Categories: uncategorized
Date: 24 February 2005 21:12:06
One of my few TV pleasures (I generally listen to news and current affairs on radio -- ABC NewsRadio [which contains both locally-produced items as well as broadcasting items from the BBC Worldservice, the USA's NPR, and Germany's Deutsche Welle, to name a few] -- I am a bit of a news jukie!) is The Amazing Race. For those who do not know about it, it is a show from the USA where eleven teams of two compete in a race around the world, and where they have to do various challenges on the way. I find it terribly addictive.
One team, however, annoys me beyond all belief. Actually one team member. Jonathon -- who is the most caustic person I have ever seen on TV. He constantly yells at his wife, calls her names, and generally makes an arse of himself by screaming and yelling at every opportunity. I understand such a race can be high-pressured, and other teams have their arguments, but he seems to be king of cruel. Yesterday, at the end of that stage, they were coming first, but another team overtook them as his wife had trouble carrying the heavy bag and running. Well, this upset Jonathon no end.
After they were told they were second, he continued to rant and rave at his wife -- so much so she walked off crying. And guess what? He continued to rant and rave. The host eventually told him he might want to go and see his wife. I'm simply shocked at how someone could treat someone they love like that; or, perhaps, it is the lure of so much money [US $1,000,000] -- but then he is an entrepreneuer and owns a Ferrari [as he tells us every episode!], so I doubt it is that. Oh well. I can but hope the nicest team, father-and-daughter Gus and Hera, win. They, and several other teams, are proof you can have fun while on the race. And in terms of Jonathon, I suppose I should be careful and consider the words of Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninvov's quote I gave a few days ago, "Whatever you do, on no account condemn anyone; do not even try to judge whether a person is good or bad, but keep your eyes on that one evil person for whom you must give an account before God -- yourself."
Also on last night was the final of the wonderful British documentary A Child's World. The British truly are the documentary experts. This three-part series charted the intellectual, emotional and mental development of children. It was wondrous to see how children think at various stages of their development, as well as learn how, and about when, we gain the skills we now possess as adults. Fascinating. Two quotes from the kids that stick in my wind were:
From a young boy:
If you want to play with someone, girls are better than nothing.From a girl:
When babies are born, they are really, really angry!