Our Police :)

Our police do an incredible job and are some of the most important members of our society. They are the ones that protect us and make us safe. Ultimately, we would struggle to function without them.



Our police are so badly underpaid it's ridiculous. We need our police force badly, that, I think, is quite obvious.

The government has offered the Victorian Police force a pay rise of 2.5% but that is still 2% less than they are asking for. I'm struggling to understand why the government don't look after our police more. They are so important, yet they are not treated the way they probably should.

This is going to take a toll on everyday people as well. Bendigo officers are refusing to use email, compile statistical information of the government or keep records of traffic accidents. Some other officers are refusing to attend Supreme or County courts as witnesses unless they are subpoenaed.

The point to what I'm say is, that we really need to be on the police force's side. They are unbelievably important and often put their lives on the line. Why shouldn't they get paid properly? It's only fair.

A Somber Time On Planet Earth

Don't get me wrong, I would never wish death upon anyone, but the recent passing of Amy Winehouse is something I really don't care much about.

There's no denying her situation was very unfortunate and addictions are addictions, meaning she probably didn't have a lot of control over it. It is partly her fault though, because as far as I know, the drugs and booze were not forced on her when she first started. If she hadn't said "No, No, No" to Rehab, she might still be here though.

If anything, I hope that this will send a message to people. I hope that, in the circumstances, something good comes out of it and it will make an impact on at least one person who will say no to drugs. I think that would be a good result.

I feel sorry for Amy, I think we all do in a way. The fame got to her head and where has it left her? In the 27 club (the famous celebrities that have died at the age of 27). The voice is gone but I'm not particularly mourning, her music was good but she had done nothing in the last 5 years. The people I REALLY feel sorry for is her family and friends who have lost a loved one through no fault of their own. They are the ones that I really feel for in this.

What annoys me about this though is that it is know competing with the devastating massacre in Norway. More than 70 lives vs 1 and the contest is really even. The situation in Norway is so horrible and its one of those things that I can't even imagine. All my love goes out to the whole nation of Norway and everyone who has been affected in anyway.

People in this world do the most terrible things to each other.... and yet manage to do terrible things to themselves too (in Amy's case). There's no doubt that it's all messed up.

(Mini) Pageant Princesses

So, this blog has been pretty much about things that I don't like and think could be improved, and my views on current things in the media. If you've made reading this far, well done!! I wouldn't have thought anyone would be able to stand my ramblings for more than a couple of blogs so you are doing REALLY well.

After this one, my blogs will probably become (at least) less frequent. I know that you are either deeply saddened or extremely happy with this news (although, if you don't like this blog, why are you still reading it???). But please don't leave right now! I'd love you to keep reading anything I write and to finish reading this blog! :) OK, so, onto the good stuff :)

They other day, my friend told me about an American program called Toddlers & Tiaras. I don't think it takes to much of a genius to work out what the program might be about. I looked it up on YouTube and watched a couple of episodes. The program usually follows 3 American girls aged between about 4 and 10 in the lead up to their pageants. (Pageant: a beauty contest)

It is extremely funny as well as being a bit sad and ridiculous at the same time.

I found it quiet funny, seeing the dotting mothers (and the occasional "Pageant Dad") stressing over thousand dollar dresses, make up and..... fake tan. There was even one mother who was shaving her 7 year old's legs!! Also, some of the little girls were just ridiculous. Seeing it from the outside, it was easy for me to see the funny side.

I also see the sad side. Girls as young as 1 and a half were being dressed up and paraded. Being taught that beauty is what will get them ahead in life. Mothers were telling there girls things like "It hurts to be beautiful".

I think this is utterly ridiculous and it's a terrible message to be sending to young girls. Especially because to be able to "compete" in the pageant, they need to have the tan, make up, hair, flipper (fake teeth) and expensive clothes. I really don't think that this is a great thing to do to a girl who should really be outside playing Barbies in the sand pit or something.

I'm really glad that we don't really see things like this in Australia. It's not very appropriate for young girls and it could dent the self-esteem of many girls. The show mostly focused on successful girls but there would be many girls out there who would've given up with low self confidence as a result of never being "good enough" or "rich enough" to win anything.

When I was young, I never worried about make up or hair styles and I'd never heard of fake tan. Why should anyone else's childhood be any different?

Successful, Yet Underpaid.. Why Is This So?

Last night the Australian women's soccer team, the Matildas, won 2-1 over Norway at the Women's World Cup. At the same time, Australia's netball Diamonds won 97-20 over Sri Lanka. These are just a couple of the women teams and athletes that are finding success.

The Matildas have taken over as Australia's better soccer team. They won the Asian Cup and are now into the Quarter-finals in the world cup. The equivalent mens team lost the Asian Cup final to Japan 1-0 and didn't make it past the group stage of the World Cup.

And yet Matildas captain Melissa Barbieri doesn't earn enough to pay a mortgage. She works part time  as a nurse in a primary school. Barbieri gets paid around $32,000 a year to play for the Matildas. Despite leading one of the more successful sporting teams in Australia, she does not enjoy the luxury of the payment that many of Australia's elite athletes enjoy.

This is the same with many other female athletes. If you compared what the captain of the (consistently successful) Australian Netball Diamond and the captain of the (recently unsuccessful) Australian Mens Cricket Team, the difference would definitely favour cricket. This isn't even taking into account the Womens Cricket Team or the Mens Netball Team (which is one of the few mens teams that has lower funding than their women counterparts).

It's a tad disappointing that some of Australia's best athletes are underpaid and forced to work second jobs to pay the bills. At the same time as their male equivalents are overpaid and under-performing. In my eyes, this hardly seems fair.

Mostly, I'd put it down to the fact that all through history, men have been the ones doing the sport. If we look back, there aren't a whole lot of female gladiators. Nor were there a lot of female jousters or nights. It got to the point, when sport became popular, it was the men that mostly played.

I have hope though. It wasn't that long ago that male athletes worked normal jobs like everyone else and they trained/played in their spare time.

One day women will earn the same as men. Not just on the sporting field but in all fields. That day will be a great day.

Are they really "Illegal"?

They are often called "illegals". Also referred to as "boat people", asylum seekers are a topic that is very controversial and constantly in the media.

Australia has signed the 1951 Refugee Convention. In it, it states that any person fearing prosecution because of race, religion, sexual preference, political opinion ect. will be accepted into a country for consideration of refugee status not matter what way the get there.

Yet still we call them "illegals".

Refugees are a tough subject. In one way, we should be compassionate and see it from their point of view. But human nature has taught us to think of ourselves before anyone else. We want to all have jobs, big houses and happy lives before we start letting others in. That's really why we call them "illegals".

Recently at school, we watched the controversial TV series Go Back To Where You Came From. For me, this was a bit confronting and I didn't really anticipate that it would be quite like it was. My mum had been watching it on TV and I had dismissed it as something I wouldn't really be interested in but watching it in class, I realized that I did feel connected to it. Seeing those refugees though, I didn't really expect what I saw.

But then look at me right now. In my nice warm house, writing on my laptop with plenty of food in my belly. Even just the simpleness of having a roof over my head.

One day everything will be different. One day everyone will have a roof over their heads. But I know that it won't just happen. Now is the time to start. Start helping people in need and improving living conditions all over the world.

The future starts now.