'Miniature Earth' Newer Version

Thanks to Craig for highlighting this new version of the simple but significant 'Miniature Earth' clip... I've seen it with John Lennon soundtrack and would be tempted to sub in 'The World is a Picture' Josh Pyke for a younger audience!!

U2 at Glastonbury

Interesting times at the postponed headlining gig for U2 at Glastonbury Festival! A protest group were subdued [maybe heavy handedly] by Security after inflating a 6m balloon protesting U2's offshore tax arrangements in the face of their stance on campaigning against poverty and in light of the economic situation in Ireland. Read the story here

I love U2's music and the mystique around their fame, their stories and the pop culture phenomenon the band have become... having liked the sound of Larry Mullen's drums from the first time I ever heard them in the 1980's. I find their music, themes, ways of portraying life and it's multi-faceted nature quite stunning and meaningful. At the same time I have always understood how much they are just like the rest of us... fallible, especially when it come to image and all the hype [the sunnies, private jet, summer homes in southern France etc etc!! Isn't the tax story just a reminder that none of us is perfect?

The tax story has an interesting twist that prior to recent years the Irish had tax exemptions for artists, actors, musicians but introduced those [no doubt because of current struggles] and around that time U2 moved their tax centre off shore... like many athletes and musicians across the UK, a few notable Aussie tennis and golf stars etc... should they be paying the right amount of tax in Ireland... absolutely... does it devalue their anti-poverty work... sure does... does it mean some of their music no longer fosters my spirit and gives me space to explore who I am and what my hopes for the world might be... no way!! The weekend's media has all been about the protest, I wait with interest for the big silence or the half baked response from the bands 'machine'...

"U pay tax 2!!"

'Go Back to Where You Came From'

Many people have been blogging and talking about this Oz SBS TV documentary taking some very ordinary Aussie [read quite remarkable people after all] and thier journey being exposed to the people and stories who become asylum seekers in African and Australian refugee camps/facilities. The series is viewable online and predictably opens people up to more than slogans, aussie taxpayer dollars being splashed around and fears for national security...

Check out the details here

Cadbury looks like going Fairtrade with Dairy Milk Chocolate

In a victory for people power it would appear Cadbury's decision to go 'Fairtrade' in the UK will rebound into other markets like Australia and NZ!! There is probably still work to be done on other cocoa based consumption BUT wow!!

When I was in the UK last year I was struck by the number of businesses and church's displaying the fairtrade logo as a seemingly obvious part of their mission. It seemed a really great outward sign to the community that thoughtful people were part of that place.

What a shame I am trying to get serious again about cutbacks, otherwise my annual dairy milk consumption could have saved whole continents let alone countries... perhaps I can still prop up a few villages with fair wages for work.

Lost Generation

This was one clever clip Bradon used and is the second time in as many weeks I'm shocked I hadn't seen a clip before...

Shane Claiborne Feedback on NCYC09

Colleagues have picked up on Shane's reflection on his precious time at NCYC09 in Melbourne and you can read about it here
He's neither overstating nor having a lend of us and I for one am very proud of and committed to the values which have led us to doing things like NCYCs 'day of submersion actions' in NCYC, which in NSW/ACT we've done in small ways at other events and will continue to do...