What The - Airbrushing/Photoshopping Fashion Mags

Was interested to read that the recent PETA campaign using Bethenny Frankel involved the use of Airbrushing/ Photoshopping. I didn't think much of it at first till I saw the comparison photo which shows significant alteration.

Interestingly, Bethenny seemed to be arguing she was happy with the outcome (mainly because the mods didn't alter her basic shape) - but puh-lease, so much is different here.

I'm thinking specifically about the look of perfection that so many women kill themselves for everyday after seeing images like the one on the right. Absolutely blemish free (whereas clearly she's not), the perfect tan, no lines or wrinkles and even her exposed boob got the chop!

I find this hideous - let us see the "real" person underneath - the image on the left gives us all a little hope whereas the image of the right is clearly out of anyone's league (including Bethenny).

What If - Protest Ship @ Gladstone?

News circulated yesterday that a ship had run aground in the Port of Gladstone however, that has changed today to be that the ship is actually anchored 15km at the entrance but, in doing so, blocking access to the port.

No-one seems to be asking the question - could this be some kind of protest? If the anchor is down and no-one can explain why, then one could assume that's it's deliberate. But why?

Panama registered. Sounds like a chinese ship - what could be going on here?

Thoughts - Public vs Private School Funding

An interesting discussion today on the ABC website following on a comment by outgoing Justice Michael Kirby arguing for Public School Funding.

The comments beneath are quite interesting in how many argue against themselves (i.e. I pay $10,000 a year in fees so my school is better - even though public schools do it for $7000 a year thus making them more efficient).

What strikes me as an obvious solution here is to tie funding to a particular purpose. So if a private school is getting $3000/head for capital expenditure, then the public system should get the same. You see, this is the problem. The private schools are garnering huge war-chests for capital development whilst the funding the public gets goes toward tuition - thus forever ensuring these schools progressively die.