ART OR TRANSGRESSION? GRAFFITI IN MELBOURNE

I'm late on this, I know. I finally saw Rash, the graffiti documentary I taped on IQ yonks ago. One of the most detailed exploration on graffiti in Melbourne I've ever seen. 

Melbourne is an amazing place, a completely different take on the interesting culture of the city.

AUSTRALIAN YOUTH FORUM

Last Friday I was lucky enough to be picked to MC at the Australian Youth Forum.  

I haven't done something like this on a national level, the last time I participated in relaying ideas for Government was Youth Parliament in Victoria in my final years of high school.  

This was incredible! We were hooked up via satellite to 1000 people across the country and at the end of the forum I got to speak to a representative in each city across Australia about what ideas came up in the forum to the topics of Participating in Democracy and Violence and Safety.  

I think one of the most interesting things that came up consistently was lowering the voting age in Australia. I don't even think I thought it should be a right of mine to vote while in my high school years. Yet, a completely legitimate point. I would strongly consider it too.  

A rep in the Northern Territory brought out the point of racism still being a prevalent issue, while in Sydney they spoke of a social acceptance of all cultures. Some very interesting speeches were made from MInister Kate Ellis, Young Australian of the Year, Jonty Bush spoke and a very moving speech was made by Jono Chase addressing violence and public safety. Jonty made a very good point of making violence become a social faux pas similar to changing attitudes to smoking.  

All very interesting and important topics. If you want to get involved in discussions head to: http://www.youth.gov.au/ayf/  

A refreshing experience

!!!

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/02/17/wilson.faith/index.html

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

From me to you...

Photoblog coming...

The Canon G10. A gadget I highly recommend. I got one of these bad boys for Xmas - thanks Timothy. A photoblog will be coming when I master this machine. I want my pics to look like the pretty quality of Jason Mraz's. Scroll halfway down his blog and you'll see what I mean.

In the meantime, random shots I took last month...

after shopping, the nice suburbia of Auckland, NZ

TV On The Radio, Melbourne BDO

set list

Calendar Date - Basement Jaxx

PLEASE HELP

I am still in shock at how big the impact has been. 76 people dead. Today, I've been told that my friend's sister's home is gone. My other friend's father has been working all weekend to provide counseling and compensation to the families of the firefighters that have died. The worst thing is that some of the fires began with arson. You can read the news here Where ever you are please help and donate.

VICTORIAN BUSHFIRE FUND 

1800 811 700

M.I.A. better win that Grammy

And will pregnant Maya Arulpragasam perform live uncensored? Let's hope so or else I have no faith in award shows. 

This is our Jam...

Who loved White Chicks? I remember burning this song 10 times on a disc and giving it to a girlfriend as a birthday joke...

Im Sorry

I love Pharrell. 

The Breakfast Blog

Breakfast is a great thing, an awesome thing. Jamie Wodetzki is in fact a connoisseur of breakfasts.

The Breakfast Blog is the coolest thing since the invention of brioche in France... ??? wha...??? just go there.

http://thebreakfastblog.blogspot.com/

Solange is the business!

Man, one person I so wished to see live in 2008 was Solange. I first saw her being interviewed on Kimmel while doing the Star Wars junket in San Fran. (I love San Fran so much more now for meeting R2D2 and seeing Solange on TV for the first time) Then we head to Europe for work in November and the crew and I were a few days off her date in London and Manchester. Oh, how I wish she could be on VH in Oz!!

This woman is amazing. One of the best albums of 2008 was her 'Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams'. Personal song faves: T.O.N.Y., Would've Been The One, Sandcastle Disco, I Decided, 6 O'Clock Blues & Cosmic Journey. 

She's so honest in her interviews (which is a rare find peeps, see the Dec Issue of Paper Mag) and has great, great music taste. She's impeccable in fashion as was soooo perfect in her performance at Fashion Rocks last year. See below. 

And for her blog click here.

So let's hope more live gigs in '09? Or another killer record on the horizon. 

Metronomy - A Thing For Me

Request this for Valentine's Day...

SPIN IT, THEN MP3 IT

Future birthday present request? Teac's HiFi LP-R500, record player, cassette player, cd burner then rock it on your laptop. Sweeeeeeetnessss

Even Roberto would like this... 

 

Ways To Enjoy a Flight Experience

THE DOs    &  

 THE DON'Ts

BEFORE THE FLIGHT

DO

• Remember to pack whatever makes you happy, your tea, your candles, your do-rag, or that American Apparel uni-tard that does wonders for you on the dancefloor. 

• Leave your house at peace, not mid argument with anyone and don't leave still mad at your dogs for digging up your newly sewn baby carrots. Its just unnecessary bad energy. 
  

DONT

• Rely on your cab booking in Sydney. Unless you live off Paddington's 5 ways, forget about it, book it way in advance. Also change over at 3PM sucks.

• Read Blender Magazine's 10 Rock Star Plane Crashes, from Buddy Holly to Aaliyah. Nuff said.
  

ON BOARD

DON'T

• Offend other people with bad smells. There's this new thing called the 'deodorant'. The person next to stinky doesn't care if stinky has just come off a connecting flight from Ireland. Hygiene is good for everyone. 

• DON'T Read other people's work on their laptops next to you. It makes them paranoid. Back off wing/woman! Yes I know you're seeing me multi-task -  composing a blog, reading up on The Grates and checking my work email, it's reading my email I don't like... 

• Stare at people in a strange way from behind them. When they turn around they spook the freak out. That's right other lady, you're freaking me out. [In retrospect I should have just stared back]
  

DO

• Listen to Soul Food with Angela Catterns or Reelin' In the Years with Glen A Baker, the two highlights on Radio Q

• Quietly glance over to the generation before us handle technology. Perhaps just use your peripheral vision if you want to be more polite. The lady over the otherside of the aisle going through the instruction manual on how to use an iPod... very interesting...

• Eat the radcupcake on offer with pink icing on it. The best morning snack onboard Qantas. Request Soda Water mmmm, bubbly fresh... 

• Give your spare change to UNICEF. Change For Good! 

• Say goodbye to the lovely flight attendants on your way out. They may even sneak you a chocolate or the hardly used bottle of red from business if they love you that much...

Bars & Tones

Bars & Tones from André Chocron on Vimeo.

Christian Bale Gets Slammed - This is the Remix...

From one extreme to another...

It must be a slow news day. An example of what happens when you're an actor and then yell profanities at your co-worker and drop the f-bomb some 37 times. Someone does a remix. Warning: don't press play if you don't want a swear fest.

Far To Here...

Something definitely worth seeing. A photography exhibition touring Australia - Far To Here captures people's moving journeys from Darfur to Australia.

Melbourne: Feb 11-21, 2009 45 Downstairs Gallery

Canberra: Jun 17-July 5, 2009 Parliament House

Sydney: August 2009, Blender Gallery

Visit: www.fartohere.com for more information

A Heartbreaking Work of a Staggering Genius and other books to read this summer...

It's hot in Australia right now. Heat waves riding through the east coast, the best way for me to escape is to hit the shade and READ. I'm finding this the best form of escapism from the "real world" and the short tempers that go with the hot weather. 

Although, books are the all weather friend. So I'm sure this is just as helpful where ever you are in the world right now.

Here's some picks from myself and Sydney acquaintances.

From well read book store employees:

Dave Eggers' "A Heartbreaking Work of a Staggering Genius". Eggers is a postmodernist writer. 

 

David Foster, "Infinite Jest". Foster also released collections of short stories. 

Nikki Gemmel's "The Bride Stripped Bare". Gemmel also has released "Pleasure: An Almanac For The Heart", a great book for women young and old. 

Some of my picks:

               

Lloyd Bradley "Bass Culture: When Regge Was King". A bit of music education... actually, it's very thorough.

Vikas Swarup, "Q & A", re-titled "Slumdog Millionaire". If you liked/loved the film, apparently the book is even better. I've just began reading this and beginning to think the same way... Spoiler alert: the ending is apparently different to the film... 

Dava Sobel, "The Planets". Tales, geography, myths of our planetary family.  

Thank you Amazon for the images. x