Prioritising Life (this is a great rant!) by Bob Ellis

[Mari333]

Why don't we get our priorities right? Why don't we do our sums? We could spend five billion dollars on aid that civilises East Timor and ten billion dollars buying up Indonesia's forests and a billion buying eighty Elvises over three years and the cost per week per taxpayer would be nine dollars fifty, the price of an hour's parking or two Toblerones. Why don't we do this?

Why don't we get our priorities right, and pay the small sums they cost for the things we need, like flood mitigation or bushfire prevention or ambulance helicopters or stem cells or electric cars?

Why are we in a War on Terror at all? Why not a War on Earthquakes, which kill hundreds of thousands more people each year than some goose with incendiary BVDs who was on a suspect-list anyway?

Why are we getting it so wrong? Why are we so afraid of tax, and so welcoming of useless executives on ten million a year, or a hundred and forty an hour around the clock? Why are we spending so much of our money on them, and so little on bushfire prevention or flood rescue? Why are so many people dying because we find a young stranger's jockstrap more interesting than the end of life on earth? Are some people making money, perhaps, out of emphasising the unimportant and spinning the planet's fate into invisibility? Arms manufactures, oil barons, Halliburton, Blackwater and so on?
















http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2794660.htm

[ddeclue]

1. In America we spell it with a Z

:eyes:

[Mari333]

2. south or north america?

[SammyWinstonJack]

3. -1

:eyes:

[BeHereNow]

13. Nevermind-

bhn

[BeHereNow]

7. And so an author in Australia should do the same? "We're #1, we're #1!" Eh?

What exactly is your point?
The implied arrogance of your statement is mind bending.

BHN

[ddeclue]

12. Is there a "Democratic Party" in Australia? One would assume that this is a board about American

politics not Australian politics based on the name.

[Mari333]

17. Mr Ellis speaks of the whole world and policies that affect the whole world

what the U.S. or any other country does affect the whole world.
We occupy 2 countries right now, and tell them what to do and how to run their countries, so what is the huge problem with an aussie authour critiquing U.S. or world policy ?

[ddeclue]

18. Yawn.. if he wants to do it here.. he ought to learn to spell.

[BeHereNow]

23. He spells quite well. You are the one who should educate yourself.

BHN

[treestar]

20. We have to fight the aussies on DU before we have to fight them here

oh never mind :silly:

[BeHereNow]

19. It is a critique of global policy, which is US dominated.

Did you READ it?

DU has discussed global foreign policy for YEARS.
The Democratic party is part of the US global policy.

Duh?

BHN

[treestar]

16. Which way does Australia spell?

Or do they have their own, third way?

Interesting enough, I recently toured Noah Webster's house. I learned that he invented American spelling to distinguish us from Britain! And his grammar sold all over the colonies and he succeeded in unifying spelling (which could be all over the place in those days anyway).

[tango-tee]

8. In case you haven't noticed

there is intelligent life outside of "America" - or most likely what is commonly referred to as the USA - and in those places the word is spelled with "s". Who gives a good goddamned rat's rosy-red ass if "in America we spell it with a "z""?? Good grief, get over yourself. How sanctimonious can you get?

[Mari333]

21. you reminded me of this lol

[BeHereNow]

24. LOL- Great map, but sad to see it from DU posters.

That particular view of the world, that is.

What is really amazing is to see a DU poster actually
be proud of exhibiting such ignorance on a thread.

BHN

[treestar]

14. Ehh so what. We can learn English spelling

I was an English major so maybe that makes it easier for me. But the English speaking world should know each other's spelling, no problem.

[Quantess]

15. Zed

[BeHereNow]

4. Indeed. Recommended. Thanks Mari.

I don't like the answers to his questions because
the bottom line is that the profit mongers could care a less
about the ordinary people on this planet; all life for that
matter, and we WILL pay the price for their greed.
BHN

[Mari333]

6. that's what has been bugging me, and he says it clearly in this rant

I haven't seen it said so succinctly. He describes the bigger picture.

[BeHereNow]

10. One of the greats- Bob Ellis. Link:

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2794660.htm

For those who care to read more.

On edit- Sorry Mari, just realiSed I duplicated your link!
And yes, I spelled "realised" with an "S." And it IS correct.

BHN

[HeresyLives]

5. Oooh liked that one!

It would be nice if we could focus on the important things for a change.

[malaise]

9. Profound

This earthquake does make people think - there is a profound sense of sadness around the planet. We humans have really messed up.

[LeftishBrit]

11. k&r

[treestar]

22. Because they earned it with their hard work and brilliance

:sarcasm:

Honestly, I don't know. We are so afraid to tax the rich. We ought to get the money from them. In fact they should give lots of it back in gratitude to the world for letting them have so much. Human nature is odd that way. Once people get money, they seem to hang onto it even more than when they had so little they really needed it.