Yep, you'll be sick of it by three weeks from now...

Daily Telegraph tells us today.....
U2 lands for Vertigo tour
By Kathy McCabe, Music Writer

IRISH supergroup U2 arrived in Australia yesterday for the postponed leg of their Vertigo tour...

Bono, Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr flew into Sydney from their Dublin base before heading to the Gold Coast in a private jet to prepare for the tour which opens in Brisbane on Monday night.
The Daily Telegraph is giving you a chance to win one of 10 double passes to the band's Sydney gig at Telstra Stadium on November 10.
Just email your name, address and daytime telephone number with "U2 concert" in the subject line to promotions@dailytelegraph.com.au
The band's legion of Australian fans have been holding their Vertigo tour tickets since March, when U2 suddenly postponed the concerts to allow one of the members to be with his family as a relative battled a serious illness.
The eight-month break from the world tour also gave Bono an opportunity to launch his new initiative (RED) in the US, which will raise further funds for women and children suffering HIV/AIDS in Africa.
The band also recorded a cover of punk anthem The Saints Are Coming with Green Day to assist those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Negotiations continue for Bono to make a guest appearance at the inaugural make Poverty History concert in Melbourne on November 17.
Vertigo will hit Sydney on November 10, 11 and 13 at Telstra Stadium.

Row M Seat 30 'God On My Side' Andrew Denton

Andrew takes a right turn and attended an National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Texas last February... this extended doco is the results and its getting good reviews from people worth trusting!!
Sydney Film Festival buffs loved it...

Andrew was motivated to 'check out the other side' in terms of the way we sometimes see or feel we understand how extremism comes out of Islam or other belief systems... this time we see the serious exposition of the beliefs of the religious right... deliberately not parodied or cheekily unpacked by Denton... clever approach to shining a light on a much talked about but perhaps underexplored idea!!

http://www.hopscotchfilms.com.au/flash.html

Signs of a Deeper Problem ?

Sunday Telegraph 29.10.06

GRAFFITI gangs are spraying 1200 tags a day on Sydney's trains in a vandalism spree costing taxpayers $15 million a year to clean up.
Official figures show there are 30,000-50,000 graffiti attacks removed from CityRail trains every month.

The attacks have continued despite costly measures introduced by the State Government, including a new rail vandalism task force, stronger graffiti-removal chemicals and surveillance cameras on the rail network.
The extensive graffiti damage has triggered calls by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union for the Government to publicly name and shame offenders.
Vandals are also slashing seats and breaking windows on trains with data showing that, in August alone, 1043 train seats were damaged and 245 windows broken.
"It's unfortunate that a few bad individuals spoil the hard work of rail cleaning staff for the million people who use CityRail per day,'' a RailCorp spokesman said.

"Vandalism on and around trains is dangerous, unsightly and expensive, costing taxpayers around $15 million a year to clean up.''
Surveillance footage shows that some offenders spraying graffiti on trains are as young as 12. Union president Nick Lewocki said teenagers who attacked the rail system with graffiti were usually part of a gang.

"We've seen CCTV footage where some kids look to be 12 years of age. They are generally in the 14 to 18 bracket,'' he said.
While Mr Lewocki sympathised with the Government in the difficulty of controlling graffiti artists, he said high-level security would help act as a deterrent.
"The Government should name and shame offenders. They (offenders) should be required to clean their graffiti up,'' he said.

"The Government should look at increasing penalties for people convicted of defacing public transport.''
Psychologists and police should also look at other ways to stop people spraying graffiti on trains to save taxpayers millions of dollars.
Premier Morris Iemma set up a rail vandalism task force in May where police and RailCorp transit officers work together to crack down on graffiti and vandalism.
While the Government is strengthening its response to vandalism on trains, with a rollout of 6200 CCTV cameras planned, the issue of graffiti has become a problem in the wider community.

Federal Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull said there had been an increase of graffiti and malicious damage in the eastern suburbs.
He said police were powerless to punish graffiti offenders if they were under the age of 18.

School Chaplains

PM John Howard is a master politician so in answer to the religious right, political forces stressing values, ethics and faith... we have the announcement without any consultation that the Fed government will invest $90 million in School Chaplains to guide students.

Schools can apply for up to $20,000

These moves always generate:
1. stern opposition
2. scaremongering about fanatical Christianity and the bias against people of other or no faith
3. former politicians with agendas coming out of the woodwork
4. the counsellor vs chaplain debate
etc etc

In truth this scheme could be a debacle... but if handled correctly it could be a great thing!!

Like effective hospital and university chaplaincy its offered as spiritual and pastoral care for all comers, with regard to their personal choices. This is a helping role, an empathic pursuit.

If the church embraced this well it could be a missional revolution!!
We might "be" Jesus for others...

Anyhow, thinking caps on.... Youth Workers, part timers, tertiary mission workers, volunteers with two days a week to commit to making a missional link with the local school...

Check out the Federal Government website 'Dept of Education, Science, Training'
and/or
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20670729-5001028,00.html
and related stories...

Worship Unplugged # 33 "Hats & Photos"

One of the key elements of meaningful worship is context or how people can connect their everday experience with their worship experience!

Sharing about ourselves with each other can happen in prayer, discussion & reflection. We can also share stuff like what we do for a living or how we spend our time and delve into stories about each others lives.

Entry points into this with immediate meaning would include:
A SIGNIFICANT or FAVOURITE HAT
A SIGNIFICANT or FAVOURITE PHOTO

Invite people to display these, ask questions and prompt sharing ina smaller or the wider group in relation to the theme of the worship in question!!

Some people will share remarkable deep and important insights using such personal triggers!!

Take turn, take time!!

Maybe display the photos or scan and keep a collage and return the original...
Project the scans on screen

The bottom line is here's another activity around the value of stories...

Whats Worth Watching or Hearing

Check out:

MUSIC
"What the Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have" Sarah Blasko
"Shine On" Jet
"How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" U2 [getting ready]
"Hanoi" The Backsliders
"Flat Chat" Midnight Oil going...

MOVIES
"Worlds Fastest Indian" DVD
"Boytown"
"Little Miss Sunshine"
"Cars" DVD
"The Nativity Story"
http://www.thenativitystory.com/
Keisha Castle-Hughes from the new Fox Faith Film section...
Opens 30th November or thereabouts in Oz!!

100 to Go!!

Hey all,
Whatever it means...
There have almost been 7000 hits [careful how you spell that] on the pumphouse weblog...
It just means that hopefully somebody is finding the info, ideas and recommendations interesting.
Based on my stats about 700 of those hits might be mine so I suppose I should wait until 7700... but there you go!!

More to follow today... and of course ARIAs news later in the weekend, early next week!!

 

Bar Beach Kiosk [Newcastle]

Two weeks ago it was still 27 degrees C when Simone, Lucy, Ellie and I headed into Bar Beach [a liesurely 10 minutes from home] here in Newcastle!!

After some paddling and cooling off we fronted up for Calamari, Fish and Chips... tell you what...
The Kiosk was open until a non specified 7.30/8pm and the chips were legendary... we all agreed, the best chips we'd ever tasted. They were fresh, hot and did the double trick of having crispy bits but they were still filled with potato instead of air!!

10/10 Bar Beach Kiosk!!

Clip Bandits

Great Youtube concept!! A band playing a tune when none are in the same room... via internet cameras!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUKaeDwKP2A

The Gap Year The Order of St Stephen YMin Interns

It's that time of year again, while in Oz NSW the students are focused on the HSC exams, others are thinking about what they might all do next!!

The Defence Minister is suggesting a paid 12 month military exposure to training, some take off surfing and backpacking, others fruit pick and some take any job going to have a break from the rigours of full time study!!

Some work needs to be done BUT we in the UCA NSW Synod are keen to offer productive faith and discipleship experiences while fulfilling the hope of a brain break...

The Order of Ste Stephen is under some threwat from the church' commitment to minimum wages but essentially this is about a person with skills wishing to contract a year of service in relturn for subsistence funding from the body who engage their service [i.e. the Youth Unit does not have a fund to make this happen... it still relies on an employing body giving it a go].

It will take an emplying body $17,000 to $20,000 to fund living, food, accomodation etc

People of any age can actually serve as candidates for the Order....

We would also like to specialise this and offer 'Youth Ministry Internships' for 12 months on the same financial deal!!

What it means is a person gains 12 months experience in working towards a realistic job description [i.e. start one new group, train one set of leaders, start one new worship] and the person receives enough money to survive 12 months or two years... and tests their sense of call to this long term!!

Win/Win potentially as the employing body gets a realistic outcome for minimal fair investment!!

UCA groups in NSW/ACT interested or individuals keen to have a go, email rjh43@hotmail.com...

DVDs Coming Soon

These films or shows are all worth a look for a variety of reasons!!

Monday October 16th "Steve Irwin He Changed the World"
DVD of the Tribute from September 20th
Many elements of this tribute demonstrate the dilema we face as 'church' in terms of what unique thing we offer in relationship with Jesus Christ vs peoples own ability to pursue a grba bag of spirituality and move through grief as they say 'farewell' to an icon!!

Be challenged and use this tribute as a challenge to push yourslef about secular vs sacred, creative arts in worship, simplified liturgy, what people are looking for and how to lead people in worshippping God not the Crocodile Hunter!!

October 25th "Cars"
Great story of the journey of life and surprises awaiting down seemingly sidetracks!!

November 6th "Lano and Woodley: Goodbye"
Prounced Lane-oh....or Lay-no how else would you shorten Colin Lane??
The farewell performance of two great visual comics!!

November 8th "World's Fastest Indian"
Great folk tale of old values, warm story and inspirational tale of perseverence!!

"Seinfeld Series Seven" with complimentary Thermos if pre-ordered from ezydvd.com
Contains some of the best episodes ever including "The Soup Nazi"

November 16th "Love My Way Series 2"
earthy and greaty aussie series from Foxtel

December 6th "Click"
Adam Sandler with the remote control he wished for to get a handle on his life.

"Superman Returns"
A must for all students of christology

"Dawsons Creek Seasons 1-6" Boxed Set
Do yourselves a favour!!

It's Official!! Midnight Oil join the ARIA Hall of Fame!

Australia's best ever rock band will be inducted at the ACER Arena ceremony on October 29th!!
Better still, I'm gonna be there!!
Of course music is a matter of personal taste, some are even disappointed in Peter Garrett's 'politics' of late BUT I return to the story of the 1990 Earthquake Relief Concert held at Newcastle's International Sports Centre [now known as Energy Australia Stadium] where a massive crowd witnessed a full day of Aussie rock and roll from the likes of: The Angels, Split Enz, Crowded House, Barnesy, Ian Moss. It was a brilliant day and anyone there will remember the human towers reaching 20m into the air of the group blanket tossing where the smallest female in any group was hoisted aloft by ten or twelve close mates all grabbing a corner or side of a blanket and flicking them skywards.

At the press conference the groups were asked "this is the cream of Aussie rock, its a great cause and its going to be huge... how did you decide the running order... as one they all said... well, the Oils will go last, and before them its a matter of who cares, we'll just work it out!!"

12 million albums worldwide, only missing fame of Silverchair/ACDC proportions because collectively they came home after 18 months on the road and took a year off... crazyness by all measures... except the value of family, sanity and longevity!!

Disneyworld Florida must have seemed an awefully low point after that and I for one am glad they bailed on the mooted US Tour with INXS and did another 12 months run of shows at home before Peter announced he was leaving...

I have reflected a few times this year on how much I miss the buzz of seeing these boys live and how it feeds my soul and keeps me hopeful to know that a gig was always not too far away!!

I was only sharing the story of the all night drive to Parkes to lead a workshop after a Friday night at Newcastle Workers... it was either the second last or last time I saw them there... I must check that diary!!

Eskimo Joe are good, the Chair are inspired... Missy Higgins is great!! BUT none comes close to the affinity, power, transformational energy and passion of the Oils!!

Oils!! Oils!! Oils!! Oils!!
I hope whoever it is has a good speech [Tim Winton comes to mind also] because if not they will likley be drowned out by the call!!

SMH October 15, 2006 12:01am

LEGENDARY Australian rockers Midnight Oil are to be recognised for a long career that combined worldwide musical success with strident political activism.
The five-piece group will be inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame in Sydney later this month.
Midnight Oil sold more than 12 million copies of their 14 albums worldwide, using their fame to bring global attention to issues such as Aboriginal rights and the plight of impoverished workers.
ARIA Awards committee chairman Ed St John said Midnight Oil "is one of the greatest rock'n'roll bands this country has ever produced".
"They were incredibly successful all over the world, but much more importantly, they made music that mattered," he said today.
"They covered subjects that had rarely been addressed in a rock song before: land rights, the environment, social justice, war, human rights and Australian history.
"The sound of their music, created by five supremely talented singers and musicians, evoked the very essence of Australia."
The band's lead singer, Peter Garrett, now a federal Labor MP, said being chosen for the Hall of Fame was a "mighty honour".
Midnight Oil are the final musicians to be inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame this year, joining Divinyls, Icehouse, Daddy Cool, Lobby Loyde, Rose Tattoo and Helen Reddy.
Previous inductees include Dame Joan Sutherland, AC/DC, Men At Work, The Bee Gees, INXS, Olivia Newton John and Split Enz.
Midnight Oil's induction will take place at the 2006 ARIA Awards event at Sydney's Acer Arena on October 29.

So, there you have it... I am looking forward to surviving the teeny bopper screams and boorish pop star behaviour just to pay homage to the incredible work of Moginie & Rotsey, the rythms of Hirst and more recently Hillman and the distinctive "he can't sing but he's got 'something'!" tones of Peter Garrett.

Inductees don't usually/always perform but we'll see...
Maybe Powderfinger, the Chair, or one of the tribute album bands will do the honours....

BUT please, please join me in wishing that for all the buzz it would create, ARIA resist the temptation to ask Bono to induct the Band.... Bernard Fanning, John Butler, Paul Kelly please...

Instores October 28th 'Flat Chat' a compilation of a few of the Oils 'faster' tracks!!

What would Jesus Play?

Came across a great gif file doing an image search for the Che Guevara styled "Jesus. Meek. Mild. As If." advert....

'What would Jesus Play?' which may offend some and make others laugh out loud... but email me your 10 song playlist suggestions over the next few weeks and I'll post them here..

Email rjh43@hotmail.com

Unreliable Idea # 29 Homemade Cold Rock

Cold Rock ice cream is brilliant if expensive!!

The concept is simple, the queue is a long one...
If you mash icecream as a rule it will melt... enter Cold Rock with a refrigerated strip of rock on the servery counter. This allows them to crush in and knead crunchie, M&Ms, Snickers etc, to belnd flavours and for the ice cream to remain cold and hard in the process!!

Youth Groups have been known to use lumps of dry ice inder cake or slice tins to give a metal surface suitable for the task... great adaptation!!

Worship Unplugged Resource

Worship Unplugged Volume One is on its way to the printers!!
Anyone whose interested is just as likley to find and idea within its pages that was originally stolen from YOU!!

Volume One is my way of tentatively putting my work out there and we'll see what needs to go into Volume Two to justify the paper and ink!!

So keep those creative ideas coming and you never know where they'll bob up!!

"The Sunday Age SMH [Fairfax] Family DVD Guide" Rob Lowing

Looks a good guide for youth ministry groups and families and is available at most large bookshops!!

McDonalds Dinners

I've been meaning to post this one for a while....

From the SMH Friday August 18th
PLASTIC money, Tiny Teddy biscuits and Colonel burgers all share a little-known fact.
They were all trialled in the Hunter region in northern NSW, writes Paul Scott.

With a range of other products, they initially were subjected to the considered opinion of discerning Hunter consumers before being released to the nation's wallets and stomachs.

And this year the region is celebrating its 50th anniversary as Australia's top test market.
The Hunter has held a special place in the arteries of advertising hearts since Cyril Renwick, an economics professor at the then Newcastle University College, formed the Hunter Valley Research Foundation in 1956.

Professor Renwick's market research in the region, backed by figures and statistics, was well ahead of its time and attracted advertisers from Sydney and Melbourne.
Following Professor Renwick's lead, marketing gurus believed the place was a demographic microcosm of the entire country.
But while not all test products enjoy longevity after a successful launch in the Hunter, the general rule of the marketing thumb is: "If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere."


A McDonald's launch of four new dinner meals will involve the products being test-marketed in 19 stores in Newcastle and the Hunter for the next three months before they are rolled out across the nation next year. Australian companies have used "live" test markets for decades, using locations such as Newcastle to test new products in what they believe are controlled and isolated environments typical of the national market.

"Newcastle has a self-contained media market and is close to head office, so the organisation is able to maintain a very close watching brief on product performance," a McDonald's spokeswoman said.

Last January, 12 members of a South Korean sales team came to Newcastle to work with the local sales team of global giant Coca-Cola Amatil for the launch of Coca-Cola Zero.

Chapman Meats, Greg Norman's Pasta Sauces and KFC have also tested new ranges on Newcastle and Hunter tastebuds. It was also where Arnott's Tiny Teddy biscuits first received the thumbs up from consumers.

But not everything launched in the Hunter has been successful. The Quicklink smart card (or computer money card), launched at the University of Newcastle in 1995, was marketed as the "missing link" in the shift from cash transactions to a fully electronic system.

Students boycotted the cards as "Big Brother's helpers" and the NSW Privacy Committee viewed them as "a potentially privacy intrusive technology".
First rejected in the Hunter, they are yet to be embraced in Australia.

Hunter Valley Research Foundation economist Robin McDonald said: "The Lower Hunter tends to have an older population . . . and a lower education attainment than Sydney."

Tried first in the Hunter
· Chapman's Naturalean low-fat meats
· Greg Norman's pasta sauces
· Arnott's Tiny Teddy biscuits
· The polymer bank note
· McDonald's breakfast menu
· KFC Colonel Burgers
· McDonald's salad plus
· Office supplies in Australia Post stores
· Quicklink Smart Cards
· McDonald's dinner meals

So, there you have it...
Beef Bolognaise, Beef Rendang etc...

The second batch of local adverts have couples invited to taste a sample while the second celebrity wheels up a set of Golden Arches behind the people. I have to say, unlike the low fat burgers, salads and wraps... these are a winner... low cost, good serves, nice food...

As someone who struggles with choosing healthy food options on the run/road these actualy work!!

Worship Unplugged BOOKLET

It's final drafting time for a booklet that's been three years in the making!!
Worship Unplugged is a workshop planning process fostering partcipation
and the reinvention of worship...
a raft of creative ideas and some thoughts about mission...
context and underlying stuff behind the need for change!!

Many colleagues, e-groupers and others ideas get a spot in the 150+ ideas...
It should be printed within the fortnight!!

It's near completion had a page of text added today as I caught part of the
Memorial Celebration for Steve Irwin!!

It's one of three examples I'd cite as evidence that:

• there is little seperation between the secular and the sacred
• that the church is on the margins of our community
• we must worship in our context and access real issues and liturgy in doing so

1. The Bali Tribute following the bombings

This event led by Geraldine Doogue [albeit a Catholic by background] and included stirring and teary music from Wendy Matthews [The Day You Went Away] and Iva Davies [Great Southern Land] .

There was everyday 'liturgy' [defined as the work of the people] and the deep symbolism of a reflective pool for the placement if flowers.

It was not a religious observance an clergy [ecumenical or multi-faith] were not in leadership.

2. The second was Kerry Packers State Funeral [with Peter Faiman as Producer] and the speeches, choir, use of audio-visuals and the clear processes of moving through a grief assisting process.

3. Third was today:

Steve Irwin's memorial was a stunning event. His mate and Manager John Stainton combined brilliant stuff to make it all work!! Aboriginal greeting, spoken liturgy, the music of John Williamson and others, appropriate use of audio-visuals. The symbol of his Toyota 4WD that was packed up to the strains of 'True Blue'. The bloopers reel was great. With Stainton as curator, the two worship leaders were Anthony Field 'The Blue Wiggle' and Steve's mate Wes who ran the Zoo!! Anthony was a great choice to help kids and adults alike, grasp the sense of the occasion!!

As well as being a remarkable event [not a dry eye anywhere] its a reminder that if we as 'church' do not access real life, its symbols, issues and flow and bring them to worship with authenticity and integrity THEN we will be left behind!!

Not an alb in sight!!

Worship Unplugged # 40 Everyday Symbols

Symbols are useful to promote reflection, to provide a visual cue for memories and as objects to focus thinking on a theme. They don't just need to be pieces of paper, religious relics, crushed leaves or silver goblets!!

Everyday symbols can represent a theme, location, person or story!!

For example:
surfboards
hats
photos
small rocks
shoes

What you choose depends on the focus and the point you want to invite people to think about.

They nearly did it!!

After denying the Slime a few times in the last decade except when we didn't make the GF...
the two blues almost pulled it off today!! They made personnel changes specifically to cover the defensive lapses in the backline and it worked, they toughened up in the forwards and went straight down the middle in patches BUT just couldn't sustain their pressure for the full 60 minutes. Their lineout, general handling and choice of options let them down just a little and gave Merewether enough ball to pull out two fortunate tries. If only they had caught the second half kick off on the full it may have been very different. Merewether were in a bit of frustrated trouble not being able to dominate the way they had all year... this year their backs could actually catch but when the ball went back inside they struggled!!
In the end the killer was an attempted chip kick over the head of a 190cm plus Jason Toby which he gloved well and raced away to score from... up til then I thought Wanderers were going to win it!!
They lost by 6 points... There's always next year boys!!

Jim Moginie and The Family Dog

Well, I never made it to Newtown last month [too tired on the last Tuesday of] but I am looking forward to the sounds and wizardry of Jim Moginie [largely responsbile for Midnight Oil's guitar sound and planety of their lyrics] steps onto CD with his new band. My copy of 'Alas Folkloric' is as they say 'in the post'. Stay tuned!!

In other music news U2's ZOO TV on DVD is out Monday...
U2 are recording new tracks at Abbey Road in London
Eskimo Joe are set to scoop the awards this year at the ARIAs [29th October]

I have been impressed with whoever does their A&R work ever since they're need to move beyond what became known as 'the cardigan song'... "I could ne-ver wear that sweater!"

The latest album could be INXS in their heyday, could be Icehouse at their best etc...
and yet has that haunting rock pop sound that's so popular at the moment...
they left bands like Palladium & Lo-tel in their wake after the initial success!!

Oils!! Oils!! Oils!! Oils!!

For the last few years I have threatened to buy a ticket to the ARIAs on speculation that Midnight Oil would be inducted into the Hall of Fame!! I believe it will happen this year!!
They have sidestepped the now stand alone event mid year and one or more are still held back for the last Sunday in October... don't be surprised if Bono is present to induct them..
AND standby for SONY to cash in with or without the direct involvement of the band
with a new 'Greatest Hits' release called "Flat Chat"... check out below!!

http://chaos.com/product/flat_chat_greatest_hits_690482_10365.html

"Power and the Passion"
People, wasting away, in paradise
Going backward, once in a while
Taking your time, give it a try.
What do you believe
What do you believe
What do you believe is true
Nothing they say makes a difference this way'
Cos nothing they say will do
Take all the trouble that you can afford
At least you won't have time to be bored
Oh the power and the passion
Oh the temper of the time
Oh the power and the passion
Sometimes you've got to take the hardest line
I see sunburnt faces around
With skin so brown
Smiling zinc cream and crowds
Sundays the beach never a cloud
Breathing eucalypt, pushing panelvans,
stuff and munch junk food
Laughing at the truth,
'cos Gough was tough till he hit the rough
Uncle Sam and John were quite enough
Too much of sunshine too much of sky
It's just enough to make you wanna cry
I see buildings, clothing the sky in paradise
Sydney, where the nights are warm
Daytime telly, blue rinse dawn
Dad's so bad he lives in a pub,
its underarms and football clubs
Flat chat, Pin Gap in every home a Big Mac
And no one goes back, that's that
You take what you get and get what you pleaseI
t's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees

Wanderers v Merewether Carlton [The Slime] 2006

My old team as player coach [I'm having a break] plays their Grand Final on Saturday 10am... and the Slime are better than last years version... their backs can actually catch and run and one or two more old stagers in the forwards keep them rolling!!

Here's the thing, if the inside backs can communicate and move up together in a better line the Slime's former Australian touch footy rep at 5/8th will be as frustrated as last year and run out of ideas. The forwards need to up the pace of the game and keep it there and some of the old legs need to be subbed a bit earlier and get the fresh troops on... all the best boys!! Turns out I'll be there to look on now!!

Go the Knights!!

Up against it with Brisbane BUT if the coach has a good plan and the defense is on song they can do it... Knights by 7!!

Twin Lights

Afganistan, Iraq, Central America, you name it... the United States takes its 'God is on our side' attitude and funds despots, trains militia, sets them up with too much temptation for corruption, drug trade or simple hunger for holding on to power and then has to invoke military action to correct previous policy!! Democracy and the War on Terror are the terminology this decade, communism, independence, freedom have had their turn...
If its not military action or intelligence its consumerism, TV, values and 'manhattanisation' AND STILL there's lots to admire, love, tour or enjoy!! LA, New York, sports, movies etc

BUT regardless of all this... whatever the opression or big picture issues... whatever the trashy pop culture...
Nobody should be hijacking planes and flying them into buildings... 5 years on not much has been learnt but its still a human tragedy on a huge scale... the people of that city are unique, compelling and attractive in their diversity, humour and grunt!!

Worship Unplugged # 39 M&Ms Prayer

Use colour specific M&Ms or alternatives sweets to symbolise types of prayer points and share from a bowl or cup for each group.
RED something you're concerned about
YELLOW something about God
GREEN something you are thankful for
BROWN something you own up to
ORANGE something about others
BLUE something you'd like to change

Snaps # 1

I'm introducing a brand new feature to pumphouse from now on...
called Snaps #
These will be photos I have or get hold of that are significant because of
some story or sense of occasion...
I'm doing this to 1. share my story and 2. to build up a memoir of stories for talks, input etc.

I suspect like these first pictures, the deeper meaning won't be immediately apparent
but will be about me putting pics out there and continuing to reflect on what they mean to me. This may well only ever be expanded upon in other places!!

Sometime I'm sure I'll have a timely reason for including them in this blog!!

Today you'll see 3 images:
All from November 2000 Thanksgiving in New York and it was friggin' cold...
One is me in one of my favourite places in the world 'Times Square'... what it says about me is this is not a bush track, the Grand Canyon, or Koscuisko... its a cold footpath at the centre of the pop culture universe... the US culture I like many have a love/hate relationship with...

It's vibrant, trashy, alive, as significant as hearing someone speak Chinese, the royal jewesl in the Tower of London, some leaning Tower in Italy etc etc... but that's just me...

I think I bought about 12-15 t-shirts on this one short trip. We followed up our 1998 Autumn visit with a 2000 winter before starting a family... it was about -8 degrees C.

Another is Simone and I at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for which our visit was timed.... we headed to the naerby McDonalds for lunch and stayed in NY long enough to see Destiny's Child at the switching on of the Christmas Lights in Rockefeller Plaza...

Another is the famous Soup Kitchen suggested by Late Show staffers as a good place for a story to the writers of Seinfeld!! That's right... I'm the customer with the Triple J radio backpack paying for my soup from the guy who inspired 'The Soup Nazi'.

It is exactly like the show and he is not impressed, especially with the banner on the wall advertising Kenny Kramer's [The real Kramer] Seinfeld Reality Tour where the bus stops off on the way round. It was a spin out to have been past two years earlier on the bus tour when the shop was closed and then to come back and buy soup from the 'Soup Nazi'. Everyone in the line is talking about the impending ordering and their memories of the Seinfeld episode [even wishing others with complex orders luck] and then standing in virtual silence within earshot of the front counter. The shop is virtaully a hole in the wall with big stoves, two assistants and the boss tasting and serving up soups at a fair rate from about 11.30am daily!!

You stand in a line that stretches around the block, we were early but, people do wait an hour... you order and step to the right, you pay and then move off with your brown bag of thick soup in a milkshake container, your bread and piece of fruit!!

I got bread!! Cop that Costanza!!

The beef soup was enough for breakfast and lunch!!
The poor woman ahead of me had bought soup for herself and a sick friend and their partner and she got flustered ordering different soups....
I was waiting for "NO soup for you!!"

Everyone knows what each person in the exchange was thinking BUT nobody is game to comment!!

I recommend a visit to the Soup kitchen in the cooler months [he shuts up shop and holidays in Italy in summer by all reports]

This and our previous trip taught me about the charm and attraction of the city of New York. It's busy, open all hours and full of trashy pop culture, characters, theatre, sports, merchandise and TV HQs for all kinds of networks and programs.

Our summer visit took in a successful stint at the front of the Letterman Late Show standby audience where 20 people didn't turn up and we got to see John McEnroe and Chrissy Hinde perform!!

We certainly visited the World Trade Centres, the Empire State [playing Midnight Oil on my walkman in our 9th week away from Oz], saw the Lion King on Broadway, the Met, Starbucks, Tower Records and Barnes and Noble at the neginning of the Cafe in a bookshop trend...

Statue of Liberty, Statton Island Ferry, a game at Yankee Stadium [I've been a follower of baseball and the Yankees since childhood], NBC Store, Planet Hollywood, NBA Store, Macy's, Tom's Diner and even Flushing Meadow and the New York winter Rugby Sevens!!

Staying at the Westside YMCA was a unique way to meet New Yorkers [and to have one shot by Police whil we were on our way back to the building to get jumpers for the baseball game that night!!]

Stood outside NBC over breakfast and met Al Roker and Mat Lauer...

There's so much more... Central Park, Wolman Rink, SOHO, Tribeca, Ranch #1 Chicken...

The metling pot of cultures and lots of evidence of getting most things about multiculturalism right is palpable... and the bagels aren't bad either!!

They know how to do a celebration and the Police are like no other I've seen [and are pretty much exactly like most US shows you see... except a heightened sense of not overstepping whoever is in charge and an almost obsessive need to delegate that authority to someone else until its time to pull out a gun... I kind of get the whole "NY's finest and bravest" as they call the Police and Firefighters!!

Steve Irwin

It was very surreal to be at the taping of 'Enough Rope' today awaiting Ian Chappell and others and looking forward to the interview with Raelene Boyle later tonight!! First of course we knew that the Don Chipp interview was to be replayed and now the interview with Crickey Steve Irwin would be also!!
The studio was in a slightly shocked and tense state as Andrew Denton recorded adverts, intro's and outro's for the various aspects of tonights show before returning to the days schedule!!

Mmmm, remarkable!!
Anyhow, got to talk to Andrew and thank him for his inspirational belief in the power of stories... and got to personally hand him an invitation to send in a pair of shoes for 'Meaninful Soles' mentioned earlier in this Pumphouse blog!! I hope its a positive response when Andrew has time to get back to me in November!!


Like him or hate him!! RIP Steve Irwin

Planet Earth BBC series

Picked up a copy of the series I'm sure others are well aware of, but the cinematography is magnificent. I decided not to wait until the next time I need a visual feed to a screen that just plays through on mute... but if I had the DVD maybe I'd design something to do with it first...

Attenborough narates of course and ther'd be use for that too, but my primary thing is some footage you don't see everyday!!

I think it'll be too distracting in a more normal yet creative worship space so I won't use it this week!!