Angry Rant #16: Banana Republic?

"It's a state government that is arrogant. It refuses to deal with the public openly and honestly.''

"The people of this state will have yet another demonstration of Labor's determination to hide the truth.''

"Denial of Democracy"

- Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell on the Labor State Government.

"So I got Kristina Keneally's head..."

Sound Familiar? I could have sworn that Julian Assange was spouting the same thing. In fact, being the leader of the Opposition, I guess he's obliged to oppose the idiotic ideas of both the Federal and State Governments. I want to start with the fact that I am in no way pro Labor or Liberal, so any bias you think I might have can be put on the window sill and given a gentle push.

Barry O'Farrell must also be obliged to take on the general perception of this State Government - which is probably a good thing. (I'm wondering why most politicians don't do this.) This whole "Denial of Democracy" idea from a 'I-Want-To-Get-Into-Power' perspective is working like charm. But I can't help but wonder WHY he's trying so hard to do so.

Let me explain - The current State Labor Government has been running NSW for the last 15 years, and wasting billions of dollars on pretty much anything, in an effort to trick people into thinking that they are actually doing something - think Avatar. But now, the people have woken up and realised that they're more twisted then a corkscrew and all the money being pissed up against the wall is...well...just that.

Public Indecency or a Political Statement?

Labor haven't done anything but run this state into the ground. With that said, why is Barry O'Farrell and the Liberal party trying so damn hard to get into power? Even if the Liberal Party sat up some beach chairs and had a 2 month booze-fest on Macquarie Street, yelling out profanities about the mothers of the Labor members walking past, they would still get into power. As awesome as that would be, if Barry O'Farrell and the Liberal Party are trying to prove to the people of NSW that the party on the other side of the fence ISN'T corrupt, they've got another thing coming. Do they really think that an inquiry into the power sell-off will actually do anything? What more could they expect to gain? People in power never go to prison - they just move to The Bahamas.

Is the next NSW Government channeling Julian Assange and his Wikileaks to make themsleves seem more people-friendly? Isn't Wikileaks' sole purpose to shake the foundations of democracy i.e. not good for them? Will the new Liberal party NOT lie to the people and waste money on pointless ventures?

"...and then I said, 'No! I am NOT interested in
 long distance savings.'"

Just some thoughts.

Don't Believe the Lies and Spin.

.

Angry Rant #15: Let's start a Riot!

Those bloody protesters in London! They keep on causing havoc and kicking the Royal's Car as they were driving past. What hooligans! Those young whipper snappers just keep stirring up trouble and making the riot police have to work. For Shame...

Death To Shelbyville!

Oh.

Wait. What?

There was no actual coverage of the REASON these University Students were protesting? There was a reason?

The violence started after a vote by the Coalition Government to raise the basic tuition fees by three times the amount that they are now by 2012.  If that were to happen in Australia, I know I would be protesting my $100k+ fees. But it seems that the violence has overshadowed the reasons behind the protest itself. In fact, a news report on Channel Nine (not by Channel Nine, but with a London Correspondent) questioned the British Home Secretary Theresa May, whether or not Camilla, the wife of Prince Charles was "poked with a stick".

The object in question.

Poked with a Stick - This question was ACTUALLY asked. A respectable journalist thought that this was newsworthy. Why were they even driving through a riot anyway?!

Besides the fact that I couldn't care less about the Royals, pointless dumb, idiotic sub-stories like this distract people from the facts and the reasons behind the protest. The thing that really pissed me off is the fact that these "politicians" who voted FOR the rise in fees, never had to pay tuition fees themselves - that's all paid for by the English taxpayer i.e the Uni Students who work their arses off to make a living, and will now have more fees to pay. If that doesn't piss you off the most in this story, then nothing else will.

If I was an English University Student, I would be doing the exact same thing.

Don't believe the Lies and Spin.

Angry Rant #14: Wikileaks like crazy!

Wikileaks has hit the headlines again – this time in a very negative way, or at least what people are being led to believe is a very negative. Firstly, Julian Assange, the Australia guy in charge of the release of Wikileaks, has nothing to do with the leaks themselves – he is merely the medium that people on the inside use to get the information out. Now that aside, for a collection of United States Congressman to say that Assange should get the death penalty for releasing the information is not only absurd, but it proves that those that are in positions of power have had their cages rattled a bit – and it’s about bloody time.

Rattle Rattle.

If the Wikileaks we’re false, I very much doubt that these “World Powers” would be so up-in-arms about the whole issue. Do not believe the lies and spin when there is a press release from the U.S. government stating that Assange has engaged in a Cyber-attack on the U.S. – it’s the logical thing to expect when the foundations of a world power have been rocked by a little wikileaks earthquake

So what’s the spin from “World Powers”? That lives will be lost. Seems like a fair assumption, but   haven't lives been lost in the past - aren't lives being lost now? The most important leak released would be the knowledge that Saudi Arabia isn’t a happy camper it regards to Iran’s Nuclear Program, and want someone (*cough cough * U.S. *cough cough*) to “disrupt” their opertations. The program itself was sanctioned by the UN (But even the U.N. is only really run by five nations, the U.S. included, so I guess that won’t come as a surprise to most people.

Such a good album title.

This brings me to the main point of this whole argument – most of things that have been released by Wikileaks has already been known – it’s now been made official. For example,

• The Western World is also scared of Iran’s Nuclear Program (No surprise there)
• The U.S. thinks very little of Australia (again, no surprise
  

If everyone is aware of it, why are people afraid of talking about it? (Yes, there is a Harry Potter reference there, but I’ll let you figure it out)

I thought the “democratic Western-world” was supposed to be just that – democratic, i.e. run by the people. I’m a citizen, you’re a citizen, yet we are constantly left out of the equation – we are used to go and fight in wars that have very little to do with us; we are robbed of our money by the corporate world who run this planet. We make their wallets even heavier, yet there are more people that live in poverty and die in the worst conditions and are left to fend for themselves like animals. We keep the rich, rich and the poor continue to die.

The Problem.

So these “World Powers” are in charge of the world because they are morally and ethically correct? They care about the people, and never put themselves first? They do everything they can to help countries in need?

No.

Money = Power

It’s taken a while for these countries to aquire it, and they’ll do all that is within their power to make sure that they stay on top.

Don’t surrender Julian Assange.

Don’t believe the lies and spin.

Angry Rant #13: Top Gear or No Gear?

Where has my passion for Top Gear gone? It also must have been sold off for advertising when the show made the move from SBS to Channel 9 (That damn Channel 9 likes to screw things up all the time doesn't it?... but I digress) It seems my beloved show has become nothing more than a visual blender of pointlessness. It has become a show for all three men, who understand their fame, and will do anything to stay on top.

What happened to show that used to be about fast cars and how incredible they where!?!

Jeremy, you're show doesn't blow me away anymore.

What happened to those night's where I'd sit back after a tough day in Yr 12 and watch Mythbusters, then some serious car action!! And by car action I mean super-fast cars, and not racing upside down caravans and an assortment of other idiotic pointless stunts to get media attention.

"Wait...what? So, you want to see if I can drive this underwater, crossing

the English Channel, while racing a sea lion and a flipper-wearing rabbit?"

At what point did the producers of the show think that changing the entire formula was a good idea? When they realised that their wallets would become a lot thicker? I know people directly who hate driving and everything to do with cars, but enjoy this new version of Top Gear. Where does this leave the real car fans? I don't care about them smashing cars up for the sake of smashing them up - I have Mythbusters for that. What we don't need is another variety show for the masses - I enjoyed watching Top Gear on SBS, you know back when it was about the cars - not about the hosts. It seems they have become the victim of their own fame.

I knew something was fishy here...

Even James May admitted that "It's a different programme now. It's turned into something else. It's really a sitcom now, so we are the characters" (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a285471/james-may-top-gear-is-a-sitcom-now.html)

Bring back the old Top Gear - bring it back now

Don't believe the Lies and Spin.

Angry Rant #12: Is this an Ad or is it News?

Nine News reported on a story this afternoon, and then again on the 6pm news, detailing the final result of the TV show, The Block and I have a few questions:

1. Who the hell cares?
2. Advertising makes news?
3. Does anyone actually like Australian TV?

How can a TV network like Channel Nine get away with this kind of news story? I, like most people, do not care about some stupid, worthless "reality" TV show or how it's idiotic contestants are feeling. I don't care about how much money they've won, or what they're going to spend it on. I don't care about the problems they face when they try to restore some house - It means nothing to everyone. Is there NOTHING else going on in the world besides that one pointless TV show?

Nope. It doesn't look like it. 

Then when a show like Media Watch does a story on why that particular news story is just shamelessly plugging their own garbage, the word from the Channel Nine camp sounds something like, "Do the "journalists" at Media Watch have anything better to do?" 

Wait...so there are Journalists at Channel 9? Journalists? Channel 9? Now there's two words that should never go together. Take, for example, earlier in the year when there were floods in northern Victoria. All the reporters on the scene were getting knee deep in the water except one - Laura Turner. In short, Laura is accused of being on her knees to make the flood waters look worse.

Decide for yourself

The most striking point here is how the SES urged people not to go into the flood waters because it was dangerous. I'd discuss the problems with Channel 7 and their "news" but I would go on for a while, so I won't yet, but I digress...

Back on topic, don't just think that Channel 9 turns advertising into news, because both Channels Ten and Seven have done the same thing. It's the reason why I don't watch TV for news anymore - it's all about making money and making us buy things we don't need, or in case make us watch stupid shows about stupid people. 

Problem: There are too many news programs, and for them to fill news slots up, things must either be made out to be worse than there are (i.e the floods), dragged out so that the news day is easier to manage (i.e Jessica Watson and her yacht) or they are filled with nonsensical fluff stories like that wedding between Kate and William. 

Also, Peter Overton needs to be kicked. Nothing is worse than an up-himself news anchor. 

I'd fire him.

Don't believe the Lies and Spin. 

Angry Rant #11: More deaths... more to come?

WWIII.

Seems a fair bit scary when you think about. Would our "World Powers" and their "World Leaders" abide by sanctions declared by the United Nations in regards to nuclear war if things got more than just heated?

Looks like little Kimy in North Korea isn't playing by the rules - no, there hasn't been any nuclear attacks, but WW1 started with the assassination of a single man - Two South Korean Marines and two civilians died when North Korea sent 50 shells flying over the border to Yeonpyeong, dozens have been injured and that little island is looking a little worse for wear. Accident or not, this assertion of power is not needed, nor is it needed to be demonstrated with such brutality - seems like the sort of thing you'd expect someone to retaliate to. The "You hit me, I'll hit you harder" mentality is seeping through the seams at the moment.

The Trigger?

South Korea has threatened missile strikes if the problem escalates. The US has begun backing up South Korea and China has essentially stated that it supports North Korea (no surprises there). The official word from the North Korean Media, (so Kim Yong Ill himself and his office) is that South Korean ships crossed the border - So why wouldn't they order the ships to leave? Perhaps fire warning shots? Why fire on an island with innocent civillians? Is there something else out of the picture?

Of course there is more than just the one side to this story. Media from both nations is hazy at best and should be read in the same way.

For two countries that are technically still at war, it's a little hard to imagine that there will be peace in the world. We've got rockets firing between the borders there, people dying in the middle-east, the diamond wars in Africa....every time we hear about this kind of thing, we just get angry. How can there be peace if there is so much violence in world?

Heard of the movie Pay it Forward?

Don't Believe the Lies and Spin.

Angry Rant #10: So where's that R-rating for Video Games?

Four Words: The Australian Christian Lobby.


It seems that they're at it again - trying to stop the rest of the population from doing what they want to do. This time, they're still not moving on the R-rating classification for video games. It's not enough for them to have a mostly Christian Government at their every beck and call, but force us to live by the bible - because they think it's it the right thing to do. (Being a good person should be logical and should not come from a book that was written thousands of years ago...and people say we have advanced as a race. Technologically, yes. Morally? Nope. But I digress)

Morality: It should come from here. 

This R-rating issue needs to be put through quickly. Not only is it idiotic, but it forces violent video games into the MA15+ category - something of which I don't agree with. I was trying to avoid using the cliched "look-at-what's-in-Australia-already" line, but it's difficult to avoid. GTAIV should not be in that MA category, along with games like MOH and COD. They should be in the R-rated category - I support this idea entirely.

The thing that pisses me off the most is the naivety of some people, in this case the ACL. They can say that the country will become more obsessed with violence, and that it will make it easier for kids to get their hands on violent videogames - yet I know kids under the age of 14 who play GTAIV. If there was an R-rating, it would make it harder for children to get their hands on it. How Modern Warfare 2 got released as an MA15+ title STILL amazes me. Every time I see that infamous Airport level, I think "how could there not be an R-rating?"

Is the ACL happy that this got into a LOWER rating category?

Check out Kotaku for more info on it if you're interested. They currently have an online petition that you can sign up to so that you can directly email your local government rep, or directly to the Minister of Home affairs, Brendan O'connor. Whether it changes things is another thing entirely, but here's hoping!

I don't understand the ACL's point of view, that being if there was a R-rating category, more violent games would reach our shores. Really? More violent then slaughtering hundreds of innocent people in an airport with the MA rating letting kids get to it easier? Yeah, you can tell they're using their...

The solution here is so bloody obviously, you'd think the rating would finally be allowed. Wait. What's that? We're dealing with politicians? Oh, cancel that then.

Don't believe the Lies and Spin.

Angry Rant #9: Penrith and it's Plaza

So, we leave the cinema and make our way towards the exit, only to find that we have to wait in ANOTHER line for the next 20mins....

This is what I found myself thinking after watching the latest installment of a film that has some guy with glasses on in it. Unfortunately those bastards in charge of "The Plaza" expected people to pay $5 for parking after the movie. Even not paying and trying to escape by ghosting another car failed because the timers where so fast.

Boom Gates - they have their ups and downs. 

After the failed attempts to find another pay station, we gave up and headed back to the cinema, meeting a bunch of people who tried and failed as we did - a look of disgust also on their faces.

I very much dislike losing to the establishment and it appears that I am not the only one.

Boycott Penrith Plaza.

Don't believe the Lies and Spin.

Angry Rant #8: Harry Potter and the Mirroring of Reality.

Disclaimer: I have read books 1-4 and about 1/4 of the way through the 5th one ONLY.

I used to be a massive fan of Harry Potter - I'm not going to lie. I read the first four with a level of enjoyment that I hadn't got from any other book. Then I arrived at book 5 - The Order of The Phoenix. I tried to finish it - I struggled to read it. There was something that was present in this book that wasn't in the other ones. The idea didn't hit me until I picked it up today after all the fuss about Deathly Hallows and began the quest to finish it. What I've come to realise is that this may just be the best book of the lot!

The reason it flew over my head when I tried to read it when I was younger was the fact that the book is overladen with political messages and the balance between those that are in control and those who stand up against the establishment.

KaKAAAAAA

Of all the books, so far, this is one that I think closely reflects the society we live in - A society controlled by the rich and powerful - where money and power work their evil ways around the globe. Where the mass media and mass opinion are on sale to the highest bidder and are used to manipulate and distort reality. Read Order of the Phoenix if you haven't yet, it's not as bad as what I remember, and it's better to read with a new mindset. 


Don't believe the Lies and Spin.

Angry Rant #7: Storrry? Where are you? Ok I give up. No really, where the hell are you? What? James Cameron and George Lucas locked you in there?

What changed Star Wars....

George Lucas....

and something else....

hmm...

OHH MOOONEY. Gotcha ;)

After many a year studying the hell out of the original prequels I have come to the realisation that they are aren't bad movies - but I must explain - a bad movie needs to have a bad story, bad characters, bad acting, bad everything really. When I watch Episode 1, 2 and 3, I don't see a terrible story, I see no story. I don't see actors, I see robots. I don't see a script, I see random words thrown together in no particular order. I don't see bad acting, I see a dodgy version of Team America. How can it be a bad movie when it technically isn't a movie. Saying that they're bad movies is giving them way too much credit.

Unfortunately, the stupid rabbit lived through this.

What I have come to appreciate is that films nowadays, especially your big-budget "blockbusters" use CGI and other digital technology to manipulate audiences into thinking that the movie is good, when the only thing that they're doing is covering up the the fact that there is no story. *cough cough* Avatar * cough cough*

Whoops, sorry.

Avatar sucked. Visually, it was like having eye-sex, but in terms of story, it will go down in history as one of the worst story lines ever...obviously after Star Wars: Ep 1 & 2 - nothing beats that filth.

Lucas could have avoided the whole list of problems with the prequels if he had just hired a decent screenwriter to make sense of his nonsense. Things like this would have been avoided:

• Why would Qui-Gon Jinn cheat in a bet to get the parts for the ship in Ep 1? Why not just come back at night and steal it? He can cheat, but stealing is wrong?
• How does the sheild generator get hit on the Naboo ship if the sheild is up?
• Why did Qui-Gon Save Jar-Jar Binks from the federation ships on Naboo? (How I wish he died there)
• Why is Qui-Gon there? Just in general - He doesn't do anything except talk to Anakin about mediclorians and then he dies - An idiotic character like Jar Jar could have done that. 
• Why did Padme's decoy say that she "failed" Padme at the start of Ep 2. Isn't that what a decoy is supposed to do? Risk their lives for the person they're protecting? - I think she took that explosion pretty well. 
• Why did they ruin Yoda?
• Why can't Padme fall in love? How is being a senator an excuse?
• What the hell is a mediclorian? The force is microscopic germs now?
• Why didn't Bobba Fett just kill Padme at the start of Ep 2, instead of hiring someone to plant poisonous worms in her room. We already know that Padme isn't immune to explosions, *hint hint.*
• Why is it...
• blah.
• blah.
• blah.

"Obi-Wan, when I said I didn't like sand I F*&%ing meant it."

I could go on for ages. So I won't.

Don't believe the Lies and Spin.

Angry Rant #6: "Whoops, did that plane need an engine?"

It seems that the great Australian Qantas is failing. Why? Because work has been forced overseas, and outsourced to countries in Asia (By the way, there is no word for 'Asia' in any Asian language because it, in it's entirety, is a Western concept, but I digress.)

Cheap Labour = Shoddy Work. It's really a no brainer, and we really shouldn't be surprised. However most people are because they don't know that the work/repairs/services are done overseas. Why is this aimed at Qantas? I could bet any amount of money that this happens to EVERY airline. Planes are large pieces of metal that fly through the sky at insane speeds and through varying temperatures - of course things are going to fuck up from time to time, that's a given. But why all the attention on Qantas? I have brainstormed some ideas below:

• Someone sleep with the wrong person?
• Didn't get the right sandwich?
• Nuts too salty? 
• James Murdoch got turned down by an attractive air hostess?

Too much salt can drive anyone nuts.

Whatever the problem is, it better come into the light. I had a pretty shocking experience with Virgin Blue and with Jet Star but that went unnoticed. Perhaps the reason is just that - maybe there is a vendetta against Qantas by the Australian Media. Maybe they're trying to bring Qantas back here. Seems reasonable.

But then I remembered.

We had a 15min segment on the 5 o'clock news about Kate Middleton and Prince William. My mistake

Don't believe the Lies and Spin.

Angry Rant #5: Kate Middleton and Prince William...

Who the hell cares about Kate Middleton and Prince William? Any person who says that they "good" because they donate to charity is simply stupid - The Royal family is just that. Royal.

Rich.

Lots of Money. You'd expect that - the people who work their butts off with 3 children, a mortgage and still donate to children in poverty stricken countries, in natural disaster zones, and in war-torn countries are the real heros.

Although Princess Diana did a whole lot for AIDS awareness in Africa, I very doubt the Royals now will do such a thing now.

And to Channel 10 News - 15 mins of "news" on their engagement? 15 worthless minutes on something that most people couldn't give a shit about? This is newsworthy?

Channel 10 is good for one thing...and one thing ONLY. 

How about reporting on the aftermath of Haiti? It seems that they've gone off the map until they get devastated by another earthquake. What about those floods in Pakistan that displaced over 1 million people?

OH Wait. The mass media thinks this isn't important, so it must not be. Oh, ok then.

Don't Believe the Lies and the Spin.

Angry Rant #4: A little bit of everything.

So apparently Aboriginal people aren't recognised in the Federal Constitution in Australia. A friend has told me that the states do recognise Aboriginals, but at a Federal level in the Commonwealth Constitution, they are not.

But the thing that pissed me off was how they said it - Our idiotic PM just brushed it off so lightly as if it were nothing. Then we've got those idiotic US representatives spouting garbage about 'being ourselves and everything's gonna be alright'. THEN we've got people getting interviewed because they were "selected" for Oprah's show. Instead of wasting all that money (and you know she's going to be giving away free stuff) on pointless materialistic goods, she could be helping a place like...I dunno...AFRICA. Why waste time here? Why waste money? Why let the stupid state government piss more money up against the wall when our roads/hospitals/schools are an absolute disgrace. I am really annoyed right now.

Calm blue ocean, calm blue ocean, calm blue ocean....

Don't Believe the Lies and Spin.

Angry Rant #3: To Smartphone or not to Smartphone.

So, a friend of mine has convinced me that the HTC desire is probably one of the best, if not the best smart phone on the market - If I were to ever buy one that is.

The idea of having everything in one handy, portable little device seems like a good idea. Being able to play music, record video, fuck around on the internet etc, seems like fun, until one the following occurs:

1:   You leave it at home.
2:   You leave it somewhere other than home.
3:   You leave it in New Zealand after a holiday.
4:   You play basketball with it.
5:   You think your blender will wuss out.
6:   You leave it under the back tyre of your car.
7:   You play chicken with a sledge hammer.
8:   You decide that it's so powerful that it will defy gravity.
9:   Karma.
10: The battery dies and you can't change it.

Should it be in my pocket or in here?

Apart from all those things, I'd defiantly buy one.

Angry Rant #2: Unforgeeeeetable...Well. Yes actually.

Predictable

Intolerable.

Nonsense?

Somehow I forced myself to watch THAT episode of Packed to the Rafters...for five seconds before I turned it over. It seems that I did the right thing, seeing as though I would have cringed to death at the sight of yet another car accident where someone has died. Mel, one of the characters, gets married then dies in a car accident. If you think you're having a case of de ja vu, you're not the only one. I have lost count of the amount of times these Aussie shows have used car accidents as a way of killing a character off - Neighbours has been doing that shit for years!!

We really shouldn't Rush into things

There is something wrong with the industry in Australia - it's the same thing, day in day out. Nothing changes. Why?

Angry Rant #1: Speeding Kills?

Recently a friend of mine got sent a letter by the RTA stating that they had been caught speeding. Not only did they think that this was a total load of bullshit, but they knew they weren't due to the fact that they was staring at my speedometer as they was driving past the camera. SEE. Therein lies the problem - 

IF EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT THE SPEEDOS, HOW ARE THEY MAKING IT SAFER FOR DRIVERS?

Fact of the matter is that it isn't. People think that we get it tough here in New South Wales, but Victoria is speed camera central of World - of the World. The death toll in Victoria has actually RISEN in the past 5 years compared to the toll here in NSW. Of course population, driving conditions etc etc all come into play, but if everyone is not looking at the road, how safe could it possibly be? The State Government tells you that it's safer - but it's not. 

These newly placed "safety cameras" are nothing but blatant revenue raising for both (yes BOTH) the state governments and the private operators who control them. The private operators will be getting more funding, depending on the number of cars they pinch. In QLD now, the tolerance level is being reduced, so expect a fine in the mail if you're 2 or 3km/h over the limit. 

Don't believe what the government says - they don't care about your well being - they only care about the money that goes into their pocket at the end of day.

Don't believe the Lies and the Spin.