Wanted: NEWS -dead or alive

While not every bit of news that gets its face flashed in the newsweb or newspaper is good, some is at least interesting. Such is the case with this story. A man, who was hit by a car was pronounced dead. It wasn't until the medical examinor was recording his wounds did he notice the man's shallow breathing! If that doesn't chill your bones, i don't know what would!

What we don't know, Won't hurt us

The California mud-slides killed 10 people, by last reading. During the rescue operation, a statement was made by a rescue worker, "this is mother nature at her worst". I was shocked. Had he forgotten about the tsunami that had taken the lives of more than 200,000 people only a few weeks before? Did he know that rescue workers in Tsunami effected areas were (as of last night) still finding an average of 1000 bodies a day?? I decided to check see what the American news was reporting. So I went to msn. The leading news headlines were:

1. 36 die in worst day for U.S. in Iraq
2.Calif. train derails, at least 10 die
3.Bush to Iraqis: ?Defy ... terrorists?

I know that often msn isn't the leading source for news so I checked CNN. The leading news stories were:

? General: Chopper crashed in bad weather 3D model
? Bush: I have 'planted the flag of liberty' Transcript
? Rice wins confirmation Panel OKs Gonzales Video
? Music mogul surrenders in drug money probe
? SI.com: Kidnappers demand $3M for MLB player's mom
? 10-pound meteorite hits Cambodia, sparks fires, prayers
? No UK charges for Guantanamo four
? Entire staff of NYC radio show pulled over tsunami slur
? Passenger subdued on Southwest flight

At least they mentioned the Tsunami. However, the story really had nothing to do with the disaster. I had to do with radio shows being careless in their broadcasting.

SBS is a leader in new for Australia. Its top stories were:

1. Deadly Day for US Troops

2. 10 Die in Train Crash

3.BUSH UPBEAT ON IRAQ ELECTIONS

4. Auschwitz liberated 60 years ago

5.Tsunami toll reaches 280,000

6.Cops strip in the line of duty

There used to be a saying, "If it bleeds, it leads". Could it be though, that people are more interested in hearing stories that don't make them feel bad? The America government gave $350 million dollars to the tsunami relief. In addition to this many of their celebrities donated more than $10 millionUS. England gave 76 million pounds plus cancelled debts of the countries which totaled about $3 billion USdollars. Along with that the soccer clubs have pledged $1.8 millionUS . Australia has pledged $6 billionAU over the next 4 years. Not only that but the television networks worked together to raise a further $20 millionAU. While each of these countries were willing to give something, both England and the USA have been out done. Could it be that Americans and Britain's don't want to know where their money is going? Or do they not want to know where someone else's money is going?

The obvious argument against this is that Australia is closer to these countries effected and thus, has more to gain by helping them. This is true. Can't argue against it. But when you think that England and America are BOTH much wealthier than Australia, have bigger populations than Australia, AND had a bigger death toll due to the tsunami, it is pitiful.

For more info about the tsunami. Go to Wikipedia.

News about ME

Okay, i haven't updated anyone on what is happening with me in quite a while so here it goes....

LAST WEEK:

Went to avondale to start my marketing job/training. My superviser had gone on holiday and my trainter was no where to be found. Went to the boss of the superviser and found out that she didn't know what i could do at all. So for an entire week i had no job. It wasn't too bad. I got to do a bunch of catching up with stuff i needed to get done for the drama in May.

LAST WEEKEND:
Came down to Sydney with Chris. Hung out with Melody a lot. Watched a few movies and decided to stay in sydney this week due to the fact i was unsure if i could get work in Avondale immediately. (we have a national holiday on Wednesday so i don't know if starting this week is really going to be an option) ANYWAY....Jillian (chris' mum) asked me if i would be willing to work for her for a few days instead. So i said yes! She wants me to help develope a degree (a BA in communications) for Pacific Adventist University. So far it is heaps of fun!

THIS WEEK:
This week i'll be in Sydney until Wednesday whereupon i will travel up to Avondale and spend the next week and a half up there.

Now you know what is going on with me. Wish you hadn't have read this, don't you?

Random info

I've started a new blog that is much more random. I'll post comments about movies, other blogs, websites...etc. and then rate them out of 10. If your interested have a look!

Response to Admiral

I am a History minor. It may surprise you to find out, but I actually do know something about history. I know that history is first and foremost subjective. It is subjective because of people’s beliefs, the culture of the time they live is, and their way of life, to name a few things. Thus when people right history they write from their understanding and knowledge which will not be the same as our current understanding and knowledge.

If I had lived, with the knowledge that I have now, during the time of WWII, I may have been apposed to the war¼then again, I may not have been. I don’t know. The reason I don’ know is because I don’t understand what it was like to live during that time. What is often said about Hitler was that if America hadn’t have joined in the war when it did, the Nazi party could have taken over the whole world, causing persecution and general death everywhere. I don’t think this is likely. First of all, there is a limited number of sources that think Hitler wanted to concur North America. Secondly, the war had already started turning against the Nazi’s when America decided to come on board. These are factors I have not often heard discussed in a typical history lesson. Neither is what is about to follow. Forgive me if it sounds anti-semantic. It is not meant to be racist but rather to give another viewpoint on the subject.

If Hitler had gain control of most of Europe, and continued to suppress those of Jewish decent, it would be very unlikely that the Zionist movement would have started in, what is now known as Israel. In fact, there wouldn’t be an Israel. The lives of millions of Palestinians would have been saved. There would be more peace (not completely peaceful, but definitely no fighting between Palestine and Israel) in the Middle East. This peace would save the lives of thousands of soldiers who have been sent to this area from all over the world.

But all this is speculation. We don’t know what would have happened. We don’t know if the flame that fuelled the Nazi party would have burned out in 5 years. We don’t know if he would have concurred the world. There is just too much we don’t know. And we can’t know because we don’t have the resources to find that out. What we can know is what is happening now. We know our own current culture better than our grandchildren ever will. With this knowledge we can look at the present and make evaluations on what is right and wrong for NOW¼Just like those living during WWII did.

A time and a place for everything

I was reading an article, The Phantom Weapons... , which was written by an Iraqi girl. It broke my heart. She paints a picture of a life that isn't too dis-similar from my own, except, she is facing a war that threatens to destroy everything she knows. Can it be right to do this to a country? I've been asked many times if it was right to go to war against Hitler. I don't know. I didn't live during that time period. I can't just read the history books because, as GB Shaw says, "History tells lies, like always". The winner writes "the truth". So all i can judge on is what i see and understand now. I can only decide what is right and wrong for this moment. So...is it right for America to send troops over to Iraq? Well, if i judge by the american democratic way (greatest good for the greatest number of people), no. From the news i am getting, it seems that more people are living in fear now than they ever were before. More people are certainly dying now than they were under Sadam. True Sadam was not the nicest of leaders but the same could be said for bush. His tourture of non-americans in political prisons is terrifying. The implimenation of signed agreements to wave all personal rights of appeal on entry to the usa is rediculous! As so many poets have said, freedom is only an illusion.

ARG!

Get permenatant residency
Apply for job in Adventist system
Apply for job in non-Adventist System
finish project for becky
catch up with friends
Don't let family down
Don't forget friends
Write emails
Update blog
Pray
Make food
Go Shopping
Think ahead
Get reimbursed for luggage
Track down Qantas representatives
keep the room clean
Pay bills
Do work
finish internship
don't stress out

but whatever you do, don't drop the ball.

My Baggage

Well, they found it, returned it, and washed their hands of it. Or at least that is probably what the airlines believe. My bag was returned yesterday with a GIANT hole in the side of it and the strap ripped off! My beautiful LEATHER bag is now unusable! (F&#$ing bastards) So now, i've got to find all the paper work and make a claim. grrrrr....it all takes up time and energy that i would rather spend on chris....er...i mean, working and school work....yeah! anyway...generally, i'm annoyed.

On a more exciting note. Melody will be arrive here in australia this Thursday. This means many things. Long talks. Late nights. Exciting work expiriences! and best of all, my twin back in the same country!

Home again...well almost

We are back in Australia. I'm staying in the SAN for the moment. I'll be back at avondale in a couple of days.

The trip was interesting. When we checked in at Portland, the airline we were using agreed to check our baggage through, all the way to Sydney even though we were changing airlines in LA. When we got to LA we found out that we had to go through security to check ourselves in though and come all the way back through security which ended up taking almost 45 minutes. grrrr. Finally we make it to our terminal and board the plane (which is delayed for an hour). We are a little bit nervous because if the plane doesn't make it to Sydney by 11 pm the plane gets diverted and we have to go to Brisbane or Melbourne to spend the night and get up early Sunday to catch a flight into Sydney. oi! So in order to make it on time, the pilot goes extra fast. This causes A LOT of turbulence. Which means a lot of people on the plane get sick. I had a lot of fun. It was like riding a rollercoaster ride for 13 hours....okay, by the end it wasn't as much fun but it kept the ride interesting. All the jarring about actually made it easier for me to sleep. It was like getting rocked to sleep. Chris, however, didn't find the trip nearly as enjoyable. I think he was feeling a bit sick by the end of it himself. Anyway...We made it. As in Chris and I made it...Sadly our luggage was not so lucky. We were able to get our bag of warm winter clothes here but all our books, and chrissy presents are lost somewhere. Hopefully the airline will find them and get the bag to us today. But we have to call them to tell them where to deliver the bag...oh damn! I was supposed to call! I've got to go.

surprise!

Last weekend a friend showed up at my house whom i wasn't expecting to see. Some of you may know him as the American Jesus, others just call him Brandon. Either way, i was more than a little suprised when my sister was followed into the house by the last person i expected to see. I was more than a little shocked. In fact, i don't think i said more than "Brandon!!!" for the next hour. It was great to have him here. He stayed for New Years while we lit fireworks. Then came to church with us and dealt well with my parents showing him off. (they were actually showing me, my siblings, my boyfriend, and all friends off...there was no discrimination on the humiliation) But everyone had fun. He stayed sunday while we played games and watched movies all day long and stayed Monday while we did more of the same! it was great! It hurt terribly when we had to say goodbye. No one likes to see friends leave, but it is always worse when you don't know when you'll say hello again. However, i suppose it is all for the best, i mean, Becky and he were getting a bit too friendly. (they slept together the last night he was here).

life, i think.

So Chris and i have been in the usa for something close to a month. we've gone sledding, swimming (in an indoor pool), out to a movie (or two), and we've discussed the disgraceful ability of the US media to turn a disastor in Asia into a story about the USA. It could be just me, but i'm pretty sure that the usa is paranoid that an event might happen that they have had no control over and has had nothing to do with them directly. We have gotten more coverage here on little boys giving all their money (all $35 in change) to the relief effert and families of missing tourists then of what actually happened. It is really amazing! But even as the US media pats america on the back for being such a giving and concerned nation, full of charity and help, it shows pictures of soldiers killing people in falusia (sp?) and tells stories of those Palestinians who should give Israel the Gaza Strip, because they are obviously taking up too much land for themselves. I can't believe the kind of double-speak we have happening here! Can no one see that death by drowning is no more pitiable than death by gun??