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robhanks@bigpond.net.au

NEW YORK

Those who know me well are aware of my love for the city of New York [part of an ongoing love- hate connection with pop culture, politics and values of the USA]...

We have been lucky enough to travel overseas three times [twice to New York] and I love it... I had planned to return earlier this year to the Tribeca Film Festival but other events and budgetary needs overtook. The thought of the trip had even motivated me to submit six years of income tax details...

However, back to New York...
While I love the views and feeling of Spring/Summer in Sydney, nothing beats the activity, bustle, excitement and pace of a city designed around the tourist... history and pop culture in every block!! We visited the first time in late Spring 1998 on the way home from eight weeks backpacking in Europe... it was 34-38 degrees C most days in New York and Washington and it was brilliant!!
My highlights included:
Standby ticket success and getting into David Letterman's Late Show
Kenny Kramer's Seinfeld Reality Tour
NBC Store and studios
160 Broadway Marble McDonalds
Empire State
Yankees baseball game v Atlanta Braves
Food, Tower Records, and Barnes and Noble
Walks thru Central Park
T-shirt and electronics and sports stores...
BUT most of all just hanging out in Times Square anytime day or night.....

Our second trip was specifically taken to include THANKSGIVING and the Christmas Lights at the Rockefeller Centre [plus seeing the Wiggles in the Macy's Parade]
That trip included:
The lights and the parade
Thanksgiving Dinner at the Westside YMCA [accommodation of choice]
New York Rugby 7's
The Soup Kitchen [deserved inspiration for the Seinfeld Soup Nazi]
Christmas Shopping
The Lion King on Broadway
Hot Coffee escaping -5 to -7 C temps
Planet Hollywood



If you have broadband or similar net speed you can check out the technology and vision of the LIVE EARTHCAMs including Times Square and links to some at Ground Zero!!

http://www.earthcam.com/usa/newyork/timessquare/

OK OK, sometimes I just sit and watch and dream of being there... I admit it!!
Everytime I see a TV show or movie set there you can pick out places you know!!

I would go there tomorrow if it were possible!! And I'd arrange with friends to be outside TGIF's or Wendy's to wave and call on the phone like a geek!!

Life as War visuals

Worship Unplugged # 27 Naqoyqatsi Trilogy

The lastest in the audio-visual trilogy... this one featuring Phillip Glass and Director Steven Soderberg.... depicts visuals of 'Life as War'. Its predesessors and this one are excellent audio-visual backdrops or feature films in their own right... in worship of coffee shop settings!! Yet more work inspired by the likes of Baraka!!

I like to use these on one of a number of screens, with sound low or muted totally as a changing visual to support the experience of other planned aspects of a worship. The bigger the screen/picture the better!!

I've seen them used well as part of an outdoor cafe space or lawn for movie watching as part o a week long program.

Fashionable Faith

The weekend papers magazine a few weeks ago had an article and this radio interview transcript covers the same territory with Nikkie Gemmell et al... in relation to their rediscovery of Christianity!!

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/relig/spirit/stories/s1218227.htm

Great Band Photo 

Music # 19 How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Continuing on a theme... U2's new work is due out November 22.... 21st at HMV usually!!
All I've read and picked up suggests it'll be an interesting and poignant CD with accompanying DVD and other features in 3 different formats.

They are also advertising concerts in London in July next year without official confirmation...

Why so interested [nay obsessed!!] Well, I like the music.... I like that they sing about stuff that matters and that a band I grew up with can still chart successive records and gain worldwide headlines... the bonus is that they sing about stuff that matters about life and faith and although they clearly struggle with the church, there's a clear belief, spirituality, mission and..... I like the music!!

Vertigo Clips

Catch a few versions of 'Vertigo' here http://www.u2exit.com/htdaab/vertigo.shtml

All from legal copyright free ethically upstanding sources of course!!

Single Nov 8 an album to follow 20th?? 

Music # 18 Vertigo

Downloaded the Top of the Pops clip and live performance and can't wait for the new album from U2 'How to Disarm an Atom Bomb'. See you at the Sydney concerts in Feb/Mar 2006!!
Will post website asap

Even Lucy aged 3 was helped around by the girls... she's the orange blur taking her third piece of cloth!! 

Televideo and CD Player plus the general layout 

Candles to remind us of God With Us and Assylum Seeker Pics in the background 

The Lost Sheep Questions 

Prayer for Others 

Worship Unplugged # 26 Labyrinth ADAMSTOWN

As per WU # 17 we continue to develop the Labyrinth ahead of getting friends to paint/construct a more permanent and larger pattern. This time my home congregation of Adamstown [a venue well suited to the activity] saw us use the Labyrinth with two extra stations and a group of wide age range [giving permission for some to whisper about what was being asked of them so all coul participate].

Soundtrack: was a mix of contemporary instrumental and lyrical tracks
Footprints: began our journey with messages of thanks or laving bhind for the journey
Candle Lighting: was reminder of 'God With Us'
Time to Just Be: involved taking time to watch beach footage on a televideo
Rocks: Were there to be taken as unique objects
Bible: The Lost Sheep and questions about 'value' and our uniqueness to God
Take: A strip of ornage wollen cloth as a symbol of not being forgotten
Offering: Leave cash and a pile of our rocks
Prayers for Others: Big Screen images and/or newsclippings and/or paper and pen to write
Jesus Prayer: Reflect on a modern translation/addition
Sending Out: Chocolate reward
Food and Drinks: from when yo finish and encouragement to talk about your experience

MUSIC # 17 Check 'The Alternative Hymnal' Blog for more but 'Pictures of Jesus' and one or two other tracks standout as Harper works with these blind orphanage survivors with an amazing story!! 

ARIA Awards Not Quite Cruelled by ROVE

While clearly any good, timely and humorous material Rove McManus planned to use for the ARIAS was lost in last weeks Office Block fire.... he didn't quite cruel the whole night with some deserved winners receiving the dangerously pointy awards for 2004!!

JET and The John Butler Trio had a great night while Ben Gillies visibly cringed at the thought of a popular vote for Channel V Artist of the Year [won six times in a row by Silverchair] went to Guy Sebastian... no wonder teenagers are being crippled under the weight of mobile phone bills across the country!!

List of winners for the 2004 ARIA Music Awards:
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Jet - Get Born (EMI)
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl (EMI)
BEST GROUP
Jet - Get Born (EMI)
BEST MALE ARTIST
John Butler - Sunrise Over Sea (Jarrah/MGM)
BEST FEMALE ARTIST
Kasey Chambers - Wayward Angel (EMI)
HIGHEST SELLING SINGLE
Guy Sebastian - Angels Brought Me Here (BMG)
HIGHEST SELLING ALBUM
Delta Goodrem - Innocent Eyes (Sony)
BEST POP RELEASE
Missy Higgins - Scar (Eleven/EMI)
BEST ROCK ALBUM
Jet - Get Born (EMI)
BEST URBAN RELEASE
Koolism - Part 3 Random Thoughts (Invada/Inertia)
BEST BLUES & ROOTS ALBUM
John Butler Trio - Sunrise Over Sea (Jarrah/MGM)
BEST DANCE RELEASE
Infusion - Girls Can Be Cruel (BMG)
BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
Kasey Chambers - Wayward Angel (EMI)
BEST ADULT CONTEMPORARY ALBUM
Paul Kelly - Ways & Means (EMI)
BEST CHILDREN'S ALBUM
Hi-5 - Holiday (Sony)
BEST COMEDY RELEASE
Scared Weird Little Guys - Bits and Pieces (Shock)
BEST INDEPENDENT RELEASE
John Butler Trio - Sunrise Over Sea (Jarrah/MGM)
BEST MUSIC DVD
Midnight Oil - Best Of Both Worlds (ABC)
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST - ALBUM
Jet - Get Born (EMI)
BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST - SINGLE
Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl (EMI)

MUSIC # 16 Enhanced CD single with Video Clip 

Boxed Set for under $70 

SIMPSONS Fourth Season

Just when the show started to get interesting... Grab a copy of the 4th Season Boxed Set and you'll notice that the first three have gone down a little in price at the right outlets... JB Hi-Fi if you're in Oz.
Every series and indeed most episodes have some pithe reference to Christian themes and values and very clever ays of poking fun at those who take hemselves way too seriously.

Those episodes are great discussion starters. eg. When Bart sells his soul, Homer the Heretic, Church on Superbowl Sunday, Burining down Flanders house etc.

Grab a copy of Pinsky's 'The Gospel According to th Simpsons' or the UK Scripture Union series on various shows and episodes including a Simpsons edition.

They are also great at training days or other events where people tradtionally roll up over a 20 minute late period. Put on a selected episode which shows tha you were ready to start and cut when critical mass of participants is reached.

Attached to my last copy of FilmInk magazine 

Row 'M' Seat 30 SOUR GRAPES

The Sour Grapes Film Festival is a film festival for the sore losers who didn't make the finals of any other Festival... for example Sydney Tropfest.
see sourgrapes.com.au

Indeed short films are a great creativemedium to realy stretch young people... I will write another post about our recently completed SHORTS Film Festival which is part of the Blackstump Festival.

If you were keen you could still enter Tropfest 2005 run by John Polson and screening finalists in February out of Sydney's Domain... It began years ago as a humble local comp screeningout of Dalinghurst Tropicana Cafe, the street party, hen simulcast andnow setled nicely into the Domain and the SONY stable!!

Rules are: 7 mins max, with this years specified item being 'Umbrella' which hasto feature somehow to show it was purpose made.... you need copyright for music etc... otherwise go for it!!

Check it Out 

Powderfinger LIVE DVD

I haven't watched all of it yet, but this two disc set looks great and gives live footage for one of Australia's best bands... 'rock royalty' according to their Panel introduction on channel Ten last Wednesday here in Oz!!

The first disc focuses on their live concert/s in support of Vulture St and the second is a special acoustic set!!

With the demise of the Oils, Powderfinger are probably my favourite Australian band!!

I've used 'How Far Have We Really Come' as a Prayer for Others backing track though I don't have a distributable Audio-visual to accompany it YET...

Now go and pick up all the feathers 

Mr Peabody's Apples

The retelling of a 300 year old Kabbalah teachers story is the subject of the second of five children's books by Madonna [or is that Esther] and its a good read with great illustrations!!

Essentially the local town baseball coach is suspiciously spotted taking his weekly apple from Mr Funkadeli's Fruit Shop without paying for it and as rumour spreads he gets a bad name! All is not as it seems and the point of the story is if we speak badly about others we can do a lot of harm... more than we know!! And the work to repair a tainted reputation can go on for a long time!!

We're BACK!!!

After experiencing spyware and then reconnection trouble... pumphouse is back in business... though this is not a week for levity and lots of time spent key crunching on the internet... so stay tuned for some catch up posts in a few days time:

Labyrinth pics
"Saved" Movie info
Sporting triumphs
And plenty more on this new Coalition led era!!

Editor!!