In a week past where an Iguana made all the headlines, I’d like to use this post to launch a fun but serious weekly feature on LP where we talk to a sub species of the genus, the lesser antipodean MSM commentator, whose notable feature is laziness, myopia and an inability to shed its thin skin.
The objective, for the LP readership to crowdsource helpful unasked questions on the issues of the day for those reptiles too lazy to forage for real questions of their own.
Using the night of the long Iguanas as an example, on the story breaking it was pretty obvious to me that this was more than the Della Bosca-Neals Gone Wild, indeed on Sundays Insiders it was suggested that they knew all along that Neal had prior form, so why now? Because it was probably about battles within NSW Labor over other issues, but I don’t recall seeing anything written by the usual suspects that fleshes out that back story until recently.
As Kim mentioned in an earlier post.
he whole thing is being talked about in terms of morality not politics, but aren’t we missing the actual political story by the MSM’s failure to enquire whether this is actually connected to power plays in NSW directly related to power plays about power privatisation - a move the media with their corporate hats on actually support?
And by the way, at least one of them supports the privatisation. Also on The Insiders, the throat clearing alpha lizard himself, Paul Kelly, droned on to say that the privatisation of NSW’s electricity assets was a good thing despite the obvious discomfort of the citizens of NSW about any privatisation or PPP effort being pushed by a corrupt cynical Govt they would dearly like to rid themselves of. It was a triumph of big media providing cover for proven incompetence.
Maybe I shouldn’t, but I still like to hold on to an expectation of one day seeing our big media commentators wake from sunning themselves on the rock of insider supplied talking points and think up something original all by their lonesome (all too often they make the blogosphere look good in comparison, but they like to call themselves pros so they don’t really have an excuse) so until that day arrives we’ll have to make do with giving them a few helpful hints.
Have at it with your pet issue and the unasked question.
Great idea, Phil!
Are we to have free reign in terms of the askee? Maybe you could specify a different one each week?
@FDB I will be more specific in future, I’ll also mine comments in other posts over the week for tips, but since Iguanas are center stage right now I suspect that that will suck up a lot of oxygen. I’m interested in seeing where everyone takes this.
I’d like some analysis of the impact of Della Bosca’s demotion on the creation of a national IR system. DB was the strongest and most vocal IR Minister of any of the States, and was (publicly) pushing for some fairly significant concessions from the C’Wlth regarding the structure of a new national IR system.
What effect will DB’s demotion have on the negotiations between the States and the C’Wlth over IR?
The Piping Shrike’s blog has been tracking the power play between the Federal ALP and the NSW factions for the past week. It’s a stitch-up designed to transfer IR to Canberra. The newspaper reports keep labeling Della Bosca as Education Mininster instead of focusing on his IR portfolio and his Right Wing Faction ties. As P Shrike keeps noting, the MSM needs to look beyond the individual moves to understand the connection between the strategies and the aims of the technocrats
I nominate the frilled neck lizard because it is a true Australian.
Please explain the rest of your post again. I don’t quite get it. Has it got something to do with public liability insurance? My mate Ted is an expert on that if you want any tips.
Go the blues!!!
Joe
tweetiepie, have you got a link for the Piping Shrike’s blog?
I looked at the Costa/IR/privatisation angle in my post on Saturday that Phil linked to:
http://larvatusprodeo.net/2008/06/14/iguanagate-whats-really-going-on/
I don’t doubt that the back story is indeed about electricity privatisation, though I’m pragmatic enough to think that getting rid of Belinda Neal is worth it. As someone noted, the NSW slectors should drop Big Willy for the deciding State of Origin in favour of Ms Neal.
It’s dirty pool, but then the NSW goverment would be very wise to offload their coal power stations before an emissions trading scheme comes in. They are trying to play Macquarie Bank and their like for suckers - good luck to them.
Whi is Ross Gittins predicting a recession that many of us Crazeee Conspiraceee theorists have been predicting ever since Greenspan was talking up the housing bubble? Is Gittins’ continued humming and hawing just a case of having a bob each way, so he can say he predicted Recession when it happens, but back off his comments as needed in the meantime?
In Teh USA, are NYT and WAPO creating a self-fulfilling prophecy? It seems Yahoo’s CEO will step down soon because of, um… poor media coverage. Imagine that.
And why does Atrios hate Tim Russert? Surely we should respect dead media commentators just as much as our fallen heroes in Iraq?
…
PS: Has anyone seen my gravatar? LOL
Hi, Kim!
I read and enjoyed your Saturday blog. Your analysis matched the Shrike’s, though his/her blog digs further into the changing political scenario for Australia - the antipolitical movement -almost complete for the ALP and causing the implosion of the Coalition.
Shrike’s blog today is titled “The Rats’ problem with Rudd” and the link is the pipingshrikeblogspot.com. Enjoy! Reading his/her blog is similar to auditing Poli Sc 101!
Is Athletics Australia really banning our athletes from opening ceremony in Beijing because they are concerned about pollution? Why don’t they make the opening ceremony option, unless they are actually scared that somebody might whip out a Tibetan flag?
Thanks, tweetipie, and for the link.
Why does Miranda Devine have a column in the Fairfax media? Has it got anything to do with the fact that her father Frank Devine was a journalist who knew a lot about corrupt police officers and politicians?
Why does Gerard Henderson have a column in the Fairfax media? Has it got anything to do with his position at a prominent Australian rightwing thinktank? Who funds that thinktank anyway?
Why is Greg Sheridan still the political editor of Rupert Murdoch’s flagship newspaper in Australia? Has it got anything to do with his close contacts with rightwing politicians around the globe, or vice versa?
Oh, I do LIKE this game, Phil!
Will Sydney residents be funding the new desalination plant through increased water rates for as long as they have been funding the building of the Harbour Bridge? Is this just another case of taxpayers subsidizing private enterprise? Are tehre any endangered iguana species living around the desalination plant?
We all know that our new PM is a Very Nice Guy whose Chinese language skills are so good he could make a mandarin blush. So why doesn’t he have more to say about that Chinese dissident who committed suicide after his asylum application was repeatedly rejected by Australia? Is it all Howard’s fault, given that the man was forcibly deported before the last election? Or are both our major political parties now in thrall to the repressive Chinese government because the resources boom is fuelling our economy at a time of global economic uncertainty? Are the Australian people also willing to turn a blind eye to these atrocities? Surely not!
Why, when transport in general is in the spotlight due to fuel prices, are we not seeing more coverage of major, though not easily covered in a 15 second soundbite, initiatives such as the proposed National Transport Plan ?
Oh this is fun, Phil. How about this one:
Does Sam Husseini have a very strong accent? Is that why Tim Russert couldn’t understand all the message he left for him?
Or how about this:
Does Cindy McCain have a medical problem? Is that why she had to steal drugs from her own charity?
Am I shooting fish in a barrel yet?
*wearily shakes his head* Thanks for your help Gandhi, great stuff, rock on and all that jazz.
gandhi, see Phil’s clarification at 3 on this week’s topic. The idea, as I understand it, is to crowdsource expertise and opinions on a particular issue, not have a free for all on everything.
Is it possible that the mainstream media fail to report of speculative issues because the threat of defamation action in the courts is now so extreme? Or do senior editorial staff just use this as an excuse to spike stories which do not fit with the corporate agenda?
Has LP seriously considered the fiscal penalties which may be incurred by publishing such speculative comments, even on the intertubes, or is Mark Bahnisch prepared to underwrite the costs of any legal action and/or penalties?
Does the same level of financial terror permeate the independent media industry in Australia? Is that a good thing for democracy?
Kim @ 18 per Phil @3: I’m interested in seeing where everyone takes this.
Show me the crowd and I will obediently say “moo” or “baa” as required.
If you want me to go back and revise all my comments to include “iguana” references, just let me know.
It was a good idea Phil.
“Why does Miranda Devine have a column in the Fairfax media?”
Why does Ms Devine have three friggin’ columns a week the Fairfax media??
When she goes seven days a week I’ll cancel our subscription.
Fair enough, Gandhi - missed that bit.
Yes, and no because he doesn’t have any money!
Defamation law as it stands in Australia does have a definite chilling effect.
@Leigh, sadly no, it clearly wasn’t a good idea. Now it just looks like a monument to one individuals silly ego. I don’t think I’ll continue and will retreat back into my adventures in permission based social media.
I’m scanning through the thread, and suddenly there are references to the ‘international Jewish conspiracy’. What is going on here?
Are there? Where?
Maybe Phil’s right and crowdsourcing doesn’t necessarily work as anticipated!
I’m in the middle of something but if you can point out anything offensive, I’ll delete it.
Oh ok, got it.
If you want to do conspiracy theory by insinuation based on someone being Jewish, then I suggest you take it elsewhere Gandhi.
Gandhi @ 19. Maybe I’m not reading for context, but what real world phenomenon is this supposed to be alluding to?
Who knows, Klaus?
Our comments crossed. I find it highly offensive to make these sorts of insinuations based on someone’s religion and I don’t want to see any more such comments from gandhi here.
Let’s get back to discussing what Phil wanted us to discuss, please.
Apologies to all I had missed that offensive comment, because I got quickly bored with his bleatings and was elsewhere. Now corrected.
Back to the topic at hand and to give credit where it’s due.
As mentioned Imre Salusinszky has now written about some of the different angles on this, I know he has his own ideological perspective on a lot of things but I think he does a great job covering NSW politics, I know I always read him.
The other angle here is whether or not Iemma will be forced to postpone the privatisation vote. Could Della Bosca join the ranks of those Labor MPs who are prepared to vote against it? Why isn’t this question put directly to Iemma or Della Bosca?
Way to go Gandhi - you have effectively quashed the interest of other people in this thread by spamming it so that other voices couldn’t get heard. Not my thread so not my call, but to my eye that’s directly against our Comments Policy.
I had really been looking forward to Phil’s first thread back here in months. Not happy, Gandhi.
* * *
Kim, whether the privatisation vote will be postponed is one question, the other is what will happen with IR, as someone mentioned upthread.
tigtog, and it’s here that there are federal implications - as Gillard is definitely interested in NSW agreeing to cede IR powers to the commonwealth. Yet after one day of parliament resuming, we get pointless fishing expeditions about whether Rudd’s office had some hand in the Della Bosca stat decs rather than anything that would uncover something politically meaningful.
Now, back to the Iguana situation. My problem with all of this is that it would appear(according to fairfax) that the JP(Liberal Party staffer) who presided over the stat. decs. then contacted the RW loonies at News to brief them on the matter.
I’m no genius, and I don’t know anything about the ethics of being a JP, but does this actually mean that any JP can witness a stat. dec. and then divulge the contents to the media? If so, that is truly frightening.
Robynne B.
No, generally a Stat Dec is a public document. It needs to be so for the public administration of justice upon which our (generally admirable) legal system is built.
So not frightening. But disgusting if a public official would abuse his public office by releasing the document for partisan advantage, if that is what he has done in this case.
But then you have made the assertion. I have only commented on it.
Phil and all:
I love “iguana-gate”, “iguana-bait”, “iguana-late”, “iguana-wait”, “iguana-hate” or whatever those pathetic excuses for journalists call it.
Let’s hope that at long last, this really is the straw-that-broke-the-camel’s-back so far as public tolerance of this sort of amusement pretending to be news is concerned.
I have no idea in the whole wide world what actually happened or what it all means …. but one thing is certain, if I rely on newspapers, TV or radio to tell me then I will never know - but I will surely have my time wasted being dished up propaganda, spin, infotainment and anything except information and sober analysis.
Thanks Greg, for clarifying this. I appreciate a greater knowledge than mine, so can you tell me, if I go to the local JP (in my case this would be the Police Station), would it be OK for them to then contact my Rural newspaper to inform them of my personal circumstance?
Here’s a question for some journalists: if Australia were to reduce its use of fossil fuels for road and air transport by (oh let’s say) 80%, how would we be affected? e.g. no more Qld bananas in Vic greengrocers? People working closer to home or not going at all? Can we run the present urban public transport system with non-carbon-based energy sources? How many years to get from here to THERE?
Might take more than a sound-bite, but.
Robynne B
No I don’t think it would be. I haven’t researched the legislation but the general proposition is that public officials discharge their duties for the public’s benefit and not their advantage. If they weren’t to do that it would be corruption, and that, however inadequately, our courts and parliaments try to address.
The point I made was the importance of our legal system being conducted in public for the public benefit as the people are the ultimate regulators of our system of justice. You’ll find repeated appeals to this principle from our courts, and especially our Courts of Appeal. Generally their proposition is that all documents lodged in court are public documents,accesible to anyone who seeks them, and that the administration of justice is a public affair.
If, on the other hand, you are too uninterested inform yourself of, or to excercise, the rights they appeal to you to exercise then what can they do?
You, of course, could inform yourself of your rights and exercise them - or smugly do nothing but criticise. But that’s up to you.
If, however, you do make that effort and are frustrated in it then take your case up with me and then I will take your case up for you, for then your case will be mine. As well as every one else’s. And then I would appeal to everyone at LP, just as a starting point.
I think this is the right thread to make the following comment on.
I was utterly appalled at the ABC, Lateline and Tony Jones tonight, running a feature on payday loans as a precursor to the non-interview with Senator Nick Sherry.
These organisations do not need publicity. How many poor people watching Lateline tonight are now likely to go on line and get one of these usurious loans, who might otherwise have never found out about them?
And why in the hell did Nick Sherry not condemn these organisations in the strongest possible terms and urge people never to get involved with them? Come on, ALP, are there no limits to your accommodation of capitalism?
Interesting comment on the Poll Bludger thread with reference to the Belinda Neal fest that the Libs tried to get going in Parliament today, along with the usual droning about petrol excise:
http://www.pollbludger.com/872?cp=1#comment-164858
No Kim, don’t tell therm. They’re doing fine the way they are so far as I’m concerned.
“They’re battening down the hatches in self-fulfilling preparation for stormier times ahead.”
(Ross Gittins…SMH)
Funny, I can remember battening down those hatches almost 2 years ago or more..and discussing why…I guess Ross is the Minister for Bleeding Obvious lately…as oppossed to the Cassandra…or Justice Seeker role, eh Gandhi? Good questions there fella. But like me sometimes, you RAGED & in the raging got a bit OCD and stepped on toes…forgetting we’re merely guests. But I still reckon yer the bees knees of exposing filth, lies & corruption. Rage on!
Mr. Reagan in the USA wants to shoot some of us tinfoil hat wearers. It’s Blamegate instead of what we pointed to years ago known as Plamegate. I remember the SILENCE & chuckles back then. And the DOUBTERS. And the FINGER-POINTERS.
Still, Ross did get it on the Private Equity bit. I don’t mind Ross. We’re all dressed in hand-me-down gear anyway. His just GLITTERS more. Play that trumpet white boy.
Everyone:
Gee, where is Steve At The Pub when you need him?
Alright then, hands up all those who have worked in the travel or hospitality industries - in pubs, motels, restaurants, aircraft, fast-food outlets or whatever - and have had a celebrity, sports star, media personality, politician, senior executive, eminent lawyer, mover-and-shaker or some other instantly recognized public figure come in and then bung on a turn, have a ding-dong brawl, chunder all over the place, grope whoever gets within arm’s reach, become incontinent or otherwise cause offence to staff and to other customers/guests/passengers alike …. and yet not a single word about the disgrace gets to appear in the news[wtf??] media.
Yet DellaBosca and Neal are in involved in something - which, so far as I can gather, did not involve chundering over anyone nor an on-the-spot payment of a couple of thousand dollars “to cover the damage” - and it becomes some sort of a hysterical national beat-up.
What the hell is really going on? If anything.
Graham I think it was the alleged “do you know who I am?”quote that got people going.If true it is vomit of sorts I guess
If the meeja is any guide you’d think it was worse than chair sniffing.
I actually think that this completely OTT reporting is counter productive. Sections of the media are so intent on embarassing Rudd that the over reaction is so obvious that it almost engenders a degree of sympathy.
It didn’t work before the election, and apparently it’s not working after it, either.
gee, maybe the staff at Iguana thought they had some “RIGHTS AT WORK”? silly duffers
“I’m no genius, and I don’t know anything about the ethics of being a JP, but does this actually mean that any JP can witness a stat. dec. and then divulge the contents to the media? If so, that is truly frightening.”
JP’s would only be able to divulge the contents if they have permission. In fact my guidebook to being a JP (NSW) says that I am not entitled to read the contents of a stat dec but only to check the ‘form and purpose’ of the stat dec and that “if a JP becomes aware of the contents of a document hs/she must maintian the person’s confidentiality and privacy at all times”
Graham Bell, going by the histrionics in parliament today courtesy (irony) of the Opposition, I think we get some idea as to why this issue has made the media grade.
Typical desperate manoeuvring, much sound & fury not dissimilar to the American filibuster, attempting to be obstructionist & distracting from bad polls & Labor’s sell on specific bills…& in turn, providing advertising dollars for their media patrons. As for Rudd’s motives, I’ll leave that to the chattering classes…I’m more concerned w/ the Coalition’s attempts to block passage of bills that undermine discrimination, promote aspects of equality…and those that target the needs of the people.
Spot on Adrien. This is another beat-up campaign pushed & will be CONSTRUCTED by the usual suspects.
Tony Abbott is in the business of advising Rudd to PUNISH more effectively… must’ve watched a few vids on how to deal w/ sinners of late…& is demonstrating on Agenda an enormous concern for abused workers…as he has the long suffering public servants. He uses forked tongue to do straight talk…;)
I reckon the Opposition must feel a bit pummeled like punching bags after the Labor front-bencher’s performance today.
Chatterings by the unimaginative Corporate media does not necessarily mean KERCHING…or integrity. Just wind from blowhards.
PM Kevin was very forceful, but not hectoring I thought, on Red Kerry’s 7.30 show last night.
Agree Ambigulous, as forceful & persuasive as he needed to be. Yet not condescending and gleeful like King John…;)
Nasking [49]:
Thanks. Thought it might have something to do with legislative game-playing - but have not been following the farce as there have been far more interesting things holding my attention [Brian’s topic, here on Larvatus Prodeo, about the Arctic icecap meltdown for a start …. and then there are the implications for Australia of the discord between the Afghan and Pakistani governments for another].
Leigh [45]:
Yeah. However, almost every misbehaving public personality seems to come out with the same old “Don’t you know who I am??” and the “I can get you sacked/ put out of business/ sued into bankruptcy/ deregistered/ taken off the [whatever] list!!” and “Don’t you tell me what I can and cannot do!!” and so on.
You can almost set your watch by them. It’s 38 seconds into the disagreeable conduct so he will say “A” right now - and then in another 14 seconds he will do “B” .
Any sociologists or psychologists care to comment on the pattern of misbehavior?
My question; Who had ever heard of Neale prior to her latest Guano?
Graham, I think your priorities are sensible. All part of the jigsaw.
Me! But then again I live in Robertson. When she was announced as the Labor candidate there was a murmur through the community of “Oh no.”
I live reasonably close to Iguanas but have never been there in the 5 years I’ve been living on the Coast. Just never seemed that attractive. Been to the leaguesy though. Great for a drink before and after a game at Bluetongue (another reptilian name).
Looking forward to the opening of the Gila Monster Tavern.
Everyone:
Whilst the imitation journalists have been carrying on like pork-chops about a couple of possibly-unlovely politicians and their relatively unimportant misbehavior - a scientist has collected dust-samples from all over Mount Isa, had them analysed and reported excessive levels of lead and other metals in that dust. The effect of this finding on the huge mining company, Xtrata, and on the Queensland Government is likely to be big news indeed …. but where are all the marvellous journalists? They’re off fretting about whether foetuses really can turn into demons or whether the Speaker of the House of Representatives is under an evil spell.
Back in the old days …. a perceptive reporter [not a “journalist”] with only Intermediate/Junior/Year 10 education might have got wind of a story at Mount Isa; hopped on the train and gone the 1436 miles up there, had a good look around, had a yarn or two or fifty with the locals, picked up some samples on the quiet then returned to Brisbane and had the samples analysed …. and Bingo!! …. a headline story.
But that was back in the days when reporters got off their backsides and looked for news stories that were news; that was in the days before stories flopped onto their computer screens already spellchecked and ready for publication..
Graham, I’m wondering if the initial report ever got thru to the minister. Sometimes individuals w/ a company’s interest at heart make there way into a bureaucracy…or you get a public servant paid off/leant on to look the other way. Sometimes it’s just incompetence…or apathy…or being too busy & a report gets put in the wrong pile.
Tho, wouldn’t one expect lead pollution in a town like Mt. Isa?
Or have the safety regulations been ignored. Perhaps/obviously they’re inadequate?
I’m sure Anna Bligh will get on top of this.
Anyway, it’s not good enuff…I’m pleased that Slater & Gordon commissioned the study & are involved in the lega action:
Over the years Slater & Gordon has handled some of the most complex and widely publicised cases in Australia. These include representing hundreds of asbestos miners at the Wittenoom mine in Western Australia; In 2000, the company lodged a writ in the Victorian Supreme Court against Broken Hill Proprietary Company (BHP) on behalf of traditional owners in Papua New Guinea over the collapse of a tailings dam led to waste from the Ok Tedi Mine polluting the Ok Tedi and Fly Rivers in 1984. BHP had settled claims with 30,000 other landowners in the Ok Tedi region. Other cases are representing victims of medically acquired HIV from contaminated blood supplies; and women suffering health problems due to faulty IUDs and breast implants.
In December 2005, the firm successfully negotiated a settlement with James Hardie worth $4.5 billion on behalf of unions and people suffering from asbestosis, mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases as a result of exposure to asbestos while working for the company.
In 2006, Slater & Gordon launched a class action against Telstra on behalf of shareholders for allegedly failing to properly reveal its financial position. Later in January, the company stated that it was considering action against Multiplex over losses caused by the Wembley Stadium reconstruction.
(wiki pedia)
Julia Gillard worked for Slater & Gordon in the past. As a solicitor. Good choice.
Nasking [57]:
Your thoughtful comments on the current Mount Isa issue are much appreciated …. but I was actually having a crack at the semi-journalists who think that if they set foot outside their offices then ogres, demons, ghosts and ghouls will devour them - so they have to stay indoors and try justifying their existence - and their pay - with hysterical beat-ups …. like the current Goanna-Mate [or is that Iguana-Rate?]
No problemo Graham. It’s positive that you to try & shame those lazy bones. Tho I reckon some of the problem is rooted in the economic efficiency measures going on in media corporations…gotta keep the shareholders happy & family trust funds bursting at the seams as the transition to the new media becomes a good excuse to downsize & outsource news gathering.
It’s all bloody pathetic…papers used to run on the smell of an oily rag but now the revenue generated by ads, in one form or another, is the determinant as to whether we get a gumshoe journo on the case or not. And of course political & corporate connections also plays a part. As does the SEXINESS of the story. Amongst other things.
The dumbed down viewer hooked on LIVE BREAKING NEWS & celebrity BS…& Moral Panic ala character assassination & child abuse also plays a role. Probably why it was part of the local news agenda for awhile, the suffering children angle & the big bad government. Some truisms…& definitely a tragedy…but the whole thing deserves more in-depth reporting…& less SPIN & blame game stuff.
Tho, the ABC Stateline & radio seems to be doing a halfway decent job…I just haven’t focused on the story/issue enuff. But then, I’m just a bleedin’ commentor tryin’ to keep the bast*rds honest whilst blowin’ off steam now & then…& lapping up sustenance from the knowledge pool.
I find so much of the news vague, abstract & lacking appropriate links & questions. And way too many long, lingering shots of Coke signs etc.- are the cameramen getting paid on the side or what?
Graham and Nasking,
I’ve heard this “story” (Mt Isa) covered several times in the last coupla months on Radio National - breakfast program, and possibly AM? Surprised to hear that print journalists haven’t followed up?…. or did their stories get “spiked” in the editorial process?
Ambigulous. maybe someone “spiked” their many drinks w/ sleeping pills…;)
Everyone:
“Nature abhors a vacuum” so ….
…. into the reporting vacuum left by the news[??] media in Australia come all the bloggers - with their opinions, insights and, in some cases, actual first-hand knowledge.
Enjoy the luxury of that while it lasts …. because sooner or later there will be a crack-down on what is said on the internet here - and by whom. You can bet anything you like that some nasty little bureaucrats [corporate or government] in Australia are diligently learning from the Chinese government’s experience of managing the internet.
Never mind, when that happens, we can do what the Eastern Europeans did under decades of Communist rule - pass on the real news by word-of-mouth.
’samizdat’ - roneoed sheets - eh Graham? Then someone would need to monitor all the photocopiers, mobile phones, …. quite a task. Stasi, anyone?
Graham, I’ve heard the worst type of censorship in China comes from the corporations. I think a fella on Insight who had been living in China mentioned that the State was no longer Maoist or Communist…but rather Corporate Totalitarian. Which probably tells us why they are SUCKING in so many resources & producing carbon & cheap goods at a frantic rate & in turn stomping all over the rights of small farmers, workers & elderly home owners in the process. I think it was on Dateline that a Chinese fella who investigates company-based abuse, including mining that toxifies the water of small townspeople, stated that he thought the worst kind of censorship was related to protecting companies…& in particular the Olympics. An Aussie lass living there confirmed such. I must find those quotes.
I’m no fan of any form of totalitarianism…whether it be fascist, communist, corporate or even religious. I reckon that “crack-down” you talk about is coming from those who support the war/Invasion…but pretend otherwise, in combination w/ those who benefit from it. And yes, some lessens will be learnt from China, & from the Busheviks, and Blairites, & Berlusconi types, and Putins…as they gradually infiltrate every aspect of that government in China & elsewhere…& the media (that’s a given & a happening).
Like an infection in the cells, replacing another form of infection…but in the long run, both are insidious, deadly & puppet-making.
I wonder if it is like this?:
I haven’t seen it. Just a few clips. I can’t imagine empathising w/ those INVADERS, those THINGs, those BODY SNATCHERS, those TRIFFIDS who hope to create a perfect world…I think of how the ideas of Jeremy Bentham & Charles Darwin have been used & abused by those conducting some kind of EXPERIMENT prior to their DOWNFALL.
And how some people must think themselves SO SPECIAL to feel they can SELECT who lives & who dies…in the pursuit of manufacturing UTOPIA. And making PLENTY of moolah in the process. To me they are constructing a DYSTOPIC world…INFECTED themselves…unable to see THE LIGHT.
Me no heart METROPOLIS if it becomes a reality instead of fiction.
Long live the BLOGS! Racing thru cyberspace towards the DeathStar…almost there.
That should be:: “I wonder if it is like this?”:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invasion_%28film%29
Link lost in space…:)