Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The flying doctors is an Australian drama series based on the everyday interventions of the RFDS, which stands for Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. This service provides health care and emergency assistance to the people living in the Outback (understand the remote areas of Australia).
It was created in 1928 by Reverend John Flynn , an Australian priest who deplored the lack of medical help for the sick and injured of the Outback. Although he was tipped off by a soldier (who unfortunately did not witness the institution grown out of his original idea, as he was KIA in France in 1918), it was him who developed the necessary means for the project to take form. Indeed, he combined medicine with two budding technologies, namely the radio (replacing the then most common means of communication: the telegraph) and the aircraft. This resulted in the first air ambulance service in the world.
According to recent statistics, the RFDS helps on average 600 patients each day, its 50 aircraft covering 45.000 km per day. And all of that for free, since it is a not-for-profit organization. That is why the first few decades were tough, financially speaking, and the service relied heavily on volunteer support and donations. The government also gave Flynn’s people a helping hand from time to time, but not until the 1960’s did it become an established practice. Not surprisingly, it is around that time that the RFDS began to purchase its own equipment and to employ its own pilots and engineers, eventually becoming this much respected Australian icon (which, as the smart ones among us will have noticed, celebrated its 80th anniversary this year).
Anyway, to return to our muttons, it is the series we are talking about. The flying doctors is actually the informal name given to the members of the RFDS, and as has been said above, it basically revolves around the everyday missions of the Australian medical service, only much more romanticised (after all, love stories between doctors do not exclusively happen in House MD ). The programme ran from 1986 to 1993, with an effort to revive the declining ratings in that last year, in vain. However, it was quite successful during those seven years, its 221 episodes having been broadcast in over 50 countries. And more importantly, it also helped popularising the real RFDS, which resulted in an upsurge in donations to this worthy organisation.
It was created in 1928 by Reverend John Flynn , an Australian priest who deplored the lack of medical help for the sick and injured of the Outback. Although he was tipped off by a soldier (who unfortunately did not witness the institution grown out of his original idea, as he was KIA in France in 1918), it was him who developed the necessary means for the project to take form. Indeed, he combined medicine with two budding technologies, namely the radio (replacing the then most common means of communication: the telegraph) and the aircraft. This resulted in the first air ambulance service in the world.
According to recent statistics, the RFDS helps on average 600 patients each day, its 50 aircraft covering 45.000 km per day. And all of that for free, since it is a not-for-profit organization. That is why the first few decades were tough, financially speaking, and the service relied heavily on volunteer support and donations. The government also gave Flynn’s people a helping hand from time to time, but not until the 1960’s did it become an established practice. Not surprisingly, it is around that time that the RFDS began to purchase its own equipment and to employ its own pilots and engineers, eventually becoming this much respected Australian icon (which, as the smart ones among us will have noticed, celebrated its 80th anniversary this year).
Anyway, to return to our muttons, it is the series we are talking about. The flying doctors is actually the informal name given to the members of the RFDS, and as has been said above, it basically revolves around the everyday missions of the Australian medical service, only much more romanticised (after all, love stories between doctors do not exclusively happen in House MD ). The programme ran from 1986 to 1993, with an effort to revive the declining ratings in that last year, in vain. However, it was quite successful during those seven years, its 221 episodes having been broadcast in over 50 countries. And more importantly, it also helped popularising the real RFDS, which resulted in an upsurge in donations to this worthy organisation.
Sybille & Pitchou
Sunday, October 21, 2007
let this be clear to the few wanderers among you who by chance happened to find this blog that I am so not a blogger and that it was but by mistake that I created this, believing indeed that I had to in order to be able to post on another blog. Nonetheless, I will not delete faillotdekermesse.blogspot.com as it can help me writing drafts (witness my one and only on HP) for germanamur and because it reminds me that I am losing my marbles, as nobody will ever come accross this blog and that I'm basically talking to myself... hello me by the way.
good night to you all (me included)
good night to you all (me included)
Monday, December 25, 2006
In every one of us lies a Harry Potter fan, though, admittedly, it is more hidden in some people than in others. Being overtly one (and proud of it), I’ve decided it was time for me to provide some material to slake your (soon-to-be) insatiable interest in the Harry Potter world. Hence my idea of revealing my source of knowledge, namely the first and best site about our British hero: mugglenet.com. For more than 6 years now, the members of Mugglenet have dedicated themselves to the site to bring it the fame that is now his. JK Rowling has even awarded them a trophy on her website fan section, and the founder, Emerson , even had the honour of being granted an exceptional interview with our most beloved author.
Apart from that, the site is meritorious indeed, as it offers a whole array of entertaining features such as the wall of shame (hilarious comments and letters from Mugglenet visitors to the staff), very interesting name origins on an etymological basis , a true wand seller (no kidding!) funny song parodies and, above all, the world famous editorials that Jo even praised on her website. These editorials are really amazing works from people hired by Mugglenet and who have come up with astonishing theories about practically everything in the Harry Potter books. My favourite editorials, i.e. those I find particularly thrilling, are collected under the name Spinner’s End (which might ring a bell to the most alert of us as being Snape’s hiding place and title of the 3rd chapter of HBP) and are written by a 46 year-old woman, which proves that Harry Potter books do not only attract children or spotty teenagers. Now I can already picture your dubious frowns at the pedagogical aspects of theories about fictional books but I can assure you that the editorials are wonderfully written AND under the form of ESSAYS (rings any bell?). That might indeed prove useful in a couple of months! Furthermore, reading the editorials is a great way to kill time during the bloc period in an intelligent manner and not feeling guilty (take my word for it)!
I might add that we lived a historical moment on December 21 (was I the only one to notice though?) when Jo released the title of her 7th book. By chance I was on Mugglenet that day, doing research for this very entry when I saw it. If you haven’t heard of it yet, I might advise you to go to her site, click on the pink rubber and follow the instructions as follows: 1) click the knob on the open door in the mirror to see the Christmas tree, 2) click on the top half of the main door to see a wreath; 3) click on top of the mirror to reveal garland, 4) click on the spider web next to the mirror, 5) click on the 4th chime in the window to find the key of the main door, 6) drag the key to the door knob to unlock the door, 7) the door opens to reveal a package, 8) when you click the bow, the package will open, 9) inside is a game of hangman you can play to guess the title of Book 7! The door to jk’s office seldom opens, so enjoy it because it might be the last time.
Now the reason I waited so long to share this site with you becomes clear: this is my idea of a collective gift for Christmas, which btw allows me not to spend anything. Being students as well after all, you would know! Merry Christmas to all of you!
Apart from that, the site is meritorious indeed, as it offers a whole array of entertaining features such as the wall of shame (hilarious comments and letters from Mugglenet visitors to the staff), very interesting name origins on an etymological basis , a true wand seller (no kidding!) funny song parodies and, above all, the world famous editorials that Jo even praised on her website. These editorials are really amazing works from people hired by Mugglenet and who have come up with astonishing theories about practically everything in the Harry Potter books. My favourite editorials, i.e. those I find particularly thrilling, are collected under the name Spinner’s End (which might ring a bell to the most alert of us as being Snape’s hiding place and title of the 3rd chapter of HBP) and are written by a 46 year-old woman, which proves that Harry Potter books do not only attract children or spotty teenagers. Now I can already picture your dubious frowns at the pedagogical aspects of theories about fictional books but I can assure you that the editorials are wonderfully written AND under the form of ESSAYS (rings any bell?). That might indeed prove useful in a couple of months! Furthermore, reading the editorials is a great way to kill time during the bloc period in an intelligent manner and not feeling guilty (take my word for it)!
I might add that we lived a historical moment on December 21 (was I the only one to notice though?) when Jo released the title of her 7th book. By chance I was on Mugglenet that day, doing research for this very entry when I saw it. If you haven’t heard of it yet, I might advise you to go to her site, click on the pink rubber and follow the instructions as follows: 1) click the knob on the open door in the mirror to see the Christmas tree, 2) click on the top half of the main door to see a wreath; 3) click on top of the mirror to reveal garland, 4) click on the spider web next to the mirror, 5) click on the 4th chime in the window to find the key of the main door, 6) drag the key to the door knob to unlock the door, 7) the door opens to reveal a package, 8) when you click the bow, the package will open, 9) inside is a game of hangman you can play to guess the title of Book 7! The door to jk’s office seldom opens, so enjoy it because it might be the last time.
Now the reason I waited so long to share this site with you becomes clear: this is my idea of a collective gift for Christmas, which btw allows me not to spend anything. Being students as well after all, you would know! Merry Christmas to all of you!
