Bravehearts petition against Bill Henson

The organisation Bravehearts (which seeks to highlight issues relating to child abuse, sexual assault and similar issues related to child welfare) have created a petition, whereby those who sign it indicate their support of Kevin Rudd’s speaking against Bill Henson’s exploitative photographic work, which has been widely discussed in the media for the past 2 weeks.

If you are interested in signing this petition, please fill out the details at this page. Although the organisation is a secular one, the petition has been supported by Phil Gerber, the Head of the Professional Standard Unit of the Sydney Anglican Diocese. If you support the stance by the PM and other prominent Australians against these photographic works, I encourage you to sign it.

Note: This is merely intended to inform people about the petition – I will not be discussing the ethics or morality of the issue, except to say that in my signing of it, my position is quite clear. If you feel the need to comment, please do so in a cordial manner and one which is not conducive to debate on this matter.

Live longer, play golf

A famous quote attributed to novelist Mark Twain states that “golf is a good walk spoiled”. However, research from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden would suggest that the long term health benefits of playing golf by no means have a spoiling effect.

Of course, I’d say that if golfers use carts as opposed to walking 18 holes, the effects would be minimised, but it makes sense that walking a decent sized golf course would be an excellent opportunity for fitness. Makes me more motivated to stick to my personal goal to try and get out for a round every weekend.

(Source: Daily Telegraph)

Young Labor binge drinking

Will Kevin Rudd intervene in this unfolding saga of deplorable behaviour by Young Labor members at Canberra’s Pinnacle Apartments this past weekend by expelling them from the party? I somehow doubt it, but as Brendan Nelson has said, it’s sure to present itself as an awkward situation for the PM in light of the alcopop tax debate.

(Source: Livenews)

Pictures of fog

Great pic (credited to Jay Town) that I found on the home page of News Limited’s news website – Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne have been shrouded in a dense fog this morning, and our country’s most iconic sporting arena was almost totally enveloped in it as well.