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Kalamazoo Claims Victory
Jim Burroway
November 3rd, 2009
One Kalamazoo, which has been facing a bruising election fight to retain that city's anti-discrimination ordinance against a blistering attack by the religious right, is claiming victory (no link yet):
With only absentee ballots outstanding, 65 percent of Kalamazoo voters have approved Ordinance 1856 by a vote of 6,463 to 3,527, adding protections for gay and transgender people to the city's nondiscrimination ordinance. This margin is larger than the number of outstanding absentee ballots that are currently being counted.
Kalamazoo Episcopalians Step Up
Timothy Kincaid
November 3rd, 2009
Too often I am frustrated by Christendom turning over its name, image, and perceived doctrine over to the most conservative of its sects.
We all know that the faith encompasses a broad range of views ranging from devotion to literal translations of specific texts to general application of spiritual principles, from rigid conservative lifestyles to social religion, from a faith of love for all to a faith of hatred toward others. Yet when it comes to matters of social policy, especially that which involves the rights of gay folks, it seemed that the only Christian perspective presented for a long time was that of rejection, oppression, and condemnation.
But in recent years that appears to be changing. Mainline Christians are beginning to stand up and say that anti-gay activism is not a part of their belief structure and that, indeed, their faith demands that they treat gay people the way they want to be treated.
We have seen that with the United Church of Christ commercials (that were deemed too "controversial" for network television). We have seen it in the large number of diverse churches lending their name to oppose Proposition 8. We have increasingly seen it in local debates and discussions around the nation in which the neighborhood Methodist or Lutheran pastor shows up to balance out the anti-gay pastor who is trying to act as the spokesman for God.
And now we see it in the Episcopalians in Kalamazoo, MI. When the local Catholic Bishop endorsed keeping discrimination legal in the city, they knew they had to do something. So they raised the money and ran a full page color ad in the Kalamazoo Gazette on Sunday.
Check it out on the Towleroad site, here.
I especially like the message that the Kalamazoo Episcopalians sent to their neighbors: that they do not support gays in spite of their faith but because of it.
As Christians we believe that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is wrong. The Episcopal Church has taken a strong stand against discrimination of all kinds including discrimination against our gay and transgender sisters and brothers.
So Christians in Kalamazoo, go vote yes on Ordinance 1856. Not only because its the right thing to do, but because it is the Christian thing to do as well.
The Push Is On For Equality
Jim Burroway
October 28th, 2009
We are just one week away from a very important election in three states. We are hearing that the National Organization for Marriage is making last-minute dumps of huge amounts of cash in Washington and Maine, while Kalamazoo, Michigan is facing a tremendous onslaught of misleading ads against their non-discrimination ordinance, which is also up for a vote. Not only can you contribute, but you can help out with phone banking — right from your own home or wherever you happen to be. The following message from the Courage Campaign is being carried by LGBT bloggers nationwide, including Box Turtle Bulletin. Please do what you can today and in the coming days to ensure that on November 3, there will be no regrets.
Who we are: Approve Referendum 71 is the campaign to preserve domestic partnerships in Washington State. By voting to approve, voters retain the domestic partnership laws that were passed during this year's legislative session, including using sick leave to care for a partner, adoption rights, insurance rights, and more.
What we need: We need phone bankers to get our supporters out to vote. Washington is an all mail-in ballot state, and we need to ensure our supporters put their ballots in the mail. Also, youth turnout is a critical component of our campaign, and youth turnout historically drops in off-year elections. So we need a lot of help to turn them out.
How you do it: Sign up here to make remote calls for Approve 71. We'll then contact you for a training, and you can make GOTV calls.
Who we are: The No On 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign is working to protect Maine's recently-passed law legalizing marriage equality for same-sex couples. Our opponents have put the issue on the ballot for Nov 3, 2009. Because of Maine's early voting election laws, people are already voting at the polls, so we need help immediately to turn out our side at the polls.
What we need: We need you to devote a few hours to Call for Equality. Call for Equality is a virtual phonebank set up so that you can call Maine voters wherever you are. Much of Maine is rural, where canvassing isn't effective, so we need to reach these voters- along with other supporters- by phone. All you need is a phone and internet connection. No experience required! We'll provide the training, and all you need is a a few hours to help get a win in Maine.
How you do it: Click here to sign up for a training and your shift. There are lots of times available for your convenience.
Kalamazoo, MI:
Who We Are: The Yes on Ordinance 1856 / One Kalamazoo campaign is working in Michigan to support the City Commission of Kalamazoo's twice approved ordinance for housing, employment, and public accommodation protections for gay and transgender residents. Opponents forced a public referendum on the ordinance so dedicated local volunteers, led by former Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jon Hoadley, are working to ensure voters say YES to fairness and equality and keep Ordinance 1856.
Why The Urgency: In the final weeks, the opposition has gone all out with aggressive disinformation and misleading red herrings to try to defeat the ordinance. This includes signs that say "No to Discrimination" (even though voting No actually supports continued discrimination of GLBT residents), transphobic door hangers and fliers, and now radio ads that falsely suggest that criminal behavior will become legal when this simply isn't true. The Yes on Ordinance 1856 supporters are better organized but many voters who want to vote for gay and transgender people are getting confused by the opposition.
How To Help:
1) Help the One Kalamazoo campaign raise a final $10,000 specifically dedicated to fight back against the lies on the local TV and radio airwaves and fully fund the campaign's final field and GOTV efforts.
Give here: http://www.actblue.com/page/3-2-1-countdown
2) If you live nearby and can physically volunteer in Kalamazoo sign up here. If you know anyone that lives in Kalamazoo, use the One Kalamazoo campaign's online canvass tool to remind those voters that they need to vote on November 3rd and vote YES on Ordinance 1856 to support equality for gay and transgender people.
Contact voters: http://www.onekalamazoo.com/tellfriends2
Lots of Interest in What the Bible Says in Kalamazoo
Timothy Kincaid
September 29th, 2009
On November 3, Kalamazoo residents will vote on whether to ban discrimination against LGBT residents. On June 8, the city council unanimously passed an ordinance banning discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation for employment, housing and access to public accommodations. Anti-gay activists collected enough signatures to force a vote of the populace.
Republican activists Lorence and Nancy Wenke decided that residents needed to know just what the Bible had to say about homosexuality. Lorence Wenke is a former Republican Michigan House member who is running for the state Senate in 2010.
So the Wenkes sponsored a forum with ministers discussing scripture. But you probably have made some false assumptions about Wenke's motivation. (Mlive.com)
"The more that you talk about this issue and the more you get to know families struggling with this issue, the more you know the Bible doesn't condemn them," Wenke said.
So Wenke's forum was not limited to anti-gay messages. Rather, he presented three ministers who find scripture to condemn homosexuality and three that do not.
"It's only .002 percent of the entire Bible, an incredibly small slice," Laney said. "Sexual orientation is not a choice; it's not a disorder. It's part of God's diverse creation."
The Rev. Dr. Douglas Vernon, senior pastor of Kalamazoo's First United Methodist Church, agreed, saying the Bible may be taken "very seriously" but not always literally.
"We believe there is no one right way to interpret Scripture," Vernon said.
The Rev. John Byl, pastor of Immanuel Fellowship Church, and the Rev. Dr. Paul Naumann, of St. Michael Lutheran Church, disagreed, saying the literal words are relevant and timeless.
But the most interesting thing about the forum is that it drew a lot of interest. Close to 800 people showed up.
The large turnout surprised Lorence Wenke, who said he was expecting about 300 people.
Wenke figures he'll lose some conservative votes because of his sponsorship. But at least he'll know that he was a good citizen, a good neighbor, and a valued ally.
Ohio House Passes Non-Discrimination Bill
Jim Burroway
September 15th, 2009
Five years after Ohio voters passed one of the most draconian anti-marriage constitutional amendments in the nation, the Ohio House of Representatives passed the Equal Housing and Employment Act by a vote of 56-38. Four Republicans voted for the measure, and no Democrats voted against (one did not vote however). This fully inclusive bill marks the first time a pro-LGBT bill has passed either house of the General Assembly. The Senate is firmly in Republican hands, making the bill's prognosis uncertain.
It's Not Okay To Fire People Just For Being Gay
Jim Burroway
March 24th, 2009
So say the voters in Gainesville, Florida. The proposed city charter amendment which would have legalized firing gay people or denying them housing has gone down in flames. A defeat of 42% to 58% for Amendment 1 is pretty resounding and satisfying.
Gainseville, Florida to Legalize Discrimination?
Jim Burroway
February 24th, 2009
We've followed dozens of measures around the country to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation. But never before not since Colorado's Amendment 2 (which was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1996) have we seen a ballot measure which would actually legalize discrimination:
…a city charter amendment has been drafted by a Michigan group that would take away Gainesville's local power to establish our own equal opportunity laws.
There has been a false fear-based campaign to cloak the true impact of this amendment that would damage people's lives and diminish our community.
This amendment, if passed, would prohibit Gainesville from providing antidiscrimination protections not included in specific statutes of Florida law. This charter amendment would make it perfectly legal to fire someone or deny housing just because of sexual orientation or gender identity, since these protections are not in county, state or federal law. It would also be impossible for Gainesville to add protections for political affiliation or economic status.
The proposed charter amendment is in reaction to the passage of the 2008 Gender Identity Ordinance, which added a prohibition on discrimination based on gender identity or expression.
Update: Okay, I wrote this way too late last night. There have been plenty of instances where voters have decided to discriminate where discrimination had been outlawed previously. Our commenters are counting the ways. Go ahead and add your example to the list.
[Hat tip: Dan Savage]
Calling Mormon's Bluff
Jim Burroway
February 3rd, 2009
Last week, a Utah Senate committee killed a bill allowing individuals who rely on a breadwinner to sue for wrongful death. The vote to kill the measure was on a strict LDS-membership vote. Equality Utah isn't taking that set back lying down.
Over the weekend EQ UT began a billboard, radio and newspaper ad campaign reminding Utah legislators of the LDS statement that there is "common ground" on some rights for same-sex couples short of marriage. The newspaper ads appeared in The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret New. Equality Utah's Common Ground initiative seized on the LDS statement and proposed five specific bills for the Utah legislature's consideration:
- Domestic partnership benefits for state employees
- Fair housing and employment provisions
- Right to sue for wrongful deaths — the bill that was defeated last week
- Domestic partner registry with attached rights of inheritance, insurance, and fair housing
- a popular vote to modify Amendment 3, which bans same sex marriage and civil unions. Voters would be asked to modify the amendment to allow civil unions.
Kalamazoo City Council Rescinds Anti-Discrimination Ordinance, Vows To Try Again In February
Jim Burroway
January 13th, 2009
We were very excited last month to learn that the Kalamazoo, Michigan, city commission voted unanimously to expand their anti-discrimination ordinance to include sexual orientation. But right away, the American Family Association of Michigan responded by announcing an effort to repeal the entire ordinance.
Well, last night after the AFA Michigan submitted petitions with 1,600 signatures, the commission voted 7-0 to rescind the law rather than have it go before the voters. Commissioner Stephanie Minor said, "We knew it would be rescinded on the basis that we were going to come back, reconvene, look at the ordinance and strengthen it, clarify it, and bring it back before the commission to bring it back." The commission hopes to have a retooled ordinance back for a vote in February. Stay tuned.
AFA Michigan Fights Kalamazoo Anti-Discrimination Ordinance
Jim Burroway
January 5th, 2009
Last month, we were happy to note that the city council of Kalamazoo, Michigan, voted to adopt an expanded anti-discrimination ordinance that makes it a municipal civil infraction to discriminate against gays, lesbians and transgender citizens. Now we learn that the anti-gay minions of the American Family Association of Michigan are working to overturn the ordinance:
City Clerk Scott Borling said former city commissioner and current Kalamazoo County Treasurer Mary Balkema officially turned over 189 pages of petitions that circulators said contained about 1,600 signatures to overturn the ordinance. …Under the charter, if sufficient signatures are certified next week, the ordinance is immediately suspended and the Kalamazoo City Commission must either repeal the entire ordinance or put it on the ballot for city voters to decide.
Congratulations Kalamazoo
Timothy Kincaid
December 2nd, 2008
From the Kalamazoo Gazette:
The Kalamazoo City Commission voted 7-0 Monday night to adopt an expanded anti-discrimination ordinance that makes it a municipal civil infraction to discriminate against gays, lesbians and transgender citizens.
The ordinance makes it illegal to use sexual orientation to discriminate in housing, public accommodations and employment and carries a fine of $500.
Obama Transition Team's Inclusive Non-Discrimination Policy
Jim Burroway
November 6th, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama's transition office is hiring, and they've posted their job application form on the web. This is your chance to work for the White House. And guess what? In the new administration, you'll be protected from discrimination regardless of your sexual orientation or gender identity:
The Obama-Biden Transition Project does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other basis of discrimination prohibited by law.
This statement goes above and beyond the legal requirements. Currently employers are free to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Gender Identity is not included in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's policy on non-discrimination. The Bush administration's appointments page does not contain a non-discrimination policy.
Things are already looking up.
[Hat tip: Connecticut Employment Law Blog]
HRC's Corporate Equality Index for 2009
Timothy Kincaid
September 2nd, 2008
Annually, HRC grades businesses on their policies regarding LGBT equality. And at least partly as a result of HRC's public dissemination of this information, each year more companies change their personnel policies to accomodate their gay employees.
Check out this year's listing and see if you need to be a bit more productive today in appreciation (or, alternately, call in sick tomorrow with a hangnail).
Jindal to Relegalize Anti-Gay Discrimination
Timothy Kincaid
August 20th, 2008
If you are a Louisiana State department head that wished to rid your taxpayer funded office of gay people, you only have to wait until after Friday. That's when an anti-discrimination order put in place by former Governor Kathleen Blanco expires. And current Governor Piyush "Bobby" Jindal has no intention of renewing it. (Forbes)
The order – enacted by Blanco on Dec. 6, 2004 – bars state agencies and contractors from various sorts of harassment and discrimination by race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation or disabilities.
Jindal says that he only wants to protect from discrimination those categories that are protected by Federal or state law. And neither federal nor Louisiana state law protect gay persons from blatant intentional discrimination.
Jindal has a reason for making sure that anti-gay discrimination is perfectly legal in Louisiana. It could cause problems with faith-based organizations' ability to contract with the state. If anti-discrimination policies are in place then Jindal cannot give taxpayer money to religious groups who practice such discrimination in their state funded activities.
"We're not going to renew it. That shouldn't come as a surprise," he said when questioned about the order's expiration. "We oppose discrimination. I think we've got strong federal and state laws that protect our people." [emphasis mine]
Jindal is believed to be on John McCain's short list of potential running mates.
California LGBT Anti-Discrimination Opponents Give Up
Jim Burroway
June 24th, 2008
California's "Save Our Kids" Campaign have announced that they have given up on their efforts to overturn California's Senate Bill 777. Signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last October, SB-777 provides an array of anti-discrimination and anti-bullying protections in California's schools.
An earlier attempt by opponents to force a referendum fell short, which led them to start a petition drive to put an initiative on the ballot. Now that this effort has failed, the Save Our Kids Campaign has announced that they will instead concentrate on passing a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
This follows similar failures in attempt to roll back anti-discrimination measures in Maine and Oregon.


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One of the most notable exclusives coming out this Record Store Day is American Beauty, an EP of four new songs from Bruce Springsteen. One of those songs is "Hurry Up Sundown," a simple and charged old-school bar-rocker with a few flashes of Springsteen singing in his upper register. Springsteen played every instrument on the song, except drums, which Guns N' Roses' Josh Freese handled, and he even sang his own doo-wop backing vocals. It's a fun song, and you can hear it now at NPR.
American Beauty is out 4/19, Record Store Day.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Before we talk about this morning's Porno Switcheroo it seems worth reminding people that Porno Switcheroos are always equally hilarious regardless of whether the porno is being switcherooed with a Disney movie or that channel that live broadcasts surgical procedures. This goes the same for whether the porno is intended for heterosexual people or homosexual people. Porno Switcheroo is an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SWITCHEROO. Just keep an open mind, guys. Don't be an asshole. OK, so, today we visit our neighbors in the north: CANADA! From the HollywoodReporter:
How does a cable company override a broadcaster's signal?
That's the question Hamilton-based TV station CHCH-TV awaits an answer to from western Canadian cable operator Shaw Cable after its Friday morning newscast in distant Ontario was interrupted by a gay porn movie.
Obviously, our thoughts and prayers are with the Hamilton-based TV station CHCH-TV during this difficult time. (If you click on the link and read the whole article, it's a pretty fascinating albeit technical discussion of the logistical complications of a real time Porno Switcheroo. Fascinating stuff.) As with any Porno Switcheroo, the fun is in imagining how many lives were ruined by this True Nightmare. Poor Canadian women just trying to find out the traffic report and then KAPOW! Butts and balls! Lives destroyed! Homes demolished! ("We had to move, we just didn't feel safe anymore.") No one is safe, not even Socialist Canada. Good luck!
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Introduction to Drop Shipping
First, what exactly is drop shipping?
When you open a retail store, you have 2 choices: to hold inventory, or not. You can buy products in bulk, unpack them, and ship them to your customers as you generate sales. OR, you can find a wholesale distributor who will warehouse the item for you and ship individual items directly to your customer.
Drop ship, "pack and ship", "direct fulfillment" – they all mean the same thing. A distributor who drop ships will provide the reseller (you) with a wholesale price for a set of products that you can then mark up and sell to a customer. They will ship the item to your customer for you, and you never have to handle the product.
Inventory is an expensive burden to carry. Drop shipping allows the reseller to focus on marketing the business and eliminates the hassle, time, and cost of dealing with the actual products they are selling.
Now, where can you find reliable drop shippers?
Be careful! Many websites will tell you they have directories, all in one solutions, and that they themselves are drop shippers. It is very important that you take the time to research and explore the various distributors and wholesalers to find products you want to sell and prices that give you the ability to make a profit.
All of the suppliers that you find here from Inventory Source are VERY well established suppliers who have been doing wholesale and drop ship business for years, even decades. We only recommend suppliers that have a large selection of products, have established processes and policies, and that are 100% reliable and responsive to the resellers of their products.
How do you get started with a new drop ship supplier?
The first step is to submit a reseller application. Inventory Source provides you with direct access to all reseller applications for each of the suppliers in our network. Most wholesale suppliers will provide their applications directly on their website as well.
To apply as a reseller, you must have a reseller tax ID and a business bank account. Both are easy and very cheap to obtain, and are the first steps of starting any business. Legitimate wholesale suppliers will only work with legal business entities, so be sure to take the steps to obtain your local business license and reseller tax ID.
After submitting your application, the process could take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. Large suppliers will assign you a sales rep, and that will be your contact for future questions, sales, returns, and any other business you have with the supplier. Smaller distributors will only have one or two reps for everyone, but the process is essentially the same.
You have your supplier(s)…now what?
The next step is loading the products into your ecommerce outlets. You should have a general plan of how and where you will be selling these products. Inventory Source provides you with product information in various download formats for you to use on your website, ebay account, mall stores, or wherever you are selling your products. If you are using Inventory Stores for your website, you can load supplier's entire product line to your store by using the Product File Download Tool, a Custom File Service, or the full Inventory Automation Solution (for automated product and image imports every day).
However you access the products, you need to insert them into your website and marketing efforts. If you manage the information yourself, it is important to get images, descriptions, and all relevant information and organize it efficiently for selling. If Inventory Source is managing the information for you, the process is simple.
How exactly does the buying and selling process work?
Once you have your website or eStore up and running and filled with products from your chosen suppliers, it is time for business. When a customer buys a product from you, you will accept payment for the product for your retail price and shipping costs. For help with credit cards, see our "Guide to Merchant Accounts".
Once you have received the funds, you place the order directly in your account at the distributor. This is typically either an email or an online order at the distributor's website. You can see detailed information and instructions for each supplier in your Inventory Source account.
The distributor will then charge you for the cost of the item and ship the item directly to your buyer, and in most cases include your business name on the invoice, helping to build customer loyalty for your new store.
That's it! You have just sold an item at retail and processed the order for your customer. From here, it's up to you to plan and run your business.
When selling drop ship products always remember:
There is no magic formula or magic supplier when selling drop ship products. Selling products is work, and you cannot just sit back and watch the money roll in. A successful online entrepreneur (and that is what Inventory Source wants to help you become) is always developing a marketing strategy, maintaining a customer base, developing partnership relations, and constantly looking to expand with changes in products and offerings. With some organization and the right tools (which we give you), you can build a successful eCommerce drop ship business from the ground up.
See a brief sampling of other guides listed on our main site for making your website successful, marketing your site, accepting payments, and more. Inventory Source is here to help and can assist you with nearly all of the phases involved in building and running your business. And do not worry, these guides are just a very small sample of our training materials. We have more guides in the free internal account when you register, and on our support blog, and we are adding more each month based on changes in the marketplace and reseller questions.
We have materials targeting the needs of the newest online seller, as well as the largest eCommerce merchant. You will have PLENTY of tips and tutorials to access from your InventorySource.com account to resolve any of your questions at the start. You will also have access to all of the technical features you will need when you are ready to grow…and all you have to do is register for free with a simple email ID, and you will be on your way to launching a more successful retail business.
eCommerce with Inventory Source is ez-Commerce, so get started today!


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Reviewed Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Aug 2, 2012 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"It looked amazing... creamy and delicious. When it first came out of the oven it served up looking so good. But... first bite was kind of lacking flavor and sort of... not creamy. After it sat for a few minutes and started to cool down it got a little rubbery and the cheesy milky sauce that looked so good started looking a little clumpy.
Apr 10, 2011 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"I'm totally gonna add this on top of one of my bake cheesecakes for a key lime cheesecake.""


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how do i set it up what do i do? where do i downlaod it and how do i compile it, i am not too familira with fedora someone please ...
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atmel wlan


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"We've seen it a few times ourselves and sometimes we get almost blasé about how powerful it is." So says Chris Lewis - regional vice president, Xbox, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) - of Xbox 360, Microsoft's next-gen powerhouse that can catch even those company men who have had the pleasure of several fiddles by surprise, it seems. And that wasn't all Chris had to say on Xbox 360 when we cornered him recently for a chat about the console...
What was the motivation behind offering two Xbox 360 packages?
Chris Lewis: We want to offer the gamer a lot of choice. That's the key thing for us. We're very keen to listen and to learn about what the gamers want, and we understand that some gamers want to scale the system at their own speed. The Premium system offers the best value and the best scalability for the hardcore gamer because it's got everything in the box, it's got the 20Gb hard drive. But for the gamer who just wants to jump straight into high-def gaming and doesn't yet know how or how much they want to scale the system, then the Xbox 360 Core system is perfect for them.
How do you think people will react to the price point?
Chris Lewis: We've already had a really positive reaction to the price point. We've listened to what people want, we've learned from our Xbox 360 experience, and we're going to reflect that with Xbox 360.
Is it proving difficult to deliver your promised simultaneous launch in the US, Europe and Japan?
Chris Lewis: It's tough, but it's also recognition of just how important Europe is. I personally feel a huge weight of responsibility that we win in Europe. We will be simultaneous with the US and Japan, and sure, there might be a week in between, but in reality its as simultaneous as it could be.
There's been a lot of talk about potential Xbox 360 stock shortages at Christmas. Do you feel confident that you'll be able to meet demand?
Chris Lewis: Yes. Yes, we will. We wouldn't launch in a territory if we didn't have the right quantities to meet the demand. I'm sure we will not only have the right amount of Xbox 360s available, but that they'll also be available in all the key countries of Europe. We'll be in every country where we're active with Xbox, and I'm confident we'll have the right quantities to satisfy demand before Christmas. Hey, you know, coming out of the back of Christmas we may well be sold out or in thin supply, but the critical thing is that we can replenish very quickly. You won't see supplies dry up and then have a long wait. You will see replenishment week on week. That's an important thing to do and I'm confident we'll be able to deliver.
Are you planning any pre-order schemes?
Chris Lewis: We won't initiate our own pre-order system, but our retailers will. You'll see retailers doing pre-order schemes and we'll support that, but you won't see Microsoft having its own scheme. It's something retail does very well.
How much of an advantage does the late 2005 release date give you over Sony's PS3, which is expected in spring next year at the earliest?
Chris Lewis: This is something that comes up a lot and I want to get this straight. The timing's not about the competition. The timing's about listening to what gamers want, and listening to what the market wants right now. It's about giving people the next-generation of gaming, now. People want high definition, they want deeper gameplay, they want more riveting stories, and people want to do a whole lot more things. They want to connect their music, they want to rip tracks, they want to plug their iPod or PSP in, and I think it's about giving people what they want, right now, in a scaleable way. If that works well in terms of timing, then great.


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Items by Wilson, Cassie
Up a level |
Franklyn-Miller, A., Bilzon, J., Wilson, C. and McCrory, P., 2014. Can RSScan footscan® D3D™ software predict injury in a military population following plantar pressure assessment? A prospective cohort study. The Foot, 24 (1), pp. 6-10.
Preatoni, E., Hamill, J., Harrison, A. J., Hayes, K., Van Emmerik, R. E. A., Wilson, C. and Rodano, R., 2013. Movement variability and skills monitoring in sports. Sports Biomechanics, 12 (2), pp. 69-92.
Sides, D. and Wilson, C., 2012. Intra-limb coordinative adaptations in cycling. Sports Biomechanics, 11 (1), pp. 1-9.
Wilson, C., King, M. A. and Yeadon, M. R., 2011. The effects of initial conditions and takeoff technique on running jumps for height and distance. Journal of Biomechanics, 44 (12), pp. 2207-2212.
Franklyn-Miller, A., Wilson, C., Bilzon, J. L. J. and McCrory, P., 2011. Foot orthoses in the prevention of injury in initial military training: a randomized controlled trial. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 39 (1), pp. 30-37.
Gittoes, M. J. R. and Wilson, C., 2010. Intralimb joint coordination patterns of the lower extremity in maximal velocity phase sprint running. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 26 (2), pp. 188-195.
Gittoes, M. J. R., Bezodis, I. N. and Wilson, C., 2009. An image-based approach to obtaining anthropometric measurements for inertia modeling. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 25 (3), pp. 265-270.
Jones, C. and Wilson, C., 2009. Defining advantage and athletic performance: The case of Oscar Pistorius. European Journal of Sport Science, 9 (2), pp. 125-131.
Wilson, C., Simpson, S. and Hamill, J., 2009. Movement coordination patterns in triple jump training drills. Journal of Sports Sciences, 27 (3), pp. 277-282.
Trewartha, G., Casanova, R. and Wilson, C., 2008. A kinematic analysis of rugby lineout throwing. Journal of Sports Sciences, 26 (8), pp. 845-854.
Wilson, C., Simpson, S., Van Emmerik, R. and Hamill, J., 2008. Coordination variability and skill development in expert triple jumpers. Sports Biomechanics, 7 (1), pp. 2-9.
Williams, C. A.,, James, D. V. B. and Wilson, C., 2008. Mathematics and Science for Exercise and Sport: The Basics. Oxford: Routledge.
Williams, C., James, D. and Wilson, C., 2008. Mathematics and science for exercise and sport : The basics. Routledge.
Bezodis, N., Trewartha, G., Wilson, C. and Irwin, G., 2007. Contributions of the non-kicking-side arm to rugby place-kicking technique. Sports Biomechanics, 6 (2), pp. 171-186.
Wilson, C., Yeadon, M. and King, M., 2007. Considerations that affect optimised simulation in a running jump for height. Journal of Biomechanics, 40 (14), pp. 3155-3161.
Wilson, C., King, M. A. and Yeadon, M. R., 2006. Evaluation of a torque-driven model of jumping for height. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 22 (4), pp. 264-274.
Wilson, C., King, M. A. and Yeadon, M. R., 2006. Determination of subject-specific model parameters for visco-elastic elements. 5th World Congress of Biomechanics Munich, Germany, 29 July - 4 August 2006, 39 (10), pp. 1883-1890.
Wilson, C., Yeadon, M. R. and King, M. A., 2005. The effect of anatomical constraints on optimum performance in a running jump for height. Journal of Sports Sciences, 23 (11-12), pp. 1164-1165.
Yeadon, M., King, M. and Wilson, C., 2005. Modelling the maximum voluntary joint torque/angular velocity relationship in human movement. 5th World Congress of Biomechanics Munich, Germany, 29 July - 4 August 2006, 39 (3), pp. 476-482.
King, M. A., Wilson, C. and Yeadon, M. R., 2003. Determination of knee joint movements during running jumps using a constrained forward dynamics simulation model. International Journal of Computer Science in Sport, 2 (2), p. 116.
Wilson, C., Yeadon, M. R. and King, M. A., 2003. Determining subject-specific parameter values using an angle-driven simulation model. International Journal of Computer Science in Sport, 2 (1), p. 140.
Yeadon, M. R., Wilson, C. and King, M. A., 2003. Modelling differential activation of knee joint extensors. International Journal of Computer Science in Sport, 2 (2), pp. 102-103.


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Nissan Titan vs. Tundra, F-150, Ram 1500,Silverado/Sierra 1500
Sooner or later folks will be arguing as to which is best, and why. So, bring it on...
jaguar0027 Posts: 387
dch0300 Posts: 472I'm not poking fun at Mississippi, I'm sure it is a nice state and I would love to visit there someday. I was just wondering....why Mississippi though?
What is the draw for Nissan to build the Titan there...cheap labor....low taxes???
For some automobile manufacturers (GM, VW, etc.), it seems Mexico is the place to have some of their products built. -
jaguar0027 Posts: 387Obyone,
You crack me up as usual. It does not surprise me that the Tundra is rated as a 'Tonka'. LOL
Sorry about that... it was not intentional.. so here is my revised list....
Ford F-150 - Cos I have one (well Supercrew F-150)
GMC Sierra 1500 - Nice new redesign for 2003.
Chevy Silverado 1500 - I had one w/probs. Still a nice truck.
Dodge Ram 1500 - Do not like the look, quality, etc. Although the new 'Hemi' looks interesting.
Toyota Tundra - Test drove one a few times. As Obyone stated, its a Tonka truck.
Nissan Titan - Ranks last for me purely on looks. May be a good performer though.
This discussion has been closed.


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Effective public diplomacy is about projecting a positive image of Australia internationally as well as promoting a clearer understanding of Australia's foreign and trade policies and strategies. The department's public diplomacy programs promote an accurate and contemporary view of Australia, managing or rebutting negative or inaccurate perceptions and building goodwill.
Australia had a high-profile year in the international media, with reporting for the most part factual but on occasion requiring concerted effort by our posts overseas to rectify misperceptions or to underscore key messages. The department's public affairs programs contributed to positive commentary on Australia's strong economic and business performance. Significant coverage of Australia's position on the WTO Doha Round throughout the year confirmed Australia's commitment to multinational trade negotiations while the Government's commitment to the Asia–Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate received mixed reactions internationally but served to counter many of the critics of Australia's stance on the Kyoto Protocol. The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games showcased Australia's sporting credentials and our capacity for world-class international event management.
The Government's introduction of new anti-terrorism legislation generated mixed coverage worldwide. On the whole, however, reporting of Australia's counter-terrorism initiatives and contribution to regional security—including through the commitment of troops to East Timor, for example—were presented in factual and positive terms.
Monitoring of international reporting on Australia, combined with close cooperation with other agencies and posts, enabled the department to respond promptly to some inaccurate reporting on issues such as the Cronulla riots, the Vivian Alvarez Solon deportation case, high-profile consular cases in Bali and Singapore and the introduction of industrial reform legislation. We used targeted public affairs material to counter inaccurate reporting on these and other issues.
Our visits programs—bringing international media representatives, opinion makers and cultural visitors to Australia—generated significant positive international coverage about Australia through influential media outlets and promoted our cultural assets in the global market.
Australia's participation in the 2005 World Expo in Aichi, Japan, successfully showcased Australia as technologically sophisticated and culturally diverse. The award-winning Australian Pavilion, combined with the business and arts events we hosted in Aichi, provided positive spin-offs for our business, tourism and education services.
International public diplomacy
Our posts overseas conducted more than 3002 public diplomacy briefings, events and initiatives designed to promote an accurate and contemporary image of Australia and to support Australia's foreign and trade policy objectives.
Posts' robust and proactive approach to media management had a positive impact on our visibility and image. For example, posts successfully placed a range of articles and ministerial op-ed pieces in influential newspapers around the world including on issues such as our efforts to halt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, our relations with the EU and environmental initiatives.
Examples of other targeted public advocacy activities managed by posts included:
- a joint Indonesia–Australia public information campaign on illegal fishing designed to ensure wide understanding of the issues involved, as well as an outreach campaign to fishing villages explaining the risks associated with illegal fishing in Australian waters
- an extensive trade advocacy program in China to promote the benefits for China of a comprehensive bilateral free trade agreement, including major conferences in Beijing and Shenzen on trade in services and/or goods and a series of sector-specific seminars in Beijing
- an international conference on Mining Excellence in South East Asia to promote Australian mining expertise and the benefits of foreign direct investment to senior trade officials and ministers visiting Laos for the ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting
- in conjunction with Austrade and the Department of Education, Science and Training, a series of seminars by posts promoting Australian education and English-language services
- in the context of a referendum on gun control where Australia's experience was misrepresented, the embassy in Brasilia provided detailed information on Australian legislation to a wide range of Brazilian media outlets. The aim was to counter misconceptions, promote the success of Australia's policies and show Australia to be a safe and secure society with strong police and judicial systems
- a health sector seminar in Poland for government officials and private sector managers on the Australian health system to promote Australian public and private sector interest in supporting Poland's reform of its health and hospital sector.
The department took advantage of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games (M2006) and the preceding Queen's Baton Relay (QBR), which travelled through all Commonwealth member states, to promote Australia and the Games. Our posts made concerted efforts in support of QBR logistics and publicity resulting in high-level support by host governments, attendance by enthusiastic crowds and positive public commentary on Australia and Melbourne. The department worked closely with the M2006 Organising Committee and the Commonwealth Games Australian Government Taskforce to assist dignitaries visiting Australia for the Games. We provided staff to the Australian Government Commonwealth Games Media Centre, which allowed us to minimise the risk of the international media misreporting contentious issues and facilitated prompt distribution of M2006 public affairs material to our posts.
Melbourne 2006—behind the scenes
As one of the most significant sporting events Australia has hosted in recent years, the Commonwealth Games involved the department's Victoria State Office (VSO) in planning activities for well over a year before the Games took place from 15 to 26 March 2006.
In the months leading up to the Games, the VSO set up consultations with relevant agencies and the Melbourne-based consular corps to ensure the smooth handling of visits by foreign dignitaries and to maximise opportunities to strengthen Australia's relationships with its Commonwealth partners.
The large number of VIPs visiting Australia for the event and the rigours of the security environment presented particular challenges. In more than 40 consultations, the VSO covered security, intelligence and VIP and airport facilitation planning. It also developed a detailed guide for the diplomatic and consular corps outlining the facilities available and procedures in place to manage high-level international visitors during the course of the Games. The VSO stationed an officer at M2006 headquarters to help coordinate arrivals and managed airport facilitation for 73 of the dignitaries over a three-week period, working closely with partner agencies.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Downer, and Parliamentary Secretaries Mrs Kelly and Ms Gambaro used the Games program to promote Australia's interests to its bilateral partners, hosting foreign ministers and other guests during various sporting events. The VSO provided strong support for these occasions, including substantial on-the-ground assistance for both Australian and visiting Government officials during events.
By holding regional public diplomacy workshops in Shanghai, Hanoi and Brisbane attended by 91 officers from 31 posts, we helped posts integrate their public diplomacy activities more closely with key foreign and trade policy objectives. We used the workshops to update Australian and locally engaged staff responsible for public diplomacy on best practice and to develop regional strategic public diplomacy frameworks. Feedback from participants was uniformly positive. In Australia, we conducted three public advocacy workshops to help officers promote key policy objectives to domestic audiences. The workshops focused on Australia's hosting of APEC 2007, bilateral free trade agreements and advocacy in the Australian states.
Small posts: making big things happen
Projecting a positive image of modern Australia is a key element of the public diplomacy programs of all our posts. But that can be more challenging in smaller posts where human and financial resources are fewer. Innovative approaches are called for to ensure maximum impact from what may be relatively modest input. Our embassy in Copenhagen—which has three Australia-based staff—achieved positive public diplomacy results by focusing sharply on core interests and using its strategic partnerships with local contacts in the tourism, arts and media sectors.
By providing modest support through embassy branding and donating some Australian wine (one of our top exports to Denmark), the embassy secured agreement for Australia to be the featured country at Denmark's Night Film Festival, which was shown in 21 cinemas in five major cities over three weeks. The festival led to the sale of three Australian feature films. The embassy also initiated and managed a partnership with Tourism Australia and Thai International Airways resulting in a month-long promotion of Australia on Denmark's most popular youth radio station. The promotion highlighted Australia as a tourist destination for young Danes, who can take advantage of the bilateral Working Holiday Maker program during their stays.
The embassy used its links with the senior editors of major local newspapers to facilitate the placement of op-ed pieces communicating the Government's foreign policy initiatives to a wide audience. Articles were published by the Prime Minister on the Proliferation Security Initiative, by Mr Downer on the Asia–Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate and by Environment Minister Ian Campbell in support of Australia's anti-whaling views.
The embassy also worked with Austrade to host several Indigenous art exhibitions promoting greater understanding of cultural and contemporary Indigenous issues and leading to significant sales.
We coordinated a regular inter-departmental committee meeting of public diplomacy teams across government, bringing together key federal agencies to project more effectively an accurate image of Australia internationally and to ensure a consistent whole of government approach to key advocacy issues.
Public affairs material
In addition to using the internet as a core tool to disseminate public affairs material, the department continued to meet a substantial demand for hard copy publications for direct distribution to target audiences overseas. These included:
- a new edition of Australia in brief, providing factual information about Australia's economy, society and way of life, which was translated into eight languages including Vietnamese, Mandarin, Thai, Korean and Russian to expand its reach
- a commemorative book to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Australia–Netherlands bilateral relations
- a Public Advocacy Handbook as a companion to the Public Diplomacy Handbook, to help officers develop effective and targeted communications strategies promoting our foreign and trade policy objectives to international and domestic audiences.
With other agencies we updated our series of 66 online Australia now fact sheets and expanded the range of topics to help posts respond to media inquiries. New topics included Islam in Australia and the Australian wool industry.
Special visits program
Under the department's Special Visits Program Professor Nasaruddin Umar (second from left), Indonesia's Secretary- General of the Consultative Council of Nahdlatul Ulama (the country's largest Muslim organisation), visited Australia for a diverse program of meetings with officials and community leaders. Professor Umar is pictured with students from Malek Fahd School, Chullora, New South Wales. |
Enlarge image :: Photo gallery |
The Special Visits Program (SVP) is the department's premier visits program. It is a carefully targeted program that brings to Australia influential or potentially influential people for meetings and engagements with Australian government, business and community interests. On their return home, SVP visitors contribute to a better understanding of Australian society and policy. Through the program we build a network of international contacts relevant to our foreign and trade policy interests. During the year we organised 26 visits, including:
- a visit by presidential advisor and Secretary-General of the Consultative Council of Nahdlatul Ulama (Indonesia's largest Muslim organisation), Professor Nasaruddin Umar, focusing on representations of Islam in public debate
- a visit by Mr Pimuk Simaroj, member of Parliament and Deputy Spokesperson of political party Thai Rak Thai that strengthened links across a range of sectors, including city planning and education
- a visit from Pakistan by Dr Donya Aziz, Parliamentary Secretary for Population Welfare, to discuss gender, development, medical research and reproductive health
- a visit from Bangladesh by Mr Zahar Sobhan, Assistant Editor of Bangladesh's Daily Star newspaper, focused on counter-terrorism and governance issues.
International media visits program
The International Media Visits Program (IMV) helps generate informed international media coverage on Australia, our economic strength and our key foreign and trade policy objectives. The department brings senior international journalists and commentators to Australia as IMV visitors, providing targeted programs according to their interests.
We arranged 13 visits involving 36 media representatives. With strong competition for inclusion in the program, visitors were assessed and selected on the basis of their ability to influence and contribute to improved international understanding of Australia's foreign and trade policy. Visitors appreciated the opportunity to interview ministers, officials and members of the business and academic communities, leading to strong coverage of Australia in influential media outlets.
Highlights included visits by: two groups of trade and economic editors from China with specific interest in the Australia–China FTA process; a media contingent from Iraq for the first time under the IMV program; a senior editor from Papua New Guinea timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of PNG's independence; and four senior defence journalists from Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia to observe the 'Pacific Protector 06' counter-proliferation exercise, which the Department of Defence managed. Subsequent reporting by the defence journalists provided informed coverage of Australia's contribution to regional security.
IMV visits generated significant print and television media reporting on issues directly relevant to our foreign and trade policy priorities. For example, the visit by a group of East Asian media in advance of the first East Asia Summit was a valuable opportunity to promote Australia's interests in regional cooperation, security, trade, counter-terrorism and disaster management. IMV-generated reporting in India in advance of Prime Minister Howard's visit highlighted the expanding trade relationship and growth in education and investment ties. Extensive and positive reporting generated by central European journalists underscored the opportunities for closer cooperation with new EU members on trade issues.
In addition to the formal IMV program, the department's International Media Centre (IMC) in Sydney arranged internships for cadet journalists from Saudi Arabia and the annual John Doherty internship with the ABC for two senior foreign journalists. It facilitated programs for foreign correspondents from the Philippines, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, India and Malta. Favourable feedback on the arrangements and positive media commentary highlighted the value of the IMC in the department's overall advocacy efforts.
The IMC also arranged media briefings by ministers and senior officials to foreign media based in Australia, including the Foreign Correspondents Association (FCA), and organised group visits to Canberra and Adelaide for FCA members. The Canberra program included calls on ministers, a meeting with the Senate Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence Committee, round tables with senior officials and a briefing with Geoscience Australia on the Australian Tsunami Warning System.
Cultural awards scheme visitors
The Cultural Awards Scheme (CAS), the department's longest-running incoming visit program, continued to be a successful and important public diplomacy tool. During 2005–06, the department brought 15 CAS visitors from 13 countries to Australia. Several visits were undertaken in cooperation with key partners including the Australian Film Commission and Biennale of Sydney. The department also provided substantial funding to the Australia Council for the Arts to support the participation of international delegates at the 7th Australian Performing Arts Market held in Adelaide in February–March 2006.
CAS visitors included performing arts directors and presenters, film festival directors, film producers, and art gallery directors/curators. The department organised tailored programs including meetings with leaders in the Australian cultural community, previews of touring productions and participation in Australia's major arts and film festivals. Feedback from CAS participants was highly positive.
CAS visits are long-term investments, creating contacts and a platform from which to develop future collaborative projects and opportunities for the Australian arts industry abroad (see box below). We also achieved more immediate spin-offs from the 2005–06 CAS program. For example, as a result of CAS contacts the Australian film Three Dollars was featured at international film festivals in Hawaii and Dhaka (where Australian actor David Wenham received the 'Best Actor' award). Following their CAS visit to the Australian Performing Arts Market, organisers of the Festival Paris Quartier d'Éte began negotiating with several Australian performing arts companies to feature in their 2007 Festival to which Australia has been invited as a focus country. Organisers of the Bangkok International Jazz Festival are also currently negotiating with two Australian groups to participate in the October 2006 festival.
CAS alumnus takes Indigenous art to Washington DC
One of the most significant exhibitions of Australian Indigenous art to be held in the United States, Dreaming their Way: Australian Aboriginal Women Painters opened at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington DC on 28 June 2006. Turning this exhibition from an idea to reality was the direct result of a visit to Australia in 2004 by Ms Britta Konau, associate curator of modern and contemporary art at the NMWA. During her visit—made possible by the Cultural Awards Scheme—Ms Konau visited Alice Springs, Indigenous art centres on the Tiwi Islands and Ntaria, as well Australia's major cities.
Ms Konau said: 'The trip posed a great opportunity to see Aboriginal art in person and in very different environments, including museums, galleries, art centres, and private homes. Being exposed to such a number of art works trained my eye better and taught me to pick up on subtle differences in style.'
The exhibition, featuring the work of 33 Indigenous artists from across Australia, was the first ever of its kind in the United States and presented 80 works ranging from intricate bark paintings to intensely colourful canvasses. Following its display at the NMWA, the exhibition is scheduled to be shown at the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, New Hampshire from 7 October until 10 December 2006.
Promotion of Australia through our cultural assets
Cultural diplomacy plays a significant role in shaping international perceptions of Australia as a diverse, multicultural and tolerant nation with a long history of peaceful settlement from around the world. Through our cultural programs, we make a sustained effort to present what is special about our Indigenous cultures and also the way Australia's inherited cultures have added to the richness and diversity of Australian life.
Australia International Cultural Council
The department continued to support the Australia International Cultural Council (AICC) as the peak consultative group for the promotion of Australian culture overseas. The AICC has developed a strong record of achievement through major presentations of multi-faceted Australian arts programs internationally. Chaired by Mr Downer, the AICC includes senior figures from the arts community, business and government agencies. It aims to project a positive image of Australia to advance our foreign and trade policy goals and promote exports of Australian cultural products.
AICC priorities for 2005–06 included Undergrowth—Australian Arts UK and AusArts India, both two-year multi-faceted arts programs designed to raise the profile of Australian arts in these key markets, heighten appreciation of Australia's cultural sophistication and diversity and consolidate institution-to-institution links with a view to longer-term cooperation and cultural exchange. Through the AICC, Australia secured 'Guest of Honour' status at the 2006 Kolkata Book Fair in India where, with a series of forums, panels and meet-the-author sessions, we attracted capacity audiences. Australian presentations at five film festivals in India in 2005 also drew capacity crowds. Australia will return to be the focus country at both the International Film Festival of India and the Kolkata International Film Festival in 2006.
Celebrating the 400th anniversary of Dutch exploration of Australia, the AICC funded an exhibition of Indigenous art to tour the Netherlands as one of the series of commemorative events.
Embassy Film Roadshow
The Embassy Film Roadshow again proved a popular and effective public diplomacy tool allowing posts to arrange film events in support of key foreign and trade policy goals. In 2005–06 the roadshow attracted a total audience of about 22 000.
We co-manage the Roadshow—an initiative funded by the AICC since 1999—with the Australian Film Commission (AFC). The AFC maintains two sets of 50 contemporary feature films, a selection of shorts, and one set of ten Spanish subtitled features, which our posts share. With the aim of attracting more Middle Eastern audiences, we developed a set of six Arabic-subtitled films. The Arabic Embassy Roadshow will be available to tour in the second half of 2006.
Since its inception, the Embassy Film Roadshow has facilitated over 100 film festivals in countries all around the world, reaching audiences of over 135 000 people.
Supporting Australian artists overseas
Ambassador to France Penny Wensley AO with Indigenous artist Mr John Mawurndjul, one of eight Indigenous artists commissioned to contribute to the new Musée du Quai Branly in Paris. At the museum's opening in June 2006 French President Chirac described Mr Mawurndjul's work as 'one of the masterpieces of the museum.' Photo: Alastair Miller. |
Enlarge image :: Photo gallery |
Through the department's Australian Touring Visual Arts and Fine Music Touring Programs we projected a positive image of contemporary Australian cultural diversity with the presentation of high-quality Australian visual art and music in South and South-East Asia.
Program highlights in 2005–06 included:
- an exhibition of works by Australians of South-East Asian background held in Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia, to celebrate the anniversary of Australia's relations with ASEAN
- an exhibition by leading Japanese-born Australian fashion designer, Akira Isogawa, which proved so popular in Singapore, Bangkok and Manila that the tour was extended to Taipei and India
- performances by music ensemble Tigramuna, which played to capacity audiences at the Bangkok Festival of Dance and Music before running an instrumental workshop at Chulalongkorn University, also in Bangkok.
The department's Cultural Relations Discretionary Grant Program (CRDG) continued to help high-quality Australian artists and companies take their work overseas. The program projects an image of Australia as creative, diverse and technologically advanced. CRDG events provided posts with public diplomacy platforms to target key government and business decision-makers who can influence Australian interests. They also facilitated direct links between Australia's arts and culture industries and overseas markets to promote Australia's cultural exports.
In 2005–06 the program provided funding for 22 arts projects in China, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malta, the Netherlands, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Indigenous artists and artists of diverse backgrounds were well represented, reinforcing Australia's reputation as a tolerant and multicultural society.
The department's support for an Indigenous music tour to Egypt and Cyprus, a jazz tour to Lebanon, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, a multi-media exhibition in Syria and Lebanon and Australian participation at the World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies in Jordan promoted a positive profile for Australia in the Middle East.
We supported the Australian Council for the Arts in establishing a significant commission of Australian Indigenous art at the newly opened Musée du Quai Branly in Paris, as well as a complementary reception and Indigenous art exhibition at the Australian embassy there. These events attracted high-level government and business attendance and generated widespread positive media coverage in France and Australia (see box below). Other CRDG-funded activities enhanced Australia's contribution to events celebrating the 400th anniversary of Australia–Netherlands contact, the 2006 Australia–Japan Year of Exchange and Australia's presence at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta.
Australian Indigenous art prominent at the Musée du Quai Branly
The opening of the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris in June 2006 showcased Indigenous Australian art in one of Europe's most fertile cultural landscapes. French President Jacques Chirac personally approached the Government to request the inclusion of Indigenous Australian art in the museum, which commissioned work by eight Indigenous Australian artists. These works have been incorporated into the museum's architecture, translating into more than 2500 square metres of permanent display. The museum's Australian collection houses a further 40 paintings, 230 barks and over 1400 objects. More than five million international visitors per year will see this selection of Indigenous art.
At the museum's opening, attended by Mr Downer for the Government, President Chirac reserved special praise for the Australian collection. In his speech he hailed the work of Indigenous Australian artists as 'truly extraordinary' and singled out Australians for their generous contribution to the Musée du Quai Branly. President Chirac said the vitality of Indigenous cultures was 'reflected in the superb Australian Indigenous ceiling paintings' which 'transport us to the core of Australian aboriginal art.' Later, President Chirac offered Australian Indigenous Art Commission painter John Mawurndjul his special congratulations, adding that Mr Mawurndjul had created 'one of the masterpieces of the museum.'
The Government contributed substantial funding—through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the former Department of Immigration, Multiculturalism and Indigenous Affairs and the Australia Council for the Arts—and in-kind support to help meet President Chirac's request. Staff at the Australian embassy in Paris made a significant commitment of time and expertise to facilitate the inclusion of the Australian Indigenous collection.
To coincide with the opening of the new museum, the embassy hosted an exhibition of Indigenous art works from the collection of the Melbourne-based Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi.
Indigenous Australian culture
Promoting an accurate and positive image of contemporary Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures through touring visual arts exhibitions remained an important program for the department.
While reinforcing messages of tolerance and diversity, posts used the exhibitions as public diplomacy platforms to support broad foreign and trade policy goals. In 2005–06, three exhibitions were displayed in 15 cities across the South Pacific, Europe, central and South America, the Middle East and Asia. The Kickin up Dust exhibition was integrated into Anzac Day commemorative events in Turkey and provided the cultural backdrop for the opening of the new consulate-general office in Istanbul. Seasons of the Kunwinjku launched the AICC-funded AusArts India program and Kiripuranji: Contemporary art from the Tiwi Islands formed part of activities marking the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Mexico. Posts used the touring exhibitions to raise Australia's media profile, build relationships and showcase high-quality Australian art and culture.
Sports diplomacy
The department promoted sports development and participation at all levels in the South Pacific through the highly successful Australia–South Pacific Sports Development Program. Working with the Australian Sports Commission, we approved 20 grants to support programs in Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji and Niue. Projects focused on junior sports development programs, coaching clinics, equipment and infrastructure construction.
Bilateral engagement: creating people-to-people links
The department provided secretariats for and works closely with nine bilateral foundations, councils and institutes to promote people-to-people links and accurate, contemporary images of Australia in support of the Government's foreign and trade policy goals.
Australia–China Council
The Australia–China Council (ACC) funded a range of educational and cultural programs that contributed to expanding people-to-people contacts and to the development of bilateral relations. During the year, the Council provided three scholarship programs for young Australians to study in China and continued its support of Australian Studies in China, including by funding a national conference and 22 research projects. The Council also offered 22 residencies in China, as well as reciprocal visits to Australia for two artists from the Taipei Artist Village.
In addition to its regular programs, the Council provided 30 grants for projects including: training for officials from the Australian Kung Fu Federation in the latest training software; promotion of Australian children's literature in Taiwan; and development of Chinese-language tests for Australian high schools.
Australia–India Council
The Australia–India Council (AIC) continued to initiate and support a range of projects to enhance long-term collaboration with India and help showcase Australia's capabilities. The AIC paid particular attention to the emerging scope for cooperation between Australia and India in the management of major sporting events—with a focus on the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi in 2010, following Melbourne's hosting of the games in 2006. A key outcome was the Australia–India Forum and Workshop on Sports Excellence, Sport Management and Planning for the Games, organised by the AIC, held in New Delhi in November 2005. The event reinforced Australia's credentials as a leading sports administrator, manager and organiser of major sporting events.
Through AIC support, Australian doctors continued to participate in the 'train the trainer' program in India for HIV/AIDS clinical care. Since 2003, in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry, 1200 Indian doctors from 26 cities have been trained to provide clinical care to HIV/AIDS sufferers under the program.
High-profile projects the AIC supported included the Border–Gavaskar scholarship program for young Indian cricketers; visiting Australian Studies fellowships aimed at established Indian academics and postgraduate students from Indian tertiary institutions with a strong interest in Australian studies; participation by Indian artists in the Sydney Biennale; a tour to India by eminent Australian poet Les Murray; and a range of teacher exchanges and artist residencies.
To complement existing cultural activities, the AIC partnered with the Australia International Cultural Council in its activities in India. AusArts: Celebrating Australian Art and Culture showcased the diversity of Australian culture through major events focusing on art, drama, jazz, design, film and literature events across India.
The AIC's activities received wide media coverage, broadening Indian understanding of Australia and recognition of our capabilities.
Australia–Indonesia Institute
During 2005–06 the Australia–Indonesia Institute (AII) continued to fund a diverse range of programs to advance its principal objective of fostering people-to-people contacts. The AII has continued to emphasise programs designed to promote greater understanding in Australia of the moderate nature of Islam in Indonesia and to build greater awareness in Indonesia of Islamic communities and contemporary society in Australia. In its fifth year, the Muslim Exchange Program continued to attract young, emerging and highly professional Muslim leaders from both Indonesia and Australia and was positively viewed in both countries. Visits by Indonesian Muslim leaders to Australia focused on encouraging a greater understanding of government policy in the region. Other interfaith projects helped strengthen the Islamic education sector in Indonesia by providing training and professional development to Indonesian teaching staff in Australia.
The Australia–Indonesia Youth Exchange Program marked its 25th year. The Institute continued to support bilateral arts and cultural exchanges with a variety of groups from both countries helping to spread cross-cultural understanding through diverse performances and workshops. Notable among these was a visit by internationally acclaimed contemporary batik artists and co-founders of Brahma Tirta Sari Yogyakarta, Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam, to work with the Australian Indigenous artists of Ernabella—representing the oldest continuously operating Indigenous art centre in Australia—to design and create batik cloth collaborative pieces for exhibition in Indonesia, Australia, the Netherlands and the United States.
Australia–Japan Foundation
The Australia–Japan Foundation is an Australian Government statutory authority established by the Australia–Japan Foundation Act 1976 to encourage a closer relationship between the peoples of Australia and Japan.
The Foundation supported portfolio objectives by initiating and facilitating interaction between the two countries to expand and promote the relationship. In recognition of the 2006 Year of Exchange, the Foundation, in addition to a range of other activities, launched the Community Exchange Grants to support grass roots bilateral people-to-people and IT-based exchanges in art, sport, welfare and education. The Foundation also provided funding to facilitate the exchange of young people actively involved in debating in Australia and in Japan and assisted Japanese students to improve their debating skills. The Discover Eco Australia educational CD-ROM was launched in Tokyo in December 2005. More than 15 000 copies have been distributed throughout Japan. A nationwide competition encouraging students to use 'Discover Eco Australia' has been held in conjunction with the release.
The Foundation worked with the department to implement the recommendations of the 'Review of the Corporate Governance of Statutory Authorities and Office Holders' (the Uhrig review), which will result in the AJF being re-established as a non-statutory bilateral foundation within the department.
Australia–Korea Foundation
The Australia–Korea Foundation (AKF) helped broaden and deepen relations with the Republic of Korea (ROK) through supporting and/or initiating a wide range of commerce and industry, science and technology, education and arts activities. Together with the Lowy Institute for International Policy and Macquarie Bank, the AKF hosted a conference on 'The Chinese Economy: Impact on Korea and Australia.'
The AKF supported the department's advocacy of a FTA with the ROK, including by partly sponsoring a study on the costs to Korea of delaying an FTA with Australia and the joint meeting of the Australia–Korea and Korea–Australia business councils.
In March, the AKF ran a digital photographic competition on the theme 'Australia through Korean eyes.' The resulting exhibition attracted over 2000 entries and received wide publicity, helping promote Australia in the fiercely competitive Korean tourist market. Together with the National Museum of Australia, the AKF organised a project involving two Australian and two Korean senior high school students investigating the theme 'Peace and the prospects for re-unification of the Korean peninsula.' It demonstrated to the ROK, at the grassroots level, Australia's positive role on North Korean issues.
Council on Australia Latin America Relations
The Council on Australia Latin America Relations (COALAR) continued to support Australia's diplomatic and economic objectives in the Latin American region across its four priority areas of business, education, tourism and culture. COALAR worked in partnership with Austrade and the Australia–Latin America Business Council to promote opportunities for Australian businesses in Latin America by providing support for business seminars, the 2005 Australia–Latin America Business Awards and the 2006 Australia Festivals.
COALAR continued to work with key stakeholders with interests in Latin America through its Education and Tourism Action Groups. COALAR funded a visit by Brazilian education officials to Australia, successfully deepening government-to-government links in the education sector, and funded several visits by Latin American journalists to raise Australia's profile in the region. In implementing stage two of its cultural strategy, COALAR funded visits by a number of Latin American film directors to appear at the Sydney and Brisbane International Film Festivals. The Council's Chairman visited the region to talk with senior decision-makers of six Latin American countries on a wide range of issues.
Council for Australian–Arab Relations
The Council for Australian–Arab Relations (CAAR) continued its work to broaden awareness and understanding between Australia and the Arab world, to promote a greater understanding of mutual foreign policy interests, and to encourage activities that lead to mutual economic benefit and promote Australia's image in the Arab world. The membership of the Council underwent changes, with the appointment in May 2006 of a new Chair, Ms Pru Goward, as well as two new members.
CAAR launched the Explore Australia teachers' resource kit for use in schools in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait; supported a visit to Australia by two Saudi Arabian health officials through the Young Professionals Exchange Program; and provided seed funding to assist in the development of Deakin University's Arabic Online Learning program.
Australia–Malaysia Institute
In its first year, the Australia–Malaysia Institute (AMI) developed and implemented activities to advance its objective of strengthening people-to-people and institutional links with Malaysia and to promote a positive image of Australia in Malaysia. The Institute hosted two group media visits from Malaysia, one of which focused on Australia's strength as a source of sophisticated science and technology. Visiting journalists represented major Malaysian English and Malay language newspapers. The AMI also contributed to an Australian media study tour to Malaysia.
The Institute organised successful group visits both ways under its Muslim Exchange Program. The AMI made a long-term commitment to improving mutual understanding by establishing an Australia–Malaysia Fellowships scheme in three categories: Australian Studies, Malaysian Studies and Excellence in Research. The Institute co-sponsored an Australia–Malaysia Forum in June 2006. The keynote speaker at the Forum was Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Syed Hamid Alba. Providing support for Malaysia-related aspects of the 'Crescent Moon Exhibition of Islamic Art and Civilisation of South East Asia' was the highlight of AMI's cultural program. Mr Downer presided over the AMI official launch of the exhibition held at the Australian National Gallery in Canberra.
Australia–Thailand Institute
The Australia–Thailand Institute (ATI) was established on 29 June 2005 to expand institutional, cultural and people-to-people links between Australia and Thailand, focusing particularly on projects in public policy, arts, culture, health and interfaith dialogue. The ATI is also focused on promoting increased knowledge of Australia's educational, scientific and technological capabilities in Thailand.
In its first year, the Institute supported and funded a range of projects including a leadership program in Australia for young Muslims from southern Thailand, organised by the Centre for the Study of Contemporary Islam of the University of Melbourne. The ATI also supported an HIV/AIDS project establishing a partnership between the leading HIV/AIDS community organisations in Thailand and Australia and residencies for two Australian artists in Thailand.
Mr Kavi Chongkittavorn, Assistant Group Editor of the Bangkok-based The Nation Multimedia Group, was the inaugural visitor under ATI's media visits program. The institute also supported the Australian National University's Thailand Update Conference 2005 and the Thai Culture and Food Festival in Melbourne which showcased Thai culture through displays of traditional dance, food stalls and Thai handicrafts and attracted over 36 000 visitors.
Direct Aid Program
In 2005–06, the department disbursed $4 452 432 in Direct Aid Program (DAP) funds, through 50 posts, to projects in over 70 countries. The DAP is a flexible small grants scheme that aims to reduce humanitarian hardship while supporting the Government's international relations and public diplomacy goals. The following examples demonstrate the diversity of projects funded:
- In Somalia, solar-powered stoves and water heaters were provided to an education centre for girls and women and a teacher training institute.
- In Zimbabwe, a special computer and braille equipment were purchased for transcription of HIV/AIDS information for distribution to blind people.
- In Lautoka, Fiji, 60 desks and chairs were supplied for the Drasa Muslim Primary School.
- In Tamil Nadu, India, 20 girls were trained as part of the 'Barefoot Doctors for Community Health' program to provide first aid and basic health care for women in rural areas.
Direct Aid Program provides grassroots assistance in Dili, East Timor
The Direct Aid Program (DAP) plays an important public diplomacy role in East Timor. Through the program we promote positive messages about Australia, in particular to the remote districts where many of the most influential members of society have family or political support bases and where access to television, national radio and newspapers is limited.
In 2005–06, the Australian embassy spent $80 694 DAP funds on small, grassroots projects focusing on basic needs such as sanitation, health, education, water and agriculture. Most projects were located in isolated rural areas which, in a country still suffering high levels of poverty, face the highest levels of disadvantage due to lack of access to the goods and services available in larger centres such as Dili and Baucau.
Following the unrest of May 2005, many of these projects directly helped the tens of thousands of internally displaced people in Dili and the districts. The embassy concentrated particularly on projects helping children, a large and vulnerable sector of society. For example, we funded the creation of a human rights education curriculum for disadvantaged children, which is now being used to help children living in camps for internally displaced people. The program promotes health and hygiene, human rights, peaceful and creative conflict resolution, and non-violence. It also helps the children to move beyond the trauma and grief associated with the crisis.
Asia–Pacific regional television service
The department continued to manage the Government's contract with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to provide the Asia–Pacific television service (ABCAP). The service achieved impressive audience growth in the region. ABCAP was rebroadcast in 41 countries by 158 pay television operators, available in over 10 million homes and watched by 938 400 viewers every month. The introduction of separate signals for India and the South Pacific ensured the delivery of programming at times appropriate to local audiences across three major time zones. The service achieved strong audience growth in Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok and the Indian market.
The companion website abcasiapacific.com achieved strong growth also. Online accesses more than doubled to reach 250 000 per week, with education content attracting half the website traffic.
With the Government's five-year contract with the ABC expiring in August 2006, the department conducted an open tender for a further five-year period (2006–2011). The ABC was selected to continue providing the service, now known as the Australia Network.
Australian participation in the 2005 World Expo—Aichi, Japan
Australia's participation at the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi, Japan achieved important outcomes to advance our international image. The department managed Australia's involvement in the six month Expo, which concluded on 25 September 2005. One hundred and twenty one countries and four international organisations participated and over 22 million people visited the Expo site.
Prime Minister Howard committed Australia to participate in recognition of the importance of the Australia–Japan relationship and the Government provided a budget of $35 million over three financial years. A significant number of corporate and state government partners contributed approximately $4.5 million in sponsorship for the multi award-winning Australian Pavilion.
The department's objectives were to:
- project a contemporary image of Australia as a culturally diverse and harmonious nation, technologically sophisticated with a dynamic forward-looking economy
- promote bilateral trade and investment through an active business liaison program in key sectors
- promote Australia's environmental credentials and commitment to sustainable development, environmental conservation and technology, alternative clean energy sources and community involvement in environmental issues
- strengthen ties between Australia and Japan by reinforcing existing bilateral contacts, and by cultivating and nurturing new areas of bilateral cooperation and exchange.
These objectives were met through comprehensive business, arts and public affairs programs. Our Expo business program, developed in consultation with Austrade, federal and state government agencies and private sponsors, achieved strong promotional and commercial outcomes through 84 separate business events in 15 priority sectors. Business missions in automotives, agribusiness, information and communications technology, environmental technology and services and biotechnology used the Expo to promote Australian expertise, products and services to a global market.
We managed a comprehensive Australian Arts and Entertainment Program that showcased Australia's creative diversity with 750 live performances, involving a permanent troupe and over 200 visiting artists.
A sustained and targeted public affairs and communications strategy, using website, print and electronic media, delivered positive media coverage about Australia in Japan, with a total of 1362 media reports. Almost 25 per cent of the 3.5 million visitors to the Australian pavilion attributed media reports as the reason for their visit.
The department will continue to implement proactive public diplomacy strategies with our posts in support of the Government's foreign and trade policy goals.
As host country for the Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in 2007, the department will promote and inform Australians and the international community about the benefits of APEC and its contribution to economic growth and broader cooperation in our region.
We will work closely with the ABC to promote the newly branded Australia Network regional television service. With three separate signals to India, Asia and the South Pacific, Australia Network will offer more targeted programming and is expected to attract a growing audience.
With the Government's decision that Australia will participate at the 2010 International Exposition in Shanghai, we will begin consultations with other agencies, state governments and the private sector about the nature of our involvement. A major planning exercise will canvass the theme, scope, size and detailed resource implications for an Australian pavilion at the Expo.
The department will continue to cooperate with key partners such as the Australia Council and the Australian Film Commission to plan and implement relevant programs in India, France and Malaysia.


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Blog | Comments |
WoW | 6 Comments |
Recent Comments:
Breakfast Topic: Will you be buying either of the new vanity pets? {WoW}
Nov 30th 2010 9:01AM I wouldn't buy one for myself...I do think they would make a great gift for friends who collect pets though.
World shattering complete; U.S. servers back up {WoW}
Nov 23rd 2010 6:15PM im on a mac too. same problem but only with toons logged out in cities...
Cataclysm: Part 4 of the elemental invasion is live {WoW}
Nov 15th 2010 3:49PM Its up on Quel'Dorei. Just saved Orgrimmar and did the bosses. Super fun times.
Servers are coming up [updated x3] {WoW}
Oct 12th 2010 8:02PM Probably gonna delay it again...these times are so unrealistic for them.
Cataclysm: Official reforging preview {WoW}
Oct 12th 2010 6:02PM I hope so. Thats one of the more useful addons i've found.
Servers are coming up [updated x3] {WoW}
Oct 12th 2010 5:42PM Figures...


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DINING ALONE Denver 2006 - Duo
No matter where you find yourself sitting -- at the bar, in the brick-faced dining room, pressed up against the pass rail or lurking in one of the corners -- a solo dinner at Duo is a truly transporting experience. This neighborhood bistro boasts two of Denver's best chefs (John Broening in the kitchen and Yasmin Lozada-Hissom on pastries), but the vibe is informal and convivial, with community tables filled with people actually from the community (the newly hot edge-of-Highland neighborhood) and even a table for one never feeling the least bit lonely. The staff is committed to giving each and every guest an exemplary dining experience, and the delicate mingling of flavors on the artful plates -- from a simple duck leg or slice of venison to a slab of sticky toffee pudding set on a glossy slick of butter-rum sauce -- swells, expanding until it demands, and deserves, all of your concentration. With food this good, service this attentive and a glass of wine off of Duo's approachable list, you'll never feel lonely again.


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[1315] Flow Cytometric Findings in Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis.
Chad M McCall, Shirley Fuller, Shiyama Mudali, Robert J Arceci, Christopher D Gocke, Milena Vuica-Ross, Kathleen H Burns, Michael J Borowitz, Amy S Duffield. Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD
Background: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a hyperinflammatory syndrome that is often fatal. HLH may be inherited, but more commonly arises secondary to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, hematologic malignancies, or rheumatologic diseases.
Design: Seventeen patients were identified who were diagnosed with HLH between 2001-2010 and had flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood (PB) (4) or bone marrow (13) performed at the time of diagnosis.
Results: Two patients had primary HLH, and the others had HLH secondary to EBV (7), EBV and a concurrent hematologic malignancy (2), hematologic malignancy (1), rheumatologic conditions (4), and tuberculosis (1). The average age was 21 (range: 6 months-75 years), with 10 males and 7 females. Quantitative abnormalities were noted in the marrow regardless of etiology. On average there was a relative decrease in myeloid cells (36.3%; range 4-72%). Lymphoid cells were relatively increased (42.2%; range 11-75%), with abundant T-cells in most cases and increased NK cells in one case. All but one case had prominent HLA-DR+ T-cells. Of the nine patients with EBV-associated HLH, five had expansions of CD8 T-cell populations with variable levels of expression of CD5, CD7 and/or CD3, but this was not consistent from case to case. The cases of HLH that were not EBV-associated included one case that had T-cells with a range of CD5 expression, but did not demonstrate any populations of T-cells similar to those in the EBV+ cases. The myeloid series showed left-shifted myelopoiesis often with near complete absence of normal mature CD10+ granulocytes. Three cases of PB showed heterogeneous or moderate HLA-DR on the granulocytes, possibly reflecting release of immature granulocytes. Two cases had granulocytes with abnormal side scatter, two had unusually dim CD13 and one had dim CD33.
Conclusions: HLH can show a range of findings on flow cytometric analysis of the bone marrow or PB. The marrow often showed a relative decrease in myeloid elements and increase in lymphocytes. Prominent and unusual but phenotypically variable CD8+ T-cells may be present, particularly in EBV-associated HLH. Most cases showed left-shifted myelopoiesis with occasional altered expression of myeloid antigens. While not specific, flow cytometric findings in HLH are different from those seen in normal marrows and care should be taken not to overinterpret phenotypic findings in these patients as indicative of primary marrow disorders or lymphoma.
Category: Hematopathology
Tuesday, March 1, 2011 9:30 AM
Poster Session III # 236, Tuesday Morning


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Learn About Hunger
Hungry does not mean homeless. It may surprise you to learn that, every day, working parents in Southern Nevada face an unthinkable choice between feeding their families and paying the bills. Three Square was founded to help people like this get the food their families need to survive so that they can focus on other things - like getting back on their feet.
- One in six Southern Nevadans struggle with hunger
- 58% of children in the Clark County School District receive free and reduced-price meals
- Nearly 40,000 children under the age of 18 are served each month by Three Square's Agency Partners


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A double-whammy of news sprang from the AIA legislative meeting on Friday, and the council showed themselves to be wise.
The two biggest nuggets being proposed and voted upon were the ability of a school to appeal up or down a division among any of its sports, and the notion that private schools would automatically be required to play up one division in all sports. Votes were cast and decisions came quickly.
Beginning next fall, schools will be allowed to petition down a division (or possibly more, though that might be difficult) for a given sport. The council also rejected a proposal to require private schools to "play up" a level.
The knee-jerk reaction views this as being for the betterment of Arizona high school sports.
First, the criteria for a successful appeal process should be rigorous, not some turnstile for schools to bounce back-and-forth at will because of a "down" year or two. There should be a mixture of recent history (more than two years) of competitive struggles, a look at the socio-economic backdrop of that school and its students and the size of a sport's participation numbers, not simply the school's total enrollment.
In other words, a schools' sports better bring a compelling case to appeals court.
This isn't merely about Phoenix Metro or Yuma schools that struggle to compete in Division I football, though this should help some of those schools. It's not simply about, say, Coronado girls basketball, or all other programs in the state which struggle mightily in the standings, stands and to simply field a team every year. It's not about making sure every team has a 50-50 (or even reasonable) chance at winning a state championship.
It's about making sure a given school's sport's season isn't essentially over long before it ever starts, which in itself can create a vicious spiral of dwindling participation, interest and competitiveness that - even with a good coach and administration - is supremely difficult to stop.
It's about the genuine feeling of having a chance.
As Mesa's district athletic director Steve Hogen pointed out, it could help scheduling among Yuma, Tucson and out-of-Phoenix schools. It may help better schedule one another and play together within the same division to help with travel costs. It could also help lead to smaller sections within each division than the current alignment.
Remember, too, things can change as part of subsequent two-year blocks in scheduling and alignment, so no school should necessarily feel "trapped" or "stuck" in its place long-term.
As for the private schools, they have different criteria with which they can draw students, but it doesn't mean they're ruling the roost in all sports.
Yes, Brophy, Tucson Salpointe Catholic, Xavier and a few other private schools dominate the so-called "country club" sports (tennis, golf, and swimming). Yes, they play by a few different "rules" because they're private. But it isn't worth punishing many other private schools who are no better than competitively than their public school peers. Besides, the Brophy/Xavier/Salpointe's already compete at the highest levels.
The private schools are succeeding most at individualized sports, and while the team aspect of those sports is no less significant, it's not as if kids elsewhere can't realistically compete individually against private school players.
The private schools' competitive landscape isn't ideal given the depth and training a lot of private school kids can afford, but it's also not in dire need of using a broad brush in the name of undergoing an "overhaul."
This won't work perfectly. It never does. The standards set for successful appeals won't work out for everyone, and it will be difficult to prove a sport is worthy of moving down. Private schools will continue to dominate a few sports and leave others frustrated with the inequity.
A (vast) majority, however, is what's important here when dealing with 272 member schools. They all deserve a chance to better succeed, or at least not be punished for their successes.
Two more hot topics remain: Computer scheduling and transfer rules. Those are coming down the pipeline.
So far the AIA is 2 for 2. Kudos to the council on knowing when to reach out and when to restrain.
Mark Heller is the East Valley Tribune sports editor. He can be reached at email@example.com or (480) 898-6576.