Shaggy Dog Comments...

The story of a how an Aussie girl, Kirsty Sword, fell in love with a jailed East Timorese freedom fighter, Xanana Gusmao, now president of East Timor, is a remarkable one, which you can read in her book A Woman of Independence. During the Writers Festival, she recounted how she met Xanana, who had been jailed by the Indonesian government, and began helping him fight for his country's independence. She'd helped smuggle a mobile phone and laptop computer into prison. Back in Australia, she'd get calls from Xanana in prison saying, "Help! I can't save this document, can you tell me how?"

To show how far Indonesia has come, Kirsty recalled how she recently launched her book in Jakarta, where she was feted and given a police-escorted motorcade through the city. It's a far cry from the time in 1996, when she was black-banned and forced to flee Indonesia with the military in hot pursuit.

Something worth pondering if you have a few spare pennies and are wondering what to do with them. Caritas Australia is on the ground in Bangladesh supplying food, medicine and blankets to some of the 20 million people affected by devastating floods that have left 40 per cent of the country submerged. Donate to the Bangladesh Flood Appeal by calling 1800 024 413, visit www.caritas.org.au or post a cheque to GPO Box in your capital city.

ABC Radio is once again keen to hear from young Australians eager to tell their stories on Heywire. It's open to people aged 16-22. The competition seeks scripts for a three-minute radio piece about life in Australia, outside the major cities, and there will be regional winners. Entry forms are available from the ABC in Lismore or online at abc.net.au/heywire

Shaggy's enjoyed our fair share of kind offers to have our anatomy enlarged, become an ordained minister online or join a deceased dictator's family in spiriting millions of dollars out of Africa. But a recent NSW survey found that 61% of small businesses receive spam (junk emails) daily. More than half (55%) get more than five a day, while a quarter of NSW businesses say it costs them more than $5000 a year to deal with. Globally, Australia is ranked 10th as the worst generator of spam.

A free concert and sausage sizzle will be held on Lismore's riverbank this Friday, August 6, at 11.30am, to coincide with the official opening of the boat ramp and new community facilities.

Everyone is welcome to stop by, meet councillors, discuss local issues and have a bite to eat.

Mr Hirsute meets Mr Curly

Mungo MacCallum and Michael Leunig (pictured) go back 35 years when they worked together on the fondly remembered Nation Review. Michael used to stay with Mungo when he visited Canberra. During the climax of last weekend's Byron Bay Writers' Festival, the two old reprobates pondered the future and Leunig drew the shady character in the background, the dubious Mr Segue, who many suspect now works in Canberra and is responsible for 'sexing up' political documents.

If you're feeling inspired after the Writers' Festival and wondering what to read next, head for your local bookstore and check out six great Australian books you can pick up for just $5 each. The Books Alive campaign runs until Sunday, August 15, and offers six classics for a fraction of their normal price. They are: Robert Drewe's childhood memoir of growing up in Perth in the 1950s, The Shark Net; Belinda Alexander's White Gardenia, the story of a white Russian mother and daughter whose lives are intersected by history in the wake of WWII; Shane Weaver's extraordinary autobiography Blacktown, about growing up in a nightmare of abuse and alcoholism, before winning the Australian lightweight boxing championship and becoming a successful advertising copywriter; much-loved gardening writer Mary Moody's memoir of her French sojourn Au Revoir; best-selling crime writer Gabrielle Lord's new psychological thriller featuring PI Gemma Lincoln, Spiking the Girl; Bride Stripped Bare; writer Nikki Gemmell's first book, Shiver; and for kids, the hilarious adventures of Selby the Wonder Dog by Duncan Ball.

At K-Mart and Target stores, you can also score a 2-for-1 deal featuring Gabrielle Lord's new Spiking the Girl with her earlier book Baby did a Bad Bad Thing.