Image via The Australian: The bushfires in Victoria are being called Australia’s ‘worst peacetime disaster’, with 131 confirmed deaths and the toll expected to rise as high as 230. Though sickening tales of arson and carelessness with cigarettes have emerged, so too have inspiring tales of bravery, self-sacrifice and true human kindness. In the face of such anguishing and preventable loss of life, it’s sometimes hard to know where you can help. Some are offering up their homes to the homeless, food and clothing to those who have lost everything, and even room for pets who are no longer able to be cared for. Others simply donate whatever amount is within their means, which you can do here, via the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal.

Tonight Australian philosopher Peter Singer spoke at the State Library of Queensland as part of the 2009 Ideas Festival. Though Peter’s areas of passion and expertise range from The Ethics of What We Eat to Animal Liberation, his focus in this particular lecture was global poverty, and how it can be eradicated through action from individuals within the community. Peter makes his point very simply: “If we could easily save the life of a child, we would. For example, if we saw a child in danger of drowning in a shallow pond, and all we had to do to save the child was wade into the pond, and pull him out, we would do so. The fact that we would get wet, or ruin a good pair of shoes, doesn’t really count when it comes to saving a child’s life. UNICEF, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, estimates that about 27,000 children dieevery day from preventable, poverty-related causes. Yet at the same time almost a billion people live very comfortable lives, with money to spare for many things that are not at all necessary.  (You are not sure if you are in that category? When did you last spend money on something to drink, when drinkable water was available for nothing? If the answer is ‘within the past week’ then you are spending money on luxuries while children die from malnutrition or diseases that we know how to prevent or cure.)” With his new book The Life You Can Save (the proceeds of which will be donated to Oxfam), Peter is trying to change this based on the premise that if everyone who can afford to contribute to reducing extreme poverty gave a modest proportion of their income to effective organisations fighting extreme poverty, the problem could be solved.  (more…)

The Frontier Touring Company and map magazine proudly present Amanda Palmer & The Danger Ensemble live in concert on Sunday 1 March at The Tivoli – the first stop on her Australian tour. (Tickets are onsale now via Ticketek.) One-woman machine, The Dresden Dolls’ Amanda Palmer is a rock musician, artist, writer, political activist and more. With a penchant for the complicated, Amanda Palmer’s debut solo outing, Who Killed Amanda Palmer (out now through Roadrunner), snowballed from a small idea into a project that’s nothing short of brilliant. Who Killed Amanda Palmer sees its fearless heroine weaving together the many threads of her personality, her interests, her extensive artistic family, her astute, witty world observations and the stark openness of her feelings into a dynamic record that pushes emotional limits while staying true to its genius creator. We look forward to seeing you at the concert!

Via the New York Times: Where do the parameters of religion-based advertising lie? When comedy writer Ariane Sherine saw an advertisement on the side of a bus in Britain bearing a passage from The Bible and a Christian website address, she was intrigued to log on and explore the site. But when the site informed her that she and her Atheist friends would “spend all eternity in torment”, she not only believed the message to be a little extreme, but also difficult to prove in concrete terms. Most advertisers are required to substantiate claims in one way or another, so shouldn’t this be the same? And so became the Atheist Bus Campaign, in which organisers hoped to raise enough money to run a counter campaign to the bombardment of religious messages that they felt existed across Britain. The initial goal was to raise USD $8,000 to fund advertising efforts, but the initiative seemed to capture the British public’s imagination and the campaign had soon raised more than $200,000. Last Wednesday it unveiled its advertisements on 800 buses across Britain. “There’s probably no God,” the advertisements say. “Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” While the message is more Agnostic than Atheist (the word ‘probably’ was a requirement so as not to be making an unsubstantiated claim), the concept itself adds an intriguing dynamic to the world of advertising.

What is luxury? According to the creators of Rough Luxe, it’s not what you might think, especially when it comes to a hotel. To them, luxury is a moment in time rather than just  part of an object of consumption. Luxury is an enriching personal experience and not only an ownership of an expensive object. It’s time for reflection, personal encounters with people, nature, architecture and environment as well as food and social and cultural experiences linked to geographic locations. It’s the intellectual solicitation, listening to one’s own feelings as well as comparing objects and time and thinking of their hierarchy. Suffice it to say that the Rough Luxe Hotel experience is about your surroundings, the intrinsic value of objects, art, culture and the people around you, as well as the ‘consumable’’ items that you encounter in the hotel itself. With hotels in London and Cape Town, the Rough Luxe Group aims to create an experience that will no doubt appeal to growing flashpacker market – one that is one part rough and one part luxury. While your room might be small and you might even share a bathroom, the wine will be exquisite, the bed linen luxurious, and the service unparalleled. For the Rough Luxe philosophy is simple: “You are staying with us in our home, so just ask.”

Via Wired: How do you run the A/C on a spy plane? Where’s the Start button on a nuclear power plant? Don’t try to wing it—read the directions! A portfolio of classic instruction manuals.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_rBidCkJxo[/youtube]

I pity the fool who doesn’t heed the advice of Mr T …

Whether you subscribe to a particular religion or not, there is one ‘Golden Rule’ that transcends the structure of organised religion and comes down to a basic, but invaluable, aspect of humanity: Treat others the way you wish to be treated. The Charter for Compassion, the fruit of Karen Armstrong’s TED Wish, is a collaborative effort to build a peaceful and harmonious global community based on the very premise of that ‘Golden Rule’. Take a few minutes out of your day and watch this inspiring video on the Charter for Compassion, which tells great stories of human compassion and inherent kindness.

Whether you’re a gambler or not, the Melbourne Cup has become a stalwart of Australian culture. On a momentous day when we look to the Reserve Bank for its announcement on interest rates, and to the United States for a vote that could change the course of history, we’ll also look to the muddy tracks of Flemington for the race that stops the nation. And while many will claim to be well-acquainted with the best technique for picking a favourite, or for judging the on-field fashions, few would know the fascinating intricacies behind the cup. For example, did you know that there’s a different cup made every year by Hardy Brothers (rather than the same one being passed on)?. Or that the cup has been made the same way since 1919,  with 34 hand-made, 18 carat yellow gold segments, pieced together with pins and rivets using the traditional way of craftmanship instead of modern solder? Or that the cup that will be awarded this afternoon will is currently valued at more than $125,000? While it might not make a difference to the steed that you place your bets on, it’s nice to know a little history behind a great Australian tradition. Where will you be watching the cup?

As the excitement of Halloween fills the air on this All Hallow’s Eve, if there’s one thing that embodies that ghoulish spirit, it’s the Thriller Dance. For anyone who hasn’t seen one of GoMA’s newest acquisitions, Candice Breitz’s King (a portrait of Michael Jackson), it’s well worth the 15 minutes you’ll spend laughing. The work is a multiple-screen video installation in which 16 of Jackson’s most ardent fans each present their interpretation of his 1982 chart-topping album, Thriller. Here in the map office, we’re also ardent fans of Michael Jackson’s iconic dance (even though a few of us weren’t alive when it first made its debut), and we’ll admit to partaking in the routine in the office on more than one occasion (it’s a great stress reliever). So when we heard that the registered world-record for the most people doing the Thriller Dance in unison was recently broken, our competitive spirits pricked up. At 73 people, we figure it’s a record we could break … anybody for a spot of Thriller?

Remember how much fun it was to ride around in the driver’s seat of your parents’ supermarket trolley, wind in your hair, as the colourful world of consumer products flew by? While some of us still shamelessly scoot down the shopping aisle on the back the trolley, dodging all those who dare to linger in our paths, for most the trolley experience has been relagated to a childhood memory. Korean designer Jaebeom Jeong has recaptured that magical pasttime in a (slightly) more adult sense with his creation of Cartrider. While the added bicycle aspect of the design is intended for children so that they can roam freely to do their own shopping, it’s also big enough for a medium-sized adult, turning a simple weekly chore into a gleeful adventure.

The map village EAT/DRINK ‘best place’ awards 2008/2009 celebrate Brisbane’s favourite eating and drinking hot spots. We want you to tell us what’s what when it comes to eating and drinking, and it doesn’t just mean the food or drink – it means the whole package. We want the creativity, the experience, the ambience, and the flavour all to be taken into account when you tell us who you think deserves to be considered Brisbane’s best. Please vote for your favourites! The first 100 people to vote will receive a free double pass to map magazine’s exclusive premiere screening of Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona at the brand new Palace Barracks Cinemas on December 3. Plus, the person to vote for the most winners will receive a wickedly indulgent prize pack from Little Creatures Brewing valued at $240 (and for those who come close, there are also five runner-up packs). Voting will take about 8 minutes and will be open until November 7.

the map village EAT/DRINK ‘best place’ awards 2008/09 (proudly sponsored by Little Creatures Brewing) celebrate Brisbane’s favourite eating and drinking hot spots and we want you to tell us who deserves to be nominated. This is your opportunity to tell us how it is out there in the land of eating and drinking, and it doesn’t just mean the food or drink – it means the whole package. We want the creativity, the experience, the ambience, and the flavour all to be taken into account when you tell us who you think deserves to be considered in the voting process. Click here to nominate your favourites. Remember, nominations close on October 10 just in time for voting to open on October 13!

As a photographer covering war and human-rights stories for 30 years, travelling from Northern Ireland to Iraq, from the orphanages of Romania to the deadly killing grounds of the Sudan, James Nachtwey knows the power of news photographs to raise awareness and make real change. In 2007, he was awarded the TED Prize, which comes with $100,000 and one wish to change the world. James’ wish takes the form of a photography project known as XDRTB.org, which is an effort to tell the story of extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) and TB through powerful photography.  XDR-TB, or extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis, is a new and deadly mutation of tuberculosis. Similar in creation to multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) but more extreme in its manifestation, it arises when common tuberculosis goes untreated or standard TB drugs are misused. James’ photographs represent these varying strains.

For French daredevil Philippe Petit, nothing is impossible. On the morning of August 7, 1974, Philippe walked for 45 minutes across a metal cable strung between the towers of the World Trade Centre. Man on Wire relives this breathtaking moment in Philippe’s life by documenting the event, through interviews with his sidekicks, his lover and bystanders on the day. Whether Philippe did or did not survive the crossing, this movie documents a beautiful story of an admirable man and shows the place that relationships, taking risks and purpose have in life, as well as providing a positive perspective of the Twin Towers. Man on Wire opens on October 16. For your chance to attend map magazine’s premiere screening at Dendy Portside on Wednesday October 1 @ 7:00 pm, email alice@mapmagazine.com.au before Tuesday September 30.

Now that we’ve come to the end of our 100-mile diet, just as Lizzy and Alice have mentioned, it’s been surprising to notice how quickly we adjusted to a different style of eating. My first breakfast following the end of the diet – avocado on toast from Sol Breads – left me feeling so full for the next six hours that I found it hard to even imagine eating something more. After a month of eating very few carbohydrates, my body found it hard to manage a sudden deluge of them! I had imagined that, as soon as the diet finished, I would leap back into eating whatever I pleased with reckless abandon but it wasn’t the case. As the end drew near, while I was looking forward to the convenience of eating anything I wanted to, there weren’t many things that I actually craved. (more…)

Clea Prentice, 19

What do you do? I’m studying fashion design at QUT. What are you wearing today? I’m wearing an outfit that I made myself. Describe your style? To describe something is to destroy it, so I wouldn’t describe my style. Where is your favourite place? My apartment in New Farm. It’s next to the Sydney Street Ferry Terminal and it’s the best building ever. What is the best advice you have ever received? ‘Only boring people get bored.’ Who is your rolemodel? My boyfriend, because he’s amazing. Would you call yourself eco-friendly? I’m definitely environmentally conscious, but I’m not 100-percent perfect. What website has caught your eye recently? I actually never go on to the internet, so I don’t have one!

When I interviewed Carl Honoré, author of In Praise of Slow, for our August ECO issue, he revealed that one of the experiences that brings him the most peace is cooking. Since embarking on the 100-mile diet, this notion has really rung true for me, as I had forgotten just how enjoyable cooking can be. Initially we were cooking for necessity – if we didn’t, we’d be living off raw vegetables or going hungry! But as the diet has progessed and we’ve become more adventurous with our culinary attempts, the process of cooking each evening and on the weekends has become one of inherent pleasure. Lizzy’s talent for making delicious salads has quickly emerged and her first attempt at vegetable lasagne was a delight, while Alice’s foray into making her own ravioli has inspired us all to try our own varieties. I’ve been experimenting with a kind of Indian-inspired theme such as chicken sauteed in a yoghurt garlic sauce, served with fresh tomato atop a roti-style bread (made from flour, water and avocado oil) and after recently discovering that a friend’s mother has a curry-leaf bush in her yard, my next challenge is making a hearty curry! It’s funny how cooking things from scratch really doesn’t take as long as people might think and there’s a certain comfort in knowing where everything has come from. Today I made 100-mile fettucine (from Knotsbury Farm Eggs and Kialla Flour) and tried my hand at a ravioli (with a filling of field mushrooms, Barambah Fetta, garlic and oregano), and even managed to find time for a home-made apple pie (short-crust pastry made from Knotsbury Farm Eggs, Kialla Flour, Mandala Grove Avocado Oil and honey, and then filled with stewed apples). And not only is cooking a great way to relax, but it also gives you a reason to invite friends and family over to test your culinary creations. If your kitchen set-up allows for it, having friends sit around with you chatting while you prepare a meal is a true joy

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When’s the last time you said thank you to someone you value? While we may often think about how much we appreciate someone, we don’t often tell them. And there are millions of ways to say thank you. Leave someone a note. Bake some muffins and leave them in a basket on their doorstep. Pick a bunch of flowers and give them to someone just because. Write a song. Or, quite simply, just look someone in the eye, smile, and say those two little words. Anouk in Paddington and map magazine want to help you say thank you with the ‘map magazine thank-you breakfast’. Just email mikki@mapmagazine.com.au explaining whom you would like to say thank you to and why, and you could have the chance to do it over a delicious complimentary breakfast for four people at Anouk.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-h9nSJAGsE[/youtube]

It’s amazing how six minutes of film can linger in your memory forever. This was the winner of Tropfest in 2002 …