One thing that has come out of the financial crisis is the questioning of executive pay packages.  It seems that they were excessive, which is probably true, however the government thinks that they need to do something about it for some strange reason.  Whilst the government does and probably should determine minimum and award wages (and sets them far too low in my opinion) most salaries are market determined and up to employers an employees to negotiate – sometimes with some help from unions.  The focus has always been on making sure wages are not too low, rather than too high.  Essentially the market will determine what is too high.  Until now.

The US is looking at introducing a salary cap and I have heard (but not been able to verify) that the UK has actually done the same for some years.  Apparently all these corporate fat cats can not be trusted to determine their own salaries and the government needs to interfere.  Australia is not following suit entirely, but trying something more subtle – a so called ‘fat cat tax.’  And for some reason all of these things seem like a good idea.  Especially to Australians.  I feel the term ‘tall poppy syndrome’ coming on in this discussion.

Lately looking at the rhetoric surrounding new tax increases – such as changes in the luxury car tax, insurance premiums on bank deposits over $1million, increased income tax – the discourse is largely moral and I think that it’s wrong.  In an attempt to justify why people should have their money and assets taken from them, there seems to be a lot of name calling – fat cats, corporate greed, elite, rich, luxury, high income earner.  None of them are meant to have good connotation, and have an element of moral judgment.  It seems, that if you have amassed wealth for yourself, you must be corrupt, dishonest and greedy, because no normal person would want to do well for themselves, would they?  And if you’re corrupt, dishonest and greedy, you deserve your money taken off you.  Heck, they’re lucky we don’t throw them in jail.

I find it somewhat disturbing.  I also find it quite Marxian, but I’ll leave that for now.  The fact of the matter is, we actually do want people to head up companies, start companies and grow their wealth.  The reason for this is that it provides jobs for the rest of us (me included, especially as one of those other evil people – a consultant) and that what is given back to the community by way of taxation and benevolent donations actually benefits every one.  What we don’t want to do is discourage enterprise and people making money, or create a legislative and tax environment where people are actually more inclined to send money and make investments abroad.

On top of that the assumption that wealthy people or high income earners are corrupt is probably not a valid one.  There are plenty of benevolent people with money, and there are, I’m sure, many business owners and leaders who are actually good people when you can get them away from their office for more than 5 minutes.  By the same token there are plenty of morally corrupt people without a dollar to their name.  But we’re not about to put a tax on people for being bastards.  This whole rich = evil, poor = honest discourse really needs to be challenged, especially as it’s increasingly becoming the basis for government decisions.  Moreover, despite running our government and taxation systems on this basis for decades, it still really hasn’t addressed any inequalities in circumstance.

I just got a call and the news is now that the show will probably go to air in September and the series will screen until the end of the year before finishing up.  I am still bound by an NDA, however I have written up my blog entries so that when it does screen you can find out about what was going on behind the scenes when it does go to air.

I've just read online that Temptation has been indefinitely put on hold and the episodes filmed so far (13 of them) will not go to air.  Some further reading reveals that Temptation's audience is between 900,000 and 1.1 million a night, where as Two and a Half Men's is between 1.1 million and 1.3 million.  Some attribute this to viewers abandoning Big Brother.  All I can say is the Australian viewing audience has shattered a dream for me.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23831808-5006002,00.html

To celebrate the last year I shall note things I’ve learned, discovered or achieved in the last year:

*Not all reality TV is bad.  Reality TV with people doing dumb, boring or vain stuff – Big Brother, So You Think I You Can Dance?, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here - is bad.  Reality TV where people are improving themselves or the country is awesome – Ladette to Lady, The Biggest Looser, Border Security.

*With a decent boss I can be functional in the workplace and am competent for leadership.  I will be promoted before the end of the year!  I’m sure!

*Contrary to popular belief I can go out with someone for more than 2 months without getting bored.

*Contrary to popular belief someone can go out with me for a year and not subject themselves or me to some sort of harm.

*I can keep up with the blog, even though with a little less fervour, for more than a few months.

*Not every one loves John Howard or Brendan Nelson with the same fervour I do.

*Most Australians, especially myself, are not getting paid enough – disturbingly my mother was right.

*Jeeves and Wooster is hyped up too much.

*Not every one can see Rudd is a giant, sanctimonious bullying phoney the way I can.

*People can be pro-union/ALP and still screw over their workers, just ask my brother!

*There are an awful lot of people publishing an awful lot of stuff that goes unread and is harmful to trees (I’ve read less than half of my professional publications, and the number of BS management books which exist is phenomenal!

*Most of Brisbane thinks Campbell Newman is as awesome as I do.

*A year is not such a long time to travel to a country, unless it’s you that’s travelling.  I will miss my cousin.

*It takes more than a gym membership to get fit.  You actually have to go.

*Apparently merger with the Nats can equal them joining us, hence I can support the idea.

*My more normal well-balanced friends are not in politics, but the more interesting ones definitely are.

*The creeping hand of socialism has a far reach and is responsible for most of the drop kicks I've met in the last year.

*Hello Kitty is still best understood by Japanese people and those of us who have been there and loved the country.

*My loans are more than half paid off.  Personal loans are the source of all that is evil in my financial world, but a symptom of the economic climate in which we live (rather than me being an “I want it now” gen Xer/Yer.

*You can get over travelling for work really really quickly, especially when it’s not just your mother nagging you about never seeing you.

*Apparently you should have a pap smear once you’re over 21 even if you’re not sexually active.

*More friends than I thought have been affected by a cheating partner/boyfriend etc.  This is disturbing in it’s contribution to emotional baggage and that it doesn’t mean you instantly get dumped the way I’d been led to believe.  Very strange.

*Friends come and go but you keep up with them.  Enemies come and go and you celebrate.

*I mostly win (but not always) at poker, I mostly lose at roulette.

*Sometimes the person at the top is not a complete bastard.

*Facebook is dangerous, addictive and a new source of gossip.

*I definitely prefer Christians who have become Christians rather than grown up in a Christian family, especially a Presbyterian one (for a start, far less judgemental and more down to earth).

*Most of my friends are more godly than me, especially in their decision to go into full time ministry (or a lobby group if you like).

*Most people definitely need to read more fiction, stop worrying about the future and take some time to do something daring/out of their comfort zones.

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I am disappointed to say, that after a busy weekend and being sick today, there is stil no 2nd Anniversary blog.  Also in the absence of other suggestions, I may get a little bit reflective on the year which has passed instead.

Once again the 10th of June marks the anniversary of this blog - two years this time.  And once again I'd like to give you the opportinity to ask me to write about something you like, answer questions or I'm even contemplating some agony aunt type letters going on.  So PM or email me with what you'd like to write about.

Angela

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I know that this is not a forum, but I read this question in Edge's newsletter as their question for 2008, and wanted to hear what people had to say.  Keep in mind that Edge attempts to bridge the gap between sicence and the Arts, so they spectulate in both fields.

When thinking changes your mind, that's philosophy.
When God changes your mind, that's faith.
When facts change your mind, that's science.

WHAT HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND ABOUT? WHY?

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This morning I turned up to the Tempation audition.  I think I was the only one who thought they should dress so they wouldn't regret how they looked just incase they did a screen test.  I also seemed to be the only one that really wanted to go as half the people seemed to have read about the audition in the morning's paper and turned up - appologies to friends who I didn't give more details to I didn't realise that any one could turn up.

To start we had a 50 question quiz, with a pass mark of 27  - I got 27 thank goodness.  And I'm sure it was thanks to remembering to put the wife of Henry VIII that he wanted to divorce as Katheryn of Arragon rather than just Katheryn and guessing that the Sugarbabes sung about a girl in a red dress (almost put blue!)  I would have done better if I'd known Richard Carelton asked Mao about having blood on his hands and that Poland's president and PM are identical twins.  Fortunately no one who passed got 40-50 questions correct.

We then filled out a form about our ambitions, interests, travel, what makes us interesting and an interesting/embarassing story.  Apparently we had to try and differentiate ourselves when they're choosing people, so I put my second ambition to be the first female Prime Minister in case my career fails and I can't become a trophy wife.  My interets as art (doing and looking) playing hold 'em and blogging online and politics.

They said most of their database was middle aged men who were in IT or finance, followed by heaps of teachers.  And they chose people based on demographics.  As one of two young women who made it into the final group, I may be in with a good chance.  But you can still wait for up to two years to be called up.

We also had to get up and say what we did, why we wanted to be on the show and why they should put us on.  Fortuantely I wasn't in IT or education or the civil service (one of the few), and I told them I wanted to be on because I always need opportunities to prove I know everything as well as growing up watching the show and was not like others who decided to come in the morning but actually applied months ago and really wanted to do it.  I also told the girl that she was obliged to put some one as awesome as me on TV and I was good a public speaking and debating, having only done one speech unheckled I was use to it.  The girl in running the audition had asked a few people what sort of contestant they would make or how they would react to the cameras, which she didn't ask me.  At first I worried about this, but some of the ones that stood out straight away she didn't ask either, so maybe I'm in.  I guess I'll find out some time in the next two years!  In the mean time it's back to memorising Wikipedia, the CIA factbook and Brainy Quote.

Well Today Tonight didn't end up airing me, however Temptation have told my I've been successful in being selected to audition for their show in two weeks.

Wish me luck!

Well I'm rapidly approaching a deadline for a public speaking comp - political of course.  I had tossed up abou looking at a question Snowy raised for my 1 year anniversary of how to reconcile religious/moral views with those of being a libertarian.  But I'm open to other topic suggestions.

Any one?

If you want RSS, the link now works.

http://www.blognow.com.au/rss.php?w=AngelaJames

I thought an anniversary would be cause for an interview.  As Rove, Barbara Walters and Kerry O'Brien were all unavailible, I asked some regulars what questions they want me to write about.

Any further questions can be put in the comments and I'll get to them later - Angela

Dingo: What is the hardest thing about being famous?

Angela: Not having enough hats

Pete: How long is a year really? http://www.on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/jun10.htm

Angela: Okay strictly speaking I'm going calender years (365 or 366 in a leap year), but when I get bored this arvo I can calculate Draconian years or Basselian Years if you really want.

Dingo: Which do you prefer, iambic pentameter or haiku?

Angela: Both have their strengths, Iambic pentameter is very traditional, it's very classical and so appeals to my conservative nature.  Haiku, whilst being tradition in Japan, is considered more edgy and avant garde in our culture.  Personally, in high school I never mastered the iambic pentameter, so I'll go with haiku

Snowy: Question: How do you reconcile the teachings of Jesus with your libertarian philosophy?

Angela: This is quite simple actually.  So simple most Christians overlook it. 

1 Corinthians 5:12-13 says, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?  Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside.  "Expell the wicked man from among you.""  From this you can see that whilst Christians can make judgements about those who are also Christians (mostly to the end that they can improve and lead a more godly life), they can not about those who don't share the same faith.  At the end of the day all I can do is tell others about Christ, it is up to them to choose to believe and they will be responsible for those actions.  In fact I think Christianity and Libertarianism have this in common, that people can choose for themselves and bear the consequences. 

I must admit that I am often torn when it comes to issues of making things I think are immorral, legal or even illegal.  But if you make them legal, then people are no more or less accountable to God for their choice than if it were illegal.  They are only really more or less accountable to human law and human law at the end of the day does not have God's authority, approval or weight.  It is a dim and often marred reflection of divine authority.  So for example, I'd be troubled if abortion were taken off the Queensland criminal code, however, it won't make people more or less responsible or morally condoned for doing so.  It has always been their choice and the consequences have always been theirs.  Additionally I think many Christians often make the mistake of seeing "The State" as the same sort of paternalistic figure as God.  Equating it to God's divine leadership and ablity to set laws as is in the Old Testament when Israel was established.  I do not think that this side of Christ we are meant to see a government creating a theocracy the way there was back then.  We are very much left to our own devices and learning as to how we are to live, without the state or the government dictating as to how we live our lives.  Theological arguments aside, this is for the very simple fact that we do not live in a Christian society, we live in a post-Christian one and as you see from the quote I put in before, we can not expect people who do not accept Christ to live as if they did.  Law, government, family and land does not make people Christian the way it made them Jewish in the Old Testament.

Dingo: Where do you find the time and how awesome is dial up?

Angela: You always find time for the things you enjoy.  I consider blogging just like writing one more personal email a day.  Just slightly longer.  But we all find time to check our mail most days!

Dial up is only awesome in that it's wonderfully cheap.

Dingo: In the past year, what has been the post that has had the most unexpected responses?

Angela: Any time Snowy has agreed with me - like the recent post about the ACTU having Australia blacklisted as one of the worst employment regimes.

R: Who was your best friend and school, and who did you hate the most?

Angela:  At school I was generally depressed and hated every one, especially myself.  I still have two friends from school - Alex and Toni so they will count as by bestest buddies.  In Primary school Courtney Jackson and Sophie Bonavia were my closest friends and at MBC I remember hanging around with Christina, Jenna and April heaps - April and I fell out which was probably for the best.

Hate is such a strong word but there were a couple of bullies I didn't like in Primary school and even Moreton Bay.  I was pretty pissed that a group of them decided to walk down the side of the pool and cheer me along for the whole lap during one house swiming carnival when I took twice as long as every one else and they were in another house so it wasn't for encouragement at all.   And whilst I'm one of them now, when I was at school I was into grunge and I hated the preppy chicks.

Dingo: Do you think that we will be able to reduce temperature below absolute zero one day? More generally what theoretical limits in physics do you think will one day be found not to be limits at all?

Angela: I think if we ever break absolute zero, we will have to change what absolute zero is.  However, as I remember from my vague recollection of my physics studies (which got dubious marks at the best of times), doesn't everything cease to move, even on an atomic level, at absolute zero.  Hence if it got colder, we couldn't actually measure it.

As my uni studies were mostly in Maths, theoretically, everything seems to stretch out toward infinity anyway... limits what limits?  I do hope that one day we are not restricted by the speed at which bodies can travel.  That would be kewl.

Pete:  What's the value of your blog?

Angela:  About $60 Google Ads haven't sent me and a fortune in therapy.

Dingo: Why don't you do more posts about hats?

Angela: On a personal level, I've only had one hat worth commenting on, which was when I invited every one to the races (including you and I never got a response btw).  Last time I checked the Channel website there were no hats in their collections.  When Largerfeld does a milinary collection for Channel, then I will blog about them.

Pete:  Also – you could try and tell us when it will get warm again!!

Angela: Too soon.  I like the cold.  And my cousin got here from the UK today and said it's really like summer.

So my Blog has been arround for a year.  Some distrubing but true facts:

• I got the 6000 hits I wanted a good 24 hours before the 1 year mark.
• My blog has lasted longer than the last four guys who took me on a date.
• It survived longer than my old job at Suncorp.
• Unlike others linked off my page, The Courier Mail has never quoted me.
• On average over the year I still transact on my bank account more often than I blog.
• The film, book and syndication rights are still for sale.
• Socialists are welcome.
• I've lost 5kg since starting blogging.
• My third blog has taken on three different forms in the year, the latest one is the only one to get comments.  (see www.blognow.com.au/tragic).
• Bob Brown got a metion in connection with Fashion.
• I've not leaked any political or commercially sensitive information, but the desire has been strong.
• You don't have to have an IQ over 100, but it is appreciated.
• I've put on 7kg since starting blogging (hence joining the gym, which is not working yet).
• My mother still thinks the now defunct affiliate link to a lingerie site was a link to porn and I was cashing in on the sex trade.
• The only abuse I ever copped was from a derranged English woman who turned on me when she realised I was condemning not condoning abortion.
• All pictures of John Howard were taken by me or feature me.
• I enjoy the fact that fellow readers disagree with me and each other.
• Google Ads stopped working before I got any money
• The Wallabies haven't been praised nearly enough.
• Since I started I earned my Masters, got a license suspension, visited a foreign country and took a pay cut.  All of these I am sure are uncorrelated.
• I still enjoy fashion, I just wear less of it (see last bullet point for explanation).

Mark it in your diaries, the 10 June is my 1 year blogging anniversary. 

My fingers are crossed that I will have 6,000 hits by then, but that's being optimistic. 

Just to throw the floor open, any suggestions for a celebratory entry as I think that a deep and meaningful reflection on the last 12 months is some what beyond my capability.

My art classes have resumed, so I got to do some drawing this week.  I've posted a couple of pictures in my album, the link is on the side of the page.  Huge appologies for the quality of the photos, I am yet to master photographing my work!  But there is a bit of a mix this week as I've used pencil rather than pastels and also watercolour pencils, which almost crosses into painting.

As always these are live art pictures, so if you find the human body offensive, scroll down the page.

Greetings all,

I probably won't be blogging over the next week or so.  I found out it was my immediate next door neighbours who were providing the unsecured wireless and they have now moved out. 

Also I won't be at work for a week as I have got shingles.  And I must say it was fun calling a whole bunch of friends and work colleagues that they need to make sure they're vaccinated as for the last week I've been walking arround as per normal thinking I had insect bites not some disgusting, highly-contagious illness.

I got a range of reactions from friends that included being called typhoid Mary, being hysterically laughed at and told 'well if I get it I deserve it' (yes the person in question does!) and being told I need to get a bell and walk the streets calling out 'unclean'.

All I can say is shingles is better than childhood chicken pox as they're not every where - for me mostly just on my arms, but worse as they hurt like heck.  I can't put my arms on anything! 

But I hope I do see some friends commenting soon as it seems kind of lonely here at blognow since every one has left. 

Angela

I got my final restults for my thesis (project) - the last entry in there

I know my blogging has been scant over the last week, but I've been a bit busy  with work...  and in Perth.

On Sat I head to New York for aproximately 24 hours and then to Philadelphia for training for work.  Apparently I have to go to the Fine Arts Musem and film the other guy from the Brissy office running up the stairs an punching the air.

But I promise pics and recounts of what happened if I don't get to blog and you will all be in my thoughts.

Angela

I'd like to offer a public apology to any one who got a text in the wee hours of this morning.  Forces beyond my control were at work in sending the large number of generally incomprehensible texts and I am sorry especially if you woke up.

For those who were worried, I'm fine there is nothing wrong.  The celebrations for one of my colleagues birthday's went a little late.  All I'm suffering from is a bad case of 'why did I get talked into playing my first game of roulette when I could have flushed $20 down the toilet and got the same effect' thoughts.