Dear Reader(Myself):
Sometimes knowledge, like Apples, whether encountered in a supermarket that appears as one is walking merrily along or as low hanging fruit on a nearby tree, falls into our grasp effortlessly. Today was one of those infrequent occasions when enlightenment occurs without vigorous pursuit of any sought after nugget of information. When having a look at the Commonwealth's website in search of information about Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory, I came upon this interesting section of the site which had a trove of information about some of the truly epic and harrowing expeditions undertaken by different generations of European(and their Aussie descendant) explorers. Very worthwhile reading. Often times knowledge is obtained through the path of diligent and determined study. But not always. Sometimes that delicious apple of knowledge is accessible via the easy extension of one's figurative arms and the grasp of one's figurative hand. I savor these easy moments!
Here's the link
Cheers!
http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/early-explorers
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
APPLE CHIP TIDBIT- ARMISTICE DAY/ANZAC CONTINUED: AUSTRALIAN SACRIFICE FOR THE CROWN 1914-1918
Dear Reader,
My last brief post was about the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915 undertaken by the Australia New Zealand Army Corps(ANZAC) task/expeditionary force. Although the valor that Australia's soldiers displayed during this campaign was an important moment in the commonwealth's conception of itself as a nation, it was only the first chapter in the history of Australia's involvement in World War One. The ANZAC's would participate in important battles on the war's western front at Bullecourt, Messines and Amiens(which was a decisive blow to the Central Powers and led to the end of the War in November 1918). Between the years of 1915-1918, Australia would offer over 300,000 service members up to the Crown for service in the Middle East and Europe. Considering that Australia's population at the time was slightly over 4,800,000, the contribution to the British war effort was quite considerable. 60,000 Australians were killed and over 150,000 were wounded in more than three years of fighting. More than 1 out of every 25 Australians alive at the time was a casualty of the war. When looking at the toll amongst young Australian men alone the casualty ratio is closer to 1 in 10. Staggering numbers. With Armistice Day around the corner, I thought this tragic bit yet important chapter in Australian history was worth another post. I found the human tragedy of the war and the suffering endured well encapsulated in a song written by Peter Bogle called, "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda", in this instance performed by the Pogues.
1914-1918
Lest We Forget
My last brief post was about the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915 undertaken by the Australia New Zealand Army Corps(ANZAC) task/expeditionary force. Although the valor that Australia's soldiers displayed during this campaign was an important moment in the commonwealth's conception of itself as a nation, it was only the first chapter in the history of Australia's involvement in World War One. The ANZAC's would participate in important battles on the war's western front at Bullecourt, Messines and Amiens(which was a decisive blow to the Central Powers and led to the end of the War in November 1918). Between the years of 1915-1918, Australia would offer over 300,000 service members up to the Crown for service in the Middle East and Europe. Considering that Australia's population at the time was slightly over 4,800,000, the contribution to the British war effort was quite considerable. 60,000 Australians were killed and over 150,000 were wounded in more than three years of fighting. More than 1 out of every 25 Australians alive at the time was a casualty of the war. When looking at the toll amongst young Australian men alone the casualty ratio is closer to 1 in 10. Staggering numbers. With Armistice Day around the corner, I thought this tragic bit yet important chapter in Australian history was worth another post. I found the human tragedy of the war and the suffering endured well encapsulated in a song written by Peter Bogle called, "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda", in this instance performed by the Pogues.
1914-1918
Lest We Forget
Friday, October 21, 2011
Apple Chip Tidbit: ANZAC
Death and suffering are part of the stuffing that makes up the tragic nature of human existance. The idea of Australia and Australians as being a place and people seperate from Great Britain was forged in such death and suffering. The First World War and specifically the Dardanelles(Gallipoli) campaign of 1915-1916, were essential components in forging this national consciousness. Soldiers primarily from New Zealand and Australia were sent by Winston Churchill to invade Turkey, capture Istanbul and knock Turkey out of the war, thus braking a stalemate on the Western front of the war. The landing in April of 1915 quickly turned into a quagmire and ended in defeat with many casualties on both sides, Turkey still in the war and the Australians and New Zealnd Army Corps Task Foce(ANZAC) forced to withdraw. Australians felt there soldiers whom by all accounts fought bravely were abandoned without much support against the Turks, who were fighting from a geographically adventageous position defending their homeland. This sense of disregard and abandonment led to a greater questioning of the relationship between the U.K and the Australian Commonwealth and a sense of sharing a seperate national destiny than that of Britain. Thus ANZAC resonates deeply here in Australia.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Its a Rainy Day at the Orchard... but rain is necessary to grow the seeds of WISDOM...Thank you, Roger Ebert.
Dear Reader,
When I started this blog to compile facts that were interesting to me(and basically to no one else), I assured myself that I would not veer too far off of the straight and narrow. However, today I digress. I admit to you, dear reader, that at times my mind becomes preoccupied with questions of an existential nature. I often end up, sometimes confusingly, trying to figure out, what is the purpose of this life that I have been given. How do I live in a way that makes my life truly worth while. I suppose I will wrestle with this question to the end. So today, their is a driving rain in the orchard and most people have stayed away and decided to come back another day. No Apple Chip Tidbits on the ground for Sho and I to grouse over. However, rain, even in great amounts, is necessary in order to make the trees that make up the orchard of life to grow fruitful and strong. In this vein, Roger Ebert(of Siskel and Ebert film review fame) has recently provided a much needed downpour of knowledge upon these fields. He recently wrote his book of memoirs, entitled "Life Itself". Ebert has been dealing with thyroid cancer which caused much him much physical pain and also took away his ability to speak. He is terminally ill. In the last chapter of the book(re-published in his blog for the Chicago Sun-Times, he holds forth with this piece of wisdom,
"To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn't always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out".
I write these entries because I find a certain degree of joy in learning about new facts and considering fresh perspectives, ideas and thoughts which I have never before entertained. I do think Ebert is on to something. Whether it is in our personal or professional lives, giving joyfully and freely of ones time, talents and energy to give uplift, help, renewal or whatever grace one can give is one way to live the good life. I need to remember this myself and do better in my own life. Sorry for pontificating. Thanks for putting up with my ramblings and back to Tidbits next week.
Cheers...
When I started this blog to compile facts that were interesting to me(and basically to no one else), I assured myself that I would not veer too far off of the straight and narrow. However, today I digress. I admit to you, dear reader, that at times my mind becomes preoccupied with questions of an existential nature. I often end up, sometimes confusingly, trying to figure out, what is the purpose of this life that I have been given. How do I live in a way that makes my life truly worth while. I suppose I will wrestle with this question to the end. So today, their is a driving rain in the orchard and most people have stayed away and decided to come back another day. No Apple Chip Tidbits on the ground for Sho and I to grouse over. However, rain, even in great amounts, is necessary in order to make the trees that make up the orchard of life to grow fruitful and strong. In this vein, Roger Ebert(of Siskel and Ebert film review fame) has recently provided a much needed downpour of knowledge upon these fields. He recently wrote his book of memoirs, entitled "Life Itself". Ebert has been dealing with thyroid cancer which caused much him much physical pain and also took away his ability to speak. He is terminally ill. In the last chapter of the book(re-published in his blog for the Chicago Sun-Times, he holds forth with this piece of wisdom,
"To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn't always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out".
I write these entries because I find a certain degree of joy in learning about new facts and considering fresh perspectives, ideas and thoughts which I have never before entertained. I do think Ebert is on to something. Whether it is in our personal or professional lives, giving joyfully and freely of ones time, talents and energy to give uplift, help, renewal or whatever grace one can give is one way to live the good life. I need to remember this myself and do better in my own life. Sorry for pontificating. Thanks for putting up with my ramblings and back to Tidbits next week.
Cheers...
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Small Apple Chip Tidbit: Come Estai...Mate??!!!
Dear Reader(Myself)
I promise my entry this week will be short. When one thinks of Australia's demographic makeup, it is natural to think of the commonwealth's Aboriginal(50,000 years old) and Anglo-Celtic(223 years old) heritage. However many people might not know that close to 5 percent of Australia's population is made up of......immigrants from Italy and (mainly) their descendants? Starting with the Australian Gold Rush in the middle of the 19th century, London encouraged limited amounts of immigration to fill labor shortages in agriculture caused by men leaving their jobs to attempt to find fortune in Victoria and South Australia. Amongst immigrants brought in mainly from northern Europe, these Italians were mainly middle class and wealthier folks who could afford passage to Australia. After the rush subsided,many of these folks stayed on in the country and assimilated into the fabric of Australian society. Many of them were skilled professionals and merchants who were quick to find success, and made a major impact upon the cultural and economic life of Victoria and the city of Melbourne especially. Fast forward some 70 odd years down the road and we land in 1945. At the end of the Second World War, Australia's political leadership, most notably amongst them, Prime Minister Ben Chiffley, realizing both how close the commonwealth had come to being invaded by the Japanese and the implicit necessity for more people to grow both the economy and thus its ability to defend itself properly, launched a massive immigration program. During the thirty years following 1945, more than a half million Italians, this time a much more economically diverse group, along with millions of other displaced persons from around Europe, were welcomed to come work and live in the country. As a result, 1 out of every 20 Australians today were either born in Italy or descended from someone born in Italy. I am stretching it a bit here, but if there is such a thing as Apple Gelato, I hope that this could be considered a mildly satisfying spoonful of such a concoction.
Cheers!
I promise my entry this week will be short. When one thinks of Australia's demographic makeup, it is natural to think of the commonwealth's Aboriginal(50,000 years old) and Anglo-Celtic(223 years old) heritage. However many people might not know that close to 5 percent of Australia's population is made up of......immigrants from Italy and (mainly) their descendants? Starting with the Australian Gold Rush in the middle of the 19th century, London encouraged limited amounts of immigration to fill labor shortages in agriculture caused by men leaving their jobs to attempt to find fortune in Victoria and South Australia. Amongst immigrants brought in mainly from northern Europe, these Italians were mainly middle class and wealthier folks who could afford passage to Australia. After the rush subsided,many of these folks stayed on in the country and assimilated into the fabric of Australian society. Many of them were skilled professionals and merchants who were quick to find success, and made a major impact upon the cultural and economic life of Victoria and the city of Melbourne especially. Fast forward some 70 odd years down the road and we land in 1945. At the end of the Second World War, Australia's political leadership, most notably amongst them, Prime Minister Ben Chiffley, realizing both how close the commonwealth had come to being invaded by the Japanese and the implicit necessity for more people to grow both the economy and thus its ability to defend itself properly, launched a massive immigration program. During the thirty years following 1945, more than a half million Italians, this time a much more economically diverse group, along with millions of other displaced persons from around Europe, were welcomed to come work and live in the country. As a result, 1 out of every 20 Australians today were either born in Italy or descended from someone born in Italy. I am stretching it a bit here, but if there is such a thing as Apple Gelato, I hope that this could be considered a mildly satisfying spoonful of such a concoction.
Cheers!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Apple Chip Tidbit: Who is Newcastle's pop culture claim to fame? Answer: SILVERCHAIR(Go 90's Rock!)
Dear Reader(s)(Myself and maybe Sho),
If one were to walk down the streets of either Queens, New York or Minneapolis, Minnesota and ask a random person on the street,
" Who is the most famous person, group or other cultural entity that comes to mind when mentioning Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia?"
I would be willing to bet almost six figures worth of American dollars that no one would say," Ah, but of course, those devilish lairikins of alternative rock Silverchair!!!"
Up until a month ago, I would not have been able to answer this question either, but I when I saw a copy of the Newcastle Herald with an adverstisement for an upcoming Silverchair reading something like," Silverchair Playing Hometown Gig", your favorite aimless investigator decided to look into this important matter. And what did I find out: That all three members of the band were brought up in the inner-city suburb(read urban residential neighborhood) of Merewether Beach, which is only a few kilometers( a mile or so) from where we live in The Hill section of Newcastle. Why I find this obscure fact interesting is because Silverchair was a medium sized speck on the alt-rock landscape of the 1990's that reminds me of the great years of Nirvana, Soundgarden and the Smashing Pumpkins, amongst many others. The band was(and still is) a three piece band with lead singer and guitarist Daniel Johns, Bassist Chris Joannou and Drummer, Ben Gilles. They were discovered in a talent contest sponsored by the national radio station, Triple J(a subsidiary of the Australian Broadcasting Channel), and went on to record three records that I knew of in the mid to late 1990's, "Frogstomp"(1995), "Neon Ballroom(1999)" and "Freak Show(1997)" When" Frogstomp" was released in the United States it became the first time since the 1980's that an Australian band reached the Billboard Top Ten Album's list(along with fellow Aussies INXS and Men At Work).
So, friend(s), now you know, when someone asks you about Newcastle's contributions to pop culture, you can knowingly chime in about these blokes:
If one were to walk down the streets of either Queens, New York or Minneapolis, Minnesota and ask a random person on the street,
" Who is the most famous person, group or other cultural entity that comes to mind when mentioning Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia?"
I would be willing to bet almost six figures worth of American dollars that no one would say," Ah, but of course, those devilish lairikins of alternative rock Silverchair!!!"
Up until a month ago, I would not have been able to answer this question either, but I when I saw a copy of the Newcastle Herald with an adverstisement for an upcoming Silverchair reading something like," Silverchair Playing Hometown Gig", your favorite aimless investigator decided to look into this important matter. And what did I find out: That all three members of the band were brought up in the inner-city suburb(read urban residential neighborhood) of Merewether Beach, which is only a few kilometers( a mile or so) from where we live in The Hill section of Newcastle. Why I find this obscure fact interesting is because Silverchair was a medium sized speck on the alt-rock landscape of the 1990's that reminds me of the great years of Nirvana, Soundgarden and the Smashing Pumpkins, amongst many others. The band was(and still is) a three piece band with lead singer and guitarist Daniel Johns, Bassist Chris Joannou and Drummer, Ben Gilles. They were discovered in a talent contest sponsored by the national radio station, Triple J(a subsidiary of the Australian Broadcasting Channel), and went on to record three records that I knew of in the mid to late 1990's, "Frogstomp"(1995), "Neon Ballroom(1999)" and "Freak Show(1997)" When" Frogstomp" was released in the United States it became the first time since the 1980's that an Australian band reached the Billboard Top Ten Album's list(along with fellow Aussies INXS and Men At Work).
So, friend(s), now you know, when someone asks you about Newcastle's contributions to pop culture, you can knowingly chime in about these blokes:
Sunday, September 4, 2011
APPLE CHIP TIDBIT: Australia's Jessie James
Dear Reader(myself and I),
I have got a sour apple gummy bear for ya( yay says dave..I like anything with sugar and an artificial sour apple flavor)! No chips of knowledge today. This is blood and guts and calories and intellectual fat up the wazoo!!! Today, I will talk about briefly about Ned Kelly. Who is Ned Kellly, you might ask? Well, dear reader, he is only the greatest bushranger(read: wild west outlaw in the United States) who was a complete an utter thug, robbing, torturing and killing scores of people in the bush(read:country or rural) regions of northeastern Victoria, Australia throughout the early to late 1870's However is legend is more popular then that of any lawman or "good guy" that existed at the same time. Some say that this is due to his supposed representation of the defiant and individualist ethic that many of the early pioneers that settled the then western stretches of Australia had. Some say his legend is due to the resonance of the great resentment that many Irish convicts, who were sent to Australia to serve time as prisoners or periods of indentured servitude held towards the colonial British authorities(today almost one third of all Australian citizens claim some Irish heritage on one or both sides of their family). His legend was mostly forged in blood as he seeminlgly murdered with impunity for a period of five years, while successfully evading capture with the help of the large Kelly clan that would often shelter him after commiting one of his many crimes. One night, in late October of 1880, four regional policemen who were searching for Kelly were ambushed by Ned and his gang. Three of the officers were captured and one was able to escape. The escaped officer, realizing that he had been captured by Kelly, told the officers of his gneral wareabouts. A posse of officers was dispatched to the area around Glenrowan, Victoria and found the three officers dead having had their scrotums and testicles shot off by the Kelly gang. The regional police received a lucky break from a local informant that Kelly and his gang were holed up in a safety house in town. A few days later, a large contingent of police brought in from Melbourne to raid Kelly compound. The police arrived late in the afternoon on a freight train and promptly surrounded the compound and began firing live rounds at it. A ferocious gun battle raged into the night between the two camps. The next day during a lull in the fighting, Kelly, clad in a homemade suit made of steel that covered his head and upper body tried to make a run for it into the bush in back of the house. However, one of the policemen spotted him and shot him in the leg, which was not protected. He was quickly apprehended and brought to Melbourne where he was quickly tried and convicted of murder. He was sentenced to death by hanging. A few days later, he was executed by British authorities at a prison within the city limits. He was only twenty five years of age at the time of his death. But his legend lives on in Australian folklore. Villain, symbol of defiance and the wild early years of the European settlement of the Australian bush country and the untamed appetites, dreams and dangers that were realized there, Ned Kelly has come to symbolize an antihero whose chararcter has deep resonance in the Australian psyche. That was like eating a bag of just sour apple gummy bears! Thanks for indulging me, dear reader!!!
I have got a sour apple gummy bear for ya( yay says dave..I like anything with sugar and an artificial sour apple flavor)! No chips of knowledge today. This is blood and guts and calories and intellectual fat up the wazoo!!! Today, I will talk about briefly about Ned Kelly. Who is Ned Kellly, you might ask? Well, dear reader, he is only the greatest bushranger(read: wild west outlaw in the United States) who was a complete an utter thug, robbing, torturing and killing scores of people in the bush(read:country or rural) regions of northeastern Victoria, Australia throughout the early to late 1870's However is legend is more popular then that of any lawman or "good guy" that existed at the same time. Some say that this is due to his supposed representation of the defiant and individualist ethic that many of the early pioneers that settled the then western stretches of Australia had. Some say his legend is due to the resonance of the great resentment that many Irish convicts, who were sent to Australia to serve time as prisoners or periods of indentured servitude held towards the colonial British authorities(today almost one third of all Australian citizens claim some Irish heritage on one or both sides of their family). His legend was mostly forged in blood as he seeminlgly murdered with impunity for a period of five years, while successfully evading capture with the help of the large Kelly clan that would often shelter him after commiting one of his many crimes. One night, in late October of 1880, four regional policemen who were searching for Kelly were ambushed by Ned and his gang. Three of the officers were captured and one was able to escape. The escaped officer, realizing that he had been captured by Kelly, told the officers of his gneral wareabouts. A posse of officers was dispatched to the area around Glenrowan, Victoria and found the three officers dead having had their scrotums and testicles shot off by the Kelly gang. The regional police received a lucky break from a local informant that Kelly and his gang were holed up in a safety house in town. A few days later, a large contingent of police brought in from Melbourne to raid Kelly compound. The police arrived late in the afternoon on a freight train and promptly surrounded the compound and began firing live rounds at it. A ferocious gun battle raged into the night between the two camps. The next day during a lull in the fighting, Kelly, clad in a homemade suit made of steel that covered his head and upper body tried to make a run for it into the bush in back of the house. However, one of the policemen spotted him and shot him in the leg, which was not protected. He was quickly apprehended and brought to Melbourne where he was quickly tried and convicted of murder. He was sentenced to death by hanging. A few days later, he was executed by British authorities at a prison within the city limits. He was only twenty five years of age at the time of his death. But his legend lives on in Australian folklore. Villain, symbol of defiance and the wild early years of the European settlement of the Australian bush country and the untamed appetites, dreams and dangers that were realized there, Ned Kelly has come to symbolize an antihero whose chararcter has deep resonance in the Australian psyche. That was like eating a bag of just sour apple gummy bears! Thanks for indulging me, dear reader!!!
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