Drillbit Taylor

March 27, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
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DrillbitTaylor.jpgOne of the segments on my morning radio programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM is a fortnightly look at what’s on at the movies.

Aaron Kamp has been reviewing movies for some time and he posts his reviews at Cinemaniac. Every couple of weeks we look at what’s in the cinemas and what’s new on DVD.

Today we talked about Owen Wilson’s latest movie, Drillbit Taylor.

It’s a movie for anyone who’s suffered at the hands of bullies. I haven’t seen it but it sounds like it’s one of those predictable stories where the good guys win in the end. Of course predictable doesn’t mean that it’s not enjoyable. Sometimes it’s nice to get lost in a movie that rambles along just as you imagine it will.

Drillbit Taylor is about three kids who hire a low-budget bodyguard to protect them from the playground bully. The bodyguard is played by Owen Wilson.

Aaron warns that there is some of the crudity and occasional bad language we’ve come to expect from teen flicks, but thankfully this one’s aimed for a slightly younger teen audience so it’s not as bad as some. Overall Aaron says that the film presents some very positive messages.

You might want to check out a little more of what Aaron says before sending the kids off to the cinema. Listen to Aaron’s review by clicking play on the audio player at the bottom of this post.



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Ana Laura in Perth

March 20, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
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analaura.jpgHer classical training, fused with rock, pop and Latin sounds make Ana Laura one of the most unique performers in gospel music today.

Her music has been described as the merging of classical, traditional orchestral laced pop, with flashes of potent rock.

Ana invited us to take a glimpse into what the world can look like through the prism of faith and a plethora of musical styles, both modern and classic, on her self-titled debut album simply titled Ana Laura.

She describes herself as a walking contradiction. At one moment she’s self-assured, the next, skittish, quiet then projecting volume, grounded in reality then expressing whimsical ideas.

It was a real delight to have Ana join me in the studio yesterday during my radio programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM to talk about everything from her music and upcoming concerts to her love of American Idol.

Have a listen to our chat by clicking play on the audio player at the bottom of this post.



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$2051.60

March 11, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
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ChrisMurphy.jpgWe were imprisoned for a crime we didn’t commit and the power to set us free was in your hands.

Thank you for making our release possible and helping people with Cystic Fibrosis.

On Friday, together with 98.5 Sonshine FM’s Tim Long, I was locked up behind the microphone, in King’s Square, Fremantle. Our six hour ‘Convict for a Cause’ broadcast raised much needed funding for Cystic Fibrosis WA.

Cystic Fibrosis is the most common life threatening, recessive genetic condition affecting Australian children. It’s affects a number of organs in the body and there is no cure. Fortunately, thanks to Cystic Fibrosis WA, life can be a lot more manageable for sufferers.

During the day we spoke to a number of people who provided listeners with a better understanding of the disease. Amongst those interviewed was Ben Maxey, a brave 12 year old who left his hospital bed to be at the event. Australian Idol contestant and crowd favourite, Chris Murphy, also joined in and busked for his bail. In the photo you can see him busking under the watchful eye of one of the prison guards.

A big thanks to BigDadGib who kicked off the fund raising with his donation as soon as I mentioned it early last week. Thanks Gib.

Convict for a Cause is an annual fund raising event. Thanks to your generosity, we managed to raise $2051.60. Cystic Fibrosis WA is still taking donations so you can still help by clicking here and donating. The tally has already risen since I originally published this post and I’m hoping that we’ll see even more money going towards this great cause.



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Is Faith a Crutch for the Weak?

March 6, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
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crutch.jpgIs faith simply an invention to help the weak? Is God just a projection of our own needs? Do we simply create the god we need in our own minds?

Many people would suggest that the whole concept of God is a projection of what we feel we lack in life. If we didn’t have a loving father as we grew up we project that into the creation of a ‘loving father god’

We’ve all heard people say the ‘religion is just a crutch for the weak’ but is that really the case?

My regular Wednesday morning guest on 98.5 Sonshine FM is Ross Clifford who is the Principal of Morling College in New South Wales and current President of the Baptist Union of Australia. Each week we chat about a range of issues relating to spirituality and belief.

Yesterday we looked at where the concept of faith being for the weak began and asked whether there is any validity to the argument. We also talked about whether some Christians have misinterpreted the Bible to create a ‘god’ that doesn’t line up with the God of the Bible at all.

Have a listen to our discussion by clicking the play button on the Audio Player at the bottom of this post.



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Cystic Fibrosis Western Australia

March 5, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
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CF_Logo.gifAs I mentioned a few days ago, this Friday, 98.5 Sonshine FM’s Tim Long and I will become ‘Convicts for a Cause’. The power to set us free is in your hands. Will you help us to be released?

Cystic Fibrosis is the most common life threatening, recessive genetic condition affecting Australian children. It affects a number of organs in the body and it can be absolutely debilitating. Fortunately with the help of Cystic Fibrosis WA, life can be a lot more manageable.

Tim and I will be locked up this Friday from 9am until 3pm in King’s Square near the Fremantle Town Hall. I hope you’ll be able to drop in and visit us.

By donating to Cystic Fibrosis WA, you can set us free. Just click here and you’ll be taken to a donations page where you can do your bit to help those who are suffering.

A couple of days back on the Morning Programme I spoke to Cystic Fibrosis WA CEO Nigel Barker about Cystic Fibrosis and the Convicts for a Cause event. You can hear what Nigel had to say by clicking play on the Audio Player at the bottom of this post.

I do hope you’ll join Tim and I as we broadcast live from Fremantle this Friday on 98.5 Sonshine FM.



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