grouchiegrrl's Journal

7:08am: Burn baby burn
Thank goodness for Rugby - the only sane sport left. while at the gym this morning I watched a news report about how next September they are starting the athletics ashes - Australia and England will compete in all athletics events, to decided 'the ashes'.  And I have been listening to the science show, where they are running a diary from the english marker at the world math olympics (or something) and as a side competition, Australia and England have an 'ashes' competition. I am tempted to see if I can look up other sports where they do this - there is bound to be right? sailing, swimming etc.

Rugby, however, has the Cook Cup. Not the ashes. Sanity. yay.

meh.

7:19am: Selling Up
My friend is selling up her life on Saturday, and she and her bf are taking off in a van to live a spiritual life in Byron Bay.

anyway, if you are interested in this stuff, let me know and I will give you the flyers for more info.

12:43pm: Utterly disgusted

I have just been listening to RN's the Law Report about a documentary called 'A Loving Friend" and the legal issues it raises.

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/lawreport/stories/2008/2428344.htm

It is about artist Donald Friend, who's own diaries of his life in Bali out him as a pedophile.

Don't panic - I am not a pitchfork waving, torch-carrying mob about pedophilia. I think it is a pretty complex issue, and I get fed up with the 'not in my community' 'hang em high' attitudes to it.

The thing that disgusted me about this actually had nothing to do with his pedophilia. It is the disgraceful way the National Library of Australia published his diaries, and defended it today. They published it with the names of the children in it. Well the balinese ones anyway. The doco maker went to Bali, found some of these men, and showed them the diaries, then interviewed them about it. and largely they were utterly horrifiied that their names had been published. Australians in the diaries were allowed to view the material in advance and edit it (in some cases).

Listening to the guy from the National Library justify what they did made me feel ill. Seriously ill. It is completely unacceptable to victimise these men again, because they live in another country. and the doco maker made it really clear just how easy it was to find them. I am staggered at their insensitivity. I hope those guys get together and sue.