BONO was great ---Enough Rope

RE Making poverty history in semi arid areas

The question: What stands in the road of the future?

The glass is certainly more than half full, but if we are going to kep the momentum going ---lets be realistics the glass does have some leaks .
What stands in the road of the future? Sometimes the audience themselves. That means aid agencies and the media don’t even know what they do wrong . I know may caring people in the system who do not know or see the dangers of misplaced interest in the rural poor in particular.

Do good but do it well

Learning to cope with drought

Hopefully the city will learn to cope with the drought

STATELINE Friday --While Ted came out tops, he did it for a reason - he was more reasonable . Bracks, and top of the tops ABCites were not tough enough or targeted enough to touch base with the real world as well as he did .
It didn't matter that the questions were toughly put - the substance on water conservation ,for example, was shallow, secular and superficial. The sort of stuff we expect from the margins , not from our ABC .
Bracks was nervous, as he should be , about whether even the logic of his advisors is right? ; he didn't even take his cue from that leading question on logging.

Shower roses- Very nice to give us a little shower lecture during a drought, but as any country person could see, the crowd in that studio talked more like a bunch of big birds splashing around in a birdbath; leaders using a vessel small enough, but clearly not deep enough, to avoid the dunking they deserved . Selling such simples may please some of your city folks , but you can restassurred that something will come back to bite you boys - and it won't be just be the mossies from your million dollar meddling with tanks .
Lesson 1 on droughts and really dry times. If you going to really solve environmental imperatives and manage risk from rainfall ( not just talk about a problems existence etc etc etc ) you need proper ecosystem advice - otherwise you risk being sucked in by mere tokens, tritethings and terrible things.

Sustainability is the stuff that works year in year out -- water and resource conservation is bread and buter ---it has to work for us each and every year -WE plan for the occassion, not necesarily spend up big when it arrives.
SO plan for those mozzies - that way you may learn to cope with change like we can every year!
People who encourage those sorts of solutions are profligate; unworthy to be called conservationists, unworthy of governing in the interests of the country.

The too simple ABC's of ABC BUSINESS are too much . AS is too often the case on this shallow look stuff, Hon Coonan and the presenter were smiling too much to convince us the discussion was focused on real issues of eco sustainability.

RUDD surprises the ABC, most irreverently.
"Surely your'e not taken in by all this anti-intellectual stuff, Kevin "? Surely you are still a secularist.......aren't you ? please tell us we are not being surrounded by .....by something we don't understand "
Tony jones was a bit shocked , and so he could be expected to be . ABC church has been happily ignoring the great variety of keen Christians whose minds are in full gear and operate for public good across both government, all parties , science and practice as well as running many , many independant industries for those can't pay their own way economically or to get the truth told . Jesus must have said something pretty well to breed supporters on both sides of politics for so many centuries ? Maybe not all religions teach the same simple political imperatives? Maybe there is something worth understanding about our Christain heritage ?


We no longer wait for ABCTV and local rdaio to wake up and address this possibility (like the democrats might have )because there appears to be only one church there . Where is Geraldines Dooges Australians story on the work of someone like Gordon Moyes- a man whose History ( like that of Bonhoeffer) might help build some understanding of the practical people between "the new rudd image of christianity" and "the costello one" --
THE COMPASS NEEDLE IS STUCK
we haven't been watching COMPASS for years, cause the Compass NEEDLE is stuck- to the old greeks - and its so predictably, self satisfied, tight little circle of go no where , decide nothing woosiness and cyniscsm . How did rudd get to tell the truth - that pentecostals are not madly selfcentred . 1.5 million dollars in the knox city area. Good on him and shame on the ABC for running its tired old predjudices as gospel for decades !

Are Tony and the crew now wondering "How did we let Mr Rudd get into our pulpit to talk about religion -- We're here to talk ONLY, in this church, about what we can touch and feel?" "He sounded like you almost believed some of this stuff about theology - that there is a rational connection between faith and reason." "You mean a theologian (Bonhoeffer) said something helpful" . Unfortunately many in AUST have been missing out on the facts , even though they may be watching too much TV ; don't realise that theology/worldview is an obligation of citizenship in the real world of humanness . Theology ( Of whatever version you choose ) is the underpinning rationale for sorting action ,ethics and value discussions .
Read the 1st chapters of either romans or corinthians and you can get some idea of the gist of the rational key to "the light switching on" for that old intellectual and rational Paul - "circles" are where we were . something beyond us is where we find ourselves - if we are honest ( read new scientist this week ) . Like those who celebrate with Tevye and the men before Jesus , Faith can provide a way through the endless but restricted little circles of greek type rationalism that cages most largely worldview uncritical, reactionaries in the West to this very day .
Go kevin go - just remember as the emperors of old found out - you never can predict who will back who or from the big picture point of view , what is really going on in the background - just beyond what we mortals know and see place

Peter Costello CHURCH STATE ACL Peter Costello used an important bridging concept in his speech to those "overly religious folks" at ACL conference yesterday; The word “science”. More here. What keeps our religious worldview in tune with reality is its ability to deal with facts. A good test of how effective your particular worldview is , surely is how effectively it works for you.
Nothing more symbolises the general consensus of functional democracies over the last 400 years than the correctness of having both, but not mixing both . Diversity is accepted not stifled.
The important tension between the 2 must not be dissolved by putting them in the same box ( Church and State)

Australian audiences are very keen to keep its egalitarian culture, but are not quite sure of what ideas and worldviews got it there and keep it there. But whether we want to admit it or not maybe we need both our own "church" and the state , we need diversity with distinction ;diversity and tension between the extreme parts : If some don’t know which way to jump in a crisis of faith like now – they can simply woose out - the good men do nothing apathy that is helping kill our own culture .Do we not all need to decide “which way “is best and seek agreement on what we have in common. None of us like being branded “religious” but thankfully according to the modern science/practice , we all are in the same boat with it anyway .Modern Psychology science says not only that we have to choose the paradigm , but that we have probably already chosen.

There is also all the evidence in our backyard and around the world that democratic traditions require more than mere force and structure to work, They need ideas; they need closely held values , they need faith systems that work .
Mind you Christians have no excuse for doing otherwise throughout history. Jesus clearly stated when he got his disciples to pay their taxes;Very clearly they didn't like that idea and he had to do some powerful persuading .Luke 20 "they have their job and we have ours" . Pity the polys of the time didn't think or practice the same to those courageous men in agreement about the principles of good politics. With Jesus view of power and how it is to be used how could there not be a difference . copyright

We'll all be rooned, said the chicken ?
Has MR GORE really added any credibility to the circus of filmmakers and fearmongers who play up to the people's fears? - I think not ; Rather the reverse. Panic merchants who peddle facts as fears ( can you visualise the falling glaciers filling up the big bath of the world ?)risk the true sustained and economic benefits of reality therapy.
The annoying part for those of us who agree that we need to do really big things in conservation is that this completely uneccesary haste and makes for huge waste.
The overly worshipful approach to tokens and quick fixes ( a whole program in hushed silence) put a dent in dear Denton's often delightful willingness to let the man or woman talk.
You've got to wonder what has bewitched so many of our journos to dissolve their long diffident relationship with Americans -let alone USA polys. They think they are reporting science, but they act like they are in church ,
Well ive got facts for em . They are reporting polys and scaremongers; Not geoscientists,
If they want the synergies of big picture thinking and facts maybe they should joining the scientology movement like other famous ....... leaders of the image age?
Gore and those who joust at things they feel are important --don't know what geoscientist know ---He was totally unconvincing on using the facts -So ....Short term gain long term pain for the latest campaign to set the city free from its fears .To avoid fear and lost causes look deeper and wider and to real scientists -not those who quote them to make their stories and pics sound convincing. Dumb really dumb and they and so many don't even KNOW it. so much for the media painting the big picture by reportingbeyond mere facts (http://swearthnews.blogspot.com)

IDEAS ARE EVERYTHING
Grahame morris made the point very well, but is anyone in the major parties really listening .Not a chance as both he and Rod pointed OUT!

Even Ms MCue was concentrating on pressing HER view . Maybe people who KNOW are not being heard? .
There have got to be areas of "on the nose" ideas and actions that don't work--- why haven't the stunned mullets across state and fedaerl politics got a whif of them? Tell us what you think stinks !

Zee Tuesday Book Club. Peter Cundal said it all,just OLd trash .The young girl has moved on, but was afriad to overstate it lest she break ranks on the silly old chorus of ABC church worshipers . This new moral stance or ignorants surprises the chief chanter, cause she wants to belive noone ever moves on from the 70"s. To talk of morality.. cut that stuff short!
Don't waste our time jennifer. Not the idea of a book club but the now stale go nowhere except down, ideas of the me generation, their innocence about evil and their woosy parents who can't see the cul de sac, even now . Byrne, like so many ageing reactionaries, has to worship the new at the cost of what's good.

It may be a classic girls, but so is your self imposed living in the 70's attitude . You see this show could have been done 30yrs ago and it would have got the same reaction from people who study ideas and history. That's how much ABC Church members are behind the times .
Jennifer . why don't you get a few folks to read a book about islam - that might liven it up this cosy club a little enough to make us want to join .

At least when ABC or SBS does history - some reality has to come forward .

Don't watch the ABC much these days on Sunday nights cause it so timid about REPORT%ING the worst and the best of history in a way that HONORS what they did and doesn't pretend too much about what they thought in doing it . Piss off all those film makers waiting at your door ing to tell youthere version of history- its not only patheiticllay obvoius, its a turn off on Sunday nights as are the period pieces with the makeup substiting for the messup.


So it was pleasing to see some reporting on Catherine the great.
However brilliant Catherine the greater becomes as a new age woman model , I 'v got a feeling, like shapekespeare's richard , Grand duke peter is not the main target of the makeover merchants SO I may not have yet met catherine but thansk to the subject mater I may have met the woose and am the wiser .

Good to refect on peter s form -defined in reaction, he sought popluarity but lost his power when the people recognised his woosiness.few around is there ?


and Cornertones reporting on Bill the preacher thsi Sunday . I wonder if we have to have more race riots in Sydney or damage near Darwin before ABC will report on the good work being done in Aust by dare I say it, "religoius folks " God bless them .

4 corners top the list of good reporting this month .
Chris masters does it again or should we say Canadians have done it again .
Understand health care risks before we kill medicine and risk takers. see more cuttingedgecare

Lateline


RE : - The festering sores and blame game centres like Wadeye

I d wonder whether the ABC will survive - its now so predictably the same as itwas world view wise as it was 30yrs ago .
HOW I WISH BEFORE I DIE that ABC Report the story ( a Foriegn Correspondent type story from someone else ?) of our own indigenous people properly with the ideological implications of all sides thrown just as FC correspondent reporters do when they interview Imran Kahn or others ideologically involved in squabbles overseas. Find out whose working in which communities in NT and why!
POSITIVELY
Tony Jones discussion with the bishop opened a door too long closed

Seems to me there are echoes of that very old now trite excuse coming out of the hot spots . .Play the name game tune and maybe its what you will hear next from Wadeye

Denton is one ABC presenter who takes his job seriuosly, and does it well. One way to avoid the percieved danger of singing only one tune in church or the equally woosy ban on all singing is to let the guest do it .( Bono last night)

RAGE Letting the children do what they like - What a disgrace the ABC has to run a monocultural drone into the morning = what for? the good of the kids. Can't teh ABC find something different for kids on saturday mornings . You Don't win any points by playing the same old same old they get on radio - in case you haven't noticed , children need and respond to a challenge .

LATELINE friday SO SHALLOW i won't wait around for judith or gerard again . The discussion on Howards success was about as deep as the proverbial birdbath;judith brett having to be propped up by affirmations and explanataions from Ms Mckeew.the left needs all the help it can get .
Most intellent austarialns as opposed to that fictional airy group mentioned by Judith Brett, know that the comfort of conservatives has more to do with coal and other primary exports than anything to do with anti egalitarian policies of busines knows best. The rich get richer and paradoxically the oppostion is nowhere to be seen

& PROTECTIVE OF THE OVER 40's LATELINE finishes with a great graph on the asseet value of the avaerage austrailn . Far more impresive would be the occasional graph on the affordability of family life for people under 30. I won't wait up . As former ABC addicts we watch littel ABC and hours of video we never used to.

ABC CHURCH continues with The glass house pretending to hold a moral discussion with movers and shakers in same vein as the reactionaries might have done 30yrs ago boring. Fringe mentality of the reactionaries evident in the sycophant child questions re US attitudes to us .who cares what they think of us !!!!!

Glass house is at least talking about happens and asks some good questions. Hard on the uS ? a good question at least ---Bur as usual you go nowhere with it. Science you dummies doesn't answer the questions and you only envcourage stilted reactive resaerch buy pretending it does .Keeps it safe and in your conmfort zone . When are you going to discuss teleology , tolerance muslims and religious faiths .You could hardly do a worse job than geraldines (Compass ) predictable droning on safe stuff .SBS do an outstanding job of starting it with father bob - what a hoot !

the ABc maybe wanting us to switch to SBS on wedneday nights by forcing on us excessive and goulish, but the 4 corners program on the PPP rhetoric about the sydney tunnel gives the ABC big points sfor good reporting on critical areas of current crap ( watch water industry contracts for example ) .

Never learn much watching ABC Current A (CA)anymore- well esp early in the day/evening . Hosts control the debate to the point of protecting the comfort zone of their ageing and dwindling audiences .Stateline host FRIDAY did'nt even let Feilding make HIS points on RU486 .switching questions and calling in time . well we have no more time either for the ABC CAoldies we seldom watch CA on ABC anymore - so controlled .

Lawrence of Arabia's depression- good program
Depression can get to the sword carrier after the last deaths don't make the needed difference. For more on good governance and how to avoid depressed leaders and develop realistic ones.