Technology-Help or Hinderance?
1st interview, my grandmother
What was the most sophisticated piece of technology in your house when you were young?
Probably the wireless radio, the AWA.
What do you thinkof the internet in general?
Its a pretty good thing I guess, theres a bit of a bad side of it though. All these chat rooms where creeps try to talk up kids and all that, it can be pretty dangerous. It gets used for the wrong reasons sometimes.
What do you think of social networking?
Same sorta thing I guess. It can be good for talking to friends and keeping up with them but it also gets abused.
Do you think it would have some kind of impact on kids' social skills?
Yeah, I'd say so. Its no good talking to people like that, you should talk to people in real life, not over the internet.
What did you think the first time you saw a computer?
I thought it was amazing! I thought it was incredible that something like that could be made. I never thought I'd live to see it.
Did you think the same of mobile phones?
Yeah, never thought I'd ever see one.
Considering the age we live in, do you think that all young people should know a fair bit about computers?
Yeah, they should. You're growing up with them and all that and they're used a lot too.
Do you think that technology is a help or a hinderance?
Both I'd say. It depends on what technology you're talking about and how its being used.
2nd interview, my friend Patrick.
What do you think is the most sophisticated piece of technology in your house?
Dunno, probably the computer or the TV. Yeah, I'd go with the computer, thats probably about as technology gets in the average household.
What do you think of the internet in general?
Its kinda weird that something like that even exists when you think about it. But it is pretty cool, it can be pretty dodgy sometimes too though.
What do you think of social networking?
Its pretty awesome, you can't spend too much time on it though. You've gotta spend some time in the real world.
Do you think it impacts kids' social skills?
Yeah definitely. You have to talk to people face-to-face.
When did you get your first computer? In the house I mean.
Probably when I was about 8 or 9.
When did you get your first mobile phone?
When I was 13, it was pretty awesome.
Considering the age we live in, do you think all young people should know a fair amount about computers?
Yeah I'd say so. They're a pretty big part of life nowadays.
Do you think technology is a help or a hinderance?
A bit of both, depends on what technology and how its being applied and where and why. If its going to lose people their jobs its definitely a hinderance.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
NATO Urges US to Make Progress Faster
After nine years and a decline in public support, US military commanders are under mounting political pressure to show that progress is being made in Afghanistan.
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has said that it takes time and that these things can't be rushed and that after the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the war in Afghanistan had been neglected. He claimed that "this endeavour began in full, and reasonably resourced only a few months ago."
General Stanley McChrystal in particular has been under pressure. He has stated that certain "projects" in Afghanistan such as Kandahar will move at a slower pace than initially planned.
NATO has stated that after nine years, better "results" should be evident.
After nine years and a decline in public support, US military commanders are under mounting political pressure to show that progress is being made in Afghanistan.
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has said that it takes time and that these things can't be rushed and that after the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the war in Afghanistan had been neglected. He claimed that "this endeavour began in full, and reasonably resourced only a few months ago."
General Stanley McChrystal in particular has been under pressure. He has stated that certain "projects" in Afghanistan such as Kandahar will move at a slower pace than initially planned.
NATO has stated that after nine years, better "results" should be evident.
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Art of Pick Up Lines
Most do not know this, but creating the perfect seductive prowess is a freakin' art. It is a far greater challenge than learning the ways of the Samauri.
There are many types (I like to think of them as species) of pick-up lines, there are cheesey ones, stupid ones, gay ones, nerdy ones, the list goes on. There are also pick-up lines that can be attributed to movies or TV shows, Star Wars lines, Harry Potter lines, Lord of the Rings lines, pick-up lines are bigger than us.
The realm of pick-up lines evolves, they adapt to suit their environment. They are almost one entity, a living, breathing entity aware of whats happening and capable of surviving anything, kinda like cockroaches.
But in the end all that matters is whether or not they work. This is high-science. In order to become the ultimate lady-picker-uperer you must first possess a certain predisposition, a kind of sixth sense, a heightened awareness of all that occurs.
There is no such thing as a pick-up line that always works, they simply do not exist. Much like Santa or a neo-Nazi who is also a nice person. What determines the affect of a pick-up line is as follows; the place, the time, the lighting, the general atmosphere, the relationship you have with the pick-upee, the events leading up to this moment, music, whether or not you or the other person is currently in a relationship and the nature of that relationship.
Some of the worst pick-up lines in the world (Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk past again? Great legs, what time do they open?) can from time to time have a positive affect. The legs one however should only be used in jest and if the victim of this horrible line will also think it funny.
The best pick-up lines can also have the reversed affect of what is intended. There are no pick-up lines that are generally agreed to be "good" per se', it all depends on the context, thats what this science is really all about. Context.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Important Week For Afghanistan
This is an important week for Afghanistan, some of the most important people in Afghan politics and other important people such as US Army general Stanley McChrystal are gathering together to have a sort of conference.
The National Consultative Peace Jurga is by far one of the most important political events that will be happening in Afghanistan this year and will set the agenda for the rest of 2010.
NATO leaders are trying to get people to focus more on the political process but some journalists are doing their job and pissing off the NATO leaders by asking about other issues sorrounding Afghanistan. Issues such as the security situation around the country, which at the moment is of course pretty freakin' chaotic.
This is an important week for Afghanistan, some of the most important people in Afghan politics and other important people such as US Army general Stanley McChrystal are gathering together to have a sort of conference.
The National Consultative Peace Jurga is by far one of the most important political events that will be happening in Afghanistan this year and will set the agenda for the rest of 2010.
NATO leaders are trying to get people to focus more on the political process but some journalists are doing their job and pissing off the NATO leaders by asking about other issues sorrounding Afghanistan. Issues such as the security situation around the country, which at the moment is of course pretty freakin' chaotic.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Afghanistan, Officially Now "The Big War"
Yesterday the Pentagon made an anouncement declaring that the number of troops in Afghanistan now surpasses the number of troops in Iraq. That makes Afghanistan "The Big War" and Iraq "The Other War."
There are about 92,000 troops in Iraq and the number of troops in Afghanistan is nearing 100,000. Of course, Obama campaigned on the basis of withdrawing all troops from Iraq and while that is happening at a glaciel pace, that makes him the "anti-war President!" PEACE! Give him the Nobel Peace Prize! Bullshit.
Most of the Obama administration is hellbent on Afghanistan, when Obama took office there were about 30,000 troops in Afghanistan. Now theres nearly 100,000!
Seig heil to our mighty peace Prez.
Yesterday the Pentagon made an anouncement declaring that the number of troops in Afghanistan now surpasses the number of troops in Iraq. That makes Afghanistan "The Big War" and Iraq "The Other War."
There are about 92,000 troops in Iraq and the number of troops in Afghanistan is nearing 100,000. Of course, Obama campaigned on the basis of withdrawing all troops from Iraq and while that is happening at a glaciel pace, that makes him the "anti-war President!" PEACE! Give him the Nobel Peace Prize! Bullshit.
Most of the Obama administration is hellbent on Afghanistan, when Obama took office there were about 30,000 troops in Afghanistan. Now theres nearly 100,000!
Seig heil to our mighty peace Prez.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Karzai Travels to US to Convince Obama
Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited the US last week to convince Obama of the merit of his plan to talk over the Taliban.
At the present time, Uncle Sam seems only to care about "reintergrating" foot soldiers and local leaders as opposed to direct negotiations with the leaders of the Taliban.
In the document showing Karzai's plan, Taliban leaders are offered a safe passage into exile and to be dropped off the UN sanctions list if they cut their ties with Al-Qaeda. Soldiers who drop their weapons and surrender would not be prosecuted and be trained to work in infrastructure and highway development programs.
Is it an attempt to look good not just to Afghanistan but the worldwith no real conviction behind it or is Karzai really trying to bring a little piece? I hope so.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai visited the US last week to convince Obama of the merit of his plan to talk over the Taliban.
At the present time, Uncle Sam seems only to care about "reintergrating" foot soldiers and local leaders as opposed to direct negotiations with the leaders of the Taliban.
In the document showing Karzai's plan, Taliban leaders are offered a safe passage into exile and to be dropped off the UN sanctions list if they cut their ties with Al-Qaeda. Soldiers who drop their weapons and surrender would not be prosecuted and be trained to work in infrastructure and highway development programs.
Is it an attempt to look good not just to Afghanistan but the worldwith no real conviction behind it or is Karzai really trying to bring a little piece? I hope so.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
US Has 5,113 Warheads, About 4,600 Not Included.
The Fist-A-Gon (Pentagon) has released figures telling the world how many warheads it has, 5,113, not including about 4,600 others becaused theyr'e scheduled for dismantlement. The most nuclear warheads the US has had at one time was 31,225, in 1967.
Obama's START bill is supposed to limit the number of warheads between Uncle Sam and Russia to 1,550 each. But the bill proclaims one bomber to count for one nuclear warhead while there are bombers that hold more than one warhead.
Bombers are designed to do two things basically, fly and bomb the shit out of people. The B-52 bomber can hold 70,000 pounds of weaponery.
There are extremely destructive nuclear bombs like the B43 that weighs about 2,060 pounds and then there are "less destructive" nuclear bombs like the W44 that weighs about 200 pounds.
So wer'e pretty much screwed unless a heap of people hear about this, get pissed off and raise hell.
The Fist-A-Gon (Pentagon) has released figures telling the world how many warheads it has, 5,113, not including about 4,600 others becaused theyr'e scheduled for dismantlement. The most nuclear warheads the US has had at one time was 31,225, in 1967.
Obama's START bill is supposed to limit the number of warheads between Uncle Sam and Russia to 1,550 each. But the bill proclaims one bomber to count for one nuclear warhead while there are bombers that hold more than one warhead.
Bombers are designed to do two things basically, fly and bomb the shit out of people. The B-52 bomber can hold 70,000 pounds of weaponery.
There are extremely destructive nuclear bombs like the B43 that weighs about 2,060 pounds and then there are "less destructive" nuclear bombs like the W44 that weighs about 200 pounds.
So wer'e pretty much screwed unless a heap of people hear about this, get pissed off and raise hell.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Resistance 2010: The World Can't Wait!
I'm going to take this week off in regards to what I said this blog is about and talk about the Resistance conference, which freakin' rocked!
There were speakers from all over Australia and the world. We had Ammar Ali-Jan from the Labor Party (not like here) of Pakistan, Richard Downs who lives under the NT Intervention and a whole range of other people.
It made several newspapers (I think about 5 or so) and was on the local news on Channel 9, and I was on the news! Amid all these quite normal looking people you had this punk with spikey, black hair and a Brigade Rosse/Red Army Faction T-shirt. YEAH!
I'm going to take this week off in regards to what I said this blog is about and talk about the Resistance conference, which freakin' rocked!
There were speakers from all over Australia and the world. We had Ammar Ali-Jan from the Labor Party (not like here) of Pakistan, Richard Downs who lives under the NT Intervention and a whole range of other people.
It made several newspapers (I think about 5 or so) and was on the local news on Channel 9, and I was on the news! Amid all these quite normal looking people you had this punk with spikey, black hair and a Brigade Rosse/Red Army Faction T-shirt. YEAH!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
US Abandoned Base and Left to Taliban
Last week, US forces abandoned a mountaintop base near Kabul, now Taliban forces have swarmed and occupied the base.
The US insists the base near the Korengal Valley is of no real strategic use. Al-Jareeza video-taped the Taliban entering and inspecting the base and aired this video over a major satellite TV station to give the Taliban a morale boost.
The Taliban claims to have recovered fuel and ammunition at the site but the US insists fuel was given to local residents while ammunition was evacuated.
Last week, US forces abandoned a mountaintop base near Kabul, now Taliban forces have swarmed and occupied the base.
The US insists the base near the Korengal Valley is of no real strategic use. Al-Jareeza video-taped the Taliban entering and inspecting the base and aired this video over a major satellite TV station to give the Taliban a morale boost.
The Taliban claims to have recovered fuel and ammunition at the site but the US insists fuel was given to local residents while ammunition was evacuated.
3 Roles in Electronic Media
Reporter
A reporters job in the news is to find something, some piece of news that matters and has some impact on the world. Find out a heap about it and a little more and present people with this on the news on TV or the radio and tell it in an unbiased way.
This being said, most journalists who inhabit this earth do not do their job.
Would it not be better to present people with accurate, relevant information and let them decide for themselves? Fox dosen't think so!
Anchorman/Anchorlady
The anchorman/ladies (lets call them anchorpeople) job is basically to sit at a really expensive desk, read the teleprompter, look happy and trustworthy. At most news stations anyway.
If your'e watching the news, your'e an everyday person and the anchorperson looks like a friend or they look like a really nice person or whatever your'e going to think "oh she reminds me of Kathy!"
A pack of horeshit lies, wrapped up in a flag and delivered to you with a smile.
Camera Operator
The COs job in the news is to capture events on film and to physically operate the camera. This is one of the most important jobs in the media because if you capture something on film, it can be used to show people what happened instead of just telling them.
Though what is captured on film can sometimes quite easily be manipulated and distorted to sway peoples opinion to support your own or someone elses.
Reporter
A reporters job in the news is to find something, some piece of news that matters and has some impact on the world. Find out a heap about it and a little more and present people with this on the news on TV or the radio and tell it in an unbiased way.
This being said, most journalists who inhabit this earth do not do their job.
Would it not be better to present people with accurate, relevant information and let them decide for themselves? Fox dosen't think so!
Anchorman/Anchorlady
The anchorman/ladies (lets call them anchorpeople) job is basically to sit at a really expensive desk, read the teleprompter, look happy and trustworthy. At most news stations anyway.
If your'e watching the news, your'e an everyday person and the anchorperson looks like a friend or they look like a really nice person or whatever your'e going to think "oh she reminds me of Kathy!"
A pack of horeshit lies, wrapped up in a flag and delivered to you with a smile.
Camera Operator
The COs job in the news is to capture events on film and to physically operate the camera. This is one of the most important jobs in the media because if you capture something on film, it can be used to show people what happened instead of just telling them.
Though what is captured on film can sometimes quite easily be manipulated and distorted to sway peoples opinion to support your own or someone elses.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Obama, Afghan War "Absolutely Essential".
A few days ago, Obama underscored his administration's commitment to continue the eight and a half year long occupation of Afghanistan by delivering a speech in which he proclaimed the war to be "absolutely essential".
During that speech he also claimed the war was making every American safer. We have heard that time and time again with their guns. If more guns made you safer America would be the safest country on Earth but its not. The same applies to this war.
He also assured troops that "everyone" knows the importance of this occupation. Who the fuck is "everyone"? His administration? Even if "everyone" was all of America that wouldn't be true!
He also pledged to give the troops a "clear mission" and said they would "get the job done". Whats the job?
Due to his attributes (hes not white, hes younger and he is a "Democrat"), Obama is in the best position any other President has ever been in to screw the entire world over. So far, it looks like thats what he is in the process of doing, what he is in the process of continuing.
A few days ago, Obama underscored his administration's commitment to continue the eight and a half year long occupation of Afghanistan by delivering a speech in which he proclaimed the war to be "absolutely essential".
During that speech he also claimed the war was making every American safer. We have heard that time and time again with their guns. If more guns made you safer America would be the safest country on Earth but its not. The same applies to this war.
He also assured troops that "everyone" knows the importance of this occupation. Who the fuck is "everyone"? His administration? Even if "everyone" was all of America that wouldn't be true!
He also pledged to give the troops a "clear mission" and said they would "get the job done". Whats the job?
Due to his attributes (hes not white, hes younger and he is a "Democrat"), Obama is in the best position any other President has ever been in to screw the entire world over. So far, it looks like thats what he is in the process of doing, what he is in the process of continuing.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
20 Minutes in the Library
I was sitting in what I believe is refered to as the "library annex". This is where all the action took place!
I observed the meaningless comings and goings of faceless people, people who for all I knew were mass murderers. The balding librarian did not come across as a murderer however. This balding librarian with a goatee tended to his librarian dutys making one of two sounds.
The only two sounds audible to me were the sounds of library keeping, the walking, the checking of books and movies and so on and so forth. The other was the incessant, programmed sound of the air-conditioning.
Just about the only interesting thing I saw was some notable films on the movie rack. "This is England", "About Shmidt", "Die Hard", "Braveheart" and of course "The Young Ones"! Though it is obviously an old TV show, not a film.
I was sitting in what I believe is refered to as the "library annex". This is where all the action took place!
I observed the meaningless comings and goings of faceless people, people who for all I knew were mass murderers. The balding librarian did not come across as a murderer however. This balding librarian with a goatee tended to his librarian dutys making one of two sounds.
The only two sounds audible to me were the sounds of library keeping, the walking, the checking of books and movies and so on and so forth. The other was the incessant, programmed sound of the air-conditioning.
Just about the only interesting thing I saw was some notable films on the movie rack. "This is England", "About Shmidt", "Die Hard", "Braveheart" and of course "The Young Ones"! Though it is obviously an old TV show, not a film.
Monday, March 22, 2010
3 Roles in Print Media
Editors.
In your typical editing cycle there is a junior editorial assistant who reports to senior editorial staff and directors whom then answer to senior executive editors.
Thier role in print media is to just correct spelling, grammar and matters of house style. In newspapers this role is expanded upon by having other works to tend to such as writing headlines and working on fairness, accuracy and taste.
Columnists.
A columnist is a journalist who writes for a publication and offers a strong perspective in the columns section. Some people follow the writings of a particular columnist.
There are several types of columnists, they are:
Advice: a columnist that addresses and answers to peoples problems who send them in.
Critic: a journalist who interprets performances and pieces of work and writes about them and presents thier own opinion.
Editorial: the section of a newspaper or magazines where senior editing staff publish thier opinion.
Gossip gurus: they write and talk about rumors surrounding famous people, usually movie stars and musical figures.
Humorist: a journalist who writes about somethig while being funny about and satirising it.
Food: a section of magazines and sometimes newspapers where "journalists" write about food and recipes.
Us.
We play an important part in all forms of media. There are actually people who sit and watch A Current Affair and 60 Minutes and if people didn't do that then those programs would probably be shut down!
But wait, how will the government get thier horse shit known as propaganda out?
Well fortunately enough for them they still have The Daily Telegraph!
Editors.
In your typical editing cycle there is a junior editorial assistant who reports to senior editorial staff and directors whom then answer to senior executive editors.
Thier role in print media is to just correct spelling, grammar and matters of house style. In newspapers this role is expanded upon by having other works to tend to such as writing headlines and working on fairness, accuracy and taste.
Columnists.
A columnist is a journalist who writes for a publication and offers a strong perspective in the columns section. Some people follow the writings of a particular columnist.
There are several types of columnists, they are:
Advice: a columnist that addresses and answers to peoples problems who send them in.
Critic: a journalist who interprets performances and pieces of work and writes about them and presents thier own opinion.
Editorial: the section of a newspaper or magazines where senior editing staff publish thier opinion.
Gossip gurus: they write and talk about rumors surrounding famous people, usually movie stars and musical figures.
Humorist: a journalist who writes about somethig while being funny about and satirising it.
Food: a section of magazines and sometimes newspapers where "journalists" write about food and recipes.
Us.
We play an important part in all forms of media. There are actually people who sit and watch A Current Affair and 60 Minutes and if people didn't do that then those programs would probably be shut down!
But wait, how will the government get thier horse shit known as propaganda out?
Well fortunately enough for them they still have The Daily Telegraph!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Gangs: Mostly Idiots
There are many types of gangs, there are gangs under the employ of drug lords, there are biker gangs, all the way down to pathetic kids with nothing better to do than form the "Woonona Boys". Idiots.
In the US, every city with a population of 250,000 or greater reported gang related crimes. Every single god damn city! It isn't that boring in the city!
Why is it kids join gangs? To be cool? To be around intellectual equals (look at the title of this article)? Maybe they have nothing better to do than go around beating up members of a rival gang and "tagging" everything in sight. That is still pretty boring and quite pathetic. They could be doing something constructive, like joining an anarchist organisation!
Another interesting statistic, 94% of gang members are male, the remaining 6% are female (what else are they gonna be?). Why is that? Maybe dudes feel more insecure than chicks or something. Or maybe chicks are smarter and either realise there is something better to do than joining a gang or they get out of that disgusting gutter that is Bellambi (in the States it might be South Central or Queens or somewhere like that).
If you live in America and you watch the TV show "Cops", every night you will hear about a black male that robbed a shop or stabbed someone. How is this, is it the same black male committing all these crimes!? A significant portion of the gang population is black but think about all the white guys that have screwed us over!
Think about it, the War on Terror Inc., the Holocaust, racism, many different pieces of legislation over the years (Patriot Act, Work Choices to name a couple), Redlining, arsenic in the water, deals in the Middle-East with oil and natural gas, Capitalism, WHITE! Its the white man that wants us dead, Hitler, W. and H.W. Bush, Tony Abbott, Dick Cheney, Tony Blair, Reagan, Nixon, John Howard, Thatcher, Clinton (Mr. and Mrs.), they're all white.
Even if in the US only 6 or 7% of gang members are white, it is still the white man who is killing us all. Maybe there wouldn't be so many black gang members if there was no such thing as race, if there was just people and skin colour was as trivial as whether or not you have milk in your coffee.
You'll also notice that posh areas have little or no gang activity, if the gap between the haves and have-nots wasn't so damn colossal and if it didn't continue to get bigger and bigger then there would undoubtedly be less gang activity. Thats where Communism comes in! Kidding, though the theory is wonderful and Castro and Che are freakin' heroes.
Youth gangs are, in my opinion, a stupid idea and these kids' time could be better spent doing almost anything else, even learning how to play Curling.
There are many types of gangs, there are gangs under the employ of drug lords, there are biker gangs, all the way down to pathetic kids with nothing better to do than form the "Woonona Boys". Idiots.
In the US, every city with a population of 250,000 or greater reported gang related crimes. Every single god damn city! It isn't that boring in the city!
Why is it kids join gangs? To be cool? To be around intellectual equals (look at the title of this article)? Maybe they have nothing better to do than go around beating up members of a rival gang and "tagging" everything in sight. That is still pretty boring and quite pathetic. They could be doing something constructive, like joining an anarchist organisation!
Another interesting statistic, 94% of gang members are male, the remaining 6% are female (what else are they gonna be?). Why is that? Maybe dudes feel more insecure than chicks or something. Or maybe chicks are smarter and either realise there is something better to do than joining a gang or they get out of that disgusting gutter that is Bellambi (in the States it might be South Central or Queens or somewhere like that).
If you live in America and you watch the TV show "Cops", every night you will hear about a black male that robbed a shop or stabbed someone. How is this, is it the same black male committing all these crimes!? A significant portion of the gang population is black but think about all the white guys that have screwed us over!
Think about it, the War on Terror Inc., the Holocaust, racism, many different pieces of legislation over the years (Patriot Act, Work Choices to name a couple), Redlining, arsenic in the water, deals in the Middle-East with oil and natural gas, Capitalism, WHITE! Its the white man that wants us dead, Hitler, W. and H.W. Bush, Tony Abbott, Dick Cheney, Tony Blair, Reagan, Nixon, John Howard, Thatcher, Clinton (Mr. and Mrs.), they're all white.
Even if in the US only 6 or 7% of gang members are white, it is still the white man who is killing us all. Maybe there wouldn't be so many black gang members if there was no such thing as race, if there was just people and skin colour was as trivial as whether or not you have milk in your coffee.
You'll also notice that posh areas have little or no gang activity, if the gap between the haves and have-nots wasn't so damn colossal and if it didn't continue to get bigger and bigger then there would undoubtedly be less gang activity. Thats where Communism comes in! Kidding, though the theory is wonderful and Castro and Che are freakin' heroes.
Youth gangs are, in my opinion, a stupid idea and these kids' time could be better spent doing almost anything else, even learning how to play Curling.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Impact of New Technologies on Traditional News Gathering and Presentation Practices
Journalists no longer have to record using tape recorders, they can use their phones. To capture events on film they no longer have to use cameras that big it feels like you're holding a damn RPG, now they can just use a little hand-held device that closer to a small slice of cake, or something like that.
New technologies being invented has had a profound impact on gathering and presenting news, you don't have to hear it on the radio anymore, you can watch it on your very own mobile phone!
The news is now far more accessible now anywhere you go you can find some news source nearby. Its pretty crazy shit when you think about it.
Journalists no longer have to record using tape recorders, they can use their phones. To capture events on film they no longer have to use cameras that big it feels like you're holding a damn RPG, now they can just use a little hand-held device that closer to a small slice of cake, or something like that.
New technologies being invented has had a profound impact on gathering and presenting news, you don't have to hear it on the radio anymore, you can watch it on your very own mobile phone!
The news is now far more accessible now anywhere you go you can find some news source nearby. Its pretty crazy shit when you think about it.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Taliban Leader Most Likely Dead
Hakimullah Meshud is probably dead. He was the target for a missile fired from an unmanned aircraft over the Afghan-Pakistani border. But America has seen the dawn of a new age in modern warfare, launching 15 clinical drone attacks in which more than 100 civillians died.
100 innocent lives for 1 bad guy?
Hakimullah Meshud is probably dead. He was the target for a missile fired from an unmanned aircraft over the Afghan-Pakistani border. But America has seen the dawn of a new age in modern warfare, launching 15 clinical drone attacks in which more than 100 civillians died.
100 innocent lives for 1 bad guy?
Monday, March 8, 2010
Surfers Unfazed by Shark Attack
Surfer and illustrator with the Sydney Morning Herald, Simon Letch was back in the water after being attacked by a shark at about 6:30am on Saturday at Bronte Beach.
"You'd think you'd go to jelly when something like this happened but I was surprisingly calm," Mr. Letch said. He was surfing about 40 metres off shore when "I was just about to turn and sit on the board when this shark just clamped on the front of it."
The shark was about 1.5 metres long, was a bronze colour, it's fin had a black stripe and left two 15 centimetre bite marks on Mr.Letcher's surfboard, which he plans to repair so he can continue using the board.
An hour later, Mr.Letcher was back in the water with another of his surfboards, about 20 other unfazed surfers were back in the water with him.
Surfer and illustrator with the Sydney Morning Herald, Simon Letch was back in the water after being attacked by a shark at about 6:30am on Saturday at Bronte Beach.
"You'd think you'd go to jelly when something like this happened but I was surprisingly calm," Mr. Letch said. He was surfing about 40 metres off shore when "I was just about to turn and sit on the board when this shark just clamped on the front of it."
The shark was about 1.5 metres long, was a bronze colour, it's fin had a black stripe and left two 15 centimetre bite marks on Mr.Letcher's surfboard, which he plans to repair so he can continue using the board.
An hour later, Mr.Letcher was back in the water with another of his surfboards, about 20 other unfazed surfers were back in the water with him.
Gang Activity Expected to Rise After Shooting
Over the weekend, two gang members were shot and killed in The Rocks area. The shootings took place near some of the city's most exclusive real estate.
Two men, aged between 24 and 25, were shot down by rival gang members. The perpetrators' identities are not known at this time but police are on the hunt for four gang members, who are considered suspects and whose names cannot be disclosed.
The victims were shot with at least 10 bullets each from semi-automatic hand guns at close range. The police are concerned that these shootings will lead to a rise in gang activities in Sydney.
Anti-firearm lobbyists have called for action against the number of illegal firearms available on Sydney streets. Despite laws being tightened greatly after the Port Arthur Massacre there are still many ways of getting guns illegaly.
NSW Opposition leader John Brogden has accused the Liberal Government of letting gun violence getting out of control, "Bob Carr has run out of excuses," Mr. Brogden said. "His policing strategies aren't working when criminals think shooting people in highly populated, tourist areas is easy."
Australia has a higher murder rate per-capita than the United States, though this is mainly due to knives instead of guns as it is in the United States.
Over the weekend, two gang members were shot and killed in The Rocks area. The shootings took place near some of the city's most exclusive real estate.
Two men, aged between 24 and 25, were shot down by rival gang members. The perpetrators' identities are not known at this time but police are on the hunt for four gang members, who are considered suspects and whose names cannot be disclosed.
The victims were shot with at least 10 bullets each from semi-automatic hand guns at close range. The police are concerned that these shootings will lead to a rise in gang activities in Sydney.
Anti-firearm lobbyists have called for action against the number of illegal firearms available on Sydney streets. Despite laws being tightened greatly after the Port Arthur Massacre there are still many ways of getting guns illegaly.
NSW Opposition leader John Brogden has accused the Liberal Government of letting gun violence getting out of control, "Bob Carr has run out of excuses," Mr. Brogden said. "His policing strategies aren't working when criminals think shooting people in highly populated, tourist areas is easy."
Australia has a higher murder rate per-capita than the United States, though this is mainly due to knives instead of guns as it is in the United States.
Monday, March 1, 2010
$1 Trillion on War
Barack Obama took the Nobel Peace Prize as a "call for action". In spite of this, he recently spent $300 000 000 000 on the military and is expected to spend about $1 000 000 000 000 on war this year alone. Thats more than what W. Bush ever spent and "I'm a war-president. I go to work with war on my mind".
$1 000 000 000 000 would eradicate world hunger and yet the peaceful prez is going to spend that money on war. That screams REPUBLICAN!
Barack Obama took the Nobel Peace Prize as a "call for action". In spite of this, he recently spent $300 000 000 000 on the military and is expected to spend about $1 000 000 000 000 on war this year alone. Thats more than what W. Bush ever spent and "I'm a war-president. I go to work with war on my mind".
$1 000 000 000 000 would eradicate world hunger and yet the peaceful prez is going to spend that money on war. That screams REPUBLICAN!
State of Play
Director, Kevin MacDonald
Cast, Russell Crowe, Ben Aflek, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren
Genre, thriller/drama/mystery
Kevin MacDonald has directed some good movies in his time and one great one (The Last King of Scotland) but State of Play is not one of his golden moments.
Cal McAffrey (Crowe) is a journalist who becomes involved in the murder case of a young woman who was Republican Congressman Stephen Collins' (Aflek) mistress. Stephen Collins is also a former room mate of McAffreys. With the help of rookie journalist, Della Frye (McAdams) and the bitter support of his editor, Cameron Lynne (Helen Mirren) McAffrey uncovers evidence of something much bigger than just a murder.
The cast is quite impressive (besides Ben Aflek, thanks for Pearl Harbor you prat) and the director is certainly competent, in fact he is quite good but something about this movie fails to deliver. Maybe its just personal opinion (I'm not a fan of mysteries) but this movie is just not very exciting, the story is not particularly stimulating and anything Ben Aflek is in is nigh unwatchable. Again, Pearl Harbor is partly responsible.
Another factor contributing to the films disappointing outcome is the that the story is centred on a Congressman was having sex with someone who sure as hell isn't his wife (you can almost hear everyone in the cinema being bored). Its uninteresting. All you ever hear about in the media nowadays is politicians in sex scandals and the effect of various things (sex in films, music etc.) on our childrens youth, innocence and moral fibre. I'm bored and so is everyone else.
All in all, MacDonald has created a fairly bland world where Russell Crowe gives an average performance and Aflek ruins any chance of the movie turning out watchable.
Director, Kevin MacDonald
Cast, Russell Crowe, Ben Aflek, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren
Genre, thriller/drama/mystery
Kevin MacDonald has directed some good movies in his time and one great one (The Last King of Scotland) but State of Play is not one of his golden moments.
Cal McAffrey (Crowe) is a journalist who becomes involved in the murder case of a young woman who was Republican Congressman Stephen Collins' (Aflek) mistress. Stephen Collins is also a former room mate of McAffreys. With the help of rookie journalist, Della Frye (McAdams) and the bitter support of his editor, Cameron Lynne (Helen Mirren) McAffrey uncovers evidence of something much bigger than just a murder.
The cast is quite impressive (besides Ben Aflek, thanks for Pearl Harbor you prat) and the director is certainly competent, in fact he is quite good but something about this movie fails to deliver. Maybe its just personal opinion (I'm not a fan of mysteries) but this movie is just not very exciting, the story is not particularly stimulating and anything Ben Aflek is in is nigh unwatchable. Again, Pearl Harbor is partly responsible.
Another factor contributing to the films disappointing outcome is the that the story is centred on a Congressman was having sex with someone who sure as hell isn't his wife (you can almost hear everyone in the cinema being bored). Its uninteresting. All you ever hear about in the media nowadays is politicians in sex scandals and the effect of various things (sex in films, music etc.) on our childrens youth, innocence and moral fibre. I'm bored and so is everyone else.
All in all, MacDonald has created a fairly bland world where Russell Crowe gives an average performance and Aflek ruins any chance of the movie turning out watchable.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Obama's Secret Prisons.
On US military bases all around the country of Afghanistan, there are officially nine "Field Detention Centres". These are used to hold terrorists and collaborators, but over the past few years there have been reports of abuse at the hands of the US military personnell.
Some of these reports are of abuse bad enough to be no doubt about it human rights violations.
The US military bursts through the door of the home of the suspect during the night, the detainee is beaten a little bit then gets a sack thrown over their head and they are then taken away while the suspects family are left scared and crying. The detainee is then sent to one of these detention centres and some are never seen again. If you do get out its probably because the military has realised that you are not the person they were looking for.
Called the "Black Prisons" by some, the Red Cross nor anyone else has any access whatsoever to any of these facilities. Thing is, we only know about nine.
On US military bases all around the country of Afghanistan, there are officially nine "Field Detention Centres". These are used to hold terrorists and collaborators, but over the past few years there have been reports of abuse at the hands of the US military personnell.
Some of these reports are of abuse bad enough to be no doubt about it human rights violations.
The US military bursts through the door of the home of the suspect during the night, the detainee is beaten a little bit then gets a sack thrown over their head and they are then taken away while the suspects family are left scared and crying. The detainee is then sent to one of these detention centres and some are never seen again. If you do get out its probably because the military has realised that you are not the person they were looking for.
Called the "Black Prisons" by some, the Red Cross nor anyone else has any access whatsoever to any of these facilities. Thing is, we only know about nine.
Monday, February 15, 2010
NATO and US forces invaded the town of Marjah last early last Saturday.
The invasion has been anticipated for many months and about 15,000 troops were involved with 7,500 troops fighting. Motivations behind this are unclear, NATO insists however the town was "key to the drug trade".
Civilians fled the town before the invasion despite NATO and the Taliban urging them to "stay put". Joe Biden (Vice President) said the 12 civilians' lives that were lost during the invasion from runaway missiles was a "tragic loss".
The invasion has been anticipated for many months and about 15,000 troops were involved with 7,500 troops fighting. Motivations behind this are unclear, NATO insists however the town was "key to the drug trade".
Civilians fled the town before the invasion despite NATO and the Taliban urging them to "stay put". Joe Biden (Vice President) said the 12 civilians' lives that were lost during the invasion from runaway missiles was a "tragic loss".
Monday, February 8, 2010
Barack Obama campaigned on the promise of many different things, one of them being withdrawal of all troops from Iraq. But Afghanistan is a whole other story. Not long ago Obama wasn't sure whether or not to continue with the war, he decided to continue.
It went something like this in my mind;
Prez: I dunno about this Hillary, I'm just not quite so sure anymore.
Secretary of State (SOS): What?
Prez: I said (intense stare from SOS) nothing!
Hillary Clinton has always supported the war in Afghanistan, and now she is in a very high position of power. Nothing she says goes completely unheard now. She campaigned for universal health care a good few years back, then she was paid huge sums of money from the health insurance companys to sit down and shut up. And she did.
This blog is dedicated to watching every move Uncle Sam makes in Afghanistan, and what every member of the current "Democratic" administration does in regard to the war.
It went something like this in my mind;
Prez: I dunno about this Hillary, I'm just not quite so sure anymore.
Secretary of State (SOS): What?
Prez: I said (intense stare from SOS) nothing!
Hillary Clinton has always supported the war in Afghanistan, and now she is in a very high position of power. Nothing she says goes completely unheard now. She campaigned for universal health care a good few years back, then she was paid huge sums of money from the health insurance companys to sit down and shut up. And she did.
This blog is dedicated to watching every move Uncle Sam makes in Afghanistan, and what every member of the current "Democratic" administration does in regard to the war.
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