Issue 801
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Letters To The Editor
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Bravery rewarded?I trust that the Prime Minister Mr John Howard and the Premier, Mr Bob Carr, will liaise and have a special medal struck for all the brave persons who were involved with helping to stop the recent fire carnage. Sir Winston Churchill said something similar to the following: 'Never has so much been owed to so many, by so few'. The medal could just be a small lapel button, but everyone who saw it would think this is a brave person. Recognition was given to the Olympic volunteers, now let us do the same thing for those brave people, be they firefighters, ambulance personnel, meal providers, Red Cross workers, police, helicopter pilots or whoever. Eileen Gray Click here to comment on this letter.
Telstra TricksWhat's Telstra really up to? Is it trying to squeeze extra phone calls out of us, and turn us into 'I'll ring you back' people? So you're thinking of buying a mobile phone? With endless brands on offer, you'd be hard pressed to know which one to buy. However, there are some impressive new lightweight phones which light up like a fairground and play fancy tunes to match. Great! You'll have one of those. You sign up on a $20 or $30 per month plan and you trot off thinking you're on air to the world! The phone rings! Hey! It's in the hip pocket! By the time you fumbled with the pocket and tried to get the phone out to answer it, the call has been diverted to voice mail, incoming message or missed call. Dash it! You'll just have to 'ring back'. You sit down for hours trying to find a way to extend the ring time, and all you can find is the volume adjustment. Sorry, but Telstra has the control over the length of time and number of rings your phone will make. After days of sheer frustration, you find out Telstra's 018-018-111 number. Now why aren't you given that number when you buy the phone? By dialling 018-018-111 Telstra will extend the 15 second ring time to a maximum of 25 seconds. That gives you a mere 10 seconds longer to get the phone out of your pocket and answer it. Your argument that 25 seconds is not enough falls on deaf ears. It seems that Telstra really wants you to 'ring back'. To comply with Radio Frequency exposure guidelines, you are supposed to wear the phone in an approved carry case, yet Telstra haven't got any stocks of cases for the latest mobile phones. Why are they allowed to sell the brands where no cases are available? Now lets look at 'call waiting'. You're on the phone and the 'call waiting' beeps start. You ask your caller to hold on while you answer the 'other' phone. Once again you have to say, 'I'll ring you back'. Once again Telstra gets another call out of you! I leave you to work out what will happen when the government sells off the rest of Telstra. Margaret Howes Vistara ThanksI would like to thank teachers and staff at Vistara Primary School, Richmond Hill for the exemplary tuition, care and support they have given my daughter during her first year at school. I would like to assure parents who are looking for a non-mainstream alternative for their children's schooling, that there is nothing 'weird' about the school. Vistara is an independent school run by the Ananda Marga group which is neo-humanist in philosophy with a healthy spiritual component. I find that these principals are very compatible with modern alternative spiritual beliefs and perfectly at home with the broadminded nature of the North Coast. There is no dogma as such and certainly no pressure to 'convert'. In fact the very things that Vistara practices, such as meditation, visualisation and yoga, are the kinds of activities mainstream schools are now being commended for as innovative. Children come from all over the region to attend this gorgeous little rural hideaway and the school community is filled with creative and talented parents as well as teachers and kids. The school places a high value on issues to do with the natural environment, landcare and sustainability. This year the children have been visited by local koalas, thanks to habitat planting on site and the occasional wallaby. What a treat. The curriculum they follow is regulated by the State and our children's academic achievements are well developed. Very importantly, the environment at Vistara is also compassionate and caring, something that shows in how the children interact with each other and relate to the world. I believe there are still some vacancies for 2002 and I would urge readers who are considering an alternative schooling for their children to contact Vistara and examine the benefits they offer. Don't be put off by petty prejudices (of which there are plenty), check it out and make up your own minds about what we past and present parents of Vistara children believe is an absolute haven in our mad and mainstream world. Punita Boardman Click here to comment on this letter.
Good v EvilI write in acknowledgement of the United States' blind, absolute obsession with the 'everything American' theme - it's ruthless, regardless pursuance of self-interest and unrelenting intent upon transformation of multi-cultural diversity to but one global mono-culture that alone expresses itself in 'dollar' terms and that, which I believe, most convincingly illustrates these aspirations - I refer to that new-age spaghetti serial titled 'War on Terrorism'. Brilliant in inception though often clumsy in direction, (with George W 'beating his chest' as both production chief and lead role performer, supported by what must surely represent the most impressive 'convention' of multi-national actors, any one of whom could lay laudable claim upon an academy), 'War On Terrorism' basically revolves around that proven 'Hollywood good-guys-versus-decadents' formula, with the very definitions of good and evil so effectively consigned to the no-question zone - affirmed by overwhelming public acclamation. Despite these decisive definitions, though, 'my' most unfortunate cynical and questioning mind ceaselessly delved amongst the graphically illustrated ruins and self-righteously orations of good not only confronting but indeed annihilating evil in search of 'another' perspective or dimension... a motivational explanation for a misdeed that lay claim to 4,000 lives (not to mention the ensuing, never to be revealed, number of Afghanis and what 'I' consider the greatest component of the tragedy, those 'totally' non-complicit animals - donkeys and all else so unfortunate as to inhabit bomb sites - whose 'absolute' innocence falls beyond question). And in paradox, just what Osama's crew would have, if at all possible, titled an Al-Queda produced series dealing with American foreign policy. Is it not conceivably possible that such a series may also feature the very same title 'War on Terrorism'? - but regardless of the scenario, it's most certain not to measure in influence as it's U$ counterpart, after all, Hollywood does possess a propensity to 'enhancing' the truth and how profoundly fortunate for those world citizens whose mind naturally gravitates towards unquestioning acceptance and that good guy, international policeman persona! America, we have in so very many ways such gratitude to express, but there are (and I suggest the number increases by the day) so very many of us 'fundamentally' minded world citizens who feel - well... besieged, constrained, terrorised and steamrolled. Tolerance, cooperation and acceptance of cultural diversity is the answer - not global domination in conjunction with your franchised network - for surely, the judges 'impartiality' is in question and as for the jury... quite possibly compliant or just plain 'loyal'. I do not suggest Osama a hero but to my way of thinking, quite possibly more so of one than those masterminds and perpetuators of unconstrained free marketeering globalism, for these forces are responsible for marginalising millions minus the bloodied hands. On this occasion, the question 'why?' now fails to torment my mind and disrupt my nights rest. Ray Mezieres Click here to comment on this letter.
Have your SayI am writing to advise your readers the Federal Government is now inviting submissions from individuals, business and community groups on what they regard as priorities for the 2002-2003 Budget. The Federal Government each year places considerable importance on receiving community views in developing its budget strategies and policies. The re-elected Howard-Anderson government has a renewed determination to bridge the country-city divide and this can only be achieved by seeking input from communities themselves. Community input will help determine which programs and services are effective, how they can be improved and if there is a need for new services to meet certain community and individual needs or to address any anomalies. Submissions should be lodged as soon as possible to ensure their consideration in the budget context. The deadline is February 15, 2002. It is recommended a short executive summary of no more than two pages be included in this submission. Submissions should be forwarded to:
For inquiries, the contact officer is Lynne Thompson on 6263 3824. I encourage local community groups and business groups and individuals to take part in this important budgetary process. Senator Sandy Macdonald Click here to comment on this letter.
It's About TimeThe announcement of the Mayor of New York as Time 'Man of the Year' is very symbolic. It represents America's extremely inward looking and parochial view of itself in relation to the rest of the world. It is as if America is the centre of the globe. In individuals this kind of self-serving egocentrism is recognisable as immaturity and I think we are seeing the same kind of immaturity except by a nation. It's as if America has learned nothing from the Sept 11th attacks. They were the result, largely although I agree not exclusively, to isolationist foreign policy and a penchant for meddling internationally when it best served their interests. The choice by Time in no small way reinforces this attitude. I must reinforce that while saying this I do not condone or support in any way the terrorist attacks on Sept 11th but it needs to be recognised that they came about for a range of reasons that go back 50 years. They were not just some psychopathic act. It is true that the Mayor of New York showed great leadership in a crisis. But this was one event and a small disaster by international standards if you choose to look at thousands dying in central Africa and the Middle East due to a failure by wealthy nations to intervene effectively. As a footnote, it also needs to be said that Australia is following America's lead in becoming more remote from the rest of the world rather than embracing it. The reinvigoration of the White Australia Policy is evidence of this. It will be interesting to see who the Australian of the year might be. We need leaders right now who can look beyond their national borders to the common good globally. As long as there are poor nations, starving children and indifference by the wealthy and the powerful there will be strife. The 'Person of the Year' needed to be someone who has tried to achieve these ends. Stewart Hase Click here to comment on this letter.
Poetry cornerAustraliaAustralia has a story to tell Lexie Gray Click here to comment on this letter.
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