Tasmanian forest wars are over

Tasmania's generation-long forest wars have been declared over, with agreement on a final package that saw environmentalists give ground in the hope of building lasting peace.

Years of bitter tree-by-tree conflict over native forests has been followed by a package hoped to revive the state's collapsed timber industry, and yield big tracts of protected forests.

"In terms of wars, yeah, look there'll be the odd skirmish from small minor groups," Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke said on Tuesday.

"But what we have seen from the last 30 years ends tonight, and that is something to celebrate."

The final deal, three years in the making, saw leading environment groups bow to changes by the state's conservative upper house, the Legislative Council, to an original package.

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The changes do not affect a keystone nomination for a 170,000 ha. extension to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, according to the Tasmanian Resources Minister, Bryan Green. It will go before the World Heritage Committee in June.

Agreement on the Tasmanian Forest Agreement (TFA) Bill unlocked up to $216 million in federal-state assistance, Mr Green, told the House of Assembly.

Protection of the balance of a total 504,000 ha. of native forests in two phases through to 2015 will only be triggered  if global benchmark Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification is achieved, and an independent council deems the peace durable.

The Australian Conservation Foundation, The Wilderness Society and Environment Tasmania said the TFA's opportunities were so important they were willing to work with the revised legislative framework.

Intensive talks since the Legislative Council amended the bill yielded guarantees from  government agencies that the process would work, Environment Tasmania's director, Phill Pullinger, said.

They were backed by industry and union signatories to the three year-long peace process, but the agreement split Green MPs and environment groups.

A state Greens backbencher, Kim Booth, refused to back the amended legislation, and the national Greens leader, Christine Milne, warned that apart from the World Heritage nomination, no forest protection was certain.

"The fact is, these reserves will never be delivered," Senator Milne said. "They are on the never-never. Beyond the next state and federal election."

The Wilderness Society's campaigns manager Vica Bayley said he understood the concern.

"But what we've tried to do is get so much momentum behind this that the Liberals would effectively have to act in future against the will of the industry," Mr Bayley said.

Source - http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/tasmanian-forest-wars-are-over-20130430-2iqb1.html

Building a road out of Afghanistan

Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan: Four young boys, aged perhaps 8, sit by the side of the new road being built by the Australian government through the Mirabad Valley outside Oruzgan province's capital.

An Australian soldier, part of a team that has gone out to inspect the road, asks the kids in Pashto, "Any Taliban around here?"

No, the boys reply with grins all round. "We are the soldiers around here, so there are no Taliban," one of them cries.

The long road out ... the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) on a new road in the Oruzgan province, in Afghanistan. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

This part of the valley, about 10 kilometres to the east of Tarin Kowt, has become relative friendly territory for the Australians. Until 2009, patrols were regularly attacked around here. The fighting ended after Australian special forces drove the Taliban out in a major campaign, allowing the reconstruction effort to begin.

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It is a model in many ways, a good news story. The $10 million road project is going to plan and the locals are mostly happy. Yet the trip outside the wire of the Tarin Kowt multinational base also shows how tough the job remains as Australia prepares to exit by the end of the year and the province prepares to face its own challenges.

The Australians are not building the road themselves but rather paying local contractors, so the work creates local jobs. Captain Daniel Kennedy-Stiff, a member of the Provincial Reconstruction Team – which includes Defence, AusAid and the Department of Foreign Affairs – says the contractors are learning a lot but still need to be scrutinised.

"This is one of the better contractors we have, but they will still try and cut corners if you are not keeping an eye on them," said Captain Kennedy-Stiff.

Hence the inspection, backed up by a convoy of four Bushmaster armoured vehicles and several dozen soldiers. Security remains tight. At each of four stops along a 14 kilometre stretch of the new road the soldiers charged with protecting the team form a perimeter facing outward. They stay in each spot only a few minutes.

Aside from a few elders who complain parts of the road are not wide enough for two trucks to pass, locals sing the new road's praises. An elderly man named Ablul, unusual for the fact he is growing wheat rather than the ubiquitous pink-flowered opium poppies, lavishes thanks on the Australian government.

Australian soldiers from the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT), during an operation to inspect a new road in the Oruzgan province, in Afghanistan. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

"In the past, we had problems with the insurgents putting IEDs under the road. It was very dangerous. I myself have a vehicle. It took a lot of time to get anywhere."

Acting head of the PRT, David Windsor, said opening up the road meant farmers growing food crops could get their products to market and would boost people's faith in government, making them less likely to turn to the Taliban.

"You open up that road and it's easier for people to speak to their local representatives, raise their concerns, and start accessing services like health and education, as well as the sheer fact of removing the hassle of a long, bumpy travel time."

Afghan children wave to Australian soldiers along the way through Oruzgan. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

Will the benefit last? AusAid have notably opted to keep a 27 kilometre stretch as a gravel road for ease of upkeep – there is no guarantee the Afghan local government will be able to properly maintain bitumen in the years to come.

One of the soldiers on the operation, Corporal Jeremy Martinez, speaks frankly about the risks ahead

.

"The thing we are worried about is that the Taliban will come in and overthrow the government and undo all the good work we've done. That's what we hear speaking to local Afghans," he said. "They know we are leaving."

Source - http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/building-a-road-out-of-afghanistan-20130429-2invr.html#

Interest free loans for fire-affected businesses

Tasmanian businesses affected by the January bushfires are being offered interest free loans by the State Government.

Business owners will be able to apply for a two year interest free loan of up to $500,000 to help them get back on their feet.

The Premier Lara Giddings made the announcement at an oyster farm on the Tasman Peninsula, which lost thousands of dollars of equipment and stock in the fires.

The Boomer Bay business owner Max Cunningham says he lost $400,000 of property and equipment.

"Several vehicles, a forklift, approximately $85,000 worth of oyster baskets, my water tanks, my home," he said.

About 40 businesses were severely damaged or destroyed by the bushfire and many are yet to reopen.

Source  - http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-28/interest-free-loans-for-fire-affected-businesses/4655970

So NASA's rover drew a penis on Mars

Intentional or no, this is pretty funny. Don't even pretend like you're above it. Because you're not.

The image is hosted on NASA's website, in a writeup about the Agency's Spirit and Opportunity Rovers (yes, the above image was apparently drawn by one of the twin rovers, not the recently landed Curiosity), which would suggest that it's legit.

It's interesting that the internet only caught wind of this photo now, less than a year after the bigger, badder, and much-adored Curiosity touched down on the surface of the Red Planet. Maybe Opportunity rover got a little jealous, has gone rogue, and is now vying for attention by drawing genitals in the Martian dirt?

Source - http://io9.com/so-nasas-rover-drew-a-penis-on-mars-479787061

ANZAC Day will not be forgotten

My earliest memories of ANZAC Day are of watching the march on TV and looking out for one banner in particular. It’s a small one, purple background with a few place names up the sides and the insignia for the Eighth Division Signals. That was Pop’s group. He didn’t march in the Sydney march to my memory, I think he did once before I was born, but he did march in Wagga. But we’d always look for it and anyone who wasn’t in the room at the time was called in with the cry “There it is”.

I didn’t really know what it meant of course. It was just something Pop had been a part of in the war, which seemed like ancient history to me as a kid, it had nothing to do with the present. Over the years I learnt more though. I learnt about what Pop endured during the war, being present at the Fall of Singapore and spending years as a POW on the Hellfire Pass. The suffering he and his mates went through is beyond belief and certainly not a shiny topic.

But I didn’t just learn about the bad. Some of the stories I heard were funny too. And many were downright heroic. He didn’t really like to talk about it, Nanna didn’t even hear much from him, but she did from his mates years later when they started going to reunions as Grey Nomads. Those reunions were a chance for men and women who’d suffered to really live it up together and enjoy their hard-earned senior years.

It won’t be long before there’s no-one to carry that little purple banner and the deeds of the Eighth Div Sigs will be mostly forgotten. But their legacy will continue. How? Through me for one. Pop survived. He went to the Hellfire Pass with his mates and came home with a few of them. He came home because of them and they came home because of him. I will remember what stories I have and I will remember that banner with pride.

To me my Pop was always a giant. The more I learnt the more I realised that was true. There’s not much shiny about war, but there is in the people who survive and built a life and a world the better for their experiences. And in the friendships that help get us through.

Pop endured a terrible darkness and it haunted him all his life, but it made him a beacon, a tower of light. I still look up at that giant and feel honoured to be his grandson.

Lest we forget.

Written by Robert Jenkins - @wanderingfriar

First Doctors Without Borders - Now Engineers Without Borders

Inspiring people to “live with passion and meaning” has always driven the founder of Engineers Without Borders, Danny Almagor. After studying engineering and business at university, he started Engineers Without Borders so engineers could make a difference in the world via aid work and education.

Danny stayed CEO for eight years and built it up into a national organisation, until he left to start Medivax, a business centring around workplace heath. He realised that “the main driver of Medivax was to make a profit, whereas Engineers Without Borders had a social mission”. That thought led to the creation – together with his wife Berry Liberman - of Small Giants, a company which invests in businesses that have a positive impact on the lives of individuals or the environment.

Danny Almagor, Engineer who started Engineers without borders. Photo: Wayne Taylor WMT

Small Giants has supported companies that include Tom Organic (organic feminine hygiene products), Pots 'N Pans (a restaurant in Vietnam that helps street kids who then work for the restaurant themselves), and a similar organisation in Melbourne called Streat.

What's important to you?

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I do everything with Berry, my partner, and it's very much a combined vision and a partnership. I think what motivates us both is a deep philosophy about the way the world should be. Gandhi's quote that “be the change you wish to see in the world” – it's so simple and so profound. There are those who sit around and say, 'I don't like poverty and I think it should change,' or 'Climate change is scary, I wish someone would do something about it.' We felt we should be part of the movement making the change. We've got three little kids [who are five and under] and felt the responsibility to be part of the solution, not the problem. It was both philosophical and personal.

What are the challenges you've faced and overcome?

Probably one of the biggest challenges is people not understanding, or not actively believing it's possible, or telling you it's crazy. Those are the walls people put up. They say, 'I'm waiting for you to lose your money.' They're the doubters. Sometimes you take on some of that doubt and you really have to remind yourself why you're doing what you do, and have enough support around you to get through that.

Was there a catalyst, or even a moment, when you knew this was what you wanted to do?

For me, it was more subtle. As long as I can remember, I've been active – at school, at uni, volunteering, putting my hand up. I volunteered for school outreach programs, I was very involved in a youth group movement throughout my teens and early twenties, I volunteered at uni with Ardoch Youth Foundation, working with troubled kids. I was always interested and passionate about education and volunteering and making a change. Probably what pushed me most into this field was when I was travelling in India, halfway through my university degree. There was a huge earthquake while I was there that killed tens of thousands of people. There was just devastation, and I remember thinking, 'I'm young, fit and healthy and I want to help out.' I was wondering if there were engineering institutions that I could volunteer for, similar to Doctors Without Borders, but there weren't any. That inspired me to think about Engineers Without Borders, although it took me three years after that to do it. Since then, I never got off the path of trying to lead the change. Outside of this stuff, I spent the last decade supporting other non-profits and social enterprises. I'm the chair of Jewish Aid Australia, which is the Jewish community's aid organisation. I've been on the boards of museums and environmental organisations, and I've spent a lot of time mentoring young social entrepreneurs and change-makers. I've made this a part of my life in every way.

Where do you get inspiration from?

I get inspired by the great big names that inspire us all – like Gandhi and Mandela –and then I'm also inspired by people like Jeff Skoll and Evan Thornley, who are more specific to the field of impact investing. Jan Owen is also incredible. There are many amazing people in Australia. There are all these great men and women who are really a force, doing amazing things.

Are you living the dream?

Absolutely. To be honest, even before I started Engineers Without Borders, I spent a year working in Outdoor Ed, taking kids on camp, which is not what most parents want their kid to do when they've finished an engineering degree. I've always chased things that have made my heart sing. I love every day, I love turning up for work, I love coming home to my family. I try to structure my week so I can find a balance. I've been very lucky, but also very purposeful in answering the question of what do I love to do, and what do I want to do.

Source - http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/strive/qa-engineers-without-borders-founder-20130410-2hkxo.html

Hubble spies a nursery in a nebula

Astonishing new images from the Hubble Space Telescope have pierced through a nebula of gas and dust 1500 light years from Earth, to reveal a nursery of newborn stars.

The Horsehead Nebula, a vast plume that forms part of the constellation Orion, is a favourite of astronomers because of its distinctive dark shape, which is set against a background of glowing hydrogen gas.

Using infrared cameras, which capture more wavelengths of light than the human eye, the telescope was able to peer within the Horsehead.

Dust to dust: A New Hubble image of the Horsehead Nebula in the Orion constellation. Photo: NASA/AFP

The nebula, first recorded by astronomers in 1888, is known as a stellar nursery because new stars form there as gases interact with gravity and magnetism.

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''In infrared light, we can pierce right through some the bulky plumes of dusty material which usually mask and obscure the inner regions of the horsehead,'' said Joe Liske, astronomer at the European Southern Observatory in Germany.

''The result is this rather fragile-looking structure, made of delicate wispy folds of gas, very different from the nebula's appearance [to the naked eye].''

New images were released to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the Hubble's launch. They were taken with a new infrared camera installed by space-walking astronauts in 2009.

Hubble has made more than 1 million observations since its launch in 1990 but it is ageing.

It is to be replaced by the James Webb Space Telescope, which is scheduled to blast into orbit in 2018.

A sharp eye

• Observations have refined the rate at which the universe is thought to be expanding
• Recorded the collision of the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter in 1994
• Recorded evidence of other planets, and disc-like ''proto planets'', orbiting other stars
• Showed black holes are probably at the centre of all galaxies
• Found a fifth moon orbiting Pluto

Source - http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/hubble-spies-a-nursery-in-a-nebula-20130421-2i890.html

Man rescued by surfers after treading water for 27 hours

An Australian surfer who helped rescue a South African man after he was lost in Indonesian waters for 27 hours has told of the moment he and eight mates spotted the man, still alive, bobbing in the ocean.

When Perth lawyer Colin Chenu and his mates saw ''a red head and a white arm waving'' - 19 kilometres from the Mentawai Islands, off the west coast of Sumatra - they threw a lifebuoy into the water and jumped over the side of their Sydney-owned charter boat and swam to the stricken man, who was dehydrated and suffering a gash from a seagull attack. He had also been circled by a shark and stung by jellyfish.

Embracing his rescuers, the South African man, whose wife had been told he was dead, said: ''I love you Aussies, I'm never going to bag you guys ever again.''

Mr Chenu, 49, said: ''It was a feeling of sheer elation, when we dragged him onto the boat, we were all pumping the air, screaming.

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''He was a pretty tough bugger - a surfer and mountain biker, and he told us he had been treading water the whole time in rough seas,'' Mr Chenu told Fairfax Media from Tua Paget. ''He said he'd been seasick the night before and vomited so much he blacked out and fell overboard from his boat, the Nagalout. He said he woke up in the water and saw his boat sailing into the distance.''

Mr Chenu, a father of four, was on a surfing holiday with eight mates off the Mentawai Islands. They were on their way back to Australia when one of their Indonesian crew heard from the harbourmaster at Tua Paget that a man had been lost at sea. The boat's skipper, Tony Eltherington, sprung into action and began a search and rescue effort for the missing man, Brett Archibald.

''Eltherington got the co-ordinates of where the man supposedly fell overboard and insisted we mount a search,'' said Mr Chenu. ''We headed out in terrible weather in a small 25-foot boat and spent about four hours looking, but we were forced to turn back before dark. It was blowing 20 knots, there were so many peaks and troughs and we thought, 'This poor bastard is out in this?'''

The next day, the wind abated and visibility was much better.

''About 4am the next day - 24 hours after Archibald had gone overboard - the skipper wanted to give it one last try and told us we'd be at the spot by daybreak,'' Mr Chenu said. ''The one saving grace was that the water is warm. If this had happened in Australian waters, he would never have survived.''

The men were taking turns with the binoculars when, at 7.15am, one of the Indonesian crew yelled out: ''There he is!'''

Suffering a bloody nose and shrivelled fingers, Mr Archibald collapsed into the arms of his rescuers and then found the strength to climb onto the deck of the Barrenjoey amid cheers from the Australians.

Heaping praise on the surfers who didn't give up, he was examined by a specialist neurologist among the Aussie surfing group, and was fed and rehydrated.

Mr Archibald then called his distraught wife in Cape Town, who was being consoled by friends and family after the South African embassy had advised her that her husband had been lost at sea.

The Perth mates were on the surfing trip to celebrate Simon Carlin's 50th birthday - and they found Mr Archibald on the day of the birthday.

Source : http://www.smh.com.au/national/australian-tells-of-miracle-rescue-at-sea-20130420-2i72z.html

Surfing Australia Signs Up To Help Tackle Binge Drinking

COOLANGATTA/QLD (17th April, 2013): Surfing Australia is proud to be the latest national sporting organisation to join the Australian Government’s Be the Influence - Tackling Binge Drinking initiative.

Be the Influence - Tackling Binge Drinking is addressing youth binge drinking and the influence of alcohol promotion on young Australians by promoting anti-binge drinking messaging through sport sponsorships.

Under the partnership, Be the Influence -Tackling Binge Drinking is now a major partner of Surfing Australia with ASP World Tour competitors Owen Wright and Sally Fitzgibbons becoming Be the Influence Surfing Ambassadors.

The sponsorship covers Surfing Australia’s six State branches and their 104 events conducted nationwide; and Surfing Australia’s Team Australia program, which sends seven teams to all of the International Surfing Association’s global events.

Surfing Australia CEO, Andrew Stark believes it is an ideal association for both organisations.

“This is a monumental partnership for our sport and will provide a serious boost to our various programs Australia-wide,” said Mr Stark.

“Importantly the powerful anti-binge drinking message that we will promote to our surfing community is something we all believe in.

“The partnership has touch points across our entire organisation from grassroots to elite. We are extremely appreciative of the support and look forward to a fantastic partnership.”

Surfing Australia board member and seven-time World Champion Layne Beachley said the partnership provided an enormous opportunity for the sport of surfing.

“This is a unique sponsorship, aligned with such an important message that can be embraced across all sports,” said Beachley.

“I feel Surfing Australia will provide the perfect platform to deliver the anti-binge drinking message to young Australians.”

Be the Influence will also become one of the major sponsors of the new Australian Boardriders Battle. The national series, to be officially launched in July, will involve Australia’s boardriding clubs in seven State qualifying events and culminating in a national final across two days in March, 2014.

The sponsorship also includes naming rights to two new national events: the Be the Influence Surf Pro, the fourth and final event of the 2013 ASP Australasia Pro Junior Series, from 12th-14th July in NSW; and the Be the Influence Australian SUP and Paddleboard Titles in November. Also, naming rights to State events such as the upcoming Be the Influence Queensland Master’s and Women’s Surfing Series, which commences on May 18.

Be the Influence will be a support sponsor for the Australian Surf Festival and the Australian Junior Surfing Titles.

A total of 15 sports are now part of Be the Influence, including the Football Federation of Australia, Netball Australia, Basketball Australia and Swimming Australia.

Information on Be the Influence - Tackling Binge Drinking can be found at www.tacklingbingedrinking.gov.au. The Be the Influence - Tackling Binge Drinking sponsorship is managed through the Australian National Preventive Health Agency.

Source - http://www.international.to/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8154:surfing-australia-signs-up-to-help-tackle-youth-binge-drinking&catid=98:sports&Itemid=218

Stella winner donates money to other writers

Carrie Tiffany

The inaugural winner of the Stella Prize for Australian women's writing has donated part of her prize money to her fellow finalists.

Melbourne author Carrie Tiffany won the prize for her second novel, Mateship with Birds, which follows the fortunes of a farmer and aged-care nurse in 1950s country Victoria.

The award, named after author Stella Miles Franklin, has been established to promote female writers.

Ms Tiffany donated $10,000 of her $50,000 prize to the other shortlisted authors.

Mateship With Birds

She says they all deserve recognition.

"I read all of the books on the shortlist and a lot of them on the long list and I think they're fantastic and really a gift to our literary culture," she said.

"I think that the Stellas are an opportunity to do things a bit differently and to acknowledge the many, rather than the few.

"It is really difficult to choose a book from a shortlist and I wanted to spread attention across all of those books, rather than just mine."

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-17/tiffany-wins-inaugural-prize-for-women27s-writing/4633958

Gay marriage becomes legal in New Zealand

Gay marriage is legal in New Zealand.

The 77-44 vote in parliament on Wednesday night was greeted with cheers and applause from packed public galleries and kicked off celebrations around the country.

New Zealand is the 13th country to legalise gay marriage and the first in the Asia-Pacific.

More than 1000 Australian same-sex couples say they will cross the Tasman to tie the knot.

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"Now that marriage equality is only three hours away there will be a flood of couples flying to New Zealand," said Australian Marriage Equality spokesman Rodney Croome.

NZ Labour's gay MP Louisa Wall promoted the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill and it was passed on conscience votes, with no instructions from parties.

Prime Minister John Key was one of those supporting it.

MPs have been under intense pressure from churches and moral conservative lobby groups during the past few weeks but the final vote was almost identical to those cast during the bill's previous three stages.

"Excluding a group in society from marriage is oppressive and unacceptable," Ms Wall said when she launched the third reading debate.

"This is not about church teachings or philosophy, it never was. The principles of justice and equality aren't served if the key institution of marriage is reserved for heterosexuals only."

The Green Party's gay MP Kevin Hague said he had been with his partner for nearly 29 years.

"Until this day a basic human right has been denied us," he said.

"The consequences of this bill will be that same sex couples will marry, transgender people will no longer have to divorce, prejudice and violence will be undermined, the world will be a better place and absolutely no one will be any worse off."

National's Maurice Williamson, a strong supporter, said he had been appalled by some of the lobbying.

"I had a letter saying I was going to burn in the fires of hell, some of the bullying tactics were really evil."

NZ First leader Winston Peters again called for a referendum.

"Some say there is a groundswell for change, but how do we know that?" he said.

"New Zealand is supposed to be a democracy and what we are about to do is circumvent any expression of public opinion."

Mr Peters and his MPs voted against the bill.

Nearly all the MPs who spoke in the debate supported the bill.

One who didn't was National's Jonathan Young.

"History has invested significant tradition in marriage and I believe we should maintain that tradition," he said.

"This issue isn't as clear as some people think, many are struggling with it and the community is more divided than this parliament."

Although Wednesday night's vote put the bill into law, gay couples who want to marry will have to wait a while.

The Department of Internal Affairs which handles births, deaths and marriages has been given four months to get its act together and prepare the procedures and licence forms.

Ms Wall expects there will be a rush.

"The first week of August could work for a lot of people," she told NZ Newswire.

Source - http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/gay-marriage-becomes-legal-in-new-zealand-20130417-2i0ku.html

                                                       

Let me talk to you about First Aid

"In all the horror in Boston Monday, there are also heartening stories about how kindness emerged from tragedy: people on Twitter urging others to note the people who run towards the explosions, not away from them, to help; stories of heroism from runners; journalists who ran the marathon, springing into action to cover the story; the first responders."

Source: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/04/photos-stories-kindness-boston-marathon-bombing/64258/

Sometimes, bad things happen, and it makes no sense. People feel hopeless and helpless.

FUN FACT
 A white cross on a green background
is used to indicate first aid and
workplace/occupational health and safety.
The red cross people
usually confuse this with is actually
the universal emblem of protection in
armed conflict.

When you see the bad things on the TV look at the heroes, the volunteers, the first responders, the everyday people who are assisting through the chaos. It can help you to still see the good in the world and feel less hopeless.

A way to feel less helpless though? Why not do a First Aid Course?

Just the knowledge that you could assist your family, kids, friends or even a stranger if something bad ever happened will help you feel more empowered and less helpless.

I believe that getting your First Aid Certificate should be a manditory part of getting your Drivers License, but that is a soap box for another day.

Did you know that you can now do part of the 'Apply First Aid' (formerly Senior First Aid) online?

You can do a First Aid Course through The Red Cross or St Johns Ambulance. 

Check with your employer, many will pay for you to do this course and, in some companies, if you become the official First Aid Officer you even receive compensation in your pay packet!

Yes, the world is scary, and bad things happen, and I hope more than anything that you, reading this, are never the one running forward trying to help, but wouldn't you feel better if you had the knowledge to know that you could?

Written by Samara Jenkins  @theyellowsnail

Sydney train tunnels get phone reception

Sydney commuters will be able to use their phones and access the internet inside train tunnels on the City Circle line for the first time, after a network infrastructure upgrade.

The NSW government has been working with Optus, Telstra and Vodafone, to install more than 10 kilometres of cabling to provide reception for mobile phones, tablets and laptops.

The service is undergoing live testing and will be switched on as early as Monday, Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said.

"The lack of coverage in our CBD tunnels has been an ongoing concern for customers over many years and quite frankly an embarrassment for our city," she said.

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More than 400,000 commuters will benefit from the new infrastructure upgrade, Ms Berejiklian said.

The rollout will continue on the Eastern Suburbs Line, with work underway to install 18 kilometres of cable between Erskineville and Bondi Junction.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/sydney-train-tunnels-get-phone-reception-20130415-2hugs.html

One man making Sydney smile

Have you seen this man around Sydney?

In the past month he has been spotted at Circular Quay, The Easter Show and the semifinal of the A League soccer just to name a few places.

He is not a busker, he will not ask you for money. This man asks for something way more important than that. He asks Sydneysiders to smile.

I first came across him at Circular Quay, holding a sign saying smile for peace. As we walked past him and smiled he gave us a big grin, a thank you and two thumbs up.



He will pose for photos, give you a hug and asks nothing in return except for a smile.

Seems he is a Western Sydney Wanderers fan also. He was spotted at the game on Friday night encouraging fans to smile.

It has been proven that the simple act of smiling improves happiness and even has health benefits.




There is an interesting TED Talk here by Ron Gutman: The hidden power of smiling. 

"We are actually born smiling" - Rod Gutman 




I was going to look into who this wonderful smiley man was and what his motivation behind it was, but I decided it was not important. The important thing is in this busy life in this busy town we often forget the simple things in life, the simple things that can change life, such as a smile.

So smiley man, whoever you are, you are fantastic, here is a big smile for you. :)

Written by Samara Jenkins @theyellowsnail