Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Doncha just lurve modern communications?

Dunno about anyone else, but fer a self professed patriotic Aussie isolationist desperate for communication and information (heh) am fascinated by SBS TV. Not only do I watch the “news roundup” in the mornings – about five or so 1 hour feeds from countries round the world .. Indonesia, Greece, Italy, China .. and a few others. Have not the slightest idea what they are saying, mind you – I see lips moving, and can only assume that the sounds made make sense to their respective communities; am just fascinated to see what sort of images they give weight to.

But, now that the “overwhelming focus” of local TV coverage on the Olympic games in China is over; I can get back to looking at, trying to assess what's happening in the “real” world.

One of the better “alternative” views comes from DW-TV “Deutsche Weller” English language version. Also Jim Lehrer's News Hour from PBS America, as well as some of the more incisive “news analysis” programs and documentaries from ABC Australia.


Where am I heading with all this?

Dunno, really. Isolationism has its own problems, I guess. America still seems to be besotted with the “presidential” games. Gaah, who gives a shit? It will work its way through the circus, two blokes “in tights” will climb a ladder, swing on the trapeze, be accorded a four or 8 year accolade according to one count depending on the level of applause. More about glitz, glitter, glamour and volume from the Ring-Masters than anything else. More about “Ooompapa, façade, fancy costumes and parades”, than any notion of substance.

However, don't misunderstand me. From what have seen so far on TV, at this point of time, not having the impetus nor access to 24 hour internet – if I were leader of any other country on this planet – “Inexperience?”- would much prefer to have a chat, negotiate with Barack Obama, than John McCain .. but am not any sort of leader, and was interested to see and hear some comments by a self professed McCain supporter on local Lateline the other night. Admittedly, there was no “fervent blind faith”, and much of what he said made sensible sense. He pointed out that “History” has a tendency to erase the details, and GW Bush – eventually – may well be seen as a visionary; but only if, in 30-40 years, Iraq truly does become the “democracy” that he envisioned (or was told to envision .. heh). He may be right. He also said something akin to “Europe likes him. I'm against anything that Europe likes. Australia should understand – our ancestors escaped from it”.

At that point I disagreed with him.

Modern Australia didn't “escape” from Europe. It was given an opportunity and built a fascinating society based on freedom, hard work, social justice and – from my point of view – true egalitarian democracy. But yes, our political system IS built on, and modified from – the British Westminster system, but we didn't have to be “reactionary” about it – no “wars of independence”, nobody was compelled to become dead; but EVERY Australian votes (give or take a minor few). We don't have to try to “replicate” “Kings in White Castles”, or go to the extreme of “he who has the loudest trumpet (or trumpeter) wins” - our Prime Minister IS a “man of the people”, can come from anywhere without financial millions or billions to “buy” their way into the Lodge. They stay for three years – or more, or less, as long as the majority of the people of Australia want them to be there. We don't have to shoot them, just give the Party Power brokers an opinion – or when that fails, just vote them out (and yes, a somewhat simplified view).

Barack Obama – intelligent, articulate, successful - seems to carry the many hopes and dreams of so many people on this planet – black, white and brindle. Have just now seen a few words from Michelle Obama - impressive – will be interesting to see what happens next.


[PS, in case someone wants to quibble – yup, am well aware that Australia is a unique island/continent entity in the Asia/South Pacific region. “We” have our own internal problems, but only 20 mill population, so, relatively easy to keep “tabs” on everyone - are mostly well educated and informed, and don't really have much problem with “border security”. No real reason to become paranoid. Bit difficult to walk here these days, and everybody else came by boat (more or less).. heh.]


7 comments:

lemmiwinks said...

I doubt it matters much, Obama or McCain, Democrat or Republican, there's a better than average chance that the US economy is going to go belly up pretty soon and the tsunami will likely wipe out many others.

As for military action, this is a real eye-opener WRT the feeling of the "man in the street" and your average grunt on the ground in the army. They honestly believe they're doing the right thing, much as early missionaries blundered upon people quietly minding their own business and set about "saving" them. Net result is the same, the US military ends up in the cooking pot while the cannibals dance around.

Davoh said...

the US economy is going to go belly up pretty soon and the tsunami will likely wipe out many others.

lemmi .. i doubt that .. too many "ecomonies" depend on, locked in, and are interrelated with the "US" dollar. It would be an odd treasurer who could ignore it, or allow it to fail.

Davoh said...

oops, "economies".

lemmiwinks said...

I know what you mean, and I'm by no means holding my breath expecting the US economy to tank any minute, but by the same token I think that it will reach a point where no amount of "liquidity" provided by the Federal Reserve will keep it afloat.

They gave everyone all the cheap credit they could take (and then some) and gave birth to the subprime crisis. It extends beyond mortgages to personal credit and general consumer spending (a lot of which was funded by re mortgaging overvalued properties).

Davoh said...

Lemmi, am probably guessing, but "Americans" live in some sort of 'lala' land, from what i can gather through freely available sources, China owns most the US bulk bonds. In other words, it is, at present, in the best interests of China to control the US dollar - that may, or may not change.

Davoh said...

Lemmi, the "war" on Iraqi terror-tory was not about 'freedom', 'democracy' .. nor even about 'oil'. It was, probably still is, the 'value' of the US dollar. Saddam Hussein was in the process of converting the 'transaction exchange' from the US dollar to the Euro. If that Happened, the US dollar would - in world economic terms - be worthless. Too many countries have 'reserves' held in US dollars, and cannot allow that to happen - yet.

lemmiwinks said...

Yeah, China could collapse the US economy at the drop of a hat, but not in their interests to do so. Who else will buy their plasma TVs in such quantity?