2010 - A round of UPs and DOWNs
That's 2010 for you. Unfortunately as I started working this year I haven't had as much time to blog as I did over the past 2 years. So, my prediction of reaching 100 blogs was not reached. With this blog, Darryl's Random Rants stands at 95 posts.
Some of you may remember last year's New Years Eve post which looked at five things which made me happy and another 5 which made me angry during the year. I'm doing the same thing this year, with slight alterations - mainly that the things I mention needn't necessarily have made me particularly happy/angry but are things I feel deserve to be praised/criticised. As last year, the topics I have chosen are things which I have never blogged about - this was especially hard this year as there are a lot of things that need to be criticized (Malta's divorce movement)...but fair's fair.
This year I have had to leave out an issue which is very much deserving of praise because of my personal emotional investment in said issue. And, while I have no doubt that praise is deserved with or without me, in the interests of fairness and impartiality I have omitted it. (*issue could refer to anything from an event to a person...using the word 'issue' as it is generic).
As last year, these are in no particular order...
UP
A. Wikileaks
The first item on the 'Up' list this year is Wikileaks. This year they have put their safety at stake to bring truth to the people and therefore are good in my books. The shameful way some organizations have shunned them is pathetic (paypal for example). They show their lack of commitment to the truth and fairness and I will think twice about using any of their services in the future. Kudos to Wikileaks...and stay strong! Don't let the man bring you down.
Wikileaks
B. Homework-Free Schools
At least two schools in the United States (Grant Elementary School in Wyoming and an elementary school in Tennessee) have realised the importance of childhood. Both schools, and a few others I'm told, have taken the initiative to abolish homework for children. I cannot stress how important it is that this becomes a universal policy. Children should not be made to work overtime. I have a rant planned in the future about this as well as other issues related to education so I'll leave my complaints for then. In the meantime, I would like to congratulate and thank everyone involved in this policy at both schools as well as any other schools which have adopted similar policies. This is a great step in the right direction. (Link talks about school's doing this in the UK)
School's try abolishing homework
C. Chilean Miners
Without a doubt, one of 2010's most watched events was the explosion of the Chilean mine and the subsequent discovery and rescue of the survivors. Today, the miners are praised worldwide and, rightly so, have been given a few treats (football games and such). It's great to see so many people come together to help these 33 miners, but what's even greater was to see how these men survived and lived and worked together for months (both before and after the discovery) and became a family while still operating like a machine to make sure that no one got left behind and made it back to civilisation. Unfortunately, mankind has become accustomed to the 'every man for himself' philosophy so to see something like this unfold is encouraging.
Wikipedia article on the event
D. Hope For Haiti Now
The year began with a devastating earthquake in Haiti. Just like the mining accident, mankind joined together to help the people who had been affected. CNN correspondents to celebrities all pitched in to deliver aid to the country with the collapsed capital and put together an event (Hope For Haiti Now) which allowed the general public to contribute too. Also of note is the collaboration between Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to set up the fund for Haiti. As I said earlier, a rare display of compassion is always notable.
Hope For Haiti Now
E. Annabelle Vassallo
('Irrid Nghix' means 'I want to live')
Annabelle Vassallo was brought to the forefront earlier this year when Xarabank dedicated a program to her (or maybe 2...I can't remember). She's a Maltese woman who is dealing with terminal cancer (by the end of the year it has now consumed much of her life and she is very weak - Xarabank featured an update 2 weeks ago). What makes her special however is that in spite of this illness she has kept holding on and has not let it bring her down. She wrote a book this year about her journey and how she wished to keep on living. In a recent interview she has admitted that in the past few weeks it has become so bad that she has, at times, wished to die. However, her faith remained strong and she overcame those feeling. Doctors told her she wouldn't live anywhere close to this long, but she has. Looking at how the sickness has progressed this year, one can see that there may not be a lot of time left. She's hoping to stay around to see her niece's (I believe) birth. The best of luck from my end and, if and when the time does come to move on, here's hoping for a painless passing on to the next realm.
Annabelle Vassallo - Irrid Nghix
DOWN
A. Tea Party
Now we start with the crap. The Tea Party was among that crap this year. Basically these are a bunch of fundamentalists who don't believe that, among other things, the United States should join the developed world and have free health care for all. The fact that Sarah Palin is their ringleader should give you a hint regarding their legitimacy. Essentially, they're nothing but lonely buffoons who don't understand the value of looking our for your fellow man disguised as being concerned about expenditure. If you're so damn concerned about expenditure, stop sending your own people to fight in other countries and cut war spending.
Rally To Restore Sanity
B. USA Secret Dealings
Wikileaks exposed a lot of mundane cables...and nothing in particular has caused a single human being to be placed in danger. The only thing that has been placed in danger is the credibility of the US government. Apparently...they don't like us so much. There are a lot of dirty tricks messed up in there which bring shame to the nation. For example, pressuring Germany not to bring charges against American agents who erroneously kidnapped and detained a German national for months. SHAME! Clinton has asked diplomats to spy. SHAME! The US offered 'visits from Obama' as compensation for taking Guantanamo prisoners. Pathetic. There are a few others which are just as lame. The sad thing is, especially with regard to Clinton, they have tried to deny it when her signature clearly authorised the action. Clinton should have resigned there and then...but she's brushed it off. She was never cut out for politics...just months after her appointment to the cabinet she was shouting at students for having asked about her husband. Poor, poor work. Petty insecurity has no place in a nation's top diplomatic posts.
Hillary Clinton should resign
C. Taylor Momsen
Make way ladies and gentlemen, for the latest freak. With Britney Spears back in the world's good books, someone had to join Lindsay Lohan at the bottom of the cesspit. Momsen is a kid who's playing the goth victim in some feeble attempt to make herself seem like a streetwise adult and experienced, hurt individual. She needs to grow up, and I mean...actually grow up, not act grown up - badly. Her recent stunt - exposing herself during a show, isn't as perplexing as her mother's happy reaction to it. Looks like, yes, Virginia, in the case of weak kids like Taylor, it is the parents' fault. Also, for whatever reason, the local enforcement forces aren't pursuing Taylor for breaking the law...could it, perhaps, be because she's a girl? The way she attacks other celebrities is also a desperate cry for attention. People/production companies to cut her out the spotlight. If not for our benefit, then to make sure she doesn't become another early tragedy. Although, that would give her a lot of attention...maybe that's what she wants.
Leighton Meester
D. Miley Cyrus
Pretty much the same as above. The difference is that this one's now 18. I used to defend Miley in the beginning when I thought the media took things out of proportion, but as time has gone on she's done one stupid thing after the other. You can't call it 'growing' and 'learning' when it's being done intentionally. Her recent music video (I don't care enough to remember the name) was completely inappropriate for a girl who had not turned 18 yet. The same goes for her costumes and recurring antics. She and Momsen, who have fought in the past, better make friends real quick...because they'll be spending a lot of time together in the lesbian porn industry once no one else will want to be associated/work with them.
Ashley Tisdale
E. Decade Crashers
This one I came up with today to fill up the last spot. As we reach the end of 2010...that stupid debate of when a new decade/century/millenium begins has started back up. Let me make something clear...the 2010's decade started in - you guessed it, 2010. Look, I know there was no Year 0...but who the hell cares? If it makes you feel better, we can include 1 BC with the AD side as an honorary member. It's just a matter of simplicity and convenience in a complex and inconvenient world, okay? The new millenium started in 2000, the next century will start in 2100 and the 2010s decase is 10% over because it started in 2010. Can you just cut the crap now and stop being difficult by moving everything by a year. It's silly!
Give 2011 a warm welcome!
That last link was just for fun :) Anyway, that's the end of the blogpost. I must note that some of the links that were posted were not my first choice, as I wanted to steer clear of anything I'm personally attached to, they were the next best options.
A few hours ago I received an email from myself which I sent on October 22nd 2009 via Futureme.org. It was cool to read - I'd forgotten a lot of the things I wrote. That was pretty cool...I'd been waiting for a long time!
So...yeah, that's all I got. Happy New Year everyone!
Darryl, from Malta - Online.
Some of you may remember last year's New Years Eve post which looked at five things which made me happy and another 5 which made me angry during the year. I'm doing the same thing this year, with slight alterations - mainly that the things I mention needn't necessarily have made me particularly happy/angry but are things I feel deserve to be praised/criticised. As last year, the topics I have chosen are things which I have never blogged about - this was especially hard this year as there are a lot of things that need to be criticized (Malta's divorce movement)...but fair's fair.
This year I have had to leave out an issue which is very much deserving of praise because of my personal emotional investment in said issue. And, while I have no doubt that praise is deserved with or without me, in the interests of fairness and impartiality I have omitted it. (*issue could refer to anything from an event to a person...using the word 'issue' as it is generic).
As last year, these are in no particular order...
UP
A. Wikileaks
The first item on the 'Up' list this year is Wikileaks. This year they have put their safety at stake to bring truth to the people and therefore are good in my books. The shameful way some organizations have shunned them is pathetic (paypal for example). They show their lack of commitment to the truth and fairness and I will think twice about using any of their services in the future. Kudos to Wikileaks...and stay strong! Don't let the man bring you down.
Wikileaks
B. Homework-Free Schools
At least two schools in the United States (Grant Elementary School in Wyoming and an elementary school in Tennessee) have realised the importance of childhood. Both schools, and a few others I'm told, have taken the initiative to abolish homework for children. I cannot stress how important it is that this becomes a universal policy. Children should not be made to work overtime. I have a rant planned in the future about this as well as other issues related to education so I'll leave my complaints for then. In the meantime, I would like to congratulate and thank everyone involved in this policy at both schools as well as any other schools which have adopted similar policies. This is a great step in the right direction. (Link talks about school's doing this in the UK)
School's try abolishing homework
C. Chilean Miners
Without a doubt, one of 2010's most watched events was the explosion of the Chilean mine and the subsequent discovery and rescue of the survivors. Today, the miners are praised worldwide and, rightly so, have been given a few treats (football games and such). It's great to see so many people come together to help these 33 miners, but what's even greater was to see how these men survived and lived and worked together for months (both before and after the discovery) and became a family while still operating like a machine to make sure that no one got left behind and made it back to civilisation. Unfortunately, mankind has become accustomed to the 'every man for himself' philosophy so to see something like this unfold is encouraging.
Wikipedia article on the event
D. Hope For Haiti Now
The year began with a devastating earthquake in Haiti. Just like the mining accident, mankind joined together to help the people who had been affected. CNN correspondents to celebrities all pitched in to deliver aid to the country with the collapsed capital and put together an event (Hope For Haiti Now) which allowed the general public to contribute too. Also of note is the collaboration between Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to set up the fund for Haiti. As I said earlier, a rare display of compassion is always notable.
Hope For Haiti Now
E. Annabelle Vassallo
('Irrid Nghix' means 'I want to live')
Annabelle Vassallo was brought to the forefront earlier this year when Xarabank dedicated a program to her (or maybe 2...I can't remember). She's a Maltese woman who is dealing with terminal cancer (by the end of the year it has now consumed much of her life and she is very weak - Xarabank featured an update 2 weeks ago). What makes her special however is that in spite of this illness she has kept holding on and has not let it bring her down. She wrote a book this year about her journey and how she wished to keep on living. In a recent interview she has admitted that in the past few weeks it has become so bad that she has, at times, wished to die. However, her faith remained strong and she overcame those feeling. Doctors told her she wouldn't live anywhere close to this long, but she has. Looking at how the sickness has progressed this year, one can see that there may not be a lot of time left. She's hoping to stay around to see her niece's (I believe) birth. The best of luck from my end and, if and when the time does come to move on, here's hoping for a painless passing on to the next realm.
Annabelle Vassallo - Irrid Nghix
DOWN
A. Tea Party
Now we start with the crap. The Tea Party was among that crap this year. Basically these are a bunch of fundamentalists who don't believe that, among other things, the United States should join the developed world and have free health care for all. The fact that Sarah Palin is their ringleader should give you a hint regarding their legitimacy. Essentially, they're nothing but lonely buffoons who don't understand the value of looking our for your fellow man disguised as being concerned about expenditure. If you're so damn concerned about expenditure, stop sending your own people to fight in other countries and cut war spending.
Rally To Restore Sanity
B. USA Secret Dealings
Wikileaks exposed a lot of mundane cables...and nothing in particular has caused a single human being to be placed in danger. The only thing that has been placed in danger is the credibility of the US government. Apparently...they don't like us so much. There are a lot of dirty tricks messed up in there which bring shame to the nation. For example, pressuring Germany not to bring charges against American agents who erroneously kidnapped and detained a German national for months. SHAME! Clinton has asked diplomats to spy. SHAME! The US offered 'visits from Obama' as compensation for taking Guantanamo prisoners. Pathetic. There are a few others which are just as lame. The sad thing is, especially with regard to Clinton, they have tried to deny it when her signature clearly authorised the action. Clinton should have resigned there and then...but she's brushed it off. She was never cut out for politics...just months after her appointment to the cabinet she was shouting at students for having asked about her husband. Poor, poor work. Petty insecurity has no place in a nation's top diplomatic posts.
Hillary Clinton should resign
C. Taylor Momsen
Make way ladies and gentlemen, for the latest freak. With Britney Spears back in the world's good books, someone had to join Lindsay Lohan at the bottom of the cesspit. Momsen is a kid who's playing the goth victim in some feeble attempt to make herself seem like a streetwise adult and experienced, hurt individual. She needs to grow up, and I mean...actually grow up, not act grown up - badly. Her recent stunt - exposing herself during a show, isn't as perplexing as her mother's happy reaction to it. Looks like, yes, Virginia, in the case of weak kids like Taylor, it is the parents' fault. Also, for whatever reason, the local enforcement forces aren't pursuing Taylor for breaking the law...could it, perhaps, be because she's a girl? The way she attacks other celebrities is also a desperate cry for attention. People/production companies to cut her out the spotlight. If not for our benefit, then to make sure she doesn't become another early tragedy. Although, that would give her a lot of attention...maybe that's what she wants.
Leighton Meester
D. Miley Cyrus
Pretty much the same as above. The difference is that this one's now 18. I used to defend Miley in the beginning when I thought the media took things out of proportion, but as time has gone on she's done one stupid thing after the other. You can't call it 'growing' and 'learning' when it's being done intentionally. Her recent music video (I don't care enough to remember the name) was completely inappropriate for a girl who had not turned 18 yet. The same goes for her costumes and recurring antics. She and Momsen, who have fought in the past, better make friends real quick...because they'll be spending a lot of time together in the lesbian porn industry once no one else will want to be associated/work with them.
Ashley Tisdale
E. Decade Crashers
This one I came up with today to fill up the last spot. As we reach the end of 2010...that stupid debate of when a new decade/century/millenium begins has started back up. Let me make something clear...the 2010's decade started in - you guessed it, 2010. Look, I know there was no Year 0...but who the hell cares? If it makes you feel better, we can include 1 BC with the AD side as an honorary member. It's just a matter of simplicity and convenience in a complex and inconvenient world, okay? The new millenium started in 2000, the next century will start in 2100 and the 2010s decase is 10% over because it started in 2010. Can you just cut the crap now and stop being difficult by moving everything by a year. It's silly!
Give 2011 a warm welcome!
That last link was just for fun :) Anyway, that's the end of the blogpost. I must note that some of the links that were posted were not my first choice, as I wanted to steer clear of anything I'm personally attached to, they were the next best options.
A few hours ago I received an email from myself which I sent on October 22nd 2009 via Futureme.org. It was cool to read - I'd forgotten a lot of the things I wrote. That was pretty cool...I'd been waiting for a long time!
So...yeah, that's all I got. Happy New Year everyone!
Darryl, from Malta - Online.
Labels: Annabelle Vassallo, Chile, Clinton, Haiti, Miley Cyrus, New Year, school, Taylor Momsen, tea party, Wikileaks, Wikipedia
posted by Darryl | 1:10 PM
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