Spare a Moment?

[Pete McCluskey.]

Spare a few minutes to think about what is really important.

With Regret



Whitney Houston's death, while a sad thing, was the direct result of very unwise life choices. It dominates the news.



Charlie Sheen is 45 and his story is all over the news because he is a substance abuser, an adulterer, sexually promiscuous and obnoxious.

Lindsay Lohan is 24 and her story is all over the news because she is a celebrity drug addict and thief.

Paris Hilton is famous for not wearing underwear.

Something as frivolous as Kim Kardashian celebrity wedding [and short-lived marriage] was shoved down our throat.



While........


Andrew Russell, 33.

David Pearce, 41.

Matthew Locke, MG, 33.

Luke Worsley, 26.

Jason Marks, 27.

Sean McCarthy, 25.

Michael Fussell, 25.

Gregory Michael Sher, 30.

Mathew Hopkins, 21.

Brett Till, 31.

Benjamin Ranaudo, 22.

Jacob Moerland, 21.

Darren Smith, 25.

Scott Palmer, 27.

Timothy Aplin, 38.

Benjamin Chuck, 27.

Nathan Bewes, 23.

Jason Brown, 29.

Grant Kirby, 35.

Thomas Dale, 21.

Jared MacKinney , 28.

Richard Atkinson, 22.

Jamie Larcombe, 21.

Brett Wood, MG, 32.

Andrew Jones, 25.

Marcus Sean Case, 27.

Rowan Robinson, 23.

Todd Langley, 35.

Matthew Lambert, 26.

Bryce Duffy, 26.

Ashley Birt, 22.

Luke Gavin, 27.

Stuart Nash, 21. (Aust serving in Brit Army)

Are all Australians who have given their lives for us in Afghanistan.


There is little media for them once the politicians have finished with their grandstanding and photo opportunities.

Honor THEM by sending this on.

God bless you, Rest In Peace, and THANK YOU HEROES.

 

[Jim Craik]

Pete,

I'm with you on this one, it's incredably sad that these young folks gave their lives trying to help all of us.

I hate to think that these brave folks died in vain and I sincerely hope they did not.

But the more I see of this business the worse it seems, and its not limited to just the one who give their lives, it's their family's and friends. Then there are the thousands more who are injured in body and spirit. This must stop!

Bring them all home!

 

[Mark]

Personally, I dislike even mentioning all our Service men and Women in the same space as these low-life, moronic, morally void 'celebrities'.

There is no space in my brain to filter out the image of one whilst respecting the image of the other.

 

[Keith]

Personally, I dislike even mentioning all our Service men and Women in the same space as these low-life, moronic, morally void 'celebrities'.

There is no space in my brain to filter out the image of one whilst respecting the image of the other.

Pete, Mark +1

 

[Pat]

Great message and thanks for posting Pete.
Heartfelt condolences to all the families that have the burden of these losses.

 

I have never understood the "celebrity" culture. We seem to idolise those who "entertain" us, yet those who really make a difference (e.g fighting the diseases that afflict us, developing machines or techniques that improve life for all, serving their fellows in whatever guise they choose) rarely get much mention. Just can't fathom it myself...

 

[Charlie Farley]

It's called selling newspapers & glossy magazines.
If you see any member of your family reading, set fire to them immediately.
Haven't bought that shit in 20 years..

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Personally, I dislike even mentioning all our Service men and Women in the same space as these low-life, moronic, morally void 'celebrities'.

There is no space in my brain to filter out the image of one whilst respecting the image of the other.

I understand how you feel Mark and I cannot fathom why the media seem to celebrate bad behaviour. I was just watching the Masters golf and it should be renamed the Tiger Woods show, there were at least ten players in front of him
on the leader board but all we get is the liar cheat and adulterer. I just don't get it.

 

[Jim Craik]

Guys,

I hate to say it, but truthfully, this is just the interaction between Capitalism and human nature.

If folks would buy magazines and watch stories about brave soldiers and grieving family's, that is what we would get.

I don't think this means we dont care, we care vary much.

Its just that as far as entertainment goes, we know that stories like those are often very sad, we often come away not just sad, but feeling guilty. Quite frankly human nature leads us to avoid sadness and guilt whenever possible.

I'm guessing that hearing about the latest celebrity failing leads to less sadness and guilt.

I guess war is a little like sausage, if you are going to use them, it's best not to see how they are made.

 

[Mark]

It's called selling newspapers & glossy magazines.
If you see any member of your family reading, set fire to them immediately.
Haven't bought that shit in 20 years..

I don't recommend burning family members, Charlie!

 

[Mesa]

I totally get the 'just' of this post but unfortunately, this crap is not being shoved down our throat....there are people out there that (a lot of them actually) that live on this noise. If pea brains didn't buy this trash nobody would sell it. So while I do not endorse burning family members (ok most of them anyway), I certainly recommend chastising them heavily for their reading/viewing choices!

Celebrities I think are an escape for some... maybe war and death of the brave are too real and too painful to think about.

 

[David Morton]

It will exceed 3000 by midsummer.

iCasualties | Operation Enduring Freedom | Afghanistan

Are you still writing to your respective premiers?

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

I would write to Juliar but she can't read.

 

[Jeff Young]

With Bin Laden dead and the country a complete mess, it's really hard to understand why any of our countries need to be in Afghanistan.

Bring'em home.

 

[Jim Craik]

Charley don't surf.......bring them all home!

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Afghanistan is an a war that cannot be won under the present rules of engagement. As soon as the coalition forces leave it will revert to a country run by the strongest tribe. You cannot impose democracy on a people who think of you as invaders and hate your guts. The Russians found out they couldn't impose communism either. Bring the boys and girls home and leave the Afghan people to sort it out among themselves.

Or stop being nice and let the Generals do what is required to win. Which probably means wiping out most of the population, so it is not really an alternative.

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

I agree. If there was ever a moment to pull out and cut the losses, this is by God it; I just finished reading a photo essay in the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot about combat medical crews operating in Arsefuckistan or wherever it is. It was absolutely heart-rending. Some of the troops mentioned in the article were from Oz, I think, btw. There's no sense at all hanging about there- if they dislike us so much, we ought to get the hell out.

 

[Mark]

It's something to do with a pipe I think?

 

[Jeff Young]

Agree with your conclusions but one clarification on Afghan history.

Afghanistan already was communist, and "progressive" in some ways in the 1970s in the sense that women had more rights, etc. The Russians stepped in when there was an internal squabble in the Communist Party there and the side they didn't like won out.

Their invasion (they still claim they were "invited" in) discredited the existing Commie regime, opening the door for the Mujahadeen and the Taliban.

Beautiful country I'm told. Awful politics/instability, etc.

Time to leave, we agree on that.

Afghanistan is an a war that cannot be won under the present rules of engagement. As soon as the coalition forces leave it will revert to a country run by the strongest tribe. You cannot impose democracy on a people who think of you as invaders and hate your guts. The Russians found out they couldn't impose communism either. Bring the boys and girls home and leave the Afghan people to sort it out among themselves.

Or stop being nice and let the Generals do what is required to win. Which probably means wiping out most of the population, so it is not really an alternative.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Agree with your conclusions but one clarification on Afghan history.

Afghanistan already was communist, and "progressive" in some ways in the 1970s in the sense that women had more rights, etc. The Russians stepped in when there was an internal squabble in the Communist Party there and the side they didn't like won out.

Their invasion (they still claim they were "invited" in) discredited the existing Commie regime, opening the door for the Mujahadeen and the Taliban.

Beautiful country I'm told. Awful politics/instability, etc.

Time to leave, we agree on that.


Reply deleted.

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