Not a Bush Christening

On the outer Barcoo where the churches are few,
And men of religion are scanty,
On a road never cross'd 'cept by folk that are lost,
One Michael Magee had a shanty.

Now this Mike was the dad of a ten-year-old lad,
Plump, healthy, and stoutly conditioned;
He was strong as the best, but poor Mike had no rest
For the youngster had never been christened,

And his wife used to cry, "If the darlin' should die
Saint Peter would not recognise him."
But by luck he survived till a preacher arrived,
Who agreed straightaway to baptise him.

Now the artful young rogue, while they held their collogue,
With his ear to the keyhole was listenin',
And he muttered in fright while his features turned white,
"What the divil and all is this christenin'?"

He was none of your dolts, he had seen them brand colts,
And it seemed to his small understanding,
If the man in the frock made him one of the flock,
It must mean something very like branding.

So away with a rush he set off for the bush,
While the tears in his eyelids they glistened-
"'Tis outrageous," says he, "to brand youngsters like me,
I'll be dashed if I'll stop to be christened!"

Like a young native dog he ran into a log,
And his father with language uncivil,
Never heeding the "praste" cried aloud in his haste,
"Come out and be christened, you divil!"

But he lay there as snug as a bug in a rug,
And his parents in vain might reprove him,
Till his reverence spoke (he was fond of a joke)
"I've a notion," says he, "that'll move him."

"Poke a stick up the log, give the spalpeen a prog;
Poke him aisy-don't hurt him or maim him,
'Tis not long that he'll stand, I've the water at hand,
As he rushes out this end I'll name him.

"Here he comes, and for shame! ye've forgotten the name-
Is it Patsy or Michael or Dinnis?"
Here the youngster ran out, and the priest gave a shout-
"Take your chance, anyhow, wid 'Maginnis'!"

As the howling young cub ran away to the scrub
Where he knew that pursuit would be risky,
The priest, as he fled, flung a flask at his head
That was labelled "Maginnis's Whisky!"

And Maginnis Magee has been made a J.P.,
And the one thing he hates more than sin is
To be asked by the folk who have heard of the joke,
How he came to be christened "Maginnis"!
A B Banjo Paterson

From The Bulletin, 16 December 1893.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Looking at the books for the year

Well, the scrutiny of Estimates by Parliament is over and we have survived … well, sort of … because we now have to do the work we weren’t doing while we were preparing for estimates.

But, whoever said Parliament was boring, hasn’t read Hansard.

And I quote:

"Mr MILLS: Treasurer, has the department been the subject of any form of criminal damage?

Ms PRINCE: I am not sure what you mean by criminal damage?

Mr MILLS: By criminal damage, I mean graffiti, windows broken.

Ms PRINCE: Not that I am aware of.

Mr MILLS: Theft?

Ms PRINCE: I know the Tattslotto fund was taken from Treasury pool about a month ago, which was about $30. I am not aware of any other."

But perhaps the most of it can be roughly summed up with an international cartoon. Perhaps in the global village many things change, but many others stay the same.

Blogging - the self help psychiatrist?

Taken from Scientific American Magazine - May 22, 2008 ... and definitely worth a read.

Blogging--It's Good for You - The therapeutic value of blogging becomes a focus of study
By Jessica Wapner

Self-medication may be the reason the blogosphere has taken off. Scientists (and writers) have long known about the therapeutic benefits of writing about personal experiences, thoughts and feelings. But besides serving as a stress-coping mechanism, expressive writing produces many physiological benefits. Research shows that it improves memory and sleep, boosts immune cell activity and reduces viral load in AIDS patients, and even speeds healing after surgery. A study in the February issue of the Oncologist reports that cancer patients who engaged in expressive writing just before treatment felt markedly better, mentally and physically, as compared with patients who did not.

Scientists now hope to explore the neurological underpinnings at play, especially considering the explosion of blogs. According to Alice Flaherty, a neuroscientist at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital, the placebo theory of suffering is one window through which to view blogging. As social creatures, humans have a range of pain-related behaviors, such as complaining, which acts as a “placebo for getting satisfied,” Flaherty says. Blogging about stressful experiences might work similarly.

Flaherty, who studies conditions such as hypergraphia (an uncontrollable urge to write) and writer’s block, also looks to disease models to explain the drive behind this mode of communication. For example, people with mania often talk too much. “We believe something in the brain’s limbic system is boosting their desire to communicate,” Flaherty explains. Located mainly in the midbrain, the limbic system controls our drives, whether they are related to food, sex, appetite, or problem solving. “You know that drives are involved [in blogging] because a lot of people do it compulsively,” Flaherty notes. Also, blogging might trigger dopamine release, similar to stimulants like music, running and looking at art.

The frontal and temporal lobes, which govern speech—no dedicated writing center is hardwired in the brain—may also figure in. For example, lesions in Wernicke’s area, located in the left temporal lobe, result in excessive speech and loss of language comprehension. People with Wernicke’s aphasia speak in gibberish and often write constantly. In light of these traits, Flaherty speculates that some activity in this area could foster the urge to blog.

Scientists’ understanding about the neurobiology underlying therapeutic writing must remain speculative for now. Attempts to image the brain before and after writing have yielded minimal information because the active regions are located so deep inside. Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that the brain lights up differently before, during and after writing, notes James Pennebaker, a psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin. But Pennebaker and others remain skeptical about the value of such images because they are hard to duplicate and quantify.

Most likely, writing activates a cluster of neurological pathways, and several researchers are committed to uncovering them. At the University of Arizona, psychologist and neuroscientist Richard Lane hopes to make brain-imaging techniques more relevant by using those techniques to study the neuroanatomy of emotions and their expressions. Nancy Morgan, lead author of the Oncologist study, is looking to conduct larger community-based and clinical trials of expressive writing. And Pennebaker is continuing to investigate the link between expressive writing and biological changes, such as improved sleep, that are integral to health. “I think the sleep angle is one of the more promising ones,” he says.

Whatever the underlying causes may be, people coping with cancer diagnoses and other serious conditions are increasingly seeking—and finding—solace in the blogosphere. “Blogging undoubtedly affords similar benefits” to expressive writing, says Morgan, who wants to incorporate writing programs into supportive care for cancer patients.

Some hospitals have started hosting patient-authored blogs on their Web sites as clinicians begin to recognize the therapeutic value. Unlike a bedside journal, blogging offers the added benefit of receptive readers in similar situations, Morgan explains: “Individuals are connecting to one another and witnessing each other’s expressions—the basis for forming a community.”

This article was originally printed with the title, "The Healthy Type". Extracted from Scientific American May 2008 - full article at http://www.sciam.com/

Runaway avoids return

I have heard that some runaways will do almost anything to avoid being returned to their family.

The reason behind this emotion is perhaps hard to understand for many people who enjoy the “normal life.”

Runaways represent a unique population among adolescents; whether this is a cause or a consequence of running away is unknown. Studies have shown that runaways are less adjusted than their non-runaway peers, have lower achievement levels, are more frequently depressed, have poor family relations, and engage in more delinquent activities (Rohr 1996).

Other researchers have suggested that runaways are sociopaths—that is, they refuse to commit to or believe in the traditional values and norms of the society within which they live. In addition, runaways have been portrayed as impulsive loners who are prone to excessive aggression when frustrated. They can also be passive-aggressive and possess several different personality disorders.

Because the act of running away frequently involves feelings of intense alienation between them and their families, these children are, many times, quite exploitative and manipulative of other people. They do not trust others, thus they do not feel any obligation to treat others with respect. For this reason, many social programs designed to administer to this population focus on the provision of psychiatric care and counseling.

Is there a help group for this runaway? Is this why the ones you see at the shopping centres are either young or appear to have aged early, rather than gracefully - is that the result of them spending so much time living on the streets.

Manipulative? Yes, it would appear to be the case with this one. What technique was used to get assistance to get this one where it was.

Hmmm.

Songbird in the city

Tonight I heard a songbird sing.

Definitely not the tune of a jungle fowl, which he did sing about, and we hear in the suburbs here quite often; but the voice of a very talented young man with a most beautiful voice singing songs of his country and of his land. Songs with words of colour, images of sunsets and sounds of the wind which totally belie the fact that this young man has been blind from birth. Hauntingly, beautiful music, the spirit of which will stay with you long after the music has stopped. His name – Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, is from the Gumatj nation, his mother from the Galpu nation; and his new solo album is called Gurrumul, which presents songs of his people, culture and land sung in his angelic voice, with elegant backing of guitars and double bass. His solo performances are a rare treat and if you are given the opportunity, should not be missed. You don't need to close your eyes and listen to him sing; but if you do, you will be taken on a journey, far away from where you were.

A former member of Yothu Yindi, his own band, The Saltwater Band, hail from Galiwin’ku on Elcho Island, NE Arnhem Land, and are a much loved and most popularly noted Indigenous band, partly because of Gurrumul’s influence and guidance. But this is not Yothu Yindi!

Long-time friend and co-member of the Saltwater Band Michael Hohnen said that Geoffrey’s talent as a solo artist was recognized about 10 years ago. "We played together just with double bass and guitar one day and it sounded fantastic. Gurrumul got really excited about the sound and so we started testing the water doing a couple of live shows supporting other people and we just got an enormous reaction from his family and from people saying 'you’ve got to do more.'"

The album was recorded in Melbourne and was mixed and mastered in Darwin and showcases Gurrumul’s unique way of playing the guitar. "He plays the guitar upside down – so it’s a normal tuned guitar but he plays it backwards. This came about because there weren’t left-handed guitars on communities."

With the release of this, his first solo album, Geoffrey highlights the tremendous talent he has to offer Indigenous music in Australia, and indeed, the world. I think it is one of the most important and beautiful Indigenous albums ever recorded.

Go to the link below and listen to his sound.

http://www.myspace.com/gurrumul

Life on the north shore hasn't changed

IT began as a sordid tale of steamy and illicit underage sex in a leafy North Shore suburb of Sydney.

But yesterday it sounded like a typical encounter in the affluent but ageing suburb of Mosman - just another lustful romp among consenting adults with lots of wrinkled grey skin.

Thong Dee is the first elephant to fall pregnant in Australia.

But just how old the Taronga Zoo attraction really is remained mired in controversy yesterday amid claims she could be as young as six - or as old as 12. The elephant was registered in Thailand as having been born in 2001 but its original owners claimed she is actually 12 years old and that her age was "roughly estimated" at the time of registration.

Anti-zoo activists, including the NSW Greens, have denounced the zoo's breeding program, claiming Thong Dee is too young to fall pregnant and that elephants should not be bred until at least the recommended age of 11 or 12.

Rampant sex. Wrinkled skin. Manipulative women and would-be dominant males. Life goes on in Mosman as normal.

(From News.com.au)

A day at the Office

Learning the latest office lingo

If you're about to lob a few thought grenades across the office, be careful they don't blow up in your face. A session of blamestorming could follow. It might sound like gobbledegook, but these are the latest lines in workplace lingo.

A "thought grenade'' is an explosively good idea. This phrase became fashionable among office staff last year, as did the expression "let's sunset that'', which is used to refer to bad ideas that must never be mentioned again. Every worker knows the pain of recriminations the day after a project has gone wrong. Now it has a name - "blamestorming". It means debating why a deadline was missed and who was responsible.

Blamestorming is predicted to be one of the buzzwords of 2008, as is "boss-spasming'', which describes those moments of suddenly looking busy as the boss walks past. The phrases are included in a collection compiled by British recruitment firm Office Angels.

Some phrases are tricky. Daydreaming has been transformed into a far more complex activity: "workspacespecific perceptual abstraction". Lunch with a colleague sounds more important as an "inter-departmental liaison facilitation''.

But David Clubb, managing director of Office Angels, said phrases such as these may become globally popular but probably won't last. "While trendy jargon may be used as a short-cut, clear, simple communication will never go out of fashion,'' Mr Clubb said. Umm I wonder.

Then there is the “office etiquette” situation...

Impersonal emails, bitching about workmates, poor phone manners and dressing inappropriately are some of the sins we commit every day in the office. And Gen Y workers are the worst offenders according to two of Australia’s leading business etiquette experts, June Dally-Watkins, who runs the Business Finishing College in Sydney, and Tracey Hodgkins of the Australian Experiential Learning Centre in Perth. “A lot of people have no idea about good manners and correct behaviour in the workplace because no one has taught them,” Ms Dally-Watkins, 80, said.

“They’re brought up watching bad things on television every night, or on the internet and on music videos. I think this is why the behaviour of people is degenerating.” Ms Hodgkins said most of the students in her office etiquette course were Gen-Yers just starting out in the workplace, and many were enrolled by their new employers. "In universities they’re not taught about basic, everyday stuff. And it seems to be a big issue in a lot of workplaces. Not knowing correct workplace etiquette has always been an issue with young workers", she said, but Gen-Y are more vocal about it. "Gen-Y tend to speak their mind, whereas the baby boomers were happy to put up and shut up."

Send me an email ...

One of the worst office habits today was sending impersonal emails containing a cold request or comment, Ms Dally-Watkins said. She believes pleasantries such as “hello” and “thank you” should not be forgotten in messages. “On email be kind and considerate to the other person. Remember they’re a human being. That’s what we’re losing with technology these days. Everyone’s treated like a robot.” Ms Hodgkins said Gen-Y tended to abbreviate words in emails, "which doesn’t really go down well with people from any other generation". And email jokes are not appropriate in any shape or form, she said. "It sets you up as the person who is the joker rather than the person who is the expert. It’s not good for your career." She also advised workers to be careful what they say in emails because they can be kept on record for a long time. "And avoid using office email for personal use, because your employer can access them."

Face to face...

In today's workplace many people (particularly Gen-Y, according to Ms Hodgkins) are more likely to communicate with someone two desks away by email rather than get up from their desk and give the message in person. It's a trend Ms Hodgkins doesn’t like. "There’s no replacement for face-to-face interaction," she said. "Plus I think sitting at a desk all day is bad for you. Why not get up, have a stretch, walk a few metres to speak to someone rather than do it all by email." And when chatting to someone in person, don't lean in too close. Ms Hodgkins said personal space was an issue of concern regularly raised in her workplace etiquette seminars. "Some people are just not comfortable speaking too closely to someone," she said.

Meet and greet...

One of Ms Dally-Watkins' pet hates around the office was the overuse of “how are you?” as a greeting. “I don’t like the ‘how are you’. I think it’s false and a waste of time. People don't mean it, it’s so empty. I’m going to try to stop it if I can,” she said. It’s much nicer to say, "so nice to see you" or "welcome", Ms Dally-Watkins said. When shaking someone's hand look them in the eye and make sure your grip is firm. And when introducing people always mention the older person's name first, she said.

The walk-by...

When workers walk around the office to go to the bathroom or kitchen, should they always greet the people they pass? Ms Hodgkins says it's polite to do so, adding that office hallways are a great way to socialise and also have informal meetings. "They’re designing workplaces now so people have to bump into each other," she said.

Dress for the occassion...

It’s vital to dress appropriately in the workplace, Ms Dally-Watkins said, and women should be careful not to be too revealing. “I think plunging necklines for a woman is a terrible way to attract attention at work," she said. "I believe it’s our face, our eyes, our expression and our personality that counts more. If we can only get attention by wearing tacky clothes, how sad.” She tells students to forget about just getting a diploma, because they have to look employable as well. “Who wants to pay good money to someone who looks yucky and doesn’t present a good image for their company? You want them to be clever, have the appropriate education and look all that your company stands for," she said.

On the phone...

The correct way to answer an office phone is, "Hello, (insert name here) speaking." If you happen to work near a loud phone talker and find them disruptive, be direct and politely tell them it is preventing you from doing your work, Ms Hodgkins said. Speaking on the mobile phone in the office was fine, so long as it doesn’t disturb your neighbours. And how many times have some of those "interesting" ringtones, that are funny the first time they ring loudly, had you ready to comit phonacide by the end of the day? But never SMS anyone over a work-related matter, Ms Hodgkins said, as it's unprofessional.

Online @ work...

Policies on personal internet use differ from office to office. The general rule, thowever, is to do it in moderation. Bosses shouldn't be too worried about Gen-Y spending a lot of time online because they are very good at multi-tasking with the net, Ms Hodgkins said. "They could have a chat-site open to talk to their friends while they’re doing their work – quite effectively, I might add. That’s the way they’ve been training their brain to work for the last 10 years," she said.

Rudeness...

When it comes to those annoying or rude co-workers who get on your nerves, be polite, Ms Dally-Watkins said. “I don’t think anyone has the right to tell someone they’re behaving badly to their face. It would be bad manners to point out their bad manners," she said. Ms Hodgkins agreed. "There’s an awful lot of bitching that takes place in the workplace and I don’t think there’s any excuse for it. "I’d advise anyone who doesn’t like someone else to just be polite. You don’t have to like everyone you work with; if you do then that's an absolute bonus. You’re there to do a job and you’re obligated to work as effectively with them as you can."

And the key to workplace etiquette?

The key to office etiquette is to communicate to staff what the local etiquette is. If people don’t know the culture and the rules everyone will go about things differently, all doing their own thing and annoying each other in the process. Result? Not a very effective workplace. So manners maketh the office worker too? Hopefully!