Duty of Care - Female Reporters

Know what's so obvious with all the protests that are happening in Libya, Yemen, Syria, Egypt etc.?  The fact that most* rallys only have men & boys.

We are living in a world where women are not treated the same everywhere. There are differences here in Australia, there are larger differences in the Middle East where all these protests are happening.

Yes, women can do anything and should be given equal opporunities.  However, when it comes to sending female reporters and journalists into areas of political unrest (in countries where women are not shown the same respect), I think that there is a sense of duty of care their employers must take.

Lara Logan is an American reporter. She was in Egypt at the time of their protests, got caught up with all the activites in Tahrir Square and unfotunately was assaulted.  Merit wise, she may have been the best person to send to Egypt, however, with all countries not having the same amount of women's liberation, I feel that more care should have been taken with sending females or that females should not have been in a situation where there are hundreds of males.

There are rallys/protests with women involved, however, it seems that they are at different times/locations and never with the males.

Why aren't the female reporters at least talking to the females at these protests? Or at least having some air time on our tvs?





* I want to preface that I am saying most, as I am sure there are some women protesting with men. I'm not there amongst them all, I am basing my opinion based on what I see.


Pictures take from:
http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/110217-libya-protest2-hmed-6a.grid-8x2.jpg
http://hereandnow.wbur.org/files/2011/03/0310_libya-protest-500x333.jpg

Source/Info from:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41630159/ns/world_news-mideast/n_africa/

Freedom of Speech or Treason?

What is Freedom of Speech?
I define it as an individuals right to speak that is in line with their set of personal values. An individuals right to speak to defend their liberties and moral ideals.

What is Treason?
I define it as someone going against their country, going against what the country stands for (or at least what the government at the time stands for). Treason in it's most extreme sense, could also be seen as someone plotting the downfall of their country (or what the government at the time stands for).
Treason for me is really going against the sitting government because I don't think anyone would want to relinquish their national identity. E.G. German citizens plotting to assassinate Hitler, they're still Germans and want to be, they just didn't like what their government was doing.

So, what if there is some person who says something that is not in favour of their country? What if they have a view that is different to that of the sitting government? What if the government is trying to conceal something that affects it's citizens or is violating human rights? Is a whistle blower a traitor?

The line between freedom of speech and treason is very fine ... that's if we are talking about democracies (and even then there are exceptions).  What about those protesting for freedom in Libya? Military personnel who told the world about what happened in Abu Ghraib prison? Are they all regarded as expressing their right to speak? Or are they traitors? Hmmm .....

Phone Home!

With the way we use phones now, the home phone is on the endangered list.

I know when people ask for my phone number, I never give out my home phone number, its always the mobile phone.


Our mobile phones are alway with us ... it's effort to get up off the couch and pick up the home phone. Call rates are more competitive ... it's even free to talk to people on the same network.

I'm sure they'll be extinct one day soon.



Photo taken from:
http://www.empireonline.com/images/features/100greatestcharacters/photos/74.jpg

Where to Donate?

Just an observation ... 

We've had terrible floods in Queensland.
We gave and donated.
We've had terrible floods in New South Wales and Victoria. Bushfires were burning south of Perth.
We gave and donated ... and now also contribute to a flood levy.
Our neighbours in New Zealand have just had a very destructive earthquake.
We give and donate again.
But what of the other charities that depend on our continued donations?

Multicultural Australia - Failure, Success or Work in Progress?

An age old debate has resurfaced in the last couple of days, multiculturalism in Australia. It hasn't been too long since we have opened up the doors to immigrants and refugees (see my post on our Immigrant Population) and it seems that some people just don't get it. There is still so much growing we need to do.

However, what annoys me even more is seeing the leadership of some other countries.
What a defeatest attitude the leaders of Germany, France and Britain have taken.
Declaring that "Multiculturalism has failed" or even "utterly failed". Do we also think this is happening here?

I sincerely hope NOT!
There may be a few individuals and groups who perpetuate this idea of failing, however, they are in the minority.  I know so many families and people who actually go out, embrace and enjoy their life in Australia. They are proud of where they now live, they contribute well to our economy and are positive ambassadors when they venture overseas. There are some immigrants or first generation people who are even more patriotic and politically minded than so many Caucasians.

To take the attitude that Multiculturalism has failed is too negative and defeatest. It is a work in progress and cannot be viewed as either all or nothing. Our government and us in our communities have an obligation to ensure that our new Australians are well settled and that people on both sides are living together peacefully and happily.

 We want to ensure that people learn about other cultures, traditions and to see that they are not persecuted for practising their beliefs.
We want people with diverse experiences to help us grow our country.
We want to try their new foods and past-times.
We want to learn about the adversity people have overcome to settle here.  Australia's identity is continually evolving.
We cannot just close the book multiculturalism, it is a continual work in progress.

Women in Boardrooms

It seems that every time people talk about Gender Equality these days, they always bring up the fact that there are "not enough women on the board" or that "women are not well represented". I do believe that there are not enough women in senior positions or represented on a Board of Directors (BoD), but does that really mean we have to impose a mandatory number of woman on a Board? 

It all sounds a bit too affirmative action for me. 

Don't get me wrong. I DO want to see the gender gap close, however, putting a woman on a board of directors ... because she is a women, is ridiculous. What of merit? What about someones experience and the contribution they make? Imagine being appointed to a role primarily because of your gender/race/religion? It's just plain discrimination.  Merit and legitimacy must count first before tokenism.

Sourced from:
http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/executive-women/women-on-boards-addressing-the-gender-imbalance-20090903-f9pj.html

Preventitive Health

What is Australia's no. 1 killer of women?
It's Heart disease.
Shocking isn't it? Shocking in the sense that with all we know, with all the good eating and exercise that we know we should follow ... we don't.


How much money annually is spent on tobacco and smoking related health costs in Australia?
$31.5 billion dollars, not to mention the 15,000 or so related deaths each year.
Why do people smoke? Why start up in the first place?
What's startling is that deaths from lung cancer exceeds deaths from breast cancer in women.

How often do you put on sunscreen? Do you even put it on when you are outside or at the beach?
Skin cancers and melanomas are the most common form of cancer for those who are 15-39.
80% of those who die, could have been prevented.




How many millions of dollars to do waste on "trying" to cure?
What if we spent 25% of that on preventitive interventions?



References:
1. http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT2t-_SH7bU_eMNTH17jz_DGp8kbCmYOmG-4Z75wGd_7ExTqywhmQ
Patches' high cost stubbed out,Mark Metherell. February 2, 2011.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/patches-high-cost-stubbed-out-20110201-1acfq.html

2. http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/can/ca08/ca08-sum.html

3. http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT-O67IY39L0nVLfrK4vIPzNa5TKwWgPJZ70Iku7ZpIy5-usxS9
Associate Professor Mel Ziman; CEO of Melanoma WA. 
http://www.ecu.edu.au/news/latest-news/2010/09/discover-the-difference-between-a-mole-and-a-melanoma-at-ecuas-free-public-lecture