Sunday, February 13, 2011

One of my favourite videos: Axis of Awesome – 4 chords

This clip comes from the Melbourne Comedy Festival a few years back. I just think it’s really clever. It’s quite amazing to hear them fit so many songs into the same music. Makes sense really since most songs are based on a beat of four, but you don’t think of how similar they are.

Happy Valentines Day people! I hope everyone got spoilt, but for those who didn’t, here’s some love!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Yet another tragedy of war

poppies

Just a quick post to acknowledge the devastation that is war.

Australia woke up this morning to the news that another of our Australian soldiers has been killed in Afghanistan. It is easy, when you’re sitting here, on the other side of the world, to forget the real significance of this and just see numbers. I have been guilty of this. However, we must remember that every man that dies in war, no matter what side they fight on, has a family. They have parents, brothers, sisters, wives, fiancés, children and friends. They have the chance to do something special. Each one of their deaths is a horrible, unnecessary and tragic thing for their families and for the world.

I am not saying that the Afghanistan war is unjust; I am not well enough versed in the reasons behind it to make that statement. What I am saying is that ALL war is unjust; a horrible waste of life. But until we find a way to live together without wars, we are forced to watch the numbers rise as part of our humanity dies.

R.I.P Corporal Richard Atkinson and everyone else who has lost their lives at the hands of war all around the globe. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. I only hope it has not been in vain.

Imperfection

This is a (very) short story which I wrote a few years back for school. However, it is only becoming more relevant as the trend towards cosmetic surgery and the search for aesthetic perfection grows. You only have to look at today’s batch of celebrities to see how crazy it has become. It is very rare now to find a celebrity who has not had some sort of alteration to their body. As they become skinnier they are becoming more plastic. I mean, many celebs are unrecognisable to what they once were, and this inevitably steals from their beauty. So here it is; a glimpse into the future. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it makes you think.

The receptionist gave me an awkward look as I crossed the vast white expanse towards the outside world. My request had shocked everyone and the pretty blonde was still questioning my sanity. The people working at this facility were not used to granting wishes the likes of mine. I returned her gaze with a smile before passing through the great metallic doors into the world of glass and skyscrapers beyond.

The warm gust of air hit my face like a wave hitting the beach. It was mid June but due to global warming cold winters had long since been a thing of the past. Society was now paying for the decisions made by industry hundreds of years ago.

As I made my way through the crowded street I studied the faces in the mass of bodies. Although each face was different they all had one thing in common, each was flawless. Cosmetic surgery had advanced in modern times and meant that no-one had to look any older than thirty. It had become almost unheard of in recent years for anyone in a developed country to die without being a good looking corpse.

As I continued walking only the eyes gave them away. Their eyes had seen too much for their faces. The tired blank stares made them look mismatched somehow, instead of sitting lively on their faces, their eyes seemed to hang limply in their sockets. For these people perfection did not make for happiness, in fact perfection had brought these people no more than a feeling of discontentment and a longing for more. This was a world dictated by the harshness of beauty, where the image of age was now no more than some old photograph turned up and yellowing at the edges.

Moving through group after group of city dwellers, the story was always the same, picture perfect faces vandalised by lifeless eyes. The only movement visible was a brief glance in my direction before quickly returning to their previous state of depression.

Passing one of the many buildings I caught a quick glimpse of my reflection in the shimmering glass. The figure looking back at me was different to everyone else. The newly wrinkled skin sat softly across the face, the eyelids drooped slightly behind a pair of thinly rimmed glasses, and the short grey hair sat back in gentle waves. The woman looking back at me from the window smiled and continued walking.

Perfect, I smiled. Imperfection is perfect.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Chicken: To bless or not to bless? Who cares?

Another day, another religious issue that threatens to needlessly divide the community even further than it already is. A current affairs program last night revealed that the majority of chicken which we eat in Australia is now Halal certified. Halal is a term which alerts Muslims to which food products they are permitted to eat in accordance with Islam. In the case of commercial production of meats, to my understanding, this primarily means that a Muslim must be present at the slaughter of the animals and the animals must be blessed. There are some who are offended by this, arguing that it contravenes their right to practice their religion, but I honestly can’t see the issue.

The blessing itself is very simple and, I think, inoffensive. Prior to slaughter they say a prayer to God which translates to “In the name of God – God is great.” To me, this does not contradict any religion. I don’t know about everyone else, but I was brought up as a Christian and I can remember going too church and hearing words very similar to this. A blessing to God is a blessing to God. If you’re that worried about saying the right words, say grace before you eat it. That chicken should be really lucky; it’s received two blessings!

For those who are not religious and who think they’re being pushed into a religion, simply think of it as a blessing to mother nature or the universe. It certainly can’t do any harm for us to be more thankful for what we have. And as for those who honestly don’t believe in anything, it doesn’t matter because the idea of food being blessed by God is nothing but a fairytale and is as harmless as one.

As for this being part of the Islamification of Australia, this is absurd. It is not the process of making a food Halal that is essential to practicing Islam. The essential element of this whole debate is the mindset of the eater. They must be eating the Halal because of their religion in order to make it an Islamic practice. The production of Halal food merely enables consumers to participate in  the Islamic practice if they wish to do so. In the end, In the end, whether or not a food is Halal only makes a difference to those who believe in it. After all, what one person holds sacred may mean nothing to another person. In light of this, this whole debate is irrelevant.

What angers me most though, is the reaction of the media. This particular current affairs story was introduced and concluded by the host last night as an issue of major moral and ethical importance with the intention of generating as much debate as possible, even asking for viewer’s opinions. It is not just this issue either. We see it everywhere, shock jocks on the radio, on T.V, in newspapers, carelessly man-handling sensitive issues to create maximum debate. It is this type of irresponsible sensationalism which divides the community and breeds intolerance. All this for what? The sake of an interesting story and a larger audience?