This week is World AIDS Week. It is about educating and raising awareness about AIDS. This is definitely a problem that needs the worlds attention especially when it comes to Africa. But just last night we were watching a TEDTalk by Emily Oster where she argues that education and awareness may only be effective where other problems don’t already exist. Here findings show that if the life expectancy of an area is already low then it is often the case that the same area will have a high number of HIV/AIDS cases. In a sense she suggests that treating other things along side education and awareness may be the most effective way of dealing with the spread of AIDS. It is a very interesting talk that I feel shows you how you can look at a problem from different angles and I urge you to click on the image above to watch the talk.
Monthly Archive for November, 2007
December 2nd - 15th 2007
Today is Candice’s last day at Urban Grind. It is a very sad day as she has been with us for over two and a half years and is like family now. We love her to bits and I know that many of you do too. I am so grateful to have had Candice work with us. She has always put in the kind of effort that comes from ownership or a sense of being a part of something. I know that she loves Urban Grind and all the people that make it what it is. She will miss you all.
So here is wishing Candice all the best as she heads north to Hamilton Island looking for work and a beach to get lost on. Which is why, if you are thinking of getting her something as a little going away present we are passing the hat around. Our little Candice is leaving town with about $400 in her pocket. (I do pay her and if you want to know where it goes, ask the Paddo). Most are just throwing in a small amount but your gift is guaranteed to buy you many tears at the airport this Saturday when I present the little bundle to her. Candice is not very tech savvy so she won’t see this post for a while.
I love you Candice, I will miss you, but I know it is time for you to go. You have so much to offer the world. You will make an impact.
12 Nov 2007
Dear Morgan,
Thank you for your contribution of $200.00 to the One Laptop per Child Foundation. Further we confirm that no tangible benefits were received by you, the donor, in exchange for the gift referenced above.
The mission of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) movement is to ensure that every school-aged child in the lesser-developed parts of the world is able to engage effectively with their own personal laptop, networked to the world, so that they, their families and their communities can openly collaborate as they learn and learn about learning together.
The OLPC Foundation is focused on enhancing and sustaining learning among those children, their families and communities in lesser developed communities by ensuring rich, diverse and open access to innovative learning materials and by encouraging interactive learning, communication and exploration with their XO laptops. For this purpose the Foundation provides grants and other support for the development and use of collaborative learning resources and other initiatives that enrich children’s learning and learning about learning. We will also provide support the purchase of laptops for children.
Your contribution will help us move forward with these important programs for children. Please tell your friends and colleagues about the One Laptop per Child program (www.laptop.org) and encourage them also to support our mission.
Sincerely,
Robert D. Fadel
Treasurer,
One Laptop per Child Foundation
NOTE: This donation was made with Urban Grind funds even though it has been addressed to me personally. We just gave a laptop to a child in another country. How cool is that?
Via :: caradvice.com.au and my bro.
Lomographs by Gavin Bannerman
Opening Saturday, 17 November 6 - 8pm
Exhibition 18 November – 1 December
Opening hours: 7 - 4pm
(Mon-Fri), 7 - 3pm (Sat), 7 - 1pm (Sun)
Contact: 0421 976 425 or gbannerman@gmail.com
My images are quick glimpses of the surrounding world. They are the signs, the faces, the trees and the streets that pass me by. Each photograph was taken with a Lomo Compakt Automat (LC-A), a Russian-made camera that was used for espionage during the Cold War. This camera and its associated movement - Lomography - provide a starting point for my work.
Lomography espouses the principle of “shooting from the hip”. Pure lomographs are unconscious, unmediated and instinctive. They are captured with a piece of equipment so superseded it’s at the cutting edge.
I have been taking Lomos since 2000, capturing the minute details of buildings, vehicles, bodies and places. I am not a hard-line Lomographer; I compose some images, I take some haphazardly,I revel in blurry streaks of light, I adore crisp, clear portraits.
These images are to be enjoyed, to give you that vague feeling, equal parts déjà vu, half-remembered dream and stone-cold reality. I want to show common things so we go away feeling good about our lives. For me, “everyday” is not a dirty word.
There is no Urban Grind West End anymore. It has been this way for over 2 years now. Charlton and I are no longer partners, and Urban Grind West End changed it’s name to Ugees a long time ago. Before I go on, I urge you to seek Charlton’s side of the story. I also want you to know that I never wanted to take this public. I always hoped that Charlton and I could just resolve this privately, but it seems that I was wrong.
About 6 years ago I started Urban Grind in West End. After a while I employed Charlton, then after a while longer I gave him a partnership. I appreciated his hard work and sense of ownership that he brought to Urban Grind. We were friends.
It turned out that Charlton and I had very different ideas on where to take Urban Grind, and our directions were not complementary. We came to a point where there was no moving forward together. By this time we had 2 shops between us. Charlton was running the already established West End Urban Grind, and I was running the new shop at Paddington. In dissolving the partnership the simplest option seemed to be to take a shop each and call it even. Due to the differing ideas though, there could not be 2 Urban Grinds. The name of the West End shop would have to change as this was the shop that Charlton was taking. Rachel and I birthed Urban Grind so that name was staying with us. Charlton agreed to this, registered and started trading under Ugees. There was a disagreement over signage though…
Continue reading ‘There is only one Urban Grind’
Food Connect is proudly hosting farmer John Peterson and two special movie screenings of his award winning film on Dec 1st at Ahimsa House, Horan Street, West End.
Screening Times: 5:30pm & 8:30pm.
$60 - Families (2 adults & 2 children),
$25 - Adults,
$20 - Concession/Student Cards,
$15 - Under 15’s
$10 - Over 5’s
Call Food Connect for further details and bookings: (07) 3216 7555
Oh and while you are at it. Sign up for Food Connect. They are our local example of what the movie is all about - Community Supported Agriculture.
For most people Christmas is a time to celebrate and share in the magic of Christmas. However, for many families in our local community this time of year can be particularly tough. With increasing financial pressures being placed on families many face a difficult Christmas.
Each year Communify Qld in conjunction with Rotary conducts a food and toy drive to assist families experiencing financial hardship. We are asking local people to support this project by donating non perishable food items in the box provided.
With your help we can continue supporting families and individuals that would otherwise not have a Christmas meal or gift to give their children. All donations will go directly to families through food hampers, ensuring they are able to celebrate Christmas together.
Your donation will make a difference to someone’s Christmas.
You can find more info about Communify Qld’s programs at their website. Urban Grind will be endeavoring to do more with them in the future, and are glad to have found a local organisation that is servicing the social needs of Paddington and surrounding suburbs. It looks like they are doing great things, so if you have not heard of them please check out their website and look at ways that you might be able to help them to help those that need it in our community.
