Comments on: Hell

By: skepticlawyer » Bushfires

skepticlawyer » Bushfires — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:50:04 +0000

[...] And Guy Beres, Pavlov’s Cat, Helen at Cast Iron Balcony, Bruce at Thinker’s Podium, Tim Blair and the Hoydens all have posts too. [...]

By: Helen

Helen — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:12:17 +0000

Since I rang the blood bank on Monday, I haven’t been able to even get in the queue. They have taken my name and number to get back to me (think I’ll ring them again anyway). That is very heartening.

By: Wildfire « Penguin unearthed

Wildfire « Penguin unearthed — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:04:13 +0000

[...] Several others have urged blood donations if you’re local – burns victims need lots of blood products. [...]

By: ThirdCat

ThirdCat — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:13:11 +0000

All of my news is from the internet – mostly The Age and the ABC website…it’s true what AOF says, realising the true awfulness of it all is still to come. If listening to their stories helps, then that’s what I’ll do. It still doesn’t seem like much though.

By: Fignatz

Fignatz — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:29:08 +0000

another outspoken female’s comment about the TV news coverage is right. I live just outside Brisbane, and last night Channel 7 Brisbane had our local anchorwoman on the ground in Victoria, getting in the way and asking survivors stupid questions like: “How do you feel?”. Sure, as a human being concerned about others, I want to know what’s happening, but I don’t want to feel dirty from the experience.

By: Barista » Blog Archive » five coverage

Barista » Blog Archive » five coverage — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 04:45:48 +0000

[...] More on the dug-outs at the Black Friday site; my friends Helen and Armagnac have more, which will take you onward. [...]

By: Deborah

Deborah — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:16:24 +0000

Deborah, sorry for succumbing to the temptation to poke your fish that you keep in that there barrel with a stick.

Yeah… that’s precisely why I backed off. Fish and barrels, that is. But very happy to have your input, and fp has made a very strong comment too. I suspect we’re going to get roasted in her next monthly column.

As for the bush fires, I’ve started to try to watch and listen and read people’s stories. I can do the practical help things, but it is good to bear witness too.

By: another outspoken female

another outspoken female — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:03:28 +0000

I sat glued to 774 from 5.30 on Sunday morning til falling asleep on monday night. Somehow, though listening to people’s stories is harrowing it feels less ghoulish than when they have a camera shoved in their face. What I did see on the TV news was recycled, the same vision both nights, not identifying the locations they were showing behind their commentary and generally confusing. But radio is fabulous and in some cases saved lives. Toughened old radio hands were crying with empathy.

As part of the grief process people often need to tell their stories repeatedly (there’s even a study which gives it a number – in the 100′s). We can’t feel their pain but we can witness it, donate money/blood (though the blood banks blanket ban on taking blood from gay men and a whole heap of other sexual exclusions, is ludicrous) and realize that long after the news crews have gone home, the true devastation is going to hit these people. Maybe Melbourne people can offer time and resources to actually help people rebuild when the time comes and other such things?

By: Hattie

Hattie — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:10:37 +0000

The original settlers cut down the redwoods in the Berkeley-Oakland hills and replanted in eucalyptus. They were greedy but not too clever.

By: Amagny

Amagny — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:31:49 +0000

Amen. Shit, unbelievable.