So what's in the news?
Japan, home of cutsey-cutesy animation and whale-slaughtering, finds a new sport in sinking other countries vessels
Rage born of the Road kills the Unborn of a Woman
KFC, one of the worlds leaders in chicken deaths, plays chicken when it comes to racist advertising
Playboy Barbie Recycled
It's a nightmare.
The world still doesn't see the connection between it's mistreatment of animals and it's mistreatment of people.
The screams of ego and dominance yet again result in the loss of the life of the most vulnerable.
And the artificial world of beauty that 99.999% of women are excluded from - due to being normal - takes another victim.
It's 2010. And this is the end of the first week.
Will we never learn?
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
2010
And so, a new decade starts.
Still people war with each other.
Still stupidity rules as government.
Still children go hungry.
Still, 1500 children die every hour.
What glorious futures were envisaged by the great science fiction writers? Wonderful transports to alien frontiers, technological delights to clean and entertain us.
Yet every day we come closer to the sort of future offered to us by Harry Harrison in his cautionary tale, 'Make Room, Make Room'.
At the end of the book, as the 21st century is about to dawn, amidst the over population, food shortages, housing shortages and water shortages, a religious zealot called Peter claims the Armageddon.
Andy, the books main character, assures him that the new century has begun and there is no armageddon. He tells Peter to go home.
"Home?" Peter blinked dazedly as the words penetrated. "There is no home, there is no world, for it is the millennium and we shall all be judged. The thousand years are ended and Christ shall return to reign gloriously on Earth."
"Maybe you have the wrong century," Andy said, holding the man by the elbow and guiding him out of the crowd. "It's after midnight, the new century has begun and nothing has changed."
"Nothing changed?" Peter shouted. "It is Armageddon, it must be." Terrified, he pulled his arm from Andy's grip and started away, then turned back when he had only gone a pace.
"It must end," he called in a tortured voice. "Can this world go on for another thousand years, like this? LIKE THIS?"
Then people came between them and he was gone.
We have not yet reached the point depicted in 'Make Room, Make Room'. But we are well on the way. We have learnt few of the lessons that Harry Harrison has tried to teach us.
Perhaps a Messiah will come and rescue the worthy. Perhaps Jesus will stand again amongst us. But what will his words be?
Will he admonish his followers for their differences? For being Christians by a thousand names yet not once linking arms despite their differences?
Will he ask why we, the keepers of the garden but not the owners of it, have raped it, have starved it, have sucked it's very life from it to support our own boundless desire for experiences and materialism?
Will he look at the thirty-five thousand hearts that stop beating every day and ask why we let it be so?
And if Jesus doesn't come - if all those who have faith in this are wrong, what then of the world?
2010. Give or take a tick of the clock, it's here.
"Can this world go on for another thousand years, like this? LIKE THIS?"
Still people war with each other.
Still stupidity rules as government.
Still children go hungry.
Still, 1500 children die every hour.
What glorious futures were envisaged by the great science fiction writers? Wonderful transports to alien frontiers, technological delights to clean and entertain us.
Yet every day we come closer to the sort of future offered to us by Harry Harrison in his cautionary tale, 'Make Room, Make Room'.
At the end of the book, as the 21st century is about to dawn, amidst the over population, food shortages, housing shortages and water shortages, a religious zealot called Peter claims the Armageddon.
Andy, the books main character, assures him that the new century has begun and there is no armageddon. He tells Peter to go home.
"Home?" Peter blinked dazedly as the words penetrated. "There is no home, there is no world, for it is the millennium and we shall all be judged. The thousand years are ended and Christ shall return to reign gloriously on Earth."
"Maybe you have the wrong century," Andy said, holding the man by the elbow and guiding him out of the crowd. "It's after midnight, the new century has begun and nothing has changed."
"Nothing changed?" Peter shouted. "It is Armageddon, it must be." Terrified, he pulled his arm from Andy's grip and started away, then turned back when he had only gone a pace.
"It must end," he called in a tortured voice. "Can this world go on for another thousand years, like this? LIKE THIS?"
Then people came between them and he was gone.
We have not yet reached the point depicted in 'Make Room, Make Room'. But we are well on the way. We have learnt few of the lessons that Harry Harrison has tried to teach us.
Perhaps a Messiah will come and rescue the worthy. Perhaps Jesus will stand again amongst us. But what will his words be?
Will he admonish his followers for their differences? For being Christians by a thousand names yet not once linking arms despite their differences?
Will he ask why we, the keepers of the garden but not the owners of it, have raped it, have starved it, have sucked it's very life from it to support our own boundless desire for experiences and materialism?
Will he look at the thirty-five thousand hearts that stop beating every day and ask why we let it be so?
And if Jesus doesn't come - if all those who have faith in this are wrong, what then of the world?
2010. Give or take a tick of the clock, it's here.
"Can this world go on for another thousand years, like this? LIKE THIS?"
Monday, April 20, 2009
Sexual Insanity
We live in a truly lunatic age of Sexual Insanity.
Ex Hi-5 Star Kellie Crawford is under extreme criticism for posing for NOT nude pictures in a magazine legally available to children. After ten years in a job the some parents believe they own the girl. Instead of expressing concerns about legalized media available for children that they apparently have some problem with, they are busy complaining about one single artist in the thing.
But the worst of this is the hypocrisy. True a gym teacher is receiving similar criticisms for the same reason, but where were the objections when Emma Watson announced that she'd do nude work? And when Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe did a nude role in a play, where were the streams of abuse?
In 1978, Doctor Who's assistant Jo Grant (in her real-life guise of Katy Manning) posed naked with a Dalek in a magazine called Girl Illustrated. No doubt only Doctor Who fans would remember this and it did not go down in the annals of history as a child-corrupting event.
Lets get something straight.
Or several things.
1. Even twenty years in a job does not mean that you are owned. People have their own life and their own careers.
2. It is the dipiction of the human body as something more than a biological lump of organs and bones and smelly bits that is at fault. It's time to teach our children the difference between naked and sexual - because there is a difference. Even dogs know the difference so it's about time we did. There are sexually provocative pictures in practically every magazine - you cannot change them all, but create well adjusted children and you won't need to.
3. Naked is a state where there are no clothes on. Having clothes on means you are not naked. Near naked is like near pregnant - a ridiculous concept.
4. The world is full of violence and death, starvation, disease, torture and hate. Lets try doing something about that huh?
Ex Hi-5 Star Kellie Crawford is under extreme criticism for posing for NOT nude pictures in a magazine legally available to children. After ten years in a job the some parents believe they own the girl. Instead of expressing concerns about legalized media available for children that they apparently have some problem with, they are busy complaining about one single artist in the thing.
But the worst of this is the hypocrisy. True a gym teacher is receiving similar criticisms for the same reason, but where were the objections when Emma Watson announced that she'd do nude work? And when Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe did a nude role in a play, where were the streams of abuse?
In 1978, Doctor Who's assistant Jo Grant (in her real-life guise of Katy Manning) posed naked with a Dalek in a magazine called Girl Illustrated. No doubt only Doctor Who fans would remember this and it did not go down in the annals of history as a child-corrupting event.
Lets get something straight.
Or several things.
1. Even twenty years in a job does not mean that you are owned. People have their own life and their own careers.
2. It is the dipiction of the human body as something more than a biological lump of organs and bones and smelly bits that is at fault. It's time to teach our children the difference between naked and sexual - because there is a difference. Even dogs know the difference so it's about time we did. There are sexually provocative pictures in practically every magazine - you cannot change them all, but create well adjusted children and you won't need to.
3. Naked is a state where there are no clothes on. Having clothes on means you are not naked. Near naked is like near pregnant - a ridiculous concept.
4. The world is full of violence and death, starvation, disease, torture and hate. Lets try doing something about that huh?
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Keep your fingers out of our Cherry Pie, chummy!
'Cherry Pie' is cockney rhyming slang for LIE. And that's why it's appropriate for the Chinese Government to tell us to keep out fingers out of their pie. Their pie, of course, is Tibet. And it IS a big lie.
They accuse the Dalai Lama of telling lies about the state of the country and claim that the democratic reforms (under Chinese rule) are the widest and most profound reforms in Tibetan history. Lies. 1.4 million tibetans dead does not seem a very profound reform to me.
And 'claims it freed Tibetans from a harsh theocratic feudal system' are clearly shown to be exactly what they are (LIES) because amid fears of fresh outbursts of violence during this year's anniversary, Beijing deployed thousands of troops and paramilitary police to Tibetan-populated regions. Tourists have been ordered out of the region, foreign journalists detained and even internet and text-messaging services disconnected
Keep your fingers out of our Cherry Pie, chummy!
That's the message of what is arguably the world's biggest and strongest super power who have spent the last 60 years murdering, torturing and destroying one of the worlds smallest and most peace-loving countries.
Of course, the Chinese Government would just say I was telling lies.
But then, all I want is for the people and environment of Tibet to be free from fear and suffering and destruction. What you have to ask yourself, is what China wants from them?
Eradication.
"Whose pie do they think it is?":
Tibet is a country full of people. If they are being treated humanely, then why the secrecy? Does China stop people looking at Beijing? They were happy enough to have the Olympics there. But Tibet? Where everyone is treated fairly - allegedly - they don't want anyone sticking their fingers in.
Too much to hide.
It's time we all stuck our digits in.
"World famous Nobel Peace Prize winner behaving like a child":http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,25171368-25837,00.html - we could all do with behaving like such a child. The world would be a much better place if we did. In Matthew 18:1 Jesus said 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven'.
I must say though, in my humble opinion, the ones acting like children - in the worst possible way - are those in control of the Chinese Government.
"Amid fears of fresh outbursts of violence during this year's anniversary, Beijing deployed thousands of troops and paramilitary police to Tibetan-populated regions. Tourists have been ordered out of the region, foreign journalists detained and even internet and text-messaging services disconnected.":http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,25168213-25837,00.html
Is that the behaviour of sensible, caring adults where the people are happy and descriptions of murder, torture, rape and environmental and cultural and religious destruction are all just 'lies'?
They accuse the Dalai Lama of telling lies about the state of the country and claim that the democratic reforms (under Chinese rule) are the widest and most profound reforms in Tibetan history. Lies. 1.4 million tibetans dead does not seem a very profound reform to me.
And 'claims it freed Tibetans from a harsh theocratic feudal system' are clearly shown to be exactly what they are (LIES) because amid fears of fresh outbursts of violence during this year's anniversary, Beijing deployed thousands of troops and paramilitary police to Tibetan-populated regions. Tourists have been ordered out of the region, foreign journalists detained and even internet and text-messaging services disconnected
Keep your fingers out of our Cherry Pie, chummy!
That's the message of what is arguably the world's biggest and strongest super power who have spent the last 60 years murdering, torturing and destroying one of the worlds smallest and most peace-loving countries.
Of course, the Chinese Government would just say I was telling lies.
But then, all I want is for the people and environment of Tibet to be free from fear and suffering and destruction. What you have to ask yourself, is what China wants from them?
Eradication.
"Whose pie do they think it is?":
Tibet is a country full of people. If they are being treated humanely, then why the secrecy? Does China stop people looking at Beijing? They were happy enough to have the Olympics there. But Tibet? Where everyone is treated fairly - allegedly - they don't want anyone sticking their fingers in.
Too much to hide.
It's time we all stuck our digits in.
"World famous Nobel Peace Prize winner behaving like a child":http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,25171368-25837,00.html - we could all do with behaving like such a child. The world would be a much better place if we did. In Matthew 18:1 Jesus said 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven'.
I must say though, in my humble opinion, the ones acting like children - in the worst possible way - are those in control of the Chinese Government.
"Amid fears of fresh outbursts of violence during this year's anniversary, Beijing deployed thousands of troops and paramilitary police to Tibetan-populated regions. Tourists have been ordered out of the region, foreign journalists detained and even internet and text-messaging services disconnected.":http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,25168213-25837,00.html
Is that the behaviour of sensible, caring adults where the people are happy and descriptions of murder, torture, rape and environmental and cultural and religious destruction are all just 'lies'?
Sunday, February 15, 2009
And the Atlantic ocean is How Big?
Britsh and French nuclear submarines have crashed into each other.
I mean, there are a couple of significant questions that I (a totally non-sea-going person) must ask.
1. Just how big is the Atlantic ocean and how much room do 150 metre long submarines need?
2. Didn't they invent RADAR once upon a time? Isn't that supposed to be good for avoiding collisions?
3. Of the total 500 trained sailors on the two submarines, didn't any of them look out of the port hole?
Ok, number 3 was a trick question.
I mean, there are a couple of significant questions that I (a totally non-sea-going person) must ask.
1. Just how big is the Atlantic ocean and how much room do 150 metre long submarines need?
2. Didn't they invent RADAR once upon a time? Isn't that supposed to be good for avoiding collisions?
3. Of the total 500 trained sailors on the two submarines, didn't any of them look out of the port hole?
Ok, number 3 was a trick question.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Pyroslaughter!
Australia is currently in the grip of terrible bushfires. Many lives have been lost. There are many ways to contribute to the support of the victims, one of which is through the purchase of cards or wall art from Phoenix Appeal on RedBubble.
The causes of bushfires range from lightening strikes through to mis-handled burnoffs. However, there is a cause which is all too common and that is the fire-bug. Pyromaniacs who start fires for some sort of perverted fun.
In a country such as Australia where a fire has a very high probability of killing homeowners, farmers or fire-fighters, I believe that those who start fires should be charged with Murder or attempted murder (if no-one actually dies). I fail to understand how anyone could argue that lighting a fire in this country does not represent significant risk to life and property. Any one who willfully starts a bushfire is guilty of (attempted) murder, and the law needs to take this approach.
Those who indulge in this insane passion know that the results are likely to be death for someone and therefore they should be held accountable.
It is time that murder was treated as murder.
The causes of bushfires range from lightening strikes through to mis-handled burnoffs. However, there is a cause which is all too common and that is the fire-bug. Pyromaniacs who start fires for some sort of perverted fun.
In a country such as Australia where a fire has a very high probability of killing homeowners, farmers or fire-fighters, I believe that those who start fires should be charged with Murder or attempted murder (if no-one actually dies). I fail to understand how anyone could argue that lighting a fire in this country does not represent significant risk to life and property. Any one who willfully starts a bushfire is guilty of (attempted) murder, and the law needs to take this approach.
Those who indulge in this insane passion know that the results are likely to be death for someone and therefore they should be held accountable.
It is time that murder was treated as murder.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
50 Years of Oppression in Tibet
2009 marks the 50th anniversary of China's horrific invasion of Tibet. Apart from 50 years of genocide, torture, labour camps, the detention of children and environmental destruction on a scale that would turn a hardened logger into a greeny, it also marks 50 years of the world's disinterest - Tibet is a long way away and someone else's problem.
I wrote the following item ten years ago now on the 40th anniversary of killing. I am so sad that the situation in Tibet is definitely unimproved - if anything it has gotten much worse. This year, the 50th anniversary, it would be well to make one of our New Years resolutions to do just a little to help address this 50 year oversight. Many eyes and cameras will be on Tibet this year - it's your big chance to do something for the world.
Snap Snap, Feign a grin,
The Peoples Camera is watching you,
You'd better hide the truth within,
Animals of the Peoples Zoo.
The World must see a happy face,
And forget the million that have died,
Forget destruction of a race,
Forget about their genocide.
Peaceful cries for humanity,
With ruthless violence are suppressed,
With torture, death and brutality,
But call it just Arrest.
A minority in their homeland,
Monks beaten, nuns violated,
Religion, culture, history banned,
A people being eradicated.
Under curfew the people wait,
Ever victims of repression,
That's the way that Tibetans celebrate
Their 50 years of oppression.
Snap Snap, Feign a grin,
The Peoples Camera is watching you,
You'd better hide the truth within,
Animals of the Peoples Zoo.
Go find out more
I wrote the following item ten years ago now on the 40th anniversary of killing. I am so sad that the situation in Tibet is definitely unimproved - if anything it has gotten much worse. This year, the 50th anniversary, it would be well to make one of our New Years resolutions to do just a little to help address this 50 year oversight. Many eyes and cameras will be on Tibet this year - it's your big chance to do something for the world.
Snap Snap, Feign a grin,
The Peoples Camera is watching you,
You'd better hide the truth within,
Animals of the Peoples Zoo.
The World must see a happy face,
And forget the million that have died,
Forget destruction of a race,
Forget about their genocide.
Peaceful cries for humanity,
With ruthless violence are suppressed,
With torture, death and brutality,
But call it just Arrest.
A minority in their homeland,
Monks beaten, nuns violated,
Religion, culture, history banned,
A people being eradicated.
Under curfew the people wait,
Ever victims of repression,
That's the way that Tibetans celebrate
Their 50 years of oppression.
Snap Snap, Feign a grin,
The Peoples Camera is watching you,
You'd better hide the truth within,
Animals of the Peoples Zoo.
Go find out more
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
