We Are Better Than This is a collection of essays and poetry addressing the Australian government's asylum seeker policy. The aims of the book are several: to provide some of the information about the situation in detention camps that is being withheld by the government; to correct some of the government's misrepresentations of the current situation; to clarify some of the complex legal issues surrounding the right to seek asylum, and to give some insight into the plight of those who are seeking asylum. It is hoped that this book will better inform people about the government's policies: to support those who are unsatisfied and seeking to change the situation, as well as those who are uncertain and need more easily accessible and reliable information. Contributors are drawn from several areas of expertise and engagement with asylum seekers.

Publisher description

You hear the term "melting pot" applied to the American Experience over and over again, but it seldom hits home until you put a face on those that are "melting". Esta Freeland Cox is one of those faces. Her grandmother was an emigrant from Wales and her father from English ancestry. Racy stories of early family members serving at the King's court in London can be found on one side of the family, as well as knights fighting Moors. Interspersed among the famous are lists of those common folk: farmers, small business owners, men and woman, miners, and entrepreneurs. Among them all is found this wonderful woman, 91 years old at the time of the publication of this book. She was one of a family of 12 kids, going through the depression years, numerous wars, marriage, and the deaths of siblings and two husbands and two sons. Yet this 91-year-old still shovels her own snow and walks two miles a day. I am sure you will find these writings an inspiration for your life as you see the mind of this saint in print.

These engaging and forthright interviews bring together the life stories of thirteen black athletes who have risen to the top rank of their sport. In revealing and fascinating detail, these athletes describe how they succeeded in the face of often daunting odds, often the result of economic barriers and racist attitudes and practices.

It does not matter who we are, or how we look on the outside. What matters is who we are in our hearts. This book was inspired by Kate Vialva’s love and faith in God and her desire to spread His word with the aim of offering comfort, support, love and hope to readers – to help them feel restored and renewed. The book is about faith and the positivity of sharing to make our lives, and the lives of those around us, better. Nobody is Better Than Me will give readers a better understanding of what to do when faced with life’s adversities. Kate encourages us to awaken the spirit within us so we may reflect and recognize who we really are. This transformation will lead us to the true and everlasting joy we were meant to experience and the purpose we were born for. This startling freedom will emerge and strengthen us – changing our perception of everything and everyone around us so we can all enjoy a better life. Key to this book is Kate’s wish for readers to share the love, putting the knowledge of who we are into the hands of many.

We all aspire to do better and be better. Yet, sometimes, as much as we try, we find ourselves trapped in a prison of yesterday’s sorrows, relentlessly taunted by our past, and dwelling on the saddest words “if only.” If you desire to let go and move from a life of rejection to acceptance, want your todays to exceed your yesterdays, and journey to a brighter future, this book is for you. It will motivate you to turn what you thought were impossibilities into possibilities. You will learn how to start the process of healing, take control of your mind, improve your relationships, and develop deeper intimacy with God. As you apply the truths outlined and complete the exercises, you will tap into THE source of power you need to make your today much better than yesterday.

Is it right to use biomedical technologies to make us better than well or even perhaps better than human? Should we view our biology as fixed or should we try to improve on it? College students are already taking cognitive enhancement drugs. The U.S. army is already working to develop drugs and technologies to produce "super soldiers." Scientists already know how to use genetic engineering techniques to enhance the strength and memories of mice and the application of such technologies to humans is on the horizon. In Better Than Human, philosopher-bioethicist Allen Buchanan grapples with the ethical dilemmas of the biomedical enhancement revolution. Biomedical enhancements can make us smarter, have better memories, be stronger, quicker, have more stamina, live much longer, avoid the frailties of aging, and enjoy richer emotional lives. In spite of the benefits that biomedical enhancements may bring, many people instinctively reject them. Some worry that we will lose something important-our appreciation for what we have or what makes human beings distinctively valuable. Others assume that biomedical enhancements will only be available to the rich, with the result that social inequalities will worsen. Buchanan shows that the debate over enhancement has been distorted by false assumptions and misleading rhetoric. To think clearly about enhancement, we have to acknowledge that human nature is a mixed bag and that our species has many "design flaws." We should be open be open to the possibility of becoming better than human, while never underestimating the risks that our attempts to improve may back-fire.

Tom is a firefighter. He loves going to work. For him, encountering the intense, prickly heat of a building fire is to experience the euphoria of fear. He loves the adrenaline rush when the bells drop and the anticipation of what may lie ahead. But there is more, so much more! The best part of his job is the mischief he finds himself involved in, the antics and the camaraderie. It’s the early 80s and life was very different; Tom and his ‘brothers’ split their time between the pub and the fire station, although it is not always clear whether they are on duty or at a party. The fire engine, which they call ‘The Machine’, doesn’t always want to play and sometimes they forget to climb aboard. This is a tale of frolics, of trauma, of nurses, and even villainy. It is an exposure. Are Tom and his compadres heroes? Well, that’s for you to decide.

The Sharp sisters are bold, bright, sassy, stylin', and fierce. As the daughters of mayoral candidate Stanley Sharp, all eyes are on them as they attend high school. Every choice they make can make or break their father's campaign—and make or break their own chances for success. Ansli has a photographer's gift for seeing beauty in the world, but she's begun to doubt whether her own face really belongs in the Sharp family portrait. When she discovers her new boyfriend is now homeless, she starts to wonder what it means to belong anywhere at all. Can she find a way to help her boyfriend and other homeless families? And in the process, will she see where she fits in with the Sharp family?

Far More than We Think is an exploration of how spirituality, in its broadest sense, can be the logical solution to the many challenges of everyday modern living. These are wise words, spoken with humility, and the conclusions are surprisingly simple yet deeply profound. This debut work is a fusion of contemporary and ancient wisdom, scientific fact, and personal experience. The author builds a logical case for spirituality that leads to a conclusion that we really are far more than we think. If you have ever thought that there must be more to life than your current experience so far, then this book could mark an important turning point. If it does so for you, even to a small extent, then the purpose in sharing these thoughts will have been fulfilled.