Yowazzup: A Directory of Happening Things

Brit Ben Southland Gets "The Best Job in the World" He beats over 34,000 applicants to qualify for the job that requires him to explore white sand beaches and sail, snorkel and scuba dive and blog about all that. For that, he will be paid $111,824 (AUD $150,000) for six month when the job starts on July 1.

And oh, don’t forget to view his interview video:

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What do you say to a six-month vacation on a beautiful tropical island in Australia, rent-free accommodation in a three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, free airfares from your home country and 150,000 Australian dollars (USD $105,000)?

An Australian state is offering just that. All you need to do is take care of the island, stroll the white sands, snorkel the reef and take care of a few minor tasks — and report to the world via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.

Hamilton Island (Photo Credit: Islandreefjob.com)

Hamilton Island (Photo Credit: Islandreefjob.com)

Whitehaven Beach (Photo Credit: Islandreefjob.com)

Hamilton Island as seen through Google Earth

The requirement: – The successful applicant must be a good swimmer, excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.

Hurry up, applications are open until February 22, 2009. Eleven shortlisted candidates will be flown to Hamilton Island in early May for the final selection process and the six month contract will commence on July 1, 2009.

Job-seekers can apply on Islandreefjob.com

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Hong Kong action film star Jackie Chan returned to his Australian roots on Saturday to bury his father alongside his mother almost six years after she died in Australia’s capital.

Chan’s father Charlie died in a Hong Kong hospital on February 26, aged 93, after battling prostate cancer. Chan brought his body back to Canberra to be laid to rest beside Lee Lee Chan, who died in 2002.

“It’s a hard day. I loved my father so much because he did so much for me when I was young. We had a very poor family and he left Hong Kong to support himself. He was just the greatest father for me,” a distraught Chan told reporters.

Read the rest of Jackie Chan Is Emo During His Father’s Funeral in Australia

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Gabriel is a mediocre 2007 Australian supernatural film set in purgatory, a place in which the souls of those dying penitent are purified from venial sins.

SPOILER WARNING: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Since the start of time, heaven and hell have fought over purgatory and the souls trapped inside it. Each side has sent seven warriors: Arc angels from heaven, Fallen angels from hell. In order to enter purgatory, they must assume human form, which means they are not invulnerable. Despite that, they have the healing ability. Hell has obtained control of purgatory, transforming the place into a dark, seedy city. The last Arc, Gabriel (Andy Whitfield), endeavors to discover what has become of his comrades and to restore the Light.

Gabriel

With a budget of approximately $150,000, there is nothing much to shout about. The movie’s quality is mediocre – the lighting, the CGI and the sound effect. The cast does not has any good-looking actors except Andy Whitfield as Gabriel himself.

Maybe the only good thing is the fake blood used somewhat looks more real than Sweeney Todd and especially 300.

Overall, the movie is not worth watching, unless of course, you’re a fan of mediocre movie.

My ratings: 5 out of 10. Mediocre in every sense!

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Yesterday, January 26 was Australia Day, well, Happy Australian Day to all my Aussie readers!

Don’t forget to check out Australia Day Gallery for a nice collection of photos of the event.

Here’s a very nice video of Australia Day: -

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Despite the danger that awaits him, 14-year-old Julian Shaw did what he has to do and saved a man’s life. Read on…

Mark O’Dwyer owes his life to a 14-year-old punk rocker and an edgy television science program.

The 54-year-old was waiting at Lisarow train station on the Central Coast at 2.45pm on October 19 when he fainted and toppled two metres from the platform onto the tracks below, as a freight train bore down on the station.

Julian Shaw, who is 180 centimetres tall and weighs 70 kilograms, was travelling home from school with classmates when he saw Mr O’Dwyer, who is 187 centimetres tall and weighs 110 kilograms, fall. Julian leapt into action.

What a brave young man. Many of us may have not have had the guts to do so.

The 54-year-old man whose life is saved even plans to get his girlfriend to crave a medalion for this young boy.

The 14-year-old Julian Shaw also mentioned,

Everyone at school knows about it – kids are buying me ice-blocks and hamburgers.

Would you have done what he had done?

Read the rest of o Save A Man 14-Year-Old Punk Rock Kid Jumps In Front of Train To Save Man

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Barrow Island is the second largest island in Western Australia, and is one of Australia’s oldest nature reserves. But this remarkable place, described as Australia’s ‘Galapagos’ because of its rare and endangered species, now faces unprecedented threats.

Take action to now to protect Barrow Island

In December 2006, the Western Australian Government overruled the advice of its own Environmental Protection Authority and approved the development on the island of a huge gas plant by the energy companies, Chevron, Shell and ExxonMobil.

Risks to wildlife from the massive project include the introduction of invasive species and diseases in the thousands of tonnes of material and equipment needed to build the plant. The development would also require the construction of a port in a pristine tropical area previously earmarked for inclusion in the surrounding marine park and the dredging of deep shipping channels in coral reef habitat.

Barrow Island is a sanctuary for marsupials like the burrowing bettong (above), the golden bandicoot and many other threatened and endemic species.

You can help protect Barrow Island by signing our petition to the energy consortium (Chevron, Shell and ExxonMobil).

Tell them to halt plans to locate the gas plant on the island and instead look to alternative mainland locations.

(Via WWF Passport)

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