Monday, September 05, 2005

Happy Labor Labour Day

We wanted to check in after what has been a week of some intense reflection about the country we just left behind. The flood in New Orleans certainly did not go unnoticed here, as it has filled the news outlets since the beginning of the week. We've be regulated to the online media, clicking and streaming our way to content several times a day. We feel a bit cut-off from the constant CNN feed that we're used to having in times like these. Nonetheless, hours a day are spent browsing through photo galleries and downloading choppy video clips.

Shame is an overarching theme evident in the Australian press, not so much anger (as the domestic press reports) towards a perceived mishandling of the situation, but the notion that we, the U.S., should be ashamed for ignoring cries for help until it was too late.

The Aussies are absolutely starving for a local angle on this. They're trying to find anyone with even the most remote of Australian connection to have been affected by this crisis. Unfortunately for them, not many of the New Orleans flood victims came from the land down under. Visited Australia? Great, you can appear on the national news to help us gain perspective. They certainly do worship their own here.

Whereas you all have the day off on Monday, Aussies wait until the first weekend in October to celebrate Labor Labour Day. Conversely, Father's Day was last weekend, so I guess it all balances out in the end.

posted by ncawthon at 9:03 PM