Swine Flu...

It seems that the latest potential global pandemic, the swine flu has already made it's way into Australia. Frightening news in some ways and also news that could easily have the potential to produce hysteria and community panic. It is reported that 88 Australians are currently suspected of swine flu.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=807347

Hopefully this flu strain will eventually come under control as other influenzas of recent times have. Chicken flu, avian bird flu, SARS etc... appear to have been reigned in - let's pray that the swine flu similarly passes with a minimum of damage.

Just A Game?

Any Australian football fan knows that when it comes to Anzac Day then that occasion is synonymous with one game of football - Collingwood versus Essendon. And that particular game certainly lived up to all expectations this year. Essendon, down by 15 points with around four minutes left of play, needed three goals to win. They managed to dig deep and got their three goals and scraped home to win by five points. Some said Essendon won that game while others lamented that Collingwood lost it. Someone else had another opinion...

After the game, Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse made this extraordinary comment about his team; "today we let the Anzacs down..."

Now this white man loves Australian football. I've watched it and loved it for as long as I can remember. Footy has been always with me, always been a part of me and will remain so for as long as I live. Even when I travelled the world I still listened to football broadcasts on my short-wave radio. An enduring memory I will carry forever was listening to the 1996 Grand Final whilst sitting on the roof of the Kathmandu Lodge Hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal. AFL is in this white man's blood for sure. But back to Malthouse...

For all of what the Anzac Day clash between traditional rivals, Collingwood and Essendon signifies, surely one thing has to be patently clear. In no way ever can a simple game of football even come close to comparing with the horrors of what our servicemen endured on the battlefronts and in the trenches of war. Two teams playing football are not opposing nations killing each other in the name of war. So with that in mind, where does Mick Malthouse get the idea that his football team "let down the Anzacs". Australian's died in war for the sake of our nation's freedom - they sacrificed themselves for an ideal - freedom from tyranny. The pure fact that close to 100 000 people have the freedom to meander down to the MCG on a lazy Saturday afternoon is testament to what Australia's Anzacs died for. Does Malthouse think that his football teams poor effort is a disgrace to the spirit of the Anzacs? Come on...you've got to be joking! If there were any Anzac diggers alive today I'm sure they wouldn't be saying that they would trade in with disgust their battle scars or war wounds because Collingwood lost a game of football by five points?! Honestly, would there even be a WW2 veteran willing to put their hand up and confess their contempt for a footy team and say with honest conviction that they felt let down and their war efforts all but vain? I mean I know that around Melbourne we often hear the catchcry regarding Australian football that "it's more than a game..." but is it really 'more'? 'More' enough to induce tears of dismay from khaki heroes and have Anzac legends turning in their graves?

Mick Malthouse would do well to just step outside of himself for a bit and gain some perspective on life. Football is a game...yes as much as I love it even I, as an Aussie-born Melbourne boy know that it is just a game. People shed blood on a football field for the sake of winning a game. True heroes, like our Anzacs died on battlefields for the sake of things far higher than a 120 minute sporting endeavour. Those two scenarios are absolutely incongruous and far beyond comparison. Lest we forget Mick, it's just a game...

Verse for the Day...

Lest We Forget...

The Hand of God?

Even before Jesus turned up in a Kit Kat bar our Heavenly Father was inadvertently snapped whilst making some positional re-adjustments to some stars recently. The "Hand of God" image, taken and released by NASA, has many Christian believers all over the world leaping around in delight. For some of them, it is the vindication of their faith - their validation that God is actually the real deal.

This white man believes that anything is possible for the Creator of the universe and beyond and if God saw fit to re-arrange some of His most beautiful handiwork then who am I to argue? But more importantly, I don't need to see some deep space photo that claims to be irrefutable evidence of Divine dexterity in the outer cosmos. When I look up at the stars most nights (when the weather permits), I already see the glory of God sparkling in the heavens. To see the Milky Way galaxy melting across southern skies and the constellation of Orion with it's literal super-stars Rigel and Betelguese is enough evidence for me that their Creator is simply wonderful. Faith is deeper than interpretive photos from the edge of our galaxy...As the writer of Hebrews best said "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for."

Call this white man ancient but I also have to concur that my faith is far more focussed on what I do not see rather than what I see with my own eyes. Photographs are fleeting...faith is forever!

Jesus in a Kit Kat?

Thought I'd seen it all...until now...Have a break...have Jesus!

Outrageous!

This white man certainly appreciates that, when it comes to perspectives, diversity and difference is not such a bad thing - even a healthy thing. When people come from different angles of perspective often a more wholistic, multi-dimensional view of things can be seen and appreciated. I also am a fervent believer that this world is more often than not simply black or white in nature but is more a collage of varying shades of grey. But some things surely are beyond conjecture or debate aren't they?

This week, at a UN summit against the issue of racism, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a speech that created such a feeling of disgust from fellow international world leaders and delegates that 23 of them walked out during his anti-Jewish, Israel-hating oration. That's right - a speech of that tone given at an anti-racism conference! The link to the story is available below:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=804376

Ahmaninejad has already stirred global outrage in the past for his support of the ridiculous belief that the WW2 Jewish Holocaust was a myth that didn't happen. And his hatred for the nation of Israel is well documented - he, himself is quite straight-forward when it comes to Israel - he'd wipe them off the face of this earth if given the chance. Strong invective from a 'leader' who is nothing more than a fanatical pariah to most other global nations and their leadership. Yet amongst his own people and other Islamic neighbours who support his hard-line views he is feted as a hero of high measure. 'An enlightened truth-teller' they say about him...And I guess from that certain point of view he is probably all that plus more.

Again, this white man respects the alternate views of many when it comes to the gamut of issues on the global stage. But the Iranian President? You've got to be kidding me! Any person, whether a world leader or 'Joe Blow' on the next street corner, who honestly believes that the systematic extermination of over 3 million Jews did not occur during the WW2 years is both naive and offensive. Much of history is open to interpretation but some basic facts remain undeniably fixed for all eternity. Auschwitz, Treblinka, Dachau were not figments of some horribly disturbed sadists imagination. They were real expressions of evil by a tyrannical dictatorship and 3 million very dead Jewish souls cannot lie. Any world leader who purports that the Holocaust was pure fiction does not deserve to have an audience to propogate such despicable views.

So this white man concurs with every world leader who turned their back and left the Iranian Presidents speech at the UN. That's what it deserved and Ahmaninejad should never be given the opportunity to insult the collective intellect of the United Nations and, by default, the whole world in any such forum ever again.

Canadian Sign...Vietnamese Sentiment...

"If it breathes, walks and is bigger than a grain of rice then it's food..." - a rough translation of a generally accepted Vietnamese philosophy... Obviously a Canadian ideology also!

Verse of the Day...

V For Vendetta...Daniel Truong's 21st!

"Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V."

The things I still get up to...

Immigration Problem?

This white man was bemused today to learn of a new wave of anti-illegal immigrant hysteria sweeping the nation in relation to some new boatloads of Afghani asylum-seekers detained off the northern coastline of Australia. Tragically one boat exploded and resulted in three deaths. Even more tragic is the oversight of this fact in lieu of an unbalanced emphasis on stopping future boatloads of illegal immigrants attempting to 'infiltrate' our great south land.

Statistically speaking, it IS a fact that Australia's 'problem' with illegal immigrants absolutely pales in comparison to other developed countries and their legitimate problems with this issue. I have heard anecdotally that there are roughly 11 million illegal Mexicans in the US. That's just Mexicans! And that's over half of Australia's entire population! In European countries such as the UK, Spain and France, illegal African migrants are flooding in en masse.

So let's not get too carried away with some so-called 'invasion' of illegal immigrants in Australia. Comparitively, our nation remains relatively unscathed when it comes to this world-wide issue. It almost makes this white man question what the true nature of the problem really is - is it illegal immigrants coming to our shores or is it the shady vestiges of our own narrow-mindedness when it comes to people different to ourselves? I'm not out-and-out calling it racism but my sense is that there is some xenophobia in there. I thought right-wing Hansonism was done with - is a return to "fortress Australia" on the cards again? Mmmm...what really is the true problem?

Open Spaces...

Verdant slopes where crisp air chills

Open spaces, rolling hills

Earthworm squirms in dew drenched sod

Bird song singing praise to God

Peaceful morning, Gippsland sighs

Pond face buzzing, dragonflies

Gum trees sway, eternal spring

God-breathed life in everything

Time stands still then shifts again

Shadows grow across the glen

Must leave now, the road awaits

God's garden stays, beyond the gates

Until I sleep, in dreams return

To open spaces, again I learn

That life is sacred, rich and moist

On green hills heavens glory voiced...

Peaceful Korumburra!

This white man is spending some cathartic days down in Korumburra with family and friends. In recent times Korumburra has been the epicentre of two earth tremors that have shaken Melbourne and country Victoria. Thankfully things have been serene during our short holiday here!

He Lives!

Darkness Covered The Land...

Just Thank You...

Thank You God! You Didn't Let The Cup Pass!

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

Adversity...

A Dozen Wonderful Years!

Today this white man has joyfully celebrated 12 years of marriage! Back on April 6, 1997 in

Hoi An, Vietnam I married my beautiful angel Phuong and I can honestly say I've never regretted one single moment of our marriage together in the 12 years since. God has gifted us with two precious sons, Kim and Luc and we are just blessed when we consider how much His grace and provision sustains us day-by-day. Life is good!

Verse of the Day...

Funny...

This white man has seen some interesting churches with interesting names but this one takes the cake!

I'd hate to see their vision and purpose statement - would probably be quicker just to read the entire Bible!

When Life Looks Ugly Through the Lens of a Bottle...

The other night this white man had a rare opportunity to hear from two sides of a recent nasty incident that involved current swimmer Nick D'Arcy and retired swimmer Simon Cowley. At 6:30PM on Channel Nine's "A Current Affair" Cowley gave his side of the nightclub incident that kleft him with bad facial and jaw fractures. Then later, at 8PM on ABC's "Australian Story" D'Arcy gave his insights on the assault. Incidently, D'Arcy was charged with causing grievous bodily harm and was recently found guilty and convicted for the assault on Cowley. In any case, it was a rare television quirk of syncronicity to have both sides present their case on national television on the same night.

After watching both men outline their views upon reflecting back on that fateful evening of celebrations that got out of hand, it seemed obvious that all were affected adversely in some way or another. Obviously, Cowley, being the victim of the assault by D'Arcy, has suffered greatly as a result of the attack. Physically and psychologically Cowley is still recovering from the attack on him. D'Arcy has also suffered for his momentary alcohol-fueled mind-snap on Cowley. He missed selection for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and now has a criminal record to live with, not to mention the indignity of having to carry the label "drunken lout" with him most likely for the rest of his public life.

And so this white man is reminded again of the devastating effect alcohol can have when misused. Young men, rational and sane in their normal selves suddenly turn feral once intoxicated. Peaceful, law-abiding citizens turning rabid with one-too-many drinks inside of them. I guess it says to me that perhaps something new needs to be done to re-educate today's youth of the dangers of excessive alcohol intake and particularly binge-drinking. They are just not getting it and they continue to be a menace to the community and even more, to themselves. Maybe the Salvos really have got it right all along in their zero tolerance abstinence stance on the 'demon drink'. When will the youth of today, and the other adult drinkers who should know better, learn?