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The Invasion of Gaza: "Operation Cast Lead"

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Gaza Strip

By Michel Chossudovsky

Global Research, January 4, 2009

The aerial bombings and the ongoing ground invasion of Gaza by Israeli ground forces must be analysed in a historical context. Operation "Cast Lead" is a carefully planned undertaking, which is part of a broader military-intelligence agenda first formulated by the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2001:

"Sources in the defense establishment said Defense Minister Ehud Barak instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for the operation over six months ago, even as Israel was beginning to negotiate a ceasefire agreement with Hamas."(Barak Ravid, Operation "Cast Lead": Israeli Air Force strike followed months of planning, Haaretz, December 27, 2008)

It was Israel which broke the truce on the day of the US presidential elections, November 4: "Israel used this distraction to break the ceasefire between itself and Hamas by bombing the Gaza strip. Israel claimed this violation of the ceasefire was to prevent Hamas from digging tunnels into Israeli territory. The very next day, Israel launched a terrorizing siege of Gaza, cutting off food, fuel, medical supplies and other necessities in an attempt to “subdue” the Palestinians while at the same time engaging in armed incursions.

In response, Hamas and others in Gaza again resorted to firing crude, homemade, and mainly inaccurate rockets into Israel. During the past seven years, these rockets have been responsible for the deaths of 17 Israelis. Over the same time span, Israeli Blitzkrieg assaults have killed thousands of Palestinians, drawing worldwide protest but falling on deaf ears at the UN." (Shamus Cooke, The Massacre in Palestine and the Threat of a Wider War, Global Research, December 2008)

Planned Humanitarian Disaster

On December 8, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte was in Tel Aviv for discussions with his Israeli counterparts including the director of Mossad, Meir Dagan. "Operation Cast Lead" was initiated two days day after Christmas. It was coupled with a carefully designed international Public Relations campaign under the auspices of Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

Hamas’ military targets are not the main objective. Operation "Cast Lead" is intended, quite deliberately, to trigger civilian casualities. What we are dealing with is a "planned humanitarian disaster" in Gaza in a densly populated urban area. The longer term objective of this plan, as formulated by Israeli policy makers, is the expulsion of Palestinians from Palestinian lands:

"Terrorize the civilian population, assuring maximal destruction of property and cultural resources… The daily life of the Palestinians must be rendered unbearable: They should be locked up in cities and towns, prevented from exercising normal economic life, cut off from workplaces, schools and hospitals, This will encourage emigration and weaken the resistance to future expulsions" Ur Shlonsky, quoted by Ghali Hassan, Gaza: The World’s Largest Prison, Global Research, 2005)

 

"Operation Justified Vengeance"

A turning point has been reached. Operation "Cast Lead" is part of the broader military-intelligence operation initiated at the outset of the Ariel Sharon government in 2001. It was under Sharon’s "Operation Justified Vengeance" that F-16 fighter planes were initially used to bomb Palestinian cities. "Operation Justified Vengeance" was presented in July 2001 to the Israeli government of Ariel Sharon by IDF chief of staff Shaul Mofaz, under the title "The Destruction of the Palestinian Authority and Disarmament of All Armed Forces".

"A contingency plan, codenamed Operation Justified Vengeance, was drawn up last June [2001] to reoccupy all of the West Bank and possibly the Gaza Strip at a likely cost of "hundreds" of Israeli casualties." (Washington Times, 19 March 2002). According to Jane’s ‘Foreign Report’ (July 12, 2001) the Israeli army under Sharon had updated its plans for an "all-out assault to smash the Palestinian authority, force out leader Yasser Arafat and kill or detain its army".

 

"Bloodshed Justification"

The "Bloodshed Justification" was an essential component of the military-intelligence agenda. The killing of Palestinian civilians was justified on "humanitarian grounds." Israeli military operations were carefully timed to coincide with the suicide attacks: The assault would be launched, at the government’s discretion, after a big suicide bomb attack in Israel, causing widespread deaths and injuries, citing the bloodshed as justification. (Tanya Reinhart, Evil Unleashed, Israel’s move to destroy the Palestinian Authority is a calculated plan, long in the making, Global Research, December 2001, emphasis added)

 

The Dagan Plan

"Operation Justified Vengeance" was also referred to as the "Dagan Plan", named after General (ret.) Meir Dagan, who currently heads Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency. Reserve General Meir Dagan was Sharon’s national security adviser during the 2000 election campaign. The plan was apparently drawn up prior to Sharon’s election as Prime Minister in February 2001. "According to Alex Fishman writing in Yediot Aharonot, the Dagan Plan consisted in destroying the Palestinian authority and putting Yasser Arafat ‘out of the game’." (Ellis Shulman, "Operation Justified Vengeance": a Secret Plan to Destroy the Palestinian Authority, March 2001):

"As reported in the Foreign Report [Jane] and disclosed locally by Maariv, Israel’s invasion plan — reportedly dubbed Justified Vengeance — would be launched immediately following the next high-casualty suicide bombing, would last about a month and is expected to result in the death of hundreds of Israelis and thousands of Palestinians. (Ibid, emphasis added) The "Dagan Plan" envisaged the so-called "cantonization" of the Palestinian territories whereby the West Bank and Gaza would be totally cut off from one other, with separate "governments" in each of the territories. Under this scenario, already envisaged in 2001, Israel would:

 

"negotiate separately with Palestinian forces that are dominant in each territory-Palestinian forces responsible for security, intelligence, and even for the Tanzim (Fatah)." The plan thus closely resembles the idea of "cantonization" of Palestinian territories, put forth by a number of ministers." Sylvain Cypel, The infamous ‘Dagan Plan’ Sharon’s plan for getting rid of Arafat, Le Monde, December 17, 2001)

 

From Left to Right: Dagan, Sharon, Halevy

The Dagan Plan has established continuity in the military-intelligence agenda. In the wake of the 2000 elections, Meir Dagan was assigned a key role. "He became Sharon’s "go-between" in security issues with President’s Bush’s special envoys Zinni and Mitchell." He was subsequently appointed Director of the Mossad by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in August 2002. In the post-Sharon period, he remained head of Mossad. He was reconfirmed in his position as Director of Israeli Intelligence by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in June 2008.

Meir Dagan, in coordination with his US counterparts, has been in charge of various military-intelligence operations. It is worth noting that Meir Dagan as a young Colonel had worked closely with defense minister Ariel Sharon in the raids on Palestinian settlements in Beirut in 1982. The 2009 ground invasion of Gaza, in many regards, bear a canny resemblance to the 1982 military operation led by Sharon and Dagan.

 

It is important to focus on a number of key events which have led up to the killings in Gaza under "Operation Cast Lead":

1. The assassination in November 2004 of Yaser Arafat. This assassination had been on the drawing board since 1996 under "Operation Fields of Thorns". According to an October 2000 document "prepared by the security services, at the request of then Prime Minister Ehud Barak, stated that ‘Arafat, the person, is a severe threat to the security of the state [of Israel] and the damage which will result from his disappearance is less than the damage caused by his existence’". (Tanya Reinhart, Evil Unleashed, Israel’s move to destroy the Palestinian Authority is a calculated plan, long in the making, Global Research, December 2001. Details of the document were published in Ma’ariv, July 6, 2001.).

 

Arafat’s assassination was ordered in 2003 by the Israeli cabinet. It was approved by the US which vetoed a United Nations Security Resolution condemning the 2003 Israeli Cabinet decision. Reacting to increased Palestinian attacks, in August 2003, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz declared "all out war" on the militants whom he vowed "marked for death."

 

"In mid September, Israel’s government passed a law to get rid of Arafat. Israel’s cabinet for political security affairs declared it "a decision to remove Arafat as an obstacle to peace." Mofaz threatened; "we will choose the right way and the right time to kill Arafat." Palestinian Minister Saeb Erekat told CNN he thought Arafat was the next target. CNN asked Sharon spokesman Ra’anan Gissan if the vote meant expulsion of Arafat. Gissan clarified; "It doesn’t mean that. The Cabinet has today resolved to remove this obstacle. The time, the method, the ways by which this will take place will be decided separately, and the security services will monitor the situation and make the recommendation about proper action." (See Trish Shuh, Road Map for a Decease Plan, www.mehrnews.com November 9 2005

 

The assassination of Arafat was part of the 2001 Dagan Plan. In all likelihood, it was carried out by Israeli Intelligence. It was intended to destroy the Palestinian Authority, foment divisions within Fatah as well as between Fatah and Hamas. Mahmoud Abbas is a Palestinian quisling. He was installed as leader of Fatah, with the approval of Israel and the US, which finance the Palestinian Authority’s paramilitary and security forces.

 

2. The removal, under the orders of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2005, of all Jewish settlements in Gaza. A Jewish population of over 7,000 was relocated. "It is my intention [Sharon] to carry out an evacuation – sorry, a relocation – of settlements that cause us problems and of places that we will not hold onto anyway in a final settlement, like the Gaza settlements…. I am working on the assumption that in the future there will be no Jews in Gaza," Sharon said." (CBC, March 2004)

 

The issue of the settlements in Gaza was presented as part of Washington’s "road map to peace". Celebrated by the Palestinians as a "victory", this measure was not directed against the Jewish settlers. Quite the opposite: It was part of the overall covert operation, which consisted in transforming Gaza into a concentration camp. As long as Jewish settlers were living inside Gaza, the objective of sustaining a large barricaded prison territory could not be achieved. The Implementation of "Operation Cast Lead" required "no Jews in Gaza".

 

3. The building of the infamous Apartheid Wall was decided upon at the beginning of the Sharon government. (See Map below).

 

4. The next phase was the Hamas election victory in January 2006. Without Arafat, the Israeli military-intelligence architects knew that Fatah under Mahmoud Abbas would loose the elections. This was part of the scenario, which had been envisaged and analyzed well in advance.

 

With Hamas in charge of the Palestinian authority, using the pretext that Hamas is a terrorist organization, Israel would carry out the process of "cantonization" as formulated under the Dagan plan. Fatah under Mahmoud Abbas would remain formally in charge of the West Bank. The duly elected Hamas government would be confined to the Gaza strip.

 

Ground Attack

On January 3, Israeli tanks and infantry entered Gaza in an all out ground offensive:

"The ground operation was preceded by several hours of heavy artillery fire after dark, igniting targets in flames that burst into the night sky. Machine gun fire rattled as bright tracer rounds flashed through the darkness and the crash of hundreds of shells sent up streaks of fire. (AP, January 3, 2009)

 

Israeli sources have pointed to a lengthy drawn out military operation. It "won’t be easy and it won’t be short," said Defense Minister Ehud Barak in a TV address. Israel is not seeking to oblige Hamas "to cooperate". What we are dealing with is the implementation of the "Dagan Plan" as initially formulated in 2001, which called for:

 

"an invasion of Palestinian-controlled territory by some 30,000 Israeli soldiers, with the clearly defined mission of destroying the infrastructure of the Palestinian leadership and collecting weaponry currently possessed by the various Palestinian forces, and expelling or killing its military leadership. (Ellis Shulman, op cit, emphasis added)

 

The broader question is whether Israel in consultation with Washington is intent upon triggering a wider war. Mass expulsion could occur at some later stage of the ground invasion, were the Israelis to open up Gaza’s borders to allow for an exodus of population. Expulsion was referred to by Ariel Sharon as the "a 1948 style solution". For Sharon "it is only necessary to find another state for the Palestinians. -‘Jordan is Palestine’ – was the phrase that Sharon coined." (Tanya Reinhart, op cit)

 

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Film Review

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Dev Patel and Freida Pinto in Slumdog Millionaire,

Engaging story of the Slumdog Millionaire
By RAMA GAIND
 

Slumdog Millionaire is the engaging, but heart-rendering story of an 18-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai who scales the heights of success after winning 20 million rupees on the Indian version of the television game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
This film not only captivates and amazes, but surprises as you watch the story of what keeps Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) going, his reason to survive and cope. It is called love.
Based on a book, Q & A by Vikas Swarup, it is directed by award-winning British filmmaker Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) and the screenplay is by Simon Beaufoy, the Oscar-nominated writer of The Full Monty.
The film won the 2008 Cadillac People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival and has received four Golden Globe nominations for best film drama, director, screenplay and for its soundtrack by top Bollywood composer A.R. Rahman. There’s also serious talk of 2009 Academy Award nominations.
In Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle does not embellish the facts: he tells it like it is. This is a resourceful commentary on Indian society intertwined with a fairytale romance which sees Jamal in search of his childhood sweetheart Latika (Freida Pinto). It’s also a tale of Jamal living by his wits together with his older brother Salim (Madhur Mittal).
Jamal is an underpriviledged street child who is accused of cheating as a contestant on the show. To obnoxious police officers, led by Irrfan Khan, he recounts his life’s journey from rubbish tips, pick pocketing and running scams at the Taj Mahal before he goes on to gain unbelievable riches.
As demonstrated by the sometimes comical, but mostly heartbreaking scenes of Jamal’s childhood, the authenticity is derived from the need to show madness and energy of Mumbai
Even the banter between Jamal and the smarmy show host Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor) are scene-stealers. It is Prem who invites a police inquiry, finding it hard to believe that an uneducated boy could know all the answers.
Jamal’s voyage features notorious encounters with child slavery, sexual abuse, call centres and criminal gangs, but throughout Boyle adds respectability to heighten reality in what is often disturbing material.
A.R. Rahman’s musical score meshes well with the acting for an outcome that is pure magic, including the uplifting dance scene at the end of the movie, which is a fitting ode to Bollywood. Boyle said it just felt “natural” to include this song.
Much of the film was made on location in Mumbai, including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the train station where dozens of people were killed or injured in November 2008 after several coordinated terrorism attacks in the city.
Through ‘Slumdog’, Boyle provides an extraordinary insight into the colossal Indian melting pot where traditional divisions collide – of the poor rising to match the rich.
One of the underlying themes of the film is to celebrate Mumbai and its spirit, which certainly carries more pathos and a whole new message after 26/11.
 

bush symphony

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Ah, the muse, the rustic ruse.

The fiddle atwiddle, so sweet.

Twanging guitar, strummed by star.

Base plucked tween, tapping feet.

Flaming flute, round campfire beaut.

Oh of what joy was spoke.

The simple pleasure, the pricless treasure.

The noise of festival folk.
 

Democrats Condemn Gaza Invasion : Sunday 4 January, 2009: 9.46pm

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Darren Churchill - ACT Democrats President

ACT Australian Democrats president, Darren Churchill says he is appalled by the Federal government’s lack of leadership over Israel’s invasion of Gaza.

Last week, Israel launched attacks on civilian targets in Gaza killing more than 300 Palestinians, including women and children and injuring 1000 others. Today, Israeli tanks and infantry rolled into Gaza as a full scale offensive began.

Mr Churchill has called on acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard to show some leadership. “How far does this obscenity of war have to go before the Australian government speaks out and condemns it?” queried Mr Churchill

“The targets have not been military ones. They have been police, hospitals, mosques and universities. These are innocent people!” said Mr Churchill. “It’s a violation of International Law to attack police when they are not involved in military activities”

“The beginning of the current problems is that Gaza has been strangled for some time by an Israeli blockade.” Mr Churchill continued. “Israel’s blockade of Gaza for the last two years means that injured Palestinians will die because of lack of medical supplies.”

“These are blatant abuses of human rights. Australia must condemn the attacks. We must condemn the invasion.”

“Australia must stand up for humanity, justice and truth. War is the ultimate obscenity. The action taken by Israel is obscene! It is time for the Rudd-Gillard government to show some leadership on this important issue of international human rights.” Mr Churchill concluded.

Darren Churchill
ACT Democrats President
[email protected]
Tel: 0412 196 473

Untrained Chefs being filtered into the Australian Hospitality Industry

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I would like to introduce myself as the State Manager of Chefs On The Run NSW. I am not only a qualified Chef with over 14 years experience but also hold a Diploma in Food Science & Technology. As I am one of the meanest advocates for the Hospitality Industry I felt compelled to share the story that crossed my path this morning

I received a letter from a hospitality training provider this morning stating that one of our Kitchen Hands will be doing his Industry Placement of 900 hours with Chefs On The Run NSW so that he can complete his Commercial Cookery Industry Work Experience. Upon speaking to my staff member, I had to find out exactly what he expected COTR to be able to provide him with, as I stated; Unfortunately COTR can not give you experience as a Chef as you do not have enough experience working in a kitchen, and all our Chefs have anywhere between 10 to 20 years experience in the Industry. He replied, It’s okay, because I can do all of this placement as a Kitchen Hand.

It appears there is NO requirement for him to actually get work experience cooking! The industry allows him to complete his work placement requirement section of the course by washing dishes and mopping floors for 900 hours! How is this work going to give him the experience necessary to be a qualified Chef!

As you can imagine this comment rang huge alarm bells, with myself querying what the Government is doing about the abundance of Qualified Chefs that have NO experience. I do not understand how a cookery student can do his chef industry placement as a kitchen hand, and how the Government can allow this to occur

Please see below for my response to the Training Provider:

THE SENT EMAIL STATING

Dear Training Provider

I only just received your letter this morning, and to say the least, was a little surprised. Firstly, …. did not speak to me about doing his Industry Placement Hours with Chefs On The Run NSW. Unfortunately COTR will not be able to give …. industry placement as a Chef. The reason being that ALL our Chefs have anywhere between 10 to 20 years experience in the industry and …. just does not have enough experience to be placed into these positions. Also, as I am quite a mean advocate for this wonderful industry that we work in, I do not believe it to be kosher to place a newly qualified cooks into 900 hours of kitchen hand work as Industry Experience, so therefore will not be able to assess …. for any of his placement hours. I apologise to both yourself and …. for this, and hope that you are able to assist him with his placement in an operational kitchen where he can gain experience working as a cook.

Upon this discussion with all involved I took the liberty to contact other clients within the Industry (Quite large corporations) in regards to what they were seeing our there in the Industry, this is what I was told

These Cert 3 Chefs do not even know how to use a knife
I was recently asked by an apparent qualified Chef what asparagus was
This quailed Chef assured me that they had a plethora of knowledge about cooking, but when asked to make a Bechamel sauce they told me that they could not speak French
Now this is JUST the tip of the iceberg in regards to the horror stories circulating out there in the Hospitality Industry in Australia. I question the Government on it’s mentality of filtering untrained, unskilled chefs with absolutely NO experience or knowledge into the Hospitality Industry. What do they think it is going to create within the Industry? Is this one of the causes to the Unhygienic Practices in MANY kitchen we are facing on a weekly basis?

What is Australia doing about this issue? What is the Hospitality Industry doing about this issue? Please help a extremely passionate Chef get answers to these questions, let’s help Australia and the dying hospitality Industry that we used to be renowned for across the globe.
 

Get a blast from the arts-not blisters. How to enjoy a museum or gallery

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Lining up at a gallery...for the loo

At 10am, you’re already grumpy, tired, with sore feet and there’s still a long line of people in front of you.  No, it’s not Christmas shopping, but visiting a gallery or museum. 
Why do we go?  Because it’s something to do, to impress people, or—shock horror—to learn something and perhaps be changed by the experience.  While the Mona Lisa is unlikely to inspire a bestseller (or maybe so!), making the effort to travel halfway across the world can be more rewarding than Frequent Flyer points.
For some tourists, visiting museums and galleries reads like an itinerary for a Vogue photoshoot, leading to as many tantrums and diva antics due to exhaustion.  The common frustrations of visiting museums and galleries are a result of long lines, too many people, tiredness, and the feeling of ‘anticlimax’.

For example….
‘Great, the freakin’ Mona Lisa.  I can’t even bloody see it!  Too many tourists.  Is that it?  It’s tiny! Dammit I need a cuppa right now and I gotta pee.’
There are some tips though to ensure you remember the exquisite detail of Roman sculptures rather than how many blisters you had.

Do’s

  • Check the opening times.  Europe has a habit of closing things on Monday or Tuesdays. 
  • Check the dress code.  The Vatican doesn’t let short-skirted skimpy types into the buildings. Temples in Asia also have rules/courtesies.
  • Dress in layers. It may be hot outside, but air-conditioning can leave you goosebumped and miserable.
  • Wear comfortable shoes and clothes. Seems obvious, but I saw a woman wearing stilettos in the Louvre.  If she slipped on the marble floor at least her bouffant hairspray bleached hair would have cushioned the fall.
  • Drink water.  Crowded rooms make you feel woozy if you are dehydrated.
  • Go to the loo before you look; the lines to go are long.
  • Take earphones for audio guides.  Some have two outlets so you can share and save money.
  • Agree on meeting point and time for others in the group so you don’t waste time looking for cousin Carl rather than Caravaggio.
  • Go early and/ or pre-book tickets: If you thought Disneyland space mountain lines in summer were long, it’s nothing compared to the Uffizi in Florence in August.  Booking can be done online or phone, or via tour companies.

Don’ts

  • Take in the pocket knife you use to open wine bottles.  Security will find it when you walk through the beepy things, and you’ll forget to pick it up at the end.
  • Try to see everything in one day. The Louvre allegedly has only 10 percent of what it has on display. If you were to look at the 35,000 objects on display for less than a second each, you’d be there for 10 hours, as Marcus from www.hereorthere.com noted. Just see what intrigues you and when you’ve had enough, go outside and walk the lanes, see a performance, relax on a beach.
  • Take pictures for the sake of it.  Remember, Michelangelo’s David exists in books, souvenir statues and keyrings.  It’s not like you’ll forget it.  Take the time to see with your own eyes; to search into every nook and willy and contemplate the perfection of each inch.  Go in as close as the sensors will allow on a Van Gogh painting to see the thick paint.  Close your eyes in a cathedral and hear the echo of the choir.  Touch the cobbled shores of the Nice beach and smell herbs at the markets.  Don’t waste gigabytes and blocked vision with a camera.  Save it for people photos.
  • Go if you don’t want to. You’ll only make the other person/people feel bad and ruin their time like trying to keep a vegetarian happy at a bullfight.

  • Going to the effort of seeing something special requires more planning than popping down to the shops.  But doing so ensures you enjoy the experience more and live to walk another day, in another place.

The Gelato Odyssey – not just ice-cream, but an adventure

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World Champion Gelato

I look at it against the sunlight, just enough to give that little bit of extra taste, then swirl it around in my mouth and close my eyes with an mmmmm.  No, I’m not gulping back some Grange Hermitage—rather, enjoying the delight of what is a world championship winning gelato, in Italy.

There’s something about letting flavour coat itself on your tongue like a velvet carpet, to close one’s eyes and pick out the bursts and subtle undertones of a finely made gelato.  We can all appreciate tastes that evoke an emotional response such as satisfaction, contentment and excitement. The sweet and frozen treat—gelato—has the ability to transcend mood, depending on quality, and where and how you eat it.

What is gelato?

Isn’t it just some fancy word for ice-cream?
Well, sort of. If the term ice-cream is like saying ‘wine’, then gelato is a variety, like shiraz.  With its distinct ingredients, preparation and storage methods, there are main differences to ice cream such as:

  • More flavour due to less air, meaning denser concentration of ingredients
  • Less fat due to using milk or skim milk rather than cream (and a type of gelato called Sorbetto/sorbet, doesn’t use any dairy at all)
  • Melts faster because the ingredients are not homogenized (which is a method of milk processing, to prevent or delay natural separation of cream from the rest of the emulsion.)  So?  This means less chance of ice-cream headache and sore teeth!

High quality gelato is made daily, with fresh and quality ingredients. Maintaining the consistency, it is stored in a gelato freezer, which is not as cold as an ice-cream freezer, and thus gives a smoother effect.

Who invented gelato, and when?

Like most things foodie, there’s conjecture about who invented it and when. Some sources state it’s 3000 years old from China, other say it’s from 16th century Italy at the time of Catherine de Medici of Florence. Whatever the origins, over the past 200 years the process has refined to move beyond snow stored in cellars to streamlined modern techniques involving custom machinery and special freezers.
Right, so gelato really is different to ice-cream, but is it better?

That’s where a little experiment comes in. Just as there are tours for wine lovers, I had the opportunity to indulge in gelato while walking and cycling in Europe.  The mission: try a different type a day in three different countries. Overall, I tried 13 flavours. Which one was the best gelato experience and why?
The answer is not purely whatever tasted best, but many factors. 

How to have an excellent gelato adventure: factors to consider

—Price:  the closer you get to a tourist node like the Colosseum in Rome, the higher the price and not necessarily the better the quality.  The cheapest I paid for one scoop (size of woman’s bunched fist) was 70 centimes and the most was 3 euro. 
—Quality: While major brands like Peters and Movenpick are good, they’re not as good as the ‘professional’ homemade stuff.  Try to go for a gelateria on its own; not a gelateria/photobooth/creperie/internet café. Similar gourmet strategy to, ‘would you buy cheese from the farmer, or Kraft cheese sticks from a supermarket?’
—How to mix: if you get more than one flavour, keep to the food groups.  ie. Don’t mix lemon with triple nutella.  Come on, would you pour chocolate ice magic into a lemonade? And I can guarantee that mixing orange with spearmint with induce a gag reflex a la orange juice after brushing teeth.
 The three basic gelato food groups are:
•    The sorbets:  usually fruit-based, minimal/no dairy added, relies on the whipping for creaminess: eg citrus, berries, melons
•    The creamy-dreamies: usually more than one flavour but complementary, eg cookies and cream, rum and raisin
•    The sweetie dearest: one spoonful is enough calorie intake to climb the stairs up Sacre Coeur ten times.  These are the chocolate, nuttella, butterscotch blends.
It’s alright to mix the last two food groups together, though one scoop is more than enough to feel like your teeth will fall out.  One I tried was a Nutella and Marscapone concoction with streaks of the hazelnut condiment layered through liquid sugar and cream.
—Cone or cup?  I prefer the cup as you don’t have to rush the eating from a melting cone with sticky stream of melted gelato streaming down one’s arm. It’s easier to keep flavours separate too.  And if you think it makes any difference whatsoever, hey, you miss out on the calories of the cone.  More surface area support means less risk of a super lick dislodging the contents from the cone and ending in tears.  Even from a grown man.
—How to eat?  Try to sit down and enjoy the taste. Watch the tourist rabble instead walking in crowds where an errant elbow may jut its way into your triple chocolate.  Don’t eat when you’re in a hurry, walking up a hill or in the sun on a super hot day.  Yep I know, but the stickiness and sweetness will only leave you thirsty.  Have a bottle of water instead.
—Presentation: In Paris, the gelaterists have a nifty way of presenting multiple flavours, like a rose bud unflowering that looks too pretty to eat.  But go ahead anyway.
Taste: What makes a good gelato?
—Texture: Absence of ice.  More tiny bubble to flavour ratio. The best example of this was in Switzerland, at a café near Lake Como. Each spoonful of the peach sorbet felt like silken bubbles coated with real peach, rather than crunchy ‘ow my teeth!’
—Reality of flavour.  You know when you chew strawberry flavoured bubblegum and it doesn’t taste like strawberry?  Well, when the gelato has the little seedy bits in it, and tastes like you just plucked it from a ripe bush, then that’s the stuff.
—Originality:  while avocado and tomato may not be everyone’s cup of tea, certain combinations can be eye-closingly gorgeous like saffron cream, which had pine nuts in it.
France or Italy?
The answer is a tricky one. In Italy was the world champion in San Gimignano near Florence for the above-mentioned saffron cream. Was it good?  Yes.  Worth every centime.  Mind you, the view over a Tuscan vineyard on a sunny day didn’t hurt either.  And the peach scoop on the lakeshore of Lake Como after riding some ks tasted pretty good too.
The worst one I had was in a restaurant in Domodossola, Italy a coffee flavour which was icy, hard and unauthentic.
Basically, the nationality of the gelato is a minor consequence.  What matters is the quality, ambience and overall gelato eating strategy

Odyssey in Australia

Being such a multicultural mish-mash, Australia is lucky to have immigrants from Italy who have brought gelato to the land of the ‘Spider’. While the thought of dropping high-grade vanilla gelato into creaming soda seems like smashing Dom Perignon to bless new ships, Australians can enjoy decent gelato.
Follow the same tips above.  While it may be trickier to find the taste factor, many gourmet stores stock locally made gelato, made with care by true professionals.  In Canberra there is even one man who can make any flavour you want for a minimum litreage order.
One thing Aussies do have in scoops is the vibe.  There are plenty of places to sit back and watch the world while licking in ponderance, like Circular Quay in Sydney. 
In these summer months, gelato is the gourmet experience to bring contentment—with a few hints it really is more than just ice-cream.
 

International stars at glittering Atlantis hotel opening in Dubai

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The Atlantis, The Palm, newly opened hotel in Dubai.

International stars at glittering Atlantis hotel opening in Dubai 

By RAMA GAIND

MY stopover in Dubai was only brief a decade ago, but left me craving for a longer stay – and the world’s only seven-star Hotel Burj Al Arab had not even been completed!
Now there’s another luxury hotel which opened in spectacular style last month as Dubai disregarded the worldwide economic crisis with the grand opening of the $1.5 billion hotel The Atlantis, The Palm.
It is South African billionaire, hotel and gambling tycoon Sol Kerzner’s Atlantis resort and performing at the $20 million party was Australia’s Kylie Minogue.
More than 2000 world celebrities were invited to the event where a spectacular fireworks display was unveiled by Indian actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra.
The 26-year-old dazzled in a figure-hugging gold-yellow floor-length satin gown with a single jewelled shoulder, vertically pleated bodice and bandage torso.
Accessories included a chunky watch, teardrop earrings, golden heels and a glittery box clutch bag.
The fireworks display, designed and executed by the Grucci’s, lit up the 43km of the palm- shaped shoreline and illuminated the entire island with more than 100,000 specially-designed pyrotechnic devices.
Labelled "party of the decade", the event was attended by Bollywood highflyers including Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Mallika Sherawat, Bipasha Basu, John Abraham and Arjun Rampal.
Hollywood stars included Robert de Niro, Charlize Theron, Mischa Barton and Wesley Snipes, singers Lilly Allen and Janet Jackson, Shirley Bassey, and catwalk model Yasmin Le Bon.
A leading international developer and operator of destination resorts, The Atlantis was created by Kerzner International Holdings Limited. The stunning new 1,539-room resort, which first welcomed guests in September 2008, is made up of two pale rose towers, which are linked by a bridge which houses a $35,000-a-night suite that has said to have a long waiting list.
The Dubai hotel is inspired by the original Atlantis that Kerzner built in the Bahamas, but is not an average 5-star hotel. The new lavish hotel is something quite extraordinary and the world has now come to know of its glittering entry on the world stage.
Atlantis, The Palm, in the enviable location atop the crescent of The Palm Jumeirah, is redefining tourism in Dubai as it is the area’s first integrated entertainment resort.
Guests are bound to be transported into a dazzling, imaginative world. The resort encompasses a 46 hectare site with 17 hectares of water themed amusement at Aquaventure, extensive fresh and saltwater pools and lagoon exhibits, an open-air marine habitat with 65,000 types of sea life, along with an enormous whale shark, that swim in 11 million litres of water. There’s also a seemingly endless stretch of beach, luxury boutiques, numerous dining choices including four celebrity chef restaurants, an exciting nightclub, a spa and fitness club and 5,600sqm of meeting and function space.
Being one of Asia’s major tourist destinations, Dubai is a sight to behold with astonishing artificial islands and palm-fringed beaches, sand dunes, theme parks and historic ruins.
Referred to as the ‘Venice of the Gulf’, it offers tourists a remarkable choice of sightseeing and recreational opportunities.
A must on your sightseeing tour is the Dubai Museum with its fine collection of life-size figures and galleries depicting Arab houses, marine life, desert and date gardens are a must.
Other highlights include Al Fahidi Fort, Grand Mosque, Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House, Heritage Village and Jumeirah archaeological site.
Can’t wait to stay at the Hotel Burj Al Arab which was designed to resemble a billowing sail of 321 metres and dominates the Dubai coastline. Needless to say, equal time must also be spent at The Atlantis – an ultimate fantasy hotel in Dubai!

 

 

Your voice heard in Zimbabwe

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To help keep hope alive in Zimbabwe this holiday season, we’re running radio ads across Zimbabwe with messages of solidarity from citizens around the world. Click here to put your name to the campaign–or even make an ad of your own!

REPORT BACK: Last week, 200,000 of us succeeded in shifting Germany’s position in the climate negotiations! It’s just a partial victory, but a crucial one.

As we approach the holiday season, the people of Zimbabwe need our solidarity and support. For many, this will be their tenth New Year’s Eve living in fear, their third without clean water, and their first amidst the spiralling cholera epidemic. So many have died that it is no longer clear hat is the population of the country.

1 Ultimately, it is the people of Zimbabwe who will bring change. Right now, our friends on the ground say that crushing hardship and isolation are the greatest threat — that the most powerful contribution we can make is to cry out our solidarity with their struggle, and let them know that they are not alone. While Mugabe and his generals might control the borders and the newspapers, the airwaves are still free. Sign our global message of solidarity now — it will be turned into a radio advertisement and broadcast across Zimbabwe in the new year–and then if you choose, write or record your own ad for broadcast using our online tools:

Zimbabwe’s people are wracked by a cholera crisis which has already killed over 1000 people.

2 Three months after Robert Mugabe and the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangarai signed a power-sharing agreement, Mugabe’s still clings to power, even denying there is an epidemic.3 And as the regime cracks down, with increasing numbers of journalists, human rights defenders and ordinary people being abducted this week4, the prospect of a unity government seems more remote than ever. The Zimbabweans who risked their lives to vote against Mugabe in March this year are exhausted, hungry and terrorised by violence.

We have campaigned throughout the year on different levels with a range of targets, tactics and strategies, but Zimbabwe will only change if, amongst the dread and fear, Zimbabweans themselves believe they have the power to overcome hopelessness and lawlessness. With our radio-broadcast messages of international solidarity, let’s let them know our eyes are on Zimbabwe and send them hope and strength to carry on strong into 2009. Our voices aim to uplift Zimbabwean people who have lost their hope or loved ones, helping a people who are desperate for democracy and ravaged by hunger and disease. These messages will be heard by hundreds of thousands across Zimbabwe and the region: sign our collective message here, then leave your personal message:

It is up to us to get our messages of support to the people of Zimbabwe. As citizens of the world, our only interest in ending the Mugabe era is that which led us to struggle in our own lands for political freedoms, and which brought many of us to stand with the South African people in the anti-apartheid struggle: a common humanity, a duty to fight repression and a commitment to the universality of rights. Let the Zimbabwean people know we stand with them:

In hope and solidarity,

Ben, Ricken, Alice, Brett, Pascal, Paul,

Graziela, Paula, Luis, Iain and the whole Avaaz team

SOURCES

1 John Hughes, Christian Science Monitor: "To save Zimbabwe, South Africa must step up"

2 AFP — Zimbabwe Cholera Death Toll Passes 1,000: UN

AllAfrica.com:Cholera Outbreak Blamed On Mugabe Sanitation Policy

3 Al-Jazeera: "Mugabe – Cholera Crisis is Over"

4 Activists go missing in Zimbabwe crackdown

P.S.

For a report on Avaaz’s campaigning so far, see https://secure.avaaz.org/en/report_back_2

ABOUT AVAAZ Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world’s people inform global decision-making.(Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in Ottawa, London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Buenos Aires, and Geneva. Call us at: +1 888 922 8229 or +55 21 2509 0368 

A tribute to Indigenous People of the World

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Traditional Tobas Costumes and dance

By Fabian Veron

 

“We are children of the sun, walking upon the face of the earth, through the rhythms of the moon”…. Jose Argüelles.

The beauty about the indigenous people of the world is that their worldview is embedded within the midst of time immemorial. Their ancient ways honor time as sacred and enchanted, compared to our clock based time, which is linear and disconnected from nature’s celestial rhythms. Traditional indigenous cultures of the world are the keepers of ancient stories, customs and rituals that honor our living earth and the greater cosmos.

The late Mayan scholar, Linda Schele encapsulates the authentic ancient ways of the world’s indigenous people: “at its heart, is the experience of a spiritual and magical world. It is a world in which ancestors affect the fate of the living, where human beings can transform into their animal counterparts, where ritual transforms space and objects into powerful energy carriers. It is a world alive in all its parts”.

Their ancient worldview places the human being at the center of the cosmos in a reciprocal relationship that bestows humanity with the responsibility of engaging life, as an ongoing and eternal process. The past and present traumas of conquest, colonization and policies of cultural genocide have damaged the fragile threads, connecting the indigenous heart and soul to their ancestors and way of life.

In our time of great change and ecological erosion by the modern world, the voices of the indigenous are still singing and dancing the wonders of life. It’s time for all of us to reconnect to the indigenous soul, deep within us all and join in solidarity with the keeper’s of nature’s ‘lore’! Fellow citizens, let’s seek out the warmth of the fire, under the starry night sky and share through song and dance our ‘Commonwealth’!

Encuentro and friends are committed to supporting the plight of our indigenous brothers and sisters from across the world. We thank all those individuals, families and musicians that gave freely of their time last month in making the Tobas fundraiser a great success – we raised $1400 in our efforts. This money will go to an organisation founded by the legendary Argentinean singer songwriter- Patricia Sosa.

Patricia was shocked to find the once proud Tobas of Northern Argentina in a state of disrepair and was moved to act upon her convictions. Patricia’s efforts have helped to mobilise a campaign within her home country, thereby raising awareness and funds towards the Tobas’ plight. Patricia’s drive inspired us to help support the cause in Canberra and we hope that the effort can inspire fellow Australians, rediscover the richness of the Tobas culture.

Encuentro and friends are looking towards the next challenge, which is to help indigenous communities, of up to 80,000 people in Altai (Central Asia). Altai is described as the ‘Pearl’ of Central Asia and its wild rivers; rugged terrain and pristine forest, are facing the extreme pressures of a modern world hungry for resources. Encuentro and friends hope to raise awareness and much needed funds to help the Altai indigenous retain, their ancestral lands.

Finally, all enquiries to help the Altai cause in Australia can be addressed to: [email protected] – For information on Encuentro activities go to: www.encuentroinc.com – Altai campaign: www.altaimir.org – Patricia’s Tobas campaign: www.translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.patriciasosa.com/pequenosgestos

Adshel kicks off groundbreaking poster recycling program

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A recent study conducted by P3 Green highlighted outdoor as the most environmentally responsible medium when benchmarked against other forms of advertising, including online. While the findings are positive for the out of home industry, operators still have a responsibility to reduce the thousands of posters that contribute to landfill.

Adshel has partnered with Dalton, the largest supplier of paper to the printing industry in Australia, to create a groundbreaking poster recycling program, thereby extending Adshel’s leadership position in green practices in the out of home industry.

The partnership will see all posters printed by Adshel’s production services moving to Yupo stock, which can be recycled into polypropylene products. Post campaign, crates provided by Dalton and housed at Adshel depots will collect the expired posters. These posters will be recycled and used for a host of polypropylene extrusions such as compost bins, injection mouldings, milk crates, worm farms and even back into the crates used to collect the posters.

Adshel customers printing via third party suppliers are also encouraged to switch to recyclable stock. This allows all posters, not just those produced by Adshel to partake in the recycling program. Honda will be the first partner to test drive the initiative, due to kick off in early 2009.

"This program sees Adshel significantly reducing landfill and becoming more environmentally friendly whilst maintaining high standards of production. Not only is this attractive to socially responsible clients, initiatives such as these will come more into focus if legislation is introduced that forces companies to offset their emissions." Comments Elvira Lodewick, Marketing Director Adshel. "Implementation of this program will see Adshel recycling at least 60% of all posters, with the aim to move to 100% of all posters recycled over the longer term."

Yupo stock, made from completely recyclable polypropylene boasts a smooth surface, excellent for print production, a consistently white shade, and is durable and resistant to tearing, oils and heat.

From eh to ah ha – getting the most out of tours

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Which tour is best for you?

What makes a rubble of rocks become a wonder of the world, or some chunks of metal become the most romantic place to propose marriage? After making the effort to go somewhere for sightseeing, how do you get the most out of the experience, to suit your budget, time and personality?  From guidebooks to bus tours, there is a range of options to ensure that places come to life. These tips are based on experiences in Europe.
For example, there you are in Paris, at the Louvre, underneath IM Pei’s glass pyramid. Looking around the lobby, the escalators lead up towards multiple entrances to the wings of the old palace, so crammed with riches beyond compare.  Where to begin?

Tour types

***No tour:

You stand in front of the Mona Lisa and say ‘eh’ before moving on to the next Da Vinci ‘eh’ then a Michelangelo ‘looks like the other dude’.  I did this the first time I went to the Louvre and followed the ‘quantity not quality’ method.  While I did have the time to find the little figurines in the Egyptian area, did I truly appreciate them? 
Advantages:  takes less time, go where you want, when you want.
Disadvantages:  how would you find out how Da Vinci got the lines so fine on such a small painting (Mona Lisa) or that some guy hacked at David’s left toe with a hammer in 1991 (Accademia, Florence)? The story behind the artwork and artist is often the entertainment more than the mere physical presence.
Suited to:  people on a budget, people who don’t like other people, lack of time, lone travellers

Price:  nothing

***Guidebook: 

Walking around with the gallery’s guide or your own book that explains who-what-when-why-how about an exhibit/place.
Advantages:  pick out the bits that interest you before you see them.  Find out a bit more.  Comes from a sole source, approved by relevant people.
Disadvantages:  May not discover other things.  For instance, if you had never tried smoked herring for breakfast, you wouldn’t know whether you liked it or not.  Or you might walk right past some Goya, when he’s the kind of artist that would really appeal to horror movie fans.
Suited to: people who like to study, those who have a specific interest, lone travellers

Price:  varies depending on country, usually around AUD10.

***Audio guide: 

hire a device to listen to tracks for selected pieces of a gallery or museum.  Follow the map/guide and play the track when you get to the piece. For example to look at the Winged Victory of Samothrace at the Louvre and clog up the stairwell with other agog tourists.
Advantages: can skip bits that don’t interest you.  Provides the highlights. Saves time.
Disadvantages: might miss out on pieces not included in the audio guide because you walk right past it. May be bored by the voice.  Last guide I had sounding like he was sucking on a prune without about as much verbal outcome…
Suited to: Studious types who’d rather spend more time looking than reading, independent type or couple (shared earphones).
Price:  varies depending on country and level of content, usually around AUD10.

***Small group (1-5 people): 

Your guide knows you by name, tailors the tour to suit your timings and interests, information is more two-way rather than purely transmit.  For example, I went to Auckland in July 2006 and booked in for a day of mountain biking. Yep, it was cold, windy, rainy. I was the only person, but the tour went ahead anyway.  I had Bee-Bee all to myself and while we waited for the rain to ease, she did a palm reading and predicted my future as a great writer.  Lucky she was also a good guide, as the palm-reading bit is yet to reveal itself!
Advantages: Get a more personal service; guide may suggest something relevant to you specially, eg for tea lovers going through caffeine withdrawal in Paris  ‘you simply must go to the Mariage Frères teashop then!’ or they may suggest a restaurant near your hotel and places to avoid.
Disadvantages:  usually the most pricy kind of tour and a tip is also expected.  If there’s a personality clash then the day could be a drag.  Also, they may be in cahoots with other businesses to try and rope you into going to restaurants, for which they receive a commission.
Advice:
—-Basically, take anything they suggest with a skeptical mind, but still be polite.  The nicer you are, then the nicer they are.
—-Make sure you go with an agency, rather than some guy off the street who offers to take you around.  They may be genuine, but even so, there is no administrative control/insurance etc.
Suited to: Those who are after the genuine experience, ie the custom-made Spanish omelette rather than a McDonalds siesta burger; those who have a bit more money
Price:  Depends on the country.  In Western Europe = around $AUD90 per person (then a tip)

***Big group:

Usually about 10-20 people wearing earphones to pick up on the guide’s voice as they lead you around, stopping you at exhibits/interests to give their spiel eg ‘ This 18th century china bowl has the utmost significance, for it was used to….’
Advantages:  Makes what would be boring in a book, come to life— assuming you get a good guide.  In Florence, we had Christina, an art student who truly enjoyed what she did and made sense of the iron rings hanging off centuries-old walls so forever after, I know what they mean.
If you enjoy people, sometimes the tour groups have lunch together so you can meet fellow travelers and exchange stories about dodgy restaurants.
Disadvantages: 
—-inconsistent information.  For example in Florence, Mum and I had three tours with the same company and three different sets of information as to a what happened to the head of Primavera, a statue on the Ponte Santa Trinita. While it’s not so important to know the facts (you can get that from books) it does detract from the experience, no matter how entertaining the description of how Giuliano Medici was dramatically assassinated during High Mass in the Duomo Cathedral in the middle of a service.  And the gore that followed as his brother Lorenzo tracked down the assassins and conspirators.
—-The Chic or Geek factor. For the style conscious and teenagers, you may cringe at looking like a dick walking around with stickers and earplugs.  Unless you’re one of the retired Americans with Hawaiian shirts who don’t seem to care.
—-Hearing Voices. Having to hear more than one language rattled off by bi-lingual tour: by the end of a day trip to Versailles, I felt I knew Spanish.  Well, I knew enough that it would be hard to understand.  So fast!!!
Suited to: Safe-seekers (ie non-adventurous), medium to high budget, couples and families
Price:  Depends on the country.  In Western Europe = around $AUD90 per person for a half-day tour.  More money if lunch and transport are required.

Basically,
if you’re on a budget…use your own guide book or share an audio guide
if you like people….go the small group or big group option
if you’re time poor: no guidebook.  Just wander around.  At least though try to read up beforehand to see which bits you need to visit.
 

Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide

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Leonard Maltin''s 2009 Movie Guide

Leonard Maltin’s 2009 Movie Guide (Plume Book, a member of the Penguin Group, 1644pp, RRP: $24.95).

By RAMA GAIND

Leonard Maltin’s 2009 Movie Guide is an indispensable manual not just for the film buff.
Regarded as the most authoritative book of its kind, now with more entries, updates and revisions for 2009, it has more than 17,000 capsule movie reviews, from blockbusters to little-known sleepers, foreign films and there are also some rarities.
Also included are more than 300 new entries and more than 10,000 DVD and 14,000 video listings. Not only is there an updated index of leading directors and performers, but camp classics and a list of 50 movies you may have missed.
Compiling the book annually has, no doubt, become an onerous task, but Maltin is proud of this all-purpose handbook.
He fondly recalls when he first got the assignment to work on the first edition of this book – 40 years ago – when it was called TV Movies.
Maltin notes that updates are constantly made to ensure a superior product.
Ably assisted by a team of dedicated contributors, Maltin has added many facts and corrections to last year’s book including accurate details on running times, changing certain terminologies, but raises questions about the reliability of online information about movies.
Never one to sit on his laurels, there is also a spin-off book – Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide – where you’ll find many pre-1960 films that once appeared and 1100 more which have never found a spot.
If you love the classics than keep this handy – as well.

 

 

Capital Region Farmers Market launches new website

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Capital Region Farmers Market new website

The Capital Region Farmers Market, held every Saturday morning in Canberra, has launched a new website www.farmersmarket.org.au.

Tony Howard, Capital Region Farmers Market spokesperson, said the website was designed with both consumers and Market producers in mind.

“The website was designed to improve interactivity between our stallholders and visitors. Consumers can access a complete list of producers attending the Market with the range of products they sell and email them directly from the website,” Tony said.

“For a limited time, visitors registering their details on the website can enter a draw to win one of two fresh produce Christmas hampers. Winners will be announced at the Farmers Market on Saturday, 20 December at 9 am, which will be specially held at the Canberra Racecourse,” he added.

Registered consumers will also be kept up-to-date with Farmers Market news and special offers and will receive useful information such as recipe ideas and cooking tips.

To provide consumers with fresh produce for Christmas celebrations, the Farmers Market will hold a special Christmas market on Tuesday, 23 December at Kamberra Wines (Northbourne Ave) from 2 to 5 pm.

The Market will take a break on Saturday, 3 January and will return to its normal venue at the Exhibition Park on Saturday, 10 January from 8 am to 11 am.

The Capital Region Farmers Market, generally held at the Exhibition Park (EPIC) every Saturday morning, is a genuine farmers market with over 100 stalls offering a diverse range of fresh food and agricultural produce straight from the producer to the customer. Produce sold includes fruit, vegetables, meats, breads, organic and specialist products, eggs, coffee, nuts, honey, seafood, chocolate, wines and oils, cakes, flowers and more.

All funds generated from the Market are fed back into regional communities and other projects chosen by the Rotary Club of Hall which founded the Market in 2004.

For more information on Capital Regional Farmers Market, visit www.farmersmarket.org.au.
 

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