Webdiary - Founded and Inspired by Margo Kingston

When I found that the Australians are still reading China through Chairman Mao in 21st Century, I was overwhelmed by the frustration of misunderstanding at first.

As an avid film enthusiast, it gives me great interest to be up to date with the latest entertainment technologies. I am watching the take-up of Blu-ray in Australia with much anticipation, and am eager to hear other peoples view on the subject.

Turnbull does pose a greater degree of competition for Rudd than Nelson did, as he represents the kind of break with the Howard years that afforded Labor such an easy victory earlier in the year. However, the extent to which this benefits Turnbull is questionable.

In this age of environmental awareness and carbon footprint-counting, we are inundated with green alternatives and pressured into offsetting emissions, but are these initiatives really making a difference to climate change or are they just another money making ploy?

“I intend to reintroduce my motion to disallow Medicare funding following the report of the Senate Committee”. These words said by Liberal Senator for Tasmania, Guy Barnett, this week in the Sydney Morning Herald, were rapidly spread all over the web.

Everyone has the right to protection of some sort. Builders working in particularly hazardous situations are given danger pay – a big bonus on top of their regular pay. Similarly, cab drivers should be afforded protection if and when they want it.

Will the current crisis in the global financial markets adversely affect Australia? Will a sick passenger on a Chatswood train disrupt the Bankstown service? The answer to both these seemingly unrelated questions is something along the lines of “we don’t know for sure. Even if we did, there is probably not much we can do”. Complex networks of tracks or markets definitely have a downside.

The name Sarah Palin is one that has resonated in Australia within the last month, for all the wrong reasons. Her personal life has been the focus in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian amongst others. I’m very aware of whom Sarah Palin is but if questioned on all of her political views, without thorough research, I’d be a little rusty.

The Pemulwuy Project has finally reached exhibition stage and it is now a waiting game for approval. According to Peter Valilis of the Aboriginal Housing Company, “the only reason the project would be knocked back is because the powers that be do not want Aboriginal people back on the Block”.

There was some relief when the Reserve Bank of Australia reduced interest rates and banks also reduced mortgage interest rates. Hopefully, the employment situation will remain stable so that the middle class can hold on to their jobs to support their mortgage payments. Meanwhile, there are signs that property prices are dropping. But this is a double-edged sword ...

What an amazing victory for Australian media. Connecting Australia to the heartwarming stories which demonstrate the strength of the human spirit to rise above physical and mental challenges shows our dedication to all of our athletes, limitations or not.

The Tcard moves transport ticketing into the entirely electronic realm, even claiming the eventual possibility for mobile phone ticketing. While innovative in its concept, the drastic change has many commuters worried.

Although these smoking campaigns might be successful, I really wonder if it is necessary to broadcast them on national television. The commercials are very graphical and don’t leave anything to the imagination. By broadcasting them on prime time television every viewer, whether a smoker or not, is exposed to the same horrifying images.

Youtube has given a voice to those who otherwise would not be heard by the masses... The personal nature of Youtube videos makes the delivery of the tragic messages from those tangled up in the euthanasia debate all the more confronting – and, as we’ve seen through Australia’s reaction to Ms Flowers’ video, all the more effective.

As more and more international student are coming to Australia, education has become a big export industry. However, some social issues concerned with overseas students are becoming stubborn.

Burwood (NSW) is a multicultural suburb. Ethnic Chinese are the most populous minority in this area. They have been integrated with the host society and feel an increasing consciousness of taking part in politics. Chinese citizens are no longer marginal and spectators of elections. Chinese people’s sense of political participation in Australia is rising. It is manifested in [various] ways...

Who would think of celebrating mateship with a glass of mineral water? Who would have a dry ANZAC day? Alcohol is a central part of Australian social and cultural events which we mark as significant by drinking.

It was only when the Webdiary mailbox started bulging with contributions late this week that we realized that having a piece published on Webdiary was part of the students’ assessment in their Online Journalism unit...

It’s easy to ignore a broken bank as just another greedy institution and that deserves their demise. Not so when you are the nations largest childcare provider to hundreds of thousands of working families. The challenge here is whether the government should intervene and nationalise a private sector entity to ensure delivery of a vital piece of social infrastructure.

Hodges [a candidate in the recent council election for Sutherland Shire (NSW)] has every right to campaign and seek media attention to boost his voting numbers; however, when did racial campaigning become such a news story and part of the normal election process?

Australia’s censorship laws came under tight scrutiny at an Arts Censorship Forum convened after the recent furore surrounding artist Bill Henson’s latest exhibition. Hetty Johnston, executive director of child protection agency Bravehearts, called for an arts tribunal to be set up that artists must first approach before working with children.

In this digital age, when people are getting quite comfortable with shopping, learning, socialising and even managing their bank accounts online, why is having an online picture of the front of their houses becoming so controversial? Is Google Street View really invading our privacy?

Plans are in the works for the facelift of the North Eveleigh / Redfern area. Preparations for the redevelopment began in 2005 and recently went public in April 2008. As part of the North Eveleigh Redevelopment Project, the historical section of North Eveleigh is being renovated or, in some cases, removed completely.

No doubt, Australians will be stunned to know that this is the first instance – ever – that the topic of “Stroganoff” has been raised in Parliament. And for that, Mr Murphy should be congratulated – after all, breaking new ideological ground is what being a member of parliament in the southern hemisphere’s greatest democracy is all about.

Remember a time when cars were only used to get you somewhere or get you laid? Well, the quaint notion that motor vehicles only be used for driving and sex is old school – territory for nostalgia buffs and Webdiarists.

Terrorism also does not appear to be a major factor when it comes to who they vote for as president in the upcoming elections. Only 12% of Americans consider it an important factor when casting their vote.

My hope is to become fully engaged with this community while learning as much as possible about the online blogging sites by the time I am finished with my studies here. However, after I am finished, I hope to remain an integral part of this community and take it with me to wherever I am headed next –the beauty of the web.

Margo and I have been talking since the Byron Writer's festival last year about getting students involved in Webdiary - in writing,commenting and site building/maintenance. But this can only happen if the Webdiary community is willing to embrace it.