Movember: Day 21 - The Progress of the Mo

It has been very itchy and quite uncomfortable, but ironically it is also starting to become quite familiar.

Belinda has been excellent, but she doesn't want me to keep it after 30 November!

This is no surprise.

Evolution - The Experience

A microbiologist friend of mine recently received an invitation to an Event to be held in Melbourne in 2009 called "Evolution - The Experience". The conference is endorsed by The Australian Society for Microbiology -- no doubt to the disappointment of my friend.

It looks like the Darwin propaganda machine continues to roll on -- sadly I expect that the event may well be at least partially funded by our State and Federal Governments.

Ironically the organisers haven't actually overstated the impact:

"The Origin of Species, sparked an intellectual, social and spiritual revolution.
 It radically transformed our understanding of life on this planet – the origins of life, our relationship to other species and the way life can adapt or fail to do so in the face of environmental change."

The problem is that 'radical transformation' not based on truth will ultimately take you in a direction that you will eventually live (or die) to regret!

Movember

Hi All,

During Movember (the month formerly known as November) I'm growing a Mo. That's right I'm bringing the Mo back because I'm passionate about tackling men's health issues and being proactive in the fight against men's depression and prostate cancer.

To donate to my Mo you can either:

1. Click this link https://www.movember.com/au/donate/donate-details.php?action=sponsorlink&rego=1915721&country=au and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account, or
2. Write a cheque payable to 'Movember Foundation', referencing my Registration Number 1915721 and mailing it to:

Movember Foundation
PO Box 292
Prahran VIC 3181

Remember, all donations over $2 are tax deductible.

The money raised by Movember is used to raise awareness of men's health issues and donated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue - the national depression initiative. The PCFA and beyondblue will use the funds to fund research and increase support networks for those men who suffer from prostate cancer and depression.

Did you know:

• Depression affects 1 in 6 men....most don't seek help. Untreated depression is a leading risk factor for suicide.
• Last year in Australia 18,700 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 2,900 died of prostate cancer - equivalent to the number of women who will die from breast cancer annually.

For those that have supported Movember in previous years you can be very proud of the impact it has had and can check out the details at: [ Fundraising Outcomes ].

Movember culminates at the end of month Gala Partés. If you would like to be part of this great night you'll need to purchase a [ Gala Parté Ticket ].

Thanks for your support Wesley.

More information is available at http://www.movember.com/.

Movember is proudly grown by Holden and Schick.

Movember is proud partners with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue - the national depression initiative.

Essential Canberra facts

It seems my last entry has stirred up a bit of controversy! But not for the reasons I expected, for those who don't know much about Canberra, here are some essential facts taken from the Visit Canberra website.

Essential Canberra facts at a glance.

Population
About 325,000 people live in Canberra.

Location
Canberra is located in the Australian Capital Territory, which is surrounded by New South Wales. The city is 150 kilometres inland and 571 metres above the Pacific Ocean, 281 kilometres from Sydney and 660 kilometres from Melbourne.

History
Located on the ancient lands of the Indigenous Ngunnawal people, Canberra’s name is thought to mean ‘meeting place’, derived from the Aboriginal word Kamberra. European settlers first came in the 1830s, and the area was chosen for the federal capital in 1908. Canberra’s special contrast of nature and urban living was planned in 1912 by master designer, Walter Burley Griffin, a Chicago architect who won an international design competition. The provisional Parliament House was opened in 1927 in what was then a treeless paddock.

My learned friend Scott likes to describe Canberra as a 'great big deserted sheep paddock', but that is a somewhat short sighted view (not even shared by his wife I might add!). We often fail to realise the value and potential of some places immediately. Take the Dutch for example -- in 1667 they swapped Manhattan Island for an obscure spice island in South East Asia held by the English. I guess the lesson here is that we often can't see the true value of the things we currently hold in our possession -- even an obscure 'sheep paddock'.

I was fascinated today to learn of the aboriginal heritage of the location as a 'meeting place' -- even the word Canberra is a derivation of the indigenous name for the land.