Mahler's Prodigal Son

Apropos the post yesterday on how the US is trying to somehow establish a positive profile in the Middle East, and elsewhere, it might as well forget it if the article in today's Independant is even half-accurate! Winning over the hearts and minds of those in the Arab-world hasn't got a hope. Just reflect for a moment. What would the leaders of the West be saying if it were the Iraqis paying to see dead American army personnel as some sort of porn. Probably, something like John Howard's infamous comment in relation to the so-called Tampa incident that "we don't want those sort of people in our country".

Interesting article in the Washington Post a few days ago dealing with the view of the USA and President Bush in various Arab countries. Nothing all that new. However, anyone even remotely interested in where things are at in this troubled world cannot be other than concerned about the ways of the Americans and the impact of that on the peoples of the world in so many ways. With Australia so closely aligned to the US it's a sobering thought on how Australia is now viewed in Arab countries [has anyone gone to the trouble to find out?] - and Muslim countries in our region of the world.

Well, the PM has basically had his way and the Premiers, probably with an eye on the electorate, have gone along with so-called tougher security measures. No one can quibble about tighter and more efficient security measures at airports. It's the other aspects of the proposed legislation which should concern - no, seriously trouble! - every Australian citizen, especially those who are most likely to be the target of profiling and the like. Even the police are concerned about their role in acting as enforcers of this new security regime. Needless to say the politicians have in effect dismissed concerns about any infringment of civil liberties. The catch-cry? - those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear! That's not only trite but plain rubbish! For a rather balanced summing up of what the security measures mean the article in the SMH today says it all.

The last days have seen some discussion in the media [far too little given the implications] about the proposed new anti-terrorism laws. Do we really need more laws than already in place? And, no less importantly, have you heard our PM, or the Cadaver [as some have dubbed Phillip Ruddock, the Federal Attorney-General] provide any reason, other than the most vague, for further new laws to be introduced? For some inexplicable reason Kim Beazley has weighed into the discussion with a suggestion that it should be possible to lock down a whole suburb. His proposal has rightly brought this rebuke as published in Crikey - " Beazley gets it badly wrong on terrorism laws Former Australian diplomat Tony Kevin writes: Kim Beazley's proposal to "toughen" the government's security legislation by "locking down" whole neighbourhoods at times of suspected terrorist threat is at best foolish and at worst dangerously racist. Presumably he is talking about ...

Coincidental with reading an article in the AFR this morning that US publishers are cutting down on staff as they are confronted with a downturn in circulation and revenue-income, as well as increasing competition from internet-based news sources, a very timely posting on Margo Kingston's Web Diary is well worth reading. Don't ignore the Comments, at the end of the piece, either.

What? - I hear you explain! Alan Alda, of M*A*S*H fame, amongst other things, has just released an autobiography called Never Have Your Dog Stuffed. National Public Radio has an extract from the book. But, you can even hear Alda in an absolutely delightful interview in which he reveals the reason for the name of the book. Look for the "Listen" button under the title of the article. Sit back - and be guaranteed an enjoyable time listening....

The passion! The food! Le vin! The "picture" of families sitting down to dine at le table. Is it really like the image we have? Evidently far from it if the article in the NYT is correct. Oh no, not a Big Mac competing with all those delicious French cheeses, etc.