Gussy’s Blog

What is the meaning of Fair? Sure the dictionary.com meaning is “
Having or exhibiting a disposition that is free of favoritism or bias; impartial: a fair mediator.
Being in accordance with relative merit or significance: She wanted to receive her fair share of the proceeds.
Consistent with rules, logic, or ethics: a fair tactic.
Moderately good; acceptable or satisfactory: gave only a fair performance of the play; in fair health. “

What does that mean in todays society. When we see polls on what people think is fair? Don’t we all have our own meaning of fairness? What i may think is fair and even, is actually not even close to Joe Blog’s meaning of fair and even. Maybe it is the community/ social collective that we get fairness from. I don’t like the idea that people can say that was a fair trial, or fair dealings.

This is mainly coming from the sentencing of Schapelle Corby in Indonesia, who was caught smuggling in 4.1Kg of Mull into Bali in a bodyboard bag. She was sentenced on friday to 20 years. There has been huge public outrage over the sentencing, pointing of fingers at the Indonesian Legal system, saying how backwards they are. I do think that she is innocent, BUT the board bag only had a board and flippers, total weight about 3-5kg. Add 4kg of mull, it would be noticeability heavy. I don’t want to get into that to much, it ignites to much anger, debate that i can’t be bothered for at the moment. This is blog about fairness, but i’ll relate my next point to schapelle corby, Australian people are saying that they are going to boycott Bali, because of what happened to her. Is that Fair on the balinese? They live and breath for the tourist market. If Australian market was to dry up, like after the Bali bombings, it would die. People would be left without jobs. Fair? Not by my reckoning, I have just read a report by the singapore star paper. It was interesting because of the fact that they are outside the Australian media circle, all the hype and emotion. Reporting from other countries on large local issues, make more sence to me. It is in my opinion fairier, less biased.

I have just thought of a different tack for all this. When migrants move to a new country, legally or illegally- do they bring with them there “fairness policy” or take on the Australian policy? I would hope that it would be a mixture of both, it would make Australia (or any country) a broader and more acceptable country that can take on different views of fairness. I guess from writting this i have found that what is fair to me, could be totally the opposite to those that are on the other side of the picture. I guess that is what makes the planet that we live on so amazing, we all have different views on everything, including fairness.
Later Champions!

Just wanted to express some ideas here (that is why i have this blog!) It seems that divorce is on the rise and marriage as a union is on the decline. In details released by the ABS it states the facts clear and simple, read it now. While it does state that there was a rise after the Family Law act of 1975, it has been basically a steady rise in divorce. Why is this so, do people not get on with each other as they used to in the older days? I wonder what will be the case in 20 years, with all the kids that are “fallout” from broken marriages? Will they think that it is ok, to live in a de facto relationship for ever or that marriage isn’t an important union, that is has lost relevance to society as a whole. I am some what of a conservative on the topic of marriage, i believe that it is a union between man and woman. Sure i think that you can have a special someone else, but i don’t believe that it should be ordained as marriage before God or any legal entity.
Back to the kids in all this, how are the parents and kids meant to relate to each other if the father or mother isn’t around? It becomes a dis-jointed relationship with mainly the father as he usually leaves the scene. For a young fella growing up without a father figure, can be, i believe detramental to a guys later life. Whilst the mother can play a part in the development of the manly side of a guy, she can’t complete the picture. There are something that a father has, a special bond. Like a mother with a daughter and talking about puberty. I don’t think that a dad would be in there tell his daughter what do with the tampon? Same sorta thing with a father and son relationship. The most important years that a father needs to be around in my books are from 4-15. It is these years that guys do most of there learning in my books. It cements them into society as a helpful and respectful person.

Back to divorce now, i don’t know why it has been on the increase is it like stated in the page that i mentioned earlier.
” An increase in the number of divorces may reflect a greater prevalence of unhappy marriages, or greater acceptance of dissolving unhappy marriages.” source: abs.gov.au
It seems that people are getting married later in life and seperating after 2-5 years, why? It is because of the fact that they can’t keep the facacde up any longer, grown restless or some other reason? Isn’t marriage meant to last a lifetime, “until dead do us part”? Has this just flown out the window, to be replaced with “until i get fed up with you”? I hope that when i find that special lady that, i know her as a great friend and also as lover. Entwined with my heart and soul, a vital part of my existance, whom without i couldn’t live. I want to be like my parents in some respects, happily married for over 30 years. It seems so remarkable that in today’s society that you see couples celebrating there 10,20,50 years together. Are these couples a dying breed? I hope not, cause i want to get my diamond anniversary gifts!!! In some sense i see it that society is falling apart in this way, people are just becoming meat for the slaughter. There is always someone younger, more attractive out there that can catch someone’s eye. Why do chick’s get so jealous when there beau is looking at other women? Is it just natural guy’s taking a look or trying to find something better than they already have? I’m not sure, but from my perspective i think that if i saw my girlfriend doing the same i would feel like im useless and not good enough for my lady. I’m getting a little off track now, im sure that it all ties in some how, just not sure.
Anyhow there are some things to ponder on until i blog again.

Just been watching that new show on TV from Jamie Oliver. The one about British school meals. What alarms me is the amount of shit that kids seem to eat, sure it may be a promotional item to get people to be outraged. I don’t think so, personally if that shite was being served in Australian schools, I wouldn’t let my kids eat it. Luckily though or unluckily how ever you see it we don’t have set menu cafeteria style meals served in Australia. Instead it is Canteens that are the life blood of schools. Recently rules have been introduced into schools on some Eastern states, banning high fat foods. See this link for more information.While I see this as a set in the right direction, it needs to also be cemented in the home environment. I believe that to many kids now-a-days are petted and banded too. A child of 5 doesn’t know what is good nutritionally for them, little do some 18 year olds either. So why do we continue to allow our society to divert down a path of obesity? Fast food companies? Lack of will from parents? I don’t know but what I know is that my kids when I get some sure aren’t going to eat shite. I will grow the food if I have too. Fast food should be a treat, not an everyday occurrence. I was brought up in a family of 7, we were told to eat what ever was on your plate, on one hand as being polite the other as necessary not to waste food. Sure they may be the “good old days” but I want them brought back. Children seem to have many parents wrapped around there little fingers, THAT IS NOT RIGHT! I may not be a qualified parent, but I hope that I have some back bone when I do to tell my kids, no you can’t have that chocolate bar, hear eat this apple instead. If they throw tantrum, fine let them. I’m not going to pander to my kids, sure I love them but sometimes love is tough. I have deviated a bit, sure we wonder why America is the most obese nation on the planet, we look at them and say yes they are fat, but look at the fast food joins and how cheap everything is, no wonder. What most people don’t know is that Australia is ranked in the top 5 as well. So I see no need for people to go around condemning or putting down Americans but rather taking a long hard look in their own mirror and doing something about themselves. The fight with bad food and obesity starts when you look down and see a gut. Even I am not happy with the lack of exercise that I am doing, I have been for a few rides and a swim in the last 3 months. That is appalling, I really should be doing something every day, at least once a week. I am in no way a fatso, I am an athletic build. One of those “lucky ones” that can eat anything and not put anything on, most people hate people like me. The question that i am asking in all this is where do we want our futures to go? Down a processed path or one that is more natural, a way of life that has worked for at least 100 years if not 2000 years.