Island Life: A Special Public Address Message : Public Address

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Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 1029

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Island Life: A Special Public Address Message

Posted at 4:42PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

I've given over this space to Conor Roberts, who has something very important to say on behalf of our friends at Pead PR. All of us here at Public Address hope you'll take a moment to read it.

Read More Original Blog Entry

I've given over this space to Conor Roberts, who has something very important to say on behalf of our friends at Pead PR. All of us here at Public Address hope you'll take a moment to read it.

I arrived in Auckland as a fresh faced first year politics student in 2001. "Listen to Hard News on bfm," my girlfriend said, "you will love it". And I did.

Like a few thousand others before me, I joined Russell's email list to keep hearing his insights and observations. I've been on the list ever since. I was there for the end of Hard News the Radio Broadcast, and I was there for the start of Hard News the Blog. All for free.

Day in, day out, Russell has kept me entertained and informed about politics, culture and coffee, and I have come to know him personally through his words. Sometimes you can feel a bit like a stalker following someone's life through a blog. When you choose to write the way Russell does, you're pretty exposed. You open up your life for scrutiny and judgment. Sometimes you allow people to see a bit of your personal side.

That's why I know about Russell's gout. And that's why I know a little about Asperger's syndrome.

Like me, you may have read here and there in Russell's posts about his wonderful youngest son - Leo. You may have gained a sense that Russell and Leo are two peas in a pod. Quite alike, geek-like, in many ways. Leo has Asperger's syndrome. Russell thinks Leo could be a great computer programmer one day.

This year Russell and Fiona have had to pull Leo out of public schooling because one of the symptoms of Asperger's syndrome is an inability to deal with social situations and the "human noise" of the classroom. Leo needs homecare and his parents have found the perfect person to teach Leo - but that person will cost tens-of-thousands of dollars a year. That's an awful lot out of anyone's pay packet.

So a few of Russell's friends and Pead PR are getting together to throw him a benefit bash - Hustle for Russell. In the past we have worked with Russell on a couple of things and it's good to be able to help out someone we know.

We have sorted some great bands (a private The Clean gig, crossed with some SJD and mixed with some Chris Knox - where you gonna find that anywhere else?), some great drinks (like a special 42 below cocktail), and some great auction items (like accommodation at The Quadrant, an array of gaming fun, morning tea with Prime Minister Helen Clark, dinner at Blowfish, advertising packages and much more).

Yes the people who know Russell Brown in real life and through his online ramblings have got together to help him and his family out. We are having a benefit auction bash and you're invited.

If you would like to attend the Hustle for Russell benefit bash, please email gina@peadpr.co.nz and order your tickets for $75 per person. The event will be held at Blowfish Sushi in Parnell on Monday 19 March from 7.30pm.

Once the costs for home schooling Leo have been taken out, Russell will be using the remaining funds to help better serve kids like Leo who are "in" schools right now.

I know Russell is well known to you and we feel sure you'd love to support our benefit bash. And in true Russell Brown and Public Address style it will present a terrific mix of great music, good food, top booze, terrific people, auction items and some surprises.

It's time to help out someone we've come to know.

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Hayden Wilson
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 9

Posted at 4:42PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

...it should go on tour (at least to Wellington!)

Greg Wood
From: Now back in Aucktown
Since: Dec 2006
Posts: 16

Posted at 4:45PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

Fingers crossed I'll be in town for the night! Otherwise I'm gonna flog my ticket on trademe for HUNDREDS. All proceeds to Russell, bien sur.

Kirsten Brethouwer
From: Rome, Italy
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 20

Posted at 4:54PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

can't make it still will be trying to make my way back from Womad with the tribes, but wouldn't mind if there's another way for me to show my (financial) support.

David Slack
From: Devonport
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 378
Moderator

Posted at 5:02PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

wouldn't mind if there's another way for me to show my (financial) support.

Quite a few people have been asking about this. Pead PR will gladly accomodate that - if you email Conor Roberts at Conor@peadpr.co.nz , he'll fill you in.

Paul Litterick
From: Auckland
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 281

Posted at 5:07PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

Good one, Conor. I'll be there.

steve sutcliffe
Since: Mar 2007
Posts: 1

Posted at 5:20PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

I feel for Russell, having a child with needs outside the normal spectrum brings all kinds of challenges, and when a school or the system lets your child down and you need to take him away from his peers, we know that is a decision not taken lightly. Here's to Leo..and all the other kids whose needs are not being met.

Che Tibby
From: the back of an envelope
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 1515

Posted at 6:34PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

count me in for a financial chip in. the least i can do.

well, actually the least i can do is nothing, but that isn't an option in this instance. my cousin also has something like asperger's, and he's a pretty cool little dude. the more cool dudes in the world, the better.

Phil Mackie
From: Lyall Bay
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 4

Posted at 6:39PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

And me. I have been a 'free rider' on Public Address for years now. It is (Almost) the least I could do!!

Tony Kennedy
From: Wellington
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 165

Posted at 9:44PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

...it should go on tour (at least to Wellington!)

Any suggestions for making it (or something similar) happen? Given the number of PA'ers domiciled in Wellington, a large turnout could be expected.

Zippy Gonzales
From: Wellington
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 70

Posted at 9:53PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

I'd like to help where I can. If people are serious about a Wellington gig, I can put out some feelers. I could probably get in touch with some good catering, if not a venue or performers. I'd gladly donate some waitering time and perhaps an auction item too. It's for all the right reasons.

Sebastian
From: Berlin, Germany
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 11

Posted at 11:01PM on 6 Mar 07. Permalink.

when these things happen, i am always sorry for my anti-ad stance ... delete my entries! i am gonna click through from now on!

Hadyn Green
From: Wellington
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 1086
Moderator

Posted at 8:24AM on 7 Mar 07. Permalink.

Ala' Sebastian: when things like this happen I always think what about those families who don't have connections into the entertainment community.

Is there a thought that if this is successful it can be spread out past just the Browns?

David Slack
From: Devonport
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 378
Moderator

Posted at 8:36AM on 7 Mar 07. Permalink.

Hadyn - Conor's message touches briefly on this:

Once the costs for home schooling Leo have been taken out, Russell will be using the remaining funds to help better serve kids like Leo who are "in" schools right now.

Russell has some quite exciting ideas about building on this as well, which I daresay he'll have plenty to say about at some stage.

Russell Brown
From: Auckland
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 5279
Moderator

Posted at 8:58AM on 7 Mar 07. Permalink.

Russell has some quite exciting ideas about building on this as well, which I daresay he'll have plenty to say about at some stage.

Or maybe now. I'm pretty humbled by what people are doing for us, but I realised what would really make it work would be extending some of the impact to the community.

One thing that will come out of it is an Asperger/autistic spectrum website for support and lobbying, and I've already talked to some IT people about developing some sort of practice for introduction to computer programming that would be portable to other kids. The degree to which people have been eager to pitch in on both is amazing.

I asked this a while ago, but perhaps this is is good time to ask again: I'm still looking for that person who's able to do that initial introduction-to-programming tuition. Via Alice, Python, game mods, whatever. I don't think formal qualifications are as important as the ability to share a love of it with a bright, systematising kid.

Che Tibby
From: the back of an envelope
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 1515

Posted at 9:11AM on 7 Mar 07. Permalink.

I'm still looking for that person who's able to do that initial introduction-to-programming tuition.

how about someone with a ZX spectrum and one of those booklets on programming games in BASIC. having the commands written out on the keypads made learning programming pretty easy.

or, the c21st version of the same.

Riddley Walker
From: AKL
Since: Feb 2007
Posts: 890

Posted at 9:19AM on 7 Mar 07. Permalink.

great idea. with the amount of respect for russell and with conor involved, it will be a success. i'll be there.

russell, what exactly do you need re: 'person who's able to do that initial introduction-to-programming tuition? tuition for leo or a programmer for the site?' any more detail would be helpful, could probably find volunteers for either.

Russell Brown
From: Auckland
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 5279
Moderator

Posted at 9:45AM on 7 Mar 07. Permalink.

russell, what exactly do you need re: 'person who's able to do that initial introduction-to-programming tuition? tuition for leo or a programmer for the site?' any more detail would be helpful, could probably find volunteers for either.

The tuition part. And of course, thanks to what people are doing for us, we can pay. I tried the Student Job Search website, but that basically wants you to sign up like you're a major employer, which didn't seem quite right.

He took really well to Alice, which introduces kids to object-oriented programming via 3D animation. If anyone had skills with that it would be ideal. He also uses 'Gary's Mod', which opens up the Half Life 2 engine (ironically, all the interesting stuff is in the shooters) and lets the user create stuff. He made us a fireworks display for New Year's Eve.

Robyn Gallagher
From: Wellington
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 992

Posted at 9:50AM on 7 Mar 07. Permalink.

I know a few guys who sit at different places on the autism spectrum. They've all benefited from a good education and are now in good jobs. Everyone deserves this opportunity.

Russell has given us this choice website, and arranged the Great Blends, so I'm more than happy to give something back. <3

Deborah
From: Adelaide
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 610

Posted at 9:52AM on 7 Mar 07. Permalink.

I have used the Student Job Search site to find casual babysitters, and firends have used it to find after-school caregivers. It's worth giving it a go.

Martha Craig
From: Petone
Since: Nov 2006
Posts: 22

Posted at 11:52AM on 7 Mar 07. Permalink.

I was contacted by the woman who hosts this site a while ago http://www.hiyah.net/

It is aimed to help young kids to use computers, and also for children with autism. I imagine it is too basic for your son, Russell, but I thought someone might be interested in it.