Mike's Adventures

Testing Aids Sufficiency

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I know this might seem like jibberish, but it has a purpose.

Final thoughts on the matter are that it doesn’t really mean anything to anyone unless you spend the time to contemplate the stunning wonder of the event horizon of a black hole. What happens when you pass through to the other side? Is it a universe contained within the black hole? Or does time loop back on itself? Or something else. Until we have the capability to send something through and find out somehow what goes on on the other side, there’s just no way of knowing, no matter how much theorising takes place among the centres of learning. Look at it another way: a black hole contains the unlimited possibilities of the infinite. Could that therefore mean that the being we’ve called God is actually a black hole? Or that heaven is inside a black hole? One could waste many years thinking about the possibilities, but without the ability to logically rule anything out, it’s an exercise in futility. Continue reading Testing Aids Sufficiency →

Adventure, Monty's Adventures

Askari Afrobeat Orchestra

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The Askari afrobeat orchestra is one of the bands I play in regularly around the Perth metropolitan area. We are a 13 piece band, yes that is big, that have been brought together by a common love for African music, particularly the Afrobeat of Fela Kuti and Tony Allen.

Since forming in 2009 we have been the resident band at Afrodisia, this is a night promoted by Think Twice promotions which celebrates African Music, particularly the genre of Afrobeat. The Afrodisia nights started at Mojos in North Fremantle once a month on a Saturday before moving earlier in 2010 to being hosted at the Funk Club which is located upstairs at the Leederville Hotel. Afrodisia occurs the third Saturday of every month, the rest of the Friday nights at the Funk Club feature local, national and international acts in the Soul and Funk genres. On the 8th October the band get to support the inaugural visit of Mulatu Astatke and the 11 piece band “The Black Jesus Experience” at the Bakery in Northbridge. Multatu is considered to be the Father of the style of music known as Ethio-Jazz.

The band has largely been influenced by the music of Fela Kuti, considered the Father of Afrobeat, as well as Toni Allen and others including Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, Manu Dibango, Mulatu Astatqe, Franco Luambo Makaidi, Antibalas, Ebo Taylor, Alhaji K. Frimpong, the Daktaris, Orchestra Baobab, Sam Mangwana, Tabu Ley Rocheareau, Mbaraka Mwinshehe, Mahmoud Ahmed, Wallias Band in styles that include Afrobeat, Afrofunk, Highlife and Ethio Jazz.

The Askari are a local Perth band and comprise of 13 local Perth Musicians who work in numerous other bands across the city. The high level of skill and years of experience of these performers leads to a high energy and exciting evening of entertainment every time. Co-led by Jon Fernandes (Bass) and Jamie Searle (Guitar) the band features Grace Barbe (Neema) – bass, guitar, vocals. Ofa Fotu (Mrembo) – guitar, percussion, vocals. Rhys Bailey-Brooks (Kijana) – baritone saxophone. Jimmy Murphy (Madomo) – trumpet. Alistair McEvoy (Buzi) – saxophones. Simon Montgomery (Mtaalamu) – alto, tenor sax. John Brown (Anaondokaye) – sticks, shakere. Shane Kearney (Bingwa) – congas, djembe, talking drum. Zen Fusion (Kifimbo) – drum set. The regular band has also been joined at various times by many other musicians form in the Perth Music community for various shows.

Mike's Adventures

It Can’t Be Done

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One of my favourite poems as a kid was “It Can’t Be Done” from William J Bennet’s A Book Of Virtues:

The man who misses all the fun
Is he who says, “It can’t be done.”
In solemn pride he stands aloof
And greets each venture with reproof.
Had he the power he’d efface
The history of the human race;
We’d have no radio or motor cars,
No streets lit by electric stars;
No telegraph nor telephone,
We’d linger in the age of stone.
The world would sleep if things were run
By men who say, “It can’t be done.”

So true… I still often say it to myself when I come against obstacles.

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Indoor Soccer

Preparing for the Grand Final

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The grand final is only 2 days away and the excitement is building.

We are playing on 1 July 2009 at 7:10 against Smurfs. Check out Revolution Sports Centre if you aren’t sure how to get there. The expected team is:

Mike Haydon (goals)
Cat Haydon
Monty
Dave Haydon
Melis Haydon
Justin Carrick
Marguerite Klup
Chico
Chris Laundy

So basically… Yep, we’ll have our full team, which is awesome because Smurfs have an incredible team. See here for what happened last time we played them.

The playlist to pump up for the grand final is:

Ricky Martin – La Copa De La Vida (The Cup of Life)
High School Musical 3 – Now or Never
Jean Michel Jarre – Rendez Vous 98
Spagna – Il Bello Della Vita
Belini – Samba e Gol
Pink – So What
Youssou – La Cour Des Grands
Linkin Park – What I’ve Done
John Farnham – Pressure Down
My Chemical Romance – Welcome to the Black Parade
Potbelleez – Are You With Me
Global Deejays – Everybody’s Free
Scooter – Logical Song
Britney Spears – Piece of Me
Drowning Pool – Man Without Fear
Amy Pearson – Ready to Fly
Wes – Midiwa Bol! (I Love Football)

So there you have it. Hopefully my next post is to say we won the grand final. If it’s late, you can safely say we lost, because I’ll be sharing it as soon as I calm down enough to write if we do win 🙂