News and Current Events
So it's been a while since I updated.
Big friggin' whoop, you wanna fight about it?
No, but seriously. I've been slack.
And super busy at work.
However, I am now compelled to comment on several items of newsery I feel deserve the Citizen Cam treatment.
1. This business about the government "cover-up" regarding the boat full of asylum-seekers which exploded.
The essence of the story is as follows:
Some asylum-seekers were coming to Australia They were on a boat. The boat exploded. People died.
Now apparently the government is 'covering-up' by either refusing to answer questions about what happened, or by saying they don't know what happened.
OK, here's my problem with this. It's bollocks.
What both the press and the opposition neglect to mention is what, if anything, the government apparently knows that it's covering up. Their entire argument seems to be based around the fact that every time someone asks them what happened on the boat, they say "we don't know."
Do you think it's just possible that, for instance, the government does not actually know what happened?
Sometimes governments cover stuff up. All the time, in fact. Malcolm Turnbull knows this, since the government he was part of used to do it all the time. Which is probably why he thinks the government is engaged in a cover-up - if he were in power, that's exactly what he'd be doing. But sometimes, governments don't give you information because they don't actually have any.
And nobody will say what they think happened. The opposition's view seems to be that they don't know what happened, and they can't speculate, but the government must know something because they're a bunch of lying bastards. Sometimes, I swear, these guys are getting advice from Byron Bayh. Assuming that just because Kevin Rudd says something that it's automatically a lie is the same as assuming that everything he says is the gospel truth. No politician lies all the time. Good politicians never lie, for a given value of lie. Even John Howard didn't lie in every public statement he ever made. What would be the point? Sometimes, the truth doesn't do any harm.
The boat probably exploded because it was old and rickety. Nobody knows yet - that's why the police are investigating. Will everybody just cool it, please!
Thank you.
2. Former Hi-5 member Kelly Crawford has posed for RALPH magazine.
Won't somebody please, PLEASE think of the children!!!
This one really pisses me off, because it's part of a general trend. And I find it sort of conflicts with my left-wing sensibilities. Except it doesn't, because my left wing sensibilities are based on...sense, not knee-jerk reactions based on either prudism or sexual politics.
First off, let's get a few things clear.
Firstly, Kelly Crawford is entitled to pose for any damn magazine she pleases, regardless of her (former) profession. She could pose nude for Penthouse if she wanted to, or pose fully-clothed wearing a clown suit for Woman's Day - whatever she likes. That's part of a free society - the freedom to choose to do this stuff. The fact that she used to work in children's television means absolutely nothing.
Secondly, let's all remember that she used to be part of Hi-5. She is no longer. Some of the kids who remember when she was are probably getting into the "OMG boobies" phase around now anyway, so they won't mind. Those who aren't probably won't remember her anyway - you know what kids are like. They probably just think the new one with blonde hair has always been there. So what's the drama?
Thirdly, kids are not that easily scarred. Seeing one of their favourite performers wearing a bra is not going to turn them into some sort of warped cultist. Will everybody please get some perspective.
Fourthly, it's important to recognise that RALPH really is a squalid little rag. It does objectify women, and has a rather unhealthy fascination with breasts. But it does reflect its audience - the bulk of the people who buy it have the same unhealthy fascination. It's a 'lad's mag', so it's designed for people who are still in the 'OMG boobies' phase of their sexual development. In a country that has a free press, people who like shallow text and glossy photos of vacuous bimbos in various stages of undress are entitled to have a magazine to cater to their tastes. You don't like it, go read The Monthly.
I've never been into this whole idea of 'pornography/softcore photos objectify women' thing. I understand where the people who think it does are coming from, and I think they're right, to a point. The argument goes that it's based solely on a woman's physical characteristics, when a woman, or a man, is of course so much greater than that. And they're absolutely right. But I'm not so certain that it's something worth worrying about.
For a start, anybody who tells you that appearance doesn't matter is kidding themselves. You know it, I know it - what you look like does make a difference in how people treat you. Maybe it shouldn't, but it does. And it always will. It's biological - physical appearance is psychologically linked to health. Healthy animals attract mates. It's just the way it is. Sexy people get laid more often. Sorry, but we all know it's true. Again, maybe it shouldn't be true, and as one of nature's least sexy people I wish it weren't, but it is. There's no point in ignoring it.
And we all care about how we look. We all like being told we look good, or that we're handsome, or beautiful, or sexy. OK, maybe not me, but that's because it's never happened. Which leads us to this point:
Being physically attractive and proud of it does not make you shallow. People are attacking Kelly Crawford because posing for these photos undermines her credibility. She said that after ten years of pretending to be a kid, she wanted to show she was a woman. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Being proud of your own appearance is nothing to be ashamed about. It doesn't make you shallow, or a bad person. It's not objectifying yourself to say "Hey, guys, look at me, I'm hot!" You're not saying it's all you are. What you look like is only one part of what you are, but just because it is only one part doesn't mean you have to ignore it.
And if, like Kelly Crawford, you choose to flaunt it, who the hell is anybody else to tell you not to?
People who are hot should be allowed to be hot. That's all I'm saying.
Will everybody just cool it, please!
3. Obama got his kids a dog
Obama has also:
a) made it clear that Camp X-Ray will be closed;
b) unveiled a massive economic stimulus package;
c) specifically forbidden torture to be used by US personnel;
d) met with any number of world leaders;
e) ended the ban on stem-cell research;
f) ruled out prosecution for those who committed torture under the old regime;
and a lot more. Some good, some bad, but all of it matters.
So he got his kids a fucking dog! Big fucking deal! My parents have three!
WILL EVERYBODY JUST COOL IT, PLEASE!!!!!!
Also, apropos of nothing, one of the construction companies working at OPH at the moment is called 'Picasso Construction'.
Does that fill anybody else with a horrible fear? That one day we'll be walking on the ceiling?
Peace out.
Big friggin' whoop, you wanna fight about it?
No, but seriously. I've been slack.
And super busy at work.
However, I am now compelled to comment on several items of newsery I feel deserve the Citizen Cam treatment.
1. This business about the government "cover-up" regarding the boat full of asylum-seekers which exploded.
The essence of the story is as follows:
Some asylum-seekers were coming to Australia They were on a boat. The boat exploded. People died.
Now apparently the government is 'covering-up' by either refusing to answer questions about what happened, or by saying they don't know what happened.
OK, here's my problem with this. It's bollocks.
What both the press and the opposition neglect to mention is what, if anything, the government apparently knows that it's covering up. Their entire argument seems to be based around the fact that every time someone asks them what happened on the boat, they say "we don't know."
Do you think it's just possible that, for instance, the government does not actually know what happened?
Sometimes governments cover stuff up. All the time, in fact. Malcolm Turnbull knows this, since the government he was part of used to do it all the time. Which is probably why he thinks the government is engaged in a cover-up - if he were in power, that's exactly what he'd be doing. But sometimes, governments don't give you information because they don't actually have any.
And nobody will say what they think happened. The opposition's view seems to be that they don't know what happened, and they can't speculate, but the government must know something because they're a bunch of lying bastards. Sometimes, I swear, these guys are getting advice from Byron Bayh. Assuming that just because Kevin Rudd says something that it's automatically a lie is the same as assuming that everything he says is the gospel truth. No politician lies all the time. Good politicians never lie, for a given value of lie. Even John Howard didn't lie in every public statement he ever made. What would be the point? Sometimes, the truth doesn't do any harm.
The boat probably exploded because it was old and rickety. Nobody knows yet - that's why the police are investigating. Will everybody just cool it, please!
Thank you.
2. Former Hi-5 member Kelly Crawford has posed for RALPH magazine.
Won't somebody please, PLEASE think of the children!!!
This one really pisses me off, because it's part of a general trend. And I find it sort of conflicts with my left-wing sensibilities. Except it doesn't, because my left wing sensibilities are based on...sense, not knee-jerk reactions based on either prudism or sexual politics.
First off, let's get a few things clear.
Firstly, Kelly Crawford is entitled to pose for any damn magazine she pleases, regardless of her (former) profession. She could pose nude for Penthouse if she wanted to, or pose fully-clothed wearing a clown suit for Woman's Day - whatever she likes. That's part of a free society - the freedom to choose to do this stuff. The fact that she used to work in children's television means absolutely nothing.
Secondly, let's all remember that she used to be part of Hi-5. She is no longer. Some of the kids who remember when she was are probably getting into the "OMG boobies" phase around now anyway, so they won't mind. Those who aren't probably won't remember her anyway - you know what kids are like. They probably just think the new one with blonde hair has always been there. So what's the drama?
Thirdly, kids are not that easily scarred. Seeing one of their favourite performers wearing a bra is not going to turn them into some sort of warped cultist. Will everybody please get some perspective.
Fourthly, it's important to recognise that RALPH really is a squalid little rag. It does objectify women, and has a rather unhealthy fascination with breasts. But it does reflect its audience - the bulk of the people who buy it have the same unhealthy fascination. It's a 'lad's mag', so it's designed for people who are still in the 'OMG boobies' phase of their sexual development. In a country that has a free press, people who like shallow text and glossy photos of vacuous bimbos in various stages of undress are entitled to have a magazine to cater to their tastes. You don't like it, go read The Monthly.
I've never been into this whole idea of 'pornography/softcore photos objectify women' thing. I understand where the people who think it does are coming from, and I think they're right, to a point. The argument goes that it's based solely on a woman's physical characteristics, when a woman, or a man, is of course so much greater than that. And they're absolutely right. But I'm not so certain that it's something worth worrying about.
For a start, anybody who tells you that appearance doesn't matter is kidding themselves. You know it, I know it - what you look like does make a difference in how people treat you. Maybe it shouldn't, but it does. And it always will. It's biological - physical appearance is psychologically linked to health. Healthy animals attract mates. It's just the way it is. Sexy people get laid more often. Sorry, but we all know it's true. Again, maybe it shouldn't be true, and as one of nature's least sexy people I wish it weren't, but it is. There's no point in ignoring it.
And we all care about how we look. We all like being told we look good, or that we're handsome, or beautiful, or sexy. OK, maybe not me, but that's because it's never happened. Which leads us to this point:
Being physically attractive and proud of it does not make you shallow. People are attacking Kelly Crawford because posing for these photos undermines her credibility. She said that after ten years of pretending to be a kid, she wanted to show she was a woman. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Being proud of your own appearance is nothing to be ashamed about. It doesn't make you shallow, or a bad person. It's not objectifying yourself to say "Hey, guys, look at me, I'm hot!" You're not saying it's all you are. What you look like is only one part of what you are, but just because it is only one part doesn't mean you have to ignore it.
And if, like Kelly Crawford, you choose to flaunt it, who the hell is anybody else to tell you not to?
People who are hot should be allowed to be hot. That's all I'm saying.
Will everybody just cool it, please!
3. Obama got his kids a dog
Obama has also:
a) made it clear that Camp X-Ray will be closed;
b) unveiled a massive economic stimulus package;
c) specifically forbidden torture to be used by US personnel;
d) met with any number of world leaders;
e) ended the ban on stem-cell research;
f) ruled out prosecution for those who committed torture under the old regime;
and a lot more. Some good, some bad, but all of it matters.
So he got his kids a fucking dog! Big fucking deal! My parents have three!
WILL EVERYBODY JUST COOL IT, PLEASE!!!!!!
Also, apropos of nothing, one of the construction companies working at OPH at the moment is called 'Picasso Construction'.
Does that fill anybody else with a horrible fear? That one day we'll be walking on the ceiling?
Peace out.