Fife in the 4th century AD.  St Andrew is the Patron Saint of Cyprus, Russia, Scotland and of the Greek City of Patras in the Peloponnese.  Fishermen and fishmongers also claim affinity with this saint.  In Scotland, the traditional fare for this day is boiled or roast lamb’s head, haggis and whisky.

Haggis was known in ancient Greece with Aristophanes describing around 400 BC the explosion of a “stuffed sheep’s paunch” at table when it was incautiously attacked by the diners.  A roman recipe for it is given by Apicius. English recipes survive from the 15th century and it was a popular dish in England well into the 18th century.  Nowadays, it only survives in Scotland.  The Scottish dish consists of a mixture of the minced heart, lungs, and liver of a sheep or calf mixed with suet, onions, oatmeal, and seasonings and boiled in the cleaned stomach of the slaughtered animal.

MOVIE MONDAY - SHERLOCK HOLMES

“It was very superficial, my dear Watson, I assure you…” – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

We watched the 2009 Guy Ritchie $90-million-movie “Sherlock Holmes” yesterday. It was a cold, wet, and gray Sunday, so in the middle of the day, after we had done some chores around the house we settled down with a large bowl of popcorn and vegged out in front of the TV. This movie was a re-engineering of the famous Conan Doyle hero and a more modern take on the storyline, which had little to do with the original stories. Holmes and Watson were there of course, as well as the bumptious and rather slow-witted head of the Scotland Yard, but there were some interesting additions, not the least of which were the romantic interests of the two detectives (just to dispel the suspicion that Holmes and Watson had a “thing” going on between them, I guess…).

The film ran for nearly 130 minutes, so yes, it was long and sometimes a little repetitive (especially where the action sequences and the violence were concerned – and there was a lot of violence!). Robert Downey Jr played the super sleuth (and he did remind us of a young Dustin Hoffman!), while Jude Law made a fairly dashing and svelte Dr Watson. Rachel McAdams was the duplicitous Irene Adler, Holmes’ love interest, while Kelly Reilly was Mary Morstan, Dr Watson’s sweetheart. Top honours go to Mark Strong who played the villain, Lord Blackwood. This was a juicy suitably dark role and Strong played it with relish and a dash of pantomime tongue-in-cheekiness. Eddie Marsan played Inspector Lestrade well and in an admirable restrained manner.

The settings, costumes and computer-generated imagery were excellent and one got a feel of the 19th century London that was the setting of the Holmes stories. 221A Baker St was suitably Victorian and most outdoor shots give full view of the bleak, gray, foggy picture of London one has in one’s mind as “typical”. The music was well-suited to the atmosphere of the movie and in the able hands of Hans Zimmer, an experienced film composer. Even Holmes’ violin steals quite a few scenes, although it is more of a meditative device rather than a musical instrument in the hands of Holmes.

Now for the plot: Lord Blackwood is a Satanist who has killed 5 women and is about to dispose of another, but is caught in flagrante delicto by Holmes and Watson. He is sentenced to death and hanged, to be pronounced dead by Watson himself. When Blackwood returns from the dead, Holmes is puzzled and Watson offended and shamed. The grand plan of Blackwood is take over Britain, the Empire and the World, reigning supreme as the all-powerful despot. Add to that a subplot where Watson is attempting to leave Holmes in order to settle down with his chosen lady-love (and Holmes resisting mightily like a spurned lover), the return of Holmes’ own paramour but in a more dangerous guise than previously, as well as the veiled appearance of Professor Moriarty on a couple of occasions (no doubt paving the way for a future sequel…).

The film has much violence, much action, much tension and much too much mayhem that tends to get in the way of the (fairly good) story. There is a little bit of a disconnect between the mindless brawls and the more cerebral parts of the film where Holmes’ deductive powers are highlighted and his caustic humour showcased. Downey Jr does a good job of both the action parts, as well as the more ironic and intellectual components of the role. Jude Law is a good Watson, although much younger and slimmer and more active than the Watson originally appended to the super-sleuth by Conan Doyle.

It was an entertaining and amusing film, not intended for purists, but much in the mould of “inspired by” type of film that is quite common nowadays. Closer, however, to the Conan Doyle’s fiction than say the latest version of “Alice” is to Lewis Carroll’s immortal creation. Despite the violence (which one quickly tires of) and the action (which any film aiming for good box office takings must have nowadays), this is a fairly good thrilling film, so watch it for a bit of fun. Incidentally, all is well-explained in the end, and there is no need for a deus-ex-machina solution.

ART SUNDAY - ALFRED JACOB MILLER

“Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian.” - Robert Orben

A cold, gray and wet day today conducive to staying inside and trying to finish some chores and tasks, but also taking some time to have a break and watch a movie. Whatever happened to our Spring this year? It’s like a northern hemisphere November…

Today for Art Sunday, a painting by an 19th century American artist, Alfred Jacob Miller. He was born in Baltimore on the 10th January 1810 and died there in 1874. He was encouraged to draw by his parents, and had local training in Baltimore and studied portraiture. Miller studied with the portrait painter Thomas Sully in Philadelphia, from 1831 to 1832 . In 1832 he went to France, where he studied in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts. He also visited Rome before returning to Baltimore, where he opened a portrait studio in 1834. Three years later Miller moved to New Orleans and was engaged by Captain William Drummond Stewart to accompany an expedition to the Rocky Mountains. The journey brought Miller into close contact with the American Indians, whose hunting and social customs he depicted in 200 watercolour sketches. Although he portrayed Indians, he was not especially realistic in his depictions but romanticised his subjects, comparing the Indians of the West to Greek sculptural figures.

He also experienced the Far West, where he met fur trappers at their annual trading gatherings. He was one of the first artists to leave a detailed visual account of the life of the American mountain men. Miller’s Rocky Mountain paintings are among the most romantic images of the American West created. His works are often dramatic and romantically panoramic in their scope, but he was equally skilled at painting charming and intimate scenes. He had a free painting style, with a vigour that suited both the American Indian and the rugged pioneer. Collectors nowadays appreciate his paintings as they convey the drama, danger and picturesque qualities of the American West of his day.

Here is a favourite painting of mine, the “Caravan Passing a Mountain Gorge in a Storm”. There is much drama in the setting, the composition and the colours of this work. The three groups of Indians watch patiently the approaching caravan as it negotiates the mountain pass and as the storm brews. We suspect that a confrontation will soon occur and the ominous colours and distant view shrouded in mist compounds the tension. In the sky, flashes of light that are mirrored by the bright capes of the Indians. This is a watercolour sketch executed rapidly, but with a mastery of stroke and a good eye for colour.

FOR OLD LOVERS

“The tragedy of old age is not that one is old, but that one is young.” - Oscar Wilde

A very busy day today, even with the weather being cool, gray and wet… Lots of Spring showers and cool to warm temperatures are ensuring that our gardens are remaining lush, green and fresh. Our dams are continuing to fill and we may have a very cool summer ahead, or so the meteorologists have said.

We started the day by going to vote as it was our State Election today. It looks as though we may have another hung parliament on our hands if the coalition does not manage to oust the incumbent Labour Government. Fun and games ahead similar to what happened with our Federal Election a few months ago.

We then did our shopping, went to the library, did some chores and I did some work that I had to get ready for a Monday morning meeting. Then this evening we went out to a favourite  Chinese Restaurant where we enjoyed an excellent meal of endless course upon course.

The conversation turned to an acquaintance in her early 60s who has recently separated from her husband of more than thirty years… She has become depressed, melancholy, has started to drink. She spends the day alone in their house and leafs through photo albums. He has gone and looks ahead to however few years he still may have, while she looks back, reminiscing, reliving their shared lives,  all because she still loves him.

The music tonight is for her. For reflection and for reopening old wounds, as well as for healing them. Here is the now classic and beautiful Jacques Brel ballad “La Chanson des Vieux Amants” (The Song of the Old Lovers) sung by another French great, Yves Duteil.



“…But, I my love,
My sweet, my tender, marvellous love,
From the clear dawn to the end of the day,
I still love you, you know that I still love you…”

BUFFET LUNCH AT A CONFERENCE

“Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study.  Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life.” - Henry L. Doherty

For the last two days I have been attending the very interesting conVerge e-Learning conference. The added bonus was that the venue was about two kilometres from where I live and getting there was very easy. Some conferences can be very boring, but in this one there was plenty of choice in terms of workshops and hands-on activities, as well as some very engaging plenary sessions. It was well-attended with about 400 delegates from all over Victoria and unlike many similar such events, the registration fees were extremely reasonable. Last week I was investigating the registration and attendance fees for a conference and I was horrified to see that the cost was close to $3,000. The conVerge conference was very modest at under $300!

The venue of the conference was an old hospital, which has been converted, refurbirshed, renovated and renewed into a hotel, Rydges Bell City at Preston. The organisers are worthy of congratulations as the choice of venue, the housekeeping, the running, the coordination, planning and general organisation of the conference were all excellent. I plan to attend again next year and look forward to a similar positive experience.

Now, as it is Food Friday, I shall write a little about conference food… I have been to many conferences and the food provided can often be a great disappointment. I was pleasantly surprised with this conference. Even though we were not fed with gourmet food, the comestibles were plentiful, fresh, appropriate and served well by experienced and pleasant staff. Even more surprising given the modest cost of registration and attendance!

On both days we had tea, coffee, cold water, juice on arrival with some biscuits and pastry for those who had missed breakfast. Then on both days there was morning tea or coffee with pastries, biscuits, fruits, and a similar spread for afternoon tea. The lunches were generous and served exceedingly efficiently as buffets. On both days there was plenty of choice, catering for both the carnivores and the vegetarians, with both healthy and not-so-healthy choices (as it was a buffet, the sin was on our head!). Yesterday afternoon we had a cocktail networking function with once again plenty of food and drink (in this one case, including alcoholic drinks).

The menu of the lunches was as follows:
•    Vegetarian wraps in Lebanese Khobz flatbread
•    A variety of salads, including beetroot and cottage cheese; rocket, bacon, tomato and lettuce; Greek salad; bean salad; chicken salad
•    A variety of samosas
•    Chinese spring rolls
•    Roast chicken pieces
•    Baked and fried potatoes
•    Variety of satays
•    Variety of sandwiches including vegetarian options
•    A variety of dim sums
•    Fresh fruit pieces, including pineapple, watermelon, melon, Kiwifruit, strawberries
•    Fresh fruit – bananas, apples, pears, mandarins
•    Selection of desserts – caramel slices, chocolate hedgehogs, cakes, cheesecake, banana cake, etc
•    Cheeses

For the evening cocktail function, there were platters of mini hamburgers (tiny, bite-size ones!), rice paper vegetarian rolls, dim sums, Thai beef salad spoons, meatballs, crudités.

Overall, an enjoyable two days where I learned much, met some interesting new people, renewed some old acquaintances, took part in engaging activities and workshops and had a pleasant experience in a very good venue!

GRATITUDE

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” - Epictetus

Happy Thanksgiving to American followers of this blog! 

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday, which I think should be more widespread around the world. We do not take enough time to sit down and think of all the things we have to be thankful for in our lives. No matter how poor one is, or how unhappy, or how alone, or how ill, there are always things to look for, no matter how small, and give thanks for…

Researchers have now confirmed that people who stop and say thanks, who feel grateful and who acknowledge the good things in their life have more energy, are more optimistic, have more social connections and feel happier than those who do not feel grateful or who do not give thanks. Added bonuses are that grateful people are less likely to be depressed, to be alcoholics, to be envious or greedy. Furthermore, the researchers indicate that grateful adults earn more money, sleep better, exercise more and have greater resistance to viral infections!

Children who are grateful and give thanks, tend to be less materialistic, get better marks in school, set higher goals for themselves, get fewer stomach aches and headaches, and feel more satisfied with their lives, families and friends. Several psychologists acknowledge the importance of gratitude for a balanced life and indicate that thankfulness builds stronger, happier relationships.

Living our life and only finding things to complain about, rather than things to be grateful for, invests our existence with negativity and multiplies our dissatisfaction. If we realise that there are countless benefits in our everyday life that we should be grateful for and that we should take time to be thankful for, the positivity increases and cancels out the negativity. The recognition of the good things in our life increases our desire to reciprocate, do good deeds, and have the need to make others to also feel thankfulness.

gratitude |ˈgratəˌt(y)oōd| noun
The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness: She expressed her gratitude to the committee for their support.
ORIGIN late Middle English: From Old French, or from medieval Latin gratitudo, from Latin gratus ‘pleasing, thankful.’

BYRON FOR POETRY WEDNESDAY

“Like the measles, love is most dangerous when it comes late in life.” Lord Byron

A very busy day today, and what should have culminated as a joyous occasion at dinner tonight instead was marred by disappointment. A fitting poem by Byron…

WE'LL GO NO MORE A-ROVING
by: George Gordon (Lord) Byron (1788-1824)

So, we'll go no more a-roving
So late into the night,
Though the heart be still as loving,
And the moon be still as bright.

For the sword outwears its sheath,
And the soul wears out the breast,
And the heart must pause to breathe,
And love itself have a rest.

Though the night was made for loving,
And the day returns too soon,
Yet we'll go no more a-roving
By the light of the moon.

The weather all humid and cloying and the air in the house still and warm like rotting vegetation that has started to ferment under its own weight.

MELBOURNE - KNOWLEDGE CITY

“One part of knowledge consists in being ignorant of such things as are not worthy to be known.” Crates of Athens

Well, Melbourne has been recognised as the intellectual capital of Australia, but also a world centre of knowledge! On November 19th, Melbourne was announced as the winner of the Most Admired Knowledge City Awards, better known as MAKCi Awards (pronounced maxi). We defeated Singapore and last year’s winner Barcelona. Fittingly, the award was presented in Melbourne as part of the 2010 Knowledge Cities World Summit.

The submission-based award assessed 20 cities on their cultures, academic and medical research, liveability, economic strengths, diversity and sustainability. Melbourne has been a consistent favourite and it seems that part of the reason for our success is our “cappuccino culture”. The numerous suburban neighbourhoods with their bars, cafés, sidewalk restaurants and out-of-the-way laneways encourage people gathering, talking and interacting on an intellectual level. Conversations engender knowledge, which is created by people engaging with one another and sharing ideas.

The MAKCi awards are a World Capital Institute initiative that seeks to identify and recognise the progress achieved by urban communities around the world that are implementing knowledge-based development (KBD) strategies under the flag of Knowledge-Cities. Robert Doyle, Melbourne Lord Mayor, is the patron of the Knowledge Cities World Summit and as can be expected, he was delighted Melbourne had received this year’s award.

This year Melbourne celebrated its 175th anniversary. Although Melbourne was founded on primary industries, gold and manufacturing, today Melbourne’s economy is driven by knowledge-based industries in education, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and design. It is a city world-famous for its culture, arts, literature, fashion and the hosting of major events. It is no surprise that we are now recognised as a seat of intellectual power, which has been made possible by long-term investments in good people and good planning and collaborative efforts and commitment to achieving success.

Melbourne is the home of first class educational institutions (both secondary and tertiary), world-class researchers, good urban planning and creativity. A knowledge city is one where multiple factors work together to achieve a good quality of life for citizens. It is no surprise in view of this award that IBM had chosen Melbourne as the Southern Hemisphere base for its “collaboratory” with the University of Melbourne. Another important development (that I have been involved in) is the development of a major cancer uber-centre (treatment and research) that will have as collaborators several major hospitals, educational institutions, research laboratories and the University of Melbourne.

It is a good city to live in!

MOVIE MONDAY - LUCKY MILES

“Refugees have done more for my heart and my spirit than I can ever express in words.” - Angelina Jolie

We watched an Australian film at the weekend and it was one which caused us to stop think, debate about, share our views about it and then discuss some more. I guess that’s good! Films that make you think and that generate debate and controversy are doing what any good piece of art is meant to do. It left me with a rather mixed set of feelings and also made me wonder what the intentions of the film-makers were. There was some mixed messaging in the film and the story could have been tightened up, with the poignancy of the film considerably enhanced. However, even as it was it was a good film.

The film in question was Michael James Rowland’s 2007 “Lucky Miles”. It was like a documentary in parts, art film-like in others, conventional in other parts. The themes were topical and the issues the film broached were quite important not only for Australia and Australians, but for many other countries around the world dealing with the problem of illegal immigrants. The director co-wrote the script with Helen Barnes and it was obvious they were inspired by news items and the boat-people issues that Australia confronts on a regular basis. As the introductory blurb says in the film: “This story was inspired by true events…” or words to that effect.

The plot concerns an Indonesian fishing boat manned by people smugglers, who abandon a group of Iraqi and Cambodian men on a remote part of the North Western Australian coast. The immigrants are told there is a bus-stop on the other side of the dunes, and this represents to all of them the much-desired gold at the end of the rainbow. What the abandoned men quickly find out, however, is that they are in inhospitable, searing and dry desert about the same size as Germany! Most of the illegal immigrants are quickly caught, but two men, an Iraqi and a Cambodian, reluctantly join forces to do battle with the forces of nature. In the meantime, providence decrees that the Indonesian boat sink and the crew be washed up on the same shore that they dumped their human cargo. An Indonesian sailor joins the Iraqi and the Cambodian and all three of them begin a (dis)united! journey, each to find his goal. Their confusion, misinformation, their mistrust of one another, poor knowledge of the local terrain and conditions, as well as their misguided hopes and desires make their journey more torture-wracked than they could have imagined. To make things worse, they are pursued by a fairly incompetent army reservist unit, which more by luck than design threatens to capture them…

The actors are well-chosen and do an admirable job with the script, and the locations, the direction and the cinematography are very good. The film is a little ambiguous in its message. It challenges the viewer with its premise and confronts with the humanity of the protagonists. It is almost as if each viewer is equipped with a button strapped to the armchair. “Press it and you will destroy these illegal immigrants, do not touch it and these people may survive…” Who is the victim and who is the executioner? Who is innocent and who is guilty? Who is the one who decides whether they will stay or be made to leave? It seems that the point of the movie is to make each viewer ask these questions of himself and try and answer them in a way that will leave one’s conscience at peace.

The subplot concerns the Cambodian man who has come to Australia to search for his Australian father, living in Perth. While he was stationed in Cambodia, the Australian left a Cambodian woman pregnant there, to return to Australia and never contact her again. The pathos of the young Cambodian searching for his Australian father, whom he has never met and who lives in the Paradise called Perth, is what provides the film with much of its punch.

The film touches on an important matter for Australia. Dependence of immigration for its continued growth and prosperity and the problem of illegal immigrants, many of whom are victims of unscrupulous people smugglers. Due to a perception that Australian immigration laws are weak, large numbers of would-be immigrants have paid, and are now paying, substantial sums to intermediaries who organise illegal entry into Australia. Many of these boatpeople originate from China, Afghanistan and Iraq. When they arrive within the Australian jurisdiction they commonly claim rights of entry as refugees.

They are provided with financial resources by the Australian taxpayer to pay the legal costs of arguing their cases - one estimate is that the cost of removing an illegal immigrant is, on average, approximately $60,000. Because the relevant government regulations are loose, and because the Federal Court has proved itself to be less reliable than the State Supreme Courts, many illegal immigrants have proved to be undeservedly successful before the Federal Court.

The number of unauthorised boat arrivals to Australia follows global trends. In 2001 and 2002, for example, Australia experienced a peak in the number of boat arrivals (more than 5,500 in 2001 and almost 3000 in 2002) as did most of the rest of the world. Then from 2003, global asylum numbers dropped as the level of global conflict dropped. However, over the last two years global asylum seeker numbers have increased again. When comparing 2008 figures with 2007, for example, asylum seeker numbers rose by 122% in Italy, 121% in Norway, 89% in the Netherlands, 70% in Turkey, 53% in Switzerland, 30% in Canada and 20% in France, according to a 2009 UNHCR report.

Yet in the same period, Australia saw only a 19% increase.
 Australia’s numbers are small in absolute terms as well. Australia may received around 1,800 asylum seekers by boat in 2009, but this is tiny compared to other countries. Italy alone received 36,000 boat arrivals in 2008. Most asylum seekers prefer to go to the United States (who received 49,000 asylum seekers in 2008), Canada (36,900), France (35,200), Italy (31,200) and the United Kingdom (30,500).
 The reason for large increases in the above-mentioned countries in 2008 is not because they have all “gone soft” on asylum seekers  It is largely because of the continuing or escalating violence in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan and Sri Lanka, to name but a few.

It is illogical and unfair to punish refugees and asylum seekers in the hope of deterring people smugglers. Numerous reports have shown that many asylum seekers are unaware of Australia’s domestic asylum policies, so the use of punitive policies has a negligible deterrent effect. 
A clear example of the failure of punitive policies to deter asylum seekers is the policy of Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs). The number of unauthorised boat arrivals to Australia continued to increase after the introduction of TPVs in 1999 (48% more asylum seekers arrived by boat in 2001 than in 1999). Boat arrivals only started decreasing in 2003 when global asylum numbers started dropping. The same rationale holds true for mandatory detention, introduced in 1992.

Refugees are often forced to flee tragic situations such as genocide or torture. Desperate people will continue to take desperate measures to seek safety. The only way to stop unauthorised boat arrivals into Australia is to cooperate regionally and internationally to resolve conflicts and to create durable solutions for refugees so that they do not have to undertake perilous journeys to find safety. Deterring and punishing people smugglers is also a better option than punishing the victims, who are the refugees…

FULL MOON TONIGHT

“Follow your inner moonlight; don't hide the madness.”- Allen Ginsberg

The full moon tonight is glorious and the clear sky is full of stars too. This has prompted me to present one of Claude-Joseph Vernet’s (born Avignon, 14 Aug 1714; died Paris, 4 Dec 1789) painting for Art Sunday. It is his 1771 painting “Seaport by Moonlight”. This is a very romantic work, with much contrast between great expanses of dark and the play of moonlight reflected by water and lighting up the cloudy sky, as well as the vignette of the fireside group in the right lower part of the painting. This provides two strong focal points in the painting, but they are pivoted by the ships, buildings and figures in the foreground. This is a very interesting painting and one full of mystery that fires up the imagination.

Vernet probably received his first lessons in painting from his father, Antoine, who then encouraged him to move to the studio of Philippe Sauvan (1697–1792), the leading master in Avignon. Sauvan supplied altarpieces to local churches and decorative works and mythologies for grand houses in the area. After this apprenticeship Vernet worked in Aix-en-Provence with the decorative painter Jacques Viali (flourished 1681– 1745), who also painted landscapes and marine pictures. In 1731 Vernet independently produced a suite of decorative overdoors for the hôtel of the Marquise de Simiane at Aix-en-Provence; at least two of these survive (in situ) and are Vernet’s earliest datable landscapes. These are early indications of his favoured type of subject, and Vernet would have studied works attributed to such 17th-century masters as Claude Lorrain, Gaspard Dughet and Salvator Rosa in private collections at Aix and Avignon. Three years later Joseph de Seytres, Marquis de Caumont, who had previously recommended Vernet to the Marquise de Simiane, offered to sponsor a trip to Italy. This was partly for Vernet to complete his artistic education but also to provide his sponsor with drawings of antiquities.

With Hubert Robert, he became a leading exponent of a type of idealised and somewhat sentimental landscape that had a great vogue at this time. Vernet was particularly celebrated for his paintings of the seashore and ports, and on returning to Paris in 1753 he was commissioned by Louis XV to paint a series of the seaports of France. He produced fifteen (more were planned but not executed), now divided between the Louvre and the Musée Maritime, Paris.

FULL MOON SOON

“There is something haunting in the light of the moon; it has all the dispassionateness of a disembodied soul, and something of its inconceivable mystery.” - Joseph Conrad

Back home in Melbourne and to a beautiful Spring day: Sunny, warm and fair. We went out to do some shopping this morning and it seems everyone else had the same idea as it was so very busy even quite early. Unusual, as on Saturdays people take their time and it is rarely so busy before 10:00 a.m. I suppose between now and Christmas it will start to get busier and busier, crazier and crazier…

The rest of the day just flew with chores, gardening and fixing a few things around the house. At least this evening was beautiful as usual on Saturday nights. The full moon in the sky brings to mind a good old song, play it Glenn Miller!




"Moonlight Serenade" by Glenn Miller

A FORMAL DINNER IN ADELAIDE

"Too many people just eat to consume calories. Try dining for a change." – John Walters

As I wrote yesterday, on Wednesday night I attended a work function and dinner at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide. There were 100 guests and the event was highly successful, not only because it was organised faultlessly with a good selection of speakers, panel members and guests, but also because of the wonderful venue. We were in one of the main function rooms of the Wine Centre and the sit-down formal dinner was exquisite. Of course, it was accompanied by excellent South Australian wines from the Torbreck Winery of the Barossa Valley.

The Spring evening was delightful and we started off by meeting and greeting the guests in the garden, while sipping a glass of chilled bubbly. The perfumed air was wafting from the botanic gardens adjacent to the wine centre and the air was mellow, but had a slight edge, making for comfortable dining with the doors of the function room wide open to the gardens outside.

The menu consisted of:

On Arrival:
Selection of wines and locally brewed beers, canapés

Entrée:
BBQ King prawns, Thai Snapper Cake, Pea Vine Salad and Citrus Aioli

Main Course:
Crispy Skin Duck Breast, Twice-Baked Duck Leg, Pistachio & Orange Risotto, Sticky Port and Quince Glaze

Dessert:
Baked Individual Toffee Apple Tart, Peanut Brittle Parfait & Amaretto Crème

Beverages:
2009 Woodcutter’s Semillon
2007 The Steading GSM
Locally Brewed Beers
Soft Drinks

Coffee & Tea with Handmade Pralines

It is extremely civilised to sit down and formally partake of a carefully prepared gourmet meal, which is punctuated by conversation with compatible people. Furthermore, it is even better if one’s mind is further stimulated by listening to a fascinating panel discussion in between courses, and to cap it all off having a distinguished after-dinner speaker.

In our case, the speaker was Tim Jarvis, a well-known South Australian explorer and adventurer who regaled us with amazing stories of his expeditions to the North and South Pole. As all adventurers are concerned, completely crazy, but wonderful-crazy!

The night concluded with drinks back at our hotel and I dare say, a sleep-in the next morning with Eggs Benedict and strong, freshly-brewed black coffee for breakfast!

“WINE TO GLADDEN THE HEART OF MAN”

“Bacchus has drowned more men than Neptune.” - Giuseppe Garibaldi

Last night we had a work function and dinner at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide. The National Wine Centre is adjacent to the Botanic Gardens and is a collaborative initiative of the Government of South Australia and the University of Adelaide. It is housed in a remarkable complex of buildings that have been constructed so as to make the most of the views of the Botanic Gardens. The architects have drawn inspiration from a wine barrel (an exploded one!), but I always feel the interior is more impressive than the exterior… The building is designed and uses building materials to reflect items used in making wine – wood, especially features prominently. Planted outside the building are rows of grapevines, showing seven different varieties of grapes to visitors who are unfamiliar with vineyards and grapevines.

The Centre consists of a cluster of exhibition halls, function rooms, displays, tasting rooms, bars, cafés, restaurants and allows visitors to enjoy wine and winemaking from the ground up. It has an excellent interactive Wine Discovery Journey and Exhibition, which showcases the complete wine making and drinking experience. Other facilities of the National Wine Centre of Australia include on-site educational services, wine tourism information and the wine retail store.

After having finely tuned their senses in the Wine Discovery Journey, visitors are ready to taste the extensive selection of wines available from the Australian wine regions in the Centre's Concourse Cafe, which is open daily for wine tastings and great food. The wine is complemented by a selection of Australian cheeses or if something more substantial is desired, the visitor can select from the seasonal lunch menu. Australian wines are showcased and available for tasting, being changed regularly to allow the exploration of different wine making regions and grape/wine varieties.

When the Centre was developed by the Olsen Liberal State Government, the project was shrouded in controversy and it was labelled as a white elephant by the Labour Opposition. It eventually opened on 7th October 2001 after enabling legislation created the concept in the National Wine Centre Act (1997). After a number of problems with funding, management and profitability, the Wine Centre operation was taken over by the University of Adelaide on 1st July 2003. It now offers some of the university’s oenology courses, as well as the public face of the wine industry in Australia.

Wine is an alcoholic beverage, typically made from grape juice that has been allowed to ferment. The composition of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. Various types of yeast that are added to the crushed grapes, cause them to ferment. Yeast consumes the sugars found in the grapes and converts them into alcohol. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are used depending on the type of wine being produced. Different production methods will give rise to red or white wines, still or sparkling. Although other fruits such as apples and various berries can also be fermented, the resultant wines are normally named after the fruit from which they are produced, for example, elderberry wine. These are beverages that and are generically known as fruit wine.

wine |wīn| noun
An alcoholic drink made from fermented grape juice.
• [with adj. ] An alcoholic drink made from the fermented juice of specified other fruits or plants: A glass of dandelion wine.
• Short for wine-red .
verb [ trans. ] (wine and dine someone)
Entertain someone by offering them drinks or a meal: Members of Congress have been lavishly wined and dined by lobbyists for years.
• [ intrans. ] (of a person) Take part in such entertainment: We wined and dined with Eddie’s friends.
PHRASES
“Good wine needs no bush” proverb: There’s no need to advertise or boast about something of good quality as people will always discover its merits. [ORIGIN: a bush was an innkeeper’s sign, originally depicting a bunch of ivy used (in place of grape leaves) to show that the establishment sold wine.]
DERIVATIVES
Winey (also winy) adjective
ORIGIN Old English wīn, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wijn, German Wein, based on Latin vinum, from Greek (w)oínos.

POSTCARD FROM ADELAIDE

“People don’t come to church for preachments, of course, but to daydream about God.” - Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

I am in Adelaide for work for a few days and it has already been quite hectic. Many things to do, as well as some social functions for Marketing and PR. I always enjoy visiting Adelaide, which is a gracious, beautiful small state capital city that has a distinctive atmosphere and people that are friendly, fun-loving and relaxed. Adelaide is frequently given the appellation “City of Churches” as there are so many 19th century churches around the city, almost one on every block!

Part of the attraction of Adelaide lies in the wine growing areas relatively close to the city, including the world-famous Barossa Valley where some delectable vintages are made. The Adelaide Hills, very close to the CBD provide a beautiful alternative to suburban living and there are many delightful small towns and villages that offer numerous tourist attractions for the visitor. One of my favourites is the old German village of Hahndorf, now a haven for artists and craftspeople, with many galleries, artist studios and fine gift shops.

A poem by Edith Sitwell today, resonating perhaps a little with the “City of Churches” reference:

Bells of Gray Crystal

Bells of gray crystal
Break on each bough –
The swans’ breath will mist all
The cold airs now.
Like tall pagodas
Two people go,
Trail their long codas
Of talk through the snow.
Lonely are these
And lonely am I...
The clouds, gray Chinese geese
Sleek through the sky.
                        Dame Edith Sitwell

Edith Sitwell was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, on 7th September 1887 the only daughter of the eccentric Sir George Sitwell, 4th Baronet, of Renishaw Hall. She had two younger brothers, Osbert (1892-1969) and Sacheverell Sitwell (1897-1988) both distinguished authors, well-known literary figures in their own right, and long-term collaborators. Edith never married but had an association with Russian homosexual artist, Pavel Tchelitchew. The poems she wrote during the war were much praised. Many of her poems have been set to music.

In 1948 Sitwell toured the United States with her brothers, reciting her poetry and giving a reading of Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking scene, which brought her great notoriety. Her poetry recitals were always occasions; she made recordings of her poems, including two recordings of Façade, the first with Constant Lambert as co-narrator, and the second with Peter Pears.

Sitwell became a Dame Commander (DBE) in 1954. In August, 1955, Sitwell converted to Roman Catholicism and asked author Evelyn Waugh to be her godfather. Around 1957 she was confined to a wheelchair after battling with Marfan’s syndrome throughout her life. Her last poetry reading was in 1962. She died of cerebral haemorrhage on 9th  December 1964 at the age of 77.

DAY FOR TOLERANCE

“The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.” - Ralph W. Sockman

Today is the International Day for Tolerance. In 1996, the General Assembly of the United Nations invited its Member States to observe this Day for Tolerance every 16th November, with activities directed towards both educational establishments and the wider public. This action came after the United Nations celebrated 1995 as the Year for Tolerance as proclaimed by the Assembly in 1993, on the initiative of the General Conference of UNESCO. The 2005 World Summit Outcome document outlines the commitment of Heads of State and Government to advance human welfare, freedom and progress everywhere, as well as to encourage tolerance, respect, dialogue and cooperation among different cultures, civilisations and peoples.

Tolerance is defined as the ability or willingness to accept something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with. The various usages of this word promise, perhaps falsely, to reveal some hidden truth about what has become its most common use, that is, the freedom from racial and ethnic prejudice, the willingness to accept the differences between ourselves and our neighbors. In its other meanings, tolerance refers to (amongst other things) as a measure of physical space, most often narrow… This is perhaps a helpful reminder that tolerance (in the sense of open-mindedness) may require an amount of unusual endurance, and that it has something to do with how much room we have, with the space we are obliged to share with the neighbour whose differences we must learn to tolerate…

The day is an opportunity for everyone to learn about recognising and respecting the rights and beliefs of others and a time for reflection and debate on human rights. Tolerance means an appreciation of diversity and the ability to live and let others live. To do this we must have a fair and objective attitude towards those whose opinions, practices, religion, and nationality differ from our own. It is not just agreeing with each other, but more so showing respect for the essential humanity in every person, while acknowledging and respecting differences.

The day today enshrines a message for us to live together peacefully in a society where people can feel valued and respected, in communities where there is room for each to have their own ideas, thoughts, hopes, beliefs and dreams. Tolerance is a mark of civilisation and self-confidence. To tolerate others we must first accept ourselves and learn to live with our own shortcomings. If we acknowledge and accept our own weaknesses, our faults, our failings, our inherent imperfection, we can tolerate and accept other people’s.  Intolerance is rooted in ignorance, fear, small-mindedness, prejudice and is linked to an exaggerated sense of self-worth and pride. Intolerant people are not very pleasant to live with or to befriend. They regard all other “different” human beings as failed copies of themselves and they set out to destroy anything that doesn’t mirror their own faults and imperfections.

Events in one part of the world, however isolated, eventually affect the entire planet and each major local problem can become a global concern. More than economic and political alliances, tolerance creates a society in which people can feel valued and respected. Time and effort, with great commitment is required in building tolerance. Trust added to tolerance, achieves the kind of peace we all need. More than ever, tolerance is needed nowadays to make the world a better place to live in.

CULTURE CLASH

“A myth is a religion in which no one any longer believes.” - James Feibleman

Growing up as a child in Greece I was surrounded by history, breathed in myth, conversed with the gods of old in the friendly neighbourhood museum and trod the same streets as the philosophers of old. I gazed at the Acropolis from my bedroom window and each bit of stone or fragment of marble breathed out the living tradition of centuries. No wonder I wanted to become an archaeologist when I was growing up!

Greek myths are powerful enough to have survived for centuries and to have inspired many artists worldwide to create masterpieces. This of course began in ancient Greece and Rome where statues, frescoes, mosaics, pottery and paintings brought to life the gods and heroes that were the subject of Greek mythology. The Renaissance subsequently revived the Greek myths and the new wave of creation continued the tradition for centuries up until the modern day. Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio, Rubens, Dali, Picasso, etc, etc, etc have all contributed to the iconography, while famous composers were inspired to create music, song and opera that had as its subject matter mythical heroes, heroines, gods and goddesses. Literature was uninterruptedly inspired by mythology and even today the Greek myths stimulate the creative juices of many an author.

More recently Hollywood has taken Greek myth as inspiration and has created some films that brought the mythology to life in interesting ways. At the weekend we watched the 2010 Louis Leterrier film “Clash of the Titans” and were greatly disappointed. The movie stank! This was Hollywood at its worse, spending an enormous amount of money to make a third-rate Sunday matinee movie that only kids and people unfamiliar with history, mythology, culture, traditions, art would think represented a passable depiction of a Greek myth on screen.

Not only was the story mangled by the terrible trio of screewriters: Travis Beacham, Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, but it was obvious these people had no sense of history, geography, literature, chronology and cultural awareness. The result of this puerile attempt at re-writing Greek myth was comparable to the cultural bathos of “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians”. This “Clash” was a really bad movie! I would have forgiven it if it had any trace of humour in it, as the previous 1981 Desmond Davis movie “Clash of the Titans” did. At least one could forgive it the Hollywoodisation as it did make us laugh. All the 2010 version of the “Clash” did was make me grumpy.

The casting was pitiable and the costumes, settings and “creatures” were lamentable. The departures from history were unforgivable, for example:
•    The Saddhu (Indian holy man) priest-activist in mythical ancient Greece!
•    The “christening” of Perseus’s adoptive father as “Spyro” (a Greek Orthodox Christian name)…
•    The lamassu (Assyrian winged bulls) depicted in Greece!
•    Argos (sitting in the Argive plain 3 km away from the sea) depicted as a sea-side cliff-perched city!
•    Casseiopeia and Cepheus being queen and king of Argos (whereas in the myth they were rulers of Ethiopia)!
•    The Kraken (a sea monster of Norwegian myth) having holidays in the Aegean!
•    Io as the love interest of Perseus – you have to be kidding! She was star of another Greek myth and lover of Zeus, not Perseus…
•    Andromeda as the “communist” daughter of the kingly couple! Ridiculous!
•    Calibos? Who the hell is he? A runaway from another movie (B-grade horror flick)
•    Acrisius was Perseus’s grandfather and the father of Danaë, Perseus mother – not her husband!
•    Danaë survives with Perseus, she is not dead in the floating casket, as in the film…
o    And the list goes on and on and on…

It was embarrassingly bad… Not even as a fantasy movie, “inspired” by Greek myth was this palatable. Sam Worthington as the hero Perseus looks remarkably unhero-like and sullen for the whole movie, while his unwashed, unkempt, unattractive and unlikeable companions can’t make up their minds whether they are pious or impious, with him or against him – quite tiresome really. The Olympian gods are most ungod-like and except for Zeus and Hades hover in the background generally uninterested in any of the goings-on (probably quite wise of them). Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes look so much like one another under the make up and beards that I thought they were the same actor playing a double role. Gemma Arterton as the waif-like protectress of Perseus looked curiously oriental – I half expected her to walk out with a kimono in a number of scenes. Oh bad, bad, bad…

If you are interested in the real myth, Wikipedia does it well but even better is to read Robert Graves’s excellent book “The Greek Myths”.

Now for the good parts of the movie, hmmm let me think...

I’m thinking, I’m thinking…

Still thinking…

OK, computer-generated imagery – yes they were good, as one would expect nowadays with any of the fantasy films. Medusa and Pegasus were OK…

It is really not worth watch this bombastic, self-touting film, we thought it was a waste of our time. If you do watch it, do it with a group of friends and play spot the silliness while quaffing beers and eating pizza and laughing and joking. Should be a good night then...