Blog — Page 236 of 275

Julian Assange: No More Secrets, No More Lies
Think Inc.
Seymour Centre
Sydney, AUS
February 18, 2017

Julian Assange.

A controversial figure and divisive subject.

For some, an intense, driven and valiant campaigner for transparency, the equal access to  information and constitutionality when it comes to what executive arm of our political practice  should and should not do, enabling the community to cast judgement.

Publicity seeking traitor endangering lives by disclosing delicate material into the public domain to others.

Assange is the founder and editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, which started unveiling classified data and images, in 2006.

WikiLeaks came to global prominence in April 2010 by leaking motion picture evidence depicting US soldiers offing noncombatans from a whirlybird in Iraq, what became known as the Collateral Murder video and Afghanistan war logs, ultimately triggering the United States government launching a criminal investigation and asking allied nations for assistance.

Later that year, what followed was Assange being apprehended in the United Kingdom after the issuance of an international arrest subpoena over accusations of improper conduct in Sweden. 

Subsequently, Assange found sanctum  in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, on whose premises he has been living ever since 2012.

The conversation with Assange proved that is acutely aware that whatever he and his organisations do, prompts the public to stigmatize him as pro-this or contra-that, yet emphasized that he has no institutional bias and that he perceives it as his role and mission to take on abusers of power. He considers resulting, ensuing controversies as collateral damage worth engaging in.

Despite the rising legal and political strains coming from Washington, he continues to publish in a bid to reveal not just individual incidents, but  about bigger picture dependencies.

His ultimate aim is not to show glimpses by releasing documents but to fully unveil mechanisms, structures and supporting, underlying economic forces that support it. Metaphorically speaking: Sheeding light on the constellations, not merely the stars in isolation to allow the public to read and make sense of the night sky.

WikiLeaks has been accused of not curating content and therefore picking and choosing material solely to harm their adversaries. 
Assange explained that he believes in the rectitude of unaltered information, which is based on having a secure anonymous online submission system to protect the  identity of the submittant, and in the benefit of mainstaing collections of documents, which informs WikiLeaks efforts to make it accessible to the public.

He underlined that WikiLeaks has a solid track record of having released authentic information – an impressive feat given that WikiLeaks has transformed more than ten million transcripts into a library that can be searched, not only making their website the world’s largest online repository for classified data, but also providing a forum through which individual inciedents can be contextualised.
Assange, in his usual composed and eloquent manner, challenged the audience from all schools of thought and philosophical leanings to take serious consideration of journalistic freedom and the implications of a silenced media: Silence is consent and ignorance – be it willing or unwilling – will only lead to someone else taking reign and deciding over you.

The evening was hosted by the Australian comedian and member of the satirical media empire The Chaser, whose cultivated inquisitiveness and curiosity steered the conversation. He seamlessly transitioned from delving into intricate and complex topics to trivia about Assange’s life and day-to-day operations at the Ecuadorian embassy, including a cameo of his cat.

The engaging event culminated in a Q & A from audience members and successfully bridged the gap between inquisitive voices from the public and Assange through dialogue and discourse, which has somewhat become the DNA of Think Inc. in its endeavours to provoke thought and to address the issues of changes that need to be made.

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Photo by T

Wil Wagner
Oxford Art Factory
Sydney, AUS
February 19, 2017

As the frontman, singer, lyricist, guitarist and keyboardist of The Smith Street Band -- an allusion to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band –- the name meaning to encapsulate an iconic Melbourne street, which also happened to be along an iconic Melbourne route who had a typically route 86 sound, Wil Wagner has two critically acclaimed LPs under his belt.

While still aligning with the DNA of The Smith Street Band, him stepping away from the horde and only armed with his guitar presents him as an endearing, vulnerable singer / songwriter, delivering barebones heartfelt, open and simplistically honest ditties that defy the humdrum of modern life and what standards and its demands impose upon us.

In a live environment the raw and personal songs are carried by their content, Wagner’s charisma and him wearing his heart on his sleeve – the soundtrack to having beers with friends and reminisce or alternatively bleed your lil’ heart out about unreciprocated love.

While it would be easy to label and compare Wil’s solo efforts with the myriad of other punk luminaries going it alone and insist that a bit of variation might contribute to his oeuvre, it is his self-depreciation, the at times quirky vocal harmonies and his fearlessness when it comes to tapping into what is commonly referred to as weaknesses and displaying the whole spectrum of struggles one encounters as a human being, that despite the often depressing content of his songs, manages to comfort not only frazzled twenty-somethings but turns frowns of upside down all around.

Check him out while he still has “best kept secret” status...

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Photo by KAVV

Acid Haus by United Cellars
Australian Design Centre
Sydney, AUS
February 16, 2017

The wines the sturdy, late-ripening white grape Riesling, at times referred to as the “king of grapes” and one of the most aromatic wine varieties in the world, are based on, is very high in acid often not seldomly likened to fruit juice, with primary fruit aromas being nectarine, apricot, honey-crisp apple and pear, as well as interesting nuances ranging from honeycomb to chemical aromas, e.g. rubber and diesel fuel.

It is these complex, acidic flavours and the intoxicating effect the consumption can have, that inspired United Cellars to host a celebratory tribute to the psychedelic qualities of their favourite Rieslings:

Acid Haus, a smart pun on the genre-defining label with a nod to the inofficial homeland of Riesling, Germany.

Established in 2004, United Cellars has moved beyond the traditional wine club, bypassing the middlemen, to work directly with leading wineries across Australia and around the world to arrange educational tasting events and wine experiences on a regular basis, which serve as a casual forum for attendants to tap into the knowledge of sommeliers and United Cellar’s bespoke wine advisory service called "Cellar Angels".

With the Australian Design Centre serving as the launch pad, which is dedicated to embracing the highest degree of craftsmanship and the committed to advance contemporary design practices, United Cellars took us on a voyage to taste local Australian, varieties of New Zealand via Austria and the steep slopes of Germany’s Rhine and Mosel.

Riesling also performs well in neighboring Austria and Alsace. In Alsace, contemporary producers are building richer, fuller style wines through later harvesting, longer fermentations and extended time on lees. Textured examples were the Domaine Barmès Buecher Riesling Hengst Grand Cru, of which the complex 2007 and 2010 varieties were available mastering the tightrope walk between a smidgeon of residual sweetness and electric acidity, finishing dry. Delish.

Interestingly, there is more Riesling planted in Australia than in France. Much of it was cultivated by Silesian settlers to South Australia. These Rieslings retain acidity due to cool night-time temperatures, while exhibiting aromas of mainly lime and citrus marmalade; with age and the nights favourite and recommendation from your humble narrator was Brackenwood – Adelaide Hills, SA (bio dynamic), with its Riesling 2015 and Riesling Botrytis 2014 varieties, textural and mouthfilling wines with a lovely cushioning of fruits.

The schist soils of Central Otago convinced with Lake Wanaka’s bio dynamic Riesling Jeunesse 2015 and Riesling Mature Vines 2013 varieties, which provided a smooth, lip smacking acidic transition to the top examples for Germanic Rieslings, a category in which Dr. Loosen’s WS Kabinett 2015 with its steeling crunchy acidity and the more affordable, aromatic 2014 Wittmann Hugel 100 with its floral top notes and hint of ripe tropical fruits managed to convince.

The evening which had a total of 40 Rieslings on offer was accompanied by freshly shucked oysters from the Ralston brothers, cheeses from Simon Johnson and a soundtrack that was much more agreeable than the emissions of the Acid House movement of the late 1980s.

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Photos by KAVV

TEDxSydneySalon
International Towers, Barangaroo
February 15, 2017

TEDxSydneySalons are the smaller, smart relatives of the TedX events offering intimate, evening events combining talks, films and music. Designed to spark discussion and debate, TEDxSydneySalons are a great forum to exchange ideas and kickstart collaborations.

The February 2017 incarnation investigated the theme of technology and took place in Tower Two, International Towers, in Sydney’s newest suburb, Barangaroo, which is heralded as a nexus of innovation in design, engineering, and sustainability.

The lineup included an interview with 2016 TEDxSydney speaker Dr.Jordan Nguyen, a visionary writer, and engineer, who  shared his latest technological learning and personal insights into the use of innovative, intelligent and assistive technology, which is aimed at the improvement of the lives of those who struggle with physical handicaps..

Nguyen has a track record of enegaing closely with a range of individuals with Cerebral Palsy, which created the transition to Jessica Irwin, a young woman who was born with a high level of cerebral palsy and with an equally high level of self-determination and raw talent, who joined Nguyen to speak about the role of technology in her creative life: She’s a photographer and although she loves snapping pictures of musicians, her dream has been to perform with them. Now, thanks to an instrument newly, which can be played with her eyes and developed by Jordan Nguyen, this has become a reality, enabling her to fulfill her dream of playing music onstage with other musicians, culminating in a performance at Sydney’s Opera House. The software allows a person to control the computer with their eyes and basically plays her music device that was custom-made with Jessica.

Joining Jess Irwin on stage were the soloist and chamber musician, Thomas Rann, and violist James Wannan from the Australia Piano Quartet as well as Jack Symonds, a composer, conductor and accompanist, and Artistic Director of Sydney Chamber Opera.

In addition, we heard from John Goh, an inspiring school principal from Merrylands in South Western Sydney whose innovative practices using disruptive technologies are transcending traditional school learning. When Goh noticed children dozing off in afternoon classes, he decided to trial starting the school day earlier. It was a radical idea and out of step with the state's centralised public school system but Goh believed it to be the perfect solution for Merrylands East Public School. Now his school community is considering a plan for lessons to be held from 8am to 1.15pm before students work at a homework centre until 3pm. He believes schools should be innovative, flexible and continually give back to the local community. Six years ago, the school decided to install 68 solar power panels - saving thousands on its electricity bill. About 10% of his students are former refugees and the vast majority of students learn English for the first time when they start school. Goh endeavours to enable all of his students to become literate in information and communications technology and class blogs, electronically pen-paling and conversing via email and virtual chat rooms, video conferencing and working on video productions.

Swift change of topic: Alice Gorma is an internationally recognised leader in the emerging field of space archaeology and exploration. She introduced us to the concept of “lunar mining” and asked us to consider how it will affect the way we feel about the Moon.
Singer, multi-instrumentalist and harpist, Jake Meadows rounded off the proceedings with a modern marriage of not one but three harps in all their glory and electronics, which transitioned into post-event sunset drinks and discussions, where TEDx community members could try out a DJ mash up box: A touch screen onto which cubes with instruments / vocals could be placed and moved to create unique sounds and thereby a playful DJ experience of another kind.

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Photos by KAVV

Xiuhtezcatl Martinez: Why I Sued the U.S. Government

Factory Theatre

Sydney, AUS

February 12, 2017

In October 2000, Zack de la Rocha walked out of Rage Against The Machine.

I am not implying that there is any connection, but there is a gentleman and environmental activist that goes by the name of Xiuhtezcatl (“Shu-tez-caht”) Martinez, who was born in the same year and has already grown to be what would be a formidable step in for the thirty year older American musician, poet, rapper, and activist should a need ever arise: A sixteen year old trilingual Indigenous hip-hop artist, who has inspired youth, politicians and audiences across six continents with his Earth Guardians activism movement.

With his appearance before the UN Earth Summit in 2015 being only the most publicized tip of the iceberg of his mission, the sense of caretaking of the planet instilled into his DNA by his heritage of being raised as part of the Aztec Mashika people thrust him into action and motivated his work with Our Children’s Trust and other youth representative to file lawsuits in all fifty US states to take their state and federal governments to court for a lack of action on climate change. The case rests on the legal argument that climate change is so catastrophic to their future that it threatens their fundamental right to life and liberty.

It raised awareness and garnered support for his claim that there are no true elected world leaders and that the responsibility lies with the people.

In person, Xiuhtezcatl has a refreshingly open, eloquent, calm and positive presence and is prepared to find a mid-ground with people who have difficulties coming to terms with the realities of climate change and its dire implications.

Given his impressive achievements to date and the bigger picture ideas he pursues, e.g. redirecting subsidies for fossil fuel companies into renewables like solar, wind and hydro, his actions exemplify that using one’s voice yields tangible outcomes and makes a difference, which is the basis for empowering young people to be part of something bigger than themselves.

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Photos by KAVV