Jambo Jandals

LED TV

2011-06-29T16:23:00.001+10:00

For someone working in the Audio Visual technology field, I have managed to keep alive my original 8 year old 42" plasma for a long time and resist the daily urge to upgrade! Not sure if it is my desire to be less materialistic in a world often consumed with the desire to have the best, or if it's just too much effort to stay on a constant upgrade path.

Regardless, I bit the bullet and am te proud owner of a new Samsung D8000 LED TV and it is beautiful. Needed a fair amount of tweaking out of the box, the preset modes and advanced image settings were a bit off but now....WOW! The image is fantastic and I couldn't be happier. Highly recommend the investment, Samsung has produced another great product

Plus.Google.com

2011-06-29T15:04:00.003+10:00

I had a look through Google's new social media project Google+. Looks pretty good and offers quite a lot of functionality that Facebook doesn't have. Lots of different articles seem to play it down as a try hard Facebook and that Google+ will only be an option for those who haven't entered the social media playground however I think different. Have a look and let me know what you think. Will you change over or explore the new site when it is released?

Take a look: plus.google.com

2006-10-21T22:05:00.000+10:00

While my guitar gently weeps..

I saw Tommy Emmanual a few nights ago and was astounded by his guest, Jake Shimabukaro. Jake plays a ukelele and as this may show, is quite a performer. Well worth checking him out I reakon.

The List

2006-10-08T19:05:00.000+10:00

I think we all have a list of things we want to achieve in our lifetime. For me one of those things is my pilots licenece. I have been taking lessons now for about 3 months and I am confident that this is for me! A fantastic feeling of freedom which I think everyone should experience. I am flying out of Lilydale Flying Club which is nearer Yarra Glen than Lilydale but still a great place to fly. The craft is a Piper Warrior which carrys 4 including the pilot. I think another 6 months and I should be in the air solo which is a great thought. This leads me to my next post, another item that I am in the process of ticking off my list. I will post the answer in a week but am interested to know what you all might think it is. Just a note, it has nothing to do with Fast Cars, Sports Cars, Ethernet Cables, Stock loans and doesn't require additional life insurance. Till next time, Doctor Dan.

And Then There Was One....No Pressure

2006-09-17T23:11:00.000+10:00

Dan & Rachs wedding signified another important milestone for our family. With wedding seaon upon us we flew into full swing on what was a fantastic night of freinds, family and hangers on! I know everyone had a good time and this photo is testament of that.

In the calm of the "rest" day I realised that there is only one more opportunity for me to celebrate a milestone like this, one sister to go then all will be tied. If the past is any indication of the type of party to be had I say bring it on, let love come to town.

Greatest Invention of the 21st Century

2006-08-29T12:30:00.000+10:00

Recently I heard of a great tradgedy. A few weeks ago, Dave had taken one of his most prized posessions to work, to use, to love, to have and to hold yet someone removed it from him, took it without his knowledge and it did not return. To Dave, the loss was great, his monogrammed SPORK had gone, seemingly never to return.

You wouldn't believe what happened next. Yesterday Dave's luck changed. Wandering aimlesly throughthe kitchenette he realised that his beloved had returned. It was there, washed, clean and naked, sitting on the dish rack next to the sugar bowl and oversized container of International Roast. What a day, what a moment, I wish I had been there.

My warning to you all out there. BE CAREFULL. There are times in our lives when precious things leave us, lets not have another SPORK incedent.

By the way, how good is a SPORK. I'd love to hear of some other great duo's given us by the 21st century...other than Sonny and Cher that is!

Dan

2006-08-06T00:26:00.000+10:00

OK Go - A Million Ways

NOw this is the way to groove. A new dance sensation soon to be sweeping into EBC!!

2006-08-04T09:45:00.000+10:00

Why I go to the Gym

You may all be wondering what I do at the gym, why I would waste time pumping weights, well it's not all about the weight, break it down now!!!

2006-07-09T18:30:00.001+10:00

Stupid Show - 10 Most Misunderstood Terms

A look at the 10 most misunderstood terms as voted by the local community.

2006-07-09T18:30:00.000+10:00

Stupid Show - Christmas

A look into the joy of Christmas and what it means to regular, everyday people.

2006-07-08T19:27:00.000+10:00

Stupid Show - End Times

A blast from the past. We all have moments we look back on with fond memories. I will post a series of these "Flash Backs". Feel free to chastise or encourage!!

Offering: Donation or Duty

2006-06-20T18:42:00.000+10:00

I've had a few interesting conversations with people over the last month or so in relation to my churches weekly offering. I have been part of a group in the church looking at creating a yearly budget that acurately reflects income and expense. Through our group, we have tried to identify expected income through offering. An enourmous task from the outset and an interesting one to say the least. It is amazing to hear differnt peoples opinion on what an offering reflects. Is it a God given commandment to give Him exactly 10% of our Pre-Tax income? Is that an Old Testament commandment that doesn't apply to us? Should it be a donation, something we give ad-hock depending on the need or projects presented? Is it at our discretion, do we give 3% to the mission we feel ourselves aligned to, 4% to a sponsor child and 3% to our local church? I'd love some feedback on your perception of the modern day church offering and what you think it represents it today's church.

Beer Ad - Check out my new Blog "Great Beer Ads"

2006-06-09T21:08:00.000+10:00

My name is Garry, How may I help you?

2006-06-02T11:44:00.000+10:00

I had a call this morning from a Microsoft Engineer wanting to help me with software upgrades. Not only did this dude sound dodgy but he said he was calling from Denver, Colorado, USA. His story was far fetched and I think I heard him pedaling in the background too. Could this have been Garry?

Grammar n that

2006-05-24T22:55:00.000+10:00

Don't you just love stiring people, especially those who are sticklers for the rules. I have a mate who hates when words are writen in the wrong form. For instance, I commented on him being board! Saying he has had two much to eat. I reakon people who pick on gramatical errors should be chastised and fed with an abundance of mis-written emails. Fun yeah?

Seeds designed to die from Monsanto

2006-05-24T11:58:00.000+10:00

Both Liss and I are keen gardeners. She succeeds with all her crops, I try to keep my plants alive. My skills are probably likened to that of an doctor in an intensive care unit, caring for sick and dying BUT I am getting better. This week I read an article in a gardening magazine talking about "Terminator Technology" . Genetically modified seeds capable of destroying plant life as we know it. I have posted the article below and it is well worth a serious read.

What you need to know about terminator technology
The United States Government and GE companies have developed a patented technology "to create sterile seeds by selectively programming the plants DNA to kill its own embryos" Vandana Shiva. The USDA receives a 5% profit from the sales as a sort of policing action.
"Pea pods, tomatoes, peppers, heads of wheat, and ears of corn will essentially become seed morgues. Thus the system will force farmers to buy seeds from seed companies every year" The gradual spread of sterility in seeding plants would result in a global catastrophe that could eventually wipe out higher life forms including humans from the planet", Vandana Shiva, Stolen Harvest.

"Never before has man created an insidiously dangerous, far reaching, and potentially "perfect" plan to control the livelihoods, food supply and even survival of all humans on the planet".

Writer Gene Guidette says "In one broad, brazen stroke of his hand, man will have irretrievably broken the plant-to-seed-to-plant-to-seed cycle, the cycle that supports most life on the planet. No seed, no food, unless you buy more seed. The terminator technology has crossed the line, the tenacious line been genius and insanity. It is a dangerous, idea that should be banned. Period."

Monsanto and the USDA have patents that give them monopoly control for 20 years over GE technology. Terminator was developed according to the USDA scientist Melvin Oliver because" The need was there to come up with a system that allowed you to self-police your technology, other than trying to put on laws and legal barriers to farmers saving seeds and to try and stop foreign interests from stealing the technology. "
There are 1.4 billion indigenous people and peasant farmers whose whole livelihood revolves around selecting and saving seed for next years crop planting. They select and adapt local varieties to their unique needs. If Terminator were commercialised their livelihoods would be threatened for no other purpose than to transfer ownership and control of our publicly owned food crops to GE crop companies.

Monsanto breaks its promise
In 1999 Monsanto responding to global outrage said "We are making a public commitment not to commercialise sterile seed technologies such as the one dubbed "Terminator" but today it has revised this policy on a case-by-case basis".

Australian government backs Terminator
The Australian government which does not have an official public policy on Terminator is supporting Monsantos case-by-case approach. At the UN convention on Biological Diversity there is a global ban on Terminator which since 2005 the Australian, Canadian and NZ governments have sought to overturn.

What can we do? Here is a link to a petition to the Agriculute Miniter is a good way to start. Feel free to respond if you are interested. There is plenty of info avialble on the web about this product too.

Technology verses Solitude - The Ultimate Battle

2006-05-22T13:07:00.000+10:00

This is a storey out of todays Age. I thought it was worth posting as it talks about an issue that I am often reminded of. Being a small business owner, I often feel the pressure to remain contactable and in touch with the world however it is something that I purposly fight against.

Everyone has a story about the intrusiveness of the mobile phone: of the boss who rings while his employee is on a family holiday; of the young woman who embarrasses a bus full of people by her loud argument with a friend; of people on trains who bray into their phones about personal topics ranging from their love lives - "I said to him ..." - to the state of their innards - "Yeah no, the doctor reckons ..."

For the workaholic, the constant contact offered by a mobile can become an emotional umbilical cord and his relationship with his phone can compete with his real relationships. A Sydney organisational psychologist, Grant Brecht, tells of one couple who came to see him at the wife's insistence. They had taken a "holiday" together, only to have the husband bring along two mobile phones and spend at least six hours a day talking about work on them. "But my wife is my first priority," he told Brecht in the first session.

What price this noisy revolution, with its demands for everyone to be available everywhere, 24/7? How do we pay for the convenience of being able to keep tabs on the children while we are at work, and tabs on work while we are with the children? What is happening to solitude, attentiveness and the boundaries between public and private in the age of mobiles and BlackBerries, SMS and email?

Riding Your Bike

2006-05-21T19:49:00.000+10:00

Today Martin used an analogy at church that spoke of a person riding their bike. At the start, the person rode slowly and had difficulty keeping balance, first falling to the left, next to the right. No mater how slow the person rode, he often fell. As the rider got faster, pushed toward the goal, it became easier to balance and less falls were had. The harder he pushed towards the end, the easier it got. The storey made a point of us focusing on the goal and not on the little things that can get in the way, letting God search our hearts and enable him to remove those stumbling blocks.

It got me thinking about the storey in another perspective though. My thoughts were for those people around us who are focused on the goal and pushing towards the end but who fall during the ride. Most, if they are riding quickly, sustain major injuries. I had reason to think of a mate who has recently "fallen from his bike" and is having trouble getting back on. He is totally dismayed, has lost sight of his Reason and is really struggling with what his past 30 years have represented. How do we remain at top speed and return to the bike after an injury? In reflection I think it has a lot to do with our support crew, our team. If we do not surround ourselves with people who know us deeply, can support us in trouble and who can encourage us through the tough times, we will most likely fall to the side of the road, become another casualty, just another cross on the side of the road.

A penny for your thoughts?

Macgyver 2008 - A decision America won't regret

2006-05-19T18:45:00.000+10:00

In times of great need, people look for a great man to show them the way and lead them to a brighter future...

Look no more America, that man is here.

“Human nature. I do something nice for you, you do something nice for me, like not kill me. Next thing you know, we're friends.”
Macgyver

Macgyver understands the needs of the average American, tax breaks, free swiss army knifes for every child. A free Houseboat for every American! War on Terror? Macgyver will take care of this in under twenty four hours once elected, no blood shed, just common sense. His solution for Iraq? a roll of toilet paper, a piece of coal and a bit of string. That's all Macgyver will need for a democratic and free Middle East, Osama Bin Laden? Delivered to Washington smarting from one line quips and red-faced from a beating by a man armed with no more than a piece of chalk and an onion.

This all within a week of Macgyver entering the White House...

Macgyver 2008, The smart choice.

Anthony "The Man" Mundine

2006-05-18T20:07:00.000+10:00

whether you like the sport of boxing or not, last nights fight between Anthony Mundine and Danny Green concluded with what I think was a fair result. Both Mundine and Green danced around the floor trading blows in a fairly good display. Mundine's defense was the key, holding Green out and with his speed he managed to counter Greens with some lightning of his own. Interestingly "The Man" still rates himself saying "I'm the most dynamic, prolific, scientific, artistic, charismatic, flamboyant, impeccable athlete in the past, present and the future. The Australian public, I don't hate you all. You got a love me man, I'm one of your own."

Why is it that boxers, not the most articulate people in the world, always seem to be able to talk themselves up. The greats did it, thenott so great did it. Is it their way of getting drive? Surely they are setting themselves up for a fall. Why don't we see people in business doing it. You know I am the most scientific,educated, artistic, prolific,charismatic, flamboyant, dynamic audio visual guy in the world but I don't go around saying that, do I?

Arrgggg, got me a head ache

2006-05-16T16:41:00.000+10:00

Forgive me brain for I have thinned. It's been 23 hours, 12 seconds since my last coffee. My attempt to clense my body is killing me from the inside out. It's amazing how much pain can be secreated through the head. This "treat your body as a temple" thing can't last much longer....got to go.

Ahhhh, sweet caffine, brings joy to the soul. Couldnt do it anymore. Went to Manhatten Sound's Rockstar Cafe, had a coffee. Could have also had a massage, music lesson, hair cut, dance lesson and facial at the same time but that is a topic for my next post.

One Zebra Rides A Horse

2006-05-13T18:02:00.000+10:00

Given an open scope, it's amazing what kids come up with during "free draw" time. This piece of art belongs to a primary school student at a friends school. I would hate to think what would be drawn if they were studying animal behaviour!!

Kind of Fun

2006-05-11T21:23:00.000+10:00

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible" - Walt Disney

I've noticed that one of the things that drives me to success is the thought that I can achieve something that people deem impossible. Walt Disney's quote typifies a lot of success storys where people think outside the box, achieve the unthinkable and inevitably reach a level of personal satisfaction that those who dont dare, dont get.

EBC Web

2006-05-05T10:25:00.000+10:00

Not a theological discussion was to be heard, only the nerdy murmurs of 7 passionate communicators. The intent was to discuss solutions for the EBC web site, the result, Hensby showing us some quite funny soccer videos. Ask Hensby for a demo, you could be surprised.

High Cost of Faith

2006-05-04T22:53:00.000+10:00

For those who missed it, there was an article about Hillsong which appeared in the Weekend Australian. Steve has posted the link on his web site but I thought it was well worth doing the same. Here is a link to signposts who have been given permission to publish the entire article. I would love to know what you think and if it effects your view of the whole Mega Church model.

Kennett or Bracks

2006-05-04T22:17:00.000+10:00

Reading the news today it states "Maverick former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett is considering a comeback to politics after state opposition leader Robert Doyle quit suddenly." I must admit that the thought of an election billed as "Kennett v Bracks" does sound interesting. It seems that every election in recent times has had a big personality running against some quivering, unstable, weak opponent. If Kennett did decide he wanted to get back into Politics, do the Liberals really have any option but to let him lead? Can you imagine the policies? For the first time in a long time, I am interested in how this latest political story unfolds.

Roosevelt

2006-04-28T10:37:00.000+10:00

A mate of mine sent through this quote. We had been chating about people challenging themselves, taking ourselves to the line in our lives where we are vulnerable but able to achieve much. Good encouragement for those why do, win or loose!

"Its not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly…who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows in the triumph of his high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat."
- Theodore Roosevelt

Big Brother?

2006-04-25T18:09:00.000+10:00

With the next installment of the hit TV show Big Brother now gracing our screens, I am again questioning the relevance to me, and to our community both Christian and non. I find myself intrigued by the opportunity to get a glimpse of people living within a community cage but then again, hesitant because it is not real. It is manufactured, people being coerced into doing things they would normally not do. Why is it that Christians (in general)find this repulsive, should I too? Is there any lessons learned from watching it? Do you have any thoughts? How does it effect you? Dan

Snooze Button

2006-04-24T11:34:00.000+10:00

I broke a record this morning. The snooze button is getting worn out, about 12 presses. Is this a reflection of a lack of will power or is it just a case of not enough sleep. I think it will only get worse as the winter chill creeps in.

Monkey Business

2006-04-23T22:52:00.000+10:00

Ever heard the analogy of the Monkey? This is something I read and thought worth remembering. Thanks to Mike for his words of wisdom.

"One of the best ways to build a business is to be a pain in the ass to the existing 500 pound gorilla. Is there a market that they are under serving? Are their clients unhappy with them but have no alternative? These are very good markets to exploit.

The infamous 500 pound gorilla has got what I like to call the "Three M's", Money, Market Share and Momentum. But many times these make that gorilla an easy target to a broke, agile, no business having monkey.

Momentum carries the gorilla forward down the same path. Any change in business strategy can mean a loss of their current customers. He has to plan, measure, and move with passionless thought. The monkey swings from idea to idea and has to stay way out in front since he is often showing the gorilla the path. The monkey is the innovator the gorilla the executioner.

The monkey is hungry and does not have much capital, he needs to find some early success or die. He is willing to listen to his customers and create a product that is truly reflective of their needs. The gorilla pours huge amounts of money into marketing to convince customers that his product will solve their problems and to maintain market share. The monkey is passionate the gorilla is introspective.

Market share can be a pain for the gorilla. He has worked very hard to get where he is very resistant to change. Change means risk and uncertainty, this is bad for the stock price. New products might not sell as good as the old ones and he may lose customers. The monkey has no market share to speak of. He can create niches of customers for whom he will deliver the world. He can create new and innovative products where there is no market. He can steal whole markets with a shift in paradigm. The monkey is creative, the gorilla is protective.

And keep in mind some day you will be the gorilla to some young monkey."

Balance - Noise or Nothing

2006-04-20T22:34:00.000+10:00

I really struggle with silence! Apple encourages me to stick an iPod in my pocket and fill my head with my choise of music, Microsoft encourages me to upgrade my PC to enable photos, movies, songs to be at my finger tips, and Channel 10 reakons I should just "Turn it On". Ben Lee sings "Awake is the new sleep"!!!

Who should be encouraging us to sit still and just be? Is this selfish or a life sustaining action? What importance, if any, do we place on our ability to isolate ourselves from our world and listen to our thoughts? Are we in in a perpetual world where continued mass stimulation of our senses is going to eradicate our understanding or solitude? Will it be possible to sit and be us?

My challange is to try and keep things balanced. Enjoy my noise but love my silence. Turn things off and listen.