This month in Online Insights we see what locals think about the alcohol issues in Alice Springs that are making headlines around the country, rethink how humans are living right now, spare a thought for mum, and finish off with a dash of light relief.
Tell ‘Em That’s Enough
I spend a lot of each year up in the Northern Territory running marketing workshops for small business, particularly focussed on how to exploit the various social networking and social media tools available today, and as such it is easy to see the Territory as a place full of go-getters.
However, to be fair, it is also easy to see evidence of alcohol-related problems too, especially involving aborigines because the drinking and resultant anti-social behaviour often takes place in public view (not like alcohol-related issues involving higher socio-economic Australians, which takes place behind closed doors).
So when I was in Darwin recently and saw on the news that they’d awarded prizes for a “That’s Enough” competition in Alice Springs, I thought I’d better take a look.
Basically, the competition called for entries of posters, tv commercials or radio commercials that carry the message “Tell ‘Em That’s Enough”.
According to the website, there were 85 entries submitted overall and some interesting ideas and stories.
One thing that strikes you straight away is the rawness of the entries – these are ordinary people doing something extraordinary. So some of the acting is rough and the editing and shooting ain’t swish, but the chorus of different voices sharing the one message is quite potent.
Here are some highlights from the winning entries:
Basketball drinkers: This ad showed one sober team playing an inebriated team. You can guess who wins.
Pama Yimi: This was ordinary Aborigines saying how good it is to respect your body, stay free, and be able to go hunting with the old people and enjoy your culture.
Live with alcohol, not because of it: I just like the title to that one.
Take Control: This black and white clip is shot in a cemetery and makes the point that too much grog means you end up here sooner than you need to. (Watch it below).
The Children: This poster is haunting. It says, “not only the driver is hurt in road accidents”, and then has two child-sized hand prints in blood upon the rock.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhoOaS7apY8&.swf[/youtube]
I think this was a great idea from a community that is frustrated at the on-going, and some would say worsening, cycles of violence and drug abuse affecting their community.
I look forward to seeing what impact it makes.
You can look through all the entries at the official website.
Zoo Humans and MovNat
I discovered this next website because I shared a motivational article about exercise last week. If you want to read that, it is here: Rediscovering the Joy of Movement.
The article was written by one of the trainers at the fitness centre I go to and reminds us that moving is natural and enjoyable but sometimes we make it complex and drudgery through all the gadgets and gear we feel we need to use just to go for a jog.
One of my mates in Melbourne, responded back by saying there is a group in the USA that believes we have totally lost this vital connection to how natural movement is, and they go so far as to say most of us are Zoo Humans.
This is how they explain it: The “zoo” is a modern, global and growing phenomenon generated by the powerful combination of social conventions, technological environment and commercial pressures. Increasingly disconnected from the natural world and their true nature, zoo humans are suffering physically, mentally and spiritually. Are you experiencing chronic pains, are you overweight, do you often feel depressed or do you suffer from frequent illnesses and general lack of vitality? These symptoms indicate that you are experiencing the zoo human syndrome. Modern society conditions us to think that this is normal and unavoidable. We don’t think so. Our true nature is to be strong, healthy, happy and free.
“Movement is our nature, Nature is our movement.”
They run workshops that help humans reconnect with their natural urges and abilities. Here are the three pillars:
- Respecting the laws of Nature: They say most of us not only don’t understand our true natures but we chronically betray it. We live in cities, stay indoors, eat industrial food, subject ourselves to various stresses, and get by on lack of sleep. They argue there are natural laws our bodies abide by and we can only break them for a short while before we start paying. And chief among these laws is “the necessity of regular movement activity”.
- Trusting our primal heritage: Over millions of years, they argue we have survived and developed through natural selection. In our natural states our bodies can perform varied movements and deal with constant threats and change. They say we have been designed to “seize opportunities and escape threats”. They argue our brain and our body still expects to live like this.
- Satisfying real-world demands: The training they run teaches us how to respond to real world situations that demand physical exertion and application of quick wits. But they say most of us in our zoo states say to ourselves, “why run? Why jump? Why climb? Why lift? Why…walk?” They argue that all these elements have practical applications and getting in shape means you are fully ready to deal with your life to the full.
What I like about their harsh message is that it comes at a time when the government is running the “swappers” campaign, encouraging us to swap extra helpings or extra laziness for a little bit less.
Somewhere in the middle, a new dawn awaits.
You can look over the MovNat information on their website.
Mother’s Day
Next Sunday is Mother’s Day so strategically my wife found this site to share with you – Day Of Mothers.
Let’s be frank. This site is set up for nothing more than to lull you in to clicking links on the various ads so the owner can make money.
However, some of the bits of content they have scraped or developed are helpful.
Here are some examples:
- Ten reasons to treat your mum – things like reflecting on all the chores they did on your behalf
- Typically motherly advice – things like ‘make sure to change your underwear always; you never know when you’ll have an accident’.
- Mother’s Day clipart – so you can make really cheesy cards.
I thought this was just a nice site and then I read this in horror, in the section called, Nicest things you can do to treat your mom.
My Mom was very sick and had only three to four months to live. I was too young to marry then. But then it was her last wish. So I went ahead and got married and she got to see her grandchild, my daughter, before she died. This was the nicest thing I could do for my mom. -Amy
I am very sorry, but that is the single most hideous thing I have ever read. I shudder to think what the repercussions will be over the generations that follow, as her family realises it was just pulled together to give mum a going away present.
I wonder how much the romantic version of Mother’s Day is played out today? I know we have already bought the present for my wife and she has already allocated a Father’s Day gift for me – something needed around the house.
Take a look at the site yourself.
Web Wombat Humour
Web Wombat is an Australian search engine. Not that I use it for that because I find the results terrible.
For example, I searched for my coffee brand, Baristador Coffee, which every other search engine puts at number one, but it found a series of related links but not the site itself.
Anyway, despite that, I thought I’d throw in one quick link to their humour page.
If you need a smile in a hurry, this is a nice page to have bookmarked because it contains hundreds of photos with pretty funny captions.
You’ll know what to expect but you might not have this in your bookmarks, so take a look and see if it is your cup of tea.