It's #QandA Time! (and the Burka Avenger)

We sit in front of the television every most Monday evenings, cursing and celebrating in equal measure, the opinions stated by the panellists sitting on either side of Tony Jones.

"Oh what!" we yell, out aloud and on twitter.

We all think we would have the perfect answer to the questions being asked too ;)

Well on Monday, I have the scary honour of being one of those very panellists on the firing line and by gosh, with the election just called, it's going to be a fun evening indeed!

I'll also be heading into the studio early to be talking to the Australia Network on the new animation, the Burka Avenger...

I think the idea of the Burka Avenger is fantastic, but it is a little too early to call.

Burka Avenger is a Pakistani animated television series airing on Geo Tez. Created and directed by pop star Haroon and produced at Unicorn Black production studios, the show features Jiya, a mild-mannered teacher with secret martial arts skills who uses a flowing black burka to hide her identity as she fights local thugs. The Urdu language series first aired on July 28, 2013. [wiki]

The program seems to tick the initial acceptability boxes; written by a member of the community, it is clearly coming from within and is relatable.  Programs that cultivate and encourage creativity and artistry are in dire need as well, so that is a plus.

Furthermore, the aim of the program seems to be to encourage education as the superhero uses only books and pens as her weapons.  Encouraging education, particularly in the areas this Urdu-language program is targeted to laudable and required.

What will be important is whether or not this actually works in the community.  Will it be watched by young people and change their perceptions? More importantly, will their parents allow them to watch and be educated by it?  It will most definitely create controversy: given the attire of the 'villains' (very 'traditional', even 'Taliban' looking...) and the use of the Burka as a disguise rather than as a traditional religious garment used for modesty (and in some cases, for oppression, but that's another kettle of fish).  I think the fact that this program will create conversation though is a boon in of itself...

So let's wait and see on this one. I think it is a positive, but the jury is still out on the effectiveness on the outcome - and we judge by the outcome in this world, do we not?

***

So what about you? Ever wanted to be on the panel? What would you like to talk about?  What are your thoughts on le Burka Avenger?

Crazy Rig Conversations: Part 5!

Working on the rigs, one hears - and partakes in - crazy, strange random conversations that usually make me laugh. Here are a few of the recent gems!  Apologies for any offense caused...

NB: Generally, each person is referred to as ‘old mate’, or OM for short.  ’Old Mate’ is Australian for ‘that random dude’, or someone whose name you have forgotten.

***

OM1: You know, I get that women want equality right. But you have to play by the rules of the game and not complain about things? It's like, when a guy who is disabled competes in the normal Olympics and then complains that the result isn't fair - well mate, we made you your own Olypmics, if you want to come and compete with us you have to be on the same level...

Me: Hmm well I can't say I have ever thought of it that way hay.

OM1: Oh well I'm not saying that being a woman is like being disabled...haha!

***

I had a surprisingly educated conversation with a driller about religion. He managed to explain the concept of "Jihad" to a fellow colleague in quite a precise manner.  

OM1: Mate, I read about this Jihad thing aye. It's not like going to war, it's like struggling for something FOR God. Like, say, you want to quit smoking for God, that's your Jihad. It's your struggle.

Me: Wow, that's actually a pretty good explanation!

It has actually changed the way my colleague sees Islam now. #win!

***

A new leasehand (the lowest position on the rig crew) had just joined the crew.  I was asking about his experience.

Me: Oh so it's his first day on the crew?

OM1: Yah, he's from the army. It's his first day on a rig ever!

Me: Oh wow, that's so cute! (as you do...)

OM1: No Yassmin. Puppies are cute. Kittens are cute. We are hard, tough, strong. We are MEN. We are not cute.

Me: ...

***

1 Year Anniversary! Top 10 posts of last 12 months

Can you believe it has been an entire 12 months since this blog began?

It has been an exciting year of growth and development so thank you all for sharing that journey.

There have been over 4100 unique visitors over the past year, with over 12,000 page views. Thank you for taking the time to engage! That is pretty awesome! :)

Also, thank you all for reading and being part of this community! I hope that we can continue to grow together, debate and discuss, reflect and learn from one another.

To celebrate, here is a little walk down memory lane: the top 10 posts of the last 12 months! Enjoy!!

1. Women in the East, Women in the West - Finding the Middle Ground

This was written after returning from four months in Sudan, visiting family, studying formal Arabic at university and going through a very profound reflective period. Profound mostly because it opened up perspectives that I hadn't truly considered or interrogated before and provided much food for thought. That experience will continue to inform the way I understand society and place equal value in both Eastern and Western experiences.

2. Please explain why my clothing choice matters to you?

Another reflection from the East/West point of intersection, written after a strangely affecting incident at the Brisbane Airport. It was really an inconsequential incident in its own right, but brought up many questions afterward as to the symbolism of dress and the lack of nuanced understanding that sometimes rears its head in our society.

3. Shoot the Messenger

Essentially a review on an interesting film about war photographers. Asking the question - should the photographer or journalist simply put aside their moral obligation as humans to report?

4. Sudan Revolts

The page that talks the Sudanese Revolts of 2012. Reflections, thoughts, links, advice... unfortunately the attempted coup was decisively shut down but it was interestined to see the other part of the battle nonetheless.

5. Cultural Sh-Sh-Shock: Part 2

Yet another post about the cultural differences I observed on my trip to Sudan and noting a few of the aspects of cultural shock that I encountered, particularly the difference between expectations for men and women.

6. Study Secrets to Ace Your Exams (Part 1)

These are honestly the tips and tricks that got me through University and allowed me to (Alhamdulilah/thank God!) graduate with first class honours while doing all - or many - of the other things that were important, including Youth Without Borders, the UQ Racing team and much more. Part two is still on its way.

7. Book Review: Adam Parr's "The Art of War"

A review about a well presented book written during a very interesting time in Formula 1 politics and management. Well worth reading.

8. 10 Useful Brain Sharpening Websites for 2013

The title says it all. A toolbox full of links that will help you keep your brain KEEEEEN!

9. Drilling Diaries

Less and post and more a category, this ranked in 9th and is essentially links to all the crazy stories and conversations that I have while working out in the oil and gas rigs in Australia.

10. The Innocence of Who?

A post written in the aftermath of 'The Innocence of Muslims' video. A brief look at why this sort of reaction is common and perhaps what we as a society can do to change it.

I honestly really look forward to the next 12 months with you all, and can't wait!

Study Secrets to Ace Your Exams (PART 1!)

 

Engineering was fun, but hell. Balancing a full mechanical engineering load with various other things was never easy…

Fortunately though, I learnt a few tricks along the way that helped.

Here are a few to get you started – tips that may be able to help you study more efficiently and get you through an exam block with your sanity intact.

1. Plan your study period at the BEGINNING of SWOTVAC and put it up on your WALL.

Day 1 of SWOTVAC? By and large, one achieves pretty much nothing.  That’s okay.

USE the first day to FULLY PLAN OUT your exam block. 

This includes:

ONE. Picking your study station for the next three weeks. YOU WILL LIVE THERE. Ideally a quiet place (if that is your thing), with enough space for all your gear and where you can set up uninterrupted for hours on end. Your bed is not a good study station.  Don't mix sleep and study.

TWO. Write down your study schedule (see point two) AND PUT IT ON YOUR WALL.  Split it up PER DAY.

THREE. Print off the tutorials/lectures/whatever else you will need in advance (download that TV series…)

Now at least you are all set for the block and you can feel like you have achieved something. Take the day off. 

2. Plan study for your exams BACKWARDS.

Say you have exams A, B, C and D in that order.  Study for D first, then C, then B, then A.

That way, when you have JUST finished studying A, you will do the exam, rather than study for it first and then forget everything you’ve learnt by the time the exam comes around.  After A, study for B (and if you have time, C)…and so on and so forth.  Put this schedule on your wall (see point 1).

Here’s a little example - you get the first Saturday and Sunday off as a treat ^^:

 

3. Work in 30 Minute Blocks and TIME YOURSELF

Sometimes we I have the attention span of a goldfish.  The moment I would sit down to study, I would suddenly remember my desk needs cleaning, emails need replying, dishes need washing… you get the gist.

To make it less daunting to sit down and START (and then actually do something!), aim for 30 minute blocks of UNINTERRUPTED study.

Switch your phone off, close Facebook (use Leechblock if you have to!), shut down your email (and maybe even disconnect the internet?!)…just for half an hour.

It will be hard at first, as your mind won’t be used to concentrating for that long.  After half an hour though, give yourself a break. Leave the desk, talk to someone, walk around…then come back for another half an hour.

By working in short uninterrupted spurts, you are much more efficient at actually learning, and your mind can concentrate a lot better – and possibly for longer.

I like to think also that sometimes information needs to marinate a little (my brain = tender lamb chops) so that I can actually understand it.  By taking breaks, it gives my brain muscle time to marinate and rest. 

Also, it’s gratifying to know that half an hour was PURE STUDY.

You can also use this timer :)

 

4. Schedule in breaks

Pick a night a week. I always took Friday nights off.

Not only should you give your brain a break every half an hour or so, but you should also have a “break day” every week of your exam block.  Even if it isn’t an entire day but an evening or morning, force yourself to leave your desk and get some fresh air.

Even the week before my thesis was due, I took Friday night off.  I shut my books/computer at 3pm and didn’t look at anything until the next day.  It’s an important part of being healthy; a change of scenery will not only refresh you but motivate you for the next burst.

As the weeks roll on by, don’t be afraid to take a break for a couple of hours a day, to do something different.  Your brain will thank you.

Just try not to have a break too often – and don’t forget to stick to the plan…! :P

5. Give yourself a daily hours study goal and STICK WITH IT!

When I first started timing myself, I realised I would work only 30% of the time I sat at my desk. 

Lord know what I would do – surf the net, read the news, watch series (every exam block would be a new series…).

The best cure? Giving myself a goal of the number of hours that day I wanted to study (PURE ACTUAL STUDY) and sticking with it.

When I started this, I realised I was sitting at my desk all day and doing only about 3 hours.  By the end of fourth year though, an average study day was probably 5 – 6 hours.

A really good day? 8 hours.

Thesis due next week? 10.

Once my daily goal was done, I was off the hook for the rest of the day (a good incentive to get the hours out early…).

But remember, you can’t cheat! Time the number of hours that you actually study for.  If you pick up the phone? STOP THE CLOCK. Open Facebook? STOP THE CLOCK. 

It’s a brutally honest way of showing yourself how much time you actually study and once you have a baseline you can work from there.  Don’t get disenchanted, just keep working at it.

***

Part 2 of Study Secrets will be out at some point in the future! Stay tuned…but in the meantime please share – what are your tips to get you through your exam blocks?

Crazy Rig Conversations: Part 2

Well, the good times never stop in the drilling world!  This last week has included travelling to three different rig sites, driving for too many hours and even a rodeo somewhere in the middle! Spending all this time in this world does expose one to interesting conversations and lines though...and I thought they might be worth sharing :)

NB: Generally, each person is referred to as 'old mate', or OM for short.  'Old Mate' is Australian for 'that random dude', or someone whose name you have forgotten.

***

Over the two way radio, two of my colleagues are catching up on the public truckers' channel:

OM 1: Where did you put the [xx piece of equipment]

OM 2: Oh I duno, do you want me to come and show you?

OM 1: Yeah, you should probably get over here.

OM 2: Do you miss me already do ya?

Random Truck Driver Sounding Annoyed: Do you guys want to get a channel?

***

The explanation of the Pope-selection system:

Old Mate: When they get together to pick the pope, they just have a bit of the smoke, and then when it's really good and they've decided, they'll have a bit of that white smoke... that's what you see.

Me: Oh, that...makes perfect sense... (!)

***

I work with an Arab looking man who was on the rig floor.  One roughneck decided to call him from my shack.

Roughneck: Rig floor, do you copy? [No reply]

He looks at me and grins.  Oh dear, I thought.

Roughneck: Rig Floor?  Durka Durka Jihad Jihad!  [Looks over and laughs. I'm confused. Does he know I am Arab too? Am I supposed to reply?]

Me: You got it wrong; I think you mean Durka Durka Mohammed Jihad...?

***

Another lady visited the site, a lovely blonde engineer.  It was hilarious watching all the guys register a woman on site. Later on, I had a conversation to one of the crew about the whole 'affair'...

OM 1: Oh did you see the chick come on site? There were eyes popping out everywhere!

Me: Ha! That's great.  Did you guys get a good look did you?

OM 1 (seemingly a little dismayed): No, I didn't get a good enough look. I will next time though...

Me: It's getting crazy now there are two of us women on site ay!

OM 1 (looks at me with a slightly worried expression): I know. It's so distracting.  All of us just go a bit silly really.  Even when you came on we went a little silly.

Me: Don't you guys get over it once you know who we are and that?

The two crew members looked at each other.

OM 1 and 2: Nope.

***

***

While at the Rodeo (this isn't a rig conversation, but it was funny...)

Announcer: Racing is not discriminiative, it's speedway.

and lastly...

OM 1: Oh I wish I didn't have a heart problem.

Me: Oh dear, that's terrible. What's up?

OM 2: Love is a real killer you know!

Me: -.-

***

10 Useful, Brain Sharpening Websites for 2013!

 

Since finishing school and university, I have found that I miss the formal learning side of those years.  Luckily though, I have access to the internet, and with that a plethora of interesting tools; courses, podcasts and interesting articles to keep the brain busy and working.

1. The Conversation

The Conversation is an independent source of analysis, commentary and news from the university and research sector viewed by 550,000 readers each month. Our team of professional editors work with more than 3,600 registered academics and researchers from 240 institutions.

I get the daily newsletter in my inbox every morning and it is a fabulous bit of e-kit, with often plenty of thought provoking discussion and perspectives to keep my mental juices flowing.

2. The Economist Easily my favourite weekly magazine, it also has a robust online counterpart with good articles, forums for discussion and lively debates galore.  Oh, and it isn’t just about economics.

3. TED If you haven’t discovered TED, you haven’t truly lived on the internet.

4. Khan Academy Videos on everything and anything. Fabulous, and very informative…and many mates at uni used this to learn their courses.

5. Vocabulary.com A fun way to learn new words, and very comprehensive! I have an issue with retaining all the new words I learn, but adding something to the vocab every week is probably a way to go.

Vocabulary.com is the easiest, most intelligent way to improve your vocabulary. It combines an adaptive learning system (The Challenge) with the world’s fastest dictionary (The Dictionary) so that you can more quickly and more efficiently learn words.

6. NPR Podcasts An amazing resource for the richest plethora of podcasts imaginable.  Good ones include How to do everything, Stuff you missed in History Class and Freakonomics Radio.

7. Sociological Images They say: Sociological Images is designed to encourage all kinds of people to exercise and develop their sociological imagination by presenting brief sociological discussions of compelling and timely imagery that spans the breadth of sociological inquiry. I say: This is the whole “critical thinking” part of English class I loved.

8. Sporacle Mentally stimulating procrastination through quizzes!

9. MIT’s open courseware As MIT are so awesome, they let you access all their knowledge. For free. You can download the study material, the lectures, the videos and learn it all yourself.  Go!

10. Coursera.org

We are a social entrepreneurship company that partners with the top universities in the world to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free. We envision a future where the top universities are educating not only thousands of students, but millions. Our technology enables the best professors to teach tens or hundreds of thousands of students.

Through this, we hope to give everyone access to the world-class education that has so far been available only to a select few. We want to empower people with education that will improve their lives, the lives of their families, and the communities they live in.

This website is gold.  Fabulous resource for anything…I’ve signed up to a few courses that begin in January so I am looking forward to it!

So there are some tools that can keep the little grey cells stimulated…what about you? Do you find anything particularly useful?

Brisbane Times: How Racist Are We?

I wrote this piece for the Brisbane Times... check the full article (and comments!!) out here. ***

In 2005, when news of the Cronulla riots spread, my family was inundated by calls from friends and family overseas asking if we were okay.

"We're fine!" we would say. "Queensland's different".

That's how I'd always seen it. Growing up in Brisbane in the 90s and 00s, I remember associating racially motivated violence with Sydney and Melbourne.

Although there were incidents in Queensland, it was never as common or visible. Even after 9/11, although our mosque was burnt down and there were incidents of racism, the community didn't experience the widespread and intense incidents of racial hatred as exhibited at the Cronulla riots or more recently, the attacks against Indian international students.

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So why is Queensland different? Do the numbers support my anecdotal evidence? Are we more cohesive, or is it a case of luck and "it just hasn't happened yet"?

According to census data, New South Wales and Victoria have an over-representation of LOTE (Language Other Than English Spoken at Home) population, with Sydney and Melbourne's LOTE population at 37.8% and 33.7%, compared to Brisbane's 17.9% (ABS, 2011).

It is quite clear then, that the ethnic population density in Queensland is significantly less than those in the southern states, perhaps a reason for less racial violence.

Furthermore, the southern capital cities have more densely populated areas with particular groups of migrants that have been settled for longer, whereas Brisbane and Queensland's migrant populations are younger and less dense.  In 1996, Queensland had 29.7 % fewer LOTE speakers compared to NSW (ABS, 1996).

On the other hand, the Scanlon Foundation's "Mapping Social Cohesion" (2012) report states that Queenslanders are particularly likely to hold negative views on cultural diversity.

Numbers may not always tell the whole story.  As a lifetime Brisbanite, I don't think we have a widespread issue with racial violence as we are a little different to our southern neighbours.

Firstly, the settlement of racially diverse populations hasn't been in the dense concentrations of lengthy settlement as seen down south.  This has allowed ethnically diverse populations to better embed themselves into the fabric of the mainstream community.

With that familiarity comes understanding and the reduction of the likelihood of racial violence.

Secondly, as a society, we are now much more aware the needs of migrants and LOTE populations having learned from Sydney and Melbourne. As populations now settle in Queensland, the many support mechanisms available from government and organisations help alleviate many of the issues based around settlement that may provoke violence.

When my family moved to Australia almost 20 years ago, the level of support was essentially non-existent.  Now, there are extensive networks to help, and the positive impact this has cannot be understated.

However, it cannot be denied that there are negative - dare I say racist - views around the state. We've been lucky so far. I feel safe, accepted and don't find my race a major inhibitor in my ability to participate.

We shouldn't be complacent however, and as we become more racially diverse we must work together to ensure that our community isn't marred by the manifestation of negative views and the racially motivated violence that can truly damage the fabric of our society.

Read more here!

***

Thanks to the Brisbane Times for giving me the opportunity to contribute...

So what are your thoughts? I only had 500 words, there is plenty more to the discussion!

Operation: Internet Freedom

This is an archived post, originally written for Future Challenges.

The Stop Online Piracy Act, SOPA.

The Protect Intellectual Property Act, PIPA.

The ISP based Australian Internet filter, the Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill 2011enforced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

These are a few examples of many governments’ attempts, both within Australia and internationally, to fight what they see as “cyber crime” or ensure “cyber security”.  The question to ask however, is whether these attempts are true steps forward in fighting unlawful and harmful action, or whether they are misguided endeavours to control users, and how effective are they in reality at either of those roles?

We live in an increasingly online society; Information and Communications Technology (ICT) plays an intrinsic role in the daily lives of most Australians, so much so we almost no longer consciously realise it.  Like any tool however, ICT can be utilised for both lawful and unlawful pursuits and as such, “cyber crime” has become an issue of consideration for those concerned with the security of the nation, including the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

“High Tech Crime” is the purview of the AFP and is defined in Commonwealth legislation within Part 10.7 – Computer Offences of the Criminal Code Act 1995 .  This includes crimes that rely on the use of ICT, or which target ICT equipment, data and services. The Australian High Tech Crime Center (AHTCC) was formed in 2008 and looks after these types of attacks; intrusions, denial of service (DoS) attacks, destruction of data and distributing malicious software (AHTCC 2011).

The AFP’s role is relatively understood, they pursue individuals and groups who have broken the relevant legislation. To aid this, in November 2011 the Australian Government made movements towards joining an international treaty fighting internet crime.  This is hoped to reduce the estimated $1 billion in risk to Australian companies from cyber crime every year (The Australian, 2011).

Internet filters however, are a different beast and there are questions about their efficacy and the motivations behind them.

In 2009, the Australian Government began a campaign to introduce an ISP based internet filter to “block overseas sites which contain criminal content” (ABC News, 2009).  This would be done through the creation of a “blacklist”, which would be maintained by an independent body in order to “protect Australians from unsuitable material”.

The actions however, brought resounding criticism from a multitude of corners, including the Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA), who rightly posed the question:

“Exactly what will be blocked? Who will decide and why is it being attempted in the first place?”

The EFA’s Vice Chair Mr Jacobs suggested that “the ease with which users can circumvent the filtering raises questions about what it is actually trying to accomplish” (ABC News, 2009).  This is perhaps the main issue with protection in the form of a filter or restriction; freedoms are reduced and controlled by a third party without any input from the public or the constituents.

Not only did the EFA raise concerns, but groups such as “No Clean Feed” erupted, encouraging users to take action against the Bill, and take action they did.

In August 2009, in response to the AFP breaking up an underground hacker’s forum, the AFP’s computer system was hacked and the individuals accessed both police evidence and intelligence about federal police systems such as its IP addresses (SMH, 2009).

The disruptions didn’t stop there; in 2010 hackers coordinated attacks on various government sites, debilitating the Australian Parliament House’s website and making Kevin Rudd’s website the home for “Operation: Titstorm”

This operation was conducted by the group “Anonymous”, the same group who have taken down Sony and attacked various government sites (such as Nigeria and Syria) in a form of “hacktivism” and are extremely vocal against all forms of internet censorship.

The bill hasn’t been passed completely, however it may no longer need to as four Australian ISP’s have now voluntarily blocked over 500 websites, setting an interesting precedent (Chalk, 2011).

So there is a lot happening; internet filters are imposed, hackers are accessing and committing “cyber crime” despite security measures, new types of crime are emerging as well as traditional crimes being aided by technology.  What does this mean for the future?  Where does this leave our global community?  Can we have our computer and internet freedoms and still expect to be safe and protected?

Currently we are in a period of transition. We deal with new forms of crime with traditional methods of crime fighting. We deal with the symptoms and attempt to stem the flow rather than deal with the source.

Information and Communication Technologies are a tool. In the same ways that cars and knives are tools than can be used for lawful and freeing activities as well as dangerous and deadly activities, technologies are a tool that can be used for great good and vice versa.

It should also be remembered that young people today are growing up in a society where ICT and the freedoms they provide are taken as the norm.  As such, removal of these freedoms is most likely going to be seen as a step backwards and will be fought vehemently.

In any society there is the requirement for some rules and legislation in order to prevent crime.  However, for crime fighting to be effective, the focus should be on the crime itself and not on restricting the medium by which the crime is being conducted, particularly when it can bring so much good.  The types of crimes are changing and perhaps that should be the focus of protection efforts.  It may also be worth thinking about looking at why these crimes are occurring and dealing with the causes rather than simply focusing on the symptoms.  Easier said than done definitely, but if we are to live in a truly global society, how can you have true and free global interaction if someone picks and chooses what you are free to access?  How is that freedom? Is it a case perhaps, of accepting the fact that no society can be as truly free as we want it to be?

Be Prepared: Unlikely Inspiration

“You must know that in any moment a decision you make can change the course of your life forever: the very next person stand behind in line or sit next to on an airplane, the very next phone call you make or receive, the very next movie you see or book you read or page you turn could be the one single thing that causes the floodgates to open, and all of the things that you’ve been waiting for to fall into place.”  - Anthony Robbins

Some of the biggest changes in my life have occurred after the most unlikely inspiration. 

My love of cars and motorsport?  From watching a movie when I was 13.

My current job? From chatting to a lady at a jobs stall when I was in first year uni and thinking 'I would love to do that one day'.

Deciding to start an organisation? From attending a conference I applied to late, and a conversation I had with my mum late that night...

Keep an open mind. 

You never know when the inspiration will strike, or when your life will change...

Links, Links, Links - 17th November 2012

Satire at its finest!

The Good Giraffe

A man who dresses up as a giraffe and carries out random acts of kindness towards people across Scotland has said he does it to feel good.

Child Labour in Pakistan, a photo journal

Talking about the different parts of you and your present voice…

I find myself struggling with being both content and restless. I have ridiculed myself for being the researcher, therapist, wife, and friend separately, constantly feeling as though I am lying to someone.

Three career paths…

Choosing a career seems endlessly difficult, but actually, most of work falls into just a few categories, and most of what we love to do falls into just a few as well. Look at your choices. They probably reveal to you which of the three paths you should take.

 The psychology of tetris

Since Tetris was launched on the world in 1986, millions of hours have been lost through playing this simple game. Since then, we’ve seen games consoles grow in power, and with it the appearance of everything from Call of Duty to World of Warcraft. Yet block and puzzle games like Tetris still have a special place in our hearts. Why are they are so compelling?

Really clever app…

India no longer a receiver of UK aid.

Lowy Institute’s ‘Interpreter’ article on why Israel’s Gaza escalation is a calculated risk.

Great article on doing good

The terrifying truth is that I’m making a difference no matter what I do, whether I like it or not. The math is right there: Everything else being equal, my actions amount to 1/7,047,833,249th of human existence, give or take whichever babies are being born right now.

Great for friendships as well as dating..I found it interesting.

It happened to me, I was a lazy welfare mum…and interesting story about surviving on welfare

Where are you checking out the solar eclipse from?

They say it will be an amazing phenomena. They also say not to look at it directly…

I will be checking it out from here…

Where will you be?

Happy viewing!