Sort of Bio

New technology but old-fashioned games
David Smith for the Port Macquarie News, January, 2002

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Port Macquaries’ Robin Cartledge has created a website designed to encourage kids to move away from computer games, watching television and web surfing and enjoy more traditional pastimes.
Mr. Cartledge admits to being aware of the irony of using modern IT methods to instill hands on creativity in children, but said the Internet was a great tool in reaching children. “If you can’t reach kids you can’t teach them,” he said.
Mr. Cartledge, a.k.a. Grandpa Pencil, has been entertaining children of all ages in Port Macquarie for many years with a number of his alter-egos such as Catweasel D. Clown, Ozzie Eagle and Neville News.
Mr. Cartledge’s website, http://www.grandpapencil.galleonpoint.com/, is far from high tech but it gives children hundreds of hours of family fun.
“Children can download many things from colour-in templates to plans for hanky parachutes and wooden cut-outs for toys,” Mr. Cartledge said.
Mr. Cartledge’s website doesn’t subscribe to the techno-kid concept. There are no pulsating coloured blobs, just fun family activity that is easy and quick to download.
He believes there is always a place for real hands-on creativity and a good belly laugh.
“Give children a shoot ‘em up and they will be happy for five minutes,” he said.
“Give them the recipe for fun and they will be happy for the rest of their lives.”
In the few months Mr. Cartledge has had his site up and running it has had hits from the United States, Canada and Japan. Not bad for a man who wasn’t even sure how to turn on the computer five months ago.
“Just learning how to use the computer was a challenge and web design was an even bigger learning curve,’” he said.
Mr. Cartledge is hoping for feedback from families that use his site.

Updating

 

For now the grandpapencil can be found here. Meantime Robin has been cleaning up the 1500 plus pages in preparation for a brand new home. Well, he had been until a few incidents about our caring society hit home. The realization that few really care, least of all governments, put the website to one side for a while.

It will be back, soon we hope. A campaign to shine a light on the uncaring leaders in our communities will not become a fulltime job, but it does call for some attention.

 

A critical look at the candidate

Dennis Cartledge

Robin’s great talent is his keen public moral compass, coupled with a strange perverse view of the way our society is heading. His method of expressing his view is often confronting, but it is also a way to bring attention to serious issues.

The fact is Robin’s views are not unique. His concern that the system does not care is shared by many in our social support sectors. How can you care when those who manage the system not only don’t, but actively discourage effective service delivery.

Robin represents the radical centre. He is not advocating a free for all, but rather an effective safety net for those who depend on real care when it matters.

Call him what you like, Robin just gives a damn! While nobody in authority seems to care he cares. While those in need are trampled by an uncaring system he knows there is a better way forward for his country.

The operators and power players of our three tier political system push off blame and responsibility to each other, Robin asks the big question – Who Cares?
Who cares if we simply give away long held states rights to the Feds? Who cares if self serving politicians are concerned only with their own benefits and no longer serve their constituencies?

Who cares if our elected official now only serve those who can pay for the privilege. Robin cares, because he can’t see how someone stricken by adversity, by illness or loss can possibly stand up for themselves, to claim their due in this society.

Indeed, in his quieter, more reflective moments, Robin speaks of the immanent return to a more romantic era, an era when mere mortal did not need to bother themselves with lofty thought of politics. It is in these moments he sees our rapid return to a feudal rule, when the Lord speaks we all jump. But it is not a subject which will keep him quiet and reflective for long.