Mad as Hell Breaks new ground

And about time
Just had an argument with someone who thinks the economic system and its biggest players ( Rupert Murdoch ) are the problem . The free market can easily be corrupted and is , but so is the mechanism of governance .  My point is one only a few people ever make , ever ( whatever their power) the point is psychologist Jung's point ( see below) .You can't fully deal with the disease unless you you fully face the disease. (YHIFOB)
Too many are so busy building (the right) or blaming the structures ( the left) , that they forget the problem is only ever deeply "man".
I am not saying corporations naturally do the right thing( that would be too easy) or for that matter , the wrong thing (that too would be too easy)
 I hate the way Coles are screwing OUR milk producers at the moment;  price setting is real . I hate the way The IPA come across all knowing and all believing in the Free Market -

 We can all spend our time touting at big business . I for one think like Jung said the real problem is not something man creates , so much , as as man himself - his unwillingness to follow through , the shareholder thing ???. For example Labors big handicap is sitting,  like a cancer or a big chip.. on its shoulder( saying "only government can do right!") ; "The Fabian ideas" which drive it are a huge burden on our cultures freedom and productivity (   If we believe that heads of corporations can't address big government , the direction and desperation of taxation" answers"  ,and the growing dangers from shareholders indifference to it all  ) Did anyone else find something to think about in what Rupert said this week in the NY post and under the IPA badge ?

What has all this got to do with " Mad as Hell" ? ABCTV Wednesdays
I just love , for one thing , the way he uses really young innocent people to do the reporting ( like our very own IPA man). We are such as innocent lot !!
There is too much good stuffing in the show to describe it all here. Good therapy ,the truth, parody and questions . By being a good observer Micallef brings the participant , the observer and the questioner back into their proper place in the cosmic dramas.

Governments are not just there to pick up the pieces

Thought  ABC lateline and guest( Rob) on 29th did a good job of teasing out some of the myths and false expecetations being too easily  translated into dependandancy by the press . This is not to ignore the needs of people affected by very rare events  but to properly apportion blame when there is loss with floods ( ofrFire ) . Unfortunately Rob from the Insurance industry , while giving a needed call that risk taking will cost YOU is not a geomorph engineer and mitigation concepts are too often a culdesac with more casualties . Infact a brief review will show that levees all around the wolrd are ADDing to the disaster elements and with silattaion associated with floods ARE not commonly solutions .

 Forewarned is forearmed - our weak leaders need to get indepenendent advice and say NO sometimes. http://otwaynet.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/developers-found-it-easy-to-do-what.html

Hype in bylines and headings keeps Wars going

Its hard to get a good balance with headlines  but the failure of Our ABC TV  to play down the predictable preaching angle of one group against another is totally unacceptable. Ho hum predictably predictable and unwatchable TV.
Some of the ABC journos must think we are stupid . We are not stupid  - we just switch off and are doing it more and more !

1. In the recent Gaza / Israeli  conflict our ABC's  body rocket count myopia could well prolong the wars and the reason for keeping it going ( western outrage created by the media by apparent injustice ) ( Hamas's  preferred angle on the game is played out night after night)
   Its very easy to capitalize on the fact that at some time or other one group or another are creating the most impact , doing the most damage to innocents and "being the baddest"  . But, as  any kid knows that a lot depends on "who started the fight and who keeps it going " . The wiser kid  and the wisest observers try to ignore the first rocket ------ but eventually retaliation is necessary . Games ; Games even children usually grow out of 
2. Tweet and bylines are too often provocative, adjective rich and totally unacceptable for a news service..    Almost every day .Q&A bylines have made theavaitor famous BUT  go quiet despite "1000's" to be edited???   
3. "Long running disputes over tasmanian forests" (TODAY) should be more specific and not use the "Long running" and "disputes" tag . Which forests . Reports should less grandiose and straight to the point . You are wasting OUR time . 

For example Green group.named .".....".reject more logging plans  in the Tarkine , or Bob Brown complains that his fire wood source will be shut down ." The NFF spokesperosn ....... say that Canberra haven't explained credibly to the people in Mildura  what an environenatl flow is . Mr ........ said Mr..... only seems understand the idea of putting fences up to keep people out . Mr.....   said real biodivesity protection had to be more than 4 magic numbers "
Some much of this political stuff is represented as though the complaints are huge and new when they appear not to be. Like all news , the person,  the place, the time , the really new stuff  and the ownership ( public of private resources ) should be identified .

This is real switch off material and does the ABC's reputation a lot of eroded confidence damage. We listen but we listen less and less

ABC- one way street to political correctness

No real practical support for small voices in its leader programs.
Great suspension of belief is required to accept Q&;A's producers  assertion ( on richard stubbs program 774 melbourne )that we should take politicains and control panels as answerers of questions. .Both groups have the lowest credibility ratings of any professionals .Q&A continues to avoid panels of real scientists and its simply doesn't allow voices of dissent to threaten its control .
Take tweets . It gets up to 20000 but does it publish them as a respecter of fair play? ; no it gets  3 people selecting tweets - more control . Should stream REAL OPINION on Q&Afor /Q&A agin or whatever stream you want (even random )  Not credible and real switch off stuff ( we learn nothing and worse =- more about same old same old Tony stuff)

Insiders - just a tad fanatical

Barrie Cassidy should know that his bright shirts are a giveaway.  Just as he should know that a real economist should talk stats and real scientists should talk science . By letting himself and David Maher wax lyrical and long ( what a pain !) on subjects they clearly know little about these wannabes( like Tony Jones on Q&A)  demonstrate that insiders is really outside of the debates going on around them . The average joe may not know that these blokes are out of their tree on science and economics but real insiders know - and the signs are nt good , fanatics are prone to repeating themselves and  drawing attention to the new clothes in ways which make the audience look more closely at what exactly they are wearing. .

Randlings

Finally it may be that some of the ageing reactionaries and word spinners are learning to do what they do best ..Our society is all the better for everyone doing what they do do best .  And honesty - how funny is that  'I'm Andrew and I'm not here to help'.
Hopefully it will be fun . I will be watching
If only some parts of the ABC would repent from a lack of reporting ,  jumping to conclusions or reinforcing prejudice; avoiding the pretence of a place where we may ask the questions,  but where the ABC still control the discussion.

Insiders - just a tad fanatical

Barrie Cassidy should know that his bright shirts are a giveaway.  Just as he should know that a real economist should talk stats and real scientist should talk science . By letting himself and David Maher wax lyrical and long ( what a pain !) on subjects they clearly know little about these wannabes( like Tony Jones on Q&A)  demonstrate that insiders is really outside of the debates going on around them . The average joe may not know that these blokes are out of their tree on science and economics but real insiders know - and the signs are nt good , fanatics are prone to repeating themselves and  drawing attention to the new clothes in ways which make the audience look more closely at what exactly they are wearing. .

Watched it again this week--- same story - the cartons are funny but interviews with independants not tough enough . Do you regret your alliance with the Greens and holding Australia to ransom because of them ? David Mar should be moved on because he 's always moving on .

Not YOUR job to get it

The failure of the huge ABCTV  machine to anticipate their potential scoop of the century ( qld election ) is due largely to their arrogance and confusion about their job . The job we pay them to do is report not commentate (and commentate so poorly on facts they don't have ) More at risk from putting up the image and saying what they wanna say . Sure they do it more subtedly than SBS
Its judgement day - all  they offer young people is cynicsm and a place to hide for ageing intellectual reactionaries.   In the real world no one would take them seriuosl - Now not even entertainment value  because they grow those who hide their under the taxes .

15 minutes of fame

While I really welcome another news source ( ABC24) , esp arts etc, . its very frustrating as a resilience planner to watch sensitive matters of environment risk and impact  being handled quickly in 15 minutes. In order to build a more sound response to the NET and the need for fuller discussions,  I hope ABC (inc radio ) add more URL'S to their reports as a matter of course 

 Many recent short circuit news grabs make serious errors and presumptions -eg  reasons for the bushfire in WA ( some of the reports on Fires , floods ( Bangkok QLD) are misleading and one sided talk. Better in 15 minutes to identify and promote local sources and reports from people ( incl net) . "ABC quarters " and others in abc24 should be counselled to report LOCALS, name URL sources locally  and resilience experts to avoid quick fix journalism and editorializing that is so common elsewhere .
That way they can be ahead of the game and capture  the AUDIENCE desire for both  quickfix with quickfollowup as well. 

Finally ABCTV lets us hear from experts on the Green Economy

Well done Ullman
The experts on the program on ABC3 tonight ( green economy-future forum) quietly reminded thinking Australians why a price on carbon is as popular as it clearly is ( Its just so simple!)  .
Most importantly they said that,generalized innoculation type carbon taxes are wrong because they don't target inefficency and because new energy demand competes directly with agriculture and the poor.
SO  the dummies are targeting the poor and vulnerable .

The greatest evil is often done in the name of the best intention.Time the Fabians read their own heroes (.GB Shaw )more closely.

A great celebration of good taste

Last nights ABCTV tribute to David and Margaret was a celebration of much that is very good about our engagement with good writing and good movies. Thank you all.
The tough stuff was well symbolised by David's choice of LANTANA because indeed, everybody has something to hide. That Aussie icon is a foreign weed ; a plant with good looks , poisonous leaves and hiding of vermin . It is a very apt choice of a name - esp in our dry country places ( like LOVE SERENADE) where you have to seek to find shelter and refreshment, and where what looks bad can hide a purposeful place. As we were reminded this week by Dr Phil -- if you can't see it in yourself ( or in movie? ) you can't really see it at all.

In a great tribute , Cate and Geoffrey celebrated the real people we meet through the Movie Show : like mums and dads of the screen, D&M sit through so much rubbish , so we don't have to.

The best part of the night for me was the concrete artistic assertion that the search for "truth and beauty " is often stalled because the truth is not always beautiful (ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER) .
Some Maturity in our appreciation of life is great to see because everywhere you look there is, as Ronald Conway says, a sense of stupor here in the sunshine states .Thankfully though , there is ALSO often, some truth and beauty in the pile of ........ if we are prepared to look and listen for it .
On that note , I do believe our while our young people have to test ,tear down to build up something worth while , they ALSO desperately need inspiration and respect shown to what is good in all the rubbish. Time the ABC kicked out the worm eating nest birds for whom " noone can do anything right and who know nothing but how to make wars on everything " .It is no coincidence that the role of women and the growth of a more mature mindset is on our minds in modern film because there are a lot of children not growing up in our culture .
The review reminded us that beauty is often anything but  (SWEETIE )and the place for love strange, lonely and rare ( LOVE SERENADE ).
Celebrating their good taste, I thought the best thing was that , in my choice of the best in a long while-GRAND TURISMO, truth and beauty had to be sought for and found with body mind and spirit all engaged in order to prove these things can really work in some dark places !

Charles Darwin wouldn't believe anyone in this Age could be so dumb

Charles Darwin did the initial research on atolls over 150 years ago . His research and conclusions in this area of science was thorough  and those conclusions  still stands today with subsequent verification from plate tectonics , volcanism and weathering  . I have to say it is not at all clear the same can be said about science in practice,  and "Questions without Answers" at ABCTV.
ABC TV on Sunday night , did a report on the Kiribati islands, suggesting the sea level is rising on them .( after 9pm 9th October 2011) The reporters  collected all  the information that suited their theory in a way which reminded me of Margaret Meads mistaken efforts some decades earlier on an island nearby - Conveniently in both cases , these real situation is some distance away from the audience.

The clever reporters  have ignored Darwin's discovery - the atolls are formed by subsidence
The ABC  presumably dug up this report in preparation for this week in parliament( with its grand ambition of changing the world with yet another tax)  ,
The greatest environmental risk on Tuesday morning in Parliament was the risk from Carbon Dioxide.
By  Tuesday evening " the greatest environmental risk ever " has been changed to oil leaks from a ship near New Zealand .
 Does anyone believe the reporters at the ABC? More quickfizzers here 

Tough questions- is the ABC up for it?

Tonight's panel and today's issues( report on our kids) suggest we could be in for a good start, one that maybe will go to the heart ---- but in the end will the program just be one big "blast away" as usual.
Without an " after panel" or  online and no innovative ( cf SBS) any so called ABCTV/774 commitment to be up to date and interactive is hypocritical . The ABC looks more like the public version of 60 minutes every week ----only bunchy , crunchy but  without tears and trauma.
The point is , Parliament have to call this matter to order - instead of constant name changing to save nothing, they need to get on with saving what we do know to be under threat - the traditional tenets of marriage.   Should there be no vehicle for the public discussion ( list eme here)  he is one .

ABC news

Will lose if it puts as news  ( 12.00am) yet another report from UN speaker on sea level change ( rising or lowering., ..
Need to get out and do more reporting before they they find the UN like the Age is not reliable - the island they refer to is probably subsididing .You heard it first from anywhere but the ABC news service

Any progress amongst Journos

Robert Manne's latest attack on the Australian ( and defence of the Age ?) sounds like "takes one to know one"  There is a disease that needs training in the camp  - editorialising and moovingon ( really staying put)
Journs rattling around in a small box they call reason is not worth reading .
Many need to get out and do more reporting.
Readers of this blog will note my laments about the limits of qanda.
Has anything improved of late?  - Yes The Drum is often worth watching -well half the time .in my opinion  . That's a lot better than the Age on the environment , where it is almost none of the time WW( Manne  clearly doesn't know that - his recent article  trying to shore up its unreliable reporting )

GenY is trying to break out

qanda tonight .

Did you notice the young geek who dared to speak heresy in church last night - couldn't close him down even with an angry boy. (" don't look at me" the blessed saint of ABC gen Y said)
In the occasional glimpses of straight talking that can happen when you have an audience that talks back, gen Y showed what they think of the baby boomers whose lack of moral moorings is covered up by empty emotional niceties .Tony treading so lightly!

Adults now move, not the left, like they like to think , but to mere emotion; their children are smart enough  to move to the right because such superficiality is so pathetic.

As usual it was a child who put the adults straight about what science and truth telling is all about,

Qanda falls into another big hole of irrelevance

Whtya expect when the polys dominate on Tony's carefully crafted collection . Go nowhere and stay stuck in popular prejudice and ignorance ( middle ground)
No bigger hole was dug than when Tony Jones tries to use a clip of Tony Abbott to prove his pathetic pedantry and less obvious ignorance in economic and intellectual matters  .
Yes, Tony Abbott did talk about a carbon tax; but he wasn't like Jones,  making a pedanticly pathetic point. Abbott was making a relevant point about relevant taxes like fuel taxes .  Abbott  talked about it as a progressive tax (* targeted ) not like the original sin for which we must pay penance --- the silly ABCchurch view .
Me thinks the greatest evil is being done in the name of the best intention - no new tax could be sold,  unless you had a great big excuse for it .  Guilt brings people together ,  ....but not necessarily for good .Penance and pedantry is always a poor substitute for precision in decision.

A desperate Labor gamble with no help from the ABC

I will start taking the ABC ( and its partners on the left ) seriously on science when they take themselves seriously on the subject - and allow scientists to run proper panels on the subject --esp of what polys think is science (not a gambling man but it might be up there with brilliance in business).
In a week when everyone in Australia is confused by polys playing football promoting their own tax level to solve the biggest crisis on earth , who does 730, Lateline and put on to be convincing , fault prone Flannery and Brandt - another bunch of polys or paid up adherents  .
No wonder Karl Bitar is jumping ship -a good reason to tax us more can only look/win  that way while the proponents sound credible.
Labor is not credible about much and certainly not science. But where,  like the much over venerated CSIRO is the ABC when you need them to call up authors on science /science practice? 

Living in the past and tied to a post

Mark Scott, ABC TV producers and Film Australia do not get it --do they - they have been funding home grown indulgence and tragedy ridden, conflict avoidance and  dumbing down stuff for decades .Go visit some real worlds .
 The children are in charge because the adults haven't grown up and got some guts ( esp in thinking about true toughness) . The 4 corners program and revisit to  arakun ( try revisiting Margaret Meads samoan girls sometime? ) and ABC2 ( the day the immigrants left ) says it all - I am so glad the original Australains are showing us the way. But then will the ABC follow up with some insightful questions  ?

We allow children to do what they feel like at their peril!  Get real you lot.  Angry boys get drunk and beat up and get beat up- Dead head and dead end stuff .  You won't stop bullying by role playing and mummy boys stuff ,  but by teaching children to grow up and respect the roles of those there to train them in the tough decisions of life

Environmentalism is failing

Simply because it is increasingly alienating and opposing sound scientists.

Typically ABC cut the address on BIG IDEAS when it got too hot to handle ( suzuki 's speech )

Any effective political ambition in a democracy must be rooted in a consensus amongst a wide range of practical people who have trained and proved their training on the ground.

Environmenatalism is a faith that has extended itself beyond the boundaries that true scientists would set themselves (david suzuki correctly points to reductionism in practice) becoming so heavenly minded they are of little earthly use.