Not happy about the carbon tax? Tweet it

This morning the Gillard Government's carbon tax and emissions trading legislation passed the House of Representatives.  As I discovered on Facebook and Twitter, this made a lot of people happy.  It made many others angry.

In Parliament, Labor and Independent MPs applauded, cheered and shook hands after the bills were passed.  Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Prime Minister Julia Gillard even exchanged a kiss!

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd share a kiss in Parliament this morning

In the public gallery, protesters interrupted the Prime Minister while she was attempting to answer a question, chanting "no mandate, democracy is dead".

I read about this on ABC News online.  But I first got a sense of people's reactions to the passing of the carbon tax and the emmissions trading scheme on Facebook and Twitter.

The first I heard of the carbon tax bills passing through the Lower House was via a tweet by SBS World News Australia.

After that social media was a buzz with applause and condemnation.

ABC News online perhaps summed it up best, publishing a selection of comments from both Twitter and Facebook.  Here are some examples of those in praise of the carbon tax announcement, as posted on the ABC web site:

"Financial mkts unmoved by carbon vote: So biz as usual. Lead coming from US stock futures & Europe. Zero sign of any mkt fears."

"Today I feel more human again. Today I feel like singing. #Australia now will have a #Carbon #Tax! Fantastic!"

And those dismayed:

"It's a sad day for Australia and a sad day for democracy.No Labor candidate will ever darken my door again. And @JuliaGillard, you're a liar."

"This Carbon Tax is an act of unilateral economic disarmament. It's going to harm growth, cost jobs etc etc - and FOR WHAT? Idiocy."

There are many more examples quoted in the ABC article.

Personally, I'm an advocate of a carbon tax and an emissions trading scheme.  I believe in the principle of user-pays and we're all using (or more aptly abusing) the environment!

In fact, I feel so strongly about it, I'm going to go and tweet it right away!

You can find me on Twitter @sasha_lennon

The footy season is over, so keep reading

AFL that is.  I unashamedly follow Australian Rules football (Aussie Rules) before all other sports.  In fact, other sports don't get much of a look-in, and online news has allowed me to pursue my passion with ease.

Hawthorn's Shane Crawford

Like other ex-pat Victorians, I've been known to moan a bit about the limited (though markedly improved) television coverage of our indigenous game in the northern states.

With the latest television rights deal struck between the AFL, Foxtel and Channel Seven, it appears TV coverage of AFL matches is about to improve (though it will cost the average punter a bit more in subscription fees).

Irrespective, where television has failed me in the past (and may fail me in future if I can't afford a Foxtel subscription), online news reporting of AFL match previews, matches and all the post-game analysis is freely available on the Internet.

Add to that the seemingly endless data on club profiles, player performances, club news, features and the opinions of the so-called 'experts' (not to forget the regular off-field scandals) and online 'footy news' provides as much information as one could possibly consume.

For some reason (maybe it's just me), whatever the numerous official and unofficial AFL sites serve up, I will readily devour.

Just this morning I spent a good half-hour reading in-depth player profiles as the AFL clubs embark on 'Trade Week'.  This is the week when prospective new talent (that is, young footballers) is traded in the form of draft selections.

Experienced players (that is, those closer to the end rather than the beginning of their careers) are recycled as each club attempts to improve its player list in preparation for next season.

Reading the AFL's web site (www.afl.com.au) I've learnt that my club, Hawthorn, is interested in securing the services of an experienced forward to bolster the club's existing crop of goal-kicking talent.

Apparently, Hawthorn is willing to trade an early draft pick (that is, a 17 or 18-year-old potential star of the future) in order to secure such an established player.

What I like about the online version of AFL news is it allows me to keep in touch with the game, from anywhere in the world, throughout the course of the year and not just when games are being played.

The 2012 footy season won't start until March.  In the meantime, I'm going to keep reading about it online.

What the...?

The Advertising Standards Bureau recently rejected calls for the slogan "WTF?" to be banned from use in advertising by a store that sells children's furniture.

The Bureau's Advertising Standards Board (the Board) made the ruling after it received complaints about an advertisement for Kids Warehouse which featured 'teen-talk' slogans including "WTF?" which appeared in the ad alongside a sad face.

Kids Warehouse said the slogan meant "why the face?' and that it is a well-known saying and used among young people and families.

It said that the slogan can also mean "welcome to Facebook", the social networking web site.

Seriously, what the...? As Kids Warehouse suggests, I'm either "out-of-touch" or "crude-minded".

I always assumed it meant "what the f..k?" as apparently many other people do.

The Board considered that older children and adults may notice the advertisement on the basis of the acronym but that in conjunction with the image of the "sad face‟ it is reasonable that the WTF is consistent with the modern term, “Why the Face?”

The Board further considered that while the use of WTF may be understood as “What the F..k?” by some members of the community, the use of the term WTF was, of itself, not language which is necessarily strong or obscene, or inappropriate in the circumstances.

The Board also said it was unlikely that very young children would understand the acronym as having any meaning.

Perhaps once they start using Facebook they will?

The Advertising Standards Board's case report can be downloaded here.

Brisbane's Valley Fiesta to showcase young artists

Photo: a scene from Valley Fiesta 2010 by Conan Whitehouse for Strut N' Fret Production House

A Council-funded 'creative space' for young people provides the platform for emerging artists who will perform at Brisbane’s Valley Fiesta on Saturday. 

Map: Fortitude Valley

Visible Ink in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley has been a hive of activity as a host of young artists tune-up to perform at the 2011 Valley Fiesta.

Visible Ink is a Brisbane City Council-funded program that provides free or low-cost facilities for young people aged 12 to 26, such as computer labs, meeting rooms and rehearsal space.

At this year’s Valley Fiesta, the Visible Ink Youth Stage will showcase emerging artists who have used the program’s facilities to prepare for the event.

Valley Fiesta is a free two-day street party which aims to showcase the best live music, food, fashion, art and entertainment that the Valley has to offer.  Streets are closed to traffic and performances are held on six outdoor street stages.

But the Fiesta is not just about entertainment; the popular event also celebrates the Valley’s vibrant social and cultural diversity.

Beauty and the Beats, an all female acoustic soul band, is just one of the local acts that will take to the Visible Ink Stage in Fortitude Valley’s Chinatown Mall on Saturday. 

Valerie Musu, a member of the Brisbane-based quartet says the youth space has provided invaluable support for Beauty and the Beats which otherwise would not have had a place to rehearse.

“We all have full-time jobs and Visible Ink is the only place we know of where we can rehearse after work,” she said.

“Rehearsal spaces usually charge about $100 per hour while Visible Ink is free.  It’s a great initiative.”

Elerrina McPherson and Angie Fleming, both from Ipswich, established a performing arts company called DreamWave Entertainment in July of this year.

DreamWave’s hip-hop dance act ‘IMVU’, will be performing on Valley Fiesta’s satellite stages on Ann Street, near the Brunswick Street Mall and at the Brunswick Street entrance to the Fortitude Valley train station.

IMVU (which stands for Inspire, Motivate, Versatile and Unique) consists of seven dancers aged 19 to 26.

Ms McPherson says DreamWave used the free rehearsal space at Visible Ink to hold auditions with over 100 young dancers from all over Brisbane, from which IMVU’s dancers were selected.

“It was just a massive month of auditioning,” she said.

Ms Fleming says DreamWave plans to open studios in Ipswich, Logan and Fortitude Valley in 2012.

“We want to get our own studios but at the moment, we’re just starting out,” she said.

Photo: Angie Fleming (left) and Elerrina McPherson of DreamWave Entertainment

That’s where Visible Ink has played an important role, by helping the young creative entrepreneurs to establish themselves.

As well as providing quality rehearsal space and other facilities, Visible Ink mentors young artists.

Ms Fleming says that without the help of Visible Ink, DreamWave would not have come this far.   

“They’ve really got behind DreamWave and what we’re about and have just encouraged us to keep going, which is great,” she said.

Kate Mocsay studies social work at Queensland University of Technology and works at Visible Ink on a student placement.

She says Visible Ink gives young artists who use the space the confidence they need to make it in the real world and the Visible Ink Stage at Valley Fiesta is testament to that.

“It [Visible Ink] promotes the idea that you can do it as a job and it’s not just art for art’s sake,” she said.

Valley Fiesta will take place in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley on 7^th and 8^th October 2011.  The first performances will take to the stage on Friday evening and the festivities will conclude at around 11.00pm on Saturday.    

Information on artists who will be performing plus the live music program and other information about Valley Fiesta can be found at www.valleyfiesta.com.

Information on how to get to Valley Fiesta via public transport can be found on the Translink web site or phone 13 12 30 for train, bus and taxi services operating during Valley Fiesta.

Information about Visible Ink can be found at http://www.visibleink.org/, by visiting the Brisbane City Council web site or by contacting Council on (07) 3403 8888.