It happens to us on a daily basis – we flip the channel, pick up the paper, or click onto a website about a fatal car accident.

But what constitutes this as news? Most often it’s not.

Why not?

Well, I am astonished that media conglomerates choose to exploit death while failing to contribute to an overarching political debate. There are examples where accident stories are important to promote a cause or inform the public about a specific danger – as is the case as with drunk driving or a defect in certain car models.

As I write this, there is adrenaline pumping in my shoulders at the thought of the many fatal accidents that are occuring. And I believe it is this type of fear the media has been instilling in us for years; playing with our emotions and distracting us from finding the positives in our world.

What makes an accident news?

As a journalist, I have been in the unfortunate position of covering fatal accidents.

In one particular case, I had the responsibility of honouring a college student, Natalie Sylvestre, who passed in a car accident.

I chose to focus on the memorial the college started in her honour – providing a bursary to students in the nursing program from which she graduated.

Also, in interviewing friends and colleagues, I attempted to paint a picture of her character in life and not the tragedy that was her death. I did not go into interviews to dig up the dirt on how she died but rather focussed on what people would miss about her existence.

By starting the story with the unification of her peers to remember Natalie, I felt this was a better approach than bluntly exploiting her death. I did mention how she died in the second paragraph but stuck to the facts: date, parties involved, and her role as a passenger.

But wait, Riaz, what about your story where the women dies in the car accident after surviving the Air France crash?

The story was an interesting twist of fate where Johanna Ganthaler passed away after averting death. I opted to speak about luck versus fate, and was well aware of the laughs being shared around the blogosphere about this case. It continues to surprise me how ‘funny’ some people can find death when it is not someone close to them.

You may find this view uptight, but I prefer jokes where people at least have an opportunity to defend themselves.

So what is my problem with accident stories?

I think it is necessary to inform the community of a local’s passing, but the manner in which this is done is often impersonal and provocative. There are instances in which I have read accident articles without any names at all.

So my question is: what is the point of sharing with readers that there was a fatal car accident if no one is going to be mentioned or honoured?

I am not sure of the hidden agenda behind this type of journalism but I know there is definitely an aspect of fear-mongering involved.

I really don’t understand how publications plan to sell content in the information age when the stories are redundant.

The media explains how everything can kill us nowadays – but wait, everything already could before.

* * *

This story is dedicated to every nameless and faceless accident victim who was exploited to sell media.

- Riaz Sidi

Related posts:

1. Woman Late For Air France Flight #447 Dies in Car Accident
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3. Promiscuous Women Prevent Armageddon

A viral Prophet Mohammad cartoon contest has enraged Pakistani officials who have temporarily blocked social media giants Facebook and YouTube throughout the Asian country.

Molly Norris was blamed for starting the controversy after she drew a parodized version of the religious figure to complement a recent South Park episode which was condemned and censored for its depiction of the muslim Prophet.

Norris was also accused  of creating the Facebook fan page ‘Let’s All Draw Mohammad Day May 20’. The page quickly gained 98,700 fans before being pulled. She vehemently denies being the group creator and links to a fan page which is against the original page from her own website.

The fan page has been countered by viral protests including a fan page called ‘We Love Prophet Muhammed’ which has 120, 595 fans as of this writing.

One of the wall posts suggests that now that the group has gathered masses through Facebook, that members collectively deactivate their accounts – how ironic.

Although Norris denies being involved with creating the fan page, she is taking responsibility for cancelling the event.

“I apologize to people of Muslim faith and ask that this ‘day’ be called off,” she said.

The Breakdown

The internet is anarchic. There are no rules – it is vile and ruthless. Are Facebook and YouTube to blame for the actions of its collective?

Where are the lines drawn between offensive content and freedom of speech?

Here’s the fundamental truth of the internet: an anarchist envionment cannot be controlled regardless of religious or political belief.

In this case, Islam understandably wants to maintain its sanctity. At the same time, this is compromised by democracy’s staple of realising the imagination and creating reality from ideas.

Although the two are not entirely opposing since both Islam and democracy do share many mutual commonalities, it is difficult to decipher how the global community will move forward when instances of this nature come about in the future.

In the western world, democracy and religion were a pinnacle of disagreement which is why the separation of state and church has worked so well since the Enlightenment.

My Opinon

If you are asking me specifically for an opinion on this particular incident – I will have to admit that I don’t have an opinion: no comment.

The function for this website is primarily to use these types of instances to reflect upon the media at large and to convey a course of action or to conclude that no resolution can exist.

For this case, I do not see a viable solution where governments can control their populations to such a magnitude.

We have seen China’s repeated attempts to censor what the government believes to be dissenting voices to their agenda. I think will be exceedingly difficult to maintain censorship with the emergence of revolutionary new forms to communicate messages.

To turn off the giant cyber-machine is to stand up and leave the dialogue without addressing the lesson – and as an advocate of communication and social media, this is one measure which I oppose.

How do you think the world can unite online while maintaing mutual respect for the many global cultures?

What is our best course of action?

- Riaz Sidi

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2. UN Boycott: Absurd
3. UN Appoints Iran to Women’s Rights Commission!

I will admit that I tend to highlight some stories which herald left-wing politics as superior and poke fun at gaffes perpetrated by the right.

However,  the National Post and Fox News are reporting an unusual decision which has been completely wiped off the media map: The UN has appointed Iran to the Women’s Rights Commission!

Documents from the Economic and Social Council meeting show the decision for Iran to become a member of this commission:

Next, the Council elected 11 new members to fill an equal number of vacancies on the Commission on the Status of Women for four-year terms beginning at the first meeting of the Commission’s fifty-sixth session in 2011 and expiring at the close of its fifty-ninth session in 2015.  The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia and Zimbabwe were elected from the Group of African States; Iran and Thailand were elected from the Group of Asian States; Estonia and Georgia were elected from the Group of Eastern European States; Jamaica was elected from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States; and Belgium, Netherlands and Spain were elected from the Group of Western European and Other States.

The news organizations are calling-out the UN on this decision and I think this time the ‘right’ may be on to something. I am not concerned necessarily with political affiliation but after an Iranian cleric early last week declared that promiscuous women cause earthquakes it seems a bit ridiculous to have a country where this ideology exists to be elected to a body which promotes the rights of women.

Is it possible this move may in fact transition Iran as it ushers into an era of equality? I hardly think so but I am willing to listen to anyone who can somehow justify this.

Is this a masquerade designed to give Iran the false identity of a country which promotes equality? We shall see.

Not surprisingly, there is an uproar over this decision and it will be interesting to see how much media attention this decision receives over the next few weeks, if any.

Needless to say, I am somewhat startled – not only by this decision but by a lack of supposedly credible news organizations catching wind of this story.

- Riaz Sidi

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An article appearing in the Montreal Gazette suggests Canada and other G20 members are ‘coming to terms with addressing global imbalances’. They quote Bank of Canada Govenor Mark Carney with being the mastermind behind this epic revelation.

I think the article should be renamed: The powers that be accept the powers that shall be - because this shift in global imbalance has already been happening for years and the Western world ‘coming to terms’ with this change is not newsworthy.

The story speaks about the US not needing to discuss their fiscal plan with the world and China’s decision not to mark its exchange rate against other countries. So really, where is the sobering truth being addressed? It’s not!

Large imbalances materialized as developed countries, led by the United States, spent beyond their means and emerging markets financed the bill through the purchase of government bonds — in the process accumulating trillions in foreign-exchange reserves.

BINGO! The main point of the story or what is called the lead (because it should start the article and not be buried deep within it) is right here!

The imbalance happened because developed countries went on a spending spree, exploiting other countries for years and now we are realizing that global imbalance needs to be addressed? Sickening really.

To help address the problem, there will need to be a shift in demand. Households in emerging markets, especially China, have to save less and consume more, and that will require Beijing to improve its social safety net.

Yeah, good call guys, China needs to save less and consume more. They are going to do that anyway! This is not some revolutionary concept. Emerging nations are going to consume at a higher pace than Western countries ever did because for so long they struggled to develop while developed nations produced material waste which was manufactured in these 3rd world countries.

If I came into your house, took a massive dump, and clogged your toilet, wouldn’t you be a little cheesed off too?

Meanwhile, developed economies, led by the United States, have to get their budget balances back on track, and start producing more goods for sale abroad.

So the United States is going to start producing more goods for sale abroad? I don’t think so.

US plants are closing down fast while emerging nations who were working all these years to be more efficient to meet US consumer demands have become experts at production. Why would these developing countries buy products from the US when they can create cheaper with little to no import/export fees involved and minimal pollution?!

The Western world can feed me this story about Bank of Canada’s Mr. Carney and the G20 coming to terms with global imbalance but it doesn’t make a difference because as we the West lose power, the media will not be able to lie to us any longer about how much influence we really have anymore.

The Gazette article was meant to be an objective news piece as I did not see any signs of it being called an opinion-editorial piece – yet the rubbish which appears within it, although optomistic, is unrealistic and only attempts to blind us like the sheep they think we are.

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The media claims Generation Y suffers from apathy and lacks socio-political participation.

Yet, it is my fellow millenials who are paving the way and defining the viral economy.  Those in charge of traditional media are missing the boat.

I do understand that there are many more distractions facing my peers but should this undermine our ability to thrive? And who is to blame if the Western world goes 3rd world in a decade?

Let’s see – the baby boomers were children of one of the hardest working generations; those who helped to recover the planet after two world wars.

Many boomers consumed their parents’ fruit without regard to pollution, death, racism, war, agism, carbon footprint, future generations – anything.

Yes, they enjoyed frivilously – shitting on some of the poorest nations in the world via the World Trade Organization and left the divide between rich and poor at a disgusting level. This can be seen in the following documentary on how Jamaica’s economy was exploited and erradicated by the US and the WTO during the ’70s.

This method was replicated throughout the world. Yes, this may have been the case for centuries but the level of natural resource exploitation this time around was disgusting.

So I digress, I don’t blame all boomers, in fact their motivation was positive. The rapid and dramatic change in economy has altered the traditional career path and thus the drive requires a change too.

‘Go get an education they said, work hard and you will get that great job – they claimed.’

Well, food prices are at astromonimcal levels. Oil, gas and house prices are atrocious. There are no jobs.

The boomers are getting laid off and their jobs are being given to people in my Gen Y for half the wage and twice the work – and more often than not, two roles are consolidated into one position.

The claims that the recession is over are absurd and simply mask the aforementioned obvious obstacles preventing an economic return – and according to Harry Dent Jr. who predicted the recession, we are headed for a depression by 2013.

You may disagree with me since I did not use any sources or primary examples to highlight this belief but telling me that Wall Street is recovering will get you an eyeroll. On the micro-level, my generation is feeling the brunt of this damage.

The politics of the last ten years were ridiculously corrupt and were executed in a manner which led to mass murder, torture and terrorism – with little to no regard on how our economy will survive and who will be flushed down the toilet with it.

…And so, everyone is wondering why we are so apathetic to participating in the social sphere.

Wake up people! You fucked up the world and now are gonna have to fix it – and yes it may be too late.

Well I still believe in Gen Y! And I am here on their behalf to deconstruct the media tyranny being perpetrated
by boomers….STILL!

You may think I am bitter and resentful – but I think my venting is miniscule relative to those who have been
harmed even more by the recession than me, those who went to fight unjustified wars, and those who have been left uneducated.

There is no one to blame so let’s just pick up the pieces together. All this garbage about my generation being lazy is such crap – we don’t care about the same illusion the media-crits have been waving in your faces for the last half century.

We care about things we can control and those we can’t are quickly losing clout. The participatory nature of the internet will clear that up in a few years.

This all said, the internet is fueling an ability for any niche passion (as ridiculous as it may be ie: Britney Spears, Pizza, what-have-you) to be profitable. Information is rebuilding the economy and this time around sincere media is winning – not the filthy lies which have been spewed and filtered for our ‘innocent’ eyes for the last however many years.

Gary Vaynerchuk is one of the pioneers behind this revolution and I thoroughly believe he has mastered the new economy.

* * *

Now I must note that this criticism is with all due respect. I have respect for the wisdom of all baby boomers and elders – I just needed to get that ‘off my chest’.

Now let me ask:

Do you fellow Gen Y’s think we will make it? Do you disagree with me? And how about you Boomers?

- Riaz Sidi

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The UN, Red Cross and world governments are providing relief for Haiti in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake which ripped the Caribbean nation apart.

The royal palace was destroyed; schools and houses shredded, and medical attention is still difficult to find as hospitals lie in ruins.

But, the earthquake and relief story will be shared and scrutinized by the blogosphere and news agencies around the world.

In this article, we will view an extremely disappointing human wrong. The sheer prejudice, racism and lack of concern on the internet. Especially in this instance, I see it as a symptom of an overarching problem seen over again, and frankly, I am in extreme disappointment.

This video is not editorialized with words and shows raw images capturing the damage and injured. However, it is the YouTube comments on this video which have left me in utter disgust:

WoWpallyftw: i wouldnt exactly consider them “people”

WeThrowPie:  a CHIMP breathes and eats and drinks, but it’s still just a chimp. Same with n******. They are subhuman scum.

Edjumakated: If they’ve truly gone through such abuse, then they will never grow up to be a benefit to society, carrying with them many psychological tortures. Hey, I have an idea. If we let all the poor and starving die off, guess what? NO MORE POOR AND STARVING! =D

Why?

Although there was a backlash of several people who felt as compelled as I did to retaliate and condemn these words, I am sickened by the prospect of having our future generations raised in a world so ignorant and so filthy.

To think that not only would someone seek out this video and watch it, but then come to the conclusion that this event was intended for this demographic? …that mother nature is justified to target this area because of race, poverty or disease?

I am ashamed for every human being today, not just the ones who reacted like this. I am embarrassed because when one is hurting, I would sincerely hope that a helping hand or compassion would be prioritized over differences. It is appalling that hate crimes of treason are committed like this against our own species.

I may be a bit naïve to hope the best for and in people, but I am justified in feeling betrayed by those who hold themselves on a higher rung of the ladder than the people of Haiti.

The universe is impartial, impersonal and a disaster of this magnitude could hit anyone at any time.

So to those who believe they are making a harmless comment on YouTube, I say this:

When seeing videos of people suffering, drop the ego, put down the salt, and take a long hard look at whether you don’t care because you are insecure or because you are so self-absorbed that nothing exists outside of you.

In either case, you’re doomed for failure when everyone realizes how self-righteous you are. So when you are lonely and typing comments on YouTube videos calling someone a racial slur when they are suffering, remember you are the only one who will suffer for screwing up your own life and the world at large; one comment at a time.

Optimism

After writing this, I saw an ambulance parked below my balcony. The paramedics were ushering in a patient from the building across the street.  A girl and her parents were leaving the building when their compassion for the patient led them to inquire.

The girl recognized the patient and obviously showed concern. She left her parents, approached the ambulance and I heard the girl ask her friend if she needed some water, and how she was feeling. The girl boarded the ambulance and proceeded to leave the scene to the hospital.

My Point

Posting a comment on YouTube which is callous towards anyone who is suffering is like walking past an ambulance after recognizing your best friend is in it. We must unite on all fronts concerning basic needs to achieve any progress. If we continue to allow differences to negate our essential human connection, we will continue to destroy ourselves and the world.

I am not going to say what race the family was or whether the patient was “different” or not from them, because it truly does not make a difference.

- Riaz Sidi

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The documentary Collapse explores Michael Ruppert’s vision that the world is on the path to turmoil.

Ruppert claims the world has reached the peak oil output possible and that we are on a rapid decline of resources to sustain humanity.

What’s worse, he claims, is that governments and corporations have known about this for decades but have continued to keep the public in the dark.

Oil is the lifeblood of the industrial revolution. Everything we use from plastics to electricity requires oil energy. Since we have reached the peak of oil production, the building blocks to sustain life, by using the remaining oil to create actual renewable sources of energy, is imperative.

When we reach the end of the oil supply, we will not have the resources to create the infrastructure required to operate renewable sources of energy.

Ruppert blames our use of paper money, which is not being marked against a tangible resource, and has led to our mentality of ‘an infinite source of supply’. Yet, oil is a finite resource and as the resource diminishes, so too must the population.

How will the world cope when we do not have the resources to power electricity? to create food? to run society?

According to Ruppert, we must take responsibility locally. Rupperr suggests that what we are about to witness will be catastrophic if we do not realize our duty to protect our planet now.

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Is the male species at risk of extinction? According to the CBC documentary The Disappearing Male, this evolution has been underway for the last 60 years.

Common chemicals found in everyday products like shampoo, plastics, meat, dairy products, carpet, etc. “are called “hormone mimicking” or “endocrine disrupting” chemicals and they may be starting to damage the most basic building blocks of human development.”

According to the documentary, the last 30 years has seen a drop in male births by 3 million. The average sperm count of young men has dropped by 50% in only 50 years.

Health risks are not selective and males have been increasingly affected by unprecedented levels of dyslexia, Tourett’s syndrome, ADHD, genital defects and testicular cancer.

Rather than investigate the most serious chemicals like Bisphenol A, governments have lowered the “normal” sperm count rate to mirror that of their populations.

In animal tests, 0.025 µg/kg/day of Bisphenol A found permanent changes to the genital tract. 2.5 µg/kg/day predisposed breast cells to cancer. The US human exposure limit is 50 µg/kg/day.

- Riaz Sidi

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Italian pensioner Johanna Ganthaler was scheduled to board doomed Air France flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris when she arrived late to check-in.

Ganthaler, who took a later flight to Paris with her husband Kirk, felt blessed after learning she had averted disaster. After several days of vacationing in Europe, she was killed during an automobile collision in Austria. Kirk is in still critical condition.

Fate, Luck or Circumstantial?

Ganthaler’s story has led many to question their own beliefs on coincidences.

Many would suggest that it was her destiny to die - one way or another. Differing views would say that it was her personal choices which led her on a series of near-fatal and fatal events.

Was it Final Destination? A random set of isolated occurrences? Does how one act now affect their next action or are all destinations pre-determined and left for fate to unfold?

AF #447 Backgrounder

Traffic control lost communication with flight 447 in the early stages of its June 1 flight. The plane was later found crashed into the Atlantic Ocean at a location four hours into its trip. 228 people were lost in the accident and 49 bodies have been located.

As the 447 investigation continues, no conclusions have yet been reached as to why this accident occurred. Some are suggesting terrorism may have played a role. Others are speculating how much officials knew about the flight and how it is possible for the plane to vanish from hi-tech radar systems.

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Canadian Governor General Michaëlle Jean is garnering international headlines with her latest controversial act, eating a raw seal heart.

Attending a traditional Inuit event, Jean tasted the cultural delicacy publicizing the affair as an attempt to increase solidarity between Canada and the Aboriginal community.

“It’s delicious,” said Jean. “I tried the heart of the seal and it’s fresh.”

This publicity stunt happened only 20 days after Prime Minister Stephen Harper vowed to “vigourously” defend Canada’s seal industry. His reaction was sparked by the recent overwhelming support to ban seal hunting within the European Union.

Reactions

Canada, along with Norway and other seal hunting countries, plan to file a complaint against the EU ban with the World Trade Organization. They claim bans against seal hunting defy international trade agreements since the species hunted are not endangered. It becomes a tricky game of favouritism when other nations decide whether or not it is acceptable to hunt other controversial delicacies like dog meat.

“Hunting and eating a seal is not a political act, nor is it ‘bizarre’ or ‘disgusting’ as the anti-sealing lobby have commented,” said Mary Simon, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. “To us, this kind gesture is an acknowledgment by the Governor General of our culture and our dependence upon our wildlife as an important resource for our communities today.”

Animal activists have balked at this notion.

“It amazes us that a Canadian official would indulge in such blood lust. It sounds like she’s trying to give Canadians an even more Neanderthal image around the world than they already have,” said Dan Mathews, vice-president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

After this video was taken, Jean was invited to join an Inuit tribe on a seal hunt. Jean cordially accepted the invitation. PM Harper, who will be heading up north later in the year, chose to take a different approach when questioned whether he intends to consume seal meat.

“Let’s say the Prime Minister is not a vegetarian,” said a spokesperson on behalf of Stephen Harper.

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