Comment at end

9th November, 2009

Why Europe Needs A Strong President

If, like me, you can hardly believe the unedifying confusion ongoing over the EU presidency – weak v strong/chairman v president/non-controversial v experienced individual etc – you’ll be pleased to know you’re not the only one.

Watch this Radio Netherlands interview with their senior analyst Bernard Hammelburg.

From that website:

‘Now that the Lisbon Treaty has been ratified, Europe will soon have its first president. Belgian prime minister Herman van Rompuy seems to stand a better chance than Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende. But according to the European Council on Foreign Relations, a prominent think tank, Europe is completely on the wrong track.

RNW’s senior foreign affairs analyst Bernard Hammelburg explains that the Obama administration was hoping a strong personality would emerge, so that they could talk at the same level. This would mean a welcome reduction in the number of one-to-one meetings the President has to schedule with the leaders of the larger European nations. The EU also needs a strong voice on major international issues such as climate control.’

BLAIR for OBAMA’S SAKE?

It may not be the case, I realise, but I have long suspected that Mr Obama is hoping and praying for a strong European leader – all right, for Tony Blair – who will help take some of the present heavy load from his shoulders, viz the Middle East and international issues around fundamentalism and terrorism.

BLAIR for THE CLIMATE’S SAKE?

See my previous post here.

RELATED

The European Council on Foreign Relations

Deklarasi bersama VOA/BBCWS/DW/RFI/RNW

20 tahun setelah runtuhnya Tembok Berlin dan berakhirnya Perang Dingin, kebebasan berbicara masih tetap jauh dari kenyataan di banyak negeri di dunia dan para jurnalis harus menghadapi pembatasan yang bahkan lebih canggih bagi mereka untuk melakukan reportase secara bebas. Sementara, bagi beberapa dari kami, penggunaan multimedia merupakan satu bagian yang mutlak perlu dalam hidup keseharian, kami tidak boleh melupakan bahwa akses untuk informasi bebas masih tetap dibatasi pada sepertiga penduduk dunia. Kemunduran ekonomi global juga telah memperburuk situasi bagi banyak outlet media, terutama para brodkaster yang kurang bebas.

Sehubungan dengan itu, lima terbesar [sic] brodkaster international – Voice of America (VOA), BBC World Service (BBCWS), Deutsche Welle (DW), Radio France International (RFI) dan Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW) – menghimbau pemerintah di seluruh dunia untuk mengakhiri pembatasan bagi media. Dalam pertemuan tahunan mereka, tahun ini diselenggarakan di Berlin, para direktur jendral kelompok tersebut meminta perhatian para kepala negara untuk implementasi Artikel 19 Universal Declaration of Human Rights yang menyatakan, "setiap orang berhak atas kebebasan mengutarakan opini dan pendapat; hak tersebut mencakup kebebasan mempertahankan opini tanpa campur tangan dan mencari, menerima dan berbagi informasi dan ide melalui media apapun dan tanpa mengenal batas-batas negara." Para brodkaster internasional menekankan bahwa bukti demokratisnya negara-negara bisa diukur dari sejauh mana mereka memberi ijin kebebasan informasi, dan bahwa hal itu, sebaliknya, adalah penting bagi dilakukannya sebuah dialog budaya dan kebebasan pertukaran ide.

Selama tahun-tahun lalu, pembatasan bagi media, dan khususnya pada para brodkaster internasional, telah semakin meningkat selama kampanye pemilu. Banyak cara-cara termasuk campur tangan dengan sengaja pada transmisi, memblok dan penolakan layanan Internet, dan penyerangan dan penahanan para jurnalis, tercatat di Afghanistan, Burma, dan Iran.

Belum lagi, banyak orang-orang yang berani di masyarakat di seluruh dunia sedang memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka dan agar didengar. Erik Bettermann, yang sekarang mengetuai kelompok brodkaster internasional, menggaris-bawahi fakta tersebut dengan mengatakan: "Kami terkesan oleh kecerdikan dan semangat yang telah diperlihatkan oleh para pendengar di seluruh dunia dalam memanfaatkan media digital baru guna kepentingan komunikasi lintas batas. Kesaksian mereka di banyak peristiwa (yang banyak di antaranya pemerintah mereka sendiri lebih suka untuk tidak dilaporkan), seringkali disertai dengan bahan audio dan visual, merupakan satu awal era baru di bidang komunikasi, satu di antaranya kami, sebagai brodkaster international, juga terbantu dalam melengkapi laporan kami sendiri dengan catatan otentik yang diberikan oleh penduduk di wilayah-wilayah konflik di dunia yang sangat diinginkan beritanya."

Beberapa negara telah memperluas aturan-aturan pembatasan menyangkut siaran pada Internet dan media yang baru berkembang, selanjutnya membatasi akses memperoleh informasi. Negara-negara otoritarian yang secara teknis tidak memiliki sarana untuk mem-blok atau mengakhiri semakin meluasnya media baru kembali pada cara-cara represi dan intimidasi yang tradisional – pengadilan yang banyak makan biaya, penahanan berkepanjangan, penyitaan kekayaan – guna membatasi aliran berita, baik lokal maupun internasional.

Menjelang pertemuan Berlin, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) menerbitkan satu siaran pers yang menyatakan memberi perhatian pada laporan-laporan "bahwa Internet Service Provider di propinsi China bagian selatan Guangdong telah membuat satu filtering software baru disebut Landun (artinya Lapisan Biru atau Dam Biru) yang lebih kuat dari pendahulunya yang bermasalah, Dam Hijau." Akibatnya, menurut RSF, "akses ke situs berita independen jadi semakin sulit dan penuh risiko."

Saat ini, jurnalisme masih tetap dianggap sebagai salah satu mata pencaharian yang paling penuh risiko di dunia. "Selama tahun lalu, ratusan jurnalis di seluruh dunia – termasuk beberapa dari organisasi kami – telah diserang, ditahan, dikucilkan, diculik atau dibunuh," kelompok tersebut menegaskan. "Hal ini semakin memperkuat usaha-usaha kami untuk secara bersama menciptakan sebuah masyarakat sipil global, di mana aliran informasi bebas dan dialog budaya tidak mungkin dihindari", Erik Bettermann menyimpulkan.

Itu, dan semua berita terbaru, dapat ditemukan di http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/
Situs RSS:

Lengkap: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/feed

Untuk konsumen: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/category/for-consumers/feed

Untuk professional media: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/category/for-media-professionals/feed

Newsletter berikutnya pada Kamis 8 Oktober 2009. Good listening!

Andy Sennitt
Media Network
Radio Netherlands

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sumber : swl 1.034 – Monday, October 05, 2009 oleh Tony Ashar (TA)

Media Network Newsletter 1 October 2009

Halo dari Hilversum,

Minggu ini kami punya beberapa pengumuman dari RNW, jadi langsung saja:

·Siaran ekstra RNW bahasa Indonesia sehubungan dengan gempa bumi

Menyusul gempa bumi di Sumatra, Indonesia, RNW menambah beberapa jadwal siaran dalam bahasa Indonesia besok. Perkiraan jadwal adalah:

0600-0900 UTC via Singapore on 7235 kHz
0600-1100 UTC via Dhabbaya, UAE on 21480 kHz
0600-1300 UTC via Madagascar on 21730 kHz

Siaran tambahan tersebut mungkin berlanjut sampai akhir minggu.

Jadwal baru B09 frekwensi shortwave/mediumwave RNW, efektif mulai 25 Oktober 2009, sekarang telah diumumkan dan tersedia di situs kami. Sudah tentu jadwal tersebut tentatif, tetapi manager frekwensi Jan Peter Werkman memberitahu saya bahwa ia tidak mengharapkan banyak perubahan sebelum jadwal diberlakukan.

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Sumber : swl 1.033 – Thursday, October 01, 2009 oleh Tony Ashar (TA)

The second Casey Cloth Nappy Expo will be held just prior to Reusable Nappy Week 2009 to kick of the week’s activities in Victoria.  The event, incorporating ‘green kids’ – organic clothing and more – will be held on Saturday 10th October, 10am-4pm, Balla Balla Centre, 65 Berwick-Cranbourne Rd, Cranbourne East. Entry is free!

The event includes:

- Cloth nappy stalls
-  Organic baby and children’s clothing
- Giveaways and vouchers
-  Door prizes
-  Children’s activities
and more!

Come and see modern cloth nappies – proudly presented by the City of Casey

For more information please contact the City of Casey on 03 9705 5200

TTY: 03 9705 5568 TIS: 131 450 (Translating and Interpreting Service) Website: www.casey.vic.gov.au

Brisbane Cloth Nappy Expo: Change of Date: NOW SUNDAY 8^TH NOVEMBER

Brisbane City Council has changed the date of the fair within which our 4^th annual cloth nappy expo will be housed.  Please note the revised call for expressions of interest below and accept my sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused.  Regards Marijke, Qld Coordinator, RNW.

Here’s an Opportunity for all Brisbane Nappy Businesses!

If your business is within travelling distance of Brisbane you will be pleased to know that the ANN is organising a 4th Brisbane Cloth Nappy Expo to be held during Reusable Nappy Week this year on Sunday 8^th November, 2009.

The Expo will be housed within a sustainability fair held by the Brisbane City Council in the Mount Gravatt Showgrounds, next a flea market which attracts 4000 people most Sundays. We will advertise our expo separately but should also benefit from BCC advertising of the larger event and walk by business. Hence we hope crowds will be even bigger than last year where over 150 people came through the door. This is a good opportunity to make on the spot sales or at a minimum have lots of people looking at your lovely nappies and taking home a business card!

Participating businesses will be given a table (or stand) within the Cloth Nappy Expo Marquee which will be in the babies and childrens’ section of the expo. We have also been promised a speaking slot at the nearby “parents’ café” to present an information seminar on reusable nappies and to point people to the nearby expo.

There will probably be a small charge for participating businesses, however the BCC and the ANN are aware of the imperative to keep costs down given that many businesses are fairly small enterprises. Please note all businesses will also need to have their own public liability insurance.

We are currently looking for expressions of interest in having a stand at this event. If you are interested please email the Queensland RNW Coordinator on qld@nappynetwork.org.au . You will be informed of all further deadlines and requirements as they arise!

Help us spread the word about Reusable Nappy Week 2009 by using one of the buttons, banners or signatures below on your blog, website or forum profiles (check permissions with the forum if think you might need to). In keeping with the 2009 RNW theme of ‘choice’, we have provided you with a wide range of choices to capture the attention of your audiences!

Simply choose which of the buttons or images you would like to use, right click on the image, select ‘Save image as…’ and save it somewhere on your PC. Position it on your profile and point a hyperlink to the Reusable Nappy Week website (use either http://bit.ly/wfqWn or http://www.reusablenappyweek.com.au both of which go to the Reusable Nappy Week website )

What an easy way to let other people know about Reusable Nappy Week and modern cloth nappies!

Feel free to share the buttons and suggest other people use them, mention them on facebook, twitter, your website or blog! Help us spread the word about Reusable Nappy Week!

REUSABLE NAPPY WEEK – October 12th – 18th

It’s all steam ahead with the planning for RNW 2009.  The theme chosen for RNW this year is CHOICE in nappying (Choose to Reuse). With reusable nappies you aren’t limited into one style of nappy which has been generally adapted for all babies. One of the great advantages of reusable nappies is that we can choose what will suit our babies’ individual needs from a wide variety of different systems. In addition, by choosing to reuse, you are also choosing to save money, and help the environment.

We have had our first big National Planning Meeting to get things underway with more to come over the coming months. If there’s an event you want to see near you, or you want to lend us a hand during RNW, we’d be happy to hear from you. We need to start locking in events and volunteers soon!  

Some ideas for the types of things that can be done are below, if you think that you can help organise any of these in your state, have some other event ideas or can you help in any way please contact your state co-ordinator  or come and join us on the ANN forum

* LOCAL “NAPPYCINO” OR GATHERING
As said many times, you don’t need to commit to doing a stint on TV or a talk to 100 parents, a simple coffee catch up at a chid friendly cafe, or better still, a park, goes down really well and is fun for all.

* LIBRARIES
Anyone willing to contact their local library about display space, and if they are willing to lend a nappy (or few) to the cause for a week, we can provide posters and flyers. A display at a library is fantastic exposure and low maintenance.

* LOCAL COUNCILS
If you have a contact at your local council or would like to seek their support could be useful.

* SEWING WORKSHOP
We have previously organised some great workshops and would love to hear from anyone keen to share their nappy sewing knowledge and perhaps make snap presses available. We are looking to have these in a number of states this year.

* WOOL DYEING/KNITTING WORKSHOP
Do you love your woollies as much as your nappies? Why not share the woolly love around and knit with friends? Perhaps you‘d like to have a go at dyeing your own wool but want someone more experienced to oversee it?

* FEATURE EVENT
Shopping Centre Displays/Expos have previously been run in the past, including fashion parades. All offers of help welcome.

* MEDIA
There will be a national, state and local approach regarding the media. Any tips/offers of help welcome.

* PROMOTION
If you could distribute posters, flyers and brochures in your local area to service providers and in locations frequented by parents with young children, we would greatly appreciate your offers of help.

We have PLI for any events that require it.

VIC CO-ORDINATOR – We also require a co-ordinator for VIC. Please let us know if you are interested.

GREAT DOWN UNDER NAPPY HUNT (Sept 09) – We may need some helpers to assist with Hunt organisation as well.

Are you a passionate cloth nappy advocate?

Do you enjoy sharing with others how to get the most out of their cloth nappies?

Do you want to meet others who share your passion? Would you like to direct your interest in cloth nappies into helping others access information (instead of spending more money a nappy stash!)?

Why not volunteer for the Australian Nappy Network!

All of our volunteers are parents, many of whom are not currently in the paid workforce. Volunteering can be an opportunity to update your skills or learn something new to add to your CV. The Australian Nappy Network is always looking for volunteers to fill roles within our organisation such as within advocacy projects or within the administration that keeps us running.

Reusable Nappy Week Volunteers: QLD, VIC, SA

Planning for Reusable Nappy Week (RNW) 2009 is underway, but the Australian Nappy Network is still recruiting volunteers to plan activities in a number of key states: Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. Each state independently plans events for the week (which runs from October 12-18th in 2009) with resources such as promotional materials, funds, and so forth being provided centrally. Some states have individual coordinators and others are being planned by a team of enthusiastic parents.

If you can help coordinate RNW in any state or territory (but particularly in Victoria, Queensland and South Australia where our previous coordinators have stepped down) we’d love to hear from you! Coordination requires making sure that there are at least some events taking place in your state/territory, and can involve as many or as few events as we have the volunteer energy to run. Contact fiona at webwords dot net dot au to express interest

Volunteer Coordinator

We are in need of somebody who can act as Volunteer Coordinator – keeping in contact with volunteers, matching skills to needs and advertising voluntary positions. If you would like to have a go at this role, please email fiona at webwords dot net dot au to discuss.

Memberships

Finally, the Australian Nappy Network has as of the 1st of May decided to make membership free. All cloth nappy advocates are invited to become members, receive our regular ezines and so forth, and the capacity to access our public liability insurance for cloth nappy advocacy and represent us at events. This change is in recognition that our members are our most dedicated volunteers and we prefer not to ask our volunteers to pay for the privilege of helping us out. We do appreciate all donations however! Members can sign up via our website.  And lastly anyone can join our forum here where our plans for RNW and projects are discussed. If you are a member PM one of the moderators to make sure you get access to the members only discussions.

Happy advocacy!

ANN MEDIA RELEASE – For immediate release

UK REAL NAPPY CAMPAIGN – APRIL 2009

This year’s Real Nappy Campaign in the UK is advising parents to combat the credit crunch with real nappies. The UK Real Nappy Week (April 27 – May 3) coincides with an announcement by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that Australia has followed the world into a recession. During a time of economic hardship, the use of cloth nappies has been proven to save families $2000 per child.

Increasingly, cloth nappies are being seen as an economical alternative to disposables and Australia’s Fourth Annual Reusable Nappy Week (RNW) will be held from the 13th to the 18th of October. RNW is an advocacy event, used to raise awareness of the benefits of cloth nappying.

Outgoing RNW coordinator, Lucy Westerman, says she has seen a significant shift in awareness of reusable options during her time as a volunteer for the Australian Nappy Network.

“In the 5 years I have had my children in nappies, I have seen an incredible increase in availability, quality and awareness about reusable nappies in Australia. Anecdotally, there has been a distinct resurgence in the use of reusable nappies, with so many wonderful fabric, design and budget choices available.”

“When considering everything, including transport and laundering,” says Westerman, “Choosing reusable nappies can cost a meager 5c per nappy change, as opposed to throwing away more than 50c per single use nappy.”

Rosa Bohan, mother of two from Dubbo believes there is no better time to switch to cloth. “The financial savings are enormous,” she says. “It makes such a difference to the family budget when you can save between $30 and $50 a week at the checkout, simply by using cloth for one or two children.”

A number of local councils around Australia are supporting the use of cloth within communities. The City of Casey in Victoria is offering rebates on the purchase of a reusable nappy system and the City of Melbourne offers free advice, information and support to parents who are considering the switch to cloth.

Last year, a study found that the use of cloth nappies can reduce carbon emissions by up to 40%. This, coupled with phenomenal savings and the ease of use of modern design cloth nappies, is effecting a shift in the way many Australian parents are choosing to nappy their children.

“When modern cloth nappies save thousands of dollars and require no pinning, soaking or folding, it’s getting harder for parents to find a good excuse to use disposables,” says Penrith mum, Emma Vieira. “Even working mums are finding that it’s just as easy to take cloth nappies to day care and run them through a quick wash in the evening.”

NOTES TO EDITORS
The Australian Nappy Network (ANN) is a non-profit organisation promoting the health, environmental and financial advantages of reusable nappies – more details can be found at www.australiannappynetwork.org.au. The ANN also organises the annual community education initiative Reusable Nappy Week, www.reusablenappyweek.com.au. Real Nappy Week in the UK is being co-ordinated by www.goreal.org.uk

Ends#

To arrange an interview, photo call or for further information please contact
Michelle Prince on 0404 309 370 or email Michelle.

Radio:  interviews

• 4GR Toowoomba,
• ABC Far North QLD – Cairns,
• ABC SE NSW,
• Power FM, South Australia,
• ABC 702 Sydney (James Valentine),
• ABC, Ultra106 Five and more…

Television: mentions on:

• Today show news bulletin (13/10, 6:30am)

Print media:

Daily Telegraph “Disposable income takes a hit”

Heidelberg Leader - fantastic, enthusiastic article: “Her Nifty Nappy Chappy”

Heidelberg and Diamond Valley Weekly

Tenterfield Star: Letter to the Editor “Nappy Offenders”

Do you have something you can add to our list? Have you seen, read or heard about Reusable Nappy Week in the media?  Send us a comment or email us with info!

The City of Melbourne  is encouraging Melbournians to consider reusable nappies. Lead by Natasza Purser, they have developed a fun series of Australian themed advocacy posters to display at their health centres and service providers, and will be launching the posters together with the Australian Nappy Network at stall C20 at the Parents, Babies and Childrens Expo in Melbourne this weekend to conclude Reusable Nappy Week celebrations!

Check out a sneak preview of the posters here Nappy Advocacy Poster Series! (621kb)

There are busy busy times ahead in the coming months for the ANN and we need all hands on deck!

REUSABLE NAPPY WEEK – October 13th – 19th, 2008

It seems like AGES away, but these things creep up on us and bite us on the bum (excuse the pun) before we know it!!! If we want certain events, certain venues, certain activities, certain dates, we need to lock them in, Eddie. 

The theme this year will be focussing on fashion in cloth nappies be it tie-dyed squares or the funkiest fitted or cuttest woolies.

The week will be essentially run by the ANN (Australian Nappy Network), and costs covered for ANN approved RNW activities. Those representing the ANN or running an event need to be a member of the ANN but non ANN volunteers can be involved as well.

Some ideas for the types of things that can be done are below, if you think that you can help organise any of these in your state, have some other event ideas or can you help in any way please volunteer.

HOW CAN YOU VOLUNTEER?

1. Contacting your state co-ordinator at modernclothnappies.org, or

2. Joining us on the Australian Nappy Network forum.

LIBRARIES

Anyone willing to contact their local library about display space, and if they are willing to lend a nappy (or few) to the cause for a week, we can provide posters and flyers.

LOCAL COUNCILS

If you have a contact at your local council or would like to seek their support could be useful.

FEATURE EVENT

Perhaps a fashion show with some of the tots showing off some fancy funky naps… where? When? Who? How? 

MEDIA

There will be a national approach regarding the media. Any tips/offers of help welcome.

SEWING WORKSHOPS

We have previously organised some great workshops and would love the hear from anyone keen to share their nappy sewing knowledge and perhaps make snap presses available.

WOOL DYING/KNITTING WORKSHOP

As said many times, you don’t need to commit to doing a stint on TV or a talk to 100 parents, a simple coffee catch up at a chid friendy cafe, or better still, a park, goes down really well and is fun for all. A display at a library is fantastic exposure and low maintenance. 
We have PLI for any events that require it. 

NORTHERN TERRITORY CO-ORDINATOR  - We also require a co-ordinator for the Norther Territory

GREAT DOWN UNDER NAPPY HUNT – We will be needing some helpers to assist with Hunt organisation as well.

So come along and volunteer at www.modernclothnappies.org.