About rowenadelarosayoon

Communications strategist encompassing a broad scope of print and online journalism, public relations, marketing, campaign and developmental writing, research, website planning, social media strategy, and all related areas.

Darwin’s pessimism and Flannery’s hope

Posted on March 6, 2012 by rowenadelarosayoon

Published in 2010, the year when the author reaped the distinguished award as Australian of the Year, Tim Flannery’s book, Here on Earth: an Argument for Hope, offers a ray of hope in salvaging the last remaining species of the planet and in regaining the lost functioning of the Earth’s life-support systems.

Published by The Text Publishing Company, Vic 2010

The battle to avert an impending apocalype is to resuscitate Gaia– derived from John Lovelock’s theory that all organisms and their inorganic surroundings on Earth are closely integrated to form a single and self-regulating complex system, maintaining the conditions for life on the planet. This self-support system, however, has been imperiled by men’s greed. Flannery argues that men have waged war against nature. Men have turned Gaia-killers. Among the notable examples is detailed in Rachel Garlson’s book, Silent Spring. The book inllustrates the entent of how capitalists have murdered birds and other species when DDT was used as pesticide in the US in the 1950’s. Certainly, there are other human follies that destroyed the life support systems of the earth such as through massive carbon emissions and wanton logging. Although many NGOs have convened and proposed solutions, the inactivity of many advanced nations are delaying the action that help avert an impending apocalypse.

Flannery outlines the theories of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace focussing on the origin of species, the concept of natural selection and the survival of the fittest. Species evolve through time and they differentiate through time and according to their environment; and those who adapt well survive and those who do not perish.

The survival of the fittest in the animal kingdom that has prevailed throughout history. The war is not only man against man but man against nature. Darwinian theory is devoid of morality and spirituality.

Time has changed though. There is a universal awakening that believes only love and compassion can save what is remaining on earth. Flannery is offering the wisdom of ancient past. Only love can heal humanity and can perhaps bring back the life-support system of Gaia.

Meanwhile, I picked a DVD from the video shop to see a movie related to Darwin, and lucky enough I got this: CREATION

Paul Bettany as Charles Darwin

Opened in 2009, Creation portrays Darwin as a man who suffered anguish resulting from his work and discovery. A responsible family man, he knew however, that although “there is no God’, the church and religion hold the fabric of society together. He was haunted by the death of species such as a tiny bird which could be eaten and consumed by worms so that that the food chain will continue. From decomposed species give life to plants and so on. The death of his child pushed him to see phantoms and led his body to exhaustion.

If Darwin’s remarkable contribution to science is to be reckoned with, indeed, the entire humanity is plagued into an abyss of pessimism. Flannery’s book, however, takes flight uplifting the spirit offering the world with new-found hope.

More about the movie:

Creation is a psychological, heart-wrenching love story starring Paul Bettany (A BEAUTIFUL MIND, MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD) as Charles Darwin, the film is based on “Annie’s Box,” a biography penned by Darwin’s great-great-grandson Randal Keynes using personal letters and diaries of the Darwin family. We take a unique and inside look at Darwin, his family and his love for his deeply religious wife, played by Jennifer Connelly (A BEAUTIFUL MIND, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM), as, torn between faith and science, Darwin struggles to finish his legendary book “On the Origin of Species,” which goes on to become the foundation for evolutionary biology. The film co-stars Toby Jones (FROST/NIXON, INFAMOUS) and Jeremy Northam (GOSFORD PARK, AMISTAD), and was produced by Jeremy Thomas (THE LAST EMPEROR, SEXY BEAST) at Recorded Picture Company with BBC Films and Ocean Pictures. From director Jon Amiel (“The Singing Detective,” ENTRAPMENT) and writer John Collee (MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD) comes CREATION. Source: http://creationthemovie.com/

“Flower Power” induces same-sex marriage bill

Posted on February 14, 2012 by rowenadelarosayoon

Two private bills that will pave the way to legalising same-sex marriage in Australia have been introduced today, the ABC reported.

Labor MP Stephen Jones signalled he would introduce a private at the ALP’s conference in December. This will be the second bill following last week’s indication that Greens MP Adam Bandt and Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie would put forward a separate bill.

Same-sex supporters take the streets of Australia

This is a groundbreaking development on marriage equality in Australia following oppositions from the conservative religious and political groups. Edward Santow, chief executive of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, also expressed apprehension of any proposed same-sex legislation saying it ”is bound to fail” if not thoroughly discussed in a forum or parliamentary inquiry, the Sydney Morning Herald in its Opinion page said.

However, few days before Valentine’s, same-sex activist group GetUp! urged supporters to mobilise a campaign to soften the hearts of the nation’s federal politicians.

Employing a romantic tactic to soften the hearts of parliament members, GetUp! in partnership with the Australian Marriage Equality, asked followers to send roses to their favourite MP to remind them to review same-sex marriage. “What better way to remind our political representatives of where we stand on Valentine’s Day than to spread some love, and show them that in matters of the heart, we’re united for equality?”

The group has intended to ”flood” the offices of political representatives with roses as a “reminder that Australians believe that two people who want to make a lifelong commitment deserve full and equal recognition before their family, friends and the law,” the group said.

Earlier today, 3000 roses arrived in the Parliament House in Canberra. Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abott received 500 each, Nine News reported.

Supporter can continue to send flowers through the group’s Chip In To Send a Rose page.

Gay rights protest in Australia

The roses on Valentine’s are only a prelude to a more intimate petition. In the coming few days, GetUp! also plans to send “three wonderful same-sex couples” to dinner with the prime minister.

Optimistic for the passage of a bill on marriage equality, GetUp! said Valentine’s Day is the most auspicious day to send love and to be united in love. “We’re closer than ever before to real marriage equality in Australia. So this Valentine’s Day, we’re not giving up on love, and we’re not letting our politicians give up either – not until marriage equality becomes the law of the land, “the group said in an email.

GetUp! claims it was able to gather more than 150,000 petition signatures last year and rallied alongside more than 10,000 other supporters at the ALP National Conference. It also takes pride in the video production of “It’s Time” which has viewed by more than 5 million viewers and still counting.

The group has reasons to be optimistic. The group said the ban on same-sex marriage has been lifted in California. In time of the Valentine’s Day around the round, the Hufftington Post also reported that the state of New Jersey has already passed a bill to recognise same-sex marriage– a move move that supporters called a “civil rights milestone” and Washington became the seventh state in the US to enact a law reconizing same-sex marriage on Monday.

News Link: Asian correspondent

Digging deeper into the blackhole of climate controversy

Posted on February 10, 2012 by rowenadelarosayoon

National Geographic presents 'Strange days of the planet' and let each viewer to imagine his/her role in this world

The continuing climate debate is a warfare of ideologies. It’s a matter of dogged determination to stand by your conviction– either to the right or to the left.

Both camps are bloody good in dirty politics. The end justifies the means and it’s a matter of choosing which end serves the entire humanity better. Science sceptism belongs to the free-market economy. This camp advocates to make the filthy rich richer and the continue exploiting the weath of the earth. The other camp attempts to stop the exploitation of the poor and powerless and to rescue the earth from further degredation.

The dream book containing natural philosphy written by Thomas Berry

Certainly, natural forces influence the earth’s changing temperature. The planet has undergone cycles of catalysm that have wiped out species for million of years. Volcanos erupt. Tecnonic plates are dislocated. Species face massive extiinction–an apocalyptic warning to humans. The earth exists with or without humans and it owes humans nothing.

What profits then a man to ravage nature’s resources for such as short journey on earth by disrupting the harmony of humanity? Isn’t the earth’s wealth and all its vast spaces intended for all the living and non-living? The Sierra Club, a very influential grassroot environmental group in the US has provided some rich literature that describes the beauty of the earth.

Before the apolalypse, wouldn’t be nice to live in a planet where humans can breathe clean air, drink clean water, and eat chemical-free farm harvests, along with the marine species which can still swim in an unpolluted habitat and the animals bask in the biodiversity of the plains and wildnesness?

Further research on climate debates

Posted on February 8, 2012 by rowenadelarosayoon

There’s an Interesting email forwarded by GetUp! about a video of notorious climate change skeptic Lord Christopher Monckton mapping up a conspiracy to seize Rupert Mordoch’s media as a strategic platform to advance anti-left-wing climate agenda.

The nefarious climate change skeptic, Lord Christopher Monckton

I also revisited a video of Bob Carter interviewed by Murdoch’s media puppet, Andrew Bolt. What an interesting business-media conspiracy to deny fossil-fuel-induced global warming.

Climate Change – Is it a science debate or a political debate?

Carbon pollution contributes to man-made environmental disaster, any doubt?

I attempt to gather a list of prominent scientists who are either ‘convinced’ or ‘unconvinced’ on the issue. According to a UK-based columnist Nick Collins of The Telegraph, most skeptical scientists are less prominent and authoritative than those scientists convinced on the issue of global warming. This is based on the number of research and scientific papers published.

The Conversation, a scholarly publication, said many research scholars from the Australia National University have had received death threats and abusive phone calls from the right-wingers and Murdoch’s media because of their stand on the issue.

Clive Hamilton, who wrote Scorchers: The Dirty Politics of Climate Change (2007), claims that Australian sceptics belong to the “Greenhouse Mafia” (credited to Guy Pearce) comprising of lobbyists “plucked from the senior ranks of the APS, where they wrote briefs and Cabinet submissions and advised ministers on energy policies.” They are the links between Government and fossil-fuel businessmen who finance the political machine of the Liberal Party in partnership with the Murdoch’s media. Hamilton adds that Australia’s stand on the issue (during the Howard Government) was mainly influenced by the US which champions a market-based economy.

Political powershift under the Labor Government overturned the decades-long greenhouse mafia energy policies. The right-wings fought a bloody fight to prevent the passage of a carbon tax, but overruled. It is a new era!

These denialists comprised of the bloody rich and powerful capitalists. They own big businesses including the media. If you are caught up in between the ‘convinced’ and ‘unconvinced’ groups, look beyond the politicking and explore the credentials of each scientist from both camps.

I have not done one article this month but I will do so as soon as I can get enough good stuff.

Angry tent people mob Gillard on Aussie Day

Posted on January 26, 2012 by rowenadelarosayoon

In one of the most dramatic moments to celebrate Australia Day, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard lost a shoe and was dragged by his bodyguard when an angry mob of indigenous people rounded up a restaurant in Capital Hill hunting for Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

Bodyguard bundles up Julia Gillard from the angry mob

The prime minister and the opposition leader were in The Lobby restaurant to present the national emergency service medals as part of the Australia Day celebrations.

The drama unfolds as the celebration began. A man in black T-shirt emblazoned with Aboriginal flag watched the proceedings through the restaurant’s glass façade. Then a woman barged in to scatter petals of roses before she shouted when Gillard was presenting 26 service medals.

About half of the 200 protesters circled the restaurant, banged the glass windows, and chanted “shame” and “racist” while calling for Abbott to come out.

About 200 protesters from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy nearby have gathered to mark its 40th founding year today. A series of cultural performances and entertainment has been planned through the weekend to celebrate its founding but marred by such an “extraordinary” incident.

A series of events has been planned to mark the 40th founding year of the tent embassy

The protesters rounded up and stormed The Lobby to confront Abbott following the opposition leader’s comment earlier during the day. The SBS said Abbott has called for the disbandment of the tent embassy noting time has changed and therefore it is no longer relevant. The SBS quoted Abbott as saying, “I can understand why the tent embassy was established all those years ago,… think a lot has changed since then, and I think it probably is time to move on from that.”

Riot police came to rescue Gillard and Abbott while trying to pacify protesters. But protesters said they stormed in to confront Abbott without knowing he was with Gillard. They insisted Abbott incited the riot, not the Aboriginal people of the tent embassy. Towards the end of the day, the protesters are demanding for Abbott’s apology.

News Link: Asian Correspondent

Australia Day focuses on Aborigines, refugees

Posted on January 26, 2012 by rowenadelarosayoon

This year’s Australia Day has seen both old and new issues come under the spotlight, including indigenous culture, asylum-seekers, gay marriage, and climate change.

These issues, however, cannot be solely discussed through political means but through the arts.

: Prime Minister Julia Gillard poses with Geoffrey Rush

Academy-award winning actor Geoffrey Rush was named the 2012 Australian of the Year in a ceremony at the Parliament House, Canberra. In his acceptance speech, he urged Australians to consider the importance of arts to nurture and uplift the spirit of the nation. Rush spoke of urgent issues that affect the nation which can find solutions in the arts.

Rush says Australia is one of the oldest nations on earth where inspiration abounds. He noted that going back to the root of the nation through aboriginal history, culture and performing arts, Australians will be able to find “our dreaming” which leads to the heart of the nation’s being, the ABC quoted him in his speech.

The ABC added, “In the past, Australians of the year have used the spotlight to focus on social, political or environmental issues, but Rush does not see it as a automatic megaphone.” As a performing artist, the event is an opportunity to spotlight current issues through the arts.

SBS, a multicultural public broadcaster, also noted Rush of his support to local writers to write stories about people who come to Australia by boat.

“I put a call out to the writers of Australia, we’ve had a bumper year in television drama, people are starting to watch it in great numbers..I would love a writer to write a fabulous great miniseries,” the SBS quoted him in his speech before reporters.

Six Australians are featured in the SBS documentary :Go Back to Where You Come From"

SBS has produced a documentary last year entitled “Go Back to Where You Come From” which featured six Australian volunteers who were challenged to take part in an adventure to experience life as a refugee. The script took them to the local communities where refugees have settled down, then flash backward to the horrific journeys by sea, asylum-seeker camps, and to the tricky and dangerous places on earth. Featured places include refugee camps in Malaysia, war-torn Jordan, Iraq, and Congo. The mini-series has elicited various reactions from televiewers while Fairfax media lambasted the series claiming it as a story for the manipulated and gullible participants.

Rush is a stage and film actor. His first film Hoodwink was featured in 1981. He rose to global fame in 1996 with the film Shine for which he won an Oscar. More recently, he appeared on Munich, Pirates Of The Caribbean and The King’s Speech, for which he earned a BAFTA. Rush is an ambassador for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and UNICEF Australia, as well as patron of the Melbourne International Film Festival.

News Link: Asian Correspondent

Heatwave threatens Australia’s wildlife

Posted on January 2, 2012 by rowenadelarosayoon

Australia’s famous New Year’s eve fireworks at the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge made another landmark spectacle to impress the world. But after the pyrotechnics have died down, the country-continent faces the reality of dealing with the temperatures soaring to over 40 degrees Celsius.

The Black Saturday flares up in Victoria (News Ltd)

The heatwave spreads throughout Victoria and South Australia. Melbourne and Adelaide started the year with day time high of 40 degrees Celsius and will remain at 30 level until tomorrow, AAP reported. Sydney and Brisbane are reported to have a more tolerable levels at around 26- 28 degrees Celsius, while Perth will experience around 31-degree.

Holiday-makers who are heading to the bush in the southern states are warned not to put up campfires. Fire and safety authorities have already issued bushfire alert warnings to caution residents and tourists to be bush-fire-ready.

A total fire ban has been issued in many regions in Victoria including tourist destinations such as the Southern Grampians, Apollo Bay, Warnambool, and other southwestern areas. The fire ban strictly disallows campers to build a campfire during the night while frolickers are also not allowed to light up a barbecue grill.

Two years ago, the bush fire famously called the Black Saturday razed 450,000 ha (1,100,000 acres) in Victoria sending residential, agricultural, and touristic areas into ashes. Affected areas included Kinglake and Whittlesea, Marysville, Central Gippsland, Beechworth, and to as far as the old gold town of Bendigo bringing to a total of 170 districts affected.

In 2006, the Grampians National Park was engulfed by another massive bushfire which burnt 130,000 hectares — or 47 per cent of the park.

Sam the koala became famous around the world after this photo was taken during the Victorian bushfires. (Reuters)

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimated that over a million of animals have perished in these bushfires. Other wildlife species have suffered from severe burns. Koalas and kangaroos which inhabit most of the bush habitat are most affected while the Leadbeater’s Possum, Victoria’s faunal emblem, is under further threat to extinction.

This koala became homeless after the fire (News Ltd)

South Australia is reported to have issued total fire ban on 13 districts out of 15.

Victorian Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley urged people—especially campers— to take extra care amid extreme heat conditions. He said most of the earlier fires started with campfires.

News Link: Asian Correspondent

Alternatives to the Ill-fated Malaysian Solution

Posted on December 22, 2011 by rowenadelarosayoon

Holidays rush in and with the latest boat people tragedy, the government is re-thinking what went wrong. The ruling party is coming to the roundtable to consider the alternatives. News Limited has this illustrated summary:

And here’s the link to the Care Factor: Missing the boat of an ssylum seeker solution. The Journo will endeavour to review the report.

Prosecute people smugglers, but how?

Posted on December 21, 2011 by rowenadelarosayoon

Shipwrecks will not deter refugees or asylum seekers to take the boat off to Australia- the metaphorical Utopia or Promise Land where people can play cricket or surf the net all day.

About 200 people or more from Arab countries, are feared dead at sea 200 km off Java Island of Indonesia when the overloaded boat they boarded sunk on Saturday. Only three dozens of survivors are so far accounted for, but do not rely on numbers which government statisticians can easily tweak. These people are reportedly come from Dubai and flew into Jakarta to be transported to Australia by boat.

A survivor wails after being rescued

Depending on which media you are reading, each Arab paid $500 each to Indonesian airport authorities and $6,000 each to board an Australian-bound boat. The Sydney Morning Herald’s Editorial wonders if the Indonesian authorities did not notice these Arab-looking people entering Jakarta without valid visas. Then all these desperate people queued on a port where they took the boat with a capacity of 100– there were 200 passengers.

The ABC reports that this latest tragedy costs over $600,000, a hefty amount which went into the pockets of people smugglers.

The boat captain and crew members are said to be safe. Before the boat sank, they grabbed their life vests and swam away.

Australian media say this exemplifies another well-organised people smuggling stirring further debates on Australia’s immigration policies.

This latest tragedy also coincides with the first death anniversary of about 50 asylum seekers who were shipwrecked on the stormy waters off Australia’s Christmas Island. Two weeks ago, another boat tragedy took place nearby.

A statistics from the Australian Parliament House shows that this year, 28 boats carrying 1675 people have been intercepted on Australian waters (as of June)– a sifnificant decrease from 124 boats loading 6879 people in 2010.

Earlier this year, the Julia Gillard Government approved the so-called Malaysian Solution, a policy to process asylum seekers offshore in exchange for the intake of genuine refugees. Gillard pinned hopes that this solution will stop people smuggling. The latest tragedy, however, proves she is wrong.

Other survivors receive treatment at a temporary shlter in Indonesia (Photo AFP Getty)

Time and again, boat tragedies tell stories of lost lives and broken dreams. News Limited reports an account of a survivor:

Esmat Adine, 24, a Hazara refugee from Afghanistan said he “tried to find a suitable and legal way” but after being told he wouldn’t be eligible for a student visa to Deakin University until 2013 – and fearing for his life – he fled to Jakarta.

“I was arrested by the Taliban last year and imprisoned for 16 days where they beat me and made me sleep on a dead body,” he said.

“I registered with UNHCR in Jakarta who said it could take one year but I have a wife and three-month-old daughter at home and this is the quickest way.

“We had to go so we decided to go the quickest way. There are many, many people. They are waiting in Jakarta, waiting for the boat. Most of them, they are sure they will get to Australia.

Refugees and asylum seekers have nothing to lose and nowhere to go to. Adine was quoted further by News Ltd as saying, “If Australia does not accept our request now, we will do (it) again because we have nothing.”

If the inter-governmental solutions are not workable, can’t the governments arrest and prosecute human smugglers? They should, but how?

News Link: Asian Correspondent

Gas or waste to power Canberra Hospital

Posted on December 20, 2011 by rowenadelarosayoon

Australia’s Capital Territory (ACT) could be one of the champions of eco-friendly energy sources. The ACT Government is now endorsing a cost-efficient power generator to service its public hospital using gas or waste.

A major signpost at TCH

The Canberra Times reported over the weekend that AECOM, a professional infrastructure consultant, has advised the Government-run Canberra Hospital to use gas or waste generator to power its facilities.

A gas generating plant will cost $48 million to service three buildings. This option will help the hospital to save $28.1 million over 20 years, the report said. Gas is the cheapest power source while a pollution-to-energy generator fetches up to $209 million.

Gas can emit up to 24,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year slashing a significant amount of emission from traditional power sources of 72 million tonnes a year.

The hospital needs basic power to produce hot and cold water while a more advanced facility will provide onsite electricity.

Other eco-friendly energy sources are also being explored like solar and wind. However, the hospital compound does not have enough space for the infrastructure. The gas and waste power generators, if approved, will likely be constructed underground connected with cables. The onsite generator will be constructed north of the hospital wing to ensure its flues will not intervene with rescue helicopters.

Windpower generators are also considered but its feasibility is under study.

The paper also reported that Act Chief Minister and Health Minister Katy Gallagher will continue to consult with the community to ensure the viability and sustainability of the project. The Minister is vouching for the proposed alternative energy sources noting that the money saved will be used instead to finance health care for Canberra’s growing population.

The Canberra Hospital prides itself as the region’s major public hospital, providing specialist and acute care to more than 500,000 people. TCH is a tertiary level health facility, and a teaching hospital of the Australian National University (ANU) Medical School.

Source: Asian Correspondent