Greg Bird is a player in the National Rugby League and Katie Milligan is his American girlfriend. Early last week, Greg allegedly glassed Katie in the eye while arguing in his apartment. When they were attended to in a hospital, they had told medical staff that it was Greg’s friend Brent Watson who did it.
Luckily, Brent was not stupid and he also had a solid alibi. He went to the police and told his version of events. Greg Bird was then charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and his league club the Cronulla Sharks had stood him down indefinitely.
So I’m trying to understand Katie’s actions and logic here. Perhaps this is his first violent outburst, or perhaps she thought that she was to be blamed for provoking him. And she thought it’s probably not worth it to trash his reputation and career over, so she had agreed with him to frame a friend of his. In the heat of the moment, I can sorta understand how all of that could have happened.
But what went through the minds of these two deluded individuals to make them think that Brent Watson was just going to quietly take the wrap for something that he didn’t do? Friends or not, this was something ridiculous to expect a person to do.
And after being discharged from hospital, we’ve now learnt that Katie had signed with a lawyer linked to Greg’s management. Which probably means that she’s still on his side, potentially hampering police investigations into the assault.
All of which begs the question? Why do seemingly intelligent women put up with violent men and make excuses for them? I can understand it if children are involved and leaving the man is not a simple thing to do. I can even understand it if the woman is financially dependent on the man.
But with Katie, none of this applies. Helping him excuse his behaviour away and trying to cover up for him is the first step to something worst. Katie was lucky not to have lost her eye. Next time might be a different story. And if next time, she still sticks up for him then she really deserves the man that she’s got.
Because she’s shown to him that he can do whatever he wants with her, she can forget about getting any respect or dignity from him. Why should he when she doesn’t even have respect and dignity for herself?
An animal lover, Mooiness is also a party animal (on weekends only) who blogs brilliantly about the night life in Australia and his admiration for babes.
Why thank you very much! Erm yeah I always have a problem with such high praise. I only hope that I don’t suck from hereon. Heh.
But yeah she’s right on all counts. I have a pet staffordshire-terrier cross called “Snoop” whom I love running and playing with.
Her name is Tsun and she presents the weather. The puns just write themselves.
Angela Tsun is a UNSW graduate in communications, was a presenter for The Weather Channel for 4 years, did a stint on the short-lived Ralph TV and the requisite Ralph photo shoot, and has now landed herself in Perth a couple of months ago as the weather person for Channel Nine Perth.
When I first heard about her and her name, I had thought, “What lucky Chinese bastard got to marry this girl?!” Then I found out that her father is half-Chinese, thus making her a quart Asian hottie.
But too bad so sad, she isn’t available last I read. Never mind. If her father can snag a blonde hottie who presumably is where Angela gets her good looks from (I mean look at her!), there’s hope for the rest of you lot yet. Then again, her father being half-Chinese probably means he’s got that dark hunky Eurasian look which probably tipped things in his favour.
Oh well, back to dreaming about it then you guys.
Click on the image to get the bigger version. Go on, you know you want to.
Watching the Chinese Olympics during the past 2 weeks, and especially the opening and closing ceremonies where Chinese art and culture were represented so impressively, I can’t help but feel a tinge of pride of being Chinese. Even though I’m two generations removed from my Chinese roots (born in Malaysia, transplated to Australia), culturally I’m Chinese even though by nationality, I’m Australian.
Like I’m sure how an Irish, Greek or Italian Australian would feel when something special happens in their motherlands, so it was that I felt pride by association. But of course, lest we forget there are still many problems within and outside of China. The issue of Tibet, the enormous gap between the rich and sophisticated urbanites and the poor and disenfranchised in the city slums and rural areas; cultural suppression of ethic minorities; indirect Chinese sponsorship of African dictatorships in exchange for steady supplies of raw materials and fuel.
So yeah, China has put on a great show for us during the past 16 days. But when the factories open tomorrow, and the roads clogged with vehicles and the air becomes murky with pollution again, let’s hope that China can create a clean and harmonious environment in and around itself, metaphorically and literally, without having to resort to a show to distract us from the reality.
The above two ads are part of the Western Australian Government’s awareness campaign about the new laws against “one punch deaths”. One punch deaths are so called because the victim dies from falling and hitting their heads as the result of a punch. In the ads, a common scenario is depicted: 3 friends out clubbing and drinking, and as they are walking at the end of the night, a stranger bumps into one of them. What happens next will change the course of two person’s lives.
Why is this special law needed?
Attorney General Jim McGinty said that under the new law, it did not matter whether the death was foreseeable or whether the attacker actually intended to kill.
“If the victim dies, the attacker can be held accountable for that death and be liable for up to 10 years’ imprisonment,” Mr McGinty said.
“There have been several high profile one-punch cases in WA where attackers have been acquitted of manslaughter because it could not be proved that they could have foreseen their actions would cause their victims to die.
“The victims’ families have been rightfully outraged that the people they hold responsible for their loved ones’ deaths have not been convicted of a crime.
“This new offence reinforces community expectations that violent attacks, such as a blow to the head, are unacceptable. When people die as a result of such attacks, their attackers will now be held accountable for the full consequences of their violence.”
As a person who goes out a lot, hanging around bars and clubs and boozed up people, I can confirm that what the TV ads show is very real. The ad campaign will also see posters and coasters displayed in drinking venues (in the toilets too I hope). I think it’s tax payers’ money well-spent because it can potentially save more from reduced hospitalisation, prosecution and incarceration.
Yeah there will still be people who will be too drunk on the night to remember or care about this new law but they will be the minority. And if they kill someone, at least now they won’t get off that easily.
Being the good neutral friend takes effort. Picture these dilemmas:
There’s a gathering, a dinner or a house party, clubbing, going out. Everyone knows each other except some of the people in the group aren’t told about it. Over the week, you strive to not talk about the gathering to those who aren’t going. But they ask you what you are doing on the weekend. Do you lie or tell the truth?
Me: Lying would just make a bigger mess of things, so I’d just tell the truth but I’d employ some tact and try not to sound too excited about it.
You know friend A for a long time. Then you meet friend B, a long time friend of friend A. Friend B and you click very well and you end up seeing each other more than friend A. Do you feel guilty about it, and do you try to split your time between the two equally, or try to involve both friend A and friend B in whatever plans you might have?
Me: if I know friend B no longer enjoys friend A’s company then I’d try to split my time equally. Forced company is not good company. And if you are fair about it, then the problem between friend A and friend B isn’t really yours to worry about.
You hear friend A make a small complain about friend B. It’s something really petty and it’s probably nothing. Do you tell friend B anyway? And do you care that friend A will know that you were the one who told friend B?
Me: I’d shut up about it. I won’t even add my two cents into it. I’ll just listen and let them vent. If friend B is also bitching about friend A, then I’d subtly ask them individually this question, “why are you still friends?”
Although it takes effort, being the good neutral friend is a good long term strategy I think. When one doesn’t lie, is fair and is discreet, then I think one would earn other people’s trust. And trust is a very good foundation to build a long lasting friendship on.
I replied with a “Hell yeah! Send me some free stuff!”
A week later, a non-descript box landed on my doorstep. It felt heavy and I could hear the clanking of metallic cans. Awesome.
Inside it were 9 cans of Mother, a letter with a crushed can of the old Mother, and a mysterious looking piece of brown plastic.
What was it? This! Bullsballs.com! Balls to drink Mother? I has them!
Oh and this is how big a 500mL can looks in my hands. Yes I’ve got small hands, but it’s still a big 500mL can of caffeine and sugary, artificial fruit juice goodness! Yeaaaah boyyyyy!
Yeah I know - I’m doing exactly what the PR company had wanted me to do. Send me some free stuff, watch me blog it, and get some cheap publicity and advertising. But hey, I got free merchandise too so it’s a win-win situation. Besides, I wouldn’t say I like drinking the stuff if I didn’t. And yeah, Converse and Adidas? I like your stuff too.
And so, being the good corporate shill that I am, I interrupt this post with some words from our sponsor.
Personally, they should have just sent me some of that old Mother instead of crushing them. But hey, this is the price of progress! Thanks again Stuart!
