Leave it to somebody else to offer fresh insights where your own vision gets pretty dim. I am routinely blown away by the reporting going on in other news outlets around the world. And how, maybe because there's not much vested interest, media outlets around the world are able to pull no punches in their coverage of a story, especially one that has so much to do with America and the American state of politics.

From the Rear Vision program on ABC Radio National in Australia comes this half-hour look at the Tea Party Movement in the U.S.; how it began, what are its roots and what are its objectives.

In a half hour they manage to cram in a lot of information about the state of Conservatism in the U.S. and present it in a way that offers information, rather than an opinion.

As it was broadcast on October 26, 2011, full and complete with no cuts.

A few weeks ago I promised I would dig up a Live Tame Impala concert I recently found via Triple J Radio in Australia. As promised, here it is.

From the Splendor In The Grass Festival 2010, recorded by Triple J Radio on July 31, 2010 here is a pretty near complete (and complete with really excited announcers) set by one of the breakthrough Alt/Psych/Indie/Progressive bands coming out of Australia from the past couple of years.

I'm just glad they're around. I hope you are too.

Enjoy and play loud.

This might be a great excuse to dive head first into an 80's thing next week. Men At Work were an Australian band who became a staple in the diet of the first wave of MTV addicts. They were an instantly likable band with a file cabinet full of catchy tunes. Lead singer Colin Hay did embark on a solo career after the initial split up of the band in the late 1980's. There was a brief reunion and as of this moment they don't appear to be continuing. Colin Hay is still pursuing a solo career while currently working with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band. In any event, here is a record of what they sounded like live in the early 1980's. Recorded sometime late in 1982 or early 1983 and with no indication of venue, but still to a very appreciative crowd, here are Men At Work live in concert.

Can Big Hair be too far behind?

Enjoy, and don't think about it.

While the bulk of our mainstream media were infatuated over the presence of fake news taking up valuable time, this week there was real news to be had. Critical news, hopeful news, important news. But it's doubtful you heard about it - or you did and it was shoved into a corner overshadowed by noise. Here's what you might have missed.

(Octavia Nasr - the fatal tweet)

Starting off with a report from Al Jazeera's English news service on July 18th over CNN's firing of Middle East correspondent Octavia Nasr and her tweet over the death of a Muslim cleric.

(Julia Gillard - back on the campaign trail)

Did you know that Monday the 25th is Election day in Australia? You would if you lived there or spent much time listening to ABC Radio National. And if you did, you probably heard this broadcast of AM on July 19th. It's election time again and the issues are flying, and true to form, AM has an interview with the primary candidates.

(Tomorrow never knows)

There was the Kabul Conference this past week with Hamid Karzai reaching out and the U.S. organizing the exit strategy. BBC's Newshour program from July 21st explores the conference on the ground with Lyse Doucet and a number of interesting interviews looking at the scenario of a Post-Occupied Afghanistan.

(A cautious fear that we've entered a new era)

From the CBC program The Current, a piece on the car bombing in Juarez Mexico on July 22nd. Noteworthy in that it's the first of its kind under those (drugs) circumstances. Evidence the war on drugs may have taken a new and more lethal turn. The CBC takes a look at the state of the Drug War in Mexico, drawing parallels between what is happening right now in Juarez and what had happened during an earlier drug war in Colombia. Uncomfortable similarities. The story is far from over.

(In case you didn't notice, spiraling out of control)

The current state of unrest and violence in Somalia is worsening by the day. As reported on this installment of Africa Today on July 22nd, the BBC Africa Service explores the increasing tensions and how this can fan out into a full-blown civil war in a matter of days. You know we're going to be getting involved sooner or later, so it's best you know what the story is now so it doesn't come as a shock when troops start showing up in Mogadishu again. Just saying.

(reports keep changing - the numbers keep growing)

And finally . . . I was originally going to run a piece on the current state of potential bank failures in Spain, owing to failures of recent stress tests. But news broke of the tragedy at the Love Parade Festival in Germany where, at the time of the initial reports (where this collection of news via Radio Berlin comes from) the number of dead were listed as 12. Since that time the number has risen to 18 (as of 5:30 pm in Los Angeles on Saturday). The number of injured is very high and the cause of the tragedy makes no sense. I'm sure more will be revealed in the coming hours, but for the moment I am running initial reports, as heard from Radio Berlin (they're in German so . . . ).

And it's not even Monday yet.

The news throughout most of the world this week was focused on the Gaza Flotilla incident, with repercussions going on for days, and in fact continuing with the latest on-going story on the Irish relief ship Rachel Corrie heading towards Gaza and no doubt another confrontation of one kind or another. But the world had other news. In Japan, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama stepped down, Australian immigration laws were coming under fire (sounds familiar), and the world continued its reaction to the Oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

(Stepping down amid the Okinawa question)

Amid allegations that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama stepped down as the result of an indecisive stance on the Okinawa question. It was still a surprise when NHK broke in with a bulletin on June 1st informing of the Prime Ministers decision.

(Developing story, even as we speak)

RTE in Ireland reported that 6 Irish nationals had been taken prisoner during the first confrontation with the Israelis during the Gaza Aid run. It was now turning into a diplomatic skirmish as the Irish government was now asking the Israelis for repatriation of the six workers.

(so close, yet so far away for a lot of people)

From ABC Radio National Australia's news program National Interest, news on the immigration problem currently going on in New South Wales, and what is being proposed to be done about it.

(brush up on your French right here)

And finally, for our French friends or people who just want to brush up on their French skills, here's a June 4th broadcast of Journal Francais which discusses the Gaza situation, the Gulf disaster and numerous domestic issues on this 8:00 pm (in France) newscast.

That's the week as it looks from this Friday night. I'm sure in 24 hours everything will change just as it will again by Monday.

If you can't keep up, don't feel bad - nobody else can either.

Thanks to the overwhelming response to last weeks feature, it's going to be a weekly post. I've had some requests to do this daily, but sadly there's not enough of me to do it. But I will try and add things on a daily basis when time permits. So here we go with the past week as the world saw it:

(Bibi Netanyahu - sensitive. Who knew?)

Starting off with breaking news (as of Friday morning), Kol Israel reported that Isreali PM Benyamin Netanyahu has abruptly canceled a U.S. visit for the upcoming Nuclear Security Summit to be held next week. News also includes an Israeli Real Estate scandal and security leaks to an investigative journalist.

(Cardinal Angelo Sodono - Cast in the role of Bad Cop)

Back to the beginning of this last week - from the CBC Program The World This Weekend from April 4th. Reports from Rome and the Pope's avoidance of the sex scandal during Easter services - the job left up to Cardinal Angelo Sodono to perform hatchet work. Other reports cover the unrest in Krygyzstan.

(The subject was Tulips)

From BBC World Service, the Global News Podcast of April 8th is juggling two major stories - the Nuclear Arms Reduction treaty signed by President Obama and Russian President Medvedev and the rapidly unfolding story in Kyrgyzstan, as well as elections in Sri Lanka.

(Eugene Terreblanche - old mummies Leaping out of closets)

The other big news story this week, covered by most of the world's press was the story of the murder of South African White supremacist Eugene Terreblance whose alleged murder by two of his employees sparked protests, counter-protests and the feeling that the ugly specter of racism had never been far from the surface in South Africa. Here two reports - one via the BBC World Service's Africa Today program and the other, from South African Talk Radio 702 in Capetown.

Talkradio 702: The tiny farming town of Ventersdorp is preparing itself for tomorrow’s funeral of murdered AWB leader, Eugene Terrre’Blanche, who was allegedly killed by two farm workers, security is tight in the town.

The BBC Africa Today program also reports on the elections in Sudan and allegations of "side deals" between SPLM leader Salva Kiir and the President of Sudan.

(Politics - it's the same all over)

Earlier this week (April 6), British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced elections to be held in May 6th, kicking off what promises to be an insane election, highlighted by the first-ever Political Debates to be televised live in Britain (send them good thoughts, they'll need them). As reports on BBC5 Live, the prospects of another lively election are pretty much a done-deal as the campaign officially kicks off.

(It could have been worse - but it's far from over)

From ABC Radio National in Australia, the PM program of April 8 gave a lengthy report on the tanker Shen Neng 1 running aground on the Great Barrier Reef and the efforts to prevent a 950,000 ton oil spill from turning an accident into a major ecological catastrophe. Also featured are news reports on the ongoing health care debate in Australia (yes, they're having one too) and the mortgage crisis in Australian Real Estate (yes, they're having one of those too) as well as reports on the first parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka since the end of the Tamil Tigers opposition a year ago.

( . . .and lest we all forget)

And finally, from Friday morning - BBC World Service reports on the situation as it stood earlier in the morning in Kzrgyzstan, a rare interview with a Mexican drug lord, the Eugene Terreblanche funeral in South Africa and a remembrance of the Godfather of Punk, Malcolm McClaren who passed away this week from Cancer at the age of 64.

And as they used to say; that was the week that was.

News for this day in June, 1942 was about the War on all fronts.

Starting with reports from Australia that the War wasn't getting much in the way of newspaper space because of the monotony of the dispatches. However, on this day it was reported that Darwin had it's first raid-free day. The same couldn't be said for Port Moresby, as raids by some 18 Heavy Japanese bombers made up for Darwin's lack of action. The whole picture was painted in grim terms as General MacArthur, in an appeal for support of an Australian War Loan drive, said Australia was facing an imminent invasion and it was imperative they be prepared for it.

While on the air, a bulletin came through the newsroom that the Canadian Air Force and Anti-aircraft units had joined up with U.S. forces, for the first time, in the defense of Alaska over the invasion of the Aleutian Islands.

From Stockholm came reports that Berlin was counting on a Japanese Declaration of War against Russia within hours, and that the Russian-Japanese Friendship Pact signed a year earlier was now worthless. Reports also came through that the situation in North Africa was cautious, as Germany was experiencing difficulties with their Italian allies in the area of water supplies and dwindling morale.

From London the picture was a bit different, with news that British forces had withdrawn from El Aderri and Sidi Rezegh and that Rommel was making good his threat to cut off land communication between Tobruk and Egypt. It was also noted that the British Government voiced concern over the lessening of antagonism between Washington and the Laval Government of Vichy, despite reports that Laval had okayed sending idle French workers to Germany in an effort to shore up Berlin's lagging war production, since Laval had shut most non-essential industry in Occupied France.

From Washington came reports that the Sugar shortage was an on-again-off-again situation with wild discrepancies in rationing being noted. Also of concern on Capitol Hill was the recent signing of the Anglo-Soviet Pact which led many to wonder just where Moscow would be fitting in with the proposed United Nations and Post-War atmosphere in Europe.

And today marked the second anniversary of the Surrender of France.

All that and much more on this June 18, 1942 as reported by the NBC World News Roundup.

Ironically, today, May 30th was Memorial Day in 1942. Anything but a holiday where war was concerned.

Word from London was the arrival and settling in of U.S. troops in Northern Ireland; the first leg of the journey that would eventually lead to Invasion of Europe. Reports as of this day claimed the troops were well behaved and everyone in Belfast seemed to like them. Not so much with the IRA though. As it was also reported those elements of the organization, sympathetic to Germany, were routinely reporting troop arrivals to the German Embassy in Dublin, causing a security concern.

Meanwhile, RAF bombers were busy striking at munitions factories outside Paris, as well as raids on Cherbourg and Dieppe, in addition to air strikes at industrial centers in Germany. Fighting in the Libyan desert was escalating with news of British advances in the region.

Reports from Moscow told of the first shipments of U.S. tanks being put to work almost immediately on the Eastern Front.

From the Pacific. Reports out of Australia concerned recent air attacks on Japanese ships outside Port Moresby and talk about a drastic change in priorities of supply shipping.

And it was disclosed that recent British cargo shipments, dodging enemy submarine and air attacks, were carrying such "essentials" as costume jewelry, golf balls and party favors. The Americans didn't fare much better as it was revealed one shipment arrived in Australia carrying some 70 tons of nothing but bottled soft-drinks. The heavily censored report went on to say that one General, dismayed over the soft-drink fiasco, said it would have been much better had the 70 tons been of ammunition instead. Priorities were still skewed at this still-early stage of the War.

In Washington - since it was a holiday, there was little Capitol Hill news to report, aside from reports that it was no holiday for Defense Plant workers and that production was going at full-speed. It was also noted that Congress was anticipated to be getting closer to abandoning draft deferments for Married men and that they would be in the mix along with everyone else of draftable age shortly.

And that was the story on this Memorial Day (May 30) in 1942, as reported on the Blue Networks World News Roundup.

News for this May 25th in 1942 was hopeful and cautious. Reports from Moscow told of the Russian Army regaining Kharkov after fierce fighting and that advances were being made along the Eastern Front.

From Australia it was reported Allied Bombers struck at Japanese airfields in Rabaul, New Guinea with the loss of one U.S. bomber and extensive damage to Japanese planes stuck on the ground. Also from Australia came news of a substitute being devised for gasoline by way of burning coal. Sounded messy, but according to reports, it worked in a pinch.

From London came news of RAF Bombers heading off to Cologne for a significant raid on that German city. There was also news of the Labour Party holding a conference that weekend, discussing stepped up Government aid in the war effort.

From Stockholm came reports that the Finnish Front was wavering, even though it had gotten back all the territory it had lost to Russia in the 1939 war. News that some 20,000 Finnish refugee Children were heading to Sweden amid reports of widespread starvation.

On Capitol Hill - reports of attempts to come up with a solution to the gasoline shortage by way of substitutes. It seemed the Australian coal-burning solution was being considered. Also being discussed was the possibility of extending the draft to include 18 and 19-year olds. And some circles were claiming the Allies would achieve Air Superiority in the war sometime in 1943. Some even went as far to say victory could be achieved by then. Although some were skeptical, saying 1944 was a more realistic estimate.

In any event, the war dragged on as reported by NBC News Of The World for May 25, 1942.

As promised some months back, I dug up more live Tame Impala. This time by way of an afternoon show on Progressive radio station KEXP in Seattle where they did a session back in June of last year.

No word as to any tours or appearances since late last year. So I am hoping it's only a lull or recording new material. They are a great band and one of my favorites and certainly one of the reasons I have all kinds of high hopes for the current state of music.

Sorry - if music can't at least blow your mind, what's the good of it?

Play loud.