Monday 4 August 2008

Tonight, try something different

The return of ledgendary CairnsBlog writer, Syd Walker, infamous for his Death Throes of Mareeba Shire series. We bid Syd a very welcome return to the Blogsphere.


A suggestion.
This evening, take a break from your usual routine…
Free up an hour or so. Perhaps you could skip your favourite TV mystery show? Don't bother to watch / listen to ABC 'News' for an evening. If you read thrillers, take a break from your book. Head over instead to Salon.com.
Check out Glenn Greenwald's recent article: Vital unresolved anthrax questions and ABC News.
There you will find real news - news about the most powerful malevolent forces on the planet, news that affects us all in profound ways.

You will encounter an extraordinary mystery thriller, with a cast of characters including real life political leaders, media 'news' stars, 'intelligence agencies', police, scientists - even a few ordinary people who typically play the role of hapless victims.

You'll learn something of what's setting the most politically-aware people in American abuzz - right now, in real time. Follow some of the links. If you have time, check out the 500+ comments posted by readers.

Then perform a news search on YOUR ABC website for the term 'anthrax' (as of 3pm, 4th August 2008 the most recent news item returned was posted on 28th June!). Rupert Murdoch's 'News Ltd' does somewhat better - here are identical offerings of the official line from the Herald Sun and Australian, dated August 2nd. The more enlightened Fairfax papers provide a choice of official line accounts, sourced from AP and the Washington Post.

Only the last of these articles raises any doubts about the veracity of the official version of events. Yet as you will discover when you absorb Glenn Greenwald's article - along with his even more recent piece in Salon.com (Journalists, their lying sources, and the anthrax investigation) - the anthrax saga has become far, far more explosive than you'd ever guess from any of these accounts - or lack thereof.

Invest an hour or so checking this material out - then ask yourself a question: Where is the free, informed mass media in this country? Does it exist?
Why are Australia's professional chatterers, commentators, interviewers and saga-spinners so skilled at repeating BLATANT and DEMONSTRABLE LIES supporting the case for yet another unprovoked and illegal war - but utterly incompetent at exploring stories such as the latest that cry out for years in end for serious investigative journalism and open-minded analysis?

Is it really incompetence? Ignorance? Cowardice? Laziness? Clone-like conformism? Or worse?

In the immortal words of Pauline Hanson: "Please Explain".

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I suggested a change to my missus. She said, sure, honey. You come over here to the sink and wash up and I'll lay back on the couch, have a beer, watch my favourite TV show and fart.