Nicole Kidman and I make a lovely couple!

Tidying up some cupboards today and I stumbled upon this piece of movie memorabilia. Ahhh, the days Nic & I spent together, the afternoon sunsets, long walks on the beach, romantic dinners... (It's just ashame she didn't realise I was there too!) :-)

It's a bit tattered but it's the Bowen Independent from May 17, 2007 and of course my matching pic below it.

You'll need to get up earlier to beat me Craig!

Ok, I feel a bit bad about this but then again, what's a news shooter to do when a couple of pollies get changed by the roadside - this image from Brisbane's MX afternoon paper. [click image for fullsize version]

Steamy day out with Anna

It was about 50 degrees inside this engineering complex yesterday when we toured with Qld premier Anna Bligh, she kept her cool though while cameramen and snappers sweated like ....
[click here for fullsize clipping]

Photographs of 2007 as chosen by news websites

News gathering websites around the world have posted their popular annual "Photos of the Year".  I'll make it super easy for you to find them - click the links below

MSNBC - 2007 Year in Pictures

International Herald Tribune - 2007 In Pictures - (Interesting blog post at the IHT readers blog)

AOL - People's Choice - Editor's Choice

Time - Year in Images

Reuters - Pictures of the Year 2007

Sports Illustrated - 2007 Year in Pictures

USA TODAY - 2007: The Year in Pictures

National Geographic - Best Wildlife Photos

The New York Times - 2007: The Year in Pictures

The Washington Post's - Best of Post 2007

Los Angeles Times - Best of 2007: Photography

Source - www.robgalbraith.com

Michael Moore v CNN - It's a cracker!

I have put these CNN videos together in one spot in chronological order so if you have broadband, like news & current affairs, have a bit of spare time and love a healthy debate/on air fight then enjoy!

So, first CNN started off with this interview with Michael Moore

Part II continues after the end of the interview with cameras still rolling

So then CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta responded to Michael Moore

Then CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Michael Moore appeared together on Larry King Live

Part II of the interview

And Part III of the interview

So then, after all of this, Michael Moore posted an "Open Letter to CNN" (http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php?id=216)
CNN have now responded to this letter (http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/15/moore.gupta/index.html)
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta blogged about this ongoing incident (http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/blogs/paging.dr.gupta/2007/07/my-conversation-with-michael-moore.html)

Where will it go from here? The best result would be a much improved public health system in the U.S - this could be the start.

Ghost ship mystery off North Qld

I flew out yesterday to photograph a 'ghost ship', a 9.8m catamaran "Kaz II" that was found drifting 80 nautical miles off the coast, minus its three crew.
Emergency Management Queensland spokesman Jon Hall said rescuers were puzzled. "They got on board and said the engine was running, the computers were running, there was a laptop set up on the table which was running, the radio was working, the GPS was working and there was food and utensils set on the table ready to eat, but no sign of the crew," he said.
I was very lucky to find the yacht as the co-ordinates the pilot and I had were very vague, and could have varied by up to 30 nautical miles. Thankfully I spotted it about 10 miles off the left wing of our 172RG and it made a good set of pictures. The pics ran today in The Courier-Mail, The Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph and The Townsville Bulletin.

See my pics of the yacht at http://www.cameronlaird.com/gallery/2737238

Konichiwa from Tokyo

Well, I am currently in Tokyo on a job, leaving Australia with only seven hours notice. A British girl working as an English language teacher in Tokyo was found murdered with her body disposed of in a bathtub full of sand. Very mysterious, and to date the killer is still at large. The British Ambassador to Japan spoke at a press conference today and pleaded, on behalf of the father of the victim, for information on this horrific killing.
On a lighter note it is the most perfect time to be in Tokyo, one of the most incredible cities of the world (in my limited experience!). I have landed here just as the cherry blossoms are blooming, something that occurs for only two weeks and is a major highlight of the Japanese year.