Darn it!

I was fooling around and completely lost my template!!!

Oh well - this blog is dead anyhow!

Six feet under dead!

Luv Me

the United States of America

I know this is incredibly lazy of me, but I think Phillip Adams summed up why not many people look to the United States as "the best nation on earth".

United states of affray
By Phillip Adams

HOW do I kill thee? Let me count the ways Americans have killed others and each other throughout their history. Oh, the body count might have been higher in Hitler's war or Stalin's Soviet Union or Mao's China. Nonetheless, no nation has a more bloodstained history than the US. And no other nation has such a culture of violence.

We can never know how many tens of millions of Native Americans died as a consequence of the white man’s arrival, but the Indian Wars took a massive toll as Europeans took possession of what would become the United States. The slaughter of the men, women and children of the Indians’ “500 nations” got the new white nation off to a bloody start. Massacre, famine and disease on a genocidal scale. The Revolutionary War? A skirmish in comparison. As was the war between North and South, though the US “Civil” War remains one of the most devastating in modern history.

That 19th century conflict would, of course, lead to the end of slavery – a vast act of violence that destroyed the lives of generations of Africans. How many died in the African round-ups? On the slave boats? In the oceans? How many were worked to death in the cotton fields? The crime of slavery, on which America based its burgeoning economy, resonates today. It is directly connected to the self-destructive rage within the ghettos, and to the 1.4 million, or 13 per cent, of black men who’ve been jailed, paroled – and ever after denied the vote.

After slavery, the era of the lynch mob. Tens of thousands of “niggers” were hanged from city lampposts – or from trees in southern townships. It wasn’t just the KKK. Lynchings were popular public occasions – celebrations that decent white folk took their children to see. And we’re not talking the ancient past. On the very day the Reagan family moved into a new home with young Ronnie there was a lynching a few blocks away. Variations on the theme persisted through the ’60s as white racists fought the civil rights movement.

Official lynchings still occur, though the noose is rarely involved. Having abandoned capital punishment in the early ’70s, the US brought it back with a vengeance a few years later, adding lethal injection to the gas chamber and electric chair in the menu of state murder. Only China executes more citizens. Thirty-eight US states have the penalty on the statutes, with Texas holding the record for executions – achieved during the governorship of George W. Bush. Blacks are killed in numbers out of all proportion to the population. But many don’t make it to Death Row. They’re killed by the LAPD or the NYPD, often in circumstances provoking race riots and an abiding mistrust of the police and the entire judicial system.

An uncivil war rages throughout America with an immense number killed by handguns. Or assault rifles in convenience store robberies or drug dealers’ turf wars. Attempts to disarm criminals – let alone civilians – are thwarted by the most effective lobby group in the US, the National Rifle Association. The number of guns in the possession of gangs and “citizens’ militias” exceeds 100 million.

Some are used to kill white residents, others leading African Americans. No other nation has seen so many of its most exalted cut down by assassins, sometimes crazed loners, sometimes members of conspiracies. When JFK was assassinated his brother Bobby, soon to be killed himself, accused the CIA and the Mafia of organising “the hit”. As a crusader against the Mob – and a critic of an out-of-control CIA – he knew of the links between them; of their plans to collaborate in the assassination of Fidel Castro. He also wondered whether the Secret Service team that was supposed to protect his brother had been implicated.

Bobby’s war against organised crime – which J. Edgar Hoover insisted was a myth – had made the brothers targets. They’d regularly been threatened by Jimmy Hoffa and the notorious Teamsters Union. The Kennedy administration genuinely feared a Mob takeover of the US – the sort of outcome we’d see in countries like Colombia. Such concerns had a long history, dating to the violence and corruption of the Prohibition years.

The 9/11 attacks? They’d been pre-imagined in so many Hollywood films. Which brings us to the culture of violence in US films, TV and now video games, in the fan clubs for serial killers, in the celebration of the Mob in series such as The Sopranos. No other nation devotes such creative energy to the pornographies of violence in its mass entertainment.

And that’s before we look at America and war, from Mexico to Iraq. Yes, the US is the best and worst of nations, giving the world both the loftiest and most awful of examples. When I made these points after 9/11 – warning Australia not to be swept up in the Bush Administration’s response – I was dragged before the Press Council. These days my column looks understated and prescient.

- The Weekend Australian, September 15, 2007.

Feeling Good

It has occured to me that lately I have been investing in things that make me feel good. And while I was thinking of this today I began to realize how hypocritical I have been when other people indulge in things that make them feel good.

I've always looked down on girls who go out of their way to always look pretty. I've always looked down on girls who care excessively about their hair and their faces and their bodies.

But then I thought, well, if it truly makes them feel good, and is not just covering up insecurity and deeper psychological issues, who am I to judge?


Because if two years ago I would have described how I have become today, I would be disgusted in my recent displays of materialism.

As I said in the first paragraph, I've been investing in things that make me feel good.

And I have realized that feeling good is living life.

What makes me feel good?

Music. I never used to buy music because I thought it was a waste of money. But recently I've been buying albums that I listen to on repeat throughout every day. Marvin Gaye and Black Star and Babyface and The Drifters. Music that makes me feel good.

Books. My weakness has always been good books. But I never used to buy them unless they were really really cheap. Recently I just thought - what the heck? - and have been collecting a personal library. The most recent book that made me feel good? The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, a modern day classic that everyone should read if you haven't already. Her poetic writing is seriously delicious and makes you want to pick up a pen and never stop.

Bollywood. This is old territory. Singing and dancing and India and Salman Khan and Rani Mukerji makes me feel good.

Spoken Word Poetry. I don't even have to write words to explain why it makes my heart pump. Check out Shihan's Father's Day.

Family. I live far away from my family. Australia is huge and it is very rarely that I get to go back to see anyone. If i missed them, I used to think that I was being a wuss. That I wasn't being grown up enough or independent enough. I scoffed at a girl who moved a thirty minute plane flight away from home and who cried to her mother so hard over the phone she began hyperventalating.I thought- I'm never going to be like that. I'm never going to miss anyone that much. And then while I was sitting on my bed, talking to my brothers the other day, I realised that why should be ashamed? I feel good when I miss my family, in a weird contradicting way. I feel good because I know that all those "missing moments" are going to build up and be let out in one great meeting at the airport in October. I don't know - it just makes me Feel Good.

My Ancestors. When I think of all the different shades in me it makes me smile. It makes me feel good because I realize I am not normal and I am not boring and I have something to live for. I live for that scared little boy who was stolen off that beach on Tanna to work in the sugar fields of Queensland. I live for those unsure Scottish immigrants who travelled an ocean away from home. I live for that New Caledonian mann who worked hard his whole life in a completely different culture. I live for that Aboriginal woman who married that mann and who's people were massacred and were broken down by white man. I live for those English, those Spanish, those Scottish, those Irish who make up my mother. I live for those New Caledonian, those Solomon Islanders, those Ni-Vanuatu and those Darumbal fellas who make up my father. It makes me feel good to realize those people make up me.

But there are some things that don't make me feel good.

CARS. To quote a translated sentence that Shah Rukh Khan's character says in Har dil jo pyar karega Why do people make cars? Why do people travel in cars? I get the worse rage and every car on the road becomes the bain of my existance. I'm convinced I'm the only good driver in the world. They also cost so much money it's not funny. My friend at work believes there is some kind of tyre conspiracy to help corporations make money. According to his logic, surely there has to be someone who has figured out a way to keep tyres from going flat? I agree - I have had two flat tyres in the space of six months. Maybe I'm not such a good driver after all...

If we eradicate cars we are also on our way to a greater, greener environment and there would be fewer greenie protestors yelling out Kyoto Protocol.


But I'm not going to end this entry on what doesn't make me feel good.

Also...comments make me feel good. *hint hint*

Luv

Amy

Anuja is the Queen of the Universe

Confused? See number 5 :P

I'm saddenned that i was reduced to this. NOt that i don't think Anuja is suitable of being the queen of the universe but still...she has firmly knocked me off my pedestal :(

Here is my long delayed tag! 8 Random facts about moi :P

1. I am obsessed with names and fall in love with them often. Raul, Rani, Mau Mau (nothinig to do with Kenya!) Kweli...it's just like a neverending devotion to my own weirdness. I love the way some names roll of my tongue and when i was in high school i dreamed of marrying a guy named "Raul" - kind of like in the Importance of Being Ernest!

2. I'm addicted to coffee. But it has to be takeaway. I just can't drink the stuff you make at home. Expresso - no way! If i don't have my takeaway coffee in teh morning i get headaches and can't concentrate!

3. I love the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and literally have five copies! I don't know what i love about it!

4. When i was young, my sister and I had this game with our father where if we caught him with his elbow resting out of the window of the car and pulled him up on it we each got a $1. We were traumatised after a man with one arm told us he had got it ripped off from putting it outside of the car. Our dad's bill got so big that he still hasn't paid it and probably never will!

5. I like Salman Khan and think he is dreadfully sexy. (hahahahhaha)

6. I can listen to one song on replay all day and never get sick of it. The one today is "Brown Skinned Lady" by Black star.

7. I want to have three kids - two boys and one little girl.

8. I'm a bit vain and always have been!!! I readily admit it ;)


Tag Rules
1) Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.
2) People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules.
3) At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
4) If you fail to do this within eight hours, you will have to acknowledge Amy as the Queen of the Universe


So here it goes - i will tag eight people and if you fail to complete your task...i am QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE!! Mwahahahahaha

1. Sojourner - my favourite poet in the whole wide world ;) I'm seriously hoping you miss your eight hour deadline!
2. Guns - just because i want to understand your weird personality :P
3.Pravin - just because ;)
4. Alex - cause your so smart - you can't be that perfect!
5. No Names - because i like your profile photo!
6. Mumbai Guy - cause your from that beautiful Mumbai! And i love your blog ;)
7. Dhava - cause i don't think you're full of crap ;P
8. Yaeli - cause i haven't heard from you in ages!


And then some more because i really want to see how many people will crown me queen o the universe:

1. Chris Woo: because i want you to update your blog more ;)
2. Melissa: because you'll make it so very interesting
3. Princess Jo: because you'll put that special princess touch on it ;)

You see who you're real friends are...

It is in times of trouble that you see who you're real friends are.

John Howard ain't one of them. After all, he's the man who will gladly say sorry for interest rate rises but still will refuse to say sorry to the Stolen Generations.

But this man, who isn't even an Australian citizen, is looking very much like he is.


- picture from stuff.com.nz

Mr Hone Harawira is a Maori MP who recently visited the Northern Territory after being invited by a few Aboriginal organisations. He is also the man that recently called Howard a "racist bastard" for his charge in attitude into NT Aboriginal communities.

He has come under fire for going on the trip in his home land and apparently the Clerk's office is looking into it, despite him saying he "doesn't give a stuff" about whether they'll dock his pay.

It's just good to know that our Indigenous brothers and sisters over seas have got our backs. And it's good to know that when we are in dire trouble of racist and draconian legislation passing the Senate, we not only have their support, but are able to come together as one to protest.

We see the strength of our real leaders are - for example - Pat Turner - who is more than willing to stand up to idiots like Bill Heffernan and the whole white washed parliament for that matter.

We see the strength of our Aboriginal women and our Aboriginal men - the latter of who have taken a savage beating from the media - in particular ABC TV - over our supposed "culture of denial".

But we also see the bad points.

We are able to see the real truth of the uncaring, power driven members of Parliament in an election year.

We are able to see how our national media takes their own line, regardless of the cries of the majority of the ABoriginal community. We are able to see how they continue to quote Aboriginal "leaders" who only serve to strengthen their own leanings.

We are able to see how White Australia responds to a crisis that has been bubbling under the surface for decades. We are able to see their paternalistic solutions and their continual drive for white superiority and assimilation.

We are able to see how our lives and livlihoods are continually held in white hands.

And we are able to see that nothing has changed since the days of colonialization, since the days of the reserves, of stolen wages and stolen children.

It saddens me that Labor is playing wedge politics and is not responding to legislation that is seriously going to undermine Aboriginal land right, and rights in general, in the NT.

We have got Aboriginal leaders who are outspoken and are protesting. These aren't loonies who are trying to cover up for Aboriginal men. These are smart, educated, amazing people like Pat Turner, John Ah Kit, Pat Dodson, Tom Calma and Jackie Huggins.

How can they not listen to their voices??

Happy Anniversary!

It's been ten years since my parents tied the knot! Hopefully there will be ten years more!

My parents had a Tanna wedding exactly like the one i'll have when i marry a man tanna :P haha...just kidding!

Luv Amy

Why did i resist this guy for so long?

I remember I was 14 and my sister and I were talking to William, a Pentecost boy who we have known since I was about 11. He asked us the all important question. What kind of music are you guys into? At that point I was superficial in my music pickings loving most commercial hits that would fade into obscurity as soon as they dropped out of the top 10. In my defense, I also loved Michael Jackson, which I believe is justified even if it still is abit superficial. I also loved Vatdoro and Reynolds. Anyway, back to my story.

"Pretty much everything," I answered and then asked him what he liked knowing full well the answer.
"Bob Marley"
Figures I thought.
"What, you don't like Bob Marley?"
"Not particularly," I said.
"But reggae is the best!" he exclaimed.

The next time i saw him he was showing me the marijuana plant in his backyard and was talking in a semi-Jamaican accent. I even found him in his room one day drawing pictures of Bob Marley - which i thought was very obsessive.

So even though i hadn't really heard much of Bob's work, I shrugged him off as a craze and an unneccessary bad influence on the future health and wellbeing of Vanuatu's youth.

That was until for some strange reason while shopping the other day, I came across one of his compilation cds.
All i can say...................................................wow.

Now i fully understand why he is possibly the greatest musician who ever lived and is an international superstar and legend...possibly even a rasta prophet!

I'm absolutely in love right now with "Redemption Song" - i shall place the lines in and tell you why:

Redemption Song

Old pirates, yes, they rob i;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took i
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.

cause all I ever have:
Songs of freedom
Wont you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? ooh!
Some say its just a part of it:
We've got to fulfil de book.

Wont you help to sing
These songs of freedom? -
Wont you help to sing
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs;

/guitar break/
---
Emancipate ourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say its just a part of it:
Weve got to fulfil the book.
Wont you help to sing
Dese songs of freedom? -
cause all I ever had:
Redemption songs -
All I ever had:
Redemption songs:
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom.

I always wondered about why Bob Marley was so loved around the world - surely someone from a small island talking about a religion that is followed by a very small percentage of the world wouldn't sing such important themes?

But he does. He is an incredibly talented individual.

I love the way he words the feeling of oppression - which is common in so many places - and his voice is beautiful and soulful. His songs are true anthems for minority rights and now i see why so many people love him...i think I am becoming one of those people.

I also love the fact that when he sings his lyrics - they are real and forged from experience. We can have all the Bonos' and Michael's in the world singing about poverty etc and overcoming oppression, but the truth of the matter is - Bob Marley sung people's music because he was one of the people. He knew what it was like growing up in Jamaica as a black man or a mixed race person and was able to use his music to illustrate these experiences in true form.

So while I was researching him, I came across this really great quote that I think you will love Chris, cause i'm going to print it up and put it up at work:

"I don't have prejudice against myself. My father was a white and my mother was black. Them call me half-caste or whatever. Me don't dip on nobody's side. Me don't dip on the black man's side nor the white man's side. Me dip on God's side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white."

Isn't that amazing? I think he is a true hero for all those misplaced peoples out there, those people who have had their identity's stolen away, who have been oppressed and beaten down. Which is a lot of people.

Anyway, I've had my rant!

I also love Kenneth Babyface Edmunds.

Luv Amy

Stupid white missionaries

I know i shouldn't be so mean to missionaries but sometimes they just get me annoyed. Currently, there has been an influx of American "volunteers" and people intent on converting people to God in Vanuatu that it almost seems like the rich and selfish land grabbing expatriates are in the clear!

I know I know -they're intentions are all good but it's scary to think they may actually want to STAY in Vanuatu- meaning they will need to find somewhere to LIVE and will TAKE Indigenous land. I know it's a generalization but why don't people realize that just because land is there doesn't mean it's yours for the taking. Maybe i'm just sore from looking at Australia's theft of land and relunctance to give it back to the traditional owners. It all seems so simple to me. If you steal land than it is not yours and you must give it back. No one told the Australian government this.

But anyway, maybe i'm the one being selfish. Trying to keep Vanuatu to myself. But the thing that is really worrying me is the beginning of a upper white class. Seeing how rich white folks treat Indigenous people in Australia, I know what it would feel like to be a second class citizen in your own country!

Note not all expatriates or white people are like this. But there are certainly alot who are and these are the few who make me mad.

It all stems from this comment i saw in this christian "YOUTH WITH A MISSION" blog talkign about their Vanuatu team they sent over to minister to the savages. They were talking about the people at Blacksands and said they had an angry spirit and "inferior pride". What just because they ain't white and don't follow your particular beliefs? It just got me very mad that people could still be like those old mission managers on the reserves.

But onto good things - the reason i have been thinking about Vanuatu lately is because I went and saw my dad in Sydney for his birthday and as his birthday present, my Uncle Simil - Man Tanna! - came along to! Mum did such a great job on dad's birthday! We spent the whole weekend together - just my dad, Uncle Simil and me - we went and watched a soccer game (Australia vs Uruguay) and went up to the Blue Mountains to visit dad's old army friends.

It was such a great weekend and I think my dad absolutely adored it! We both haven't seen Uncle Simil for maybe a year so it was a treat for both of us! My dad also worked out a simple family tree for me and I found out I have Solomon Islander heritage as well! It was awesome! But of all the things dad is - i think he is predominately Man Tanna and he's very proud of this as am I! Because no one ever better mess with Man Tanna!

We also learnt alot about Australian multiculturalism and how idiotic Anglo loving John Howard is. On our entire weekend - the only white Australian stranger we conversed with was a completely racist fool. I have never felt so belittled. I have never been the victim of racism before mainly because I am very fair skinned and so can pass as a white girl. But this man completely spoke down to me, Uncle Simil and dad. I saw this Polynesian fella just glaring at him. All we asked him was a simple question and he just acted like a controlling mission manager. I nearly felt like crying. And Uncle Simil was saying he coudln't stop thinking about it. Dad was the only one who wasn't effected by him and dad said it was because, growing up in racist, regional Queensland, he was used to it.

So yes - i learnt alot from this one single weekend. I'm glad I have a white mother -just because her presence stops me from being any more bitter than I am already. I have many beautiful non-Indigenous and non-South Sea friends but sometimes you can have just one experience that can make you completely bitter towards them.It just shows you how far we have to come to advance reconciliation. A bridge walk just ain't gonna cut it.

Yay!

Hi All!!

What has been happening in my life? Absolutely zilch. Was completely disappointed at all the white fanfare over the Referendum - next week everyone will have forgotten about Aboriginal people until the next sexual abuse story props up. The only reason people get into such a big frenzy in the lead up to the referendum is because for once in their lives - white Australians can stop feeling guilty because they actually voted to finally give Aboriginal people a break. Mind you - it took them almost 190 years to reach this milestone but hey, at least they did it right? IT's a kin to saying you proudly walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 2000 but still agree wtih everything Mal Brough spews out of his mouth....but anyway, i digress. I'll leave my opinionated banter to my other private more deflammatory blog which no one knows about :P

Again, back to myself, life has been quite boring. I'm considering starting a petition to get Melissa to move down to the southern states. I know i'll have Chris' signature but not to sure about Princess Jo's (or a certain Multimedia guy :P) I've been watching alot of movies lately which is unusual for me because I usually can't sit through a full one. Needless to say, my Video Ezy card is getting quite a work out! Maybe it's just an indication of my life so far!

I saw the movie Boomerang with Eddie Murphy: It is now one of my all time favourites! Hahaha...the lines in that are just hilarious!

This Saturday I am going to Sydney to see my dad and we're going to a soccer game! It are will be fun :)

Hmm...what else to write?

Nothing!

Pure utter gibberish because I have nothing constructive to say

So yes, it has occurred to me that I have neglected this blog. I would like
to say that I have a good reason but really the simple fact has been that
I've been incredibly lazy. For some reason, at this moment, my favourite
thing to use my laptop for has been to watch Wesley Snipes movies. I
recently signed up to Video Ezy and so have been searching the shelves for
Wesley Snipes. And for goodness sake - I don't even know why I like Wesley
Snipes. Except he is extremely good looking which I'm using as a sufficient
reason to love him. He also reminds me of my dad which is strange because my
dad in no way resembles Wesley Snipes and as far as I know doesn't fight
vampires.



I recently made the trip back to Rockhampton (and by recently, I mean maybe
a month ago?) and got to see all a few of my rellies at my cousin's 21st
birthday bash. It was there that I got to talking with my dad, my nanny and
my Uncle Lou (who is my nanny's brother) and discovered that I have become
really obsessed with learning about family history. I was visiting my nanny
with my dad and the subject just turned to family and I started learning all
these things that I had no idea about.

So out of that experience was born a dream of mine to write a book about
South Sea Island and Aboriginal youth growing up in "Kanaka Town" in
Rockhampton. Apparently right next to Kanaka Town was a Darumbal camp so I
found that incredibly interesting. The book is in it's research stages and I
have been frequenting the library on the weekends to try and make a rough
sketch of what it is going to be about. I recently discovered an amazing
resource in Canberra - the National Library of Australia. Those who knew me
in my uni days (approximately a year ago) will know that I was kind of
obsessed with the university library. I feel a certain obsession rising for
the NLA. It's absolutely amazing and has so many resources. It's definitely
my favourite place in Canberra at the moment.

I think it's very important to chronicle history before it is too late and
the ones' who hold the knowledge pass away. I know a lot of information has
already been lost because it wasn't handed down and so I want to stop that.
I also think it's important for everyone to know where they came from. Most
people I know do have a faint idea of their family histories. People love to
brag about being English or Scottish or Irish or Transylvanian or whatever
they are but few actually bother to find out anything more than the
exterior.

Yes - so that has been my main focus of late. I also took my sister to the
Beyonce Knowles concert in Brisbane last month - it was awesome and we also
got to see the very delightful Chris Brown perform! I didn't realize how much i liked Beyonce until i saw her perform in the flesh. I also really adore
Brisbane. It's so easy to get around with the train system being the way it
is.



So what else? Seriously - it has been very boring. Right now I prefer to
spend my weekends at the library or watching movies. It's such a change from
when I always wanted to be going out!

The big excitement in my life is I'm going to meet my dad in Sydney in two
weeks for his birthday. Mum really went out big time for his present and
we're going to see Uruguay play the Socceroos. For those in the know -
Uruguay was the team the Socceroos beat to get into the world cup. So I'm
guessing there will be some old grudges that may eventuate into a really
interesting and hopefully scandalous match. We have seats high up in the
stands but I think it'll be good cause we get a full view of the game.

My sister is going to Papua New Guinea in September to walk the Kokoda Trail
and feels the need to remind me every time I talk to her. This will be the
first time she goes overseas without me so she's rubbing it in my face
because I always wanted to touch down in PNG before her. I've been wanting
to go to PNG for ages :( But haha - she'll be the one sweating it up on that
Kokoda Trail - when I go I'm not going to be hiking over mountains. Because
that's what motor vehicles were made for :P I know...I'm not a true Greenie
even though I vote for them.



Can anyone believe it is nearly halfway through the year? I feel as if 2007
only just started and it's May already. I wish it was Christmas all year
round.

I saw the movie "Madame Sata" on the weekend -it translates to "Madam
Satan". If you couldn't watch Brokeback Mountain do not see this movie! The
gay sex scenes are very explicit, so much that I had to complete skip a
whole scene - but that shouldn't turn you off it because it is an absolutely
amazing movie. It's basically about this self confessed "outlaw" living in
Rio de Janero. It's based on the true story of Joao Francisco, a black
homosexual man who becomes the flamboyant drag queen Madame Sata. Believe me
- it is both beautiful and ugly but incredibly amazing. The actors are
definitely deserving of all the Oscars ever won by those untalented American
wannabes through the ages (with the exception of Denzel Washington)


Jose aka Madame Sata and Tabu

The main actor who plays Jose - Lazaro Romero- is definitely one of my
favourite actors right now just from this film. But I was mostly impressed
by the man who played Tabu - Flavio Bauraqui. Tabu is this incredibly
feminine male prostitute and the way in which he acts is so perfect that I
thought the actor must have been like that as well. While I was watching the
special features and saw the interview with Flavio Bauraqui I was blown away
because even though he had the same face ­ it was amazing how he had
transformed himself in every way into this character. He¹s just beautiful to
watch.



The only criticism I have of this movie is it doesn¹t concentrate enough on
Madam Sata. It is solely about Jose. I mean ­ I really liked the fact they
delved into his character but I wanted to see more of him as Madam Sata
because I thought that¹s what really brought the movie into it¹s greatness.
But all in all I recommend it to everyone. Another point that I wanted to
put in about Lacaro Romero was I didn¹t realize he was so young in the film.
He plays this mature, street wise character but you completely forgot that
in real life he¹s only about 22. I thought that was amazing and a great
credit to him as an actor.

This movie also reminded me of a Spanish one i watched called Bad Education or La Mala Educacion. It has Gael García Bernal in it and is equally as good. It's really complicated and one you have to watch right from the start to finish. So go see it. I'm too slack to write about it now!

Luv
ME

Laziness and Vanuatu

First of all...i want to apologize for neglecting commenting on all the wonderful blogs i usually enjoy as of late - alot of things have been happening to me and i can't write about them in case my parents ever read my blog ;)


This entry is going to be solely dedicated to my second home - Vanuatu.

Right now, i am listening to this amazing live radio streaming from one of the radio stations in Vanuatu: http://202.80.43.124:8000/listen.m3u

It is seriously making me homesick. Listening to bislama and the laidback island music.....it makes me teary.

Even more so considering my blogger friend Yaeli right now is where i want to be :(

So here is me videoing my sister and our cousin sister Elody (yellow :P hahaha) at Erakor bridge...

Oh now the string bands are on the radio....i really am going to cry!

Luv Amy

People are the same the world over....

This is what i got when i typed in federal budget into google...

In some ways, it is nice to know that Australian Aboriginal people are not alone in their fight to secure rights from a government that continually wants to back-pedal back to the days of Queensland's revered Joh Beijke Peterson.

But in other ways, it saddens me that governments can act so much the same - even with such an ocean between us.

That's why, it was with a heavy heart that I read of the plight of the First Nations in Canada - who this month only secured about $9 billion in the federal budget for a people who suffer under living conditions like that of a third world country (see any similarities between them and Australia? Australia only gave 1.5 per cent of the federal budget this past year to Indigenous people - it is estimated that there needs to be about $500 million more funding allocated to Indigenous health alone!)

Like Australian Indigenous people, Aboriginal people in Canada also suffer under second rate living standards, placing them at disadvantage in housing, health, education, employment and more.

So you would think, with such a crisis, the conservative government would allocate just a bit more to Aboriginal people????

If you thought that you would be wrong of course.

In 2005, the then Prime Minister Paul Martin, a member of the nation's Liberal party, pledged to spend a total of $5.1 billion over ten years on raising the standards of Aboriginal living. It was a deal called the Kelowna Accord.

The aim was to close the gap between non-Indigenous and Indigenous Canadians by 2016. It was passed as a private member's bill in the House of Commons. Aboriginal leaders hailed it as a step forward, with Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine describing it as a breakthrough for his people.

""All of the targets we've set are achievable," Mr Fontaine told CTV. "We're driving this process and we're forcing government to respond to our plan."

But success was shortlived.

When the new PM, Steve Harper was elected and the conservatives took hold of the country, the Kelowna Accord was scrapped. The budget now aims to cut national debt and taxes but does not give a damn about Canada's first peoples.

Shouldn't the government at least be mildly concerned about paying back the debt they have against the Indigenous peoples of their country?

"Frankly, our people do not see any reason to believe that the government cares about the shameful conditions of First Nations," Phil Fontaine says in a statement.

"This federal budget goes far towards cutting taxes and paying down the national debt - but there is no mention of dealing with the huge debt to First Nations in the form of nearly 1,000 outstanding land claims."

"...Instead, we see billions of dollars in spending on everything from museum interns, to foreign workers, and to tax cuts benefiting the wealthiest in this country.

".... We have to show them that the $9.1 billion they repeat so often does not get to our communities. In fact, our governments have suffered under declining resources because of discriminatory fiscal treatment, and that our schools, our community centers, our essential community services, and our people are suffering as a result."

People think colonialism and thoughts on white superiority ended ages ago and do not affect us now. But it's exactly the opposite. Indigenous people all around the world are being squashed and beaten down. The rights of Indigenous people seem to be deteriorating on a daily basis.

Each federal budget (in Australia I'm thinking about) seems to prevent little light for Indigenous people. And with the mainstream media, and the general public, constantly spewing out the ideology that "oh...they get enough as it is", the problem becomes worse.

In Australia, I have a couple of friends who believe in the Pauline Hanson doctrine of "reverse racism". That is that white people in Australia are getting worse deals because they are not Aboriginal.

Hanson said this in her racist maiden speech:
"We now have a situation where a type of reverse racism is applied to mainstream Australians by those who promote political correctness and those who control the various taxpayer funded `industries' that flourish in our society servicing Aboriginals, multiculturalists and a host of other minority groups. In response to my call for equality for all Australians, the most noisy criticism came from the fat cats, bureaucrats and the do- gooders. They screamed the loudest because they stand to lose the most--their power, money and position, all funded by ordinary Australian taxpayers."

If this is reverse racism than I am a terrible racist.

I'm sorry but maybe if European Australians had had their land taken off them, had their children taken off them, had their wages taken off them, had their remains taken off them, suffered under some of the worst living conditions in the world, had the highest unemployment rate in Australia, died about 17 years younger than Aboriginal Australians, were suffering a cultural breakdown, were being exploited by unscrupulous art dealers, were being beaten to death in police custody, were being constantly stereotyped by the media as "petrol sniffers" and "wife beaters", were living in houses with 17 other people and still were only receiving about 3.3 billion in government funding (which is still underspent!) then yes maybe I would agree with reverse racism.

But until then I think the Canadian and Australian governments have to stop being such lazy, tight idiots and get their acts together.

Mr Prentice and Mr Brough...I know there aren't any votes in standing up for the Indigenous communities of the world but there's more to life than climbing up the greasy pole of politics.

Self Obsession

I feel in such a self obsessed mood today. You know those moods you get in when you just don't want to give anymore, you just want to take? You become so annoyed with people who only want to talk about themselves and just wish they would actually take an interest in what you have to say. I have a few friends like this (not you Arika!) and sometimes i just have to drive them out of my mind competely.

So today i aimed to only think of the people who love me for me and who show it. Who don't expect anything from conversation and who actually care about what stupid things are going on in my life at the moment. I think when you find those people they become so precious because they really are hard to find and keep.

So this is my tribute to all the people who don't just try and take in a friendship and who actually give and recieve equally. I think this is the basis of true friendship.

Sorry about that stupid little rant. Now i'll get onto less self centred topics.

I have become an avid reader of David Yeagley's blog. It's become almost addictive when i get in those moods where i want to vent my frustration out on someone else and it usually takes the form of reading Andrew Bolt. But sometimes i like to indulge in a little international right-wingedness and get mad at that.

Tonight i decided to look at Mr Yeagey's latest entries. In case you don't know him, Yeagley is a conservative American Indian. Ok, it's understandable. I may not agree with his views but everyone's entitled to their own politics, because after all, isn't that what a democracy is all about? But still...even i was surprised at his latest entry entitled "Go Moby". Let me just put in an extract.

"There will never be a black president. There will never be a brown president. There won't even be a woman president. Nor should there be. The White House of the United States is forever white male.

And rightfully so. The white male built the country. It was his ingenuity, his sweat, his bravery. The Great White Throne is his. He made it. He is under no moral obligationi whatsoever to give it up to someone else.

For the weak to demand a place on that throne is preposterous. For the liberal, Communist "you owe me" crowd to think they have any right to that throne is absolutely delusional. For that which was built by strength to become the "right" of the weak is so irrational that the emotional fury behind such a improprietous quest is virtually satanic.

As an Indian, I don't want to see anything but a white male on that white throne. My sense of pride tells me that throne is not mine. I have a relationship to it, but I did not create that throne. Why should I want to sit in it? How devilishly juvenile. How utterly depraved. Those who think they have a right to something that isn't theirs are nothing but robbers, thieves, and liars. Peevish children. Greedy little urchins."

"I say just acknowledge the facts of the immediate world in which we live. White European/American westerners made it. It is theirs. Their only contenders are whining whites among themselves who want to be on the Throne. These whining whites want to unite the brown world in a liberal lamentation of the whites in power, and by doing so the liberal, weak whites think they can gain the ascendency. But the brown movement will indeed be flushed down the toilet. It was a temporary necessity for the liberal whites, but, it was all in passing, so to speak.

Think of it this way: the whites build the throne. They are obviously superior. No one else built it. To be envious, to want to sit in it, is rather stupid. If you can't build your own thrown, then in all sincerety, shut up! To spend a life in envy is so undignified it is criminal. Social justice is a code word for jealously. Little more. I say let each man be brave enough to face reality. That's where courage meets the rode."

I can't believe that a man who is so proud of being American Indian could sit back and acknowledge white superiority! He even celebrates it! I can't speak much for America but come on! What did the colonialists build America on? I'm sure stealing land and oppressing the Indigenous people were not what Christian values were all about! The simple fact that America voted against the Declaration of the rights of Indigenous peoples shows their general disregard for Native Americans! How can this man tell his people to acknowledge white superiority in America when the Europeans did not own America in the first place?

If he had said it in Australia and in regards to Aboriginal people I would probably have personally learnt voo doo to inflict it upon him. I just would love to know what American Indians in general think of Mr Yeagley. I wish I had a better knowledge of American Indians to comment further!

Vintage Costello!

More reasons that Peter Costello is my favourite politician. Ok, i hate him for his continual underfunding of Indigenous issues in the budget. But i love him because he is the only man on the face of this earth who can continually make me laugh. He's a proper idiot. Here he is making fun of Peter Garrett...who used to be in the band Midnight Oil. Midnight Oil had a world wide hit with the classic Aboriginal land rights song "Beds are Burning". Peter Garrett is now a labor MP...in this video he is still a backbencher but now, thanks to Kevin Rudd's reshuffle he has taken on the high profile environment portfolio for Labor.

I know most of you don't like politics, and especially Australian ones but just watch the whole thing to see this awesome remix of Peter dancing!!! Hahahahahahaha...it's hilarious.

He's a proper chicken.

I need to write more on Costello next time but i'm too tired to say it now. Let's just say i am no way associated with Brian Burke!! hahahahahhaha

Keeping the faith

I have never questioned my faith as much as I have been doing lately.

In Christian terms, I am definitely “backsliding”.

I have been a born again Christian since I was twelve. My tale of salvation was different from most of my friends. I made the decision privately in my own room. It was an impulsive moment. I had been reading a book on two Christian girls and had come to the end which concluded with a prayer to accept Jesus into your heart. At that point, I knew that I had to take this next step. I knew that I wasn’t right with God. I needed to ask for forgiveness and I had to devote my life entirely to him. On that day, there were no trumpets and no shivering of the knees and trembling of the hands. It was simple and I knew it was real. I remember that day forever because it changed my life and my understanding of faith.

As I matured, I also grew spiritually, thanks in part to the amazing Christian influence that I was blessed to have over my life. At fifteen I took the next step and decided I wanted to be baptized. I had been christened in the Catholic church when I was a baby but to me that hadn’t meant anything. I wanted to be submerged fully in the water and emerge as a new person. I wanted to be buried with Christ and leave my old past behind me. I remember I was so happy that day. I had been waiting for so long, anticipating what would happen, wether I would hear a voice from heaven telling me my destiny or wether I would receive a prophecy. When I was baptized it was so fast and different to what I was told it would be.

Most of my friends describe it as a deeply personal moment and a lot of them did receive prophecies over their lives. When I came out of the water in the arms of my pastor, I felt a bit disappointed. I had been having nightmares that nothing would happen, that I had been wrong to be baptized so early in my Christian walk. But after the words sunk in “You have been baptized in the power of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”, I can’t deny that I did feel a spiritual awakening. I remember stepping into an awaiting towel that my father held for me. I think it was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. My dad is usually studious with his appearance and he was in his uniform. But even though I was soaking wet, he let me hug him and I felt so blessed.

My next spiritual milestone occurred when at the beginning of grade eleven when I went to a large youth conference with my friends. I know it was wrong to be trying so hard to achieve, but I really really really yearned to be able to speak in tongues. It’s a spiritual gift that I felt I needed to draw me closer to God. The conference was called Planet Shakers and I went there with high expectations.

I remember walking into a little class on spiritual gifts with knots in my stomach. The class was supposed to help you with your spirituality and the pastors would pray over the group to receive the gift of tongues. At the end of the talk, we all huddled in a group and began to pray. The pastor said to just keep praying and if it was God’s will, the Holy Spirit would give us the gift of tongues. I prayed so hard. Beside me I could hear English slowly turning to incomprehensible words. My friend next to me had received the gift of tongues. Suddenly it seemed like I was the only one in the room who was still praying in English. I could feel my eyes tearing up. The pastor stopped and said “Those who have not received the gift, please step forward.” I was on the verge of tears and I felt everyone’s eyes bear into me as I was one of only about five who stepped forward. They continued to pray. I felt the people next to me begin to speak in tongues. By the time the praying had stopped I was still speaking in English. The pastor concluded the session and as I broke down in tears I felt like his eyes were bearing into me. He said, “Some of you here haven’t been given the gift of tongues yet, but keep praying.”

My hope was shattered. I was wondering…why me? Why did God leave me out? I remember sitting and crying my eyes out to my friend. If you know me, you’ll know I don’t cry in public. But we sat down at a table in the middle of a busy courtyard and my friend let me cry and cry.

By the time we had gone home and gotten ready for that night’s service, I was calmed down. I thought to myself, well it’s just not my time! I wasn’t supposed to receive the gift then. All in God’s own time.

That night I was worshipping. It was so great, I felt so high in God’s presence! And then suddenly, as I lifted my hands and let praises in English slip out to God I felt my tongue begin to contort and out of my mouth were coming the most beautiful incomprehensible words I have ever heard!

All in God’s own time.

Those are the three main spiritual milestones in my life.

And now that I read them, I become seized by guilt. My cynicism is growing. It’s not a bad thing, everyone says to me. They say you have to question your faith. But I’m confused.

I don’t believe in many Christian principles. I’m confused over homosexuality and marriage. I believe in equality.

I'm confused on the whole issue of converting and the loss of culture that can entail.

And I’m becoming disillusioned with Christian culture in general which seems to become more of a social event than an attempt to change secular society.

I get mad when I don't see any Christians getting up on paupets to protest against John Howard and his governments systematic destruction of Indigenous rights. Because after all...John Howard is a christian...

I feel as if my fright of going to hell is the only thing holding my faith together.

I just can’t get past these feelings of doubt.

But when I look over these milestones and I reflect on my spiritual experiences, I just can’t shake off the feeling that there is a God and Jesus is his son. Was it my girlish naivety that made me look to these experiences as divine? Was my thinking just so engrained in the Christian culture that I have over exaggerated these milestones in my mind so now I can’t even separate the real from the imaginary?

Am I just trying to hang onto the world and Jesus at the same time when I know they don’t coexist with each other?

And which one should i pick?

Luv Amy

It's a beautiful day!

One of the most beautiful places in my opinion - Port Vila, Vanuatu

Today has been one of those days where everything went completely perfect. I want days like this all the time. It was so beautiful that i can't help myself...i'm making a list :)

Things that made today so beautiful:

1. I woke up to rain! When you live where i live, rain is such a welcome change that i almost cried of happiness :)

2. I woke up easily. No sleepiness. No bed hair. No drool on my pillow.

3. My hair behaved exactly as i wanted it for once :) :)

4. I got to blow up balloons with helium at work. Seriously, this is one of life's most simple of pleasures :)

5. I got to eat yummy food and talk to amazingly awesome people all day.

6. After our little party, my boss and one of my collegues sat in his office and prank called a few people while high on helium :) Another of life's most simple of pleasures.

7. I've listened to every song on my new Kev Carmody CD and know all the words off by heart. They are all as beautiful as Kev Carmody is.

8. I got home and recieved a few emails from beautiful people i never expected to email me :)

9. I talked to a new MSN addy - another of life's most simple of pleasures.

10. I had a HUGE bubble bath with all the essential oils and candles while listening to my boy Michael Jackson and his brother Jermaine

11. I had time out to read the latest edition of "The Monthly" because i got sent home from work early :)

12. I talked to my friend Melissa for a while - who i haven't talked to for SO long it's not funny. Chris...if your reading this....i need to talk to you as well *hint hint* Tell me when i can ring you ;)

13. I finally have got over the stupid crush i have had on someone for the past year :) :) :) And no i'm not telling you who it is :P


What is it about days like this that are totally ordinary, but at the same time extraordinary? I'm probably never going to remember this day as a day that is special. But it has been a beautiful day. I've determined that is the simple things that make days, or even people, beautiful.

For example... I will always remember the day when my family were visiting my dad's ancestral village on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu. I swear that day was perfect. But i can barely remember it. All i can remember was that it was perfect. I have little movies running through my mind of that day but they are all disconnected and aren't joined in a typical movie fashion. I remember my cousin, my sister and me with our Tanna brothers and sisters. We were chewing on sugar cane and walking through the bush. One of the Tanna boys was teaching us naughty words in language and we were eagerly trying to learn them (as you do as kids ;P) Then suddenly he disappeared. All i could see was this little black form climbing a very tall coconut tree :) Next thing he was on the ground. It was just one of those simple things that made me laugh :)


Not taken on the same day...but another beautiful place in Vanuatu :) My future home :)

And like i said, the simple things also make people beautiful. In some of friends - i just love the way they do certain facial expressions or say certain words. My friends all used to love the way our Hong Kong friend Antonia would say the word "sure". It made her all the more beautiful to us :) I love the way my brother Jacob laughs. He has the most beautiful infectious laugh :) I also love the way my other brother Hamish's beautiful facial expressions - especially when he's expressing disgust. I love my sister's Hayley's humour - she is cracked and that's what makes her beautiful to me :)



A small picture of Jacob, Hayley and Hamish...hopefully their beautifulness rubs off on their poor sister!

Beautifulness is all around us!!! I feel so optimistic today :) Life is good :)

Luv Amy

Luv Amy

Your Jesus said your supposed to give the oppressed a better deal

Gough Whitlam pouring sands through the hand of Traditional Owner Vincent Lingiari taken by Mervyn Bishop in 1975

Today my friend Arika and I were exploring the suburb we live in. It’s a beautiful place, just outside of Canberra and is surrounded by gorgeous hills. Arika has a four wheel drive. We decided to go up the hills and take a look at the whole suburb. We were surprised to find a hidden lake in the middle of houses. So we decided to go and have a look :)

I was all excited. A secret river? In the middle of houses? I was having visions of Arika and I going down there to fish or swim or think and dream. Not so. As we got down there we discovered the lake had been selfishly closed off by a “gated community”. A gated community is a group of houses completely locked off to everyone else. I wouldn’t have minded that these people choose to lock their neighbourhood off to prying eyes but how dare they deprive the rest of the suburb of a lake? The only place you can access the lake is through a narrow walking path (which Arika’s Suzuki vitara was able to fit into :) ) and we saw that a hidden Venice was being kept from us.

I couldn’t help but think…what right do these people have to such a beautiful place? What gives them the right to own a whole lake? Just because they own more money than the rest of us? And I couldn’t help but think that this isn’t there land. It will never be their land.

I didn’t think of it much until I went home and listened to possibly the best protesting song I have ever heard... “Thou Shalt Not Steal” by Indigenous singer Kev Carmody.

The song talks of the hypocrisy of white Australians who talk of Blackfellas keeping all the benefits and basically not assimilating into the majority culture, when white Australia was built on the stolen lands of Aboriginal people.

I couldn’t find the lyrics on the internet so I listened to the song ten times over and tried to write the lyrics as faithfully as possible…some of the sentences I couldn’t get:

Thou Shalt not Steal by Kev Carmody

1788 down Sydney cove
The first boat people land
And they say
Sorry boys our gains your loss
We’re gonna steal your land

And if you break out in British law
For sure your gonna hang
Or work your lives
Like our convicts
With a chain on your neck and hand

And they told us

CHORUS
Woah black woman thou shalt not steal
Hey black man thou shalt not steal
We’re gonna civilize your black barbaric lives
And we’ll teach you how to kneel

But your history couldn’t hide the genocide
The hypocrisy that was real
For your Jesus said you’re supposed to give
The oppressed a better deal

We say to you
yes our land thou shalt not steal
Woah yeah our land you better heal

Well your science and your technology
Can make a nuclear bomb
Development has increased its size
Three million mega tonnes
And if you think that’s progress
I suggest your reasoning is unsound
For you should have found out long ago
You better keep it in the ground

CHORUS


The land’s our heritage and spirit here
The rightful country is black
And we’re sitting here just wondering when we gonna get that land back

They taught us
CHORUS

Well you talk of conservation
Keep the forest pristine green
But in 200 years your materialism has stripped the forest clean
And race is a contradiction that is understood by none
but mostly their left hand holds the bible, the right hand holds the gun

CHORUS


You can't white wash history any longer. I remember i went to a Christian high school. Don't get me wrong, i loved it. I met so many amazing people. But one of the things they taught us was "This land was built on Christianity." This land was not built on christianity. In fact, the values that drive christianity are directly in contrast to what the Europeans did to Aboriginal people. This land was built on the stolen lands, lives and wages of Aboriginal people.

And the forces that drive the country continue to work against Aboriginal people. Australia continues it's racist history but this time it's a lot more deceptive, with the help of spin doctors and a misinformed media.

Luv Amy

What Today Tonight should be taken off air

-The old host of "Today Tonight", Naomi Robson(lizard girl and savior of cannibals). The new host is Anna Coren who looks to be heading in the same direction as her predecessor.


In case you don’t live in Australia and therefore don’t have the misfortune of having to put up with the nauseating excuse for journalism that is Today Tonight, let me explain the program to you. Today Tonight falls into the categories of either “consumer current affairs” or “tabloid television”. It is one of those current affairs shows that will recycle old stories under new guises (for example: How to lose weight in 10 days or the Water Diet…does it work?) or will simply bring out their chequebook to get the story. It saddens me that programs like this can be placed in prominent timeslots to appeal to the average joe. I once did work experience for WIN television and one of the things I remember the journalist telling me was “Average joe is stupid…the public is stupid”. I guess it’s true…but the public is not so much stupid as it is ignorant. Which is why we can’t afford to have idiotic airhead “news” passing itself off as fact on tv at all. Thankfully, most people know what a smelly heap of rubbish Today Tonight is….as shown in these examples:

“THE lead story on Today Tonight on Tuesday featured an elderly woman chained to a cupboard in her nursing home by a long chunky chain. "Shirley Frey would have to be the oldest person in Australia to be kicked out of a nursing home," said reporter Nicholas Boot. "But this feisty 84-year-old is refusing to budge, chaining herself to her room."
Yesterday, officials visited the Sydney nursing home to check whether her rights were being infringed. But they soon discovered the chains were a stunt, set up by the TV crew….Host Anna Coren told viewers: "We reported that Shirley was living chained to her room. In fact this is not the case. Today Tonight reporter Nicholas Boot took a chain with him at Shirley's request to be filmed in her room…”

-The Diary by Amanda Meade


THE sister of convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby has angrily denied a former friend's claims she tried to entice her to Bali to smuggle drugs, describing the allegation as "completely outrageous". Mercedes Corby last night said that Queensland woman Jodi Power's claims had been motivated by spite - and potentially jeopardised her sister's last chance at freedom.
She is planning legal action against Channel 7 and Today Tonight, which ran the claims in a paid interview…Ms Power agreed to prove her claims by allowing Today Tonight to film her submitting to a polygraph test. The report said she failed her first attempt but passed two subsequent tests.

NOTE: Not only was Ms Power paid for the interview, but she also failed her first lie detector test. When your reporting about a lady who almost was sentenced to death in a foreign court wouldn’t you be more sensitive and willing to get to the truth rather than be itching for the story?

-The Daily Telegraph



“THE host of Today Tonight, Naomi Robson, and a Channel Seven crew have been arrested by Indonesian authorities in Papua after entering the province under the guise of tourists….Today Tonight was following up on a Nine Network report about an orphaned boy, Wah-Wah, who was going to be killed and eaten at some stage in the next 10 years. When Nine refused to go in and rescue the boy, Today Tonight stepped in, leading to the crew being detained, the program claimed.”

NOTE: The cultural insensitivity of this astounds me. What was Naomi Robson doing by stealing the boy away from his culture and his home and the only place he has ever known…just for a story? She went into a place which is suffering human rights abuses on a daily basis and wants to continue to undermine the rights of a people she has absolutely no understanding about? I doubt Today Tonight would have ever bothered to touch the fight for West Papuan independence because their area of expertise seems set in reporting on fashion, weight loss and general airheadness.

-The Sydney Morning Herald


I’m sure that there are shows like this all over the world but why are they necessary? I’d rather watch a corny soap opera or another American crime drama because at least I know it’s not actually doing any harm. Journalism was supposed to be society’s watchdog - The Fourth Estate. It’s supposed to be built on ethics and truth…not rubbish packaged to a consumer audience. It must reflect society in a way – we are becoming so inundated with mind numbing idiotic ness that we forget what the most important things are.

So my message to the world is this: Sack all shows that even slightly resemble Today Tonight. Humanity will certainly prosper because of it!

Luv Amy

Just a quick question...

I know India is a HUGE country both in population and geography but....

how realistic is it to visit Gujurat, Mumbai (or Bombay) and make to Bangalore as well all in two weeks???????

Please tell me something my poor ears want to here :)

Funniness Part 2

Politicans....their antics just do not end! Gosh, I think someone should make a sitcom. They never cease to make me laugh.

On Thursday, Question time evolved into chaos when Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott referred to Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd as "Dr Death", because of Queensland labor's disgusting health statistics.

"In those days the leader of the opposition was known as Dr Death," Mr Abbott said.

In a situation reminiscint of the fight between Rob Messenger and Peter Beattie, Labor demanded an apology, to which the Liberals would not give into.

Kevin Rudd quietly watched as Mr Abbott remained unrepentant.

"Now if the leader of the opposition has an objection he should raise it, and he should let the flunkeys sit down and stop fighting his fight for him," he said.

As labor MPs got increasingly agitated at the prospect of no apology from the liberals, the uproar continued.

Get this: Three Labor MPs were kicked out, yes kicked out, as if they were disgraced children in a classroom, several MPs from both sides of the house were warned - including the attorney-general, Philip Ruddock (hahahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahaha, little Phil!)

But it didn't stop there. Parliament descended into giggles when a mysterious frog joke was brought up.


"Tell the frog joke," Labor MP Harry Jenkins had called across the chamber.

Mr Neville was laughing too hard to speak and had to be directed by the speaker to come to his question or resume his seat.

"By then it was all over," a Nationals MP told AAP.

"It's going to be a legendary joke when it's told."

Mr Neville would not return calls to pass on the joke.

HUH? This is parliament! The guys who are running our country!!!!!! THEY ARE LAUGHING IN PARLIAMENT OVER A FROG JOKE?


The things they also debate about is source for confusion, as seen in this AAP article about Foreign Affairs minister Alexander Downer.

"Labor wants to know why the foreign affairs department appears to be paying for a full bells and whistles pay television package for its minister at home.

Labor Senator Robert Ray suggested that Foreign Minister Alexander Downer only needed crucial news channels at his home, not movie channels.

It emerged in a parliamentary hearing that the pay TV service Mr Downer received in his office included five news channels and seven sports channels.

Senator Ray asked why the service Mr Downer had at home was a superior package, which also included movie channels and other add-on services.

"I'm just wondering why we're paying for a different package for his electorate office to his home," he said.

"Why does the taxpayer need to pay for his movies and anything else that's been added on.

"Watching Casablanca is not to be subsidised by taxpayers."

"What about An Inconvenient Truth?" responded Communications Minister Helen Coonan, referring to the Al Gore film which has helped sparked wider community interest in the climate change debate.

The department went away to investigate what proportion of the pay TV bill it was paying and whether the minister was contributing."

Hahahahaha - okkkk....does the public actually care that we are wasting a couple of hundred dollars for Alexander Downer to watch tv? But what I found was funny was how Alexander Downer's office has 7 sports channels and only 5 news channels!!! Gosh...they never stop making me laugh.


And now to some vintage parliamentary funniness... i call upon Peter Costello again.
Look at this article i got from the Sydney Morning Herald:




"Yesterday it was all about Labor challenging the intestinal fortitude of Peter Costello, and amid repeated taunts of "chicken man" the backbenchers Jennie George and Bernie Ripoll hoisted a toy stuffed chicken onto their desk.

The frontbencher Gavin O'Connor was sin-binned for fiddling with the chicken as Costello rose to speak on superannuation. "He's the shadow minister for primary industries; he knows all about fowls," the Labor MP Warren Snowdon yelled as O'Connor, rising to leave, played chicken again, prompting the Speaker, David Hawker, to name him, meaning a 24-hour ban. "Such a paltry offence," protested Ripoll. He joined O'Connor."

My gosh! Could i laugh any harder! I have so much respect for Warren Snowdon! But fiddling with a chicken and getting sinbinned? That is amazingly hilarious!

And guess what? Someone in parliament is reading my blog. Everyone's favourite fowl like friend Peter Costello sparked a diplomatic row when he criticized Labor MPs who had invited President of Venezuala Hugo Chavez to Australia!

From the Age newspaper:
"Mr Costello stepped up his attack yesterday on Labor as he sought to embarrass Tasmanian Labor MP Duncan Kerr over a lecture on Bolivarian socialism under Mr Chavez.

"The Leader of the Opposition may be a Christian socialist by his own admission, but many of his back bench are Bolivarian socialists, and we are entitled to know how much influence they will have over economic policy in relation to a future Labor government," Mr Costello said.

"We are entitled to know where this motley, ragtag left-wing crew would take this country if they ever got their hands on the levers of power and brought the Bolivarian dictators' ideas for inspiration to Australia."

Please Mr Costello....if Hugo Chavez comes to Australia i'll be there in Parliament even if i have to join with those "Bolivarian socialists!"