Undergroundnetwork

Having just finished an internship at the New Zealand Herald, I can safely say I’m working my way into the right career. I enjoyed every minute of the two-week stint, from the despair when the deadline was approaching and the story had stalled (why won’t you pick up the phone/call me back!), to the elation when at the last minute it all fell into place. Maybe that is a feeling that seasoned journalists lose after some time on the job, but that was a real thrill for me. Thankfully the chief reporter gave me heaps to do and I got more published than I expected. The Herald has been running a series on “Unsung heroes”, asking for the public to nominate an exceptional volunteer they know and awarding the winners a cruise. The other intern and I had the privilege to meeting and talking to many of these people and telling their stories. Many of these people are truly inspiring. These are the sorts of people we should admire and aspire to be like, not celebrities or socialites. Not all of us can put in the hours that most of these volunteers do, but we should either give a small amount of time or donate some of the money needed to support their work. I know I am guilty of not always handing over loose change (that I will only spend on beer or burgers) to fundraisers on the street and outside shops, even being somewhat annoyed by having to try avoid them (it depends on my mood, I am usually nice, but sometimes I can be really shitty!). Now I know how important those funds are to these volunteers and their organisations, and the difference their hard work makes to society and those in need. The least we can give such dedicated people is our support.

The next time someone claims that Fox news is a legitimate source of news, refer them to today. Whilst the BBC and CNN went live to the breaking story about the Israeli bulldozer rampage, Fox persisted with a story about cool advertisements during the 1980’s and something about Barack Obama being so right wing that his election could be considered an extension of George Bush’s presidency. Unless of course different countries get different Fox broadcasts, Fox’s credibility and quality have once again been shown to be lacking. Come to think of it, does Fox have news?

Of course the Jeruselum bulldozer rampage was a great tragedy and hopefully the death toll of the incident does not rise any further. At the time of writing three (including driver) are understood to be dead, with dozen injured, seven critically.

However, I did find it disconcerting that both CNN and BBC said the Israeli police are considering the attack to be a an act of “terrorism”. The term is of course so manipulated in its usage rendering it meaningless, but I can only see their decision to use the term as political and irresponcible. Firstly, on what grounds was the attack by definition terrorism? If it is because the perpetrator was an Arab or Palestinian, than this is clearly racist. If the perpetrator was of another race would it be terrorism? Was it the weapon he choose to use? Considering the Israelis devastating use of bulldozers against the Palestinian people, it is hypocritical for the Israelis to deem this attack as terrorism, regardless of the perpetrators actions, which I of course do not condone. Even foreign peace activists have been the victims of the Israeli bulldozer attacks. Was that terrorism? As of yet no one can clearly ascertain as to whether the perpetrators motives were political, or whether he was aligned to particular Palestinian group. Can it really not be ruled out that the attack was non-political (hard to imagine I know and understandably unlikely, yet still plausible)?

To me it appears that the haste in which the Israelis have used this term is politically motivated. As talks resume and cease fires are discussed, diplomacy could be potentially derailed by violence by either side. As it stands, Israeli “security” operations are still taking place in the Gaza strip. It appears each side is eager to resume full on conflict. The will of the civilians are, as always, ignored.

Finally! No more waivers from the Secretary of State to into the United States for Nelsen Mandela. Now the former South African president can go to Disney World or see the Lakers play and not even have to get Condoleezza Rice’s permission to so. Nelsen Mandela is a free man! With the ANC scrapped from the US’s terror list, Nelsen Mandela is no longer a terrorist!

With all the sensational rhetorical from US leaders over the years, one must ask what the reality is. For all the grand speeches and claims of freedom, America has been time and time again to be shown on the side of oppressive regimes. This is not America bashing or “anti-Americanism”, this is the reality. America supported Suharto in Indonesia, Fulgencio Batista in Cuba and Saddam Hussein in Iraq. And they supported apartheid in South Africa. (more…)

An advertisement for the Green Party in today’s Herald (near a great story about an incredible woman!) highlighted the party’s efforts on behalf of workers. With Labour not representing the worker masses as well as they historically having as they fight to claim some of the middle ground, the Greens threaten to possibly claim much of Labour’s core vote. Sue Kedgely’s Flexible Working Arrangements bill, which was passed in Parliament last year, will come into effect tomorrow (Tuesday 1 July) and give workers the right to request hours that fit in with their commitments. This law will be massive for families and for workers who are constrained by their jobs, opening up the possibility that people can work to live, not work to live.

Sue Bradford warned Labour not to take the workers vote for granted in 2006. She pointed out that paid parental leave and four weeks annual leave, both important pieces of legislation for workers, were both forced onto Labour’s agenda by coalition partners. Green’s have long since added social concern to their environmental agenda, but with the Flexible Working Arrangements bill, have they now well and truly taken the labour title of Labour? Is Green the new Red? (more…)

Coming from the country that gave us George W Bush and his colour coded scare chart, news such as this CNN story should no longer come as a surprise. It is an excellent example of politics at its worst. I’ll give you a snippet from the story:

During a contentious House hearing on harsh interrogation techniques for terror suspects Thursday, Rep. Bill Delahunt, D-Massachusetts, was pressing David Addington, the vice president’s chief of staff, about meetings he attended while serving as Cheney’s chief counsel.

Delahunt asked repeatedly whether the topic of waterboarding, a controversial interrogation technique that simulates drowning, ever came up.

Addington replied that he could not discuss that because “al Qaeda may watch C-SPAN.”

“Right,” Delahunt responded. “Well, I’m sure they are watching, and I’m glad they finally have the chance to see you, Mr. Addington.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re pleased,” Addington shot back.

“Given your penchant for being unobtrusive,” Delahunt said of Addington’s ability to stay behind the scene.”

Apparently there is some political mileage to be gained here. The Republican’s believe Delahunt wished to make Addington a target for al Qaeda. (more…)

Are you new to Auckland’s social scene? Here’s a quick guide to who’s who on Planet Socialite.

Rachel Glucina will tell you where it’s at in “Spy”, the gossip pullout magazine in the Herald on Sunday. The Herald website describe her on their website as a “gossip queen”, who “reports on the latest parties, fashions and celebrity events around town”. I’ve only flicked through the magazine once, and although I did not expect to, I did not recognise anyone. Who are these people? Are they celebrities? What do they do? Are they just rich? Did they earn that money, or are they just the spoilt brat of an investment banker, or something? Are they even nice people, or just egotistic “socialites”? What is a socialite anyway? Someone who goes out and socialises? I sometimes socialise! You probably socialise! Are we socialites? And if not, why not? And why should we care about those people that are bloody socialites? Because they dress nice? Because they drive nice cars? Because they know people who actually are famous? Please Rachel, why should I care? In fact, why should anyone care? And people actually do care! Why do they care? I must be missing out on something here, such as how wonderful a trivial existence must be.

I’ve rallied against celebrity before, but these people aren’t even real celebrities! They are just friends with celebrities. Can you be a celebrity by association? Who is more pathetic? The person who is celebrity because they once sung a two minute 30 one hit wonder, the person who is celebrity by association, or the person who follows the movements of a meaningless celebrity (or socialite!) they have never even met?

The Herald took a risk adopting a tabloid format for their Herald on Sunday, but has insisted the size will not determine the quality of the paper. As long as Spy is inserted, I beg to differ.

I’m not sure where I heard it, but apparently arsonists are often firemen. I would love to provide some statistics to support this wild claim, but my google search came up short. Who needs facts right? I did find this story from the US’s Staten Island and this American study on “Firefighter Arson”, so I’m not making it up. Apparently 33 firemen were charged with arson in 1993, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. I think that is only in South Carolina, which makes it all the more surprising. So I imagine these deranged firemen (Reader’s Digest’s most trusted 2008), walking around with cans of gasoline and boxes of matches, lighting bush fires and setting letter boxes alight. 10 minutes later they turn up with the boys in red, on the back of a firetruck, ready to douse out their earlier handiwork.

I don’t know how prevalent the problem is. And I don’t know why these guys do it. Are they bored? Do they not already have enough to do? Aren’t they just making more work for themselves?

Do other professions do a similar thing? What about journalists? What if it is a really slow news day? Should you just run another real estate story as your lead? Should you make a story up? Or, should you do as this Macedonian journalist did, and really make the news? (more…)

In the Western corner, nestled between the Mediterranean and half a dozen hostile neighbours, with a population of over 7 million, now 60 years young, with a nuclear arsenal believed to number 150 warheads, defender of Zionism…. ISRAEL!!!

In the Eastern corner, wedged between terrorist havens of Iraq and Afghanistan, with a population of over 65 million, with controversial nuclear programme claimed peaceful, defender of Theocracy… The Islamic Republic of IRAN!!!

Let’s get ready to RUMBLE!!!

All right, enough hype. Let us be serious for a moment. Iran versus Israel. Both are religious states, both have substantial military capabilities, and both are guilty of crimes against minorities in their population. Yet both are viewed very differently in the eyes of the Western media and politicians. Let us look at both countries, and how the media depicts them. (more…)

I’ve added political parties’ websites to the side of this blog. This is to make it easier for readers to refer to the political parties’ websites I have just skewered, to get their side of the debate. As much as I despise many of the ideas some of these parties have (in fact I find only a handful at all savoury), I believe it is important in a democracy to have their voice heard. And it is important for us all to listen, no matter how pathetic their reasoning is. And it is also important for us to critique their policies, pointing out weaknesses and strengths. It is also important we debate the issues with those we disagree with, keeping discussion as civil as possible. That is the beauty of the blogosphere I suppose.

I encourage everyone to have a look at all the websites. It is fascinating to look at the ideas of parties that you did not know existed. Obviously someone believes in the ideas, otherwise there would be no party! Some parties haven’t yet got websites, so will be put up when available. I could not find ones for New World Order Party, which sounds interesting, and Taito Field’s Pacific Party.

Is it worth noting that when I had thought I had finished putting down all the parties, even some of the most obscure, I realised I had forgotten United Future! Is Peter Dunne’s Party doomed to be forgotten come election time? Time will tell.

Here’s a list of all the parties currently registered for the 2008 election. (more…)

Well-publicised recent murders have again re-ignited the public calls for greater punishment for perpetrators of violent offences. The usual cries come out, life without parole, harsher prison conditions and zero tolerance for offenders. The Sensible Sentencing Trust are, like usual, at the forefront of these calls, as are Bob McCoskrie’s Family First lobby group. Typically, such calls are emotive, usually from someone who has been directly affected by violent crime. Although we should not dismiss their opinions because often they are emotive and vengeful, their opinions usually do not focus on the root of the problem. All too often people’s ideas are not solutions to the problem at all, merely ambulances at the bottom of the hill. This is a complex problem, not one that is going to be solved by a simple answer. There are many factors and solutions to these factors are being all too often dismissed as “PC bullshit” as people lean towards discredited hardnosed solutions. The reactionaries always get their head above the crowd and scream the loudest, calling for blood. (more…)