Tanking

I can fully understand the pain of some of those who are experiencing the harsher edge of the financial crisis.  There doesn’t seem to be a day that goes past without some major financial institution announcing cutbacks in staff.  With friends and family in the finance industry, I can see the pain.

I’m fortunate enough to be at a stage in life where I have no debts.  Unfortunately though, it’s still irritating to watch the interests rates on my savings and return rates tanking.  Of course, this doesn’t even rate a mention beside real hardship.  It’s not even an inconvenience for me.  It’s just the knowledge that my money earns less money than it did earlier in the year.  But then again, I’m a student, and I do not earn a salary.  I have a scholarship at present (which is pretty small, technically it puts me below the ‘poverty line’), but given that many PhD students go over their allotted time, my savings could be my only income in the near future.

I don’t qualify for the Australian government’s handouts that are designed to kick start the country’s economy.  But even if I did, I can’t imagine I’d spend it.  Firstly, because even with a small income and no debts, I have more than enough, and secondly, is boosting spending power of consumers really a solution?  Perhaps I’m only naive, but certain words come to mind: it’s only a flesh-wound.

Filed under: economics, experiences, observations, personal , Australia, financial crisis, handouts, interest rates, Local economies, PhD scholarships

He wasn’t fat

Tragically, a 26 year old man, Lee Marriage, died within a couple of hundred metres of finishing last Sunday’s City2Surf fun-run.  He suffered a heart attack, and the medical staff couldn’t revive him.  Ever on the ball, the newspaper staff have had a geezer at his facebook page, where people have been writing tributes.  Someone who saw it commented (not clear whether in an interview or on Facebook): “He seemed fit, he wasn’t rippling with muscles but he had a slim build – he wasn’t fat.”

O Facebook, source of newspaper stories great and small!  Just before the Olympics, the Tele ran a frontpage story on a couple of our Olympic athletes who had updated their Facebook relationship status.

Are we so ignorant in our consciousness of health, so fixated upon obesity, that this becomes the sole indicator of whether or not we can complete a 14km run and be in tip-top shape?  (Are your muscles rippling?)   Are we so myopic in the face of the vast amounts of information about the world around us, that Facebook is the rule for what is newsworthy?  Can you dumb it down for me, just a little lower, pretty please?

It’s tragic that he died.  It scares me (does it scare you?).  I’m 27, I like to run.  I’ve done the City2Surf.  People in family have high-blood pressure, are obese.  I am not making light of his death.  Nor do I mean to have a go at whoever made those comments.  But, in the interest of public awareness, I’m sure journalists and editors can do a little better, have a little more judgement and responsibility, than Facebook and “he wasn’t fat”.

Filed under: Australia, death, food culture, madness, media, observations, personal, random thoughts, responsibility , City2Surf, death, dumbing it down, facebook, obesity, rant

My favourite things

Last Friday I said farewell to my car – my first car, and one that I inherited from my Grandfather.  It was a great car (still is, even), and as the car guy drove into their garage, it was a bit sad.  Sad?  It’s just a machine, right?  Yes and no.  The site of many memories, good road trips, a sound that I loved, good fun with L (the wife), stupid things I did when I first got it…

Here’s a photo:

And now I have a shiny new car to use.  One that uses a lot less petrol, has a lot more space, and in general is a little more friendly to drive.  I’d love to be able to get away without a car, and thought long about it.  (Doesn’t that sound rich?  I’m forced to have a car?)  It’s an amazing experience buying a car.  It’s phenomenal all the kinds of justifications go into it.  I “almost” bought a couple of cars, just so I could see what the salespeople might say.  Does the colour really influence my decision?  Do I care about alloy wheels?  Does a drive around the block at 40kmh have any bearing on what it would be like to drive everyday?  And then, a little hard bargaining, and the price changed so much!  I would hate to be a car salesman.

Filed under: experiences, personal