Category: General news

Thousands of Queenslander marched from Queens Park in Brisbane yesterday to protest against the extremism of the Abbot Government despite the heat, and the rail closures across Brisbane’s South. The March was part of a nationwide movement that brought thousands onto the street.

Despite the large numbers, the march was completely ignored in the mainstream media, the Courier Mail did not mention it at all, the network television stations did not cover it and the  Brisbane Times simply ran stories from other capitals.

This concerted effort at a media boycott of the event highlights the importance of independent media outlets, such as Westender. It also highlights the urgency of the debate about the tactics we employ to build an effective opposition to the forces representing the one percent with their monopoly on media, retail and resources.

As mainstream politics slips more into corporate feudalism it is critical that we explore the tactics to maintain the liberties won so painstakingly over the last millenia by our forebearers. Read more articles about this on the Westender

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Writing in the Guardian last week, Simon Copland’s piece March in March does not offer credible alternatives has attracted howls of derision from left and right alike.

Copland has set out to crticise the left for not building an alternative but has failed to outline how that alternative might emerge. Some of his critics point out that this is stating the bleeding obvious, others point out the simple truth that protests can build and that most revolutions have started with a population protesting that enough is enough.

In that context what Copland appears to be trying to say is that the left in Australia has not connected with a comfortably well-off Australian middle-class. Again, say some of the 400 people criticising the article, this is hardly in-depth commentary.

The real challenge is how to build a political movement that does engage the middle class, or accelerate the sense of dispossession so that the middle class is activated. The return of an active left in Europe is an example of the latter and raises the far more interesting question as to how and whether the Greens and the Socialists/Anarchists might work together in the future. Given the imminence of the G20 in Brisbane and the Abbot Goverments first counter-reformation budget that issue has some urgency.

In hindsight, the scale of the March in March simply reveals in hindsight that Copland was out of touch with the scale of dissatisfaction amoung voters. That is hardly a crime, we all misread the tea leaves some days. Given the media’s deliberate ignoring of the march, anyone with influence in the media should have been using it to increase awareness of the march and reasons for the protest.

What is more important, though, is that we dedicate our energies to building an alternative vision of the future. We have to establish not only that that future is possible and desirable, but that the counter-reformationists are out to destroy it, so that the majority of people will fight for it.

Copland is right that change is going to be partially driven by investors making decisions that influence corporate behaviour and partly by redefining the debate, but fails completely to recognise that the March in March is an important step to build a determined and cooperative effort between activists, protestors, community groups, welfare providers and political parties.

As became clear at the recent Cloudstreet forum on civil-liberties at Jaegara Hall simply shouting at people who are shouting with megaphones that they do not have the answers is not an answer in itself. That discussion highighted the need to create forums that allow these alternative visions to flourish. In addition to protesting against the G20 summit, we need to build an alternative vision by hosting a summit that develops and promotes that alternative view.

After waiting five weeks for their Disability Parking Permit to arrive, an astute reader noticed with dismay that its expiry date had already passed – 28 February 2014!

The Queensland Department of Transport, which administers the national scheme in this state, cannot find any evidence of the rogue permits, and advises readers affected by the apparent system glitch somewhere at the Qld Department of Motor Transport, its Federal counterpart or a supplier to let them know.

Well, you kind of have to, otherwise you’ll get parking fines all year.

A Transport and Main Roads spokeswoman told Westender, “Any permit issues should be reported to the department on 13 23 80 so we can investigate and replace them if necessary.”

Imagine poetry being proclaimed the length and breadth of the Kurilpa Peninsula, with every nook and cranny of the region ringing to the rhythm and meter of verse. That’s what the Westender is planning for World Poetry Day, Friday 21st March.

Poetry in the workplace, in the home, in the schools, in clubs and pubs, cafés and restaurants, coffee shops and public transport. A plethora of poets, perchance?

We’re inviting everyone from local businesses, organisations and households to pick up a book of verse and read a poem out loud some time during the day.

Local poetry collective Kurilpa Poets will carry their metaphorical soap boxes to various public venues in the neighbourhood to unleash original verse on unsuspecting passers by.

The day will culminate in a Poetry Extravaganza at the Boundary Hotel, where poets from near and far will compete for the inaugural Westender World Poetry Day Prize, with local businesses supplying the prizes.

Local businesses have sponsored the poets with prizes for Friday night’s performance and funds to pay for their time on Friday afternoon. The businesses include Bent Books, Terry White Pharmacy, Avid Reader, Lock and Load, the Loft, Archive and the Boundary Hotel. Other businesses are still planning to join the fun.

If you want to come and support your local bards get along to the Boundary after 6 on Friday 21 March. Check out the details of the event on Facebook and EventBrite.

Souths Logan Magpies will play their first game of the footy season at home in Davies Park on Sunday 16 March against the Burleigh Bears.

Southern Suburbs Rugby League Club CEO, Jim McClelland is giving away free tickets to this Sunday’s match to any Westender readers who want them.

“It’ll be a great day, first home game of the year, and we would love to see as many West Enders down here as we can. As a boy growing up in West End, I could not wait for Sunday to come along, as did all my class mates at West End State School. West End was the Magpies,” he said.

The tickets are available from Terry White (was JP Davies) Pharmacy on Vulture and Boundary, Micah Projects, the Boundary Hotel and the Archive bar.

The main match kicks off at 2 pm on Sunday 16th with a Colts game at from 10.30am.

Mr McLelland is inviting you to “Come and discover all the joy and excitement of grass roots Rugby League, when the Mighty Magpies kick off the 2014 Intrust Super Cup campaign, taking on the Burleigh Bears in their first home game of the season, at Davies Park in West End – the home of THE MAGPIES and Rugby League in the inner Southside of Brisbane since 1909.”

Bring a rug, pack a picnic, and let the kids kick a footy around in a safe and friendly environment that The Intrust Super Cup offers.

The club features a fully licensed bar and snacks and other refreshments are available.

McLelland explained that this year’s cup build toward a national competition.

“In 2014 the game has introduced a National Championship, played in two conferences, QLD and NSW. So [we have] the opportunity to play on the national stage in a curtain-raiser to the NRL Grand Final if we happen to win the Queensland Cup Final. Could it be the year of the Magpie?”

http://southsloganmagpies.com.au/ssrl/

Caption: Souths Rugby League Club has a long and proud history

Given today is World Sleep Day, it’s time to reflect on which professions get the least sleep – with lawyers, police officers and paramedics topping the list, followed by economists, social workers and computer programmers.

“It’s an eclectic list,” agrees Dr Carmel Harrington, a Consultant Sleep Scientist to Australia’s leading sleep company ResMed.

“But it does raise the importance of getting a good night’s sleep – especially if you’re a shift worker, and find it hard to ‘switch off’.”

If your profession appears in the most sleep deprived list, which was compiled using data from the U.S’ CDC’s National Health Survey, take comfort in these sleep solutions:

• Try to sleep at regular hours
• Do not exercise or eat a big meal within three hours of bedtime
• Open the curtains in the morning so that daylight can support your circadian rhythm
• Keep a sleep diary to see which of your daily or nightly behaviours help or hinder your sleep.

“It’s important to realise that good sleep is critical to our physical and mental wellbeing,” says Dr Harrington. “If you feel tired in the day – and you snore – then you should check that you don’t have a more serious sleep issue like sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea symptoms can include:
• Snoring
• Headache upon waking
• Dry mouth in the morning
• Feeling generally ‘flat’ or even depressed
• Your partner reports that you stop breathing at night.

“If you have some or all of these symptoms you may have sleep apnea and it’s important to speak with your GP about this. A diagnosis of sleep apnea – through an overnight sleep test – is an easy and accessible procedure,” says Dr Harrington.

“The important thing is that, especially on World Sleep Day, you should take time to look at your sleep habits and give them a spring clean.

“A good night’s sleep is invigorating and makes us feel great – sleeping well is one of the joys of life – so we need to make sure we get the quality and quantity of sleep we need; no matter our profession.”

Who gets the least sleep?

1. Home Health Aides
2. Lawyers
3. Police Officers
4. Physicians, Paramedics
5. Economists
6. Social Workers
7. Computer Programmers
8. Financial Analysts
9. Plant Operators
10. Secretaries

Who gets the most sleep?

1. Forest, Logging Workers
2. Hairstylists
3. Sales Representatives
4. Bartenders
5. Construction Workers
6. Athletes
7. Landscapers
8. Engineers
9. Aircraft Pilots
10. Teachers

For background to these stats, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm and http://business.time.com/2012/02/24/top-10-most-yawn-sleep-deprived-jobs/

For more information on sleep apnea, go to: www.sleepvantage.com.au

For more information on Dr Carmel Harrington, go to: www.sleepforhealth.com.au

For more information on World Sleep Day, which takes place on Friday 14 March, go to: http://worldsleepday.org