Callous - you be the judge

[Groggy]

Here comes the cynic in me, kick a goal or be a footy player who gets blown up in Bali, what is so bloody heroic about that, meanwhile the true heroes are designated page 10 of the Sun if they are lucky.
As for 30 year old choppers, was that really a problem, plenty of travellers hurtle through the sky in a 747 of the same vintage, providing they are well maintained everything should be OK, once again the media are seeking a scapegoat, destroy a few more lives just to put a dollar in their own pockets and a situation like this is relatively easy pickings due to the devastation it has caused.

Iain, it seems we share a cynic within us.

The media are clueless and if Australia has had one major casualty in the last 50 years it has been the truth as portrayed by an increasingly profit-margin oriented media; frankly, they disgust me.

The 30 year old choppers are less likely to crash than brand new ones, history bears this out and any engineer will be aware of the bathtub curve and its effect on infant mortality (re failures).

Unfortunately, the media spews this cr*p out, creating untold angst and grief for those recently bereaved, and is totally unaccountable for it. Worse, the they feed on the problems they create.

The change in recent years, as I see it, is that in the past the media occasionally got it wrong, but usually tried to get the facts straight. Today, the media only claim "every one is saying it" and the sources have no "authority" whatsoever. In the past I have taken a reporter to task on his 'facts' and he simply smirked and claimed 'sources' gave him the information which, of course, he could not divulge.

[Iain]

Obviously the same source which enhances his eye fillet steak
I would love for them to sample some humble pie, but, as we are all well aware, it is not on the menu.

[gemi_babe]

I didn't see anything callous about the post. I didn't read any emotion in it to make it sound callous to me.

He stated that it was a tragic loss and that the govt are now feeding off the now grieving families/public.

I agree and feel that awarding medals to them would be unfair to every Australian that has died on the job, not matter what they do.

We all work, which inturn makes this country work.

If you were in war, then those that faught and died deserve some recognition along with those that didn't die.

My father was in the RAAF and his responsibility was to make sure the instruments on the planes worked. Big responsibility wouldn't you say? No recognition for making every flight a safe one, he was just doing his job.

bravery rewards should be for those only doing something out of the ordinary. Like going into a blazing fire and pulling out people or animals. Something that you do, that also puts yourself at risk!!!

[Gingermick]

Unfortunately, the media spews this cr*p out, creating untold angst and grief for those recently bereaved, and is totally unaccountable for it. Worse, the they feed on the problems they create. .

My sister works in that squadron as an avionics technician. The stories on the news gave her some flutters. I can only imagine that the mechanics there would have feltt 100 times worse.
mick

[echnidna]

I must agree with treeboy and others,
He certainly wasn't callous,

Bravery is not about doing what you have no alternative to do given all the circumstances. Nor is it about being hurt or killed even if you are on a noble cause.

It is about making a choice when you have choices.

Such as charging a machine gun nest with a grenade,
or,
Jumping in a river to save someone.
or
Standing between a bully and a victim.

[maglite]

I sincerely hope that i manage to word this right, but given my past history on posting i am sure that i will stuff it up and offend somebody.

Personally, i agree with the idea that there is a need for a special medal to be struck that honors those that are killed in the pursuit of a peacetime humanitarian mission.
I also believe that there must be some feature to the award/medal that distinguishes it from a combat medal for instance.
During my time in the ADF(Army) i felt reasonably assured that only the best medical care would be provided to me if i was injured in the pursuit of my ultimate employers goals (Aust Govt).
I am sure that if death were the fate of i, and i am sure of my collegues,we would have rested much easier knowing that our families would be well looked after in the way of compensation etc.
Medals are 1 thing(i dont agree), but i do hope that the victims of that accident can rest easy knowing that their families will be well looked after by the Aust Govt and compensated accordingly.

Just my point of veiw

[boban]

Daddles said " As for the original poster - have think before you post sunshine. It's not often I'm offended by a post I basically agree with, but you managed it"

Spot on!!!!!!!

[Wood Butcher]

I heard on the news today that little johnny has sought permission from her majesty to award all of the servicepeople that helped in the earthquakes (including those who died) with the Humanitarion Overseas Service Award. Apparently this award is reserved for civilians only but exception has been given in this case.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/050413/21/txr0.html