Went to see ‘Balibo’ as part of the Brisbane International Film Festival last night.

It was a brilliant film. Beatifully drawn narrative, excellent cinematography. But more importantly, ‘Balibo’ is the most shocking, confronting, upsetting, challenging film I’ve seen in some time, perhaps ever.

As a child of the ’80s, until now I hadn’t ‘got’ the shocking brutality the East Timorese suffered at the hands of the Indonesians.

When I wasn’t cowering with unhappy anticipation as the film progressed, I was weeping for the suffering of the peaceful, beautiful Timorese people and the Balibo 5.

‘Balibo’ is such an important film and, luckily, it’s so brilliantly made. People need to see this. We all should learn - or be reminded - of the shameful collusion of governments motivated more by greed than by basic human rights, even those of their own.

But also, in a more positive light, it’s so important that we understand a bit more about what the East Timorese people went through, how their resilience carried them through.

This has been a pivotal film for me. I want to go to East Timor and see it for myself. There are things I need to learn, and stories I want to hear (as well as some I want to tell, perhaps.)

I feel angry. That it ever happened is one thing. But that Australia let so many suffer such shocking brutality, including six of its bravest, is something I’m struggling to come to terms with.

I want to harness that anger, though, and use it to create important stories. Never have I felt more motivated to push on with my interests in documentary.

I’ve heard good things about the Brisbane Etsy sellers and hope they ring true today.

A fan of supporting emerging designers (and nabbing original stuff no one else had got), I was SO disappointed with the utterly crappy Young Designers’ Market at Southbank, on every three months. It was pathetic, nothing worth going to.

So anyway, bring on Etsy! A follow up report will be forthcoming.

Without the quick thinking vigilance of these self-absorbed gizmoed up students, this case file may still have been lying wiiiiide open.

Can this guy get any more superhero? As if he wasn’t already awesome enough, he can now add ninja fly exterminator to his ridiculously long list of talents.

I heart Barack.

Um, excuse me, but you are a bare-faced liar if you reckon you don’t love a stickybeak into the lives - and personal spaces - of others.

Even I… EVEN I… have succumbed to the stickybeaking allure of gossip trashmags.

But this is way more sophistimicated than that.

This is classy snooping. Legitimate. High brow. Ar-tay.

Self-described, “the selby features photographs, paintings and videos by todd selby of interesting people and their creative spaces”.

Well worth a look.

The photos, from Boston Globe, are incredible. So powerful.

After seeing every single image a colleague and I entered into a powerful, emotional, complex and fascinating discussion about what’s going on there in Iran, and what role western nations have to play… if any.

I wish western nations would be honest about why they intervene, when indeed they do. Call me a cynic, but to claim you’re intervening for human rights reasons when the real motivating factor is about your nation state’s gain in that region (economic or otherwise) is too dishonest and insulting for me to bear.

No, I’m not talking about THAT kind of exercise (pity)… I’m referring to do hot yoga, which I’m heading to shortly.

Went once in Melbourne and h-a-t-e-d it.

So why again? Why now, when I should be as much wiser as I am older?

Because I’m desperate. I’ve become a flubberchump and figure that 40 degree Celsius exercise is worth chancing again. At least I’ll lose a kilo in sweat alone, right?

A brave choice of attire for an appearance on national breakfast television.

This is Billy. He is very, very cool (and oh so tame).