I don't intend to get involved in anyone else's personal differences of opinion, however Wendy has touched upon something which to many of us is far more distressing than BB on TV.

I live not too far from the port of Fremantle and often see the trucks loaded with sheep destined to be shipped out for the live export trade. Sometimes an animal has slipped and one of its legs is sticking out of the side of the truck. The pain is probably excruciating and the animal may have been suffering for many hours over many hundreds of kilometres. Children see this too and perhaps become desensitised to the suffering of animals. And the children know that this is true reality, not just someone's idea of entertainment.

I spent three years as WA Wheatbelt manager for an insurance company in the 1970s and know that farmers and truck drivers in general are not callous by nature, they are just doing what they currently need to do to survive financially in a difficult industry. But there used to be a better way. Animals were slaughtered humanely in local abattoirs. Better for all concerned and infinitely better for the animals.

I mentioned previously the sly promotion of tobacco which still occurs on Australian TV. We have senior politicians who openly tell lies and get away with it, [weapons of mass destruction, children overboard etc]. Large companies paying bribes to foreign dictators [AWB] and allegedly being shielded by govt instrumentalities. People dying of currently incurable diseases, whilst possibly life saving stem cell research is being blocked to please religious extremists. Voluntary euthanasia, supported by about 80% of Australians, being denied to please the same extremists. The list goes on.

And many of these same extremists get all self-righteous about the stupid antics of a few immature galahs on TV. What hypocracy!

Yes, Rex, I will comment upon your post.

On the 14th of April, 1994, the seven CEO’s of America’s tobacco corporations, solemnly raised their right hands and swore before the US Congress that they truly believed that tobacco was neither addictive or harmful. But of course, they were lying. The tobacco bosses knew that their own research scientists had been working on finding ways to make tobacco more addictive and less carcinogenic. But it was easy to understand why the CEO’s lied. Tobacco was a fabulously wealthy industry and it was said that “only the mint made more money.”

The tobacco companies also knew that most people began to smoke cigarettes when they were adolescents. Their own psychologists had informed them that the reason for this, was that many adolescents are desperate to appear grown up, and that they will seize upon any product that will give them the aura that they are adults. The tobacco companies therefore deliberately engineered advertising campaigns that appealed to children, for a product that they knew was both addictive and dangerous.

Now we have the entertainment media in the accused’s seat. Like the tobacco companies before them, they are a fabulously wealthy industry which is deliberately targeting children for a product which they know is psychologically damaging to children, and which is causing serious social problems in OUR society. The entertainment industries claim that they are completely innocent of this charge. But if you ask TV men like Steve Madden a simple question like “Why is Big Brother, Uncut, always released to coincide with the start of the school holidays?” He will dodge it and dodge it forever.

The entertainment industries also pooh-pooh the idea, that exposing children for sexually explicit, profane and violent media is harmful to kids. Then they say that even if it is harmful, it is the parent’s responsibility, not theirs, to protect kids from their products anyway. That is like saying that if the tobacco industry positions cigarette vending machines for its “harmless” product next to schools, it is the parent’s responsibility to keep their kids away from them.

Rex
Yes your correct and the best kept secret is AWB own live Exports as of from the 29th 8 2003 when Westfarmers landmark tried to keep their names out of the Cormo.[until now].
Knowing the public interest in live export wouldnt you have thought Beazley and Rudd might have seen the AWB enquiry as a god sent but they headed for the hills when i raised this and supplied proof and kept their mouths shut!. Speaking of feeding the chooks.

Ministers like Amanda Vanstone and dozens more who get to vote! on Animal Welfare issues are a discrace. Howard self regulated live Exports and intensive farming three weeks after he won his first election.

The J Homes LerCourts they never get a mention or the Packers or Murdock as being some of the most cruel people alive because the own the media and the live exports and intensive farms. Talk about a conflict of interest.
They export our jobs and the animals are no longer slaughtered close to home as you rightly pointed out.

Instead they inflict unbelieably cruelty sending them on trips that last weeks to an dreadful slaughter.
Compared to that BB is nothing.
Shame on Howard but worse still labour are not up to the job of pretecting or running the country at all, so if you have a ny ideas I would love to hear them.
Perhaps we should get rid of the lot of them and ;put some real people in power. Who was it that said you can judge A nation on the way it treats its animals.
Thanks for your comments Rex.

Unfortunately all this is fact, that the live sheep trade is horrendously cruel, that the "entertainment industry" is a prostitute for vice and that there is a complete lack of integrity where integrity should completely rule.
Never under estimate People Power though. When I was younger I accepted that one person could not change anything, now I simply stand up and, refusing to accept rot, call it like it is.
I find that in doing this , a lot of like minded people are revealed and we can achieve goals if those goals are worthwhile.
Pushing straightlaced opinions will go nowhere ,we should be able to demand that a certain amount of decency and respect for ourselves and others has priority because our children are being brainwashed into believing that shows like BB portray "normal" life. That portrayal is wrong , uncreative and is simply designed to dumb the young down.

I think I agree with Wendy on this one.

Channel 10 just needs to move BB to a later time slot so that it is on after the kiddies are in bed. They need to regulate the thing to avoid any abuse from happening again. The other moral statements people make may or may not be true. Since when did the rubbish from America happen to be so squeaky clean and suitable for Australian Children? We import some of the worst garbage on television from America, and the networks just buy them, and telecast without thinking.

At least the Gold Coast benfits from tourism generated by BB Dreamworld financially, and it is no wonder that Premier Beatty is defencive about the topic. It is an Australian production that employs Australians, eventhough the international company is Dutch owned.

I mean, think of David Letterman. How many times has he insulted Australia? He once described Melbourne as the A###hole of the planet. Channel 9 still buys this attack on Australian pride and culture. He is not even funny or relevant to Australia.

I hope the other David, in the Big Brother house, treats his sheep well, Wendy. He seems to know more about sheep more than he does about Brokeback Mountain. *titter over a bundy and coke*

They are like caged animals in the BB house, but they are willing captives. It think in some of the home video shows where people send in their own footage of their families doing strange things with their animals is bodgy, and possibly cruel to the animals too. No one seems to question this.

Saint Santa
You have an advantage because you must watch it. Its not only because of kids it should be on later if at all but some of our elderly are very offended and really lets face it why would we not respect our most senior citz too.

Then there are just a few prudes if you like such as I.

They should give some warning too> Such as waring BB is about to offend anybody with morals to give us a chance to switch it off.

Tell you what however SaintFletcher I am VERY interested in the Animal Welfare issue you raised if you could tell me more.

There is nothing that I would enjoy more than to visit the big house and bust a few balls!

Its not really good for the Gold Coast Saint because the type of people it brings we dont want here anyway.

Umm Think I might Take A drive and A little Bo Beep![ Speeking of peeping Toms.]

Thanks Saint FLetcher I ow you One.

Hey! maybe Amanda Vanstone would like To be on big Brother.

She gets off on Animal cruelty and being seen on TV too!.