War isn’t a game

July 4, 2007
by Rodney Olsen
7 Comments

How far would you be willing to go to be heard if you felt passionate about something?

Would you be prepared to be arrested for your ideals and beliefs? Is there anything you believe in so strongly that you would you be ready to face prison to highlight the cause?

Simon Moyle is a Baptist Pastor from Melbourne, Victoria, who recently headed north to Queensland to confront Australian and US Forces involved in war games.

Together with just four friends, Simon dared to challenge the might of the military. In an open statement to the forces they began saying,

We are five unarmed, nonviolent Christians who are extremely concerned about the military exercises in which you are taking part. We are here only to invite you to dialogue and exchange ideas. We would like to see these preparations for war cease, and preparations for peace begin. Thus, we come here to invite you to play peace games with us, and stop the war games. We do so, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, “openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to pay the penalty”.

The story that unfolds from Simon’s visit to the military base is fascinating. The non-violence activists got their wish of playing peace games when they threw a frisbee around with some of the military personnel. After some coffee and discussion with the troops the protesters were arrested for trespass. They face court in about a month.

I chatted to Simon about his actions during my morning programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM this morning.

You can listen to our conversation using the media player below.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading War isn’t a game? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Taking a little artistic license

July 4, 2007
by Rodney Olsen
2 Comments

I noticed a full page, colour advertisement in today’s West Australian newspaper promoting space in a spectacular new high rise building in an exclusive part of Melbourne.

The pictures in the ad are very impressive. There’s one of a wonderful view from the building, a very stylish indoor pool and a couple of other views inside and outside.

The interesting thing is that they’re not real photos. I imagine they’re still in the building process because each of the images has a little caption saying ‘artist impression’. I wonder if I gave them an ‘artist impression’ of a very large amount of cash they’d let me move in when it’s all finished.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: – –



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Taking a little artistic license? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Life's essentials

July 4, 2007
by Rodney Olsen
2 Comments

Ever noticed how quickly we start relying on things that we never needed before?

Our internet service provider at work was having a few issues today. Our connection to the outside world was out for the entire day. We had to try to find ways to work differently to get around the problem. A few years back an internet connection was a bit of a bonus in business. It was helpful but not essential. These days we’ve come to rely on that connection.

I’ve recently started wearing reading glasses and I was looking forward to getting through a few chapters of the book I’m reading at the moment when I got home last night. I was most of the way home when I realised that I’d left my glasses at work. That meant no reading at all. It’s another case of something that I really didn’t need even a year ago but is essential now.

Are there things that you can’t do without that a few years ago didn’t even exist? Have you become dependent on one form of technology or another?

I wonder what are the things haven’t been invented yet that we won’t be able to live without in ten years.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: – –



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Life's essentials? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

What have you been listening to recently?

July 3, 2007
by Rodney Olsen
1 Comment

Brian Eberly has asked me to let the world know the last ten songs that have played on my iPod Mini. Brian claims to have very eclectic tastes. I think my list will prove the same about me.

I generally ride to and from work with my iPod on ‘Shuffle Songs’. Here are the last ten songs that have brought a smile to my ears.

Mick’s Blessings – The Style Council

Queen of all the Tarts – David Bowie

String Bean – Ray Charles

Everyday I Write the Book – Elvis Costello

Smoke Along the Track – Dwight Yoakam

Sulky Girl – Robert Palmer

Loop de Loop – Harry Nilsson

My Baby Don’t Love Me – Everything But The Girl

Forty Years – Joe Jackson

She Makes My Day – Robert Palmer

I’d love to hear about your varied musical tastes. If you use any kind of mp3 player or iPod, whack it on random and let me know about the next ten songs you hear. You can leave your list in the comments section of this post or blog about it on your own blog and leave a link in the comments here.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: – –



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading What have you been listening to recently?? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Who can we trust?

July 3, 2007
by Rodney Olsen
6 Comments

A work colleague shot an email around the office recently asking for someone to witness a legal document he had to sign. He needed to know if anyone in the building fitted the criteria for being an approved witness.

So who is trusted enough to witness the signing of the document? The list is quite long:

– Academic (post-secondary institution)
– Accountant
– Architect
– Australian Consular Officer
– Australian Diplomatic Officer
– Bailiff
– Bank Manager
– Chartered Secretary
– Chemist
– Chiropractor
– Company Auditor or Liquidator
– Court Officer (judge, magistrate, registrar or clerk)
– Defence Force Officer (Commissioned, Warrant or NCO with 5 years continuous service)
– Dentist
– Doctor
– Electorate Officer (state)
– Engineer
– Industrial organisation secretary
– Insurance Broker
– Justice of the Peace
– Lawyer
– Local Government CEO or Deputy CEO
– Local Government Councilor
– Loss Adjuster
– Marriage Celebrant
– Member of Parliament (State or Commonwealth)
– Minister of Religion
– Nurse
– Optometrist
– Patent Attorney
– Physiotherapist
– Podiatrist
– Police Officer
– Post Office Manager
– Psychologist
– Public Notary
– Public Servant (State or Commonwealth)
– Real Estate Agent
– Settlement Agent
– Sheriff or Deputy Sheriff
– Surveyor
– Teacher
– Tribunal Officer
– Veterinary Surgeon

Fascinating stuff really. I look at the list and wonder why some professions were chosen over others. Why do we believe that those professions make a person more worthy than others?

I see that real estate agents are there but other sales people aren’t. Surveyors can be trusted to sign documents but mortgage brokers can’t.

I’ve scanned the list a few times and can’t see any mention of radio broadcasters so I guess that I’m not a fit and suitable person to witness a signature. Let me caution you now …. I’m not to be trusted.

So do you fit the criteria? Do you think that your profession should be on the list? Are there any of those on the list that you think shouldn’t be there.

I suppose the big question is whether it’s right to allow some signatures to be legally recognised and others not, simply according to what people do from 9 to 5 each day.

Posted by Rodney Olsen

Technorati Tags: – –



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Who can we trust?? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.