tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75525420936217268282024-02-20T10:31:35.626-08:00i will do needfulroseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-774299868462199792012-10-13T22:26:00.001-07:002012-10-13T22:26:47.108-07:00UncharitableAt home on a Sunday, planning to watch <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308353/" target="_blank">Happily Never After</a> on DVD with a young relative who's spending the day here.<br />
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Within a minute we've been taken hostage by the evil fairy who's decided that we need to watch several full minutes of the <a href="http://www.starlight.org.au/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Starlight Children's Foundation</a>'s marketing schlubble whether we like it or not.<br />
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Scene after scene of sick children - burns to their faces, bodies in casts, scenes from hospital wards. Aw shucks. Sick cute kids. What's not to love? Where's my wallet?<br />
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Frankly it sickened me and made me utterly furious. We were unable to proceed to the movie (a kid's movie) and I ended up turning the television off with the DVD rolling until it was over. Which took several minutes. I kept checking from time to time, only to be confronted with more images before the screen mercifully offered to 'play movie'.<br />
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I don't like having horrible scenarios in full colour video forced down my throat when I'm innocently sitting at home schlepping around on a relaxed afternoon with my favourite kid. I <i>particularly </i>don't like the thought of this young child, who owns the DVD, being forced to watch these advertisements every single time she watches her cartoon.<br />
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I was almost reluctant to write this post thinking "ooh - sick children - I shouldn't feel like this" but at a gut level I know there's absolutely nothing wrong about my reaction. How dare they FORCE us to watch their advertisement? How dare they sell these DVDs without advising the buyer that the viewer will not be able to watch the movie without watching the commercial. Every. Single. Time.<br />
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Once the movie is rolling, I go to my laptop to read the newspaper. The top right corner has a child with a disfigured face, the advertisement headline screaming at me to do something about it. Once again my reaction is visceral - shock; distress. The ads where they show pictures of poor, abused bears, dogs, cats are just as bad. It's relentless and utterly uncalled for.<br />
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It makes me <i>less </i>likely to donate or respond positively to the cheap marketing ploy and even more cynical about fund raising in general, which I already find unimpressive with their backpacker representatives on each corner, lunging when they see you, trying to make you guilty before you have the chance to back away or think of a suitable response. The fact that there's a whole industry out there of fund raising companies who are contracted by the charities makes it even less likely that I'll find the milk of human kindness within me on this particular day. And I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-42876637982378202272012-09-25T02:32:00.003-07:002012-09-25T02:32:31.506-07:00Emergency calls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sitting at home watching <a href="http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/" target="_blank">A Current Affair</a> which is on after the local news as I check email, Twitter etc. (Blushing. I can't believe I'm admitting to watching this dreck).<br />
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There's a story on prank callers to emergency services - ie "000" - which is the number you call, in Australia, for emergency access to police, fire and ambulance services.<br />
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And yes, of course the people who ring up when they're drunk, or stupid, or kids having a lark should be punished for tying up the lines, however one example caught my ear tonight - a lady (clearly drunk) ringing up to say that the local Dominos pizza place wouldn't give her a small pizza until she handed over $30 (which is much more than a small pizza should cost).<br />
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Which got me thinking. Why is it legal for Dominos (or any business) to ring 000 if the lady walks out without paying for a pizza whereas people (who pay for emergency services) don't seem to have the right when they've got the same grievance against a business?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12426416@N00/3204283053" target="_blank">Dunechaser</a></span> </div>
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<br />roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-50856776810416601252012-09-19T05:56:00.001-07:002012-09-19T05:56:02.464-07:00Babble<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Midweek, sitting in my pyjamas, watching (the rather execrable) <a href="http://www.bigbrother.com.au/" target="_blank">Big Brother</a> on television and waiting for inspiration to strike. The inmates are dressed in Hawaiian shirts having one of their theme dinners and someone is calling out questions from a sheet; "What song could you listen to over and over and over again". Camera pans to various inmates who sincerely name their faves "Here comes the sun"... "The Prayer. Reminds me of me mum"... and so on.<br />
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The reason I'm actually paying attention is that I've lost interest in Twitter tonight, which is twitching with outrage at the suggestion by the <a href="http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/bernardi-resigns-but-makes-no-apology-20120919-265mq.html" target="_blank">recently departed Cory Bernardi</a> that the gay marriage issue will open the floodgates to other minority groups wanting equal marriage; namely polyamourists and bestialists. (Is that how you spell it? I'm reluctant to consult the Great God Google for obvious reasons...). (Ok ok - it's zoophilia. I'm such a pedant I just couldn't proceed until I knew. So I searched and now we know).<br />
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Normally I'd just have a bit of a chuckle about this but I'm feeling a bit perplexed. Normally I'd think that people with liberal values are more evolved than conservatives but tonight I wonder. Twitter was aglow with indignation at Bernardi's comments, cheering at his resignation and rubbing it in his face. If I didn't know the context, I'd think they were nutjobs.<br />
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Bernardi is saying that it's just a matter of time before the polyamourists start clamouring for the same rights. I have no trouble agreeing with this. Of course they will. Why wouldn't they? Parts of the world have accepted polygamy for millenia. It's not as if it's a new lifestyle choice, apart from the recent development that women can love as freely as men. If enough polyamourists want to take this step they will try to get it legalised. Just like pot smokers, people who want to walk dogs on beaches and anyone else who wants to have a crack at doing what they enjoy.<br />
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The zoophilia thing is likely to be tried sooner or later as well. This wouldn't be *because* of the gay marriage debate, it would just be a group of opportunists trying to push their barrow, just like always. In my lifetime I've seen so much shift that I have no trouble believing that this group may even succeed, especially in this era where "experts" on just about anything abound and critical reasoning or informed public debate is almost non-existent.<br />
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So I wouldn't "blame" gay marriage for this; if anything I would blame the Internet. After all, if there's anything that desensitises us to things that would have been unthinkable a decade ago, it's the Internet. Youtube alone is full of content that I can't even bear to think about let alone watch, including material that once upon a time would have been called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snuff_film" target="_blank">snuff</a> and was most definitely illegal.<br />
<br />
My personal thoughts on gay marriage are that it's really none of my
business however if it comes down to voting on it I'd happily vote
"yes".<br />
<br />
But it's not gay marriage I'm interested in tonight. (I can't believe anyone is interested in gay marriage other than gay people who want to marry, frankly). I'm more concerned about the lack of discourse in public life; the overreaction/outrage when someone expresses an opinion that's in contrast to one's own; the failure to engage with those opinions and explore the issues at a more deep level.<br />
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The housemates on Big Brother are moronic. They have all day, all week, more than a month now to get to know each other, get past the personas, think of things to talk about yet they need scripted parlour games at dinner time in order to have something to talk about. Watching them converse is like being in the waiting room at the end of the world. Not one interesting idea, not one thought that is worth pursuing, no apparent big questions or small intimacies (other than the inevitable clumsy stumblings in the dark while the infrared cameras roll). It's like watching monkeys at the zoo only not nearly as interesting.<br />
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I'd rather spend time with people who I utterly disagree with, who can explain their ideas and engage in debate, than any person who has similar views to mine but cannot defend or challenge them. It really bothers me that even "liberal minded" people seem willing to force others to censor their opinions at the same time they expect others to accommodate theirs. Both groups are disinclined to engage or enter a genuine dialogue and we're all the poorer for it.<br />
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The final thought I'll add is that there's a "teachable moment" here that has been missed; always gets missed. Unlike the older, more experienced and more cynical politicians who are running loose in public life in Australia at the moment, Bernardi is sincerely confused. Sincerely doesn't think straight. Speaks from a position of emotion and reactivity and, in fact, represents the views of lots of people who are confused and concerned at the complexity of the world around them. Wouldn't it be much more constructive for us all to engage in some genuine discussions and debates around this stuff? Explore the issues? Help people work their way through a process where they can find and defend their opinions?<br />
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Nope. Thought not.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Images: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nuriyafatykhova/7171207084/sizes/m/in/photostream/" target="_blank">Nuria Fatych </a></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/papazimouris/2484934370/sizes/m/in/photostream/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Greek Adman</span></a></div>
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(Just heard the announcement that the proposal to legalise gay marriage in Australia has been defeated in Parliament. For now.)roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-58496529409075306872012-09-12T03:42:00.000-07:002012-09-12T03:42:32.836-07:00Cobwebs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Dang. Another year; good intentions; couch potato; you get the drift.<br />
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I remember back to 1995 or so when my organisation finally decided to upgrade my PC from a 386 to a 486. For about 2 weeks I was happy - everything worked faster - I could <i>finally </i>get some work done. Until about a fortnight later when I felt the old frustration. This computer had to go. And so it went until about 2005 when computers finally caught up with what I pretty much needed. Nowadays I don't care. They do what I need them to do and I don't complain anymore. Much.<br />
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With the blogging, I have fantasies about software/hardware that writes directly from my brain. I have no trouble believing that we'll see the tools in my lifetime. I've seen so much invented even in the last decade that I no longer disbelieve anything. And anyway - this software/hardware would be able to capture my ramblings and observations, allowing me to edit on the go; take notes; earmark pictures and so on. Because I actually blog all the time. You probably do too. Once upon a time I talked to myself but since the internet I definitely blog instead. In my head. All the time. Sitting down at a computer is the hard part.<br />
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I have nothing in particular to say today. I just wanted to stretch my fingers; feel the satisfaction of having written something instead of just tweeting or grazing. I love Twitter - it's my favourite social media application - just the right balance of closeness/distance - yet it's pretty much destroyed online culture as far as I'm concerned. Almost no-one I know creates anymore. And the ones that are the most in denial about it are the ones who say they curate; facilitate; whatever.<br />
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<a href="http://www.rushkoff.com/blog/" target="_blank">Doug Rushkoff</a> says we all should code. <a href="http://ajkeen.com/" target="_blank">Andrew Keen</a> is warning us to go back the way we came. They're both right. What do you do? <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Image: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/62223880@N00/214316968" target="_blank">wili hybrid </a></span></div>
roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-66465397447913142552011-08-03T23:03:00.000-07:002012-09-14T03:59:22.366-07:00Shop 'til you stop<a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3285/2654922493_ee12d2697f.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="237" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3285/2654922493_ee12d2697f.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="320" /></a>Lots of gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands in the media on the question of why people have stopped spending.<br />
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It's simple. We've got enough stuff.<br />
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I've spent the last decade staring at people in shopping malls. Every weekend I would see them. Droves. Carrying lots of bags. Just like the Christmas crowds used to be for the first three quarters of my life.<br />
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"What are they buying?", I'd wonder. I kept waiting for it to stop or slow down, thinking that it was a response to the cheap imports from China - a binge that would slow down to a trickle once people accumulated enough trinkets.<br />
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Then I started telling myself that it must be people who were moving into Sydney - the newspapers were full of stories about the people squashing into the city, driving up rents and house prices and so on.<br />
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But in the end it's even simpler than that. The shoppers were you and me and now we've got enough stuff.<br />
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My cupboards are full. I've got enough sheets, blankets, clothes, crockery, shoes, furniture, Xmas wrapping paper, socks, glasses and appliances to last me for many years.<br />
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At my local shopping mall the shops are almost exclusively full of clothes for young women. No supermarket. No food shops. Not much really. Just lots and lots and lot of clothes shops. And the clothes are crappily made. I wouldn't buy them, even allowing for my middle-aged cluelessness about what's fashionable at the moment. And yet, those shops are empty.<br />
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It had to happen sooner or later.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mithril/2654922493/sizes/m/in/photostream/"><span style="font-size: 85%;">Image credit</span></a></div>
roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-60936546114389248002011-08-03T02:56:00.000-07:002011-08-03T03:35:34.298-07:00Martin Place on a Tuesday in AugustI walked through the city last night after attending <a href="http://syd4bradley.posterous.com/s4bforum">a talk</a> at Parliament House.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3614/3344442017_5b56052d18_m.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 240px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3614/3344442017_5b56052d18_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Walking through Martin Place on my way to Wynyard I noticed the <a href="http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/community/HomelessnessServices/InformationKitForVolunteers/Module2/FoodServices.asp">St Vinnies van</a> serving food to a large number of people. At first I thought there must be a festival event on or something. As I got closer I saw that it was homeless people lining up for sandwiches and coffee. Yet they didn't look "homeless" (I worked with homeless people many years ago - I'm not making a fatuous or naive statement). Most of them looked like anyone else you'd see walking down the street on a Tuesday night. Maybe not Martin Place per se given its demographic, but certainly the sort of people you'd see at a suburban mall.<br /><br />I tried not to stare, but my shock was visceral. So many people. It reminded me of the <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26776283/ns/us_news-life/t/hard-times-tent-cities-rise-across-country/">tent cities</a> I'd read about in the US following the GFC. Why isn't this covered in the papers? Why do we keep reading about how great we've got it here in Australia? Great for whom?<br /><br />And who are these people? Where the hell will they be sleeping tonight?<br /><br />Walking towards Wynyard I passed a number of bars and swanky restaurants where well dressed people were dining and drinking cocktails looking like extras in a Sex and the City shoot. The juxtaposition really troubled me. Walking behind a couple of young women in suits teetering from one bar to another on 6 inch heels I wondered whether they'd even seen the van, the hungry people, the scattered belongings on the ground. I didn't judge them though. What does one know really about homelessness when one is well insulated from the problem?<br /><br />Today I notice the Mission Australia <a href="http://www.missionaustralia.com.au/news/3437-bold-approach-to-homelessness-will-take-70-most-vulnerable-off-streets">press release</a> about a $2.7m project that will provide housing and support for 70 of the neediest people. Peanuts. Our <a href="http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nye/">New Years Eve fireworks</a> usually cost twice that. The stupid <a href="http://www.breakfastonthebridge.com/event">Breakfast on the Bridge</a> that inconveniences thousands of motorists and startles the poor cows (literal) - who are brought in as props - costs half that.<br /><br />Today I'm still haunted by the image. So many people getting their nightly meal from a St Vinnies van on a cold Tuesday night. Yet as an issue it seems to be wallpaper. Like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_McGorry">Patrick McGorrie</a>'s mental health issue prior to his prominence, it's not sexy. Intractable. A bit anxiety provoking - there but for the love of God and all that...<br /><br />That's all. Not a great post. But I just had to write it down to try get the image out of my head. We'll see how that goes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84987970@N00/3344442017">Sweet One</a></span><br /></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-53094663106081317832010-06-21T19:48:00.000-07:002010-06-21T20:05:18.200-07:00Hubris<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/87/277010729_0b25fa4016_m.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 159px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/87/277010729_0b25fa4016_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I've been too busy to post a running commentary on the crocodile-teared billionaires who are trying to save the country from the resources tax that will destroy those eternally suffering "working families" that constantly seem on the brink of destitution but today's article with Twiggy Forrest <a href="http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/forrest-mining-tax-is-dead-20100621-yrdg.html">announcing the end of the tax</a> (without any evidence or announcement from the Government) takes the cake.<br /><br />The fact that these billionaires have made it clear that they expect to be consulted on any significant announcement from the Government has shown me the degree to which the tail is already wagging the dog. That they are willing to spend multi-millions on advertising tells me alot about how much spare cash they seem to have lying around. And any Australian who continues to fall for this scare-mongering re superannuation and so on deserves the feudal system they're heading for.<br /><br />I don't know what else to say. I'm just astonished.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/95572727@N00/277010729"><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo source</span><br /></a></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-63222525415175171632010-06-07T22:20:00.000-07:002010-06-07T22:27:08.981-07:00Evaluate this<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2775/4230896061_6964dc6221_m.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 187px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2775/4230896061_6964dc6221_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Interesting to see teachourkids.com.au undertaking what seem to be genuine public consultations into draft curriculum in kindergarten - year 12 English, maths, science and history.<br /><br />The television advertisement for the consultations has a bunch of kids on the bus dreaming of what they're going to be when they grow up including a couple of girls who want to "be a writer" and "help people" and boys who want to "invent things", "build bridges" and "save the world".<br /><br />Here's my feedback/suggestion:<br /><br />Get rid of the advertising agency who writes this sexist crap. What is this, the 1950s?roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-84030624625877493222010-05-07T04:39:00.000-07:002010-05-07T05:02:21.295-07:00Porkers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/5/6581989_717a11dac2_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/5/6581989_717a11dac2_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I was gonna tell you something really important today, but my <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/fat-finger-points-to-us-stocks-dive-20100507-uh91.html">fat finger slipped</a> and wiped out $10 billion worth of insights.<br /><br />But don't worry - I'll send you an invoice.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;" cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/76261353@N00/6581989"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayat/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayat/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a></span></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-83747435062610186022010-05-03T05:06:00.000-07:002010-05-03T06:18:26.951-07:00What the hell is a liberal education and where do I get one?From the preface of <a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/125637">A General Introduction to the Great Books and to a Liberal Education</a> 1959:<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">What is a liberal education? It is easy to say what it is not. It is not specialized education, not vocational, avocational, professional or preprofessional. It is not an education that teaches a man to do any specific thing.<br /><br />I am tempted to say that it is the education that no American gets in an educational institution nowadays. We are all specialists now. Even early in high school we are told that we must begin to think how we are going to earn a living, and the prerequisites that are supposed to prepare us for that activity become more and more the ingredients of our educational diet. I am afraid we shall have to admit that the educational process in America is either a rather pleasant way of passing the time until we are ready to go to work, or a way of getting ready for some occupation, or a combination of the two. What is missing is education to be human beings, education to make the most of our human powers, education for our responsibilities as members of a democratic society, education for freedom.<br /><br />This is what liberal education is. It is the education that prepares us to be free men. You have to have this education if you are going to be happy; for happiness consists in making the most of yourself. You have to have this education if you are going to be a member of the community; for membership in the community implies the ability to communicate with others. You have to have this education if you are going to be an effective citizen of a democracy; for citizenship requires that you understand the world in which you live and that you do not leave your duties to be performed by others, living vicariously and vacuously on their virtue and intelligence. A free society is a society composed of free men. To be free you have to be educated for freedom. This means that you have to think; for the free man is one who thinks for himself. It means that you have to think, for example, about the aims of life and of organized society.<br /><br /></blockquote><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3013/2920863339_48504f9e90_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 240px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3013/2920863339_48504f9e90_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Fast forward 50 years or so:<br /><em></em><blockquote><a href="http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/04/the-coming-meltdown-in-higher-education-as-seen-by-a-marketer.html"><em>Most colleges are organized to give an average education to average students.</em></a></blockquote><br />And what are we doing in Australia at the moment? Reforming <a href="http://www.deewr.gov.au/HigherEducation/Review/Pages/FuturedirectionsforTertiaryEducation.aspx">higher education</a>, introducing <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2010/s2886875.htm">compulsory testing</a> in schools around the country, assembling <a href="http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/Programs/Pages/FundingReviewExpertPanel.aspx">expert panels </a>to review schools funding - read the press releases - there's very little about education per se - it's all training, economics, countless committees and interest groups.<br /><br />I'm quite fond of <a href="http://blogs.smh.com.au/newsblog/archives/annabel_crabb/017672.html">La Gillardine</a>, especially after Heffernan gave her a hard time for being "<a href="http://www.news.com.au/barren-gillard-unfit-to-be-pm/story-e6frfkp9-1111113448384">deliberately barren</a>". She's easily the smartest crayon in the (very clever) Labor box but I can't help feeling glum nonetheless. Mabye I'll be able to tell you why once I've done the 1959 DIY course.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;" cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/12836528@N00/2920863339"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC BY 2.0</a></span></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-64994589854780577272010-04-28T06:18:00.000-07:002010-04-28T06:34:37.969-07:00Peas be with you<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/52/142107594_d9d0bb317b_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 203px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/52/142107594_d9d0bb317b_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Hear ye, hear ye.<br /><br />I have seen the light.<br /><br />Quantum chrystal ascention can be yours NOW. Keys to the secret mysteries will be given to those of pure heart and compassionate intention. Access your theta energetic prana shaman light-body self. Activate the animal dreaming of cosmic consciousness and pagan healing that will repattern your neurobiology and astral self through timeless algorithms, lost by the Aztecs during the vibration of the seventh sostice of the Aryan year in Atlantis - hearth of the pagan Excalibur, archangel Gabriel and the goddess Aknetulaanaiiaiiaii - a time of transformative warrior spirit providing alternative modalities in the metaphysical universe.<br /><br />Break through the limitations, take control of the seven chakras, your hidden third eye and the divine energies that are only revealed to the chosen who will know wholeness.<br /><br />Find joy, freedom, tantric ecstasy and a deep deep knowing of the minds of others. Be part of the inner sanctum. Health, wealth and happiness is guaranteed.<br /><br />Just send this goddess your filthy earthly money immediately and all this and more will be yours.<br /><br />Om.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;" cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/54321487@N00/142107594"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gasti/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/gasti/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a></span></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-74535644264780619212010-04-28T02:27:00.000-07:002010-04-28T02:54:10.187-07:00Mug's game<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1226/1399147589_094bc24d46_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 240px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1226/1399147589_094bc24d46_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>One unexpected consequence of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_federal_election,_2007">Rudd government</a>'s rise to power has been the quiet equilibrium I've settled into where I pretty much equally dislike <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Australia">both major parties</a>. This has allowed me to occupy my time with other important pursuits like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1VEY7ndKCs">watching paint dry</a>, musing on the random workings of the universe that periodically spawn phenomena like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Bieber">Bieberbub</a> and wondering who had the pleasure of naming the latest <a href="http://www.news.com.au/national/farmers-hairy-panic/story-e6frfkvr-1225859154982">horticultural pest</a> that's assailing inland NSW.<br /><br />But nothing lasts forever, so it's no surprise that my attention is being drawn back to the ugly game. And no wonder when our new Liberal leader, who was <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/national/libs-tear-down-the-house-hockey-within-reach-20091126-junx.html">propelled into power</a> through his party's refusal to accept the need for a new "<a href="http://www.thefifthestate.com.au/archives/11667">great big tax</a>", (ousting the equally eccentric Turnbull, who was <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/11/2816533.htm">more partial to the idea</a>) is now crowing from the rooftops <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/tony-abbott-accuses-kevin-rudd-of-lacking-guts-to-fight-for-ets/story-e6frg6xf-1225859266626">accusing Rudd</a> of not being able to push through what the Liberal party would prevent if they had the opportunity.<br /><br />Given that Abbott seems to spend half his life <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/blogs/rocco-bloggo/tony-abbotts-fighting-fit/20100325-qzmf.html">prancing about in leisure gear</a> and the rest carping at people, I reckon it's time the Liberal party got themselves a leader who'll do some real work.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;" cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/44836615@N00/1399147589"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wilwheaton/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/wilwheaton/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a></span></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-44016513393492777512010-04-23T06:18:00.000-07:002010-04-23T23:08:08.242-07:00Storm in a teacup<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/392887005_a5824b7489_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 240px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/140/392887005_a5824b7489_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Let me see if I've got this right...<br /><br />We live in a society where you can almost depend on a <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2004/s1059234.htm">sportsman</a> <a href="http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/brendan-fevola-blamed-for-nude-lara-bingle-pic-%20%20being-circulated/story-e6frfmqi-1225835491896">scandal</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Newman">every</a> <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/people/the-shane-file-spins-out-of-control/2005/06/28/1119724634">season</a> without any real damage to teams or <a href="http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/matthew-johns-johns-makes-tv-return-after-group-sex-scandal/story-e6frfmyi-1225815408282">careers</a>;<br /><br />it's perfectly legal to <a href="http://www.democracy4sale.org/">give politicians lots and LOTS of money</a> for no apparent reason;<br /><br />we get most of our information from actors pretending to be doctors, pharmacists, mom, the plumber... in expensive "<a href="http://www.arachnoid.com/lutusp/consumerangst.html#little_lies">little lies</a>" paid for by the organisation taking your money;<br /><br />our politicians - the <a href="http://www.news.com.au/australias-most-trusted-people-2009-survey-results-released/story-0-1225736491240">3rd least trusted group in the country</a> - to whom we entrust our money, our laws, our environment, our children's education, our military decisions and our health - behave appallingly and no-one seems to do anything about it;<br /><br />and even when we like them, they're still <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/22/world/marital-lapse-by-australian.html?pagewanted=1">a bit pathetic</a>;<br /><br />unlike our captains of industry, who we cheer as heroes, who so often <a href="http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/">draw on the labour</a> of those who would need "<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1542100,00.html">around 11,000 years</a> to earn the $109m banked last year by Yahoo chief Terry Semel" - and if visuals are more your thing, try <a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/04/08/business/pay.graphic.jpg">this</a>.<br /><br />But you can't pay footballers more than a certain amount so that people don't buy all the best players, thus ending the competition.<br /><br />And now at least <a href="http://www.google.com.au/search?q=Melbourne%20Storm&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbs=nws:1&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wn">one group has</a>.<br /><br />And apparently it's the most disgraceful thing that's ever happened. So important that there's been almost nothing else on Australian media all day.<br /><br />Go figure.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;" cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13237839@N00/392887005"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ppym1/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/ppym1/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">CC BY-NC 2.0</a></span></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-42801500216671758472010-04-20T21:44:00.000-07:002010-04-23T23:38:04.779-07:00Glacial information<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/106/270969697_fc9dcf3383_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/106/270969697_fc9dcf3383_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/2010/04/18/volcano-1-internet-0-01/">Interesting post</a> a coupla days ago from David Weinberger on the poor information and comunication flow during the recent Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption.<br /><br />Was it because it wasn't an "emergency" per se, such as the unfortunate journalist who found himself <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/the-horror-trapped-in-beautiful-paris-20100419-soww.html?autostart=1">stuck in Paris</a>? Or is it simply revealing the degree to which organisations aren't particularly competent at using information technologies?<br /><br />In all the examples I can think of (Katrina, London bombings, Mumbai etc) it was the work of the few that galvanised the many.<br /><br />I'd like to see the budgets for the organisations Weinberger refers to - I bet they've spent quite tidy sums in recent years on social media "experts" and other technology implementation. Yet they've clearly learned little.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Update 24 April 2010:</span><br /><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/shanxz/ashtag">Slideshare presso</a> on those airlines who did use social media during the period.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;" cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathangibbs/270969697/"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathangibbs/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathangibbs/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a></span></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-39784177438753265692010-04-20T01:30:00.000-07:002010-04-20T01:46:05.169-07:00Day 2 and already I feel like Cinderella<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/44/150256012_e1f4a59829_m.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 164px; height: 240px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/44/150256012_e1f4a59829_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>So it's day 2 and instead of going home from work I'm thinking about blogging and if I don't today I prolly won't tomorrow so then I feel like I ought to do at least <span style="font-style: italic;">something</span> and then I get all flustered cos what I really want to do is go buy some indian (food) and just get out of here and you know what, most people don't even really post anything interesting on their blogs except warmed up left-overs from somewhere else so here goes for day 2:<br /><br />1. Factory Joe is one of life's geniiii - I always meant to mention that but was reminded today when I came across <a href="http://factoryjoe.com/blog/2010/03/11/the-social-agent/">this</a>.<br /><br />2. Leonard Low is an amazing photographer and yesterday took <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22385963@N00/4534885020">this</a>.<br /><br /><div cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/75771006@N00/150256012"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/camil_t/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/camil_t/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a></span></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-78213749997688253172010-04-19T05:02:00.001-07:002010-04-19T05:37:53.642-07:00Here we go again<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/1/124936_8f48fa804d.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/1/124936_8f48fa804d.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />OK. I'm back.<br /><br />I gave up blogging more than 2 years ago for lots of reasons.<br /><br />Just spent 40 minutes explaining why, reading and rereading and editing and eventually deleting the whole thing.<br /><br />Yeah. Now I remember. Shit. I used to hate this.<br /><br />Anyway here I am. Please bear with me while I get my chops back.<br /><br />r<br /><br /><div xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48600072071@N01/124936"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/barb/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/barb/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-57768177180208787832009-07-02T03:47:00.000-07:002012-09-12T03:47:55.101-07:00Bucketty Firemans Ball<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="346" id="soundslider" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://roseg.webng.com/bucketty_fireman_final/soundslider.swf?size=2&format=xml" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed src="http://roseg.webng.com/bucketty_fireman_final/soundslider.swf?size=2&format=xml" quality="high" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" width="425" height="346" menu="false" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" allowFullScreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-89077097156175988832009-06-16T00:42:00.000-07:002011-05-19T06:30:13.121-07:00Course reflection - assignment 4<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/su2TaVLzr6k&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/su2TaVLzr6k&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-85622873127259711182009-06-12T03:43:00.000-07:002012-09-12T03:46:06.608-07:00I will do needfulAfter giving up blogging a couple of years ago it turns out that I do need somewhere to publish stuff, whether it's for uni assignments or the occasional rant when thumping someone isn't an option so here we are, again.<br />
<br />
The title, "I will do needful" comes from an angry email exchange <a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2005/10/26/middle-management-em.html">shared on Boing Boing</a> a few years back. It's a shame I can't access the full transcript - it was hilarious and there was something very poignant and breathtaking about it. Something about how malleable and powerful language is, especially when improvised.<br />
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In the meantime, it's that time of semester and I, too, am trying to do needful. Wish me luck.<br />
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<a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/2675015360_d997a1559f_m.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/2675015360_d997a1559f_m.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 219px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Image: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/66164549@N00/2675015360/sizes/s/">law keven</a></span></div>
roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-8947790604802188352006-10-12T22:49:00.000-07:002010-04-23T22:59:19.503-07:00Wag the doggerel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2102/2272068690_ab2c0e39af_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 160px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2102/2272068690_ab2c0e39af_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Did any of you (three faithful readers) happen to catch <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unit">The Unit</a> last night on telly? I kept on looking up and behind me to make sure I wasn't on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candid_camera">Candid Camera</a>.<br /><br />It's a show about a bunch of special fighters - secret soldiers, whatever - who have Boys' Own adventures each day and then get home in time for dinner. One of the characters last night even said something along the lines of "where else do you get to jump out of planes all day and go home to a warm bed at night?" or something like that - a variation on the classic army poster: <span style="font-style: italic;">Travel the world; Meet interesting people; Kill them...</span><br /><br />I only caught bits and pieces while I was channel surfing, landing lightly on each channel for a minute or three until the continual stream of images of forensics, crime, despair, conflict and squalour drove me to the next channel. Honestly, it's gotten to the stage where I'm starting to prefer the ads.<br /><br />But I did manage to pick up a few things that had me entertained. Firstly the alpha male is a black guy, which sticks out like a dog's proverbial. Then there was the independent 30-something with the lesbian haircut who is married to the young white guy (who has just joined the unit). She's the token rebel, the eduated shrew who could use some taming, demanding to find her own housing until the black guy's (black, Oprah-ish) wife convinces her to join the community - in one fabulous speech she says something about how being a woman, looking after your children, waiting for your maaaan to come home from fighting the enemy is "the history of the wooorld!!" (dramatic music, close-up of chastened young wife looking astonished - I like to think she was thinking "<span style="font-style: italic;">Frickin' <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinder,_K%C3%BCche,_Kirche">Küche, Kirche, Kinder</a></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> again?!</span>"). Later she passes out or faints (or just isn't wearing makeup - I lost interest regularly, you must remember) when she sees something on the news that makes it apparent what the boys are up to that day. That I managed to make any sense of it at all is just a testament to the relentless crap on the other channels.<br /><br />Anyway - later in the piece, after they've managed to rescue a bunch of hostages, killing all the "terrorists" and none of the passengers, there's a kind of horizon shot of the three of them walking back along the tarmac - guns tied to their legs with leather holsters, the sillouette reminiscent of those cowboys of old, swaggering towards the camera with their horsey gait, I swear they're chewing wheat, where's my freaking banjo when I need it?<br /><br />And like all good little soldiers, Whiteboy gets home in one piece, goes to the fridge (as yer do when you're a hungry adolescent), finds a baseball mitt with a note in it saying "It's a boy". I was so overcome by all the testosterone references on the show that I'm having a pregnancy test myself on the weekend just to be on the safe side.<br /><br />Reflecting on it today I can't help wondering how much of the storyline is influenced by wagging tails - could the universal unconscious be that cliche? Naaa.<br /><br />And with today's announcement about the <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/its-official-media-laws-passed/2006/10/12/1160246242608.html">changes in Australia's media ownership laws</a> one can only wonder what sorts of local tales will be wagging in the days and years to come.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: right;" cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" about="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7-how-7/2272068690/"><span style="font-size:78%;"><a rel="cc:attributionURL" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7-how-7/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/7-how-7/</a> / <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</a></span></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-69693220348398481822006-08-23T22:35:00.000-07:002010-04-23T22:36:16.912-07:00Tomorrow's cat litter linerPity that <a href="http://crikey.com.au/">crikey.com.au</a> has decided not to allow free access to its story on the quashing of <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2006/s1720397.htm">Jack Thomas'</a> conviction. Did <span style="font-style: italic;">The Australian</span> newspaper today <span style="font-style: italic;">really </span>carry the <a href="http://crikey.com.au/media/images/crikey-23-07-06-8ac4ef42-4f25-4079-bda9-bc8b42c116c3.jpg">headline</a><br />"<span style="font-style: italic;">Legal system releases the enemy</span>" ? Isn't that illegal or something? Can you imagine if one of us took out an advertisement in the paper saying the same thing about any court case where someone was exonerated or found not guilty? Sheesh.<br /><br />At least they got one thing right with their <a href="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5222720,00.jpg">cartoon</a> about the <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/centrelink-staff-sacked-for-spying/2006/08/23/1156012581236.html">Centrelink sackings</a> today.roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-31673858975520285922006-06-27T22:34:00.000-07:002010-04-23T22:35:08.874-07:00Heartbreak<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.flickr.com/63/173472079_3ce4175742_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/63/173472079_3ce4175742_m.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>A bunch of Italians kick a ball into a net and our prime minister is "<a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/aussie-update/howards-socceroo-heartbreak/2006/06/27/1151174165303.html">brokenhearted</a>" yet he "<a href="http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1669984.htm">regrets</a>" the friendly fire that killed an Iraqi bodyguard and <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200505/s1376110.htm">tugs at his forelock</a> about the hypocrisy of the Japanese who will happily decimate our largest mammals yet become grief-stricken about the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4677262.stm">fate of a goddam turnip</a>. (Won't even bother digging up the bone with "saying sorry to the Aboriginals" on it...).<br /><br />I'm feeling pretty heartbroken too. Must be that kind of a day.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 85%;">Image by <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/photograham/">PhotoGraham</a></span></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-42528864989870152012006-04-14T22:33:00.000-07:002010-04-23T22:34:11.325-07:00Snapshot<span style="font-weight: bold;">Reading:</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0794404480/102-0847389-2488113?v=glance&n=283155">Barbie - My Perfect Wardrobe<br /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Praying for:</span> The souls of all miners in <a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/5/14/apworld/20060514124149&sec=apworld">third</a> <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1523453.cms">world</a> <a href="http://www.ghanaweb.com/public_agenda/article.php?ID=5255">countries</a> who have been trapped or killed in the two weeks we waited for our own lucky two to be rescued in Tasmania.<br /><br />Also for the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2006/s1637440.htm">family of</a> that Bosnian guy who mistakenly got sent here instead of our soldier. Only took 3 weeks for someone to name him/seem to remember that he had a family too...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bewildered about: </span>How Kim Beazley's advisors could let him announce a <a href="http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,19104481-953,00.html">future policy</a> that aims to put a computer on every child's desk. Hasn't anyone told him the future is mobile?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sending Mother's Day kisses to:</span> Mums everywhere, including all those wonderful Dads who are doing both jobs.<br /><br />OK. Back to whatever you were doing. Will blog again soon.roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-12164031084729781972006-03-31T22:32:00.000-08:002010-04-23T23:04:23.914-07:00Stone the crowI'm not sure how long Sharon Stone has been providing <a href="http://www3.contactmusic.com/news/index34.htm">unsolicited advice</a> about "safe sex" to adolescents in public changerooms but someone really should lock her up. Especially when she comes out with gems like this: <blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"Young people talk to me about what to do if they're being pressed for sex? I tell them (what I believe): oral sex is a hundred times safer than vaginal or anal sex. If you're in a situation where you cannot get out of sex, offer a blow job."</blockquote><br />Remember that next time you're "pressed" by your boss or best friend's boyfriend, eh? ('Specially if you're a bloke!)roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7552542093621726828.post-89507740616349343732006-02-26T22:10:00.000-08:002010-04-23T23:09:29.830-07:00And so it begins<blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">REDUCE workers' conditions if you want to stay competitive — that is the stark choice employers face under the new federal industrial relations laws that come into effect next month, according to the [Victorian] State Government.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Attorney-General Rob Hulls has warned employers could be forced to cut the pay and conditions of workers if their competitors slashed conditions under the new laws. </span> (<a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/warning-over-ir-domino-effect/2006/02/25/1140670303295.html">Link</a>)</blockquote><br />Australia's new <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Industrial_Relations_Law_Reform_2005">industrial relations legislation</a>, the same legislation that's going to be providing us with all those"<a href="http://www.apesma.asn.au/newsviews/misc/ir_changes/the_real_deal_15_10_05.asp">choices</a>", that won't result in an "overall" reduction in wages, that cost <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/work-changes-blitz-hits-55m-8230-and-counting/2005/10/31/1130720481828.html">up to $60 million</a> dollars <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">in advertising</span> to <span style="font-style: italic;">inform </span>us about the benefits, obviously hasn't sunk in and people are already getting confused about how good it is.<br /><br />Such as the 2,500 slackarse Qantas workers who don't seem to understand the "<a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/qantas-workers-prepare-to-strike/2006/02/23/1140670207955.html">engineering transformation</a>" that's being planned in their workplace. Management from "<a href="http://www.airhighways.com/qantas.htm">the spirit of Australia</a>" won't confirm where the jobs will be going <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/qantas-committed-to-job-cuts-no-matter-who-does-maintenance/2006/02/15/1139890805620.html">but noted</a> that costs in China are 20% lower. Which is no surprise when factory workers there can expect to be paid <a href="http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/feb2006/labo-f25.shtml">as much as $US625</a> a year if they play their cards right.<br /><br />Prime Minister Howard was happy to <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1487559.htm">share his views</a> on this matter, defending Qantas' decision and saying that job cuts often reflect the commercial realities of competing internationally. However Mr Howard's views on the <a href="http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,18264884%255E17102,00.html">recent </a><span class="bodytext"><a href="http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,18264884%255E17102,00.html">decision by his Government</a> to <span style="font-style: italic;">again</span> reject Singapore Airlines' decade-long bid to compete with Qantas on the highly sought-after</span><span class="bodytext"> Sydney-Los Angeles route because it was "not in the national interest" are currently either unknown or unreported. </span><br /><br />In the meantime, the blogger on the <a href="http://castironbalcony.media2.org/?p=168">Cast Iron Balcony</a> is reporting that a car parts factory in Melbourne is "negotiating" a 5% drop in pay for current workers, 20% pay cut for new workers, removal of rostered days off and restrictions on sick day and overtime entitlements. And given that the company only made $25 million in net profit last year, who can blame them?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://aussie_news_views.typepad.com/aussie_news_views/images/sohouse_no_war_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://aussie_news_views.typepad.com/aussie_news_views/images/sohouse_no_war_1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Closer to home the iconic Sydney Opera House (SOH) is currently is <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/wage-cuts-a-low-act-for-opera-workers/2006/02/22/1140563858574.html">in a spot of bother</a> for sub contracting an American-based multinational to undertake its building maintenance and inspection services. Employees are complaining about unfair work practices but management has made it perfectly clear that no-one is issuing threats or terminating positions - "<span style="font-style: italic;">All employees who are working for Lucas Stuart at SOH have been given the opportunity to apply for work with the new contractor if they wish to stay on site at SOH</span>," <a href="http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,18237111%255E1702,00.html">said a representative</a> from the SOH. The new sub contractor must know a thing or two given that they already enjoy other "Australian" clients such as Sydney Airport, AMP and Telstra. Better still, they're currently <a href="http://www.egoli.com.au/egoli/egoliNewsViewsPage.asp?PageID=%7B867E8350-6A49-4E43-8783-FCA816A118CC%7D">enjoying some pretty healthy profits</a> too - 125.8% at last count.<br /><br />Anyway, getting thousands of kilograms of metal to stay up in the sky is a bit like - er - rocket science so I guess I should just take people's word for the need to buy these specialist skills from somewhere else. After all, we wouldn't want to compromise safety or anything. So I must admit I was a tad surprised when I discovered that the "<a href="http://www.infoage.idg.com.au/index.php/id;8898289;fp;4;fpid;71937704">clever country</a>" is needing to bring in all manner of 21st century expertise in order to keep the colony running.<br /><br />Did you know that we're so unskilled that we're facing a national shortage of bakers, requiring us to <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/welcome-to-australia--bad-luck-about-your-pay/2006/02/21/1140284067792.html">import some from Vietnam</a>? Vietnam was "influenced" by the French which is why they've got so many skilled bakers but if wages wasn't the core issue and French baking skills was the thing they wanted, you'd have to wonder why they didn't import the bakers from France? But hey - what would I know - I'm just another unskilled blight on the national landscape.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Aussie icon <a href="http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,18087986%255E421,00.html">Holden is relying on the specialist skills</a> of welders and grinders from Croatia and Slovenia - this time through a German company who is subcontracting these services - in spite of the 1000+ workers that were laid off from company at the end of last year who are presumably willing and available to undertake these roles. There is also some contention about the wages being paid to the specialist workers.<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">A Holden spokesman said last night that any dispute about workers' entitlements was out of the carmaker's control because they were not Holden employees.</blockquote><br /><a href="http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:qhY5L7dknZYJ:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_meat_pie+%22football,+meat+pies,+kangaroos+and+holden+cars%22&hl=en&amp;gl=au&ct=clnk&cd=6">Football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars</a> - Oi, Oi, Oi!<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">But the spokesman said Holden had been assisting the AMWU with inquiries.</blockquote> <br />("Assisting with inquiries"? Isn't that the sort of thing they say on <a href="http://www.cbs.com/primetime/csi/">CSI</a>? But I digress...)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.flickr.com/41/104170656_63dbcce6a3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/41/104170656_63dbcce6a3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Given the shocking levels of ineptitude in this unclever country it should then be no surprise to read <a href="http://www.roadtosurfdom.com/archives/2006/02/just_deserts.html">Road to Surfdom</a>'s post about Indonesian workers digging ditches in South Australia for $40 a day, which "<span style="font-style: italic;">equates to about 272,000 Indonesian rupiah and would be more than double what most Indonesians earn in a month</span>".<br /><br />Thank God they're being so amply rewarded for their contributions to this wide brown land. Clearly we're so clueless that pretty soon we'll soon be needing to import <a href="http://hrw.org/reports/2005/singapore1205/2.htm">all sorts of specialist services</a> into the country.<br /><br />And with the world containing <a href="http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7002550714">6.5 billion</a> people as of today, most of whom live in the charmingly named "developing world", I don't think we'll be running short on suitable employees in a hurry. In fact, at 272.000 rupiah per day, pretty soon we'll be able to hire as many servants - er - employees as we want. Assuming we're employed too, that is.<br /><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">THE nation's employers have scored a big win in a battle to stop unions escaping the Howard Government's new workplace laws, after a group of Boeing employees were refused the right to seek refuge in the NSW system.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A full bench of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission yesterday overturned a decision by its NSW counterpart that had forced Boeing to accept the state tribunal's authority.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Australian Workers Union is now blocked from trying to use the NSW labour system to have non-union individual employment contracts at Boeing replaced with a collective union wage agreement for 22 of the company's maintenance workers.</span> (<a href="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18255481%255E2702,00.html">Link</a>)</blockquote><br />Remember Howard *insisting* that no-one on existing awards would be forced to give those up?<br /><br />The great God Google tells me that the Australian Industrial Relations Commission is "<span style="font-style: italic;">the Commission that deals with industrial relations matters</span>". But if people who have signed Australian Workplace Agreements are <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200602/s1563650.htm">beyond their jurisdiction</a> and everyone's going to be forced to "choose" to work under Australian Workplace Agreements sooner or later, then what the hell are the AIRC funded to do and who the hell will be protecting us all from being exploited by unscrupulous employers?<span style=""></span><br /><br />Makes me wish we had a body of people we could pay to look after our interests. Like a government or something.<br /><br />And if you're <span style="font-style: italic;">still </span>not disturbed, consider this:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The new industrial relations laws haven't even come into effect yet.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Thanks to <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roquentin/">Ivan</a> for the photo</span></div>roseghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06903370541545373397noreply@blogger.com0