"American" Idol

I have been watching the American Idol beyond the auditions this year, perhaps because the final 24 were quite talented and when it came to the top ten, they were brilliant. There are a couple of singers I don't care for, but for the most part, it is a talented line up. But I wondered if America would vote for an Australian, Irish, Filipino or a Japanese singer for that matter. All of them reside in the US and obviously qualified to be on the show, but the cynic in me was doubtful.

The Japanese singer was first to go, can't remember his name, and his Filipino friend followed shortly after (in all fairness, the others were way better than her and I was not surprised, but she was cute and did a great job while on the show). Last night the Australian, Michael Johns, was eliminated and he is very very talented. The Irish girl, Carly, was also in the bottom three. She will go soon. I hate to put a political spin on a show like American Idol, but it is through programs like this you sometimes get a feel for what is really going on in people's minds. Some may argue the song choice...I disagree, Kristy Lee Cook who really doesn't belong in that show has managed to stay on. Perhaps there are more men (and lesbians) voting.

If Americans cannot vote for a foreign born pop idol...what are the odds that they will vote for a President who actually tans rather than turning red in the sun?

Why?

There was a bomb explosion on Sunday in Sri Lanka that killed a number of people. So many have been killed in that bloody war and more that I have lost count and cannot afford to care anymore if I am to retain my sanity (at least whatever is left of it). So I heard the news and tried not to process it, especially since so many civilians had died in the blast and they were about to begin a marathon, a reasonably happy occasion you would think.

On Tuesday, I go into work and log onto my email and there was a message with the subject "Sunday's Bomb Blast" in my mail box. I saw the paper clip on it and was a little concerned that it might be pictures, but then I usually don't receive repulsive pictures from that specific sender so I open it, and lo and behold, there are pictures of body parts scattered and 'officials' removing body parts, not bodies. Because that is what happens when bombs go off, you just have to clean up the flesh and blood and all things gory, there are few in tact bodies to remove. And for anyone involved there is little you can do to rid your brain of that smell, the smell of burnt flesh. It stays with you for life. I deleted the email as soon as I had opened it, wishing I had not seen what I had.

But this left me wondering why we take pictures of things like that and circulate it. I know that news organisations do it for the sensationalism. But to email these pictures? There is no "viewer discretion advisory" on these emails and so there is no warning of what is to come. What is it about humans that makes us take some sort of perverse pleasure in viewing pictures like that? I can't help but wish I were not human and can remove myself from all of this madness of killing and exploding and wars...none of them have any rationale whatsoever except in the minds of those killers.

Daffodils

Spring always arrives for me with the arrival of the daffodils, all over the city as volunteers raise funds for the Cancer Society. I was well into adulthood when I saw a real daffodil and I was struck by its beautiful form and colour. Spring can take a while arriving, but the daffodils come out and smile in all their radiance, promising you warmer weather. The hyacinths and crocuses all come out at this time too, and they are just as beautiful, but daffodils are the most cheerful of all, at least I think so. So this week's picture is just that..my daffodils coming up in my little garden. I can't wait!!