So I'm thinkinggg
I should turn my blog into something more interesting. Give it a social conscience. Write about things that matter more than my daily life.
I don't know. I like to think I'm socially/politically/world event-ly (yes I made that word up, deal with it) aware...but lately I fail hardcore at keeping up with the news.
I don't know what it is, but the Australian news especially keeps depressing me. Corrupt police/businessmen/politicians. I'm losing faith in it all.
I dunno. The whole idea of the media just has me disenchanted right now. I don't even care enough to rant about it. 6 months ago, I would.
I would have filled this entry with my anger at "the system", the government, any thing I could think of really. I just don't care.
Politicians threatening bar staff, having affairs with prostitutes/radio personalities/etc, being in foreign countries more often than in their own country (thank you for spending my tax dollars on that trip to the Philippines, I felt REALLY useful for that Mr Rudd. It REALLY helped the services in my own country).
10 days ago, a prominent Sydney businessman was shot dead in front of his 10 year old son. My first thought was not of his poor son, his family, the trauma they would go through. It was "I wonder what shady dealings he was involved in?" Granted, it turns out I was right, him having been involved in some sort of police scandal that has not yet fully come to light, something that includes illegal recording of conversations he has had with high up police officers and other business men. But really. I was shocked at my own insensitivity. And when I heard that, while he was presenting this amazing front of wealth and affluence, his home had been mortgaged twice and many of his possessions were due to be repossessed within the next month, his luxury cars included, I thought "well, serves him right." It seems I am not as free from the Tall Poppy Syndrome as I once thought.
However, this is something that most Australians subscribe to, this way of thinking. While we project this image of being a carefree, happy-go-lucky people, really as a whole we hate those who are better than us, more successful than us. It is an affliction we as a nation have, and until we get over it, we will NEVER be a nation that has the power of somewhere like the USA or China. Not that we will ever be that high anyway. It's impossible for us to be anything higher than we are, while we are still a nation under the rule of England.
Now, don't get me wrong. It's nice being part of the Commonwealth. Hell, we win all the medals at the Commonwealth Games. It's not hard when the countries you're competing against are nations like England, Wales, India, and all the tiny African and Pacific countries that are members.
But when the Government of Australia is afraid to entertain the idea of certain laws, because of a fear that the Governor-General (The Queens Australian representative) could instantly reject it, and call for a double dissolution, then we, as a nation, are in NO WAY going to move forward.
It is my honest opinion that Australia NEEDS to become a republic, or else we will eventually destroy ourselves. Currently, the government are putting through any petty little laws they can, so that they may be seen as doing something. ANYTHING really.
The alcopops tax? Ridiculous in my opinion. All they'll spend that extra tax money on is a few "educational ads," which are aimed at young people (specifically adolescents), who just ignore them anyway, and go out and buy a bottle of spirits, which is more harmful to them than a pre-measured portion of alcohol. That's right, let them mix their own drinks, because it's cheaper. Let them make drinks with double and triple the standard drink size. Let them buy red bull and other "energy" drinks to mix them with, because they work faster.
If anything, it should be the sale of energy drinks that they are restricting, because teens, at least in my experience, abuse these more than they abuse alcohol. Need to stay up late to finish that essay? Have a Red Bull! Cramming for an exam? Red Bull! Got an important performance? Have a Red Bull, it will calm your nerves. Bull-fucking-SHIT it will.
And I just realised that my ranting skills are back. Hooray for me? Anyway, I guess this is only edition one of my (hopefully) more socially aware blog.
Ciao for now, my American readers who most likely stopped reading after the first paragraph because they have NO idea what I'm on about.
And, all my entries of this sort will be public I guess? In case random people wish to read them. I will be keeping my private rants private, lol.
I don't know. I like to think I'm socially/politically/world event-ly (yes I made that word up, deal with it) aware...but lately I fail hardcore at keeping up with the news.
I don't know what it is, but the Australian news especially keeps depressing me. Corrupt police/businessmen/politicians. I'm losing faith in it all.
I dunno. The whole idea of the media just has me disenchanted right now. I don't even care enough to rant about it. 6 months ago, I would.
I would have filled this entry with my anger at "the system", the government, any thing I could think of really. I just don't care.
Politicians threatening bar staff, having affairs with prostitutes/radio personalities/etc, being in foreign countries more often than in their own country (thank you for spending my tax dollars on that trip to the Philippines, I felt REALLY useful for that Mr Rudd. It REALLY helped the services in my own country).
10 days ago, a prominent Sydney businessman was shot dead in front of his 10 year old son. My first thought was not of his poor son, his family, the trauma they would go through. It was "I wonder what shady dealings he was involved in?" Granted, it turns out I was right, him having been involved in some sort of police scandal that has not yet fully come to light, something that includes illegal recording of conversations he has had with high up police officers and other business men. But really. I was shocked at my own insensitivity. And when I heard that, while he was presenting this amazing front of wealth and affluence, his home had been mortgaged twice and many of his possessions were due to be repossessed within the next month, his luxury cars included, I thought "well, serves him right." It seems I am not as free from the Tall Poppy Syndrome as I once thought.
However, this is something that most Australians subscribe to, this way of thinking. While we project this image of being a carefree, happy-go-lucky people, really as a whole we hate those who are better than us, more successful than us. It is an affliction we as a nation have, and until we get over it, we will NEVER be a nation that has the power of somewhere like the USA or China. Not that we will ever be that high anyway. It's impossible for us to be anything higher than we are, while we are still a nation under the rule of England.
Now, don't get me wrong. It's nice being part of the Commonwealth. Hell, we win all the medals at the Commonwealth Games. It's not hard when the countries you're competing against are nations like England, Wales, India, and all the tiny African and Pacific countries that are members.
But when the Government of Australia is afraid to entertain the idea of certain laws, because of a fear that the Governor-General (The Queens Australian representative) could instantly reject it, and call for a double dissolution, then we, as a nation, are in NO WAY going to move forward.
It is my honest opinion that Australia NEEDS to become a republic, or else we will eventually destroy ourselves. Currently, the government are putting through any petty little laws they can, so that they may be seen as doing something. ANYTHING really.
The alcopops tax? Ridiculous in my opinion. All they'll spend that extra tax money on is a few "educational ads," which are aimed at young people (specifically adolescents), who just ignore them anyway, and go out and buy a bottle of spirits, which is more harmful to them than a pre-measured portion of alcohol. That's right, let them mix their own drinks, because it's cheaper. Let them make drinks with double and triple the standard drink size. Let them buy red bull and other "energy" drinks to mix them with, because they work faster.
If anything, it should be the sale of energy drinks that they are restricting, because teens, at least in my experience, abuse these more than they abuse alcohol. Need to stay up late to finish that essay? Have a Red Bull! Cramming for an exam? Red Bull! Got an important performance? Have a Red Bull, it will calm your nerves. Bull-fucking-SHIT it will.
And I just realised that my ranting skills are back. Hooray for me? Anyway, I guess this is only edition one of my (hopefully) more socially aware blog.
Ciao for now, my American readers who most likely stopped reading after the first paragraph because they have NO idea what I'm on about.
And, all my entries of this sort will be public I guess? In case random people wish to read them. I will be keeping my private rants private, lol.