With all of the original kerfuffle about young Jessica Watson's solo around the world sailing, and now as we come to her completion of that awesome voyage, I am reminded of a song that I have on an old 78 rpm record called "The Lone Girl Flyer" sung about one Amy Johnson.
The first words go: "From England to Aussie is a long, long way, but the lone girl flyer started out one day..."
To listen to that old record, with the vocals in that ancient nasaly sound when sung through a megapgone, evokes the kind of respect that is reserved for but a few, those who dared and did.
In 1930 Amy Johnson was a slender blue-eyed girl that stood 5 feet, 4 inches tall. She flew solo from England to Australia (with more than a few mishaps along the way) and achieved a dream. She didn't beat Bert Hinkler's record, but she did what she set out to do.
She was 14.
I can't help but see similarities between Jessica Watson and Amy Johnson. Both in their teens, setting off on magnificent solo adventures. Both facing dangers which could cause their demise. Both battling the elements. Both succeeding.
In Jessica's case, she too may not set a record, but I'm sure she will be regarded as a true adventurer, with the guts and determination to see her adventure through.
To all of those people who said "she's too young" or "she's too inexperienced", I say "she's too good! "
If everyone sat in their cosy little boxes and never dared to go on an adventure, this would be a very boring world. It is the Jessica Watsons, and Amy Johnsons, and every other adventurer, no matter what their goal, that inspires other to get out there and "have a go."
Maybe someone will pen a song: "The Lone Girl Sailor"
Jessica Watson, you are a true achiever!
ABC News had an item headlined: "Magnate says Swan lying about mining tax"
source:http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/13/2898653.htm
They then go on to explain that the mining magnate, Clive Palmer is a major donor to the Liberal Party. I must congratulate the ABC for at least disclosing this fact so the reader can then take Mr Palmer's coments in the correct context, i.e. that he is a Liberal party donor whinging about a tax that the Labor party imposed. His comments that he "genuinely believes the proposed tax is bad for Australia" and "neither the tax, nor Mr Rudd's political career, will last long" can then be taken as a comment from the Liberal party, not simply a comment from an affected mining magnate. If his statement "I don't have to fight the tax; I've got plenty of money, I can go and live in Monaco and have a great life" is so true, then the only conclusion that the reader can come to is that Mr Palmer has his own political aspersions.
The headline, however conveys the thought that the magnate knows something that we, the reader do not.
Nowhere in the item did Mr palmer provide any proof of his accusations. This means that anyone can make outrageous comments and rediculous predictions, solely based on their political affiliations, without any proof or in depth analysis.
It is high time that the headlines for news items reflect the true content of that item, so maybe it should have simply read:
"Liberal Party Funder Whinges about Tax"
