Best. Journalism. Ever

Man this thing is WIN!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8hfK3RQs2g

By far some of the best reporting I have ever seen.

All my IC photos online

Google are the greatest company in the world, even if they are only building the foundations for what will one day be a strike at world domination. Out of the kindess of their hearts, they have given me 250mbs worth online photo storage space, all of which accesable through their free-to-download photo mangement software called Picasa.

I have uploaded all of my IC photos here.

Such a pretty picture- Cool Mel and the 'uth' from 'Muth' 

So much work...

so little time.

I am so lucky. I speak to so many people beyond AIESEC and the one thing that almost all of them share is a dislike for their profession. My workload is crushing, the environment is tense and stressful, the deadlines are omnipresent, the stakes are high...and I simply could not be any happier.

Some people get all the luck- it's nice when it's you :)

Guess who

My good friend John Westgarth. We joined AIESEC at the same time (March 2002) at the same LC (University of Sydney). We were in the same OGX team as first years, we were on the EB together, then he was my LCP and then we were on the MC together. He is currently working on the expansion initiative in Bahrain (which incidently was welcomed as an official expansion at this IC).

It was really great catching up you mate. Good luck this year in the gulf and I look forward to seeing you again soon. I'm still thinking about that stopover...

The Australians at Global Village 2006. We always put on a good show :) 

It's amazing the amount of impact that a chair can have upon a conference. This year, we were blessed to recieved David Pollay (I think that's how his name is spelt) as chair for IC 2006, and he was absolutely fantastic.

It's somewhat difficult to describe just how genuine, caring, charasmatic and humble David is as a person, but suffice to say he touched every member of the audience in some special way. I know that my IC experience would not have been anywhere near as powerful were it not for him. I am certaint that David won't every read this blog, but from the bottom of my heart I would like to thank him for his involvement as chair. Gratitude is something that David speaks about often, and I hope that he is aware of the gratitude that myself and every other member of the delegation feel toward him.

Thank you David. 'You're a good chair!' 

Hmmm...

Let's see if we can't get this blog thing going again...

Yes- I am now 22 years old. Only 8 years until 30, and i hear it's all downhill from there so i better make these next few years great ;) 

When will we grow up?

Mark Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure

A computer game that has been banned in Australia fell foul of the censors because it functioned like an interactive instruction manual for people to commit the crime of graffiti, according to documents released today.

The game, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, was denied classification by the Federal Government's Classification Review Board last month.

Publication of the board's 17-page decision today gives a detailed explanation behind the controversial decision that saw Australia become the first country in the world to ban the game.

"The Review Board determined, in the majority, that the theme of graffiti as depicted and detailed in the game was beyond that of fantastical game play and provided elements of promotion of the crime of graffiti," the decision reads.

In a 3-2 decision, the board notes that the game uses methods of teaching that include guided learning, expert advice and a system of rewards that can develop an expertise which can then be used outside this virtual world.

Furthermore, because there is not enough fantasy in simulated urban environment where the Getting Up is played, there is a likelihood that this "game-world knowledge" can be transferred to the real world.

"… whilst the game contained some fantastical elements, much of the game was based in current experience," the report said, noting that building, cars an trains etc all looked like those found in any modern city.

The announcement in February that the game's MA+15 classification had been overturned, marked the first time that the board had revoked classification for a computer game.

A game that has been denied classification cannot be sold, demonstrated, hired or imported into Australia.

I am so over this- why are the links between GTA and car-jacking acceptable when the links between Mark Ecko's and spraying paint onto public walls are not? When will this horrible, disfunctional and inconsistent body we know as the OFLC (Office of Film and Literature Classification) be disbaned and replaced with a body that understands that game's are more for adults than children now?

/sigh

/end rant

A photo of USyd's first info session for the year. It's moments such as these that remind me why I am so passionate about AIESEC- a sea of faces before me, all of them about to embark on a transformative journey, and they have absolutely no idea what they are in for at this point. USyd did a great job on the night, even securing Kathryn Baldwin from General Electric to speak on AIESEC's behalf. I am very much looking forward to the Youth Development Seminar on Saturday.