Day 228 - 231: Coffee Date, Writing & Reading

Day 228: Coffee date with Surafel Tesfaye, a filmmaker who cast me in a graduate thesis film last year that I was really excited about shooting only to have the funding fall out. I randomly saw him as an extra in a webseries which lead me to search for his contact information and shoot him a text message to say hello and touch base. From there we decided to catch up at my favorite Larchmont Village cafe. He's been in Ethiopia for a few months so he's ready to reconnect with others and get to work now that he's back and done with school.

Day 229: Quick brainstorming session via telephone with Tara to complete our outline. Finished reading Save The Cat- though I checked it out from the library it will be a book that I purchase for my own. 

Day 230 - 231: Started reading Save The Cat 2: STC Goes To The Movies

The day Abbott bared his soul

Misha Schubert August 28, 2011

"The only thing I wouldn't do is sell my arse - but I'd have to give serious thought to it" ... Abbott. Photo: Andrew Meares

THE way Tony Windsor recalls it, Tony Abbott begged crossbench MPs to make him prime minister, joking ''the only thing I wouldn't do is sell my arse - but I'd have to give serious thought to it''.

In interviews to mark the anniversary of their decision to back Julia Gillard to run the country, independent MPs have revealed startling new details of their reservations about the Opposition Leader, including that joking plea.

And Bob Katter - one of the crossbenchers who backed Mr Abbott - is now deeply disenchanted, accusing the Liberal leader of welching on a deal to put up laws mandating ethanol in petrol.

Mr Katter says the Coalition's failure to put up the laws before the Greens took control of the Senate fills him ''with a deep sense of disquiet'' over whether Mr Abbott can be relied on. ''If you weren't going to keep your agreement, you must bear the consequences of having a question mark over you and your undertakings,'' he said.

Mr Windsor recalls feeling alarm and pity when Mr Abbott revealed the depth of his personal desire to become prime minister.

''I remember him saying: 'Tony, I would do anything for this job. The only thing I wouldn't do is sell my arse, but I'd have to give serious thought to it,''' he said.

His fellow crossbench MP Rob Oakeshott also recalls Mr Abbott begging for the job but would not comment publicly about this gag.

Mr Abbott's spokesman rejected the recollection yesterday. ''Tony did not make that comment,'' he said.

On Mr Windsor's view that Mr Abbott wanted the job too much, he said: ''Tony Windsor was saying the exact opposite in October last year.''

He refused to be drawn on Mr Katter's allegations, saying Mr Abbott ''is not going to run a commentary on the independents''.

Mr Oakeshott said his decision to back Labor was made on the style, personality and character of the two leaders because there was scant ideological difference between the two major parties.

''I think it is revealing, his call for an early election. He is on paper committing to a full three-year term and a more consensual style of polity,'' he said.

''What happened? I thought when he put something in writing, it mattered. Even those written agreements are questionable.''

Of the six crossbench MPs, Mr Katter was the only one to cast doubt that he made the right call last year - but he would not transfer support to Ms Gillard.

''I have found Julia to be a very pleasant person and privately a very sensible person, so I don't like saying that as a Prime Minister she has just failed,'' he said.

In the original decision, four of the six - Adam Bandt, Andrew Wilkie, Mr Oakeshott and Mr Windsor - backed Ms Gillard. Mr Katter and Tony Crook backed Mr Abbott.

Mr Wilkie has voiced disquiet over Ms Gillard's expressions of confidence in the Labor MP Craig Thomson, who is fighting claims that he misused his credit card while a union leader to pay for prostitutes.

Mr Wilkie said he ''could not ignore the fact that there is a large number of serious allegations and a prima facie case is amassing'' but he wanted Ms Gillard to remain prime minister.

''The support of the four key crossbenchers is as solid as ever,'' Mr Wilkie said.

''I have been a little surprised by that, particularly Tony [Windsor] and Rob [Oakeshott]. I think they were more open-minded early in the piece but, as time has gone on, I think their support for the government has strengthened, partly because they have been treated quite badly by the opposition.''

The day Abbott bared his soul

Thomson records missing

Royce Millar and Ben Schneiders

August 27, 2011

Click to play video

The Coalition seizes on reports the Government called the Industrial Registrar to see if Craig Thomson was being investigated two years ago.

FINANCIAL records for the period of Craig Thomson's reign over the beleaguered Health Services Union are missing, a major impediment to investigations by authorities into the credit card scandal threatening Julia Gillard's government.

Well-placed health union sources told The Saturday Age yesterday that industrial umpire Fair Work Australia and an external auditor of the union in 2008 had found in separate investigations that records for the period 2002 to 2007 had ''disappeared''.

Fair Work has been probing the financial management of the national office of the union under Mr Thomson since April 2009 when a request was lodged with its predecessor, the Australian Industrial Registry.

Craig Thomson Photo: Nic Walker

New South Wales police are also investigating following a referral this week by the current national secretary, Kathy Jackson.

Last night Ms Jackson said there were ''a lot of records missing from the organisation''.

Mr Thomson, Labor member for the federal seat of Dobell, is accused of having misused his union credit card while an HSU official, with spending on escort services and unexplained cash withdrawals worth more than $100,000.

A health union insider said yesterday that Fair Work Australia had blamed missing records when asked about the delays in completing its investigation.

It remains unclear why the records are missing or who is responsible for this.

HSU insiders with long-standing concerns about its management yesterday confirmed that the union's bookkeeping was poor, with one describing financial reports to the executive and wider union as a ''joke''.

However, a copy of a 2008 audit of the union by Melbourne chartered accountants Dick and Smith reveals that:

■ Mr Thomson continued to use his union mobile phone and credit card after he was elected to Federal Parliament in November 2007, spending $5480 on his credit card and $2095 on his mobile after November 24, 2007.

■ HSU funds were also used in 2007 to donate $10,000 to Dads in Education, a charity of which Mr Thomson became a director in 2009.

■ A promise of $39,000 in union funds was made to the Central Coast Rugby League club, located in Mr Thomson's Dobell electorate. It is unclear if the money was actually paid.

The audit found that a ''lack of documentation'' for many transactions made it ''impossible for us to definitively state what many of these expenditures were''.

Prime Minister Gillard was yesterday forced to defend reports that her chief of staff, Ben Hubbard, had asked questions of Fair Work Australia about its investigation of the HSU before the allegations against Mr Thomson became public.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott jumped on the report. But the government produced evidence that the Industrial Registrar had contacted Mr Hubbard only after the allegations about Mr Thomson were made public, on April 8, 2009.

However, it remains unclear when Mr Hubbard first telephoned the then registrar, Doug Williams. Ms Gillard said yesterday neither she or Mr Hubbard, had any ''active recollection'' of when contact first occurred on the Thomson case.

Mr Williams was quoted as saying: ''I recall receiving a phone call [from Mr Hubbard] in early 2009 concerning inquiries that I had initiated into the Health Services Union.''

Last night Mr Williams told The Saturday Age he had nothing further to add.

On Thursday angry powerbrokers were canvassing the union's exclusion from the party's state conference.

But the ALP's powerful administrative committee last night failed to act against the union.

With KATHARINE MURPHY

Thomson records missing

Union erupts after underworld message

Kate McClymont

August 27, 2011

Besieged ... MP Craig Thomson. Photo: Andrew Meares

THE Health Services Union is threatening to implode over the Craig Thomson credit card scandal, with the bitter infighting between the union's factions bringing more trouble for the Gillard government.

A dirt-encrusted shovel, a none-too-subtle underworld code for ''dig your own grave'', was left on the doorstep of union general secretary Kathy Jackson's Melbourne home yesterday.

And the Herald can reveal that many of the union's financial records, relating to the period of Mr Thomson reign, have disappeared.

Ms Jackson said there were a ''lot of records missing from the organisation.'' It is unclear why the documents for the period between 2002 to 2007 are missing or who is responsible for this.

Ms Jackson spoke to reporters yesterday despite receiving a phone call from Michael Williamson, the union's national president and an ally of Mr Thomson, on Thursday night to tell her she no longer had authority to talk to the media. The Victorian police are investigating the shovel incident, which has left Ms Jackson was outraged.

''Who are these blokes? Spivs and standover merchants,'' she told the Herald. ''The HSU national executive represents the members, not factional quislings in Victoria.''

Speaking to AAP, she added: ''I'm a big girl. I didn't expect this sort of stuff would have occurred but it has, it's unfortunate and I'm moving on. If the person who has done this thinks they can intimidate me … they've picked the wrong girl.''

It is not suggested Mr Williamson was involved in the shovel incident.

Ms Jackson is under attack by elements within the union for not only authorising the original 2008 inquiry into Mr Thomson's expenses but for this week helping the NSW fraud squad by forwarding the results of the union's initial investigation.

That inquiry revealed that Mr Thomson used his union credit card to make more than $100,000 in personal expenditures, including on prostitutes and expensive lunches.

The union, which represents hospital and aged care orderlies and clerks, has 70,000 members and an annual turnover of $16 million.

According to an official Labor Party website, Labor heavyweight Mr Williamson, 58, is credited with turning the union around.

If real estate is anything to go by, the union appears to be awash with money, having spent more than $16 million on property purchases in the past five years. Most of the purchases are in an office block in Pitt Street, in Sydney's city centre.

The union broke a Melbourne record of price per square metre when it outlayed $4.65 million for its national headquarters in 2007. Mr Williamson is also credited with using his ''entrepreneurial skills'' to bring new services for union members, the ALP website claims.

Among those services are an array of IT, computer and mobile systems which are provided to the union by Mr Williamson's IT company, United Edge, which has offices on the same floor as the union in the Pitt Street building. Among United Edge's clients, according to its website, are trade unions and patient care organisations.

Mr Williamson is also a director of Imaging Partners Online, which provides off-site radiology services to both private and public hospitals. Last year Mr Williamson spent $522,000 buying a beach house at Lake Macquarie, having previously spent $470,000 buying the adjacent block.

The well-connected Mr Williamson is a former president of the Labor Party and is vice-president of the party. His daughter, Alex, is a media adviser in the Prime Minister Julia Gillard's staff. Mr Williamson did not return the Herald's call.

Union erupts after underworld message

Thomson twist: Brandis called A-G before minister

Sean Nicholls and Lenore Taylor

August 27, 2011

Challenged over calls ... federal shadow attorney-general, George Brandis. Photo: Jacky Ghossein

THE federal shadow attorney-general, George Brandis, phoned his NSW counterpart, Greg Smith, to discuss the possible prosecution of the Labor MP Craig Thomson two weeks before his call to the NSW Police Minister, Mike Gallacher, which sparked claims of political interference.

The Herald revealed that Senator Brandis called Mr Gallacher on Friday last week to inform him he would send the NSW Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione, a dossier of information relating to Mr Thomson's alleged use of a union credit card to purchase escort services.

Mr Gallacher subsequently called Mr Scipione and then called Senator Brandis again the next day about the matter. Mr Gallacher and Senator Brandis have described their contact as ''courtesy'' calls, but the revelations caused the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, to imply that Senator Brandis tried to apply political pressure to force an investigation.

The opposition has been pushing for a criminal conviction against the former union official as it could force him out of Parliament and cause a byelection in his seat of Dobell. Labor would most likely lose that byelection and, consequently, government.

Mr Smith confirmed yesterday he had also received a phone call from Senator Brandis to discuss a possible investigation of Mr Thomson. He said Senator Brandis called him on August 3 to alert him the Herald would be running a story revealing that Senator Brandis would ask the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions to pursue criminal charges.

''I told him the DPP would not be able to act until they were given a brief of evidence,'' Mr Smith said. ''There has been no contact - by myself or anyone in my office - with the DPP on this issue.''

Senator Brandis said last night he contacted Mr Smith to alert him to the Herald story.

The federal Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, said yesterday: ''I know Mr Smith to be a decent man and obviously I don't know the contents of the conversation.

''I can only repeat the warning I gave in Parliament this week - that politicians aren't prosecutors and Senator Brandis should be very wary of crossing the line.''

Mr McClelland told Parliament it was ''quite irresponsible for any politician to take a course of action that has the potential to tarnish the public's perception of that complete impartiality''.

Coalition allegations that Ms Gillard knew of the affair before it became public because of a telephone conversation between her chief of staff and the industrial registrar were undermined yesterday by publicly available information about the call.

Answers provided by the government in Parliament last year, and by Fair Work Australia to a Senate estimates committee, show the phone call between Ms Gillard's chief of staff, Ben Hubbard, and the then Industrial registrar Doug Williams occurred on April 8, 2009, the day allegations concerning Mr Thomson were first revealed in the Herald.

Mr Hubbard had been told an investigation into the allegations was under way and had asked whether Ms Gillard, then the workplace relations minister, could say that an inquiry was under way if she was asked about the report. According to the answers there was no other communication between Ms Gillard's staff and the office.

The Trade Minister, Craig Emerson, said yesterday that the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, has ''maliciously and knowingly smeared the Prime Minister'' with the allegations.

Thomson twist: Brandis called A-G before minister

Party girl Pippa: Miss Middleton and boyfriend Alex Loudon enjoy night out at Public

By Sarah Fitzmaurice





They were seen cuddling at the cricket earlier this month putting paid to rumours that their relationship was on the rocks.



And last night Pippa Middleton and her boyfriend Alex Loudon enjoyed an evening partying at Public nightclub.



The pair emerged from the hotspot, favoured by young royals Prince Harry and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, at 1.30am via the back door.



Party girl: Pippa Middleton and her boyfriend Alex Loundon were seen leaving Public nightclub at 1.30am this morning





The couple climbed into a black cab and headed for home after enjoying an evening at Prince Harry's friend Guy Pelly’s club.



Pippa was dressed in a black pencil skirt and a grey printed blouse as she emerged from the nightclub.



And flying the flag for British fashion Pippa stepped out in a light grey cropped leather jacket by designer Sara Berman, with trademark studded collar and cuffs.



Eton-educated Alex was dressed in a pair of cream corduroy trousers, a white checked shirt and a blue V-neck jumper.



Heading home: The couple, who have been dating for over a year jumped in a black cab after leaving the nightclub via the back door



Style icon: Pippa, whose fashion has been followed recently, donned a black pencil skirt a blouse and a grey leather jacket for her outing





The couple have been quick to dispel rumours of a split when earlier this month Pippa, nicknamed Her Royal Hotness after her role as maid of honour at her sister Catherine’s wedding to Prince William in April, was on hand to support her beau at a cricket match.



Pippa, bagged herself a prime spot on the field at the London Shenley Club in Hertfordshire, and was seen talking to players and waiting to greet her boyfriend with a loving post-match embrace.



Cute couple: Pippa and Alex put paid to rumours that they had split at the cricket earlier this month when they were seen kissing and cuddling





The English graduate has become a style icon since her sister's wedding.



Kim Kardashian is said to have taken inspiration from Pippa’s Alexander McQueen bridesmaid’s gown for her own wedding party.



Meanwhile troubled actress Lindsay Lohan also copied Miss Middleton by wearing the same Alice Temperley gown that Pippa wore at the Royal wedding reception, to attend Kim’s wedding last weekend.



The actress chose white for the black and white themed nuptuals.



Fashion forward: Pippa has become a style icon while Lindsay Lohan copied her Alice Temperley gown for Kim Kardashian's wedding last weekend





source:dailymail

It's all white on the night for Katie Price and her boyfriend Leandro Penna as they indulge in Marbella's lavish nightlife

By Emily Sheridan and Marcus Barnes





The whitest whites: Katie Price and Leandro Penna head out to the Tibu nightclub in Puerto Banus, Marbella





With a magazine of her own on the way, you'd think Katie Price might want to shun the world of clubs in order to check the last proofs and oversee the first issue's final stages.



But the one-time glamour model turned entrepreneur is currently holidaying in Puerto Banus, Marbella with her boyfriend Leandro Penna and her children, Harvey, Junior and Princess Tiaamii.



And last night she left the kids at their plush resort while she spent the evening with her new love taking in some of the delights that the Spanish town's nightlife has to offer.





The couple had seemingly planned out their outfits together before heading out, synchronising their outfits to a tee - both wearing summery white.



Katie, 33, wore a sheer flesh coloured vest through which her bra underneath was clearly visible.



She finished off the ensemble with a regulation pair of short shorts, in white - matching Leandro's 'Man from Del Monte' get up which consisted of a white shirt and linen trousers with a trendy pair of sandals. All that was missing was the trademark Panama hat.



Kiss my face: The model-turned-entrepreneur plants a smooch on her boyfriend's cheek during their night out





The pair headed to the town's Tibu nightclub which is billed as 'The club to be and be seen'.



Open day and night, Tibu comprises an outside terrace where visitors can soak up the Mediterranean rays during the day and, of course, put on their gladrags to party at night.



While the couple spend time with Price's family in Marbella, news of her new magazine was announced.



Ringing the changes: Miss Price had a gleaming ring on her engagement finger - however, she is often seen with rings on this finger





During her 10 years of fame, Katie Price has turned her hand to a variety of jobs, including modelling, acting, singing, designing, writing and launching a perfume range.



But now the mother-of-three is preparing to launch another venture - her own magazine.



Perhaps inspired by Oprah Winfrey's 'O' magazine, Price will save her exclusives for her 'Katie' magazine, which goes on sale next month.



World domination: Five photos of Katie Price adorn the first launch issue of her Katie magazine, which goes on sale next month





With the amount of stories concerning her in the tabloids and gossip magazines, its surprising she hadn't thought of it sooner.



The first issue, which will retail at £3.99, included five different images of the ex-Page 3 girl on the cover.



The glossy promises a look inside her wardrobe, a Jordan makeover and her favourite beauty products.



And it looks like it will include a telling interview on her lovelife, with the main headline 'I will get married again' gracing the cover.



Chilling out: Price is currently holidaying in Spain with her three children



She wrote on her Twitter today: 'Can't wait to get back and launch my new magazine. It's my latest venture. I've done it exclusively with WHSmith. Its called 'KATIE'.



'It's goes on sale at the beginning of September. I'll be doing signings at WHS Lakeside and Chelmsford on Sat Sept 10 and then in Milton Keynes and Leicester on the 17th.



'The press launch is on Sept 7th and as ever I've got a great TINY outfit for the launch.'



Her three children Harvey, Junior and Princess are all with her on the trip to Spain with Leandro.



Yet despite being on vacation, she has been regularly updating her Twitter page.



When one young follower revealed she had received poor GCSE results today, Price replied: 'Don't worry I got rubbish results but I'm still successful.'





source:dailymail

Miss Universe 2011 Contestants, At the theatre (part 1)

source: welovepageant

Miss Universe 2011 Contestants, Operation Smile. (part 2)

The "Operation Smile" event in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.



Miss China 2011 Luo Zilin, Miss Philippines 2011 Shamcey Supsup, Miss Universe 2010 Mexican Ximena Navarrete, Mis Venezuela 2011 Vanessa Goncalvez and Miss Brazil 2011 Priscila Machado pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011.







Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.







Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.







Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.







Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.







Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.





Miss Universe 2011 Contestants pose for a photograph during an event with "Operation Smile" in Sao Paulo August 25, 2011. Operation Smile aims to provide free surgery for about a hundred children inflicted with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities.











source: Daylife, Missosology, Missuniverse,