With so much loss of life from recent natural catastrophes in Japan and New Zealand, the floods and cyclone that swept north-eastern Australia at the start of the year have largely become yesterday's news for all but those directly affected. Yet up and down the Queensland coast and hinterland, there are inspiring stories of resilience and the human … [Read more...] about #15 POSTCARD THEODORE: SURVIVING DISASTER
#14. A QUESTION OF RESPECT
Australians are renowned for their disrespect for authority. Usually this is cast as a healthy disrespect, as if the very notion of authority sits uncomfortably on the broad shoulders of your average laconic Aussie. We seem to regard ourselves as perfectly entitled to tell anyone in authority to "get stuffed", especially if that person is an effwit … [Read more...] about #14. A QUESTION OF RESPECT
#13 WHEN THE NEWS ITSELF IS A DISASTER
The global ABC "how to do it" guide to round-the-clock news coverage has it that when a big story breaks on multiple fronts like the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis, you stick with it come what may. You drop everything and devote all your resources to covering what you can. You should also provide regular updates and recaps for … [Read more...] about #13 WHEN THE NEWS ITSELF IS A DISASTER
#12 SOMETHING ABOUT YVES
The delicate, bespectacled visage of Yves Saint Laurent is one of the most memorable and celebrated images in the world of fashion. The Algerian-born French designer was a tortured genius, his creative life punctuated by periods of intense depression and substance abuse. But at its core was an enduring relationship with Pierre Berger, his one-time … [Read more...] about #12 SOMETHING ABOUT YVES
#11 SHOCK WAVES FROM THE APOCALYPSE
At 800 kilometers an hour - as fast as a commercial jetliner - the giant tsunami triggered by the biggest earthquake ever to hit Japan rolls across the Pacific towards the far reaches of South America, prompting mass evacuations and mass consternation, if not panic. The land masses and tiny atolls in its path can only brace for the worst and hope … [Read more...] about #11 SHOCK WAVES FROM THE APOCALYPSE
#10 WHEN WOMEN’S BUSINESS ISN’T GOOD BUSINESS
The distaff side of the human family gets to take a collective bow across the world today for International Women's Day. Commemorative stamps are being issued and portentous speeches made about the great strides forward women have made and how much further they need to go to achieve genuine equality. At the end of it all, most women across the … [Read more...] about #10 WHEN WOMEN’S BUSINESS ISN’T GOOD BUSINESS