Aussie Wendell

Well, Barry Bonds hit his 715th home run yesterday, passing Babe Ruth along the way. He still trails my favorite sportsman of all-time, Hank Aaron who still holds the record for the most home runs in a career at 755 (the first to beat Babe Ruth), but he also holds the career marks for RBI (2,297), extra base hits (1,477) and total bases (6,856)...no I didn't have all of these stats floating around in my mind...I had to look the last two up.

In my opinion, however, there are very great differences in the two men...worthy enough I guess to write a quick blog. Hank Aaron was and continues to be my hero. Growing up in Atlanta in the 70's where he played for the Atlanta Braves and was chasing the home run-record, he was as big as it gets....but not in the pumped-up steroid sense that casts a shadow on the world of professional baseball today.

Hank Aaron overcame so many obstacles just to be in the major leagues including poverty, racism and in 1973, he was receiving more than 3,000 letters a day, most postmarked in northern cities, and most filled with hate; "This," Aaron said later about the letters, "changed me." Over that winter, Aaron endured death threats and a barrage of racist hate mail from people who did not want to see a black man break Ruth's home run record. I, we and Atlanta cheered him on and Babe Ruth's widow denounced the racists and "declared that her husband would have enthusiastically cheered Aaron's attempt at the record."

I remember to this day, receiving a Hank Aaron notepad from my second-grade teacher as a prize, and it quickly became my most cherished possession...hey, we were easier to please back then...there were no playstations and most of the Braves games were televised on a local UHF channel..."Superstation WTBS" (now TBS). I still have two Hank Aaron cards, one with photographs from the day he hit his 715th triumphant home-run.

I'm not quite sure why I decided to pursue this as a subject to write about today, but when I saw the photo of Bonds with his tree-trunk sized forearms waving in the air in victory (did you know his helmet size has also increased three sizes over the past few years...can anyone say growth hormone?) I thought back to that incredible night in Atlanta glued to the TV set watching Aaron round the bases, cannons firing in celebration and his mother running onto the field "into the arms of her son, tears brimming in her eyes; Mrs. Aaron wasn't just proud of her son, she rushed the plate because she thought her son had been shot," and my hero made me proud...I'm not sure quite the same can be said for many children who watched Barry Bonds last night.

Hey, I don't want to take anything away from his moment; Bonds has never failed a steroid test, but he is now under a grand jury probe for possible perjury. He went from denying he ever used steroids to saying he "never knowingly used performance enhancing drugs." Hmmm, sounds eerily reminiscent of "I did not have sex with that woman" to me. His personal trainer has already served a brief prison sentence after a steroid distribution conviction.

Not only is Hank Aaron in the Baseball Hall of Fame, at a celebration for his 65th birthday, he was honored for his achievements as both a player and a person; Major League Baseball announced the introduction of the Hank Aaron Award, to be presented annually to the best hitters in the American and National Leagues. This was the first major award to be introduced in more than thirty years, and the first to be named after a former player still living...sorry Barry, but given your reputation, your lack of sportsmanship and, well let's just call it steroid speculation, I don't think I'll hold my breath for any such award created for you. Good luck trying to get to 755.

Again, it wasn't me!

While "Wendell" was not the easiest name to grow up with in The States, it is definitely not a name you hear every day here in Australia; as a matter-of-fact, I think there are two of us, and unfortunately for me, the other is a one "Wendell Sailor," one of the most famous rugby players in Australia who is potentially being banned from the sport of rugby for drug use. (I'm using hyperlinks now so you can look things up easier...yes, I know, high-tech!). On the cover of all of the newspapers, and in the news every day, my name has a whole new meaning. Yes, at the sound of my first sniffle, I'm sure the jokes will ensue, as they are speculating that it was cocaine he was using. A headline the other day made me laugh..."Wendell Feels Hurt, Alone and Helpless" Hey, who are they talking about here, me or him???

Wendell Sailor

Wendell Williams (I can see why there might be some confusion...thanks Michael Hennessey for the portrait, painted in New York before I had the crazy idea of moving here to Australia. Michael is an amazing artist...don't judge him by this picture though...I didn't give him too much to work with!)

Yes, I was on a boat last weekend, but I promise I wasn't driving this one!

So, what else is going on in Sydney you ask? Socceroos Fever. Yes, for the first time Australia will be going to the World Cup, and the country is going mad! You know how in The States, there are sports cities like New York and Chicago with sports fanatics. Well imagine the whole of Australia being one big sports city. Whether it's Aussie Rules, Rugby League, AFL or soccer, this country LOVES its sport!!

And last (yes, a short blog for a change), the two miners I previously wrote about told their story to channel 9 last night (for over $2 million). Look for them to tell their story to Diane Sawyer in The States on May 30.

Will somebody please tell him to shut up? Seriously... Listen, I came from a fundamental Christian background and have grown into my own sense of spirituality over the years, I have an open mind with regard to all religions (yes Pat & Dubya, over 65% of the world's population will be living in eternal damnation because they believe differently than you), but I'm getting tired of Pat's conversations with God and us for that matter. Hmm, let's see what other christian-like comments he's made recently:

Robertson Suggests God smote Sharon, January 2006
"He (Sharon) was dividing God's land, and I would say, 'Woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the [European Union], the United Nations or the United States of America...God says, 'This land belongs to me, and you'd better leave it alone...'"

Robertson called for the assassination of Venezuela's president, August, 2005
"You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war. We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability."

Robertson Agrees with Faldwell...Gays, Abortionists & Feminists, Cause of September 11 Attacks, September, 2001
"I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen."
(Of course after public outcry, Robertson stated that he had not understood what Falwell was saying during the interview, which was conducted via television monitor)

The list goes on and on and on... I'm sure Christians and non-Christians alike worldwide would appreciate it if you'd keep your direct conversations (do you use Skype to talk to him or are the discussions via e-mail or SMS?) with God to yourself.

On another, completely unrelated subject, for those avid readers like myself who are always looking for a good recommendation, here is a link to The New York Times poll asking the question, "What Is the Best Work of American Fiction of the Last 25 Years?"

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/books/fiction-25-years.html?ex=1148097600&en=515e31ae335b0779&ei=5087%0A

A great weekend to get away from Sydney and head down to The George River down in Holdsworthy with Justin & Simone. Amazing that I've known Justin now for about 14 years; the first person I ever met in Australia while in Byron Bay back in 1993...and we're still friends....go figure.



OK, so we had a few problems with the boat in the beginning...
Besides spending the day on the river, it was sheer gluttony...Simone, an amazing cook (and person I should add), made a few cakes of varying varieties for Justin's birthday; I ate more chocolate this weekend than the previous three years combined....and she's the one who's pregnant. I definitely made up for the food-poisoning weight-loss in Cambodia...and then some!


And yes, what would the weekend be without a good ol' Aussie Barbie...

While America still rules when it comes to modern-day pop culture, there was an event here in Australia that captured the attention of this nation, bringing viewers, readers and listeners alike away from one-namer's like Britney & her new pregnancy, Tom's new movie & baby (aren't they one in the same?) and even the whereabouts of Paris...for a (much needed) change!


For 14 days, two miners, Todd Russell, 35, and Brant Webb, 37, (now referred to simply as Todd & Brant) were trapped in a steel cage meters below ground when a small earthquake triggered a rock fall in the Tasmanian gold mine where they were working. For the first four days, there was no indication that the two were alive, but miraculously, over a week ago, rescuers made contact; I had just returned from Vietnam and celebrated the miracle with the entire country...but it would be an additional agonizing 9 days before they were able to be rescued, and the rest, as they say, will be Australian History...(remember "Baby Jessica" back in 1987?)

"The nation's reaction to the agonizing plight of Brant Webb and Todd Russell proved there is some soul still there. The identification with their plight across the nation was extraordinary... If ever there was a situation that proved we are still capable of feeling others' pain and distress, this was it..." The Australian

Of course it has set about a media frenzy the likes of which Australia has never seen (we see it every time someone sneezes too hard in the U.S. and sues someone for wearing too much perfume for a gazillion dollars). Enter Eddie Maguire (e.g. Jeff Zucker at NBC in The States) who flew in town to have a drink with the miners..."oh yeah, why don't you sign this piece of paper since you're now my best mates and I'll make you millionaires." The battle between channel 7 and channel 9 are eerily reminiscent of the old Diane Sawyer & Barbara Walters standoff days. Speaking of Diane, supposedly she and Oprah have gotten in on the "securing the story rights" act too!

As they say here in Australia "Good Onya Mates," they deserve every penny of what's coming and believe me, they will never have to go down in that mine again.

On a completely different note, but in keeping with the theme of pop-culture, Pink was in town to promote her new (not so new in The States) album, "I'm Not Dead." Listen, I'm not a huge fan of the new MTV generation (there is only one true MTV Generation, and that's those of us who remember "I WANT MY MTV," Adam Curry and Downtown Julie Brown in the 80's), I don't even have cable here in Australia so my TV is limited to 4 channels (filled with a litany of U.S. programs like CSI and Law & Order...what's up with everyone's fascination with crime and murder anyway?), but Pink's new video (again, new here) is fantastic and has finally brought about the much needed type of dialogue in our society(s) regarding this new breed of celebrity and the fact that our children (no, I didn't come back from Cambodia with a child, but some of you have children) are trying to emulate these "Stupid Girls."

When Oprah asked Pink, "How do you feel as a young woman about where you see women headed in this culture? to which she responded, "Scared, really scared. I personally need more examples of how to be better and how to be stronger and how to go a different way...I need more examples, so I can't even imagine being in school and looking around. And now it's cool to have a sex tape. Are you kidding me?" Good Onya Pink; I hope you/we keep the dialogue going, as it truly is scary to see what kids look up to these days. (Where in the world this came from I have no idea...)

And finally...ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Can anyone say Terri Schiavo, 2000 election or Katherine Harris???

"I think Jeb would be a great president. But it's up to Jeb to make a decision to run," George Bush

"The Bridge"

"In this bold and thought-provoking documentary about suicide and its complex aftermath, Steel spends from dusk until dawn filming the Golden Gate Bridge everyday for a year, capturing nearly two dozen suicides that occurred in 2004. Intercut with these frightening leaps are interviews with the family and friends of the deceased." - David Kwok (Senior Programmer, Tribeca Film Festival)

What can I say other than how unbelievably happy I am for and proud I am of one of my best friends of all time, (pictured) Eric Steel. Over the years, he and I have been through/shared what at times felt like lifetimes of adversity combined with great triumphs and happiness; this is, however, his (and vicariously my) shining moment.

A few years ago, Eric called me to tell me about this crazy idea he had for a new movie after having read an article about the "tragedy" of people committing suicide by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. For those unaware, since the Golden Gate Bridge opened May 28, 1937, an estimated 1,300 people have leaped to their deaths from the span. Officials estimate that at least 24 people commit suicide there every year.

Without going into the unbelievable trials and tribulations he went through to not only get the movie started, but even harder to get it completed, (and not without much controversy) "The Bridge" had its world premier at the Tribeca Film Festival last week to much fanfare. From ABC News, The New York Times, LA Times, Good Morning America to yes, even here in Sydney this morning in The Sydney Morning Herald, the movie has brought to surface San Francisco's "dirty little secret."

Eric e-mailed me the other day and said, "I am sitting in the parking lot outside of a screening room where in about 45 minutes I am showing the film to the families and friends of people who jumped. I really might get crucified." Well just the opposite has happened. Coincidentally (?) in the the same week that the movie had its premier at the San Francisco Film Festival, directors of the Golden Gate Bridge and the SFO Highway and Transportation District secured $2 million for a feasibility study of a suicide barrier for the bridge. Eric and his movie have been heralded for single-handedly bringing about proposed safety changes to the bridge that have been sought for years by legions of people affected by suicide....statistically speaking, most of us!

I'm so happy to have been able to have shared in this unbelievable journey with Eric from different cities, states and now countries...I remember the day he read that now famous article and the adventure began, spending time filming at the bridge and the day he got the call from Tribeca Film Festival. Yes, if googled, you'll find a host of opinions about the movie, its intent and of its creator for that matter, but for those of us lucky enough to know Eric his intentions and his resolve, we know what an amazing person he is and today I find myself so incredibly happy for his success, but moreover for our continued friendship....I can't wait for the movie to have its premier in Australia so I can see you again!

(Eric, hopefully no copyright laws have been broken by using those pictures...)

http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/tixSYS/2006/filmguide/event_np_summary.php?EventNumber=1903

http://fest06.sffs.org/films/film_details.php?id=13

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Entertainment/story?id=1896367&page=1

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/director-leaps-to-defence-of-bridge-suicide-film/2006/05/05/1146335930536.html

I was at Clovelly Beach this afternoon and when the sun began to set, it cast the most amazing
shadows along the shore, so I thought I'd take a few pictures. The cemetery along the oceanfront is spectacular (Tony Jonaitis, I took this photo for you...reminds me of when we were all back in London in '93).

The pool at Bronte Beach sits on the water and is filled with ocean water...the waves crash into the pool. Pictured are a few people getting some laps in as the sun goes down.

And my social commentary for the day...

1) Darfur...there is just no time left to wait

2) Just remember that this is the classy guy George W. Bush nominated (and was appointed) to represent the U.S. in the United Nations to help make minor decisions like Iran & Sudan/Darfur....uggh.

I was looking through my photos of Cambodia and I am still amazed at the temples at Angkor Wat; I wish my pictures could even remotely reveal how amazing they are...over 40 miles of temples from the various Khmer dynasties, built between 802 and 1220 A.D. cannot be summarized in a few pictures.

Anyway, I thought I'd share a few more pictures of it with you. Ta Prohm is truly a spectacle with the trees growing over, around and through some of the beautiful temples.





While not a stunning photo (below), the temple at Prah Prei was actually quite amazing, more for it's solitude. It was quite a long hike to get here through a rough terrain (and very steep), so there weren't any tourists (which suited me just fine!)...








So I took a few minutes to take it all in and enjoy the view of the other temples in the background.
http://www.angkorwat.org/