Hurrah for man's best friend! Again.
In Queensland recently, a young boy was out walking on his parents property. He was suddenly surrounded by a pack of dingoes; the exact number unreported, but it specified the party as outnumbered.
The young boy, had he been alone, was...toast, as they say, but fortunately he had his 3 dogs along with him; dogs not much bigger (if at all) than their agressors. But they leapt to their masters defence (the report didn't use such word but I know dogs - and they would've leapt without a thought for themselves).
And despite suffering significant wounds the 3 pets drove the attackers off, leaving the boy with ne'er a scratch.
Stand up wee doggies, take a bow, have a scratch behind the ears and a big juicy bone for you've earned it my friends.
Y'can't beat that!
Friday, September 28, 2007
MEN HAPPIER THAN WOMEN
Apparently so - at least according to a report on Channel 10's news programme. The report itself actually was inconclusive and probably served as a filler due to short supply of actual news.
Some US...somethin. Expert, researcher - some no mark who's paid to ask questions of the public for a living, came up with this result after asking a certain amount of people how happy they were and why - or not, as the case may be.
As I said, the report was ambiguous at best and showed footage of women complaining of how busy they were along with images of fat, beer swilling blokes.
Well, here's what happened just in case anyone's interested.
Perhaps 10-15years ago it started; a slow realisation from intelligent men that they had indeed been treating women like sex objects (I know at least one woman enjoys that actually). So they began to act like the woman was actually the boss whilst still retaining the "majority share' as it were. This carried on for some years.
Then people like bloody Germaine Greer (if EVER there was a woman who needed a good dickin - it is she - pardon my crudeness) started telling all you women that you were the equal of any a man (which, btw, and I've covered this often - you're NOT) and you believed it. Suddenly you wanted to drive trucks and dig holes in the ground just to prove you could.
Well, it's backfired on you now because the aforementioned fat bloke has now realised that if he just sits back with a bottle resting on his belly, you will indeed do all the work just so you can claim that equal status.
Well done girls. Hoho - blindin! Talk about shootin yourself in the foot!
Some US...somethin. Expert, researcher - some no mark who's paid to ask questions of the public for a living, came up with this result after asking a certain amount of people how happy they were and why - or not, as the case may be.
As I said, the report was ambiguous at best and showed footage of women complaining of how busy they were along with images of fat, beer swilling blokes.
Well, here's what happened just in case anyone's interested.
Perhaps 10-15years ago it started; a slow realisation from intelligent men that they had indeed been treating women like sex objects (I know at least one woman enjoys that actually). So they began to act like the woman was actually the boss whilst still retaining the "majority share' as it were. This carried on for some years.
Then people like bloody Germaine Greer (if EVER there was a woman who needed a good dickin - it is she - pardon my crudeness) started telling all you women that you were the equal of any a man (which, btw, and I've covered this often - you're NOT) and you believed it. Suddenly you wanted to drive trucks and dig holes in the ground just to prove you could.
Well, it's backfired on you now because the aforementioned fat bloke has now realised that if he just sits back with a bottle resting on his belly, you will indeed do all the work just so you can claim that equal status.
Well done girls. Hoho - blindin! Talk about shootin yourself in the foot!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
AHHH...
It's a beautiful day here in old Sydney town. More precisely, 100 ks west of Sydney, at the foot of the Blue Mountains. I'm sitting near the park where I walk the boys. I say park but it's actually just a piece of waste ground that the capitalists haven't yet noticed and within there is a nice lake where the boys can swim - complete with ducks and more importantly ... a big cat. An actual big cat - not a fat domestic cat, but a wild big one. It resembles a caracal or lynx or something like that. Scoob spooked it one day. Wow!
I just purchased and car charger for my laptop so now I'm truly mobile, free as I am from the need for a power source.
DOOF DOOF DOOF!!
That was a young fella and his brain dead music shattering my peace. Where can I get a gun!
Aye, life could be worse, eh KB? LICS, right?
Goin to the pictures (that's movies to my American friends) to see the Bourne Ultimatum again - top film if y'haven't seen it. I'll report later.
I just purchased and car charger for my laptop so now I'm truly mobile, free as I am from the need for a power source.
DOOF DOOF DOOF!!
That was a young fella and his brain dead music shattering my peace. Where can I get a gun!
Aye, life could be worse, eh KB? LICS, right?
Goin to the pictures (that's movies to my American friends) to see the Bourne Ultimatum again - top film if y'haven't seen it. I'll report later.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
SURELY YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS...
The New Zealand Qualification Authority has decided to allow "text speak" in this years school exams. NZQA deputy chief excecutive said credit would be given in this year's NCEA exams if the answer "clearly shows the required understanding", even if abbreviations were used.
The article goes on to state, however, that abbreviations in some exams, including English (no - really?) where good language use is expected. N.B. I commend the writer of this piece for not using that non-word, "usage".
In this age of techno madness, where there's a machine for everything and where something ridiculous like 80% of the civilized world own a mobile phone, text language can not and arguably at the core should not, be denied. It is a legitimate form of communication and anyone whose ever owned a mobile will espouse the timesaving benefits of such language.
But by jiminy, it's a brutality on English proper. Every time I receive a text from someone (which isn't that often actually - no mates remember) my grammar sensibilities scream in outrage. In fact, when I first started texting myself some years ago, I would take the extra time to apply proper grammar on general principle. But it was never going to last as I too succumbed to expedience and began writing "how r u", and "c u l8r", which when written would put one in mind of some binary code.
Text should never be used in anything other than mobile phones - ever. Now if you want to set an exam on that specific form of communication, then go right ahead. As I've said, it's a valid form of communication for the medium but to apply such a practice to anything other than a phone is just...well, lazy. And worse still, to apply it in examinations is verging on a violation of a teachers duty of care almost. There is no justification for it.
And speaking of teachers...in Victoria, 40 teachers were given 11 words to spell. Not one of them got them all right, and one of them, as hard as it may be to believe, didn't get any of the words right. Two of the teachers got only two of the eleven right. The only example given was the word subterranean which isn't actually that hard when considering some of the words that could have been used.
Five teachers correctly spelt 10 words, putting them on par with an average 14 year old.
Overall, 22 teachers spelt subterranean wrong, 17 couldn't manage embarrassing or miscellaneous and 16 had trouble with adolescence. Not VERY difficult words, I would suggest.
So all in all, the language seems to be under attack from a society that no longer values dignity in writing. A society that embraces the vulgar, that in the name of results chooses to lower pass standards instead of raising teaching standards.
But hey, maybe I don't know nuffin. Hav a good day; c u l8r.
The article goes on to state, however, that abbreviations in some exams, including English (no - really?) where good language use is expected. N.B. I commend the writer of this piece for not using that non-word, "usage".
In this age of techno madness, where there's a machine for everything and where something ridiculous like 80% of the civilized world own a mobile phone, text language can not and arguably at the core should not, be denied. It is a legitimate form of communication and anyone whose ever owned a mobile will espouse the timesaving benefits of such language.
But by jiminy, it's a brutality on English proper. Every time I receive a text from someone (which isn't that often actually - no mates remember) my grammar sensibilities scream in outrage. In fact, when I first started texting myself some years ago, I would take the extra time to apply proper grammar on general principle. But it was never going to last as I too succumbed to expedience and began writing "how r u", and "c u l8r", which when written would put one in mind of some binary code.
Text should never be used in anything other than mobile phones - ever. Now if you want to set an exam on that specific form of communication, then go right ahead. As I've said, it's a valid form of communication for the medium but to apply such a practice to anything other than a phone is just...well, lazy. And worse still, to apply it in examinations is verging on a violation of a teachers duty of care almost. There is no justification for it.
And speaking of teachers...in Victoria, 40 teachers were given 11 words to spell. Not one of them got them all right, and one of them, as hard as it may be to believe, didn't get any of the words right. Two of the teachers got only two of the eleven right. The only example given was the word subterranean which isn't actually that hard when considering some of the words that could have been used.
Five teachers correctly spelt 10 words, putting them on par with an average 14 year old.
Overall, 22 teachers spelt subterranean wrong, 17 couldn't manage embarrassing or miscellaneous and 16 had trouble with adolescence. Not VERY difficult words, I would suggest.
So all in all, the language seems to be under attack from a society that no longer values dignity in writing. A society that embraces the vulgar, that in the name of results chooses to lower pass standards instead of raising teaching standards.
But hey, maybe I don't know nuffin. Hav a good day; c u l8r.
SEE, THE PUBLIC REALLY ARE THAT STUPID.
Yesterday, there was a segment on talk radio concerning the NSW state government's broken promises to 'fix' the ailing state's problems. Steve Price, that poisonous dwarf was presenting his afternoon show and was stirring up the morons with the list. Price has always been a twat. He was nothing but a mouth - then he got nailed for drink driving and lost his licence, and pulled his head in for a while. He's getting it back in a fortnight so the head's being stuck up again.
They all called in, with tales of inadequate rail systems, hospital services, policing etc. It went on and on. State govt this - state govt that!
I remember the state election and how that slimy fucker Iemma (who as it happens slipped into Bob Carr's - outgoing premier - shoes like he was a carbon copy), made all sorts of outrageous promises just to be re-elected. I remember thinking, and in fact, voicing on helium, my astonishment that Iemma was even being considered considering the shocking state in which Labor had left the state.
Well, he was indeed re elected; he and his party of incompetents. And now, with their noses firmly ensconsed in the trough, they are safe for another 4 years while the moronic public complain about their incompetence.
Well, who voted them back in? You did, y'boneheads. You, and you alone are responsible for believing their lies. So don't now have the gaul to complain.
Want to know who's ultimately responsible...? Look in the mirror.
They all called in, with tales of inadequate rail systems, hospital services, policing etc. It went on and on. State govt this - state govt that!
I remember the state election and how that slimy fucker Iemma (who as it happens slipped into Bob Carr's - outgoing premier - shoes like he was a carbon copy), made all sorts of outrageous promises just to be re-elected. I remember thinking, and in fact, voicing on helium, my astonishment that Iemma was even being considered considering the shocking state in which Labor had left the state.
Well, he was indeed re elected; he and his party of incompetents. And now, with their noses firmly ensconsed in the trough, they are safe for another 4 years while the moronic public complain about their incompetence.
Well, who voted them back in? You did, y'boneheads. You, and you alone are responsible for believing their lies. So don't now have the gaul to complain.
Want to know who's ultimately responsible...? Look in the mirror.
WHO RULES?
The various parts of the body where having an argument over who was to be the boss of the body.
"It should be us", the arms said. "Without us you can't lift things, or eat or drive".
"No", the legs objected, "it should be us. Without us you can't go anywhere - you'll be stuck in one place forever".
"You're both wrong", chimed the mouth. "It should be me - without me, you can't communicate with the world; you can't eat or speak or laugh".
Throughout this debate, the arse sits quietly, then speaks up. "Actually", it said, "it should be me".
The other parts of the body fell about laughing at such a preposterous claim. "Don't be ridiculous", they all said together. "You're only an arse, what good are you?"
The arse, offended, replied, "fine, if I'm so useless, I'm going on strike". And so it did - just shut up shop.
Some hours passed. The other parts carried on as usual, arguing amongst themselves who was to be king.
More hours passed and the internal pressure began to build as a result of the arse's uncooperation. The other body parts started to feel it. Still the arse refused to work.
By the end of the day, the arms began to shake, the legs felt sluggish and heavy. The mouth spent its time trying not to vomit. "Okay", it said, "you win; now please start working again". The arse did, and things returned to normal, with it as boss of the body.
Moral of the story?
ARSEHOLES RULE THE WORLD!!
"It should be us", the arms said. "Without us you can't lift things, or eat or drive".
"No", the legs objected, "it should be us. Without us you can't go anywhere - you'll be stuck in one place forever".
"You're both wrong", chimed the mouth. "It should be me - without me, you can't communicate with the world; you can't eat or speak or laugh".
Throughout this debate, the arse sits quietly, then speaks up. "Actually", it said, "it should be me".
The other parts of the body fell about laughing at such a preposterous claim. "Don't be ridiculous", they all said together. "You're only an arse, what good are you?"
The arse, offended, replied, "fine, if I'm so useless, I'm going on strike". And so it did - just shut up shop.
Some hours passed. The other parts carried on as usual, arguing amongst themselves who was to be king.
More hours passed and the internal pressure began to build as a result of the arse's uncooperation. The other body parts started to feel it. Still the arse refused to work.
By the end of the day, the arms began to shake, the legs felt sluggish and heavy. The mouth spent its time trying not to vomit. "Okay", it said, "you win; now please start working again". The arse did, and things returned to normal, with it as boss of the body.
Moral of the story?
ARSEHOLES RULE THE WORLD!!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
KIDS OF TODAY
Where do I start on this particular subject?
It’s a subject of constant commentary, some of which beggars belief ‘our kids’ (how I despise that term – they are not priceless! Your’s may well be to you – of course, it’s how it should be, but while I don’t wish him or her any harm, I am rather indifferent their existence).
I think back to when I was a child – a 70’s kid; a time of innocence, of climbing trees, playing football with the discarded clothing used as the goalposts. I would spend the summer holidays running around outside, sometimes significant distances from home.
Wasn’t it a better time then?
That’s not to say there weren’t dangers; that it was some kind of utopia for children where safety was guaranteed. But, for this scribe at least, most of the danger came from my rapid descent under the force of gravity from one of the aforementioned trees, or while playing football on a tarmac road (DUTY OF CARE! DUTY OF CARE! Someone call my lawyer!!). Progressing upon the discovery of…the glorious two-wheeled form of transport… to dismounting rather ingloriously – often. My poor mother…how she worried every time she got yet another call from the hospital.
So I was a tough kid in that respect (not so tough in another – but we’ll avoid that particular subject!)
It puts me in mind of a conversation I had with an associate some time ago. This associate (who will be a subject of his very own article later) had a ten-year old son. Whom, it seemed had spent his entire life wrapped almost literally, in cotton wool. The boy apparently had never cut himself, scratched himself, fallen over resulting in abrasions of any kind. I was quite stunned – I mean, a ten year old “wee lad” without any scrapes. Hoho, much like counting the rings on trees to ascertain their age, the amount and size of scars/abrasions on the average “wee lad” can be loosely counted to guess his age!
Of course, with today’s namby-pambies, this has lost its accuracy somewhat.
So upon learning of this disturbing fact, I shot back, “if he hasn’t fallen over by the time he’s eleven – push ‘im over”.
If one considers a rough graph of the age of kids as pertains to more typically accepted adult behaviour such as working, driving, violating etc, it has come full circle from Victorian times when thee wee urchins scrabbled around inside the chimneys of old London town.
Today’s kids are different – soo different; tomorrow’s kids different again and so on and so on. Climbing trees is almost unheard of now, whether because of the technological advances or the environmental, it’s hard to quantify but what was a staple of my youth and those of generations before me, has now become signed to the redundant heap.
Walking to school also is becoming less and less prevalent as parents’ concerns for the safety of their children predominate. Mention of such must surely bring to mind the recent disturbing events surrounding the McCann family and their child daughter, Madeline. Paedophiles and their nefarious ways have been around since Adam was a boy but with the invention of the World wide web, their onerous networks now join in frightening collusion. So perhaps it’s not surprising parents feel as they do.
And a side effect of this is to bring up fatter children; this can’t be laid just at the feet of child predators. Food manufacturers must take their share of the blame – as do the very parents themselves to a degree (and arguably ultimately).
Reports released recently tell of a depressed society of kids; they feel the pressure of success even at their young age. .Kids as young as 10 are being presented at their doctor complaining of depression. It has reached such a level that on occasion they just ‘flip out’ and shoot up a school.
These types are commonly referred to as EMO’s, short for emotional and they typically wander through life with a chip on their shoulder or as if they live constantly under a cloud. Poor little darlins!
In LA recently, it has been reported that four children between 11 and 13 were caught having sex. My first thought was – we’re regressing; as a society we are returning to our primal instincts when it come to sex.
Paradoxically, as we progress as a society, consciously attempting to steer ourselves towards a higher level of civilization, the core of us seems to be returning to a base level. It’s almost as if nature has stepped in to redress a natural order. Man as a species has constantly tried to manipulate the natural world to his own benefit. This, as everything, comes with a price
The English language as we all know, and much like the law, is constantly evolving to suit societies varying trends. Every year new words are added and some removed - those that are considered antiquated.
Maybe we should add respect to the list of defunct words for the only people from whom said respect seems to be forthcoming are of the older generation.
Modern youth, brought up on a diet of 'want it now' and immune from any sort of ramification for their acts seem unable to express respect anymore. It used to be a parent's job to teach this but it has been removed from their hands by the machinations of the PC lobby and the bleeding hearts (God, how I despise those people).
These very same people are now the ones whose voice laments the loudest the lack of respect amongst the youth of today.
"Why can't they show some respect to their elders", they ask. "Why do they behave as they do?"
The bleeding hearts haven’t learned the art of retrospection; so convinced they are of their opinion they can’t see the actual results. They see them and with hands wringing, bleat “what can we do”. What you can do is f…no, I promised I wouldn’t use profanity.
Kids are brought up to believe that they're untouchable; they are free from punishment, instead having to sit while their hand-tied parent/guardian tells them why it's wrong to be rude to people - which they subsequently ignore, chuckle to their friends and carry on regardless.
"Hitting kids simply teaches them to use violence to solve their problems", is another phrase the PC are fond of repeating. What nonsense!
I've been whalloped many times in my life and NOT ONCE did I NOT deserve it. Didn't like it much; had a sore arse afterwards too but whatever it was that warranted such a clout, I rarely repeated. If I was stupid enough to do so, then I could expect more of the same.
And I have never started a fight with anyone in my entire life!
Then of course they blame the advent of the modern computer game - the games in which it's cool to steal cars, beat people up, maim and kill. We had those games when I was a kid too - true they weren't quite as graphic but the intent was the same. "Shoot 'em up" games they were known as. I played them, I stopped and went outside to kick around a football with out thoughts of torture and violence invading my mind.
I can remember some time ago when some no mark came out in condemnation of the old Tom and Jerry cartoons, claiming they were too violent, that they encouraged violence among the kids.
”... ... ...” (this is me speechless). Maybe someone should have told these people - they were just cartoons, unreflective of real life (cause we all know in real life the poor mouse always gets the shit end of the stick when encountering a cat - one of the reasons, along with selfishness, why cats are bastards but that's for another time).
Isn't it our duty as adults to educate the young in this? Oh, that's right, we can't anymore - some bleeding heart protective of kiddies' delicate little minds has decided that to ‘capital punish’ is wrong.
Well, we all are now facing the result of that over protection. A report recently released claims something like 50% of female school teachers are in fear of their students. AVO's (apprehended violence orders) are commonplace amongst our teachers. Can you believe it? The very people in whom we place our trust to educate our young are now afraid of them.
When I was at school, it was I who had the fear, not only from the authority of the teacher but what my parents would do when told of my misdemeanour. So it was a double whammy - not only did I have to endure whatever punishment the teacher chose (whether it was a clip round the ear - that's "clip" not "punch" or the embarrassment of standing in front of the class while I was publicly chastised) but I also had a whallop from my parent to look forward to when I got home! Boy, I hoped it was my mother; my father’s hands were the size of dinner plates back then!
Now, it's a case of "what are you gonna do about it - you can't touch me, I'll call the cops". Sweet Lord, see what you people have caused with your "protect the little ones" mentality. The very authority to teach has been removed along with parenting.
And now we hear of an 11 year old in Liverpool, UK being shot in the back of the neck by another mere ‘babe’, reported to be only 13 or 14 himself. This kid rode up on the epitome of kids’ transport, the BMX bicycle, withdrew and handgun (not the plastic toy of yesteryear but a fully operational weapon) and fired three shots. One went wide; one into a parked car and one into the 11 year old’s neck, killing him instantly. This from a child; not a warchild from Sierra Leone, but a young English boy, brought up with civilization’s benefits.
What might lurk in the mind of this child to prompt such an action of deliberate and presumably premeditated murder one can only guess. And although premeditation carries a greater sentence according to law, what is arguably more frightening, is the possibility that the boy did this on the spur of the moment – just up and shot someone dead because...he didn’t like the look of the boy? Had felt aggrieved for some reason, affronted, insulted? Scary. What sequence of events has the boy experienced to lead him to a place of such unquestioned violence?
This has occurred as a direct result of the mollycoddling of past liberals treating the young like precious artefacts and shielding them from all responsibility. They know face no punishment for all but the most heinous of crimes (as this one surely is).
And even in such crimes, the punishment is more an acquiescence to public outrage than any real form of punishment. The last time such an outcry was heard was after the Jamie Bulger case, the child murdered by the other children, also in England.
The two perpetrators, only barely teens themselves have served about 5 years each in a children’s facility. Rumour has it they have now started new lives Down Under; they would be just adults now.
Kids coming to school with knives and guns is becoming increasingly prevalent as well. Where a school child gets a gun in the first place is a sad indictment on society in itself.
The "little ones" aren't so innocent anymore.
It’s a subject of constant commentary, some of which beggars belief ‘our kids’ (how I despise that term – they are not priceless! Your’s may well be to you – of course, it’s how it should be, but while I don’t wish him or her any harm, I am rather indifferent their existence).
I think back to when I was a child – a 70’s kid; a time of innocence, of climbing trees, playing football with the discarded clothing used as the goalposts. I would spend the summer holidays running around outside, sometimes significant distances from home.
Wasn’t it a better time then?
That’s not to say there weren’t dangers; that it was some kind of utopia for children where safety was guaranteed. But, for this scribe at least, most of the danger came from my rapid descent under the force of gravity from one of the aforementioned trees, or while playing football on a tarmac road (DUTY OF CARE! DUTY OF CARE! Someone call my lawyer!!). Progressing upon the discovery of…the glorious two-wheeled form of transport… to dismounting rather ingloriously – often. My poor mother…how she worried every time she got yet another call from the hospital.
So I was a tough kid in that respect (not so tough in another – but we’ll avoid that particular subject!)
It puts me in mind of a conversation I had with an associate some time ago. This associate (who will be a subject of his very own article later) had a ten-year old son. Whom, it seemed had spent his entire life wrapped almost literally, in cotton wool. The boy apparently had never cut himself, scratched himself, fallen over resulting in abrasions of any kind. I was quite stunned – I mean, a ten year old “wee lad” without any scrapes. Hoho, much like counting the rings on trees to ascertain their age, the amount and size of scars/abrasions on the average “wee lad” can be loosely counted to guess his age!
Of course, with today’s namby-pambies, this has lost its accuracy somewhat.
So upon learning of this disturbing fact, I shot back, “if he hasn’t fallen over by the time he’s eleven – push ‘im over”.
If one considers a rough graph of the age of kids as pertains to more typically accepted adult behaviour such as working, driving, violating etc, it has come full circle from Victorian times when thee wee urchins scrabbled around inside the chimneys of old London town.
Today’s kids are different – soo different; tomorrow’s kids different again and so on and so on. Climbing trees is almost unheard of now, whether because of the technological advances or the environmental, it’s hard to quantify but what was a staple of my youth and those of generations before me, has now become signed to the redundant heap.
Walking to school also is becoming less and less prevalent as parents’ concerns for the safety of their children predominate. Mention of such must surely bring to mind the recent disturbing events surrounding the McCann family and their child daughter, Madeline. Paedophiles and their nefarious ways have been around since Adam was a boy but with the invention of the World wide web, their onerous networks now join in frightening collusion. So perhaps it’s not surprising parents feel as they do.
And a side effect of this is to bring up fatter children; this can’t be laid just at the feet of child predators. Food manufacturers must take their share of the blame – as do the very parents themselves to a degree (and arguably ultimately).
Reports released recently tell of a depressed society of kids; they feel the pressure of success even at their young age. .Kids as young as 10 are being presented at their doctor complaining of depression. It has reached such a level that on occasion they just ‘flip out’ and shoot up a school.
These types are commonly referred to as EMO’s, short for emotional and they typically wander through life with a chip on their shoulder or as if they live constantly under a cloud. Poor little darlins!
In LA recently, it has been reported that four children between 11 and 13 were caught having sex. My first thought was – we’re regressing; as a society we are returning to our primal instincts when it come to sex.
Paradoxically, as we progress as a society, consciously attempting to steer ourselves towards a higher level of civilization, the core of us seems to be returning to a base level. It’s almost as if nature has stepped in to redress a natural order. Man as a species has constantly tried to manipulate the natural world to his own benefit. This, as everything, comes with a price
The English language as we all know, and much like the law, is constantly evolving to suit societies varying trends. Every year new words are added and some removed - those that are considered antiquated.
Maybe we should add respect to the list of defunct words for the only people from whom said respect seems to be forthcoming are of the older generation.
Modern youth, brought up on a diet of 'want it now' and immune from any sort of ramification for their acts seem unable to express respect anymore. It used to be a parent's job to teach this but it has been removed from their hands by the machinations of the PC lobby and the bleeding hearts (God, how I despise those people).
These very same people are now the ones whose voice laments the loudest the lack of respect amongst the youth of today.
"Why can't they show some respect to their elders", they ask. "Why do they behave as they do?"
The bleeding hearts haven’t learned the art of retrospection; so convinced they are of their opinion they can’t see the actual results. They see them and with hands wringing, bleat “what can we do”. What you can do is f…no, I promised I wouldn’t use profanity.
Kids are brought up to believe that they're untouchable; they are free from punishment, instead having to sit while their hand-tied parent/guardian tells them why it's wrong to be rude to people - which they subsequently ignore, chuckle to their friends and carry on regardless.
"Hitting kids simply teaches them to use violence to solve their problems", is another phrase the PC are fond of repeating. What nonsense!
I've been whalloped many times in my life and NOT ONCE did I NOT deserve it. Didn't like it much; had a sore arse afterwards too but whatever it was that warranted such a clout, I rarely repeated. If I was stupid enough to do so, then I could expect more of the same.
And I have never started a fight with anyone in my entire life!
Then of course they blame the advent of the modern computer game - the games in which it's cool to steal cars, beat people up, maim and kill. We had those games when I was a kid too - true they weren't quite as graphic but the intent was the same. "Shoot 'em up" games they were known as. I played them, I stopped and went outside to kick around a football with out thoughts of torture and violence invading my mind.
I can remember some time ago when some no mark came out in condemnation of the old Tom and Jerry cartoons, claiming they were too violent, that they encouraged violence among the kids.
”... ... ...” (this is me speechless). Maybe someone should have told these people - they were just cartoons, unreflective of real life (cause we all know in real life the poor mouse always gets the shit end of the stick when encountering a cat - one of the reasons, along with selfishness, why cats are bastards but that's for another time).
Isn't it our duty as adults to educate the young in this? Oh, that's right, we can't anymore - some bleeding heart protective of kiddies' delicate little minds has decided that to ‘capital punish’ is wrong.
Well, we all are now facing the result of that over protection. A report recently released claims something like 50% of female school teachers are in fear of their students. AVO's (apprehended violence orders) are commonplace amongst our teachers. Can you believe it? The very people in whom we place our trust to educate our young are now afraid of them.
When I was at school, it was I who had the fear, not only from the authority of the teacher but what my parents would do when told of my misdemeanour. So it was a double whammy - not only did I have to endure whatever punishment the teacher chose (whether it was a clip round the ear - that's "clip" not "punch" or the embarrassment of standing in front of the class while I was publicly chastised) but I also had a whallop from my parent to look forward to when I got home! Boy, I hoped it was my mother; my father’s hands were the size of dinner plates back then!
Now, it's a case of "what are you gonna do about it - you can't touch me, I'll call the cops". Sweet Lord, see what you people have caused with your "protect the little ones" mentality. The very authority to teach has been removed along with parenting.
And now we hear of an 11 year old in Liverpool, UK being shot in the back of the neck by another mere ‘babe’, reported to be only 13 or 14 himself. This kid rode up on the epitome of kids’ transport, the BMX bicycle, withdrew and handgun (not the plastic toy of yesteryear but a fully operational weapon) and fired three shots. One went wide; one into a parked car and one into the 11 year old’s neck, killing him instantly. This from a child; not a warchild from Sierra Leone, but a young English boy, brought up with civilization’s benefits.
What might lurk in the mind of this child to prompt such an action of deliberate and presumably premeditated murder one can only guess. And although premeditation carries a greater sentence according to law, what is arguably more frightening, is the possibility that the boy did this on the spur of the moment – just up and shot someone dead because...he didn’t like the look of the boy? Had felt aggrieved for some reason, affronted, insulted? Scary. What sequence of events has the boy experienced to lead him to a place of such unquestioned violence?
This has occurred as a direct result of the mollycoddling of past liberals treating the young like precious artefacts and shielding them from all responsibility. They know face no punishment for all but the most heinous of crimes (as this one surely is).
And even in such crimes, the punishment is more an acquiescence to public outrage than any real form of punishment. The last time such an outcry was heard was after the Jamie Bulger case, the child murdered by the other children, also in England.
The two perpetrators, only barely teens themselves have served about 5 years each in a children’s facility. Rumour has it they have now started new lives Down Under; they would be just adults now.
Kids coming to school with knives and guns is becoming increasingly prevalent as well. Where a school child gets a gun in the first place is a sad indictment on society in itself.
The "little ones" aren't so innocent anymore.
THE ZOO
Otherwise known as parliament (any/or, I have no reason to expect otherwise). Specifically, in this case, Federal Parliament earlier this week. Where the inhabitants of this zoo, made verbal war on one another, with accusations of failure and bad management; inexperience and weakness.
In the lead up to the election, age was brought into play with Labour suggesting Howard was 'past it' and that the mantle should be passed to someone more virile in younger years. Virtually everyone over 60 called the radio stations expresing outrage and with their own stories of how they worked to a hundred.
Howard supporters defended their leader with gusto, referring to Howard's strict fitness regime (he walks every morning - bodyguards silently following). A plethora of examples of sucessful older men were paraded as evidence.
Then some investigative journalist uncovered Kevin Rudd's medical file and the tasty piece therein telling of his heart operation some 20 years ago. Morality and ethical behaviour were roughly shoved aside in favour of political expedience and point scoring.
It caused a stir and no mistake with the sanctimonious calling shame shame shame. Why is it any of your business? They asked. And they should, to a degree at least. Is this sort of invasion of privacy, and the exposure of such really the sort of behaviour we want from supposed honourable men?
The government have also employed a, get this, forensic accountant, and instructed him to go through the opposition leader's entire financial life in search of something, anything they can use as a weapon in this closest election in many a year.
When a crime is committed - a serious one like murder, a forensic scientist is used to attempt to find single threads of DNA even, using microscopes and other such technological wonders - anything to solve the case.
Rudd's financial records are being searched for that same strand - that often tiny piece of information that would normally be used to solve murders but in this case, damage a man's reputation in the name of the fight.
It all turned particularly agressive in Federal Parliament, with both sides hurling slurs and insults, and resulting in ejections from the house for some hours. The ejected was a member who repeated the precise words earlier uttered by the government. That government member was allowed to stay however - can hardly eject the PM I suppose...
Then the rabble descended to a lower level still with the Prime Minister first, then followed by his deputy, trying to surreptitiously (unsucessfully it has to be noted) give the opposition 'the finger'. Howard disguised his offensive gesture by pushing his glasses up his nose with the finger; the deputy didn't have glasses so his was particularly obvious. (I've employed this very tactic myself when giving the finger in company - but I'm not an 'honourable member', more's the pity cause I couldn't do much worse a job that the current idiots!)
It raises a question for me; is this rabble really all we have to run our country? A group of infants name-calling and hand signalling (who's going to be first to use the international sign of the wanker I wonder...)
In the lead up to the election, age was brought into play with Labour suggesting Howard was 'past it' and that the mantle should be passed to someone more virile in younger years. Virtually everyone over 60 called the radio stations expresing outrage and with their own stories of how they worked to a hundred.
Howard supporters defended their leader with gusto, referring to Howard's strict fitness regime (he walks every morning - bodyguards silently following). A plethora of examples of sucessful older men were paraded as evidence.
Then some investigative journalist uncovered Kevin Rudd's medical file and the tasty piece therein telling of his heart operation some 20 years ago. Morality and ethical behaviour were roughly shoved aside in favour of political expedience and point scoring.
It caused a stir and no mistake with the sanctimonious calling shame shame shame. Why is it any of your business? They asked. And they should, to a degree at least. Is this sort of invasion of privacy, and the exposure of such really the sort of behaviour we want from supposed honourable men?
The government have also employed a, get this, forensic accountant, and instructed him to go through the opposition leader's entire financial life in search of something, anything they can use as a weapon in this closest election in many a year.
When a crime is committed - a serious one like murder, a forensic scientist is used to attempt to find single threads of DNA even, using microscopes and other such technological wonders - anything to solve the case.
Rudd's financial records are being searched for that same strand - that often tiny piece of information that would normally be used to solve murders but in this case, damage a man's reputation in the name of the fight.
It all turned particularly agressive in Federal Parliament, with both sides hurling slurs and insults, and resulting in ejections from the house for some hours. The ejected was a member who repeated the precise words earlier uttered by the government. That government member was allowed to stay however - can hardly eject the PM I suppose...
Then the rabble descended to a lower level still with the Prime Minister first, then followed by his deputy, trying to surreptitiously (unsucessfully it has to be noted) give the opposition 'the finger'. Howard disguised his offensive gesture by pushing his glasses up his nose with the finger; the deputy didn't have glasses so his was particularly obvious. (I've employed this very tactic myself when giving the finger in company - but I'm not an 'honourable member', more's the pity cause I couldn't do much worse a job that the current idiots!)
It raises a question for me; is this rabble really all we have to run our country? A group of infants name-calling and hand signalling (who's going to be first to use the international sign of the wanker I wonder...)
Saturday, September 15, 2007
WHAT SHITS ME
Well, seeing you asked, I'll tell you.
Bloody Channel Ten in Australia, that's what. The rugby world cup is on at the moment, being hosted by France this time.
And now twice in succession, Channel Ten have delayed the *Mighty Blacks' game in favour of showing their Wallaby one. Look, I like to watch them all - the Wallabies too, and I'm scunnered by this dismissal of the game just so they can flagrantly self promote.
Further, it's not even a case of one or the other; the schedule called for the Mighty Black game at 2100, with the very next one being the Australin game at 2300.
Just let it ply like that. If you're putting the game on for the 'fans', then a true fan wouldn't care what time of day or night that was (I for example, and my friend Kar, will stay up til dawn to see the mighty Blacks and if that was the time it was originally on - then fine), but to rearrange the schedule just for selfish reasons really...really, shits me!
Damn Ozzies really want to have a good look at themselves - and I hope the Welsh beat em tonight!
* The 'Mighty Blacks' to those not in the know, are the all conquering New Zealand international rugby union team.
Bloody Channel Ten in Australia, that's what. The rugby world cup is on at the moment, being hosted by France this time.
And now twice in succession, Channel Ten have delayed the *Mighty Blacks' game in favour of showing their Wallaby one. Look, I like to watch them all - the Wallabies too, and I'm scunnered by this dismissal of the game just so they can flagrantly self promote.
Further, it's not even a case of one or the other; the schedule called for the Mighty Black game at 2100, with the very next one being the Australin game at 2300.
Just let it ply like that. If you're putting the game on for the 'fans', then a true fan wouldn't care what time of day or night that was (I for example, and my friend Kar, will stay up til dawn to see the mighty Blacks and if that was the time it was originally on - then fine), but to rearrange the schedule just for selfish reasons really...really, shits me!
Damn Ozzies really want to have a good look at themselves - and I hope the Welsh beat em tonight!
* The 'Mighty Blacks' to those not in the know, are the all conquering New Zealand international rugby union team.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
APEC
For those of you who've been living under a rock, the APEC conference was held in Sydney last weekend. Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation to give it it's full title; an initiative promoted by Bob Hawke to achieve a power in the region.
It brought together 21 leaders from around the Pacific rim to Sydney to...well the official word was to reach agreement on economic cooperation, but basically it was to live it up in Sydney for a few days.
Such a gathering of import, demanded tough security measures and the government erected what became known as, 'the Sydney Wall', alluding to the German one recently torn down amongst much celebration. This was a barrier of concrete blocks, (the ones used in roadworks) topped with steel mesh fencing; it stood about 2 1/2 metres tall.
It may well have been a good time to be a criminal elsewhere in Sydney as most (if not all) of the city's police augmented the enormous barriers.
Mobile phone use within the 'inner sanctum' as it where, was blocked to prevent remotely detonated explosion and entire areas, including the Opera House, were declared off limits. The whole area was shut down as tight as a nut, and the top cops proudly preened at their brilliance in protecting Mr Bush (they claim it was for ALL the dignitaries but trust me - this was for one man and one man alone - George Dubya).
The dignitaries were safely ensconsed behind this 160 million dollar wall of security.
Then came the Chaser boys.
The Chaser boys are a comedy group who show their stuff on the ABC, a 'little brother' of the UK's BBC, if y'like. They are often very funny but on occasion can be a bit hit and miss (recently they aired a scene where they ridiculed Sophia Loren, with rapid fire nonsensical questions - they received virtual blanket criticism for that - a response whith which I have to agree).
However, they are at their best when they are giving it to authority - the kind of pompous authority that takes things much too seriously in the name of putting on a good show.
This was one such time.
They assembled a fleet of black, official looking vehicles, complete with Canadian flags, and proceeded to drive towards the aforementioned inner sanctum. They got past the first, laughingly called, 'checkpoint' without a hitch; and the second. After the event (while under arrest) they remarked that they hadn't imagined ever getting past even the first checkpoint.
It was only when they got to within 10 metres of the entrance to the hotel in which George dubya was staying, and Chaz Luchiadello (not certain that spelling is correct) alighted from the vehicle dressed as Bin Laden (yeah - that's right, Bin Laden hoho), that the 160 mmillion security net finally tightened. (About 5 'agents' jumped on poor Chaz/Bin Laden).
The embarrassment was total and the authorities responded with fury (the only thing they had left really - the facts spoke for themselves and there where no extenuating circumstances). As mentioned, the Chaser boys were arrested and sanctimony and indignance reigned. Tempered with the obligatory concern for the offenders well-being. 'The American snipers on the rooves could have shot you dead', they pleaded, saying anything to take at least some of the heat off them.
During the planned protest the following day, the police played out that fury in a physical fashion drawing condemnation of their own from many. It was as if they tried to detract from the huge blunder, (that if they'd been real terrorists could've seen George Dubya killed), by 'crackin a few heads'.
One North Shore accountant inadvertently crossed a road in front of a cavalcade of dignitaries and was immediately pounced on by 5 police. Television footage records one of the policemen punching the man as he lay under the throng of bodies. The man's 11 year old son witnessed this.
On another occasion a camerawoman, with the camera that are carried on the shoulder due to its size, was pushed backwards violently. Push really doesn't do it justice - the woman was lifted off her feet and landed rather uncomfortably it seemed to me, on her tailbone/back about 3-4 metres away.
Having watched the footage I was reminded of Pink Floyd's The Wall, where the jackbooted army ran the streets handing out beatings.
Anyway, the meeting adjourned and everyone congratulated the conference organizers as putting on the 'best' APEC yet (with the again obligatory, mention of the Olympics of 2000 - I think its time you got over that fellas).
And the result?
An aspirational committment to at some point in the future agree to attempting to resolve the issue.
Whoopee doo! We'll try (maybe) to agree (maybe) that there is a problem (maybe) and endeavour (maybe) to come to an agreement (maybe) in order to resolve the issue...(maybe).
It brought together 21 leaders from around the Pacific rim to Sydney to...well the official word was to reach agreement on economic cooperation, but basically it was to live it up in Sydney for a few days.
Such a gathering of import, demanded tough security measures and the government erected what became known as, 'the Sydney Wall', alluding to the German one recently torn down amongst much celebration. This was a barrier of concrete blocks, (the ones used in roadworks) topped with steel mesh fencing; it stood about 2 1/2 metres tall.
It may well have been a good time to be a criminal elsewhere in Sydney as most (if not all) of the city's police augmented the enormous barriers.
Mobile phone use within the 'inner sanctum' as it where, was blocked to prevent remotely detonated explosion and entire areas, including the Opera House, were declared off limits. The whole area was shut down as tight as a nut, and the top cops proudly preened at their brilliance in protecting Mr Bush (they claim it was for ALL the dignitaries but trust me - this was for one man and one man alone - George Dubya).
The dignitaries were safely ensconsed behind this 160 million dollar wall of security.
Then came the Chaser boys.
The Chaser boys are a comedy group who show their stuff on the ABC, a 'little brother' of the UK's BBC, if y'like. They are often very funny but on occasion can be a bit hit and miss (recently they aired a scene where they ridiculed Sophia Loren, with rapid fire nonsensical questions - they received virtual blanket criticism for that - a response whith which I have to agree).
However, they are at their best when they are giving it to authority - the kind of pompous authority that takes things much too seriously in the name of putting on a good show.
This was one such time.
They assembled a fleet of black, official looking vehicles, complete with Canadian flags, and proceeded to drive towards the aforementioned inner sanctum. They got past the first, laughingly called, 'checkpoint' without a hitch; and the second. After the event (while under arrest) they remarked that they hadn't imagined ever getting past even the first checkpoint.
It was only when they got to within 10 metres of the entrance to the hotel in which George dubya was staying, and Chaz Luchiadello (not certain that spelling is correct) alighted from the vehicle dressed as Bin Laden (yeah - that's right, Bin Laden hoho), that the 160 mmillion security net finally tightened. (About 5 'agents' jumped on poor Chaz/Bin Laden).
The embarrassment was total and the authorities responded with fury (the only thing they had left really - the facts spoke for themselves and there where no extenuating circumstances). As mentioned, the Chaser boys were arrested and sanctimony and indignance reigned. Tempered with the obligatory concern for the offenders well-being. 'The American snipers on the rooves could have shot you dead', they pleaded, saying anything to take at least some of the heat off them.
During the planned protest the following day, the police played out that fury in a physical fashion drawing condemnation of their own from many. It was as if they tried to detract from the huge blunder, (that if they'd been real terrorists could've seen George Dubya killed), by 'crackin a few heads'.
One North Shore accountant inadvertently crossed a road in front of a cavalcade of dignitaries and was immediately pounced on by 5 police. Television footage records one of the policemen punching the man as he lay under the throng of bodies. The man's 11 year old son witnessed this.
On another occasion a camerawoman, with the camera that are carried on the shoulder due to its size, was pushed backwards violently. Push really doesn't do it justice - the woman was lifted off her feet and landed rather uncomfortably it seemed to me, on her tailbone/back about 3-4 metres away.
Having watched the footage I was reminded of Pink Floyd's The Wall, where the jackbooted army ran the streets handing out beatings.
Anyway, the meeting adjourned and everyone congratulated the conference organizers as putting on the 'best' APEC yet (with the again obligatory, mention of the Olympics of 2000 - I think its time you got over that fellas).
And the result?
An aspirational committment to at some point in the future agree to attempting to resolve the issue.
Whoopee doo! We'll try (maybe) to agree (maybe) that there is a problem (maybe) and endeavour (maybe) to come to an agreement (maybe) in order to resolve the issue...(maybe).
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