Monthly Archives: July 2011
Mambo tries to stop Mabo from using name
We all know the difference between Mabo and Mambo don’t we? Apparently Mambo believes we don’t. Digest the article below, commentary to come.
Mambo is the internationally renowned surfwear brand whose logo is a farting dog. Mabo is the name of the celebrated campaigner for Aboriginal native title, Eddie Mabo. Now Eddie’s son, Malcolm, wants to launch his own clothing range – and Mambo is not happy.
Eddie Mabo, Australian hero!
The company has opposed Malcolm Mabo’s application to trademark his family name and logo, arguing that it could lead to the two brands being confused. It is also concerned about his plans to include beach and surfwear – Mambo’s speciality – in his range.
Malcolm Mabo says, though, that his clothes will be very different from Mambo’s, known for their irreverent and zany images including comic representations of Jesus.
I don't confuse this for Indigenous art, do you?
He plans to feature the work of indigenous artists, including his own designs, and hopes to generate income for struggling Aboriginal communities including Palm Island, off the north Queensland coast, where he lives.
Mabo is a name that resonates throughout Australia and beyond. Eddie Mabo’s fight led to a landmark High Court decision in 1992 which quashed the notion that the continent was uninhabited before white settlers arrived.
He was a Torres Strait Islander, and his son’s proposed logo – a traditional Torres Strait headdress and a shark’s jaw – reflects that heritage.
Malcolm Mabo was “pretty surprised” to learn about Mambo’s objections, he said yesterday. “It’s my name; I can’t change it.” He said he thought the idea that he should not produce surfwear was “pretty silly”, given that “we are saltwater people, we come from the islands”.
The managing director of Mambo, Angus Kingsmill, said the dispute had been blown up by the media, and he was confident of resolving it.
The two sides plan to hold a telephone conference next Tuesday to discuss the company’s concerns.
Kingsmill, part of a private consortium that bought Mambo from its founders three years ago, pointed out that the company had always espoused indigenous causes.
At the time of the High Court decision, it produced a T-shirt with the slogan “100 per cent Mabo”. “We are sensitive and supportive and respectful of the great Mabo name and its place in Australian history,” Kingsmill said.
Brian Arnold, chief executive of the North Queensland Small Business Development Centre, which has invested in the Mabo venture, believes it will provide much needed employment and business opportunities. “The Mabo name is powerful, and we can leverage off that. It stands for strength and perseverance.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10741743
Have you fed a hungry child today?
With the help of Social Vibe, 1DEADLYNation.com and its readers reached our goal of providing a scholarship to a Ugandan child. Simply by clicking on the Social Vibe link to your right and doing a few simple surverys we reached the goal in less than a month.
Now with the famine becoming even worse in the Horn of Africa we have set a new goal, feed the hungry children. Simply clicking on the banner to the right and doing some very basic surveys you will be helping the World Food Programme feed hungry children. With things so dire your support has never been more important and just a few minutes of your time can make a massive difference.
Put a red cup in the hand of a child today!
In February 2008, FIFA World Soccer Player of the Year Kaka, Ghana’s President and the Mayor of Milan joined Josette Sheeran to announce the “Fill the Cup” campaign in Milan’s Piazza Duomo. Join Kaka in helping to make the dreams of the world’s poorest children come true by filling the “Red Cup.” 
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian aid agency. WFP plans to feed over 100 million people in 77 of the world’s poorest countries this year.
The ‘Fill the Cup’ campaign aims to use the symbol of the Red Cup to raise awareness of global hunger, specifically involving hungry school children. About 59 million primary school age children attend school hungry across the developing world, with 23 million of them in 45 African countries.
A Nielsen Online Internet and Technology Report surveyed more than 2000 Australians and found people aged over 16 spent an average of 16.1 hours on the internet each week. Australian’s are spending a record amount of time on the internet, why not put a few of those minutes to good use and feed a hungry child!
UPDATE – for those having trouble with Social Vibe, it is back online! Column to the right, get clicking and send food to those who need it!
In Defense of Mia Freedman… and Cadel!
After three weeks of a 2am bedtimes I was a little slow to catch the hysteria that whipped up after Mia Freedman appeared on the today show and had this reaction to Cadel Evans winning the Tour de France.
“I’m the opposite of fired up. I’m fired down. I just don’t care.”.
“The way Australian sportspeople are revered as heroes and worshipped above every other profession.”.
Well that and a few other comments by Freedman shared with Karl Stefanovic on the Today Show had people going out of their minds. So much so they bombarded Freedman’s Twitter and email with abusive messages and claims that she was un-Australian. Well knock me over with a Lamington and call me Bob Downe but as someone who watched every televised second of the Tour I was not in any way offended or annoyed by Freedman’s comments. She doesn’t share my love of the three weeks in France and sport in general. So where I get joy from watching my beloved Hawthorn Hawks winning flags, I am guessing she gets her kicks from the launch of the latest Jimmy Choo’s.
That doesn’t make me or her un-Australian. If Freedman had said she couldn’t get excited about Buddy bending one back from 50 out after running the wing with a couple of bounces I wouldn’t be so offended that I’d go out of my way to personally abuse and insult her. That is un-Australian!
What followed Freedman’s comments was the usual exaggerated outrage, head shaking and angry outburst and then the aforementioned abuse that went her way. There was also the unsavoury d@#k measuring where many reeled off their list of sporting achievements in the suburban park which then some how justified their attacks. Well not one to be left out let me flop mine out on the table and see how I measure up.
Sport, I love it. I have played most sports you can name, played rep. Cricket, Basketball, Soccer and a whole host of other sports. I’ve managed Australian champion boxers, attended everything from Boxing Day test matches to Para-Olympics, written for Motorsport magazines, punted a fair chunk on the dish lickers and watch more sport on the box in a week than is probably healthy. And still, I am not offended by Freedman’s comments in the slightest possible way.
Because the achievement’s of Cadel Evans both on and off the bike can’t be in anyway impacted by a few lines of one social commentator who didn’t even watch Evans compete. Perhaps Freedman’s biggest error was to pick the one sportsman who is virtually flawless from what any of us can tell. He is a cyclist whose sheer mental strength and determination propels him above and beyond those who are seemingly more naturally talented. In a sport littered with drug abusers he is bleach white clean and if winning wasn’t enough he supports freedom for Tibet, “Trying to bring awareness of the Tibet movement is something someone in my position can do.” Not only that the list of charities and good causes he has donated to are endless and he is married a beautiful and brilliant Italian. I rank Cadel’s win in the Tour second only to Cathy Freeman’s win at the Sydney Olympics in terms of Australian sporting achievement. Both left me feeling something I cannot describe but the sort of joy that has you jumping around the living room floating with pride and elation.
In a sports mad nation that loves an underdog and the never say die attitude Cadel Evans is pretty close to Jesus Christ in Lycra. And anyone who has attacked Jesus in the USA publically probably knows how Mia is feeling right about now. But is that ok? Of course not, we are not Iran with a bunch of Ayatollahs telling us who we can and cannot be angry at. We don’t kill people for drawing cartoons and we are meant to allow freedom of speech and welcome diversity of opinion. That includes people saying things we don’t agree with.
Mia also raises a very pertinent point, Sports people really do earn too much money. There are football players (soccer to those who didn’t listen to Johnny Warren) who with endorsements earn a million bucks a week. And there are many actors, singers and “entertainers” earning similar amounts. That is obscene when we are still paying nurses, teachers, disability carers, soldiers and a whole host of other folks minimum wage. Mia Freedman simply made some valid points, expressed that she wasn’t that into sport and for having her own opinion was attacked. And it was only a few weeks ago that the mortified Karl Stefanovic made ignorant and offensive comments about an Australian who is an 8 time World Champion.
Mia Freedman didn’t attack Cadel Evans, she didn’t know enough about him to do that. What she attacked is the idea and a reality, that sports people do in fact earn a lot more than those on the front line of saving lives. But all that was lost in a level of behaviour we really should not tolerate in a modern Australia. And certainly not the sort of chest beating and abuse you would never see from Cadel Evans. How does he handle those on the other side? He grits his teeth, looks them in the eye and then rides right past them. And then when all is said and done he gives them a hug on the podium. That is an Australian that makes me proud!
Happy refugee get’s the win!
Comedian and author Anh Do, who has just won a major literary prize for his book The Happiest Refugee, says there is less empathy in the community for asylum seekers today than when he arrived from war-torn Vietnam.
Anh Do was already well known as a comedian, but has firmly established himself as an author after last night winning the top prize at the Australian Book Industry Awards for his work. 
The book details his family’s journey to Australia and the difficulties they faced in their new life.
Anh Do says he has sympathy for those seeking asylum today.
“We were put into a hostel,” he said.
“I’ve been to Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney and it’s all barbed wire, it’s like a big jail.”
He says he wrote the book because his family had an interesting story.
His uncles fought alongside Australian soldiers in the Vietnam War, making his family possible targets for retribution.
“One of my uncles was a sapper who cleared landmines for ANZACS,” he said.
“Because of that our lives were in danger. Forty of us on a 9-metre fishing boat, and we headed for Malaysia.”
Anh Do was also awarded the prize for newcomer of the year and was the joint winner of biography of the year with musician Paul Kelly.
He says he is grateful for the accolades and can hardly believe how well his book has been received.
“It’s a real shock … I thanked my mum in the acceptance speech because when I was a kid I had troubles with reading and writing,” he told the ABC’s AM program.
“I was in the special needs group and my mum took me and we bought a big box of books from St Vinnies. And mum helped me turn that weakness around and I got to love books and to win the Australian Book of the Year tonight is indescribable.”
Credit – http://www.abc.net.au
A deal with Malaysia where nobody wins!
The Australian government has just struck a deal with Malaysia that will send 800 yet to be processed Asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by boat to Malaysia in return for 4000 already processed refugees currently in Malaysia. The numbers alone make this a very strange deal. But much of this has been debated at great length in the public domain and media ever since the idea was floated.
The whole thing is bizarre in that it is not an agreement, not a treaty and neither participant is bound to the statement laid out as the deal. In fact nobody really knows what to call this absurd attempt at international policy. Whatever we call the document, not only is it not binding or legally enforceable, it isn’t even complete. Many of the crucial details have been left out of all together. We seem to be expected to just take both sides at their word that the right thing will be done.
The UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency) had this to say on the deal: – 
“UNHCR is not a signatory to the Arrangement, however it appreciates that both Governments have consulted with the Office.
UNHCR’s preference has always been an arrangement which would enable all asylum-seekers arriving by boat into Australian territory to be processed in Australia. This would be consistent with general practice.
The critical test of this Arrangement will now be in its implementation both in Australia and Malaysia, particularly the protection and vulnerability assessment procedures under which asylum-seekers will be assessed in Australia prior to any transfer taking place”
It is clear this is not a normal deal, this goes against what is the norm right around the globe. A norm that exists for countries who deal with refugees in the tens of thousands. Not in handfuls here and there as we do in Australia. If you believe we are being over run by boat people here in Australia you simply are not across the facts. And that is the problem. The Government is banking on the fact that the majority of Australian’s simply want less “boat people” and being ignorant of the facts will mean they will swallow any policy or deal to appease that wish.
It is not easy to say your own country is ignorant, a country you are proud of and a country you believe is indeed the country of a “Fair Go”. But that is exactly what I am saying, Australia is a country ignorant of the world wide refugee issue.
The deal will cost Australia an estimated $300million, that is a lot of zero’s simply to “rid” us of 800 people. It is an immoral deal, one that voids our nation of its ethical and legal obligations to those who seek asylum in Australia. In no way does this deal stack up, so the government will rely on pure ignorance of the issue to ensure its success. Educating people on the issue of refugees and the real facts is the only way to ensure an end to the practice of keeping the worlds most vulnerable people behind bars. And now even worse, sending them to a third world country where they have no rights.
Wake up Australia!
Courage Under Fire – Critical Infinity – ABC South East NSW
Take a bunch of kids and give them an opportunity and this music video shows what happens. The Bega Women’s Refuge got some funding from the Australian Government to bring in musicians Andrea Kirwin and Damon Davies to help a group of local youth create music. The result was a band called Critical Infinity and this original song ‘Courage Under Fire’. Andrea Kirwin said that the children all had natural ability and just needed mentoring. Dave Hibbert provided his recording studio, and ABC South East NSW came aboard to film and edit the video. The project has been so successful that its now being extended.
Courage Under Fire – Critical Infinity – ABC South East NSW – Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Click for video!
You haven’t heard of Geoffrey?
I was having a conversation with a relatively well informed political advisor when the topic of music came up. To my shock they hadn’t heard of Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, which was odd given their position. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in text books, policy and our own little world and forget that even in the most serious of issues there are answers to be found in the arts and music.
Blind from birth, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is a powerhouse of musical creativity. Geoffrey, or Gudjuk as he is also called, is from the Gumatj nation, his mother from the Galpu nation both First Nations peoples from North East Arnhemland. A former member of Yothu Yindi, now with Saltwater Band, Gurrumul’s solo excursions highlight his amazing talent as a singer, songwriter and musician. His beautiful voice will never leave you as he sings the songs of his Gumatj country
Show me the Money! – Kev, please give $67m to Africa.
We have celebrated a week of looking at Africa, our shared journey’s, stories from here and there and also highlighted the ways Australia has helped change Africa for the better. Now is the time to do that once more!
We have called for in honour of Mandela Day, in honour of his 67 years service, in honour of his call for 67 minutes of service to community, we call on our government to honour that commitment with a pledge of $67million for famine relief.
$67million for Mandela, $67million for Africa!
Kevin Rudd as our Foreign Minister can be commended for highlighting the issue of the famine in the Horn of Africa. He has pledged an amount of money and he has taken a great interest. But suffering doesn’t end simply by paying attention or talking about it. You cannot feed a hungry mouth with an idea or a press release. The aid agencies on the ground need funding right now to buy the food, water and medical supplies that can save lives. Right now a child will die, we can only hope they didn’t die for nothing. The way we will judge that is how we act in preventing the death of the children scheduled to die tomorrow.
This is today, will you left it be tomorrow?
Make no mistake, right now the destiny of many children in the horn of Africa is a miserable death. Will you ask your foreign minister to do something about it? Or will you read this and go back to your TV? Take the 67minutes, take 67seconds and ask Kevin Rudd to do the right thing on behalf of all Australian’s. On behalf of you!
Spread the word, post a link on your Facebook, Twitter, email it to your friends and get everyone to contact Kevin Rudd. This is not a political issue, this is an issue of life and death and we can do something about it!
UPDATE – We have spoken to a number of organisations on the ground, they are reporting aid is being widely distributed but need more financial assistance to be able to continue and up scale their efforts. We have added a link to unicef on your right that allows you to ensure your donation goes straight to the famine appeal.
Kevin Rudd Contact Details:-
Tel: (02) 6277 7500
Email: Kevin.Rudd.MP@aph.gov.au
A Rainbow Nation Freedom Fighter
Life as a Zulu Storyteller by Nobuntu-Sizolibusa
All I can remember as a child was the idea of being a doctor one week, Brenda Fassie or Madonna the next and then again a police officer. This ever changing direction in life was of course unsettling for my beloved parents and this was not because of the inconsistency in my choices regarding my future, but rather, because they realised my favourite programme or song at the time always dictated my motivation and seemed to be the only constant factor in my desired occupation. They were your typical practical Doctor and Business Women parents and the Arts Industry was just too much of a risk for them to feel at ease with. Bedtime stories and sewing sessions with my grandmother, television, music and later film created inspirational characters for me and allowed me to feel at ease with my quirky and off-centre nature, so for me the risk was freeing.
Our Storyteller Nobuntu - Photography by: David Branson Creative Direction: Nobuntu-Sizolibusa/David Branson Location: Jozi, South Africa
I love the idea of creating a believable and inspiring story and character that allows one to explore the various elements of oneself; particularly the elements one fears to possess. Besides being fun, hard and completely uncompromising as a companion, the only thing I have not experienced since realising my destiny as a Storyteller is boredom. I work hard and I am constantly under construction as a being, my cultural rooting in South Africa, uBuntu and my Zulu heritage are the foundation for my happiness, inspiration and creativity. I suppose coming from a family lineage of Freedom Fighters set the path for me long before I took my first step.
So if Freedom is the work, working in a position that would allow for me to realise my aspirations of being a Creative Director would give me the leading edge as a Rainbow Nation Freedom Fighter.
I hope my vision to create revolutionary and inspiring stories that will empower the light of the world and spread a message of uthando (love), inkululeko (peace) nobuntu ( and the spirit of humanity/humility) around the multiverse existence that is our livelihood, comes to fruition. I am well trained in the ethics of hard work and also find myself happiest when I am working as a Storyteller. I feel that I am someone who is dependable and great to work with because I love what I do, I have integrity and I have fun with what I do. South Africa is where our species began, our stories carry the voices of our First Mother, I walk with these Spirits.
We all walk with spirits of the light and the dark, it is our choice as a people to work for either side. I will honour my lineage.
Ngiyabonga (thank you),
Spread Uthando Inkululeko Nobuntu ♥ Our Light is Limitless ♥ Volate Ad Astra ♥
Why aren’t you angry? The $67m Question – Famine in Africa
People are capable of getting worked up over all sorts of things in their life. From the P plate drivers who cut them off as they hoon down the street, to the umpire in the footy missing a blatant free kick. This week we have seen anger over issues ranging from the Carbon tax to Murdoch and his now defunct News of the World. But in the week of Nelson Mandela’s birthday, where is the anger over the famine in Africa?
The world, quite rightly, has a love affair with Nelson Mandela. For a generation he was the symbol of a reborn Africa, a man who sacrificed so that others could live free. Mandela Day commenced in 2009 and this was the message “Nelson Mandela has fought for social justice for 67 years. We’re asking you to start with 67 minutes. We would be honoured if such a day can serve to bring together people around the world to fight poverty and promote peace and reconciliation,” according to a statement issued on Mandela’s behalf.“
Let us give Mandela the Birthday gift he would want!
In Honour of Nelson Mandela, his birthday this week and Australia’s commitment to a better future for Africa, I am calling on Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd to extend the Australian contribution to the relief effort in the Horn of Africa to $67million. So far the government has pledged $30million, this is NOT enough and we can give much more. In a time when Billionaire’s are complaining about paying a $23 Carbon Tax it is unacceptable, whatever your politics, that we sit idly by while children simply starve to death. The world has not done enough, it has acted too slowly and passing blame does not feed hungry children.
“There has been a catastrophic breakdown of the world’s collective responsibility to act,” said Fran Equiza, Oxfam’s director in the Horn of Africa.
“Several rich governments are guilty of wilful neglect as the aid effort to avert catastrophe in East Africa limps along.
“The warning signs have been seen for months, and the world has been slow to act.
The Children are looking to you!
We must act now, the vast majority of us can afford to give $67, many can afford to give much more. And Australia, the lucky country, a country of great resources and riches can very easily afford to give $67million.
I encourage you to donate $67 and to urge our government to give $67million, please forward this article to Kevin Rudd’s office and let us do the right thing for Africa and our World! If we can get angry about the football, we can do something about this!
UPDATE:- The UK has pledged 90million (pounds), we lost the ashes, let’s not be out done here too!
1 Deadly Nation 