Christmas 2018

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Christmas, a time of celebration, a time for relaxation with family and friends. The Christmas celebration  itself is a mixture of orthodox religion, tradition and pagan ritual. The Christmas tree itself originates from medieval eastern Europe before being adopted in Lutheran Germany and thereafter across the Christian world mainly during the later 19th century. Decorations on the tree were much less flash and sparkly in the 19th and early 20th Centuries with coloured paper roses, wafers, apples and other small edible items. Only later were candles added and in the 20th century the Christmas tree became a light show in itself.

Wherever you may be, happy Christmas !

100 years on - The Armistice of 1918

British troops arrive in Cologne following the Armistice 1918

The Armistice to cease hostilities between the Central Powers and the Allies came into effect at 11 am  on the 11th November 1918 however it had only been signed by representatives at 5 am that same day. On that final morning prior to 11am slightly over 10,000 were still killed in conflict as commanders, mainly Allied, sought to gain territory prior to the cessation of hostilities. The Armistice had to be extended three more times until a peace treaty was finally concluded on 10 January 1920 with the Treaty of Versailles.

The cost for Australia in terms of lives lost in World War 1 was very high:

• 416,809 enlisted
• 62,000 killed
• 156,000 wounded

It would only be twenty-one years later than another World War would commence.

Lest we forget.

Film Review - Journey's End

The horror and  senselessness of trench warfare on the Western Front during World War 1 is brought into very dark focus by the evocative British film Journey's End. Based on the stage play of the same title by R.C. Sherriff, the story is centred on a small part of the Front where a company of British infantry are positioned in trenches just metres from the German Army lines. It is the eve of the 1918 Spring Offensive by the Germans and the British are all too aware that a major action is impending.

The futility of their position is already well understood as the troops have been in combat for years and there is a sense of resignation to fate as they alternate between rest periods in the rear areas before rotation back to the front line. Much of the scenes are in the company command bunker with the focus predominantly centred on the officers as the key characters.  The story commences with the arrival of young second Lieutenant Raleigh, fresh from officer training, to join the infantry company as his old school friend and love interest of his sister is the company commander, Captain Stanhope.  After years of horrifying war, Stanhope is no longer the man he once was, and now needs whisky every day to stay sane.

Directed by Saul Dibb this is a well crafted film with skilled performances by Sam Claflin (as company commander, Captain Stanhope), Asa Butterfield (as Second Lieutenant Raleigh), Paul Bettany (as Lieutenant Osborne) Tom Sturridge (as Second Lieutenant Hibbert) and Toby Jones (as Private Mason, the officer's mess cook and batman).

Robert Cedric Sherriff wrote from first hand experience of World War 1 as he served as a Captain in the 9th Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment and fought at Vimy Ridge, Loos and the notorious Passchendaele being wounded in the last engagement.

This is a film which has no happy ending but conveys a story which continues to resonate 100 years later.

Sculpture by the Sea 2018

Time and motion - Ron Gromboc

Now in its 22nd year, Sculpture by the Sea returns to the coast walk between Tamarama beach and Bondi beach with over 100 works featuring all manner of creations and images. Some works are within the more recognised traditional medium of sculpture and others with more unusual. There is a strong representation of Australian (and NSW) artists selected with the wider international submissions coming from Spain, China, Sweden, South Korea, England, South Africa, Austria, Norway, Canada. France, Turkey, Israel, New Zealand with Japan being the largest source apart from Australia. 

The exhibition runs from 10 October to 4 November 2018 and its free.

Disc Vane- Ivan Black

AMP's epic fail - The Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry

The departure of AMP Board Chair, Catherine Brenner and Corporate Counsel, Brian Salter following the earlier resignation of Chief Executive Officer,Craig Meller should be seen as just the beginning of an essential overhaul of this once trusted company. AMP has seriously breached legal obligations and corporate governance principles and requirements. 

Essentially AMP has been found by the Royal Commission to have committed two serious categories of misconduct, potentially criminal in intent: the first being the deliberate effort to blindside the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) on at least 20 separate occasion regarding the theft of client funds. The second being the altering of an alleged independent report by Clayton Utz to ASIC with 25 different versions being 'workshopped' by AMP including the participation of the Board Chair.  

In its own corporate governance statement, AMP states its goal is -

"Acting ethically and responsibly AMP wants to create a better tomorrow for our customers, employees, business partners, communities and shareholders. Everything we do, every decision we make has an impact, not only on the long-term success of our business but also on the lives of our customers. We are committed to acting with professionalism, honesty and integrity so all our stakeholders know they can trust us to do the right thing". 

How hollow this statement now reads.

In terms of its own Code of Conduct, what AMP expects of their staff  -

"We trust you will act in the best interests of AMP, its customers, business partners and shareholders AMP is proud of its reputation for delivering on its commitments and relies on your commitment to speak up. We put adherence to these principles above financial gain.

You will not be criticised or penalised for any loss of business resulting from adhering to these principles and other mandatory policies and instructions. We all make mistakes but at AMP we act quickly to rectify errors and learn from our mistakes".

Was this Code also applicable to AMP's Board of Directors ? 

With a market capitalisation of $14.9B, there is a justified public expectation that AMP should set a high bar for corporate governance. 

Earth Hour - 24 March 2018

Earth Hour website: Click here

Is Paris passe or simply overrated ?

The Seine looking toward the Eiffel Tower in the distance

Paris - a city famous for having being the centre of the Age of Enlightenment, for its grand architecture, world famous institutions, intellectual culture, the creative arts, Parisien lifestyle, boutique shopping, high end fashion and so on. Names which come to mind include the Musee d'Orsay, the Louvre, Champs-Elysee, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame de Paris, Arc de Triomphe, the Cabaret, the Paris Opera to name a few.

Major civic works by Napoleon Bonaparte and Napoleon III created large boulevards, straighter roads (as far as could be achieved in this city) as well as major landmarks, commemorative structures and institutions. A range of major figures throughout history from Cardinal Richelieu to former Prime Minister (and President) Georges Pompidou have contributed to the Paris skyline.

But is Paris essentially over-rated ? Has the city itself reached a point where it is.... passé ?

Paris streets in some of the best known arrondisements are littered with dog excreta, cigarette butts and discarded train tickets with seemingly little interest from civic authorities in creating a better environment. It is without doubt, a dirty city.

The much lauded art museum, The Louvre, now has a boutique shopping mall within its perimeter and visitors must walk through this shopping mall in order to exit the world famous institution. Its gift shop barely gives representation to the vast collection which the museum holds and contains souvenirs best left to tourist kiosks located near the Seine.

The world famous Paris Metro rail system has station transfer configurations so long and complicated that the Paris Tourist Office recommends visitors avoid them altogether. Paris commuters comment that they find themselves getting lost when trying to change trains.

The once intellectual and artistic hub of Paris, the Left Bank, has disappeared and now consists of high end, wall-to-wall art dealers and accessory sellers with more style than substance.

The Eiffel Tower is surrounded by a large metal, graffiti covered perimeter wall at ground level and the immediate area around the landmark is populated by scam operators, spivs and aggressive sellers with a high police presence required. Arrests are not uncommon.

Parisians themselves do not present a happy exterior and seem discontented. Terrorism, despite being a serious threat, is not a situation which they confront daily, but rather petty theft and general criminal activities is more the norm. Police arrests in parks and on bridges over the Seine are visible on a daily basis.

A simple coffee in Paris can cost between four and upwards to six euros (over $9 AUD) which is higher than neighbouring countries. Has Paris lost its lustre ?

Luxembourg Palace - French Senate building

New Year 2018

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The new year beckons and brings with it the hopes, dreams and aspirations for many people around Australia and world-wide. But will it also be a year of disappointment ? The portents do not appear particularly favourable with a mix of political, economic, military and international situations which leave little reason to be confident.

On the political front particularly international, Trump's America, North Korea, the Brexit process and instability in the Middle East seemingly will continue from 2017 travelling on the same trajectory. Terrorism will remain a central concern as the ISIS/Daesh collapse leaves many foreign fighters considering a return to their countries of origin. 

Economically, there is some level of confidence as the US has continued with year-on-year recovery, Europe is following a similar path with 2.60% of GDP growth in the last quarter of 2017. China remains the largest question with constant adjustments and interventions being made by the Government in Beijing. China's economy however remains relatively opaque.

Military actions will continue in Syria, the Ukraine and Yemen with a number of smaller regional conflicts occuring with insurgent activities in the Philippines and Thailand.  Whether peace returns to South Sudan is a matter of continued speculation.

2018 - a year with more of the same. 

Christmas 2017

Christmas, a time of giving, of reflection and temporarily at least, standing aside from the day-to-day business and work life.

So where does Christmas come from ? Simply it is the Mass of Christ as practised by those of the Christian faith. In its earliest form, this religious communion (or Mass) had to occur after sunset usually at midnight and many of the Orthodox Christian Churches have retained that custom. Over the past century, increasingly other non-Christian societies have adopted the practice of Christmas as a holiday rather than the religious belief.

With the commercial promotion of consumer purchases and retail sales that now dominate the public domain, what is the origin of the giving of presents and gifts ? According to Matthew 2: verses 1-12 of the Christian Bible, three wise men came to the town of Bethlehem in then state of Judea and brought gifts of Frankincense, Gold and Myrrh.  Referred to as Magi (or Magos in Ancient Greek and Magupati in Ancient Persian), this is a title often bestowed on priests or astronomers/astrologers. The three wise men are also often referred to as Kings: Gaspar the King of Sheba, Melchior the King of Arabia and Balthazar, the King of Tarse and Egypt.  Their gifts were symbolic and represent specific meanings within the region - Gold represents kingship, Myrrh is death or mortality and Frankinsense as a symbol of deity.

Wherever you are and whatever your belief, Happy Christmas and as the late Irish comedian, Dave Allen often remarked, 'May your God go with you'.

Sculpture by the Sea 2017 - Impressions over time

Janine McAullay Bott, Great Southern Noongar

Sculpture by the Sea 2017 continues to be a crowd pleaser with large numbers of people from the general public, school groups, special needs groups and overseas tourists, all converging on the walk from Tamarama Beach to Bondi. This year 100 sculptures from 16 different countries including various European nations, the United States, South East Asia and Australia form the core of the exhibition. There were almost 500 submissions from 31 countries vying for inclusion in the line-up so there was a depth of choice available for the panel of judges. 2017 also marks the 21st year of the promotion of this art form and the event continues to measurably grow from strength to strength. Particularly stunning large scale works are located in Marks Park on the headland which also has the pavilion with the marquettes (or miniatures) of all the larger sculptures. All sculptures are for sale however be prepared for some cost for even the marquette's range in price from $3,000 to $40,000.

Sculpture by the Sea runs  from 19 October – 5 November 2017.

Anthony Battaglia, Bird Geometry #1,2 & 3