Easter with Nick, Nick and Paul

I've been in Kununurra for just over a week now and I still haven't reached a consensus with myself about the time here. It's been really hard, but I don't work well unless the pressure is on. It's been messy and uncomfortable, but that was one of the reasons I came. It's been enlightening and I've made relationships with a few people at the very least that I'll treasure for a while. I'm sure next week when I've enjoyed the comforts of home for a few days I'll appreciate the trip as a whole a bit more. But right now all I can think about is my little corner in Smyth Rd and how badly I miss it.

We went camping in El Questro this weekend and more than anything it confirmed my ambition to drive across the US as my next big trip. I really enjoyed the comradery I've built up with some folks, but as anyone who has known me since high school can tell you, I freakin' hate camping. I can see the appeal the romanticism toward it, but its just not for me. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the weekend away.

We hiked up Emma Gorge yesterday which was spectacular. After an hour hike we slipped into the freezing water at the bottom of the gorge and after about 5 minutes I decided I couldn't take the cold any more so I lay on a rock like a lizard and got way too much sun. But it was peaceful and lovely.

The drive back to the campsite insisted music so I listened to Nick Drake (again for the one billionth time in the last few weeks) and I just fell in love with him again. On the way back to Kununurra today I listened to him again (Jesus, get over him right?), Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Paul Kelly. All desert/outback appropriate choices I like to think. We're back in the office now and 3 sleeps away from home. Boubar, get ready for me!

Smoking

I want to stop. Like for real. So I'm going to start doing regularly updates so I can guilt myself into having more responsibility than just me telling myself to stop.

It's Friday afternoon and I haven't had one day, but I have had at least one every day I've been in Kununurra. I'm sick of using the excuse of "I'm stressed" as why I've had another one. That's a straight up lie anyone, I just like it.

But its gross. You smell bad afterwards which I HATE and really and truly the main reason I'm stopping is because my skin is breaking out terribly. I know its a vacuous and vain reason to stop, but hey, everyone needs their own reason.

Unfortunately Dad's illness wasn't enough to make me stop because I'm still internalising everything about that but Jesus- if I needed a wake up call that should have been it. It's a punch in his face to keep going so I'm going to stop.

I've written it down now. It's out. And maybe only one or two people will read it but maybe that'll be enough of a reminder to stop.

I feel a bit more determined this time. I'm not addicted, its a choice I'm making about a stupid habit that I don't need to do. Fingers crossed eh?

Upwards

Nerves

I'm going to Kununurra tomorrow. I'm going with 5 other journo students and one of our lecturers as a placement to work with an organisation who helps give marketable skills to young indigenous people so they can find employment. We're going to expose them to how media workers work and to teach them the very basics about journalism and some broadcasting. I'll be honest- I'm terrified.

I know next to nothing about Kununurra. I only know one of the other girls well. I have never been to the north of WA. I have never driven on country roads. The next 12 days are going to be filled with things I've never done and at the moment it's 12.30am and I flight out in 12 hours and the tiredness that has sunk in has me feeling a bit numb. I'm dreading waking up tomorrow though and having that immediate hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I applied because I knew I needed to do something like this. I knew I needed to drag myself out of the nice little bubble I've created for myself where everything I write is centred around myself and the things I know. But that doesn't mean it'll be easy or comfortable. I am excited about some parts. Other parts I'm so unsure of myself its a joke. But its done now and I have no idea what to expect. The pillow is looking mighty comforting right about now.

Stay tuned.....

Promoter's Pain for Punter's Gain

Promoter’s Pain for Punter’s Gain

The scope of international music acts hitting Perth in the last few years has exploded and whilst this is good for punters who can afford it, local promotors are struggling to cope with the effect this has had on the market. The lamented cry of “no-one ever comes to Perth” is very rarely heard anymore but this has not made life any easier for the promoters working hard to bring international acts to Perth.

One of those promoters is local DJ, Charlie Bucket, a hip-hop, funk and soul DJ by night and part of Think Twice Promotions by day. Think Twice is a partnership between Charlie and Jimmy Lips, who was the creator of the Perth nightlife staple- Funk Club. Focussing on hip hop, funk and the genres that lend themselves to the music associated with Funk Club , Bucket and Lips have created a strong brand for Think Twice and a reputation for snagging international acts.

The live music scene in Perth has been revitalised in recent years with promoters bringing both big name international acts like U2, Coldplay and Bon Jovi heading to town, but also with more underground or less known international acts. Bucket and Lips have presented critically acclaimed international acts like Mayer Hawthorne, Peanut Butter Wolf, Dam Funk, Dead Prez, Aloe Blacc and plenty more to appreciative Perth audiences.

Bucket told 3rd Degree that Think Twice work with national promoters to make sure that a Perth date is added to a national tour for an artist who is coming to Australia.

“Usually a promoter on the East Coast will make you an offer for an act and basically we will take on the Perth show. You build up relationships with agents and they will offer you more gigs which makes it easier to bring acts to Perth” Mr Bucket said.

But Bucket does stress that while building good relationships with East Coast promoters is vital to keep shows coming to Perth, ensuring the gigs that do get booked will sell out is becoming harder.

“Its tough at the moment. There seems to be a saturation of acts coming through. There are gigs in Perth now that 5 years ago would’ve sold out but we’re getting less and less numbers now. We’re doing a lot of work to get shows over the line, but basically we’re finding that at the moment that there is just too much coming” he said.

Part of the over-satuaration issue for promoters is the change in the way that shows in Perth are able to be marketed. There have been big steps forward for promoters in both marketing and ticket selling in the last few years.

Promoters can now set up both company and event pages sites like Facebook and Twitter where communicate directly with consumers. Bucket says that the nature of promotions has changed significantly because once it was important to have a strong street presence whereas now building a brand is vital.

“Facebook is definitely an effective tool. The viral stuff does help because if you can create groups for gigs where people can go to you build up trust and people will trust your shows and keep coming to your shows.”

Bigger promotions companies like Mellen Events and Jam Music, who respectively promote the Future Music Festival and the Good Vibrations Festival have the luxury of an established company behind them to offer ticket specials like the 'Bring a friend for Free' offer that Jam Music offered for Good Vibrations or the very successful 'Buy Now, Pay Later' ticket offer that Mellen ran in apprehension of Future Music .

Mellen offered punters the opportunity to pay their ticket off in controlled instalments rather than in a lump sum. This ticketing system worked particularly well because the event on March 6 sold out and Arena Joondalup was crammed full with over 40,000 people. Jam Music, who declined to comment for this article, offered the 'Half Price Ticket' offer and the 'Bring a friend for free' offer when Good Vibrations in Perth failed to sell out.

Bucket says that although some festivals like Future Music are well planned and cater to the young people who will be buying the tickets, there is still a strong desire for smaller shows in Perth.

“In a city of over a million people, to have these events and festivals just makes it really difficult to maintain. I think there will be a shift in the music scene in the next few years where the larger festivals will die out because people will want to go back to that intimate kind of feel that those gigs can’t offer” he said.

Promoters in WA appear to be locked into a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' type of scenario where there are plenty of offers for acts to be brought to Perth but this increase is making punters more choosy about which gigs they go to. For those able to afford every gig that comes to Perth they're interested in, seeing live music in Perth has never been easier, but spare a thought for those promoters working hard to keep these gigs coming to Perth and to ensure the vibrant live music scene in Perth continues.

Originally Listed: http://3degree.ecu.edu.au/articles/3575

Are GM Foods looming for WA?

With debates about Genetically Modified (GM) foods still cropping up in State Parliament as recently as March 16, we thought it was time to ask again where the State Government is headed in terms of its relationship with Monsanto.

Last August Monsanto bought 20 per cent of grain research body InterGrain from the State Government and the two companies began a “technology collaboration”.

At the time is was said that Monsanto's $10.5 million investment would be "used to expand InterGrain’s expertise, upgrade infrastructure and make important technological advances." But just who is InterGrain, and why has the Labor Party been so opposed to the investment? How ethical is it for a company, that is particularly well known for its genetic engineering technology and bullish tactics in the United States agricultural sector, to be so involved in the research and breeding of cereal grain in WA?

InterGrain was set up as a company in October 2007, when the State Government transferred its Wheat Breeding program from the Department of Agriculture and the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC) into a newly formed company, that it then 100% owned. The timing of the formation of Intergrain was linked with the passing in 2007 of the WA Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act, which allows the government to be a shareholder in a commercial entity.

According to the Chairman of InterGrain, Dale Baker, the need to create a commercialised business set up around the wheat breading industry in WA was undeniable. “There is a trend in Australia for wheat breeding to be run as a business, rather than as a state government or university program. This move relates to the concept of competitive neutrality, where government resources may not be used to compete with commercial enterprise.

“Until the early 1990s, wheat breeding in Australia was through publicly funded programs and then in 1994 the passing of the Plant Breeders Rights Act allowed breeders to claim End Point Royalties.

“This payment, essentially for intellectual property rights, has enabled wheat breeding to become commercial,” Mr Baker said. Wheat, and ultimately wheat breeding, is a highly valuable asset for WA with 40 per cent of Australia’s wheat yield coming from WA.

InterGrain remain at the forefront of research and so far are yet to venture into genetic engineering. At the time of the Monsanto acquisition, the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Terry Redman, suggested that there would be no immediate plans for implementation of GM crops in WA.

“In the short term there will be significant benefits to the conventional (non-GM) cereal breeding program which will utilise rapid and high volume robotic technologies and breeding systems to identify traits for high yield, drought tolerance and nutrient use efficiency,” he said.

“These breeding technology services will significantly improve our wheat varieties and ultimately deliver higher yields and value to WA growers.”

In all media reports surrounding the Monsanto acquisition there was a lot of talk about the major positives that the deal will have for InterGrain, as they could have access to Monsanto’s wealth of technology. What is less clear, however, are the reasons behind why Monsanto is so interested in WA’s agricultural sector. This lack of clarity leaves room for speculation that Monsanto may be trying to encourage an increase in the use of its herbicide RoundUp, or possibly the introduction of its RoundUp Ready (i.e. tolerant) GM crops.

What is undeniable is that there is a major opportunity for Monsanto to purchase more of InterGrain, possibly even a controlling interest, and with this comes the possibility that GM crops will be introduced to WA. More on GM crops next week. Originally Listed Here: http://3degree.ecu.edu.au/articles/3627

Paradise Lost: How Long Do the Marshall Islands Have?

Marketed as a tropical Island getaway the Marshall Islands are the perfect place to relax and unwind with miles of pristine beaches, lines of palm trees groaning under the weight of delicious coconuts and more mouth-watering sea food than you could ever want. Without trying to sound too much like a holiday guide, the Marshall Islands are a tropical paradise which has emerged from its war-beaten past beautifully unscathed. But for just how long will this paradise be able to be enjoyed by its inhabitants and those smart enough to seek respite in its idyllic splendour?

Made up of a collection of islands and atolls in the Pacific Ocean, The Marshall Islands has had a history of occupation and nuclear testings and the islands were areas of high activity during WWI and WWII. The Marshall Islands is a nation that still relies heavily on the natural resources available to its people, particularly fishing and coconuts, and political life in the country is relatively stable. Although beautiful and tropical, the islands and atolls of The Marshall Islands are coming dangerously close to being literally swept under the rising threat of ever-climbing sea levels and it is entirely possible that in years to come, some parts of the inhabited Marshall Islands will be underwater.

The Marshall Islands saw an immense amount of martial activity during the Second World War. At the conclusion of WWI, when Germany surrendered all of its Pacific colonies, Japan took control of the colony of the Marshall Islands and became much more involved in attempts to change the sociology of the Marshallese people. When WWII broke out the Marshall Islands were invaded by US Forces and the US remained the occupying power until 1979 when, according to the US Department of State, the constitution of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) was officially recognised by the US and the government of the RMI was established. In 1986 the Compact of Free Association with the US entered into force which entitled sovereignty to the RMI and an assurance of defence and security by the US, but in return the RMI are obliged not to enter into any behaviour that doesn’t lend itself to the defence responsibilities that the US have toward the RMI.

One of the reasons behind the Compact of Free Association is the “contributions and sacrifices made by the people of the Marshall Islands in regard to the Nuclear Testing Program and...the responsibility for compensation owing to citizens of the Marshall Islands for loss or damage to property and person resulting from that testing.” In the years between 1946 and 1958 the Unites States ran 68 nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands and while these tests are openly admitted to the tests began a relationship of accruement between the US and the Marshall Islands. Lump sum payments were paid to the Marshall Islands and Tribunals were set up so the people of the Marshall Islands could always hold the Unites States accountable for any future problems these tests amounted to.

A peaceful country at the moment, war and disputes are not something the Marshallese have to worry about but there is a more malignant threat that lingers over them. In a world where threats and warnings about climate change are heard so often it is easy to become complacent about what could happen in the worst case scenario- but for the people of the Marshall Islands that worst case scenario is not as far off as those countries whose inhabitable land mass sits innocuously metres and metres above sea level.

The Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands is of particular concern. The atoll chain is only 1 metre above sea level and is home to over half of the population of the Marshall Islands. In 1992 the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme published a case study into the possible effects of rising sea levels titled “Vulnerability Assessment of Accelerated Sea Rise” in which the possible outcomes of a considerable sea level rise were researched. The report suggested that the rise in sea levels that were predicted in 1992 suggested that there would be significant changes to lifestyle, economic development, water resources and food security.

The Marshall Islands has signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and ratified it in October 1992 according to the Marshall Islands website on Climate Change. This participation has lead to the country being involved in programs like the Pacific Island Climate Change Program whereby countries are assisted in their implementation of the rules of UNFCCC. These programs began in the early 1990’s but the urgency for drastic change has become more important in the last few years. But as is often the case when it comes to social change in regard to climate change, it is the smaller countries that have ratified UNFCCC who are most at risk.

In October 2010 the President of the Marshall Islands, Iroj Jurelang Zedkaia, addressed the United Nations General Assembly imploring UN member states to speed up action on climate change and to recognise that the situation for vulnerable states like The Marshall Islands is becoming ever more dire.

“Those most vulnerable and those willing to confront the challenges facing us must take leadership in this process by putting forward our own agreement spelling real and ambitious commitments and actions to address climate change – we urge others to follow,” he said.

“It should be a matter of serious concern to the Secretary-General that we are actively contemplating risks to our territorial integrity and UN membership, that we are considering options to safeguard our population’s political rights if our land – and our thin water table – becomes unusable in the face of rising seas.”

A dramatic highlighting of the risks facing the Marshall Island was a series of waves and severe storms flooded the capital of Majuro after which a state of emergency was declared. Up to 600 people were displaced and dozens of homes destroyed but more than anything the event accentuated just how vulnerable Majuro and the Marshall Islands will be should sea levels continue to rise.

In 2010 the reality of rising sea levels became too significant to ignore anymore so the Marshallese government initiated plans to build a sea wall along the coast of Majuro to prolong the effects of a sea level rise for at least a few more years. The sea wall plans are not just as simple as building a wall in the sea however. The UN Ambassador to the Marshall Islands launched a plan in October 2010 to raise about $20 Million US dollars to build a wall spanning 5 kilometres along the coast. The hope in erecting the sea wall is be to avoid the damage that rising sea levels will cause in the next 2 to 3 years by seemingly prolonging the damage for a few more years while other plans can be made. The Deputy General Manager for the Environment Protection Authority in the Marshall Islands suggested to Radio New Zealand International that the plan for the sea wall was to “save the island from eroding and keep it a bit longer and try to sustain it a little bit longer. For example if we were to have ten more years on our lifespan, it would probably add another ten.”

There are dramatic problems that the Marshallese people will face in the next few decades. With so much reliance on assistance from other nations there is real threat to the way of life in the Marshall Islands and, most tragically, the reality of whether or not the islands and atolls will in fact be liveable in the years to come. If sea levels do continue to rise at the rate they are the country will quite simply be forced underwater. And if so, what then? Where do the Marshallese go? How do they hold onto their culture and roots if they cannot live in their own country? The likelihood of having to move an entire country, as ridiculous as it sounds, is becoming more and more of a reality with every passing month and year without drastic action. What becomes of a nation when the nation is forced to up and move and find a new country to live in?