Saturday, April 29, 2006

brb

Hi all,

4 more weeks of f/t study to go, forgive my momentary absence but I promise it'll be the last time...

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Woodworm

Since the staged felling of Hussein's statue in Baghdad, neo-con scandals have been creeping out of the international right-wing-swing's woodwork.

Despite the fact intelligence whistleblowers such as Andrew Wilkie became martyrs to the public interest, voters, it would seem, still seek to follow governments that again and again prove themselves to hold basic human rights and transparency in utter contempt.

It certainly cannot be suggested that right wing governments do not care for the living conditions of their electorate or basic human rights conventions, so it is difficult to understand exactly how such elected officials have mesmerized their parties and publics.

Could it be the media monopolies of the calibre of Rupert's Fox Network, and broadcasters of the likes of Bill O'Reilly, who have discovered the hidden subliminal power of 'how to hypnotize a chook/audience?'

Damning reports about Donald Rumsfeld started appearing thick and fast earlier this week just prior to revelations that former Defence brass felt he'd mishandled the war strategy.

One might suspect that it's someone else's strategy coming into play in this latest media manouvre which is occurring rather (too) late in the whole Iraq War scenario. Did someone mention the US(Rumsfeld) could be liable for torture compensation - does anyone else see visions of rats and a sinking ships?

Indeed, similar 'disastrous' AWB revelations of terminal absentia have not relegated Mark and Alexander unfit for employment, but then the public sector has more than a hundred employees...

Thursday, April 13, 2006

People power to overcome the unpalatable ?

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Donny Mnemonic

There is a growing amount of literature and art exploring the idea of a repressive information society. The new release film, V for Vendetta, examines this theme in futuristic setting with frightening parallels to the Coalition of the Willing US, via the premise of the story of Guy Faulkes.

William Gibson and George Orwell both pre-empted the events of today, presumably the signs of the times, acting as a muse and perhaps a vessel for prediction. The use of RFIDs to log our every movement and utterance is reminiscent of the mark of the beast mentioned in the Book of Revelations. This is eerily compounded by the now approved Australian 'big brother' unparalleled phone tapping legislation, not to mention cctv used to monitor all public spaces and transport.

This however, has got to be one of the most frightening developments towards the reality of Gibson and Orwell's future world that I have come across, to the degree that it is almost surreal, as is the original date on the document, of 2003.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Time for Unity

The Uniting Church of Australia are calling for acknowledgement of the hardship caused by the forced removal by the government of the children of the indigenous people of Australia, and to mark recognition of this with a national holiday on May 26.

We celebrate Christian traditions such as Easter and Christmas with long public holidays, a monarch from another country's birthday consumes many and various days from every state in Australia's calendar, respectfully we acknowledge our fallen on ANZAC day, and on a more esoteric note - we recognize Labour day to commemorate the onset of the 40 hour working week which has its roots in a completely different country!

To mark important days in indigenous spirituality with a national holiday could only create greater racial harmony and understanding of a wonderfully diverse and rich culture.

The abduction of aboriginal children went further than to merely create one generation of indigenous people torn by the belittling of their colour, traditions and culture.

It isolated aboriginal people from the very essence that identifies them as a unique and valuable people, their sense of family and belonging.

The inability of Mini W to say sorry has prevented present-day Australian society from grasping the depth of the effects of Britain's assimilation of traditional Australian culture, and the attempted eradication of a whole nation of people.

A day of recognition would allow Australians to stand as one and rebuke these vile human rights abuses by a government elected by our people, in our time.

Sorry Day a National Holiday

Download petitions here to Legislative Assembly and Council to make Sorry Day, 26 May, a Public Holiday in Western Australia.