In the news recently has been the talk about Interest Rates and the Banks. I know that it seems that the banks are always popping up as a hot topic and it seems for good reason. Last week the Reserve Bank lifted Interest Rates by 0.25 points and guess what, the Commonwealth Bank decided to almost double its rate!

So many questions come to mind, the most common seems to be how can the banks continue to raise interest rates above the Reserve Bank’s rate; when they are continuing to make billion dollar profits? The Big 4 Banks continue to neglect good old fashioned customer service by closing branches and making us wait while on the phone, sacking workers and raising charges, yet we as a community continue to accept it!

The Commonwealth Bank won’t be the only bank to raise interest rates in the next few weeks, all the banks will likely follow. They are sitting back looking at the communities reaction to the situation and will pounce when we least expect it! The banks are always quick to raise interest rates and by large percentages, they raise the credit card rates at the same time, even though these are ridiculously high. Can you remember the last time banks dropped interest rates so quickly from the Reserve Banks adjustments?

The other key fact here is the current economic climate; wasn’t it only a year or so ago when the Federal Government declared that it would guarantee each deposit and buy the Banks out if they fell into trouble! Isn’t it still offering this support? So what gives the banks the right to kick the Federal Government and the Reserve Bank in the guts when it was these same bodies who have been supporting them through some of our toughest times in recent history.

The Banks are not silly. They realise that customers will need to walk away before they change their spots, and guess what, people will not! Why? A mixture of factors, but the main ones seem to be lack of knowledge of just how much they can save and simple laziness. That’s right,  people just can’t find the time to worry about trivial matters like this.

My suggestion to you is to keep the pressure on the Banks. Get free advice from an independent mortgage broker, check out a smaller regional or community bank or a credit union. You will be surprised just how much you could be saving on your mortgage and credit card repayments every month.

Article written by Disheartened Dave.

Its finally here! The Federation Annual will be released at an exclusive launch party sponsored by Peroni and Nespresso at The Art Lounge kicking off at 7pm on the 25th November 2010. Design Federation called upon the many talents of their readership and supporters (the “Friends of the Federation”) for submissions to feature in this exciting inaugural departure from the virtual to the actual.

This print debut will serve as a striking visual showcase of the community in a beautiful, full-colour inspiration book. The theme of the book was “1” to celebrate the first book of its kind and demonstrate Design Federation’s solidarity with the Aussie design community.

All profits from The Federation Annual will be going to Mission Australia’s Creative Youth Initiative (CYI). Based in Sydney’s Surry Hills, CYI is a unique service that provides young people aged 16-25, who are facing many and varied challenges in their lives, such as homelessness, mental health issues, substance abuse, family breakdown, unemployment and early school leavers the opportunity to access professional and accredited creative programs. Design Federation has partnered with CYI to raise awareness for the program and promote their inspirational work.

The Federation Annual is available for $34.40 pre-order via the DF Big Cartel site

Over at Design Federation they are giving readers the chance to win one of 10 double passes to see Gainsbourg, a movie about the life and times of the legend Serge Gainsbourg.

To enter, click the link

Still one of the best intimate venues in Sydney for live music is The Vanguard in Newtown. Walk through the doors and you feel like you have stepped back in time.

With a 1920’s interior, this purpose built live music venue brings out the crisp sounds. With an elegant and stylish restaurant of which the menu includes an eclectic mix of soul food and modern Australian cooking; this is the place for a great night. The Vanguard plays host to big acts from Australia and around the world. But what I really love is the way it supports our local musicians.

The Vanguard is situated at 42 King Street, Newtown, a cosmopolitan neighbourhood where professors and students, the upwardly mobile and the down at heel, gay and straight, migrant and middle class, wealth and welfare, suits and spikes share a successful experiment in the new globalism. Newtown is the impact point where the University of Sydney collides with the University of Life.

Some of the gigs coming up at The Vanguard include Mama Kin in the 28th October, Urban Gypsies on the 29th October, Ava Torch and The Boybirds on the 3rd November and Aaron Harvie from Masterchef presents Food that Rocks: South of the border on the 9th November 2010.

No. 1 Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Lee Child follows the electrifying 61 Hours with his second Reacher thriller this year – a story that hits the ground running and then accelerates all the way to a colossal showdown.

Worth Dying For is the kind of explosive thriller only Lee Child could write and only Jack Reacher could survive – a heart-racing page-turner no suspense fan will want to miss.

www.leechild.com

www.jackreacher.co.uk

NEW LIFE RESIDENCY is the world’s first non-visual residency program for artists. The residency is organized by Wooloo as a work of Manifesta 8, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art, and will take place this fall in the Region of Murcia, Spain.

Artists are invited to apply for participation in the residency at www.wooloo.org/residency with the deadline for work proposals is AUGUST 15th, 2010.

Don’t look now, but Gallery Burlesque “just got darker” with this latest exhibition from the new and very cool mixed media show that supports local arts from the walls to the stages.

Featuring art from talented emerging artists Jordan Clarke, as well as Emily Moore, Umut Ince, Daisy Jaw, Robert Fedrick and Dolly Sheep.

Combine this with the heart thumping moves of burlesque beauties Ruby Riccadonna, LaBec, Sapphire Blue, Cherry Lush & Venus Vamp and debuting the voice of Stanmore Phoenix.

There’s simply nowhere else for you to be but SOL SUTRA (239 Oxford Street Darlinghurst) on JULY 21st, Wednesday @ 7.30PM

Entry by DONATION

Gallery Burlesque on Facebook

If anyone has been watching SBS Sports coverage of the Fifa world cup, you will no doubt have heard the most annoying phenomenon to hit the sound waves since Lady Gaga, that’s right, its the mighty Vuvuzelas.

According to Wiki, “The vuvuzela (English pronunciation: /vuːvuːˈzeɪlə/) , sometimes called a “lepatata” (its Tswana name) or a stadium horn, is a blowing horn up to approximately 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in length. It is commonly blown by fans at football matches in South Africa”

But according to the millions of people watching the games in the comfort of their homes, the noise (which sounds like buzzing bees) is unbearable, with many people either turning the sound off and or turning the TV off altogether.

So what can we do to get FIFA to ban the Vuvuzelas ?

1. Contact SBS Television and complain

Phone: 1800 500 727 (toll free)
Email: comments {at} sbs.com(.)au

2. Go to www.banvuvuzelas.com and sign the petition

3. #Vuvuzelas in your twitter posts and make NOISE!

Here at Two Flat Whites, we’re all about giving creative types the chance to share their talent with the world. Two Flat Whites focuses on discovering, promoting & nurturing Australian talent. Whether you are a budding young writer, fashion designer, artist, photographer, musician, restaurateur, chef or film maker this is the network for you!

Two Flat Whites are launching a series titled “Supporting the wider community”. The aim of this series is to help promote the need for the more fortunate to help out the less privileged in our society. We will be doing this by showcasing a number of charity organisations that Two Flat Whites supports.

We kick off with CARE Australia. They joined the CARE International family in 1987, led by former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. Today, CARE Australia manages programs in over 20 countries. They focus on feeding the hungry in developing countries, pioneer primary health programs and respond with both emergency relief & long term agro-forestry projects.

Finding it a little difficult to find a present for someone special & want to step out of the box? CAREgifts are a fantastic solution. A CAREgift really does keep on giving. Your gift could provide endless benefits for a community and help alleviate poverty. With CAREgifts, lives are changing, people are becoming healthier, children are better educated and families are benefiting from higher incomes

Visit the CARE Australia website here.

Vivid Sydney is back to shine light, music and ideas across the city in the biggest festival of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. From large-scale light installations and projections through to music performances, ideas, creative summits and beyond, Vivid Sydney pulls out all the stops across every creative field. From art lovers and creatives through to families and first-timers to Sydney, everyone will find something illuminating about Vivid Sydney!