Rated PG - Paul Gallagher

YouTube - usbtypewriter demo

2011-06-05T16:30:00.000+10:00

YouTube - usbtypewriter demo: "

I've decided this is the model I would like to add to my iPad!

Gavin Maxwell's Writing Desk

2010-12-29T11:51:00.001+11:00

Gavin Maxwell's Writing Desk, originally uploaded by dr.wu.

Love this image. Very inspiring.

Ideas for #makingwordswork

2010-10-30T11:25:00.002+11:00

Eraser worship, originally uploaded by fd.

Ideas for #makingwordswork... ‘Break narratives into shorter sentences, less adjectives/adverbs.’ (© RatedPG http://tinyurl.com/ratedpg)

Ideas for #makingwordswork

2010-10-09T14:55:00.001+11:00

fountain pen, originally uploaded by [phil h].

Ideas for #makingwordswork... ‘Retell dramatic past in present tense - he runs over - not he ran.’ (© RatedPG http://tinyurl.com/ratedpg)

Ideas for #makingwordswork

2010-10-03T08:59:00.001+11:00

There's Color in the Words I Type, originally uploaded by Carbon Prototype: A.

Ideas for #makingwordswork... ‘Words are more powerful than colour, but add colour to your writing.’ (© RatedPG http://tinyurl.com/ratedpg)

Ideas for #makingwordswork

2010-09-04T14:40:00.001+10:00

Reading a book at the beach, originally uploaded by Simon Cocks.

Ideas for #makingwordswork... ‘Read your words out loud to edit - imagine them audible to a reader.’ (© RatedPG http://tinyurl.com/ratedpg)

Ideas for #makingwordswork

2010-08-27T23:04:00.001+10:00

Type Specimen book: 1961, originally uploaded by typographyshop.

Ideas for #makingwordswork... ‘not everything you can say is everything you should say’ (© RatedPG http://tinyurl.com/ratedpg)

Nice father-daughter photo

2009-10-11T13:56:00.002+11:00

P092709PS-0024, originally uploaded by The Official White House Photostream.

hip hip hoor-what!

2009-09-05T18:02:00.004+10:00

THIS IS THE WOOOOORST IDEA IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD... have I got your attention?

Check it out... Microsoft wants us to have PARTIES to celebrate the arrival of its new operating system.

Mmmmmm... let's pack a desktop and crisps and go over to Bill's house... we can update our drivers TOGETHER. And sip soda pop as well.

Yeah. Good one. And while you're at it, let's play pin the code on the virus! And we could all dance to a song on my ZUNE! Or not!

Seriously, there's really one thing missing from this idea... TIME ALLOCATION. Like, it's going to take about a week to get everyone's drivers and applications to hum properly with an operating system upgrade. So maybe we could all pool our spare cash and hire a company to do it all for us.

Better still, just eat the crisps and forget about the upgrade.

Gotta go... Steve Ballmer's calling.

2009-09-05T12:15:00.001+10:00

loving my new almost-unlimited download limit for my ISP!

Loving Ray Lamontagne

2009-08-28T20:44:00.002+10:00

Dallas Green

2009-08-28T20:36:00.001+10:00

Dallas Green, originally uploaded by MickRheault!.

Yeah, seriously, my favourite artist right now!

2009-08-23T12:40:00.001+10:00

Num 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of
man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it?...

The Rockpools

2009-07-12T16:56:00.001+10:00

The Rockpools
Originally uploaded by More Altitude

Great shot from Tristan Clements. And lovely writing on his blog: http://morealtitude.wordpress.com/

2009-07-12T16:10:00.001+10:00

- Triple J's Hottest 100 - agreeing, disagreeing, loving, hating... thanks for the memories and ideas guys.

2 corinthians 5:17

2009-07-12T00:18:00.001+10:00

2 corinthians 5:17
Originally uploaded by MyraVeres

Inspired by words, His words.

2009-07-11T22:13:00.001+10:00

- looking forward to church in the morning.

2009-06-12T20:52:00.001+10:00

loving US So You Think Youi Can Dance... while 'Exceling' -- well, the Microsoft side isn't so exciting.

2009-04-19T20:50:00.001+10:00

Lovely weekend with my girls!

2009-04-18T22:24:00.001+10:00

Dictionaries are better than instruction manuals. And a thesaurus in the hand is worth two FAQs in the cupboard.

2009-04-18T18:05:00.001+10:00

Love my Adil Ray show when I'm typing... http://ping.fm/de2wJ

Planet Scotland

2009-04-13T11:38:00.001+10:00

Planet Scotland
Originally uploaded by Nicolas Valentin

Another beautiful shot from Nicolas Valentin on flickr

2009-03-30T22:18:00.001+11:00

Ready for my Jack Bauer catchup. The following takes place between 4pm and 5 pm.

2009-03-29T16:59:00.001+11:00

... okay, everyone can stand down now.... I've completed my registration label application. Status level back to green!

2009-03-29T16:50:00.001+11:00

heading to car to apply rego sticker. This is a very intricate procedure needing great concentration. Please no calls for 3 hrs.

Regen am Preikestolen - rainy Norway

2009-03-09T11:00:00.002+11:00

Regen am Preikestolen - rainy Norway
Originally uploaded by publik_oberberg

Beautiful photo, reminds me of God's creative genius: ''The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.' Genesis 1:12

2009-02-10T21:54:00.001+11:00

- now's the time to show our generosity as a community... time to grieve, recover and rebuild.

2009-02-08T22:11:00.001+11:00

Fires toll now at 84... so tragic.

2009-01-26T18:47:00.001+11:00

- not surprised by Kings of Leon grabbing two of top three spots in Triple J Hottest 100.

2009-01-17T15:22:00.001+11:00

- inauguration time... counting down.

2009-01-09T21:10:00.001+11:00

- loving Mad Men on DVD in Aus. Great writing, recreation of 1960 Madison Avenue advertising gurus.

2009-01-08T20:35:00.001+11:00

- loving Law and Order.

2009-01-08T14:15:00.001+11:00

- loving MobileMe and the cloud www.me.com

2009-01-07T19:50:00.001+11:00

- proud of my girls.

2009-01-06T20:59:00.001+11:00

- Ron Burgundy rules. 'You stay classy, San Diego!'

2009-01-06T17:06:00.001+11:00

- enjoyed catching up with friends today.

2009-01-04T22:54:00.001+11:00

- loved Frost/Nixon film. Ron Howard's done an excellent job with the play, the story, the history. Great first film for me of 09.

2009-01-03T17:24:00.001+11:00

- guilty pleasure of 2009, #1... watching 'Rage' retro special on ABC2!

2008-12-31T19:59:00.001+11:00

- announcing my New Year's resolution: Ending conflict in Iraq, by myself. (Hey, if the Pres doesn't ask for my ideas, not my fault!)

2008-12-30T15:07:00.001+11:00

officially ready for 09. Hope above optimism, in all circumstances.

2008-12-27T21:37:00.001+11:00

- wondering why I've got a lookalike on screen in tonight's episode of The Bill!

2008-12-25T14:18:00.001+11:00

enjoying an Aussie Christmas: Dog already exhausted. Connected with family via mobile calls, on 'speaker'. Testing limits of the 'AA's.

2008-12-24T20:15:00.001+11:00

loving time with my girls.

2008-12-23T08:57:00.001+11:00

getting ready to wrap, not rap... although I can do that too if you ask me in rhyme, holding a boom box on your shoulder.

2008-12-22T14:46:00.001+11:00

A question. What is the best newspaper? NY Times? Wall Street Journal? Straits Times? Le Monde? Another?

2008-12-21T21:18:00.001+11:00

Empower CC sent a Merry Christmas to the community tonight. Well done to all.

2008-12-21T15:46:00.001+11:00

Only few more sleeps til Christmas, & we Aussies are bound to arrive earlier than our US friends. Sorry guys. It's how we roll.

spare time...

2008-12-18T23:40:00.000+11:00

Love the serenity of nature and words, words and God's creation.

2008-12-18T20:19:00.001+11:00

proud of my girls.

2008-12-17T23:16:00.001+11:00

disturbed by the inadequacies of social security, as outlined during broadcasts this week: www.npr.org

2008-12-16T23:11:00.001+11:00

wondering what the inauguration speech will centre on.

in the clouds...

2008-12-13T21:35:00.002+11:00

Been thinking a bit lately, and experimenting, with the value of the cloud. No, I'm not getting off the deck of the planet's surface with lofty time-wasting... rather, appreciating and testing the value of online living.

Moving from the early ideas of desk-bound communication, our mobile world follows us rather than being a place that we access from single points beyond our daily lives. Even in 1975, there was a preview of the advantages... have a look at these slides!

Gmail, Picasa, me.com, online storage and backup, Google calendar

Sure, there are some dangers... NPR presented a report that's got some helpful cautionary value to it.

But I'm prepared to embrace the good of the new before fearing the bad of its shortcomings. Yeah, I'm cautious and conscious of security... but the online world is a resource to use rather than run from in a sweat.

2008-12-13T15:00:00.001+11:00

love getting the washing done! And twittering away the occasional thought in my online clouds - now how's that for multi-skilling?

2008-12-11T22:39:00.001+11:00

counting the days to the inauguration.

2008-12-09T22:49:00.001+11:00

very encouraged!

2008-12-03T23:00:00.001+11:00

loving Kung Fu Panda. Jack Black is pure awesomeness! http://ping.fm/zQNTW

2008-12-01T22:03:00.001+11:00

loving a status update as an expressive communication tool... and a little bit of a statement of one's personality: http://ping.fm/QpgxR

2008-11-30T21:18:00.001+11:00

impressed by Shane Baxter's thoughts at ECC on Sunday night. Very encouraging and inspiring.

2008-11-30T13:24:00.001+11:00

back from an inspiring service... looking forward to this evening's big bash: http://ping.fm/PnCBB

2008-11-29T19:54:00.001+11:00

not bothered by claims of old-guard members cramming Obama's first appointments. Change is delivered by those who who know their way around

2008-11-27T19:35:00.001+11:00

disturbed by the scale of attacks in India... http://ping.fm/ZPRBq

2008-11-23T18:31:00.001+11:00

enjoying the weekend with my great girls, but looking forward to another fulfilling week... http://ping.fm/p5HlB

2008-11-22T07:58:00.001+11:00

contemplating mobile communications and a cloud... http://ping.fm/xJk3N

2008-11-19T19:59:00.001+11:00

loving the CBS 60 Minutes interview of the first family from last weekend... http://ping.fm/vEANQ

2008-11-15T20:17:00.001+11:00

loved the CBS 60 minutes interview with the Obama team... http://ping.fm/KgcyD

2008-11-15T11:45:00.001+11:00

loving The West Wing, all over again... http://ping.fm/vdeIA

2008-11-14T22:08:00.001+11:00

mystified at the delay in the 'Bloody Sunday' enquiry: http://ping.fm/zdcqH

2008-11-11T20:58:00.001+11:00

trusting all works together for good. Love that scripture http://ping.fm/oMW7l

2008-11-08T15:50:00.001+11:00

loving the first p-elect press conference.

2008-11-02T18:40:00.001+11:00

... just saw 'Body of Lies' and loved it. Have to agree with David on this one... http://ping.fm/G5jvo

2008-11-01T14:07:00.001+11:00

... I've got my POTUS08 party all set for Wednesday... just gotta get the speech notes finished. Yes we can!

2008-10-26T19:28:00.001+11:00

only 9 days to go... bring on those elections! Now, if only I could vote 'Stateside'...

LOVING the Legend!

2008-10-04T11:01:00.002+10:00

2008-10-04T11:00:00.001+10:00

loving the Legend...

2008-09-30T22:07:00.001+10:00

way to go... a worthy start to the day http://ping.fm/eZQjX

2008-09-28T19:14:00.001+10:00

counting down the days to the US election...

Reactive rescue

2008-09-20T18:47:00.001+10:00

There's clearly a theme in play right now - something that links the behaviours of recent US decisions. That theme is a sense of reactive rescue rather than considered response. The US - and international governments - are all spending less time positioning for the future... more passion reacting to the mistakes and misadventures of the recent past. Call it 'panic', but don't called it misplaced fear.

The biggest challenge will be for the next President to focus forward while mopping up the failures of past strategies (or the absence thereof).

The biggest question will be if there's even time enough for such strategic planning. At least for now... there's clearly the energy to repair, then reset.

2008-09-20T14:26:00.001+10:00

great story on OnPoint - Dexter's written a classic: http://ping.fm/TAyIc

2008-09-16T21:14:00.000+10:00

Karen's home. Yay. http://ping.fm/Nu5Cd

2008-09-15T21:42:00.001+10:00

worth something... http://ping.fm/tteXz

2008-09-14T16:40:00.001+10:00

Listening to: Mars Hill Bible Church - Mars Hill - The Wind of God - Kent Dobson - Audio http://ping.fm/AtRna

The newest craze...

2008-09-14T16:37:00.001+10:00

2008-09-09T18:14:00.001+10:00

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Psalm 103: 2

2008-09-07T18:54:00.001+10:00

loving the elections race, now that it's reaching the pointy end of the cycle. Jon Stewart, from The Daily Show, is must-see!

2008-08-21T18:29:00.001+10:00

home time!

Retail therapy

2008-08-15T18:19:00.000+10:00

Gotta start changing the way I shop...

Awesome Ways to Grocery Shop - Watch more free videos

2008-08-14T19:34:00.000+10:00

wondering what life is like without Olympics viewing? http://ping.fm/zX5WB

2008-08-12T13:04:00.001+10:00

Great catching up with East District last night... back to my life of words now.

2008-08-09T18:14:00.001+10:00

checking out new news widgets for news junkies like me.

2008-08-08T18:34:00.001+10:00

not at the Olympics

2008-08-04T15:17:00.001+10:00

meeting a deadline

The One - playing up stereotypical fears?

2008-08-03T18:18:00.005+10:00

One of the recent video advertisements by the McCain campaign is titled The One:

What bothers me about this video is the implication that Obama is somehow suggesting he is messianic. I don't see that in the prayer he posted in the 'Wailing Wall' while visiting Jerusalem recently, as shown.

I also do not see it in the words he uses when describing his faith in Jesus Christ. In Obama's own words, he 'accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior' and is 'a big believer in not just words, but deeds and works. I don't believe that the Kingdom of God is achievable on Earth without God's intervention, and without God's return through Jesus Christ, but I do believe in improvement.'

Before McCain's team rushes to label him Messianic, or attempting that card, I'd prefer to look at the humility of a prayer that seek's God's intervention and admits to needing God's forgiveness.

Life's a balancing act...

2008-08-02T14:31:00.004+10:00

Yeah... not something I'm ever going to do...

... not even this one...

2008-08-01T19:18:00.001+10:00

getting closer to an anniversary

2008-07-31T21:32:00.001+10:00

relaxing by listening to US politics talkback... yeah, that's what I do...

2008-07-31T07:36:00.001+10:00

trusting, believing, faithful

2008-07-30T18:52:00.001+10:00

Paul is with his girls.

Personal space, only weird if you breach it in the street

2007-05-03T23:05:00.000+10:00

There's something weird about getting too close to someone. In the street, I mean... It's just not done. Standing right up 'in someone's face' when talking to them is way too confronting. It is especially so in Australia, where the continental expanse has an unseen effect on our psyche.

Simply put, we all like our personal spaces. It's a zone we own, beyond the boundaries of our homes. It's the unseen barrier that defines your social comfort zone.

Few people cross that line of demarcation.It's just not done. It's weird.

Then again, there is a place where personal space can be invaded. It's the one public space that should be breached. It's not a streetscape. It is, rather, the place you are in right now, the place where you read. Be it a book, magazine, net reader, website, email -- written communication works best when the author crosses a line.

Good writing will enter your personal space. It attracts interest, draws emotion, leaves marks, challenges beliefs, forces decision.

Good writing is not intrusive, but surgical, cutting to your heart with a healing clarity.

'Personal space' is no barrier for a good writer.It's a magnet.

Once upon a time... a story about starting a good story!

2007-04-14T23:26:00.000+10:00

'Once upon a time', there was a really bad idea.

It probably began with a noble idea and got lost somewhere after the words, 'Once upon a time...'

Timelines. Chronologies. I am sure they work really well in some forms of learning and tuition. But they kill effective communication.

Starting your words with an emphasis on origins is the worst way to communicate a message. It puts a big emphasis on something other than the point of your story or message.

The thing we need to say is usually the first thing we need to say... not a preparatory context that details the 'diarised' recounting of an event. Backgrounding should stay out of the frame when it comes to the start of effective communication.

As a journalist, I was always taught to get to the point. The 'how' and the 'lead-up' should follow the headline and vital points of the introduction. It is a principle that works so well in all types of communication, especially emails and phone calls.

PS: Once upon a time, there was a story that was way too boring to continue. The end.

Light FM interview

2007-04-13T22:21:00.000+10:00

Subscribers to my blog get a chance to actually hear my voice this week. No, it's not the start of 'Rated PG' blogcasts (yet). Actually, it's a radio interview on Melbourne Christian station Light FM. Interviewer Clayton Bjelan will bring the chat to Melbourne airwaves during the coming week. For my international subscribers or non-Victorian readers, check it out online via the live stream. I'll post an update when I know the planned interview time.