Rach

Inspire Fundraiser 14-11-2008 09:04

Heya,

So I’ve been helping out with a little fundraiser… for Inspire. ;)

It’s been interesting, stressful, a learning experience… but I think the night will be awesome.
Details below.

Xo
Rach.

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A fundraiser for the Inspire Foundation is being held on the 28th of November, at the AB Hotel, in Sydney.

The event will feature a DJ, prizes for best dressed (come as something that inspires you!), raffle and loads of prizes from Ben Sherman, The Kenya Tea Company and Wine Odyssey Australian.

Tickets are $25 for students and $30 for non-students. Email Ivan at mail@inspirefundraiser.com to pre-book or call him on 0422868118.

For more details, check out the website: http://inspirefundraiser.com/

05-11-2008 04:02

Sometimes it frustrates me working in the media. I think it's really important to be concious about the images and messages we're sending out - especially those which are subconcious.

I recently had an issue at work which I got really frustrated about.
One person wanted to add subtitles to a video which was featuring people who were deaf, because they couldn't understand what they said. Many people in the office said they didn't have  problem understanding this person - but this other senior staff member was adamant.
It frustrated me because, inadvertantly as that staff member may have meant it, that's perpetuating discrimination in our media - that people must look or sound or act a certain way - and if they don't, then we'll just edit it in later to make them cohesive.
If our media doesn't lead the way for showing and accepting different people, lifestyles, beliefs, ideologies - how are we to accept it in real life?
While it wasn't a something sensationalist, like from A Current Affair (which fuels the fire of discriminating against any and every social group they can get their claws on), it frustrated me all the more because it is a subtle discrimination, which you might not even notice, and might not even realise is robbing the person speaking of their right to speak, be heard, be autonomous.
I'm sure this person on the video spent such a long time to be understood by his peers, only to have that pride in his success mocked by subtitles placed on by someone who didn't think about how hard this person worked to get where he is today.
I think the media is essential in challenging ideas of discrimination - but as an entry-level employee, all I can really do is passionately state my opinion and hope that it has enough sway to change a boss' opinion. Hope.

That's it from me. Just thought I'd have a little rant.
xo
Rach.

p.s. Congratulations, Obama!

Web 2.0 Awesomeness 04-09-2008 08:24

Stoked with the addition of Web 2.0 awesomeness on the actnow site!
That's all I wanted to say. ;)

My project 09-06-2008 02:58

So I've been experimenting with the website I was telling you about. So I've drafted up a mobile site - mymobymag.mobi, and I've got a homepage with info about MobyMag: ireadthereforeiam.com,

Hopefully we will see some awesome content and debates happening on the website - I'm definetly looking forward to some youth-run alternative media on mobile phones!

Wish me luck!

xo

Intangible Property (3.0) 04-05-2008 08:05

Why would anyone invest in something intangible? Something they cannot touch, feel, breathe, caress? Well, I am among those insane who invest their hard cold bank digits into the abyss: webspace. Why? Well, it's part of my action, I guess.

So Funnelweb reminded me I haven't been back to the site in a while. And that's true.

I've been working and have felt swamped with projects and volunteering that I feel like I haven't had time to take action. But it didn't really occur to me that the way I take action has changed. Maybe evolved? I'm not sure. It's not the way it used to be, at least. But that little addictive bug is still there.

I'm not the kind of person who really divulges projects I'm working on, simply because they might not really work out. They might not go anywhere, and my hard work could go to waste (or, as I prefer to call it, I "gain experience" ;)) So usually I keep them to myself. But the project I'm currently working on, I need advice with, and it's outside my realms of knowledge, experience, possibly I'm out of my depth, as I'm slowly but surely realising how complicated the details are.

I'm creating a website. Inspired by all the awesome organisations I've been working with over the past few years, I really love the space where young'ns like us ;) can have a space to speak their mind. However, one frontier has not really been crossed - mobiles.

I'm creating a website, designed for mobile access, which is a space for young people to speak their mind - talk about their favourite bands, the policians they loathe, whatever they think deserves a rant. I'm marketing it as a magazine - so a series of short articles (under 400 words) by youth who write, rant and think about big ideas in a small space.

I'm also thinking of setting up a multi-message system, where new or awesome articles or stories are sms-ed to readers (who obviously sign up to sms alerts).

I've drafted a site, but I need a cool web address and title that is short and funky - coz mobile phones are really annoying to type on - and domain names are expensive. I was thinking of instead of using a '.com' address, but using a '.mobi' address (which is all the craze these days). I was thinking of calling it Moby Mag, but then, mobymag.mobi might sound a bit weird. Any ideas?

Secondly, I'm looking for submissions of articles. Short fiction, gig reviews, movie reviews, ideas for action, rants on politics, blogs, society, culture or just things you've been thinking about lately. I'm aiming at submissions being under 400 words - phones can't really load too much more in one go. Know any writers who'd be interested?

Any ideas? Cool names? Awesome addys? Places to advertise? Important laws I'm oblivious to?

I can't afford a business name, or to create an organisation, or anything as of yet. It's just me. It's just a website. But I think it's something I'd really like to try out.

Until I work out my awesome domain name, my draft site of Moby Mag is on my existing intangible property.

So... that's my project. That's my action. So we can think and write and rant and read whenever the mood may strike.

Ideas? Thoughts?

xo

31-01-2008 11:19

I officially have a crush on Kevin Rudd. I just do.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/rudds-plan-to-tackle-homelessness/2008/01/27/1201368926641.html

I wrote the the last government this time last year to ask them what they were doing to tackle homelessness, and I got a comprehensive reply that sounded fabulous; but in analysing what was actually done, it seemed little-to-nothing. Like if they cared, they didn't have the funds to do it anyway. But we all know of the 'anti-bum' benches in the City - with the extra handrails in the middle of the bench to prevent homeless people from sleeping there, and making the city look ugly.

At least this government WANTS to do something, and motivation, I think, can truly create wonders. Even if funds don't cover everything, which it never does, I think that the intention of inclusion is worth a lot. Being valued, self-esteem, respect, are all intangible things that are more valuable than money. So i think that believing that homeless shouldn't be swept 'under the carpet' is a really positive step in helping people in some pretty unfortunate situations getting back on track.

Just yesterday I was doing some research in the State Library. A man near me obviously had a mental disorder, and was homeless. It intrigued me that all the staff, and the guards, who monitor what is taken in and out of the library, let him in - to escape the heat. He kept muttering quite loudly "Google! Google!" then suddenly, "Of course I'll give you permission to breathe!". He obviously needed attention from a medical professional; and I daresay because of that, no one dared to go near him. Everyone was so underqualified to help him. I did wonder what he was like when he was coherant; then I thought It was possible he'd never actually receive the help he needed.

I have a hope that people in his situation can find food, shelter, medical and help and counselling, in addition to gaining autonomy of their lives. Maybe if he finds a shelter to stay overnight, they will help him get diagnosed and find some help to manage his condition. Because maybe there'll be the funds and resources to deal with that.


We shall see. I hear of things like "Government breaking promises" - but I don't understand yet what that means, or whether this could be one of those tenacious promises...


We'll see!
xo

Formal Apology 30-01-2008 05:20

Well, I am stoked when I checked out the news today:

The federal government will make a formal apology to members of the indigenous stolen generations on February 13.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin today announced the apology would be the first item of business for the new parliament.

Ms Macklin today said the apology was the "first, necessary step to move forward from the past".

I do hope the apology does everything it promises, but this is a really positive step, anyway! :)!

See: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/valentines-eve-day-to-say-sorry/2008/01/30/1201369210598.html

xo Rach.

Street artists thrust underground 24-01-2008 04:31

So while the media is making a big deal about the evils of street art as graffiti, and using the phrase 'artists' (in quotation marks) to describe the three people who were in a storm water tunnel painting, two of whom drowned when a surge of water came at them; I have another question to ask -
Why are there not more public spaces for these artists to show their stuff? Why are they left to work in underwater tunnels?
And why is the media having a field day to make sure that we know that 'they were doing the wrong thing and they drowned. Don't forget graffiti is against the law.'
I beleive there is a big difference between tagging and street art - and I think the media is a little confused over the difference. One is about transforming the streetscape into an artwork - the other is vandalism.
I think I need to do more research into what the people were doing in the Sydney tunnel, and why, before I can furthur discuss or comment on it; but in general, I think we need to have more spaces for street art - and it not be labelled as simply a crime - but appreciated as an artwork, but due to it's size and materials, is then thrust underground (in this case, literally).

Hm. Will ponder more.
xo

See:  http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/inside-the-deadly-fortress/2008/01/21/1200764171880.html

Facebook Group 09-01-2008 10:26

So my sister joined a Facebook group, according to my newsfeed: One Million Australians Feel Sorry - a group aiming at collecting one million Australians who want to say sorry to the Indigenous People of Australia.
So, I joined, but I'm not the kind of person who forwards groups to people - but, in this case, I did. I forwarded it to everyone on my list - and, so far, 21 people have joined, which is a great start - but it's not even a third of my list :( I am hoping the others just haven't checked facebook in a while! ;)

The group so far has 9, 743 members - which is pretty cool.
I'll be intrigued to see where it goes from here!

One Million Australians Feel Sorry: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7843503427&ref=nf

xo

15-12-2007 05:44

"Mr Rudd has also announced that a group of 25 Aboriginal leaders from the territory will form a special group to advise the federal government and he will return to the territory every three months next year to discuss issues with them.

"We want to ensure that our overall objective of closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous life expectancy, indigenous and non-indigenous education and training, is done on a cooperative and appropriate basis so that we achieve progress together," Mr Rudd told reporters."*

Nice.
We'll see what happens in the future. :)
xo

*http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/government-rules-out-qld-intervention/2007/12/15/1197568318219.html