Summer in South Australia

The latest online newsletter from Inside South Australia carried a great story about a local videographer, Elliot Grafton and his latest video which is fast becoming a big hit. At just four minutes in length, Elliot captures some stunning footage highlighting the joys of summer in my home state.

In the piece, Lana Guineay writes:

      “Fun, adventurous, and crazy beautiful!” That’s how 21-year-old videographer Elliot Grafton describes South Australia – and it’s an apt description for his video which has taken off on social media this week.

      The stunning footage captures a summer spent exploring South Australia, and has received an “overwhelming” response online.

      “It’s a bit crazy,” says Elliot. “Of all my videos, this one has gained so much attention – it’s been great seeing South Aussies really get into it, and say they want to get out there and explore.”

The footage just goes to show how much can be done with new photographic technology such as lightweight drones, tiny GoPro cameras, and Digital SLR cameras. Elliott says he wanted to show a different side of his home state, to locals and further afield.

      “Over the last few years I’ve heard people say things like South Australia is boring and there is nothing to do. That’s not what my friends and I thought.

      “I love it here and wanted people to see how beautiful it really is. Growing up, my family has always taken me on adventures, whether that’s camping or out on the boat. Then I found my love of videography, and realised it’s a great chance to show a different side of the state. This video showcases the things that my friends and I love to do in our spare time, we are so lucky to live in such an amazing state. Get off your phone and get outside, explore what’s out there!”

You can see Elliot’s breath-taking video below. Make sure you hit the 'full screen' icon to watch it in all its glory.

The New York Wheel, Staten Island

Artist rendering of the New York Wheel

Way back in June, 2015, in a post titled The New York Wheel: Myth or Reality, I wrote about the then much hyped New York Wheel—a Ferris wheel so large that to equate it with your normal State Fair type Ferris wheel is to do the New York Wheel a grave injustice.

Well, here we are almost two years later, and I am excited to report that the New York Wheel is well into its construction phase, with about another 12 months of the build still to come before it is ready to accept its first passengers. As for the many passengers the wheel is slated to carry, here are some statistics that give some idea of the scope of the project:

The wheel will be 630 feet high (192 Metres), and have 36 pods carrying up to 40 people per pod. That’s up to 1,440 visitors per 38-minute rotation. The wheel will be open from 10:00am to Midnight seven days a week. Assuming the wheel completes a minimum of 14 rotations (one per hour), that adds up to more than 20,000+ passengers each day. That figure also assumes that each pod will be filled with 40 passengers.

Which ever way you look at it, the New York Wheel is going to dominate the skyline of Staten Island for many years to come. Though somewhat dated now (commentary in the video suggests the Wheel will be completed in 2017), the video below provides a look at the construction of the wheel and an idea of what visitors can expect from their New York Wheel experience.

More Information

New York Wheel…

The Killers In Manila

Screen shot only. The full video is embedded below.

I have never been to the Philippines, or had any real interest in visiting that land of many islands. After watching this new documentary from the New York Times, I have even less interest in going there. As a subscriber to the online NYTimes, I have been following with growing feelings of horror, the brutal slaughter of thousands of that nation's poorest citizens, who have been targeted because they are either drug dealers or drug users.

Some of the victims of President Duterte's 'war on drugs' have almost certainly been the victims of false accusations by people bearing grudges, while other have been innocent people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. At almost 15-minutes, this short documentary provides shocking proof of what can happen to sane and civil societies everywhere, when police and other thugs, hiding behind a presidential decree are able to brazenly flout the rule of law.

Below I include in full, the email I received today from the New York Times, and Andrew Glazer, the Senior Story Producer for the Times. Be warned however, that the film contains footage of violent death, grief, and graphic violence. You will need to decide for yourself if you want to visit the Philippines after viewing this film. For myself, I know I will never visit there.

When a President Says, ‘I’ll Kill You’

By Andrew Glazer and Jeremy Rocklin

Dear Subscriber, 
My name is Andrew Glazer, and I’m a video journalist for The Times. My colleagues and I have been working hard to bring you the documentary “When a President Says, ‘I’ll Kill You.’ ” I invite you, a valued subscriber, to take a look.

The film will bring you to the front lines of a deadly campaign led by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. He’s called for police and vigilantes to kill drug suspects and pushers; and the official death toll since he took office last summer has reached at least 3,600 — but the actual number is probably much greater. Most of those killed were poor and living in slums. Few of the killings have been investigated. 

A corps of local journalists has worked tirelessly to document the killings and the survivors to highlight their humanity. One, photographer Raffy Lerma of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, is a subject of our documentary. He’ll bring you, the viewer, along as he rushes from crime scene to wake to funeral. You’ll not only see the brutality of their demise but also the desperation and grief of their families. And you’ll hear from the top drug enforcement officials who justify the draconian campaign. 

Putting this together was a team effort. I worked with two talented Manila-based journalists — cameraman/producer Carsten Stormer and co-producer Yasmin Coles — and film editor Jeremy Rocklin and director of enterprise Liz Baylen. And, of course, you, who helped fund this effort with your subscription. 

On behalf of the 50 journalists on The Times video desk, I want to thank you for your support. I hope you continue to explore more of our video journalism in the weeks ahead. We do this for you. 

Andrew Glazer 
Senior Story Producer, The New York Times

Addendum: After adding this post today, and reviewing my introduction to the email and the video, I realised that some readers may think I am ignoring the problem of drugs in society. Any society. I am not. I am well aware of the pain and suffering drugs inflict on the users, their families and friends, and society at large. This however does not excuse the blatant disregard for the rule of law that is now underway in Manila. Laws are there for a reason, as are courts, judges, and prisons. Use them.