Moose Musings

6:25pm: Well, I accidentally volunteered to take the rest of the week off (I thought I was only offering to take tomorrow off!), whoops indeed! So, I'm going to call up the Newsletter people tomorrow, I wonder if I'm still with them or if they think I've jumped ship. I aslo have a job interview on Thursday, except it's for a job all the way out in Chatswood, and I'd really rather work in the city, but beggars can't be choosers.

Speaking of which, while I was working today I thought to myself about the schools, there's a crisis in schools, too many kids, not enough teachers and all that, and I wondered maybe I should try and do that degree thing in teacher librarianship. After all, I wouldn't have to deal with that many kids...But then...eh...I should discuss this with my mother (because I completely lack the ability to make up my own mind), I'm going over to have dinner at the parentals tomorrow evening, so I can do it then. Note to self: Must return my library books! I bet they're overdue again, I'm going to have to pay such a big fine!

Cooking sausages for dinner tonight, on the new portable grill thing Dad gave me because my barbeque is dead or at least a cancer hazard- due to my inability to clean it properl)y hopefully I'll be able to clean this one up.

In other news, what do you think of this North Korea business? It's a bit worrying! But I for one find it difficult to take the US's criticisms without rolling my eyes, because they have nuclear weapons. England, Australia and China (apparently?) doesn't, so when we say "Back off, jack" we're not asking them to do any less then what we're doing.

I'm also concerned about the sanctions, I don't like the sound of them at all! After all look what those same sanctions did to Iraq! Saddam Hussien certainly wasn't any worse off, only the people of Iraq were and the people of North Korea are very poor all ready. Of course, that's mostly their own damn government's fault, for been assholes. But it seems unfair to punish the people for what a dictator's doing. Here in Australia we're not letting any North Koreans in! But, what if they're refugees? That's terrible!

I seem to recall North Korea wanting to speak to the US Politicans or whoever, directly, but for reasons I don't quite know, US said "No", maybe they should have, I mean what was the harm? Plus, I can almost agree with Kim L (the dictator) that the US has been threatening them with nuclear weapons, or at least some sort of war type action. But obviously it wasn't going to do any good to set off a nuclear bomb, so the guy is still a moron.

Although I'll say one thing, at least the North Korean Government had the common decency to test their bomb in their own country instead of pulling the shit France did, blowing up theirs in a Pacific Atoll, resulting in cancer and deformities to people living on nearby islands. Still! It could make stuff even worse fo the North Koreans, I hope none of that radiation gets loose.

In short: Nuclear weapons suck.

Today is National Anti-Death Peanlty Day! I just remembered! What a shame no vigil is on here in Sydney, because I'd pop down for it, instead we're having a speech session, which I can't be arse to go to.

But I would like to say that China executes more people then there are days every year! And then sell off their organs to rich people and don't even send the bodies back to the families for burial! What the Hell? I mean, if they want to donate their organs fair enough, but geeze...apparently in China they put prisoners who are going to be executed on TV and then take them out back and shoot them. Which is really creepy...

I'm very disappointed that the Australian Government is doing all this trade with China but hasn't even said anything! Nor has it done much with Indonesia. They did try with Van Nyugen, I'll give 'em that. But we're a bit selective, which is a problem, instead of saying the Death Peanlty is bad, the government says it's bad to do it to Australians, but as for the rest of 'em they can just go hang (or whatever else...). That's hypocrtical and isn't doing Aussies on Death Row any favours.

I wonder if that dude in Iran got my email, and if so they actually read it, or just though "WTF?" Well, it's the thought that counts I say.

Anyway! As I said yesterday I wanted to play Sims 2, so I shall be off to do that now. I may not return... :OP

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http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/vigils-held-in-the-final-hours/2005/12/02/1133422072619.html

I was watching at 9am even though I promised myself I wouldn't, and as the clock turned to 9 and they started ringing the bell, I actually shouted, "NO!" at the TV. Which you know kinda of spoiled the mintue's silence so it was probably good I wasn't at Martin's Place at the rememberance service, because I'd probably have done the same thing.

The only good in that article was that at least his poor mother got to touch his face and hair before he died, I've read that this lack of contact order is tradition for pyschological reasons, I mean, what the Hell? I really can't think of a good reason for that, I don't understand it at all, how many people who have had relatives die unexpectedly say "If only I had got a chance to hug them goodbye." and so on?

When my Grandma died two years ago my big bro and I were able to hug and kiss her goodbye, she died that night though before my little bro could visit, he had to see her after she died, and never got to hug her or say goodbye. :O( I've always felt bad he didn't get to do that, but Chris says he's OK with it. But Grandma was old and sick, God forbid, someone young or healthy close to me dies without me saying goodbye!

So yeah...I had to cry over that, thinking about it, I cried last night too and wondered again about the people who were behind this execution, how do they sleep at night? I kinda found myself wishing that they'd see the faces of all the people they executed every night before they go to sleep and live for a long, long time and see those faces all the time. Which...isn't very Christian of me.

In further good news so to speak all this has forced the Singapore media out and discuss the issue. Did you know that in Singapore the Government owns and regulates the press in an affront to the Fourth Estate? And even worse if four people get together for the same reason to protest it's deemed illegal? So in order to protest they had to go up in groups of two leave candles in front of the prison then hurry away so they wouldn't get arrested? Wow, what beacon of democracy and fairness the Singapore Government is. }:O(

Also, did you know that the Singaporean Government invests heavily in Burma one of the greatest drug producing countries in the world? They're reasoning? By greeting strong economic ties they hope to 'change the Burmese Government's mind.'

Well, gee, WE have strong economic ties with Singapore and we begged them to reverse their decision...how'd that work for us? Burma's not gonna listen to Singapore either, and neither am I. I have joined Amnesty's Anti-Death Peanlty League and the letter writing begins now!

My first email to the Governor of North Carolina who is due to make this man the 1,000th executed man in the US. And then I'm sending one to Governor Terminator in California, who also refuses to grant clemency to this guy despite his sincere attempts to prevent others from committing his crime. Far better that these people stand us an examples as not what to do in their own words than the community sink to the level of legalised murder.

It's a very sad day indeed.

I just heard on the news that the Singapore Government is going to allow Van Nguyen to touch the hands of his family and friends before his execution tomorrow.

Well...how nice of them.

Not even a hug for his mother, who hasn't committed any crime but will have to suffer for the rest of her life with the knowledge that the Singaporean Government hanged her son. My father just called to discuss the issue further, he told me that he'd heard the absurd claim by the Singaporean Government that they don't allow hugs between prisoners and family because it'll be 'tramatic' for them.

What. THe. FUCK.

The prisoner is about to die, so any trauma they have will be short lived, as for the family the fact that a member is been killed 'legally' is tramuma enough I think. That's just the biggest line of bull-shit I've heard since I saw that God-awful prisoner logo on Changi Prison.

This is awful, it really is, I feel helpless, I mean I know he's going to die and I can't do anything abut it, I feel like I'm watching a drowning man and I'm handcuffed. Honestly, if they sent out a rescue squad to storm the prison and save him, incurring the wrath of that Government I couldn't care less, I really wish they would.

All this has made me think about the Death Penalty a lot, did you know that 76 countries have the Death Peanlty? And that on the list of the twelve worst is the United States, who as I discovered yesterday executes a person every TEN days? Holy shit, I had no idea! I thought it was one person every couple of years or something...but three people every month, that's sick!

What's really shocking is the US once got rid of the Death Penalty then reinstated it several years later! And this is a country that prides itself on been the front of civilisation. Just about every European country has banned the Death Penalty as has Australia, New Zealand, even Mexico! And did you know only 11 of the 50 states in the US don't have the Death Penalty, the rest do! By far the worst offender is Texas, which the apparently Christian George Bush once Governed. Now, I seem to remember reading something in a book called The Bible that said 'Thou Shalt Not Kill' and 'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone' and 'Forgive your enemies.' It's sure nice to see Bush following those edicts so well, as he allowed 159 people to die in his State when it was within his power to stop every single one.

Thankfully two of the 38 states that do use the Death Peanalty declared it unconstitual in 2004 (New York and Kansas by the way), let's hope the rest follow.

Having said this, I don't want people to think I support murders murdering, but the thing is, executing them seems to be playing the game the criminals way, they kill people so we kill them. We lower ourselves to our level, we degrade our morals to pay them back and really we let them win. We do something that we find abhorrent and sickening, we kill someone, even if it's with good intentions (so they don't get out and do it again), we're still giving up something.

I just don't see how the Governments and in particular the executioners live with themselves, what if they made a mistake? What if there really is no excuse for killing someone? What if whatever they believe in holds them guilty after they die and they're sent to Hell?

Also there's this whole deterrent thing, which seems nonsencial in my opinion, people do not commit crimes thinking "Hey, I might get the Death Penalty for this." If they thought that they probably wouldn't do it! I bet if you ask every criminal in jail if they thought about what would happen when they get caught they'll say: "I didn't think I would be caught."

It's rare a criminal who will commit a crime knowing full well he/she's gonna get caught, that's why they put cameras up in public places, that's why screaming often chases off a robber, they're not doing it to get caught, they're doing it to get away with it! Hence, they don't really care if the crime is punished by Death because they assume they're smarter than that.

It's pretty well known that the US has one of the highest crime rates in the western world, whilst their next door neighbour Canada, who doesn't have the death penalty has one of the lowest. But Canada has more social services available, public health care and so on, the lack of this stuff in the US probably contributes a lot to crime. If you're poor and desperate you'll be more inclined to do a lot of bad stuff, but if you can get help you probably will.

So, really what I'm trying to say is the Death Penalty in many ways is the easy route, you kill the person, you don't have to bother with them and there's an 'apparent' sense of satisifcation in having 'sent a message'. But nothing is done to stop the root causes, the gangs, the depression, the guns, the drugs and as long as they keep on the crimse will continue.

Singapore isn't going to convince any drug cartel to stop dealing drugs by mandatory killing people, all the drug bosses are going to care about is they lost such and such an amount drugs, if they cared about their mules they wouldn't be having them swallow condoms full of heroin and whatnot that could burst and kill them in the first place. Countries need to get together to create a group to go after these drug bosses and bring them down, they also need to look at what's behind the high rate of drug abuse. I doubt people would keep trying to sell heroin if no-one brought it.

But still all this doesn't help poor Van Nguen, I pray for his soul and for his family and friends, as well as for those countries who do have the Death Penalty for them to change their minds about this terrible and useless practice.

17,788 / 50,000 (35.6%)

Wow! I was hoping to get to 20,000 or 2/5 of the way there, but my eyes are starting to go weird ass on me so I won't, but yay! I'm still behind in the scheme of things, but I think I'm doing pretty good here, and if I keep at it, I'll make it. I'm on the interestisng stuff now, Doc and Marty have met! That means there can be lots of conversation and junk, perfect for filling up the word count...cool.

In other news...

( A start on the Memes- Friday )

Well, damn I'm hammered now, must sleep.

You know, I really should call the Discovery Channel, as I mentioned Van Nyugen's execution is set for 2nd December, the day after the Discovery Channel is showing The History of Singapore in what is surely a really bad choice of programming. Honestly, that's just in poor taste...unless he doesn't die. I pray that'll happen! Everytime I see an add on Singapore, and there's quite a few...I feel pretty bummed. It's terrible...it really is...

Well, we can only keep praying I guess...and now, I'm hitting the hay.

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Reach for the laser with Antic's Sims-ulator!

PS Figured we I'm close enough to be 2/5 of the way there...although I've just realised...there's SIX stages in the Sims mood things...ah well...whetever...

PPS Oh good! The animated icons are working again! I was worried!

General ponderances...last night I brought up the Van Nguyen situation at the party last night expecting support, only to be surprised!

Both my grandmother and one of my friends state that if a soverign nation has a law, it should be respected.

I don't understand it myself, I think we can all agree that there are certain laws out there which are just wrong. The stoning to death of a woman who loses her virginity (be it from consensual sex or rape). Chopping the hand off someone (who was probably starving) for stealing, things like that.

I'm not saying that Singapore can't be a soverign nation, they can knock themselves out, but we're all members of the human race here, and I seriously believe no matter what religion, or culture or whatever there are bad laws out there. I mean we invaded Iraq, we can't just pick and choose these things.

Not that I'm advocating war, but I think we should keep at these countries, get the UN involved all that jazz.

Frankly I'm just bummed that not many people I've talked to even feel bad for Van Nguyen, they're gonna hang the guy for God Sake! It's sick! If anything goes wrong...I shudder to think...

Anyway to make a long story short I've sent the Prime Minister of Singapore another message of appeal (in my own words this time) and finally found out how I can send an outline of my hand in as a show of support. Which I'll do as soon as I get me some green paper.

If anyone else out there is interested in helping out, then info here.

My memory stick, the 512Mb one my father gave me 'cause he's nifty had disappeared! I have an awful feeling...I last saw it for sure in the red car, but I seem to remember putting it in my backpack and it's no longer there. What if it's fallen out?! Eeek! Actually I have all the files on it elsewhere, but that's not the point, that thing cost quite a bit of dough and I hate to think of it lying on the ground or on the floor of a bus somewhere...maybe even at work. Hopefully my brother will find it in the car, if not I'm so screwed!

Tomorrow is my friend's birthday party! Must get gift and face done (I'm getting a monobrow here people! :Oo)

In other news, The Singaporian Foriegn Minister has once again denied clemency to poor Van Nuygen! That sucks majorly I'll tell you! I can't believe this! I think I'm boycotting Singapore and its products...I don't want anything to do with a country that does that. Hmmm...which means I should boycott Live Journal in all seriousness because they've got the Death Penalty in America too. :O(

Anyway, the Foriegn Minister person said that the Death Penalty had to go ahead to protect the people of Singapore from drugs...now this may sound really harsh of me, but I would consider a big portion of the 'blame', so to speak, on the person who buys and takes the drugs. I mean not many people have a gun put to their head and made to take drugs, they choose to take them, and so the phrase "Just Say No" comes to mind.

Secondly, it's not a deterent to the Drug Lords, it maybe to the Druge Mules, I'll grant you that, but the Drug Lords don't give a two shilling shit what happens to their mules, they want the money they can get through drugs, and I'm sure most Mules don't get caught (they can't check everyone).

And lastly...it's a big freakin' deal to take a life...I don't know about you, but I don't want to be responsible for that, seriously if someone asked me to kill Saddam Hussien right now, I'm not sure I could do it. I mean he's an evil son of a bitch, but do I really want to participate in the evil by killing someone? Nope, don't want to go there.

I'm going to send another letter to the Prime Minister of Singapore about this situation. I don't look forward to this...I worry...will they grant clemency? I pray to God they will. :O(

Finally, I'm seriously screwed re tomorrows Culture and Technology class and my essay proposal. I'm terrible at these things and my teacher has called me on it. I only have two sources, and she says I have to look closely at them...but I only have ten pages worth of writing from either of them. Craaaap...I've stepped in in this time.

Damn! This is not going well at all...

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