Managing director of Ebono Institute and major sponsor of The Generator, Geoff Ebbs, is running against Kevin Rudd in the seat of Griffith at the next Federal election. By the expression on their faces in this candid shot it looks like a pretty dull campaign. Read on
The Australian Government has announced the launch of Cyber Security Challenge Australia 2014, teaming up with Telstra, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Microsoft to find the next generation of Australian cyber defenders
Cyber Challenge 2014 will test Australia’s best cyber-skilled undergraduates via a 24-hour virtual computer network scenario.
The Annual Cyber Challenge is eagerly awaited by government, universities and businesses interested in promoting the value of an ICT security qualification.
The Cyber Challenge is just one way that the Government is committed to building Australia’s secure online environment, and in training students for the growing need for ICT professionals.
First prize is a trip to the Black Hat 2014 conference in Las Vegas, USA—the worldwide, premier technical information security forum.
Cyber Challenge 2014 will be held from 7–8 May 2014 at participating universities across Australia.
Undergraduate teams can register their interest through their university from early-February, with information sessions being held at selected universities during March. Registrations close on 1 April 2014.
Matt and Blake from Studio 99 are willing and able to take on your challenge
Studio 99 fitness is initiating a 10-week corporate challenge to help local West End businessmen and women become healthier, by reducing their average weight by 10kg over 10 weeks.
Studio 99 Fitness is a local personal training studio that has been operating out of 99 Melbourne Street for over 5 years, focusing on personalized fitness programs in a fun, friendly and safe environment. With trainers boasting over 20 years industry experience, Studio 99 is the leader of personalized fitness in West End.
2014 is the year to create a healthier workplace environment through regular exercise and health and fitness education. Studio 99 is passionate about changing the health and fitness culture of West End’s business community.
Through the challenge, Studio 99 aims to not only make West End businesspeople fitter, stronger and healthier, but also to improve workplace environment and productivity.
Current corporate clients of studio 99 attribute fewer sick days, increased energy levels, and workplace productivity to regular exercise at the studio.
There are three different packages available for the 10 week corporate challenge:
The platinum package incorporates
One free weekly group class.
One health and fitness seminar.
Weekly newsletter.
Individual measurements and tracking.
Individual training program.
2 one on one sessions with a personal trainer.
Individual nutrition program.
Mention “The Westender” when registering your business, and receive the first week of the platinum package for free.
Studio 99 Fitness
99 Melbourne Street Westend.
www.studio99fitness.com.au
Mobile:0431340389
Email: matt@studio99fitness.com.au
Scott McDougall (right) at a youth justice forum with Radio National and UQ panellists
The ninth G20 summit will be held at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on 15 and 16 November this year.
The event has not been universally welcomed with joy and excitement. Instead, some seem to view it with fear and loathing — such as yours truly.
This is mostly due to the G20 (Safety and Security) Bill 2013 (G20 law), a bill that will impact important civil liberties and can affect innocent bystanders if they are near protests that get out of hand. Many fear an overreaction by police as seen during the G20 summit in Toronto, Canada 2010.
Scott McDougall, Director of Caxton Legal Centre has grave concerns about the potential for the G20 to get out of hand, due to the potential mis-use of incredibly broad police powers.
In the bill, eggs are labelled as projectiles and not allowed in the declared areas, nor are you allowed to carry with you glass jars. So if you plan on making french toast with jam that weekend, you might want to be careful where your buy and carry these food items during the G20 summit.
Mr McDougall says the bill allows police to search anyone in the declared area without having to form a suspicion that an offence may be committed.
“Even a basic search under the [G20] law, extends to searching the contents of any item found on the person — this includes their mobile phone.”
During the G20 summit, Scott McDougall says the Caxton Legal Centre will have independent legal observers out on the street.
“In order to maintain a completely independent role [Caxton] will not be giving legal advice to any individual or groups in the lead-up to the G20 — protest groups have to get legal advice from other centres,” he said.
“[That means we are] in the position to proffer evidence that is completely independent.”
Scott McDougall understands that the broad role of the police under the G20 law creates a logistical nightmare for the police, which further worries him. He thinks logistical problems will result in unnecessary arrests.
When looking back at the G20 summit in Toronto Scott McDougall says, “Not wanting to scare, [but] there is considerable scope for innocent peaceful protesters to be caught up with the law.”
He says people need to think carefully about wearing black clothing. Wearing all-black at a protest is called black bloc. It makes it difficult for police to identify protesters in a large group.
Given the broad scope of the bill, anyone wearing black might become a target for search and arrest if the police are looking for someone fitting that description.
Scott McDougall hopes that Brisbane will not witness a repetition of what happened in Toronto, Canada 2010. He hopes the police activity in the G20 is not guided through paranoia, but common sense and professionalism. This would show that our police are able to exercise restraint and good conduct, setting a standard for future G20 summits in other countries.
Ghost boy in full flight at a previous Poetry Award
Now in it’s third year, the esteemed KURILPA Performance Poetry CUP will be taking off at 2pm, Sunday 23rd of February, at 91 Cordelia Street, Sth Brisbane on the edge of Musgrave Park.
Sponsored by local creative community group, the Kurilpa Poets, the Kurilpa Cup is open to all comers and free to enter.
Aside from the fabulous cup itself, the winner is presented with a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and a book of verses! (and $50 in an envelope.)
This years poetic Judge Judy is the Legendary Ghost boy.
Westender has two free double passes to the film of your choice at the French Film Festival. Tre bon!
The festival is organised by Alliance Francaise and features 42 films over four weekends in March. To get your taste of la cinema de France all you have to do to enter is outline in 25-50 words a French film (real or fictional). Westender and Alliance Francaise will review your entries, select a winner and publish it (along with our second favourites) in the March edition.
Submit your entries before February 14 – search “French film” at westender.com.au. The winner will be notified by email and the ticket will be available for collection from the Alliance here in West End (down by the markets on the corner of Jane and Montague).
To set the barre here is one of our scribes’ synopsis of the 1994 film A Pure Formality.
“Depardieu is the intellectual: ignorant, lost, afraid. Polanski is the interrogator, oozing charm and disdain. One room, hundreds of questions, a matter of life and death. The suspense lasts until the last scene. Where were you, what happened, why are you here? The answer, of course, is a pure formality.”
So despite the vast expenditure, the signs on every Belle Property regardless of owner or tenant approval, the announcement by the Brisbane City Council that it would not enforce its own electoral signage by laws, the voters grimly went out and voted exactly the same way they did last time.
You can count the people who changed their vote.
A handful of extra votes for the Secular Party.
A couple of hundred extra for the little Green man.
Half of Palmer’s three thousand facebook friends went to the Pirate Party and the others sprinkled themselves across the micro parties generally. They do not like politicians.
The only significant move at all is the thousand fans of one K Rudd deserted the ALP and voted for Abbott instead. These are the people for whom Rudd lurched to the right, damning international refugees to prison islands as the international cartel running the penal colony of Australia has always done.
Think Port Arthur, think Norfolk, think Palm Island. Think of the prisoners chained to the fort just off Sydney Cove. If you don’t line up for your loaf of bread and bucket of rum we will whip you. If you will not submit to the whip then we will chain you to a rock in the middle of the sea and laugh at you rotting in the high tide, while we have our Sunday sandwiches.
It is the Australian way.
So after all of that, we have a Labor representative in Griffith.
Well we would if Glasson would concede, but there could be a surprise in the postal votes and we won’t give up until they are all opened. We learned that from George Dubya didn’t we? Don’t give up until you have exhausted every challenge, tried every trick and cooked every book that can be cooked.
Glasson, you told us you are an honourable man and not a creature of the party. Concede. Go back to the family, back to the practice, back to helping your patients see.
Or have you been poisoned in the process?
Did the intervention get under your skin?
Did the power of riding into town on a jeep with the army behind you as the medical arm of the liberator go to your head?
Get out now while you still have your dignity, your humanity.
Go and rewatch the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and decide what sacrifice you are prepared to make.
And dear reader, if your name is not Bill Glasson, if you are one of the 50,000 who voted for the progressive cause on Saturday, gird your loins and clear the decks. When you read Damien Smith’s plea for liberty, think about how you will participate in the coming fight to restore humanity to Australian politics before we start disappearing.
The Australian Government has announced the launch of Cyber Security Challenge Australia 2014, teaming up with Telstra, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Microsoft to find the next generation of Australian cyber defenders
