Games for babies

I don’t think there is anything more fun than a baby that’s just learned how to smile!  But the interesting thing is watching them learn to respond to you.  It would be nice to get some good ideas around how to best encourage your baby to learn new things.  Searching the internet is often fruitless as most websites are trying to sell you something.  So if anyone out there has any good baby stimulation play tips, please let me know.

The best I’ve found so far is on a BBC site so there has to be more out there…

Tips please!

World On Fire

Check out this video by Sarah McLachlan (turn sound off 1st if you’re not a fan..).  I won’t spoil the plot but it’s an interesting take on poverty statistics

Save Internet Radio

The airwaves should be the public’s not the corporations!
The very nature of free internet communication is under threat.

Internet radio may be driven out of business within weeks by a US Copyright Royalty Board decision that gives record companies a royalty rate that exceeds 100% of most webcasters’ total revenues…

This ruling occurred on March 2nd. We dont have long to act. Please visit this Save the Streams website to lobby your support.

The majority of airwave royalties should go direct to the artist or at least to the govt, not the corporations. Artists and Govt’s dont have to feed their voracious stockholders, so such royalties would be smaller.

Crafty coolness

I’ve been checking out some more folk out there who are into crafty acts of political statements and I’ve found a few worth sharing.

First up is from Demakersvan which is a Dutch Design House. They’ve made this thing called the Lace Fence:

” Our aim is to sparkle of small revolutions. In our projects we often combine
the sensitive, emotional and the small with the powerful, large and industrial.

The Laced Fence project translates that line of thinking.
Fencing is a sign how we modified and cultivated our environment.
Like brambles fences are rising rampantly around us.
What would happen if a patch of embroidered wire would meet with and continue as an industrial fence.
Hostility versus kindness, industrial versus craft.
The strong industrial fence is a challenge in its function and appearance.
Something which was meant for pure functionality can also be decorative. “

That’s cool.

(go over the page to see more cool stuff!)

Mothers know best

Check out my new favourite embroiderer! Andrea Dezso does some seriously cool stuff and not just embroidery. I recommend you check the other work out as well.

As for me, I’ve got some SERIOUS stitching projects on the way at the moment. Stay tuned…

Nazis are SO last century

In lieu of me getting around to writing some great post about Boycotting the Birmingham. You really should see the postcard that Sparx made. It’s funny, in a self-referential-art-wank kinda way which I like.

Oh and if I was allowed to drink beer, I wouldn’t go there.
I’m not going to go there for chips either.
Or crap bands!!

Camp Sovereignty – v2.0

So it’s been a year since we successfully occupied on of Australia’s most valuable piece of real estate for 60 days without a single person being arrested. We managed to maintain a drug, alcohol and violence free camp – bar the violence on the part of the police on the final night. And we managed to get the message out to the world and the main issues for the oldest known culture on this planet are genocide, sovereignty and treaty.

And we had a shit load of fun.

So we’re getting together again on Monday for the anniversary of the day we set up camp. I urge all of the 10 thousand or so Melburnians who visited during the camp to pop down for a cup of tea and catch up.

Oh and someone please bring a BBQ, eh Rosa?

If you want to know more about Camp Sovereignty and how seriously cool fun it was, check out the Camp Sov site, it’s pretty.

UPDATE (belated one I’m sorry): There was a little bit of confusion amongst the Police about who was giving the orders and there was a temporary moment of humanity on their part. Don’t worry, someone remembered the are supposed to be the tool of the colonialist oppressor and they started to behave accordingly. See Indymedia for details.

Revolutionary Childcare

Check out this story about community-based childcare in Brooklyn, inspired by experiences in South America. Nice example of what a community can do if they put their heads together and start looking after each other!! I can’t wait to get back to Melbourne and start getting involved in similar communities.

Out of Brooklyn have sprung two inspiring models of community-based radical childcare. The organizers of Regeneración Childcare NYC weave their own experiences and those of Pachamama: the Bushwick Childcare Cooperative into an enchanting tale of communities taking care of each other in their own ways in the shadow of the Architects of Despair.

Story here

P.S. Back to Melbourne tomorrow! Yay flying with an infant, how fun is this going to be?!?

Technorati Tags: childcare,, revolutionary,, Brooklyn,, Regeneracion,, Pachamama,, Bushwick

Scoopit!