I have been well, busy but well. other than being severely disappointed about how the whole Rudd-Gillard thing panned out (surely they didn’t need to do something so drastic and severely embarassing), life has been strangely a non-event.

So, here’s a few links instead of the normal range of useless, self-entitled sundries:

- China’s taking over the world, one Failed State at a time. Just because they are small, unsuccessful, doesn’t mean they are completely useless. Look out America & Taiwan.

- Obama’s constantly put off visits to Australia, on grounds of a troubled home, fair enough. Albeit, had he came in as he intended to the last time, it might have saved Rudd’s job. Might have. That Julia Gillard sent her deputy, Wayne Swan, in place of herself, is not entirely a bad thing, albeit it might have seen like a slight.

However, despite whatever’s been said or done, it is still highly unclear what kind of relationship America & Australia has. Obama & Rudd didn’t have the type of “friendship” that Bush and Howard had. Similarly, such a quick change of leadership is not going to help this already “platonic” relationship further.

so when Obama said he’s backing “Australia’s Commitment at G20″, I am not quite sure if he knows what he is backing.

(although, maybe the US decided that they would just save themselves from knowing what’s going on in Australian politics until the next election is over LOL, too much effort to keep changing websites, folders, files and other paperwork!)

- on the topic of politics, the shuffle of the cabinet is now complete, with Rudd kept out of the cabinet entirely. This is understandable on many grounds. Firstly, his desire to spend some quality time with his family. Then there’s his desire to contest his seat in Griffith for the next election. considering that the election can be any time between now and April 2011, this is very little time indeed.

Furthermore, he was recently dumped as a Prime Minister – the top role. it wouldn’t make sense to put him in a position of power so soon after that, diminished or otherwise. it would be embarassing for him and awkward for others. This is simply not the right time. While I really disliked what happened, I am glad that they have at least given him this, even if it’s to (ultimately) leave him out of any decision making.

- What to do about Asylum Seekers? considering that the numbers of asylum seekers is almost that of a nation itself, you might think they would just find an unpopulated island somewhere and just make a new country out of it. Or, better yet, just reclaim some land in the Pacific, call it the UN, and they can all be there. That’s probably the easiest solution.

unfortunately, there’s a lot of “asylum seekers”, and not all of them are genuinely needing the asylum they so seek, as indicated by the article. I have discovered that many, and this is from some that I have had the chance to speak to, are inclined to just depend on the goodwill of the nation that they manage to get refuge from. As in, they are not here because they desire work, security, stability. They are here because, wow, Australia treats their refugees really well.

This completely flies in the face of people who worked hard, who study hard and toil constantly to get their residency recognised by the state, including handing out money for it, and there’s still a 50-50 chance of being denied.

7 years ago, I would have sympathized and rally for their rights to be recognised by another nation’s government. 7 years is a long time to realise that not all refugees are genuine, to experience to complete lack of respect for others, the complete lack of respect for work ethics and the sheer wilfulness that people have in manipulating the system to their wants. It is, quite frankly, really disgusting.

and 7 years is a long time to grow up to realise that not all refugees are really refugees – they can, quite possibly, be the very criminals we want to keep out of Australia, despite whatever they say.

p.s Christmas Island used to be Singapore’s!!

- I never knew internship means partying and living it up! I thought it’s meant to let the bosses see you work your ass off real good, without asking much in return, and then hopefully landing a job thereafter. This is mad hah! getting parties and stuff, I knew I should have stuck to my guns and made my dad see the light and let me study in the US!

- meanwhile, there might never be a viagra for women (besides, why would we need them?) since women are too complex for any pills… Men, it seems, are such simple creatures (HAAHAHAHAHAHAHA), while women are quite possibly mostly bisexual, or just really really good at getting aroused yet keeping their heads.