A Praise for Human Evolution

The general theory is, we all evolve over time; animals, planets, insects and humans alike; the strong ones survive, the weaker dies and as the more dominant genetics develop and grow generation after generation, we should all get stronger, tougher and live longer.

Yes, humans now to live longer. It is no longer uncommon for us to live to 100 years old in first world countries, and the live expectancy in the third world countries are also improving slowly.

We humans have developed all these technology, wonderful technology to help us live, to assist us in medical diagnostics and to supposedly improve our life style. The evolved humans of the 21^st century call ourselves the elites of all species and we pride in the way we have dominated the world.

But are we tougher? Now that we have cars, we can no longer walk. Now that we have computers, we can no longer hand write and spell. Our intelligence, thanks to all the technology, is slowly depreciating, and it’s our own fault.

Only ten years ago we were learning math without the aid of calculators. Only ten years ago we wrote letters, real letters to our friends. Only ten years ago, kids preferred Saturday sports than video games consoles.

Our legs could carry us further ten years ago, now a little bit of walk to the shops to some, seem a struggle. Only two blocks to the supermarket and some will find the excuse to drive. In fact, if they can get away with it, they shop online and get someone else to carry the groceries home for them.

Note here I am not talking about our quality of life. In fact, we have it so good that most of us are born spoilt. You’ll Love Coles jam? No, sorry mum, I only have the xxx brands, and don’t forget its Nike that I need for sport, not the crap from Kmart. School buses are disappearing as more and more children are getting a lift in the family’s brand new four wheel drives, and their thinking abilities diminishing as computers take over their lives.

Have we really evolved for the better? If one day we had to revert back to the basics of living, having to walk to school, having to fetch water from the rivers and lakes and carry it more then two kilometres home, will we be able to do it?

I am not so sure.

Yellow, is the new black

How much are we dependent on the fashion world?
A lot.
Even if you don't care much about fashion itself, you are still pretty much influenced by the way the trends are going. Every season, designers and fashion magazines dictate the colour and style everyone will wear that year. New ranges appear in clothing stores, and as if overnight, whatever you bought just last week, becomes 'so yesterday'.

Apparently, yellow is in this season.

I walk along the street looking for an orange top to wear to an 80s party, and I find none.

"Have you tried Vinnies?" Asked the shop attendant
"Why? It's not that old is it? Orange was just in last season."
"Sorry girlfriend. Orange is out. Have you had a look at our new range? Yellow is the new black now."

Poor black. Always being replaced by another colour, and it changes as frequently as the turns of the season.

So if you still have that little black dress for the emergency occasion? You'd better go shopping girlfriend. You really do need that yellow dress after all.

And if you are like me, who doesn't like to follow the fashion and want to be original - well tough luck. You will be forced into following because the shops simply just don't stock the daggy stuff anymore.

Defeated, I dig into the boxes and pull out that big t-shirt with Bon Jovi written on it in large, faded print, and I wear it over long green tights with my red socks rolled down to my ankles. It's from year 10 but who cares. Fashion always comes and goes right? In another two years, this might just be THE look.

I have 1046 friends. How many do you have?

It's scary. I know exactly what my friends get up to everyday. I know when they get a new job, get a new lover or move to a new house. They are even willing to share their life with me, who they slept with last night and every little detail of their sexual lives. On their birthdays I shower them with gifts - flowers, teddy bears, beer and over exaggerated diamond rings -on my birthday they would do the same.

No, I am not part of some whacky social circle, nor am I part of Big Brother. Like million other in the world, I am simply just a member of MySpace and Facebook, two biggest online social sites on earth.

It's fascinating how fast you can make friends with technology - within a week, I've reached a friend count of more than 200 - even speed dating couldn't get you that far. All I had to do, is to put down 'sex' as a hobby, and all I have to do is watch friendship invitations pour into my email.

What will we ever do without technology? We wouldn't even know who we are related to and who we are friends with. With Facebook, I am suddenly reunited with every single distant relatives around the world, as well as the entire high school class, people I went to uni with, people I have ever had a crush on and all ex- boyfriends. It's incredible, people I knew exist but never bother to ring have suddenly become my 'Top Friends'. Who would've thought technology can save relationship tensions? Friends who have had a fall out can easily hook up again, talk about the old times and whatever pain in the past forgiven.

Perhaps that's what John Howard should have tried with Indigenous issues - reconciliation is really just a click away. Too bad he is already too old for any of this bleeding edge technology.

There is something about hiding behind that computer screen and being able to talk just about anything without claiming any social responsibility. Even my own sister is willing to give me a hug over my Facebook profile, after all these years of sisterly bullying, we are finally friends again, thanks to technology. Heck even my ex boyfriends are willing to talk to me again - there must be something good about it all.

It does make me wonder - what happened to the old days when we actually get out there and meet people? Real people. Have we gotten so busy in our own lives that we can't even spare an hour a week to go walk the dog so you can chat to that cute neighbour across the road, or go to the gym so we can have a chat to fitness's instructors while perving on their perfectly formed arses?

There also seem to be a snobbery starting with this whole online social scene - we start to compete on how many friends we have. So people start to invite anyone and everyone who they fancy as their friends to boost their numbers. Do we even know if we could get along in real life? Well not really, and frankly, no one cares. These people merely become a number on their friends count and never will they ever talk again.

I remember the days when keeping in touch meant a phone call of a long heart-to-heart girly chat over the phone and when we actually meet up for coffee on a Sunday morning to discuss the world. We now have mobile phones, emails, online accounts, blogs, and chat programs, yet, it seems harder and harder to keep in touch. Are we really so dependent on technology now that we no longer possess the real people skills?

While you ponder on this thought, just make sure you note down my 4 email addresses, 4 online profiles and 2 blog addresses - just in case you ever need to contact me.

Of course it's a free country - as long as you do as you're told

Are there anyone out there who is also sick of the entire world just fighting each other, calling each other terrorists and just simply will not stop?

Since the September 11 attacks, governments have put in billions of money implementing the so called anti-terrorism laws as well as extra security measures. These include tougher immigration process, longer lines at the arrival terminals and more forms to fill out. Anyone who is suspected of acts of terrorism is to be arrested, questioned, until proven not-guilty.

But wait - I thought it was suppose to be 'Innocent until proven guilty'?

The terrorists not only have got the world on their tippy toes, they have also drilled fear into everyone's minds. Listen and look out for everyone around you! As we live our everyday lives, anyone around us apparently could be terrorists, and we are suppose to report anything we see as suspicious to the authority. If anyone talks about planning attacks, or leaving empty cars at certain sensitive locations, we must alert the police.

Sound familiar? This is how Hitler and Communist authorities dish out who is speaking against them. This, is how our free world has evolved to. You should look out if you are even slightest related to anyone who is about to plot a crime.

Isn't this going a bit too over board? Many people say they agree with being a little inconvenienced if it means we'll live in a safer place, but are you willing to sacrifice for your identy? Are you willing to expose everything about yourself just so the government can control everything you do in case you might go astray?

There has been two recent events that caused major controversy in the way the governments have been handling security.

Firstly - the Haneef case. Everyone knows it, because it was the top headline for a month. Dr M Haneef, a Queensland doctor had been accused of assisting terrorism simply because a SIM card found on the site of a bombing at a London airport belonged to him. Throughout the case, there were no prove to say Haneef did indeed give the SIM card to his cousin so he can help in their plot. His background was clean, and yet, the Federal Police, afraid of losing face, insisted that he was guilty. The truth was, his SIM card wasn't even at the Gatwick airport, it was at the time of crime, 300km away in Liverpool.

Secondly - the APEC security spending. The recent APEC meeting in Sydney caused extreme inconvenience to every single Sydneysider. Fences were put in to restricted areas, and police were given special authority to question and arrest anyone who comes near. Snipers were deployed and choppers littered the skies. A father was arrested in front of his sons while taking a walk in the city, simply because he had crossed the wrong intersection. Many confused cars and pedestrians were spoken to harshly to "get the hell out of here" as if they've already committed a crime.

Yet - The Chaser team simply just drove into the security zone without a fuss.

So uh - tell me - what did our tax dollars pay for again? For a bunch of arrogant police who can't even do their jobs to check the wording on the security tags?

This is exactly what the terrorists want - a fear so great that we are jumping at our own shadows. Next time your sister wants to borrow your mobile phone for the night, just so she can call a taxi if it gets too late - think twice. According to our laws, she might be up to no go. Report her.

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References:

The Aura of a Police State
The Weekend Australian
15 September 2007

Fear the Creeping Powers of the State (no link available)
The Sydney Morning Herald - Spectrum
7-9 September 2007

Sorry - I only ordered ONE baby

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22439270-2,00.html

I couldn't help but laugh at the current case against an IVF doctor that is being sued by a Melbourne lesbian couple because they had ended up concieving twins when they've only wanted one baby from the IVF process.

Apparently, they have indicated from the beginning that they only wanted one baby. However as the IVF process wanted to make sure that there is a backup plan, two eggs were used just in case one doesn't come through. It turned out that it was too successful that both eggs were fertilised, leaving the couple with twins.

Millions of women in the world who can't have babies would love to have twins, yet this pair of ungrateful souls have decided they had the rights to sue the doctor when they realised they have 2 babies.

Babies are not products girls, grow up. Even if they were, when you are at the shops and they give you double the amount of orders when you've only paid for one - do you take it back and complain? No, you pocket extra and don't mention it. Still, babies are lives that have a soul and are biological miracles that keeps the world populated with us human beings. If you weren't prepared to bring up kids, then don't have them.

Why not just say which one you don't want, and I am sure another couple out there, who is unfortunatel enough not being able to have babies, would happily take them off your hands.

What kind of bullshit is this? This couple obviously don't have the maturity of having children, wanting the children as a form of committment between them without thinking of the biological possibilities. What were you thinking girls? The procurement department in your body stuffed up and you want to sue the doctor. $440,000?!?! You feed them lobsters everyday?

Personally I think couples who want IVF should be grateful such technology exist - if you want to use this technology, then don't complain if you get more than what you asked for. It's simply life's miracles at work, and if you don't even understand this part of life, then you are not fit to have children.

Sorry kids, being children are out of fashion

I can't help but compare what it was like when I was a kid, and what it's like now being a kid. Maybe I am getting old but there are just something about today's kids that is just not right - they are no longer kids.

Recently both John Howard and Kevin Rudd expressed their disapproval of the 12 year old model who is going to the face in the next Gold Coast Fashion Week. The model's mother spoke out, and demanded an apology from both leaders, saying her daughter has the right to do what she wants to do.

Ok, that I can agree with - a child should have the right to do what he/she wants to do - but she is 12! She is not even full developed and already is being exploited by media to represent fashion. Soon, we'll be giving birth to kids who come with their own accessories - and there will no longer be toys. We'll be giving them a car to drive for their tenth birthday.

What happened to the naive happiness, of being able to go out and kick a ball, of having no care in the world to enjoy all life's simple pleasures?

Kids wants to dress up like adults these days. Girls as young as 11 are going on diets. They are not even fully developed yet and and think they are fat. Boys are introduced to 'cool' surf and denim wear from as young as five. Those do well in primary school are rewarded with their first mobile phone. Does that not sound ridiculous to anyone?

Weren't we so happy during the days when work, mobile phones and fashion were only possession of the adults? In our baggy shorts and t-shirts we ran around the garden eating snails, stuffing chocolate cake in our face without having to read its nutrition labels. We went out, rode our bikes or played handball on the streets, just like a healthy kid should be doing without the pressure of having to look good.

Whatever happened to childhood?

I was just on my way to work today and drove past my old high school. I watched in both curiosity and horror as figures with large fashion earrings and glossy lipstick clutched to their glamorous designer bags. Designer bags?! Whatever happened to school bags?

There is a reason why certain things only used to happen when you reach certain age. The joy of being able work, the pride we felt when we could afford our first car, our first pair of designer sunnies and the first home out of home. Now, kids seem to have everything - they are given everything and they all seem to have forgotten what childhood is suppose to be about.

No wonder they are no longer happy.

When it comes to education....

There was a time when teritiary education was free, when everyone had a fair go and when bright students were given the opportunity for a bright future regardless of wealth.

It seems, that time is long past and those politicians whoes times allowed them the priviledge of receiving free tertiary education have forgotten the basics of a country's future - having over-spent on military and foreign affairs as well as lavish leather seats for their private jets, they no longer have budget to spend on education. Or so they claim.

So, universities have to look for funding else where. Besides cashing in from the already expensive international enrolments, they now have no choice but to seek out the richer population within us.

Whatever happened to the phrase - children are our future - no longer have meaning. Today's school leavers risk losing their university placements to the wealthier candidates. One can get into uni with as much as 5 index points lower than the index required for commonwealth supported placements. A bright kid with 0.5 point lower than required index may have to give way to a fellow student whose parents can afford the full fee upfront payments the universities desperately need.

Some debate this is actually a good sign, that students will need to work harder to gain tertiary placements which means they will be smarter when they eventually get into uni. Others question the quality of education that is driven by money. It's no longer education - it's turning universities into money hungry institutions.

Let's speak from personal experiences. I started my undergraduate degree in 1998. Back then, there were still compulsory student unions. Everyone had to pay an union fee, everyone received the same service. Everyone entered uni the same way (besides the international students, understandably) and the benefits to students were plentiful.

Earlier this year, I decided to go back to uni for a postgraduate degree. The requirements for entry were:
1) To have a relevant undergraduate degree
2) To have at least 3 years of relevant industry experience

I went to my first semester ready for some meaningful discussion with fellow students only to find the lack of the 'requirements' in most of my fellow students. Majority of the class were full fee paying students, and obviously they didn't have the same requirements as those, like me, who have to put the fees back into my HECS debt. The material in class were substantially simpler, and discussions during tutorial more text book, rather than experience based.

On a postgraduate level, I felt this was unacceptable.

Disappointed, I wrote to the university with my concern about the quality of the education, and did received a long reply from the Dean of the Faculty, one part I will quote below:

"whatever our philosophical beliefs as academics, fee paying students are an important source of funds for the university and the Faculty to be able to provide an acceptable academic infrastructure for all students."

So it has come to this - the privileges of wealth in our fair society. I am not saying everything else is not important as well - it's balance we require. Somehow, I just don't see this balance happening anytime soon.