Take action. BAN LIVE ANIMAL EXPORTS

The footage is graphic and the suffering is real.

There aren't any winners in this situation. Livestock farmers and animal protectionists alike have witnessed the cruelty of Australian cattle processing in the Indonesian abattoirs.

Depressingly this has been going on for over 10 years now. The Meat and Livestock Association (MLA) here in Australia has some questions to answer. Blatantly refusing to compensate the cattle farmers they say they represent (and receive levies from) it's now up to us, the tax payer to fund compensation regardless of which side you take.

Support the upcoming 'It's Time To Take Action' rallies in your local cities (Adelaide Sun 14th August) to voice your protest and make a stand against cruelty to all animals.

Rundle Lantern goes here

We stand back and look at this in awe. Basically it's because it's all we have and we are a parochial bunch. Just a few coloured panels and it's a 'world class' attraction for all to come and see. Er, yeah right. It dresses up a bland car park and for that it gets my nod. Do the one next door too.

What is so unique about Rundle Mall?

def: u·nique/yo͞oˈnēk/

Noun: A unique person or thing.

Adjective: Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else: "the situation was unique in modern politics"; "original and unique designs".

Can we apply this definition to the central Adelaide city retail precinct known as Rundle Mall?

A recent Advertiser newspaper feature questioned the very same in a vox-pop poll of strolling pedestrians resulting in the majority consensus that few agreed Rundle Mall is any more unique than other city malls.

Now I know Martin Haese (Rundle Mall Manager) is really doing some good work to incorporate a more youthful slant on the mall. But the mall is visually tired, showing it's age and has no focal point, no sense of adventure or wonder and that sadly people is the reality.

His side-kick John Samartzis keeps offering the over-worked line of... "Rundle Mall is Unique, that is the key word here and what we are striving for... Unique". Hmmm... I guess that newspaper poll pretty much nailed the argument in the negative here. I'd like to suggest that the marketing department finds a more 'unique' marketing moniker than unique coz we've heard it before, it's parse and tired just like the mall, -get the point here.

I was poo-pooed at a traders meeting when I offered my 2 cents worth of why Rundle Mall is unique. And it's not from today but in the mid 80's when MYER's in the mall installed a roller coaster in the atrium 7 floors above the mall. Wow, did this create a buzz. It was kinda shocking, scary in fact. Whether you chose to ride it or not didn't matter. It attracted visitors, was a draw card and was the only original (insert unique) aspect of the Mall at that time. Died coz of the State Bank debacle. Just a wasteland now of unleased shops (in fact the top floors are now closed to the public).

 
I'd like to see a modern version of it again or something just as wild. Get dangerous and push the envelope. It's not about getting major international clothing labels to rent in the mall, ho-hum, we can get that anywhere now. That is not... insert... Unique.

Why sometimes being big is better.

This is just wonderful. Love it, -the scale, the obvious wow factor and the buzz it creates with the public. Let's be brave and embrace this original thinking.


Of course I'm talking about the 8 metre tall sculpture of Marilyn Monroe in her most famous pose. Unveiled on Chicago's Magnificent Mile, it is made of stainless steel and aluminum and weighs in at over 15 tonnes.

Check more out here;

http://dayanaratorresbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/07/marilyn-monroe-sculpture-in-chicago.html

or google image search; Large Marilyn Monroe sculpture Chicago.

Hospital car parking makes me feel sick.

Here's something to make you feel nauseous. From mid 2011 all hospitals will now charge for visitor car parking.

Over $13.00 per day minimum (and set to rise thereafter). This is obviously another quick money grab by the government, sorry but I just can't see another reason for it.


Oh, SA health minister John Hill remarked on TV that visitors have been paying for parking at the RAH for years and it hasn't stopped people from visiting. What???!!! Perhaps they don't have a choice John. I'm sure they would rather not pay if given a choice.

"Oh it's to make the entire system across the board more consistent" another said. What the hell does that actually mean? Is that a rational reason to do it? Pollie speak, love it.

So let's work it out. Visit a sick relative or friend in hospital. One weeks car parking at $100.00 minimum, factor in petrol, a coffee or snack (at over inflated prices), or catch the unreliable public transport (in wet weather) and now the entire system is consistent in fleecing the public. I feel better now.