ravaged with excitement!

mood: ecstatic.
state i'm in: hurry up and download!
tune: tracey thorn "get around to it" from karl's myspace.


thank the maker for karl being consistently up to the minute when it comes to funky music. just glanced over his myspace to have a browse at what the lad is up to, when i realised the tune he has playing over the site is a tracey thorn track, one i have not heard of. tracey is one half of everything but the girl, none other than my all time favourite group.

i am completely ravaged with excitement.

she has indeed released a solo album (over a month ago, mind you!), which, other than a guest appearance a couple years ago, is the first work she has put her name to since 1999 saw the release of ebtg's temperemental album.

i will have to buy this album as soon as i can. unfortunately it will take time to come from the states or UK :-(


here's me and tracey at her husband (and other half of ebtg) ben's birthday bash in london in late 2005. ben has been busy with music, clubs, and labels since ebtg went on hiatus.



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image: mine

cause and effect

mood: content.
state i'm in: b 'n' b time!
tune: solu music feat. kimblee "fade".


i can't help but shake my head at this image. it's a CT scan (basically, a radiologic 'slice' through the body) of a lifelong smoker.



there are three important, related features on this scan.

1. in the lower left of the image (the man's right lung, close to his back), the thick arrow points to a bulla, a hallmark of emphysema.
2. near the top, toward the left side of the image (the man's right lung, close to his chest), the thin arrow points to a lung tumour.
3. at the top right corner of the image, marked with an asterisk, is none other than a packet of cigarettes.

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image: new england journal of medicine

further in the sand...

mood: mellow.
state i'm in: just a little light headed from last night.
tune: jamiroquai "canned heat".





the CSIRO's recommended target for emissions reduction by 2050:

60%-90% on current levels.


the australian greens' recomended target for emissions reduction 2050:

80% on 2000 levels.


the ALP's recommended target for emissions reduction by 2050:

60% on 2000 levels.


australian of the year tim flannery's receommendation:

all austraian political parties should adopt significant emissions reduction targets.


the CSIRO also sites many economic studies that suggest that drastic emissions reduction will slow economic growth only very slightly, with the australian economy still set to double by 2040 with the said emissions reductions. the liberal party's resonse to these recommendations from political parties, scientific bodies, and environmental experts? that these are "crazy' pledges that will incur economic costs that they are not willing to bear. very myopic, people.

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illustration: ron tandberg

bombastically beijing

mood: happy.
state i'm in: here comes PBL... again.
tune: sneaky sound system "pictures".


yes it's true that beijing stated this week that, in a 400 page report on the actions of china on global climate change, "developing the economy and improving people's lives remains the country's primary task". They have flatly rejected at this point that concerns for the global environment should at all constrain manufacturing and energy industries.

john howard, amongst many others i am sure, has taken this as credence behind his extremely myopic statement that any action taken in australia is futile unless greater emitters such as the USA, china, and india also come onboard. from this argument, it is safe to assume that mr howard has given up on climate change before the race has even begun, and is more than willing to accept enormous long-term econonic costs in order to avoiding risking short-term small economic gains (and his own reputation). if mr howard was the leader of greenland, a land that is now witnessing the birth of a significant agricultural sector (thanks to an increase in average temperature of between 1 and 2 degrees, and the subsequent melting of its glaciers), and not australia, this position might have some credibility. but unfortunately, it only makes him look narrow-minded and dogmatic to the point of stupidity.

whilst china continues to be written off as an evader of action to ameliorate climate change, those such as mr howard ignore the most important instrument of change we might yet have seen. the recent report, which serves as a backdrop to which china makes the aforementioned argument, is the first official assessment of the global impact of the actions of a developing china. it is an admission that their actions are having an effect on the world, and, importantly, domestically. the document makes mention that the glaciers that feed the yangtze (yellow) river, china's largest and most flood-prone waterway, are melting at a significant rate, and will likely have dimished two thirds from their current size by the end of this century.

this is an admimssion by china that their actions are having an effect. from here, other nations can begin to put pressures of isolation on china and possibly see some action taken in the not-to-distant future. the phenomena of an isolated china has, arguably, already borne fruit, in the form of a stronger stance being taken by china on the nuclear ambitions in iran. the word's newest power has now fallen largely in line with other members of the UN security council on the matter.

i am optimistic that this can, if there is the will, be the first steps in genuine measures taken to reduce the impact of mankind's impact on the environment. i don't think i am being entirely ignorant here.

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image: public

12 months

mood: happy.
state i'm in: still...
tune: aretha franklin "you send me".


skin like smooth cognac warm,
eyes like two black pearls rare,
lips like slices of sweet ripe peach,
i love you.

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image: mine

random deceased teenager

mood: happy.
state i'm in: avoiding study.
tune: josh rouse "comeback (light therapy)".


one thing i have really grown to despise lately...

everytime something happens to a teenager or young adult, such as suicide, vanished, murdered in a college massacre, all of the media outlets write these pathetic stories about their myspace or facebook pages and what they wrote recently on there, what their chosen background colour scheme was, and what their favourite song was. then come the regurgitating of all the comments and tributes made by their friends in the wake of their realisation their friend will not be back in their lives.

it is all a bit sick. these are traditionally personal communications that instead posted for the world to see. then again, by having personal spaces and blogs on the internet, i suppose we are inviting the world into our lives and minds to have a look and comment. i guess the fleas come with the dog.


however i still think it is particularly slack journalism, and i like to think most people aren't interested in what 'random living teenager' thought of 'random deceased teenager'.

"oh, i'm sure."

mood: happy.
state i'm in: clean sheets... so crisp.
tune: george michael "spinning the wheel".


"oh, i'm sure."

those were the words that the most powerful man in global media, arguably the world, proclaimed in response to a question fired to him by a journalist asking him whether he thought kevin rudd would make a good prime minister.

now that it appears mr rudd has become somewhat chummy with rupert murdoch, one wonders if the pages and scripts of 'news limited' media outlets will start to feature increasingly pro-rudd stories.

it is unlikely mr rudd would have achieved near-endorsement from the media baron had he not have impressed in some way or another, more than likely involving things to do with 'news limited's' bottom line. one day we may find out how. a smart man, mr rudd, if not cunning.

ismail ax

mood: saddened.
state i'm in: sullen and dismayed.
tune: foreigner "i want to know what love is" cheesy 80's.


just before closing my laptop yesterday i logged out of hotmail to see a big red banner reporting the news of the heinous massacre of students and academics at virginia tech. at first i was shocked and saddened, then angered by the thought of the USA's ridiculous constitutional laxity on gun control and the saturation of that nation with firearms.

what has saddened me more and more over the last 24 or so hours is the reports on the people and place that fell victim to what appears to be a victim himself, of depression and self-imposed social isolation. from reports, virginia tech and the adjacent town of blacksburg were quiet and safe locations. an australian student interviewed spoke of how she felt much safer walking around the campus late at night then if she were walking around the streets of brisbane city. much like how i feel about my own campus and the streets here in saint lucia.

the students and academics who fell victim were from far and wide: the USA, but also canada, india, peru, puerto rico, and romania. they were reported as being achievers, go-getters - tomorrow's leaders and social engineers - and so many appear to be rich in talent and motivation. in the case of the academics, i can only assume that their motivation to teach alone speaks volumes of their characters. reminds me of my own peers and academics in medicine and science before that, some serious and straight-forward, some eccentric and original, all unique and talented.

i guess it makes me saddest to think that the community within virginia tech and blacksburg seems to carry itself in much the same way as saint lucia and my university does. safe, fun, relaxed, but academic and serious when it gets down to business - a place for people getting themselves somewhere.

these should be the people and a community least deserving of such an atrocity.

i am sullen towards those affected as if it were my own community.














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images: nbc and 'the age'

the marina and the margarine...

mood: chilled.
state i'm in: managed to get nothing done tonight that i wanted to... oh well.
tune: another level "guess i was a fool" (mj cole remix)


here's some pics from suffien's and my little trip to the coffs coast last week. it was the perfect remedy for the 11 weeks or med that has gone before it. i really wish i was back there now, still at ease.











diggers beach, coffs harbour - our accommodation was just over the dunes from this beach











suffien playing in the sand, diggers beach











suffien and i on diggers beach











suffien on diggers beach











gull on diggers beach











sea-eagle over macauley's headland, coffs harbour













looking south at dusk, macauley's headland











dusk on diggers beach











with the subaru forester, newell falls lookout - pretty comfy car, although unrefined; became a little tedious after a few hours on the road











dangar falls, west of dorrigo











scrubwren nest, at dangar falls - most people just walked past without noticing; pointed it out to some german tourists who proceeded to flash it with multi-thousand euro cameras and move on











jungle boy, at dangar falls











make a wish, near dangar falls











this presides over the dining room at the dorrigo hotel - one must ask... why?











pie with mash and peas, dorrigo hotel














gallery of green, dorrigo national park











emerging into the light from the canopy, dorrigo national park











every shade of green, dorrigo national park














crystal showers falls, dorrigo national park











suffien at maria's, the best damn italian restaurant i have ever been to














crazy fisherman dodging the waves, muttonbird island











heron skulking for lunch, muttonbird island


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images: mine

mondo weidro

mood: bloody tired.
state i'm in: mondo weirdo.
tune: just suffien snoring.




just got home from my 10 year high school reunion... yes i am that bloody old now.

it was very weird. sort of like a whole bunch weird dreams, probably ten years worth. not necessarily bad dreams, just downright weird. there were all these faces that i haven't even thought of in years thrust in my face.

i spent the whole day leading up undulating between a high state of excitement at the thought of catching up with some people that i like, and that made me laugh, and the the sickeningly low thought of having to make small talk with people i couldn't care less about. it all seemed so weird that i was making an effort, paying money and dressing up all fancy in some new threads to hang out with a group of people, most of whom i have spent the last 10 years avoiding. i mean, for the first few years after high school, i made a concerted effort to not return so many damn phone calls. (ok, it's not like i am THAT popular.)

so off i went, and took suffien, and arrived with my formal date from 10 years (to the weekend!) prior, marnie, and her boyfriend, niels. and, as i said, it was weird. most people i vaguly ignored, or made false salutations in the general direction of. some i made an effort to talk and catch up with: that is, the ones i though were ok in school.

i chatted to the 'geeks and asians' group (funny how they often go together) about how things in life have panned out for them. what was weird here was that for them doing med and becoming a doctor is the penultimate achievement. they are pharmacists, optometrists, teachers, and the like. and, not to boast, here's the guy who spent his high school days socialising and getting high doing med. i guess that felt good.

i think i pretty successfully managed to reconcile the person i was then with who i am now. there is more thinking to do regarding this. i am pretty much a million miles removed from who i was 10 years ago. i have come full circle, or two, in experience and personality, several times removed from who i was in high school. however, regardless of how i have felt about my former self over the last 10 years, something became clear: whilst i was so concerned about being mocked or made fun of in high school, there were others out there far worse off mentally, who looked toward me with envy, someone who could remain fairly true to themself, have a lot of fun, be sufficiently wise, but at the same time able to associate with all sorts of people, 'cool' or otherwise - i was able to straddle with ease between different groups of people, and do socially on a day-to-day basis what others only dreamed about. how acutely aware some people were of precisely who i was shocked me no end. it seems they were as aware, or more aware, of who i was then what i was.

there were a couple of weird experiences, with some people i would prefer not to see, whom i should have known better of years ago with regards to their characters. no great bother though.

by the end of the night, three things had become apparent from my former peers as being important:

1. i am going to be a doctor in the not to distant future... WOW!!!
2. i am decent looking and acting, thanks guys, even if some of you were drunk.
3. i have a near on perfect partner. i agree :-)

now i just have to graduate, keep my looks and personality (if they really are that good), and keep suffien.


time to go to bed now. will upload some pics from coffs coast trip soon.

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image: mansfield high school

mid-semester moët

mood: *yawns*.
state i'm in: still studying on holidays.
tune: bent 'always'.

i've been studying pretty madly these last 24 or so hours, well pretty madly considering i'm supposed to be on holidays. but there's a method in the madness...

suffien and i are picking up a car tomorrow afternoon, a subaru forrester, and setting off south, going AWOL for a few days. got a nice little polynesian bure-stlye place on the beach booked, complete with ensuite spa, and rainforest gardens, just outside of coffs harbour. the moët is already chilled.

i really need this after the last eleven weeks. can't wait to sit on the sand at night and watch the moon over the water.

here's hoping the place looks as good as the pictures :-)

democracy optional

mood: plodding.
state i'm in: holiday bliss... studying valvular heart disease.
tune: everything but the girl 'fascination' live.



now this is ridiculous! the federal government has just last week passed some of the most undemocratic legislation this country has recently seen. i have two issues:


1.
the legislation now means that voter rolls closes the night that the federal election is called. the calling of an election has traditionally been the primary prompt for people to update their details on election rolls. last election, the australian electoral commission (AEC) received a total of 423,975 enrolment cards between the time of the call of the election date, and the close of electoral rolls the night before the election. 78,816 of these were from first time voters; this election, these AUSTRALIANS will not be eligible to vote.

the government has said that they do not plan to fine people caught out on this occasion, however i doubt that earning any amount of revenue was considered when this legislation was drafted. the groups most at risk of being blatantly denied a voice at the next election are, therefore, young, recently come-of-age AUSTRALIANS, new AUSTRALIAN citizens, and those who frequently change addresses between elections, again, more than likely, young AUSTRALIANS. this represents what might be considered a large base of quite progressive (i.e. not likely liberal party) voters.


2.
expatriate AUSTRALIANS will now find it quite difficult being able to register to vote. if an AUSTRALIAN citizen lives overseas and misses an opportunity to vote at an election at any level (expats are not obliged to vote, but may choose to do so), they are likely to be struck off the electoral rolls. if an AUSTRALIAN citizen has lived overseas for more than three years, and has been struck off the electoral rolls, then they are prohibited by law from re-enrolling until they return.

over a million AUSTRALIAN citizens live abroad at any given time, and more than half a million AUSTRALIANS (the equivalent to 5 or 6 electorates) have lived abroad for over three years. that is a greater proportion of population than any other country. many of these AUSTRALIANS maintain an interest in australian politics, evidenced by the fact that many still vote in federal, if not state and local, elections. again, this is a progressively-minded group of voters.


to consider that our democracy has slipped into the murky depths of such dubious electoral roll rigging, i find utterly deplorable. john howard, you disrespectful man, please give these AUSTRALIANS back their voice!!!


to check your enrolment details with the AEC:

http://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/Publications/Fact_Sheets/Close_of_Rolls.htm

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image: GetUp!