The true test of a play is its successful exposition in front of an audience. As part of its Made in Canberra season, the Street Theatre provided six members of the ACT Region Playwrights with the opportunity to give their works ‘legs’ to test for viability and durability.
The importance of a synergistic collaboration between writer, director and actor to cocreate a piece that exudes life and colour was quite evident, with a varying audience response to each piece presented under the ‘Bill of Writes’ banner.
Weaving their stories around the central theme of human (and in one case, animal) rights certainly tested the playwrights’ mettle and showed the many variations there can be upon a single theme.
Directors Max Barker, Terry Johnson and PJ Williams worked up tight pieces for writers Bill Fleming, Eris Jane, Jim Jones and Noel Milson. Katie Pollock and Joan McGillivray double dipped as writer/director of their own works.
The shorter, sharper pieces confirmed the adage that ‘less is more’, enjoying a positive audience response, while the longer piece that closed the evening lost its audience midway with its convolutions—clear evidence indeed of the value in writers releasing their work to the collaborative process.
Standout writing from Bill Fleming at the top of the evening, whose cynical take on Public Service processes in Christmas Hijinks was well acted to highlight Fleming’s sharp wit (which perhaps even cut a little too close to the Public Sector bone).
Eris Jane’s engaging Lifting Lucy was enhanced by its strong cast and Jane’s memorable quips such as “L:I’m the one who’s dying! C:That’s just a timing thing”.
It is only through programs such as the Made in Canberra Season at The Street Theatre that emerging local playwrights get the opportunity to hone their craft, so the last hurrah must go to The Street for supporting the evidently quite capable local playwrighting industry.
ACT Region Playwrights meet at the ACT Writers Centre at 7.450pm on the first Thursday of each month. Contact [email protected].
Absent-minded teens – exposed and burnt reveals new Cancer Council research
Main reason for getting sunburnt – “I forgot to protect myself”
Teens continue to put themselves at unnecessary risk of skin cancer by spending excessive time in the sun and forgetting to protect themselves, according to new Cancer Council research.
Findings from the Cancer Council’s National Sun Protection Survey show teens spend an average of two hours (1hr 51mins) in the sun during peak UV, with almost a third who get sunburnt saying they “forgot” to protect themselves.
Announcing the results to launch National Skin Cancer Action Week (16-22 Nov) – www.cancer.org.au/skincancerweek, Cancer Council Australia CEO, Professor Ian Olver, said that while the research showed adults were behaving more responsibly and burning less, teens weren’t absorbing the SunSmart message as effectively.
“One in four teens is still getting sunburnt on a typical summer weekend, compared with just 14% of adults,” Professor Olver said*. “Adults are clearly getting the message, but we need to more effectively target younger people.
“More than 430,000 Australians get skin cancer and 1600 Australians die from it each year, yet most skin cancer is preventable simply by being SunSmart.”
Chair of Cancer Council Australia’s National Skin Cancer Committee, Craig Sinclair, said fewer teens were deliberately seeking a tan, but were still spending too long in the sun without adequate protection. “Fewer adults are outdoors during peak UV (down from 73% in 2003-04 to 67%), but teens are out in large numbers (82%),” Mr Sinclair said. “Only 4% wear a wide-brimmed hat, compared to 24% of adults.
"Among teens who saw media reports about Vitamin D, 17% said the reports made them think they needed to go out in the sun more without protection, in order to get enough Vitamin D*".
Australasian College of Dermatologists Honorary Secretary, Dr Stephen Shumack, said skin cancer in young people was more common than thought. “We regularly see the effects of sun damage in young people, with patients in their 20s requiring disfiguring treatments at times."
The recent survey also indicated an improvement in the number of Canberra adults liking to get a tan down from 38% in 2003 to 31%. Whilst it also reported the number of Canberra adults who attempted a sun tan fall from16% in 2003 to 9%- a significant improvement. However roughly 29,000 (or 13%) Canberra adults are still getting sunburned over a typical summer weekend
The Cancer Council ACT has free resources to assist Canberra high schools and colleges toward educating teens about the real dangers associated with too much sun. To obtain resources or for more information on skin cancer prevention and awareness contact the Cancer Council ACT on 6257 9999 or www.actcancer.org
Cancer Council ACT contact: David Wild. 6257 9999.
Shaken, not stirred.
Not: steamed vegies with skinny latte. The tag line for fictional British agent James Bond’s Martini preference is a corny cocktail party ice-breaker.What most people may not know about Bond is that the man loves his food just as he loves his women. In the book Diamonds Are Forever, Bond tells love interest Tiffany Case that his idea of a girl is one who can make sauce bearnaise as well as love.
But what exactly does a man – who could die while saving the world – eat? And could the mere civilian indulge as Bond does and live to Die Another Day?
James Bond is a character created by Ian Fleming in 1953 and since then has lived adventures in 12 books, 2 short story collections and 23 films. The cool and collected killer saves the world and suaves his way through casinos with as much ease as he freefalls from tall buildings — about as close to a real-life superhero anyone can aspire to be.
Indeed, it’s far easier for mere mortals to order eggs Benedict, rather than break into a Soviet embassy or convert a lesbian to heterosexuality. That’s why Fleming wanted the reader to taste Bond’s life – if not through his blood and sweat – then through what he ate:
My contribution to the art of thriller-writing has been to attempt the total stimulation of the reader all the way through, even to his taste buds.
In one of many descriptions on dining, Fleming indulges the reader with the richness of Bond’s breakfast routine: Sitting down to The Times, he breakfasts on two large cups of very strong coffee, from De Bry in New Oxford Street, brewed in an American Chemex and an egg served in a dark blue egg cup with a gold ring round the top, boiled for three and a third minutes. There is also wholewheat toast, Jersey butter and a choice of Tiptree ‘Little Scarlet’ strawberry jam, Cooper’s Vintage Oxford marmalade and Norwegian Heather Honey from Fortnum and Mason, served on blue Minton china. Breakfast is prepared by May, his Scottish housekeeper, whose friend supplies the speckled brown eggs from French Marans hens. [From, The James Bond Dossier website www.tjbd.co.uk]
As you can read, there’s more than just a little name-dropping, but Fleming didn’t receive any endorsements – this was before product placement took a grip on cinema with its lingering shots of Omega watches and BMW badges.
Why did Fleming make food and drink such a focus in his writing as much as the description of battle scars and the freak show of dastardly villains? Come on, if Bond ordered Caesar salad, hold-the-bacon-mayonnaise-and-croutons, would any woman want to jump into bed with his no-carb abs? A man’s man is a meat fiend, a connoisseur of the dangerous and rare. Willing to risk the ire of caviar protectionists worldwide, he tosses beluga-covered blini into his mouth with about as much guilt shown after tucking his Walther PPK back in its holster.
What do you think Bond’s favourite meal would be?Something grand, like smoked confit of venison with raspberry jus and truffle oil rosti, or would he be more into British ‘bangers ‘n’ mash? He’ a bit in the middle – simple, good-quality ingredients prepared with care, ‘just so’. There’s even a James Bond recipe by Fleming for the humble Scrambled eggs.
Throughout his travels around the world, Bond tastes the local cuisine as much as he samples the local women. When he’s with CIA counterpart Felix Leiter in the US, he eats Little Neck Clams and Fried Chicken Maryland.In France it’s cold langoustine; in Italy, tagliatelle verde. Universal to anywhere, anytime, is the staple of oysters, beluga caviar, eggs (Benedict, en concotte, scrambled) and any array of grilled meat accompanied by potatoes.
Overall, Bond eats rather well; a good balance of protein and carbs. He also eats fruit, such as fresh figs, strawberries and pineapple. His aversion to cream-based sauces is from snobbery rather than health; he believes it masks the taste of poor quality meat. This is no man to eat donuts on a stakeout.
But the downfall in his lifestyle is alcohol, cigarettes and coffee. And not just because of the drugs laced in it as in Dr. No. Drinking
By the time of Thunderball, (9th book) Bond’s daily intake of spirits is around half a bottle. And that doesn’t even count other drinks such as champagne of any mentioned brands: Dom Perignon, Bollinger, Taittinger, and Veuve Cliquot.
Fleming describes the role of drinking in 007’s life:
Drink relaxed Bond. His only rule was not to get drunk, but perhaps for 20 years he had hardly gone to bed cold sober. His other rules were not to drink at midday or after dinner, and never to drink liqueurs.
The ‘Atomic Martinis’ebsite calculated that Bond has had 431 drinks, with more than the standard Martini as his poison cocktail of choice; such as the Vesper, the Old-Fashioned, the Negroni and the Americano.
No wonder he had developed his own hangover cure of a ‘prairie oyste’ [egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, vinegar and tomato sauce].
To stay awake for long stakeouts, Bond would drink coffee, usually some name-dropped straight black Jamaican blend. Despite being on her Maj’s secret service, tea was described by Fleming through Bond as the ‘flat, soft, time-wasting opium of the masses.’
Smoking
In the film version of You Only Live Twice, Bond uses a Q-branch secret weapon explosive cigarette to cause distraction long enough for him to sabotage the rocket launch. This wasn’t the only danger of cigarettes; Bond would smoke 60 a day of custom-made special Balkan and Turkish mixture with three gold bands on the filter.
If we civilians were to live the same lifestyle – except without skiing Swiss slopes and swimming with shark – surely our livers would be pickled, and our lungs spluttering in an overdose of smoke. The rich butter-based seafood dishes would result in fat-clogged arteries, though the favourite ingredient of eggs may counteract this.
However, having a licence to kill means you live each day as your last. Sure, his liver and heart are likely to have a short countdown like an impending nuclear explosion at Fort Knox, but Bond needs the energy to fight off assassins, seduce ladies, and chase bad guys.He’s fiction. In real life he’d be a pudgy, spluttering alcoholic with poor blood circulation.
But as Bond said in You Only Live Twice: I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them; I shall use my time…
So one night as James Bond won’t hurt.
Just don’t cook it yourself, as the man himself recommends: [website: The Commander’s Club]
Show no knowledge of how food is actually prepared. You have never cooked a meal in your life. What you eat is provided either by the Scottish treasure who keep house for you or by a girl or by a restaurant. In your world, a meal appears, is devoured and vanishes.
James Bond Menu
The Vesper
Stonecrabs and melted butter
James Bond Scrambled Eggs
Green figs
/////The Vesper///////
This cocktail was devised by Bond in honour of Vesper Lynd, the double agent love interest in Casino Royale. Bond states that he named the drink ‘The Vesper’, because once he tasted it, it was all he wanted to drink.
‘A dry martini," [Bond] said. ‘One. In a deep champagne goblet.’
‘Oui, monsieur.’
‘Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?’
‘Certainly, monsieur.’ The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
-Ian Fleming, Casino Royale
NOTES:
* Kina Lillet is no longer available. Use Lillet Blonde instead or Dry Vermouth with a dash of bitters.
* For the more hardcore authentic drink, use 100 proof Vodka—as per 1953 standards.
* Use a champagne goblet – not a martini glass.
/////Stone Crabs/////
Bond ate stone crabs while dining with gluttonous businessman Mr Du Pont in Goldfinger:
The meat of the stonecrabs was the tenderest, sweetest shellfish he had ever tasted. It was perfectly set off by the dry toast and the slightly burned taste of the melted butter. The champagne seemed to have the faintest scent of strawberries. It was ice-cold. After each helping of crab, the champagne cleaned the palate for the next. They ate steadily and with absorption and hardly exchanged a word until the dish was cleared.
Steamed Stone Crab Claws with Melted Butter [From Saveur.com]
SERVES 4
Stone crab claws – the only part of the shellfish that’s eaten – are usually served chilled, but they’re still quite tasty when steamed and eaten with a little melted butter, like lobster.
1/2 stick (4 tbsp.) butter
32 large stone crab claws, chilled
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1. Put uncracked claws into a steamer basket and set over steamer pot of boiling water over high heat. Cover and steam until heated through, about 5 minutes.
2. In the meantime, melt butter in a small pan, being careful not to brown it. Remove from heat. Transfer to small serving bowl.
3. Remove claws from steamer, crack shells, and serve with melted butter and lemon wedges.
This recipe was first published in Saveur in Issue #57
//////Green Figs with Yoghurt//////
When visiting Turkey, Bond knew which foods were as tantalising as the exotic belly dancers.He eats figs at ally Darko Kerim Bey’s Station T, in From Russia With Love: ‘The yoghourt, in a blue china bowl, was deep yellow and with the consistency of thick cream. The green figs, ready peeled, were bursting with ripeness, and the Turkish coffee was jet black and with the burned taste that showed it had been freshly ground.’
Green Figs Stewed in Honey with Vanilla, Lemon Zest and Thyme [From http://www.spicelines.com]
To serve two
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon water
1 6-inch vanilla bean (I prefer Mexican)
2 or 3 strips of lemon zest
1 sprig of lemon thyme (or any other thyme)
8 ounces fresh Calimyrna or other green-skinned figs
Method:
1. Rinse the figs and pinch off the stems. Cut them in half and set aside.
2. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and cut each half into 2 or 3 pieces.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, water, vanilla bean and lemon zest over the lowest flame. Stir to dissolve the honey and turn off the heat. Add the figs, gently toss them in the honey mixture, and let them macerate, covered, for an hour.
4. After an hour, add the lemon thyme. Turn the heat to very low and gently simmer the figs for 30 to 40 minutes, turning them carefully so that they don’t fall apart but are just cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat and let them cool to room temperature.
5. You can eat the figs now if you like, but they are even better if you leave them overnight to soak up the syrupy vanilla and lemon-infused juices they have exuded. To serve, divide the figs between two bowls and spoon their pale pink syrup over them. Serve with Greek yoghurt, of course, and coffee. Very black.
///James Bond Scrambled Eggs//////
Described in Fleming’s Thrilling Cities
. . . The Edwardian Room at The Plaza, a corner table. They didn’t know him there, but he knew he could get what he wanted to eat – not like Chambord or Pavillon with their irritating Wine and Foodsmanship and, in the case of the latter, the miasma of a hundred different women’s scents to confound your palate. He would have one more dry martini at the table, then smoked salmon and the particular scrambled eggs he had once (Felix Leiter knew the head-waiter) instructed them how to make:
For four individualists:
12 fresh eggs
Salt and pepper
5-6 oz. of fresh butter.
Break the eggs into a bowl. Beat thoroughly with a fork and season well. In a small copper (or heavy bottomed saucepan) melt four oz. of the butter. When melted, pour in the eggs and cook over a very low heat, whisking continuously with a small egg whisk.
While the eggs are slightly more moist than you would wish for eating, remove the pan from heat, add rest of butter and continue whisking for half a minute, adding the while finely chopped chives or fines herbes. Serve on hot buttered toast in individual copper dishes (for appearance only) with pink champagne (Taittinger) and low music.
Money as Debt, is a video link and is well worth watching (45 minutes) to understand the invisible powers that control our society and explains the "why" behind the sudden global drop in interest rates.
Contrary to what the banks and government seem to be doing, which is make it easier for those with existing loans to cope, it is a creative way to get more new loans, which in turn builds more personal and national debt.
It also explains the recent onslaught of credit card pre-approvals in our mailboxes since the recession issue has graced our general media, when common sense would have us tightening our belts.
Our money / credit system has been in play for over 300 years but the true value of what is produced and created becomes irrelevant compared to the ease with which banks can profit from every single loan written.
Assess it for yourself on http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9050474362583451279 and be as gobsmacked as I was at the quotes of past Bank of England chairmen, early US presidents and a recent Rockefella.
Please show your children, friends, local Council and Members of Parliament for we are all quite niave about money’s history and value system; then you’ll know why they don’t teach this in school.
Q1 in Surfers Paradise is currently the world''s tallest residential tower.
Luxury high-rise lifestyle at Q1
By RAMA GAIND
There’s nothing ordinary about Australia’s Gold Coast … it’s vibrant, impressive and it’s where high-rise living is being redefined.
The Gold Coast – has joined Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane – in showcasing residential towers which have dwarfed surrounding buildings to produce ‘vertical villages’ that are in high demand.
Currently the world’s tallest residential tower, Q1 in Surfers Paradise, is 80 storeys high and 327 metres above ground level. Inspecting this residential village lifestyle was an eye-opening experience for me recently.
Surrounded by a bustling retail and shopping precinct, the Q1 Resort and Spa has 528 luxury one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments featuring chic and modern designs. Spaciousness is the key to their layout.
The high rise also has a two-storey glass-enclosed lobby and Australia’s only beachside observation deck on Levels 77 and 78.
While the price tag of these apartments are six figures and above, the 250-degree views (especially from the higher levels) of the ocean, beach and city are simply stunning. If you want to go further up the scale, then Australia’s most elevated penthouse address offers 360 degree views over golden beaches, waterways, city towers, mountains and the blue Pacific Ocean!
Q1 has many distinguishing features including the fact that the elevators are the fastest in Australia, travelling at 9.0 meters per second (1772 ft/min) and Q1 boasts the highest swimming pool in Australia (15m x 6m), located in the penthouse on level 74, 217 metres above ground level.
These inner city developments, where space is at a premium, is also following a popular lifestyle trend interstate.
Vying for the tallest residential building title, at 92 storeys, will soon be the Eureka Tower in Melbourne which is 300 metres above ground level.
In Sydney, there is World Tower in the southern CBD, a 79-storey, 234-metre development. Another is the 59-level Lumiere @ Regent Place (which includes a building of serviced apartments) that’s due for completion in 2008.
Brisbane’s new ‘iconic’ building is the mega high-rise called Vision which will have 79 storeys and stretch up to 287 metres high and is set for completion in 2010.
Defined as being a major status symbol for owner-occupiers and investors alike, Q1 apartments not only offer killer views, but tight security and close proximity to every desirable facility. As well, health, recreational and conference facilities inside the complex will ensure that residents enjoy every conceivable comfort.
This type of high-rise standard offers luxury living at its finest – and for some of us – that’s the lifestyle of which dreams are made!
Looking down from the high rise Novotel into downtown Broadbeach.
Sample the diverse offerings on the Gold Coast
BY RAMA GAIND
With over 500,000 residents, the Gold Coast is one of the fastest growing communities in Australia – and it’s easy to see why.
Its strong, deep-rooted economy is equipped to support a booming tourist industry.
When it comes to enjoying yourself here, your imagination will be the only limit. Here is a place not only of diversity, but contrast where entertainment meets relaxation and nature happily agrees with sophistication.
With more than 70km of pristine beaches and waterways surrounding a city teaming with culture, fashion, food and fun, the Gold Coast is just minutes from lush rolling hills of hinterland mountains capped with tranquil rainforests and bushland of world heritage stature. There’s a diverse choice of natural and man-made wonders from spectacular cliffs, gorges and waterfalls into the 100,000 hectares of national parks and reserves
In contrast, the Gold Coast’s manmade attractions and experiences will get the blood
racing with excitement. For the young or simply the young at heart the Gold Coast
hosts Australia’s largest theme parks where you can swim with dolphins, stroll with a
Bengal tiger and defy the laws of gravity on the longest, the highest and the most
exciting thrill rides in the country.
If being active is not on your agenda, then be pampered with a massage: just the therapy you need to unwind and relax.
That’s exactly what I did. Alison Shaw from Ripple Massage worked wonders on my stressed, tired frame … afterwards I felt like a new woman!
Ripple is a mobile massage business that comes to you on the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Tamborine regions of Queensland.
Like a drop splashing in the water, a great massage or beautiful body spirit products send a lovely ripple through your day.
A wide range of styles, together with the little extras, do turn a good massage into a sensational one.
There are a variety of Ripple body spirit massages: bliss, scent, thrive, Shiatsu, sole, hot stone, Russian, cupping and the Ten for Ten where you get a seated chair massage in your workplace. Now, that’s a great idea.
Alison Shaw can be contacted at [email protected] or phone 0438 567 906.
Gold Coast Tourism is adept at what it does and has taken the best of international culinary styles and served them up in an easily accessible smorgasbord of dining options. Walk down any main street to find Indian, Thai, Italian, French and Japanese or Australia’s world-famous distinctive cuisine which fuses European influences and Asian infusions capitalising on a rich bounty of raw produce.
Then by night, romantics can watch the sun set on the beach over cocktails before
catching a spectacular stage show and thrills and dancing at Jupiters Casino.
Having recently renewed my acquaintance with the Gold Coast, imagine my surprise when I realised that the Gold Coast was ‘very active, very natural, very exciting, very indulgent’.
You, too, should check out www.VeryGC.com for some creative holiday ideas.
Image (left to right): Paul Bywood (the Department of Health and Ageing), Nathan Edwardson (Centrelink) and Kate Lord (ABC Fitness)
Centrelink’s Nathan Edwardson undertook a bike ride with a difference on Thursday (30 October), to raise money for children’s cancer research through the Olivia Lambert Appeal.
Nathan rode for 7 hours and 21 minutes on a stationary bike at Centrelink’s National Office to raise money for children with cancer.
“I started the ‘Standard Hours Ride’ because I thought it was something a lot of Canberrans could relate to, as 7 hours and 21 minutes is a standard work day in the public service,” Nathan said.
Nathan cycled to raise money for the Olivia Lambert Appeal, a Canberra-based group that raises money for research into treatments for Neuroblastoma, an aggressive cancer that only targets children. The Appeal has been inspired by the journey of Olivia, a local child with Neuroblastoma undergoing treatment at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick.
“Very little is known about Neuroblastoma, and the Olivia Lambert Appeal supports research undertaken by the Sydney Children’s Hospital that aims to rectify this and find better treatment options,” Nathan said.
“The Standard Hours Ride was my way of contributing to help children with cancer, because I’m passionate about supporting causes like this. Each year I donate the proceeds to a different local appeal and I’ve found my colleagues are always happy to dig deep for a good cause.”
Nathan was joined by Paul Bywood from the Department of Health and Ageing and Kate Lord from ABC Fitness, and was cheered on by more than 2,000 Centrelink staff in the building where the ride took place.
“Part of the culture of working at Centrelink involves getting behind good causes like the Standard Hours Ride,” Nathan said.
“I invited all staff in the building to donate money and guess how many kilometres I would cycle in the time – after a couple of hours on the bike, I needed all the extra support and motivation I could get!”
Media contact: Siobhan Dillon, Centrelink Media, Ph: (02) 6155 2776 or 0411 670 958
With only 7 weeks left until Christmas, Vision Australia is once again looking to the community to find volunteers to support the annual Myer Christmas Gift Wrap. Selected Myer stores across ACT, NSW and Victoria work in partnership with Vision Australia to encourage shoppers to make a small donation and have their Myer-bought gifts expertly wrapped. Christina Tay is one of many Myer Gift wrap volunteers who, over the years, has selflessly given up her time to help Vision Australia raise essential funds to provide services to thousands of clients who are blind or have low vision. “By chance during Christmas 2004, I was queuing at Myer to have my gift wrapped. To save time I asked the volunteer if I could wrap my present and still pay for the service! As I was wrapping, I realised how important and how fantastic the service is. It not only raises funds for Vision Australia, it also saves the shoppers time and hassle,” said Christina. “Helping Vision Australia makes me very happy – knowing that I am contributing something back to society. The people I meet and work with are absolutely wonderful. Gift wrapping with them is always an amazing experience. The smiles on the faces of satisfied customers make me want to keep coming back,” added Christina. Trish Egan, General Manager Marketing at Vision Australia said, “The gift wrap program at Myer is a great way for the community to support Vision Australia. The money raised will allow us to continue to make a difference in the lives of thousands of children and adults who are blind or have low vision.”
Valeria Sole (pictured) received a wildcard into the Movistar Classic Mancora presented by Rip
Valeria Sole (pictured) received a wildcard into the Movistar Classic Mancora presented by Rip
Curl after winning the trials yesterday. In Round 1 Valeria was against national favorite and local hero Sofia Mulanovich who won the heat sending her to Round 2 where she was eventually defeated by Silvana Lima (Bra).
Event No. 6 of 8 on the 2008 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Movistar Classic Mancora Peru pres. by Rip Curl is expecting a full day of competition as event organizers and competitors take advantage of the swell on offer. The Movistar Classic Mancora Peru pres. by Rip Curl is a crucial stop in the hunt for the ASP Women’s World Title. Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 25, former ASP Women’s World Champion, is the new frontrunner on this year’s ASP Women’s World
Tour following a solid result at the last event in Sydney. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 20, reigning ASP Women’s World Champion and defending event champion, follows closely behind Mulanovich and will look make ground here in Mancora.
I first got into making my own aromatherapy based products after venturing in and out of many Health Food Stores and not finding what I wanted so I would buy a variety of different oils and base products and mix to create my own blend.
I would also write down the ingredients I found in many so called ‘natural’ or ‘aromatherapy’ products and research them to find out what was actually in the product – this is when I realised people were not getting what they bargained for. I found many of the products contained chemicals and alcohols that dry out the skin or cause skin rashes.
This is when I decided to do something about it & create my own. It started just for me, then for family and friends but I kept getting orders for more so Avalon Essences was created.
All of my products are derived from plants, antioxidants, herbs, fragranced oils and essential oils for their therapeutic values; and do not contain harmful ingredients. Avalon Essences is Australian owned and operated. My unique boutique aromatherapy products are hand-made fresh in small batches without harmful chemicals, animal derivatives, harsh detergents or petroleum by-products.
I am always creating and adding new exciting products to my boutique range – I am currently working on a creamy, silky smooth Body Mousse just in time for the Australian Summer and Christmas BUT in the meantime we have a Great Special on our fabulous, deeply moisturising Body Balms available in Frangipani & Lime, Coconut & Vanilla and Lemongrass & Patchouli – NOW ONLY $5
I love this market with its true community atmosphere, all the stallholders are friendly and the location is fabulous with the Main Hall over-looking Lake Tuggeranong – Support Local and pop down and say hi
Rhiannon Leetham To Be Featured In International Book
Canberra Girl, 12, wins global recognition and will be featured in an upcoming book about young entrepreneurs.
Kids Money Book To Help Break The Cycle Of Poverty By Raising Funds For Microloans.
12-year-old Rhiannon Leetham, of Canberra, has been recognised for her excellent entry in a global video competition for young entrepreneurs. Not only has Rhiannon started her own business, her video about the business has been publicised as a high-quality entry into the Cash-Smart Kids YouTube Video Competition. See the video here
The global competition has been launched by Australian financial educator and mother of three, Jenny Ford, to find two young entrepreneurs to feature in her new book. Creator of the award-winning Cash-Smart Kids program, recently voted “Web Site Most Likely To Change The World”, Ford says the winners of this competition will have a myriad of opportunities.
“This book will be released globally by a major publisher,” she says. “The two winners of this competition will be profiled alongside famous young entrepreneurs like Ben Casnocha.”
Casnocha launched a software business at the age of thirteen which went on to become a Silicon Valley success story. He is now a full-time college student, but maintains what he calls “a light hand” in the ongoing operations at Comcate.
“My generation, in order to compete in the future with increased global competition, we need to be thinking creatively and entrepreneurially,” says Casnocha “Its no longer enough just to get a safe corporate job. At a young age, people are going to have to be creating businesses or thinking creatively about their careers.”
“The publicity from a presence in this book will open many doors,” says Ford. “Even just putting in a good entry will result in priceless exposure and contacts for any young entrepreneur.”
The book will help parents to teach their kids about money – saving, investing, and business. The two winners will be profiled in the book, and runners up will be mentioned, with their web site address, if they have one.
Other entrants also benefit from exposure during the competition, as does 12-year-old Rhiannon Leetham, of Canberra, whose video can be seen at the Raising Entrepreneurs blog – http://raisingentrepreneurs.org/blog/2008/04/21/cash-smart-kids-youtube-video-competition-the-entries-are-coming-in/
Rhiannon and her brother, Morgan, are participants in the Cash-Smart Kids program, which they pay for with money they earn for themselves through their business activities.
San Diego based business writer Peter Economy will co-author the book, and all proceeds will be donated to microfinance charity, ACCION. By simply registering your email address at www.raisingentrepreneurs.org, you can help Peter and Jenny to leverage the best possible deal from a publisher, and increase the dollars that flow to the charity.
The more people have registered interest, the bigger percentage the publisher will be willing to give away. Register now, before reading on .
About The 2008 Charity Book Project
After a distinguished writing career, authoring dozens of books, including more than 10 of the world-famous “For Dummies” series, Peter Economy decided it was time to give something back.
Starting in 2008, he would co-author a book a year, and donate the proceeds to the charity of his co-author’s choice. “I promise to write one book each year — for free — until I can no longer write,” he says. “I am 51 years old right now, so I think I have got at least 30 free books in me. Maybe more.”
A worldwide search commenced in August 2007, to find Peter’s first co-author. Dozens of illustrious applicants from many different nations were winnowed down to 12 finalists, and a selection panel of three distinguished American citizens chose the winner, Jenny Ford, a financial educator from Australia.
The 2008 Charity Book will help parents to teach their kids about money and business.
Raising levels of financial literacy is now a focus of government programmes in countries including Australia, Japan, the United States and the UK. The OECD started an inter-governmental project in 2003 with the objective of providing ways to improve financial education and literacy standards.
The 2008 Charity Book Project aims to educate families in the wealthy nations, and empower microbusinesses in the developing nations, at the same time.
More about the 2008 Charity Book Project
About Peter Economy
Peter Economy was a featured expert for the AllBusiness.com small business Web site, and he was selected by Time magazine to be its staff management expert for the TIME Vista Boardroom website (along with such business luminaries as reengineering expert Michael Hammer, marketing gurus Michael Treacy and Jack Trout, and others), where he fielded hundreds of questions from managers all around the world (and a few who appeared to be from some other planet altogether!). He has also done live online chats as a management expert for America Online, iVillage.com, Inc.com, Costco.com, and TalkCity.com. Peter has written more than 35 books, including Managing for Dummies, which has been translated into more than 17 languages.
More about Peter Economy
About Jenny Ford
Jenny Ford is an expert in educating children about business and wealth creation. She is one of the founders of the award-winning financial education site www.Cash-Smart-Kids.com, and her blog can be seen at www.RaisingEntrepreneurs.org. She holds an Honours degree in Psychology, a Diploma in Training and Assessment Systems, and an Advanced Diploma in Business Management. She is the mother of three young entrepreneurs, all of whom started successful businesses when they were nine to twelve years old.
About ACCION
ACCION International is a private, nonprofit organization with the mission of giving people the financial tools they need – microenterprise loans, business training and other financial services – to work their way out of poverty. A world pioneer in microfinance, ACCION was founded in 1961 and issued its first microloan in 1973 in Brazil. ACCION International’s partner microfinance institutions today are providing loans as low as $100 to poor men and women entrepreneurs in 25 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, and in the United States.
More about ACCION
The 2008 Charity Book Project will aid microfinance charity, ACCION. Co-authors Peter Economy and Jenny Ford are donating their time to write and produce a book for parents who want their kids to grow up financially secure. Register your support now at Raising Entrepreneurs. No donations required – just your email address!
On November 7, Canberra’s own Dr Rick Kuhn will be awarded the Isaac and Tamara Deutscher Memorial Prize in London for his book Henryk Grossman and the Recovery of Marxism (University of Illinois Press). This prestigious prize is awarded annually for a book “which exemplifies the best and most innovative new writing in or about the Marxist tradition.”
A reader in Political Science at the Australian National University, Dr Kuhn is a long-standing political activist, member of Socialist Alternative and contributer to the magazine Socialist Alternative (www.sa.org.au).
His book tells the story of the Polish Marxist economist Henryk Grossman, whose life unfolded against the backdrop of key events of the 20th century – world wars, the rise of Stalinism and Nazism and the Cold War. While best known today for the theories of economic crises he developed at the Frankfurt Institute of Social Science, Grossman began his political life as an activist. He was a key participant in Jewish workers’ strikes and demonstrations and in the development of the socialist movement in Poland. After World War I he was often arrested and jailed as a member of the illegal Polish Communist Party, eventually leaving Poland.
As Dr Kuhn says: “Today, as the world economy dives into recession because of the stagnant rate of profit in developed countries, Grossman’s experiences and work are more relevant than ever.” He added that workers need to fight to defend living standards and jobs now, and in the long run build a party that expresses their interests. Dr Kuhn said: “It is no good only analysing the world; the point is to change it.”
Henryk Grossman and the Recovery of Marxism is available from Socialist Alternative. (See www.sa.org.au or email [email protected])
The Canberra branch of Socialist Alternative meets every Thursday night at 6 pm in room G 52 of the Haydon Allen Building at the ANU. The meeting on Thursday 30 October will discuss Race, Class and Struggle in the US today. (See www.sa.org.au or email [email protected])
Peter Quinn is a practicing CA and licensed financial planner with five offices in Sydney and more than 20 years’ experience in the industry. Amongst his specific areas of expertise are strategies for minimizing tax, planning insurance, managing superannuation and navigating the money markets. In this article Peter Quinn looks at the benefits of taking a long term perspective rather than hoping for speculative wind falls, and spreading your risk through dollar-cost averaging and diversification based on quality information.
LOOK BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN…
Why did you invest? What were your goals and the time horizon of your plans? For example if you are a share trader, then the current market volatility is of serious concern. However, if you are investing in a superannuation fund and you are unable to access your super until retirement (which is not for another 5 years or so) then the daily volatility is of less concern.
During periods of volatility some people panic and are tempted to move their money out of the share market. It is important to remember that markets move in cycles. Peaks and troughs are an intrinsic part of investing. While the cycle is unpredictable, it’s important to reflect and understand that history has shown us downturns are followed by recoveries and vice versa. If you move out of the market during volatile times, then you will not be there for the recovery, which can sometimes arrive unexpectedly and take off quickly.
REFLECT ON WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED
The 1990s provided a period of stability and sustainable growth for investors, yet by the end of the decade, a series of events that were largely unpredictable had taken their toll on investment markets. The ‘tech-crash’, September 11, corporate corruption, the global economic slowdown, and the war in Iraq all contributed to volatile conditions in the markets.
From 2003 the global economy started its recovery and conditions stabilised, giving markets the opportunity to respond favourably. At the beginning of 2007 the ASX was 83.1% higher than it was at its highest point in the 1990s*.
Throughout any market cycle, those people who remain focused on their long term goals and resist making snap decisions, are likely to be the winners.
PLAN ON TIME IN THE MARKET RATHER THAN TIMING THE MARKET
Remember you are investing to meet long term goals. The cyclical nature of investment markets make it impossible to predict their rise and fall. However, by looking at the past we can observe how markets usually perform, which will help get a perspective of potential future market movements. Here is a snapshot of major historic events which serves as a reminder of events affecting markets and the upward swings which followed:
• The 1974 OPEC oil crisis sparked a 50% drop in the market. Four years later, the market had recovered its value, and continued to climb higher for the next two years.
• On 20 October 1987, the All Ordinaries index fell 25% in one day and continued to lose ground over the next five months. It took six years for the market to regain its value, but since then the All Ordinaries has risen more than 200%.
• In 1997, the Asian crisis resulted in a 10% slide on the market in a single month. One year later the market returned to its original value and gained an additional 10% the following year.
Please refer to the attached graph highlighting other significant market movements over the last 30 years.
DOLLAR COST AVERAGING
This is a strategy to invest into the markets at regular intervals, regardless of the market conditions. Given that it is difficult to predict the future, averaging your investment into the markets reduces the risk of investing at the top. Committing to follow this strategy strictly will help remove emotional decisions, making it easier to stick to a long term investment plan.
DIVERSIFICATION
As the saying goes “don’t put all your eggs in the one basket.” Minimising your investment risk is very important and diversification should assist. Where appropriate, we encourage our clients to invest in different asset classes such as property, shares and cash across a number of countries in Asia, Europe and America by using a number of different fund managers with different expertise.
Type of Diversification Achieved by
Across asset classes Including a range of asset classes in your portfolio. For example, your investment portfolio may contain shares, property, fixed interest and some gold bullion.
Within an asset class Within Australian Shares for example, you may buy shares in
companies that operate in different industries, such as mining,
retail, banking and biotechnology.
Across countries Reducing your exposure to a single country or region. You may
wish to have investments in Australia, the US, Europe and
China.
Managed funds provide an easy route to diversification. Through a single managed fund it is possible to diversify across asset class, company, industry, sector, country and even fund manager.
Diversification means you do not need to pick the performers each year!
AUS Property AUS International
Year End Cash Bonds Trusts Equity Equities _____________________________________________________________________
30-Jun-97 6.77% 16.76% 29.29% 26.56% 29.11%
30-Jun-98 5.11% 10.88% 10.21% 1.64% 42.68%
30-Jun-99 5.04% 3.28% 3.11% 15.34% 8.54%
30-Jun-00 5.58% 6.17% 16.62% 15.06% 24.17%
30-Jun-01 6.08% 7.42% 13.90% 9.11% -5.67%
30-Jun-02 4.66% 6.21% 14.85% -4.54% -23.21%
30-Jun-03 4.97% 9.78% 12.15% -1.61% -18.15%
30-Jun-04 5.30% 2.33% 17.24% 21.73% 19.90%
30-Jun-05 5.66% 7.93% 18.10% 26.03% 0.53%
30-Jun-06 5.76% 3.41% 18.05% 24.02% 20.44%
30-Jun-07 6.42% 3.99% 25.87% 29.21% 8.27%
30-Jun-08 7.25% 7.81% -37.7% -13.7% -21.3%
Note: ASX 300 Industrials was down 27%.
Source: Cash: UBS Warburg Bank Bill Index, Australian 90 Day Bank Accepted Bill; Australian Fixed Interest: UBS Warburg Composite Bond Index; Property: S&P/ASX 200 Property Trusts Accum Index, Australian Shares: S&P/ASX 300 Accumulation Index; International Shares: MSCI World ex Aust. Acc Index with Gross Div. reinvested (A$)
The table shows how returns vary widely between asset classes, and within a single asset class. You will also notice that the asset classes with the greatest positive returns are also the ones with the larger negative returns.
Peter Quinn B.Bus CA ACIM CFP FAICD
Director, Quinn Consultants
http://www.quinns.com.au/
