Carnival of Australia celebrates new home
March 26, 2008
G’day and welcome to the March 26, 2008 edition of our Carnival of Australia. Thanks for hopping on back here. This fortnight we are celebrating with a brand new home for the Carnival: The new Imaginif corporate blog. What do you think?
Imaginif is jumping in this fortnight for Lightening Online. Having to hit the frog and toad interstate at short notice, she is “offline” and unable to host. We’ve simply swapped our turns around. Lightening is facilitating for my scheduled turn next fortnight.
As is my Carnival hostessing practice, let’s begin with a post from the last host:
Duncan Macleod. Duncan poses a question that has more to do with beliefs than chocolate eggs: Should we keep Good Friday as a public holiday? posted at Pacific Highlander, saying, “How do we respond to suggestions that Australia ditch Good Friday as a public holiday?” Duncan goes on to expand our Aussie culture and the benefits of a four day weekend: “Easter, although associated with a Christian tradition, is a key part of the Australian culture. Most Australians, regardless of beliefs or ethnic backgrounds, enjoy having an extra long weekend, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday observed on Monday. People get to travel, see family and just have a relaxing time. ” What’s your response to Duncan’s question?
Albert Foong presents The Art of Giving What You Don’t Have » Personal Development - The Urban Monk posted at Urban Monk.
Kathie Thomas presents The Torn Curtain posted at thomases.org
GrrlScientist presents Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted): A Kiwi in Washington DC posted at Living the Scientific Life. Not quite Australian but seeing as our Duncan is a Kiwi, I’ve allowed it in: GrrlScientist offers, “An endangered bird species from New Zealand hatches at the National Zoo in WashDC — only the fourth chick of this species to hatch outside of NZ.”
Char (one of my fellow Cairns bloggers) presents Backyard Psychology Observations with the Birds posted at Psych Matters, saying, “Linking birding and psychology to apply critical analysis and observational skills.” Hey, seems the birds are getting into the birds here….Go you beautiful birds!
Business
David Hunkar presents ADR Universe: Australian Bank ADRs !! posted at ADR Universe, saying, “There are four Australian bank stocks that are available in the US as ADRs for investment.”
Current Affairs
Gavin R. Putland presents Apply your razor to the FHOG — surgically posted at /etc/cron.whenever/.
Family
Suzie Cheel presents The Journey, Making a Real Difference with Children posted at The Abundance Highway, saying, “The Journey is making a difference in lives of many children. See how children so openly share about how they have healed and grown. See how schools are using the Journey to help children! The Journey is making a difference in lives of many children. See how children so openly share about how they have healed and grown. See how schools are using the Journey to help children!”
PlanningQueen presents 10 circuit breakers to prevent those family melt down moments! posted at Planning with Kids, saying, “Some things that we do in our house when it all gets a little crazy…..”
Mattg presents Do You Get Twitter? posted at Matt Garrett, saying, “Twitter is really a fast growing community site and providing a good environment to interacting with people of same thinking or business line. So, go and get a twitter, now.”
Carole Fogarty presents Top Eight Must Know Feng Shui Success Habits: posted at THE HEALTHY LIVING LOUNGE, saying, “The feeling, vibe or atmosphere filling your home is simply energy. The quality and way in which this energy moves throughout your home directly effects the flow of your life. You are not separate from the energy filling your home and it is not separate from you. You are both exchanging energy continuously. Stuck stagnant energy in your home creates obstacles and setbacks whilst light gentle moving energy allows your life to flow with greater ease. It’s that simple.” Carole, I need you to come and move in with me. I have feng shuied my office as best I could but all the globes keep blowing and the three talk doctors remain stressed. We want you to have a Bali retreat in Cairns - we’ll all book in 
(Megan).
Allison from Three Times Kewl, asks, Was that a big dream? A fantastically wonderful woman and blogger who I just know I would love face to face, she just returned (exhausted) from a holiday in Victoria. A lone parent of three tiny and hilarious girls, Allison’s partner died, and the girls all miss him dreadfully. While away on holidays, the girls soaked up some culture, stayed up late at night (oh ah…don’t tell your Mum girls) and on the third day, Daddy almost rose again: after dancing till midnight (almost - well not almost, just seemed like that to the wee ones) under the silvery moon Miss F approvingly enquired, “Is this what daddy does all the time now, mum?”
Outback
Lightening presents Shearing posted at Lightening Online, saying, “We’re not quite “outback” but here’s a little sneak peek into shearing time on our farm. :). Loved it Lightening. Hope all went well with your quick interstate trip.
Sport
Duncan Macleod presents AFL writes The True History of Australia posted at Duncan’s TV Ad Land, saying, “AFL (Australian Football League) has launched a campaign to mark the celebration of 150 years of Australian football, with a TV ad, ‘The True History of Australia’, tweaking the currently accepted view of Australian history. Most of the footage was shot and recreated in camera, including the recreation of the first game of Australian Football in 1858. Australian actor, Bill Hunter guides us through the story in a documentary style.”
Walkabout
jen presents In case of emergency posted at Semantically driven.
Machione presents Pete’s View In Melbourne, Australia posted at What I See Out My Window. What a really lovely idea.
I’m going to Sydney for All for Women’s third birthday party on May 11. Would love to meet up with a few of you sheilas at the gala do and perhaps with the blokes at the pub. We’re staying in Annadale so we’ll be central and close to public transport - I take the “if you drink and drive, you’re a bloody idiot” messages VERY seriously.
Really off the path well travelled here (I’m super good at that!): I’m on a mission to start a network between bloggers in my beautiful home town of Cairns. Do you know any? Here’s who I’ve collected so far (below). Get to know them, invite them into our social networks and perhaps some of them can be added to our two elite blogging lists: the top 100 Australian blogs index and the top 100 Australian women’s blogs.
Cairns Bloggers
- Andrew Griffiths
- Big Little Sister
- Birdwing Therapies
- Cairns Action for Sustainable Transport
- Cairns Blog.net
- Cairns Unlimited
- Jean Burman (artist)
- Psych Matters
- Spasmodic Dysphonia (this is my mother’s blog)
- Tropical Passions
That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of Australia using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page. And women, don’t forget the All Women blogging Carnival - it runs weekly: every Monday.
If you haven’t already signed up for our automated Carnival reminders, do it now. You will only ever receive two emails a fortnight from me: one to remind you to post and a second to tell you that the Carnival is up and where to go to check your links.
Apr 09, 2008, Lightening Online
April 23, 2008, Aussie Bloggers
May 07, 2008, Semantically Driven (you should see what Jen can do with Photoshop: AMAZING!!! Jen it’s our wedding anniversary this month and I’ve ordered Photoshop).
Technorati tags: carnival of australia, blog carnival.
The new Imaginif corporate blog
March 26, 2008
Welcome to our new home, imaginif.com.au
Please change your links to reflect this improved address.
We are still waiting on photography to come back so that our graphic header can be formatted. Once that’s in place, all will be completed.
Our entire web site is now presented through a wordpress theme: Revolution. Perfect for incorporating static web pages, Revolution themes are a new wave of Web 2.0 applications perfect for business owners. Previously we had a web site (that I couldn’t change because of the language it was written in) and a separate wordpress blog that was linked to our website. Using Revolution as our web presence, I am able to change web site information whenever I want because wordpress is super easy to navigate and administrate.
The difference between a web site and a blog site is essentially the difference between reading a brochure and having a conversation at point of sale. Highly interactive, blogs make good customer service sense, are transparent and inclusive, highly interactive and essential business tools for those in any service industry.
Do you want to begin a blog or change your web site to an application that you can make changes to yourself? Talk to us at Imaginif to find out how easy it is.
The Fear Factor hits Cairns
March 22, 2008
IMAGINIF you had a REMEDY for FEAR
• Have you ever experienced some very strange and frightening things?
• Do you have a general sense of doom?
• Are you scared for no particular reason?
• Does fear rule your life?
• Are you scared to go places; put yourself in certain situations; try new things?
• Do you have ‘strange and frightening’ sensations in your body?
• Do you think there is something wrong with you?
• Are you feeling out of control with your fear?
• Are you overwhelmed by your bodily sensations?
Yes? Then you need the FEAR FACTOR – 6 WEEK PROGRAM
Every Thursday evening (7pm to 9pm) at Imaginif, 206 Jensen St, Edge Hill (Cairns, Queensland, Australia)
from the 17th April until the 22nd May
We are going to look at:
- Generalised Anxiety
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Panic attacks
- Social Phobia
Cost: $150.00 (plus $15.00 GST) for the six week program.
Contact & Bookings
Talk doctor Rebekah Allen
40325034 or 0400704687
Want to know more about the Talk Doctors of Imaginif? Read our past Newsletters by clicking here.
Each week throughout the life of The Fear Factor, weekly readings will be published here for you to access. In your own time, but before you come to the group, read the information and please complete any tasks we ask you to do.
WEEK 1 (Read before you come on the 17th of April)
Anxiety Pre Reading
Anxiety Handout
Kids WIN money
March 22, 2008
I care for others is a special child safety competition just for kids aged between five and twelve.
Please write or draw us a story about how you care for others. Your story has to be no more than 500 words and no less than 100 words. Your drawing can be on A4 or smaller paper and needs to have a title, for example - This is me caring for my friends. Also make sure you write you name, age and date of birth on your picture or story.
Ask Mum or Dad to send your I care for others story to Megan (the boss talk doctor at Imaginif) by email (megan at imaginif dot com dot au)or by post, Imaginif Kids Competition, PO Box 995, Edge Hill, QLD, Australia 4870.
This competition closes on the last day of April so you must make sure Mum and Dad post your entry to me before the 30th of April. On the 1st Day of May, 2008, Megan and Paul from Imaginif will read ALL of the stories, look at all of the pictures, and decide which one is the most likely to help other kids also want to help other people. Did you know that caring for others is a GREAT thing to do and can turn you into a super hero without having to have any special powers.
What does the winner get? The winner will get Australian $20.00. The winning money can be sent to you no matter where you live in the world as long as Mum and Dad have a paypal account. The winner will also get their drawing or story published on this website. Yahoo - you might become famous!
I care for others and I hope that you win. Start thinking about what you are going to write or draw for our I care for others competition.
Mum and Dad - caring for others is a great way to develop empathy in your kids. Kids with empathy are less likely to do the wrong thing, will fight less with their friends and siblings and even have better concentration at school. If you want some more ideas on how to develop empathy in your kids check out, Five ways to empathic children or any of our articles on Emotional Intelligence.
Parents fined for wild children
March 22, 2008
Look out parents in Western Australia. If your kids run wild you run the chance of getting wild over a $200.00 fine.
Parents fined $200 if kids run wild By Amanda O’Brien
In an Australian first, courts in Western Australia will soon be able to order chronically negligent parents to attend parenting classes or face a $200 fine, in a crackdown on anti-social behaviour by children.
Despite anger over gangs of children creating havoc in some suburbs, the controversial legislation took almost three years to get through parliament due to Opposition concerns about its punitive approach to parenting.
But it was finally ticked off this week after the Government agreed to slash the intended fine from $2000 to $200, and withdrew plans to allow household goods to be seized from families if they refused to pay.
Opposition child protection spokeswoman Robyn McSweeney said the $2000 fine was crazy and the thought of seizing goods from disadvantaged families was ridiculous.
“In many cases, the only non-essential goods they have are TVs, radios and the kids’ skateboards,” she said.
“If you take away their only entertainment, there’s even more pressure to go out and be involved in mischief.”
Despite initially opposing any fine, Ms McSweeney said the $200 penalty could help motivate more parents to act responsibly, but not devastate their families if they refused. Parents would now face community work orders if they did not pay.
Child Protection Minister Sue Ellery said the landmark legislation would compel parents to accept help when their children repeatedly caused trouble such as using threatening behaviour or spraying graffiti.
Concerned with the current declining state of parenting and child behaviour, I accept that drastic measures need to be taken. Is parent blame the best approach though? I am interested in your thoughts.
Given that one in three Australian women have stated they were sexually assaulted as children, that is a lot of traumatised modern day parents. Trauma in early childhood results in dissociation. Undealt with trauma and ongoing trauma may well result in children continually surviving in a hyper aroused state and staying in a dissociative mood of escape. An dissociative adult may well find it difficult to effectively parent.
Blaming parents and fining them, may well make trauma and child rearing responsibility worse. I envisage many dysfunctional parents resorting to physical abuse to punish their child because parent got into trouble. Despite my cyniscism, I do recognise that I fail to present a more affective alternative. I also recognise that something has to be done to make parents more responsible and adult. Is forcing bad parents to go to parenting classes too late though? Surely we need parenting classes prior to babies being born?
Child protection is a community responsibility. If you know of a young family struggling to raise their children in a protective way, please help them. Early interventions support that positive and protective change is possible.
What do you think about parents being fined for having out of control children?
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Do you know what bibliotherapy is? Click Megan's book to learn how to use a story to solve a problem.
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