(hitting more than casual nerves in New York)

As the "Ground Zero Mosque" controversy continues, even ABC Radio National's Late Night Live program devoted some time to it last week. Phillip Adams did an interview with Parvez Ahmed regarding the deep divide in opinion on the Mosque and how Pop-culture politicos like Sarah Palin are making hay out of the mayhem with recent comments via Twitter.

Parvez Ahmed: “What’s kind of puzzling and troubling about her (Sarah Palin’s) Tweet is that she is trying to kind of whip up this frenzy against the mosque when it is completely unnecessary. And yet she, herself does not repudiate even people that she associates with who harbor obvious Islamophobic views, like a member of her Tea Party who says Muslims worship a Monkey God. And she never comes out repudiating those kind of Islamophobic attitudes and statements but she comes out with this Tweet fanning the flames that are already kind of raw and people’s emotions are on kind of a heightened alert. You would think that a political leader at such a time would exercise prudence and try to bring people together and calm people down and not throw fuel to the fire.”

But as Adams quipped, prudence and Palin don't go together.

I'm afraid this story is not destined for a happy or even satisfying end.

(A metaphor)

If all the predictions are true, China will overtake American economy in roughly thirty years. At the rate things are going I would have thought that may have already happened, but that's why I'm not in charge. But all of that is significant because the balance of power is changing in Asia. China has already overtaken Japan as an economic power and the only one standing in the way at the moment is India.

As part of ABC Radio National in Australia's Late Night Live show, Philip Adams devoted a goodly chunk of an hour last week (July 26th) interviewing John Mearsheimer, professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago. As an International Relations Theorist, Mearsheimer offered a few insights as to what the current state of affairs is shaping up to look like and what the future may hold.

John Mearsheimer: “The question I often pose to people is ‘why do you think that the United States and India have become close friends over the past twenty years?’ And most people will say ‘that’s because they’re both democracies’. But the fact is that both countries were democracies during the cold war, and we had very cold, if not hostile relations with India during the Cold War.”

Philip Adams: “Well more than that, they were spectacularly non-aligned.”

Mearsheimer: “Correct. And they were deeply resentful of American behavior around the world. So there was no close relationship. But that all changed over the past twenty years and especially in the last ten years, and you see it in this recent nuclear deal between the United States and India. So the question is what’s going on there? And basically, this is the beginning of an alliance between India and the United States that’s aimed at China.”

And you thought all of this was a coincidence? 'Fraid not. Remember that the next time you call Tech Support.

Since Mearsheimer also has a few words about the current state of the Middle East and nuclear capabilities, I just let the whole interview roll. Mearsheimer is not particularly well regarded amongst the cabal of neocons. This might offer some insight.

Lots of ground covered. Sad we don't get those kinds of interviews here.

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.

So much for Summer being the time of doldrums. While the Western Hemisphere (or at least the northern part of it) was preoccupied with the firing of Gen. McChrystal and the ongoing catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, the rest of the world was quietly going about their own dramas. The days long siege in Jamaica over the capture of drug lord Christopher Coke finally came to an end. Australia elected it's first Female Prime Minister. The G20 Summit got off to it's usual start (even though it's in our hemisphere, the demonstration are international in flavor). The Catholic Church was the recipient of the gift that keeps on giving, this time it's Belgium's turn and arrests in the shooting of a Rwandan exile in South Africa are keeping that region under a nervous gaze.

(Christopher Coke - some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed)

After a siege that went on seemingly forever and leaving some 75 dead in the process, Jamaican drug lord Christopher Coke finally surrendered to authorities to face the next chapter in the drug soaked saga of the Caribbean.

(Julia Gillard - a first for Australia)

For the first time in their history, a woman became Prime Minister of Australia. ABC Radio National's Politics Program took a look at the historic election and the ramifications for the country.

(Now it's Belgium's turn)

Fresh new allegations of sexual abuse and pedophilia by Catholic priests surfaced, this time in Belgium which prompted the Belgian Police to stage a raid on the Archdiocese in Brussels this week. As reported on the BBC World Service's Newshour, records files and mountains of paper were carted away in what is another in a long line of embarrassing situations for the Vatican to pretend never happened.

(It's that time again)

Amidst the flurry of accusations of financial bungling in its hosting, Toronto opened the G20 summit talks this week. The legions of protesters arrived, as did the teargas canisters, nightsticks and horses. While all raged on outside, the financial crisis gripping just about every country the world was raging inside. All in all, a great place to set up a Valium concession. The CBC program The Current did a run down on the first days events.

(Stanley has left the building)

Even our misfortunes didn't escape the scrutiny of the world Press. As reported by the BBC's Lyse Doucet from the From Our Own Correspondent Series, observations and opinions on the aftermath and reactions to the firing of General Stanley McChrystal reverberated all over.

(Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa - no place to hide)

And finally, arrests in the shooting of Faustin Kayumba Naywasa, the exiled General also alleged to have participated in the Rwanda genocide, sparked a wave of concern the tip of the iceberg had been viewed and more was to come.

Perhaps the Dog Days of Summer will finally catch up to the rest of the world. But the rate things are going, it isn't likely. We'll find out soon enough in the next day or so.

As the week galloped along, the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico took on cataclysmic proportions as news of grossly underestimated amounts of oil flowing from the accident site came to light. On the other side of the world, the crackdown in Thailand continued and word that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra would be speaking in Paris on May 31st brought fresh anxieties of more protests. And finally, a Late Night Live sit-down interview with Christopher Hitchens at ABC Radio National in Australia. Some week.

(The storm, the quiet, the crackdown in Bangkok)

From ABC Radio National's PM daily news roundup, word that the ongoing Thai crackdown on redshirt protesters also netted an Irish/Australian responsible for delivering some flaming rhetoric during the height of the protests. Also on this May 25th broadcast, news of an Israeli diplomat expelled from Australia and the criticism because of it.

(Stumping a new book on a visit to Sydney with a surprisingly civil chat)

However you feel about Christopher Hitchens (and I know there is probably an equal number of you hating his guts for various reasons), having the chance to sit and listen to a civil interview with him being conducted in a civil articulate manner as it happened on the ABC Radio National program Late Night Live was somewhat refreshing. Maybe it's our media . . . who knows? Anyway, here is an hour long interview done live on the 26th.

(If the finger being used to point blame could plug this hole . . .)

The saga of the Gulf Oil Spill seems to have no end in sight. It has already surpassed the infamous Exxon Valdez disaster of the late 80's in sheer magnitude and amounts of oil spewing out and destroying mile after mile of coastline. Now the Blame Game is in full engagement. But as this May 27th installment of the BBC World Service program Newshour asks, what is the political price going to be?

( . . and all he got was a lousy T-shirt)

From Radio France International's English Service, their program Focus On France from this past Friday (May 28th)talks about the upcoming visit of former Thai Premier Thaksin Shinawatra and fears that he will refuel the fires of protest back in Bangkok and how the French feel about that as he prepares to deliver his speech on May 31st.

(New Ethiopian leader Meles Zenawi - some folks aren't happy)

And finally, from The BBC World Service Africa Service comes This Week In Africa, a roundup of events taking place the past week and broadcast earlier today (May 29th). Among the news items is the report of the recent elections in Ethiopia and the victory of Meles Zenawi and how the opposition is crying foul and demanding a recount . . .how unusual or maybe how unusual if they didn't?

So that's it from the rest of the world. As always, if you thought this week sucked, there's always next week and it should be coming up shortly.

Things were heating up and transitioning in the world this week. The Philippine Elections got started on Friday. The Thai protests turned deadly. The British elections drew a collective question mark and further advanced the drama with the resignation of Gordon Brown. The Australian Economy was juggling and the Canadian Navy was facing huge cutbacks (which, by the end of the week, didn't happen despite the cliff hangers). All in all, your typical non-dull week.

(Gordon Brown - capping a weird week with an abrupt departure)

Starting off the week was news of the abrupt departure of Prime Minister Gordon Brown amid a somewhat baffling election. As this segment of the BBC World Service Newshour from May 10th illustrates. Politics is far from dull in the UK.

(Money, it would appear, is the root of all money)

From ABC Radio National in Australia on May 11th, news from PM of the economic situation in Australia and what the government was doing to try and make sense out of it. Also included is some lively discussion on the current state of Australian affairs.

(Contrary to jokes about a guy in a rowboat with a shotgun . . .)

There was serious cause for alarm earlier in the week that the Canadian Government would be forced to make drastic cuts in it Navy, including eliminating training programs. As the CBC's World At Six from the 13th explained, it could have been disastrous. Luckily though, rumors of the Canadian Navy's death were premature as the feared cuts didn't materialize.

(Five deaths after the first day)

And finally, from the English Service of Radio France International on May 15th. As the elections began in the Philippines fears rose about potential violence and voter fraud as the country geared up for the first election using electronic voting. After the first day a reported five deaths resulted from election violence and by last check-in it looks like there may be another Aquino in the Presidential Palace.

So that was the week that was. If you weren't wild about this one, there's another one coming up in a day or two.

Another week of non-stop events. Between Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visiting Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe to drum up support against U.N. Sanctions, to the upcoming British elections and the latest turn of events for Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the ongoing situation in Thailand, Belgium's ruling on the Burqua, the financial crisis in Greece and the ongoing situation in the Gulf of Mexico and the looming environmental catastrophe.

(Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - suddenly Robert Mugabe is his BFF)

Beginning with this report from Sunday the 25th, Talk Radio 702 in South Africa ran this recap of the visit from Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Zimbabwe and the political ramifications.

(The Whale, it would appear, has no say in the matter)

On Monday the 26th, ABC Radio National's AM Program ran an item on financial reform going on in Australia (strange, aren't we doing the same thing?) and the continuing negotiations over commercial Whaling in Japan.

(It seems the phrase "vote early-vote often" applies here too)

Also on Monday, the BBC Africa Service via their program Africa Today took a look at the recently held elections in Sudan and charges of voter fraud.

(Gordon Brown - putting ones foot squarely in ones mouth)

From the CBC's World At Six on the 28th, news of the ongoing Canadian bribery scandal, the worsening situation in the Gulf of Mexico and Prime Minister Gordon Brown's embarrassing moment with an open microphone.

(Not a great week for Greece)

Also on the 28th, the BBC World Service's Newshour devoted a good portion of their program to the financial crisis in Greece. A crisis that, at last report, is now spreading to Portugal and Spain.

(How to turn a political campaign into a Mea Culpa tour)

The Gordon Brown story won't go away. The BBC's 5Live dedicated their Story Of The Day to the Gordon Brown fiasco and the effect it's having on potential voters - not to mention bringing up the old "class differences" argument.

(The Oil Rig fire - rapidly becoming a disaster of epic proportions)

And finally, the Friday April 30th edition of Global News covers the worsening story in the Gulf Of Mexico as well as Belgian Government rulings on banning the Burqua and the implications the ban will have on the 1/2 million Muslims living in Belgium.

And no doubt a lot more, and probably a lot more developing at this very moment.

I'm trying something new this week, a roundup of News as presented by media outside the U.S. - I've been complaining a lot lately about how our current state of Mainstream Media gives virtually no useful information on what's happening in the rest of the world, let alone our own country. So I thought I would give this a try. If it works, I'll make this a regular Friday feature.

First off - jumping up to the north of us, a program from the CBC called The Current and an interview with fellow Canadian David Frum on April 1st, regarding his "Waterloo" editorial and the resulting fallout.

(David Frum - Well . .I had no idea he was Canadian, did you?)

Q:"Were you pushed, or did you jump?"

Frum: "I was jumped. . . I mean pushed."

Next up - via BBC's Africa Service, Africa Today covering the recent developments in Niger after their coup and demonstrations in Somalia.

(First the coup and then the crackdowns)

From the Al Jazeera Listening Post, a report on the rift in U.S.-Israeli relations this week with the recent construction going on in Gaza and the various reactions from our State Department and the Israeli cabinet.

(File under: Awkward Photo ops)

ABC Radio National in Australia and their Correspondents Report, featuring a segment on Thai protests and the threatened arrest of an American journalist covering Human Rights violations in Indonesia.

(The continuing protests in Thailand - almost a daily occurrence)

This week, being The Pope wasn't all it was cracked up to be as BBC Radio 4's morning program Today reported on Monday the ongoing calls for his resignation. Also, first reports on the Moscow Subway bombing and China's purchase of Volvo.

(Pope Benedict and the old "what did he know and when did he know it")

Again from the BBC, reports and eyewitness accounts of the Moscow Metro bombing and the upcoming British elections.

(Moscow Metro - ugly and getting uglier by the minute)

And finally, for our Russian friends (or those of you who are brushing up on your language skills), a special report from Moscow Radio on Monday morning of the Moscow Subway bombing as it was unfolding. It's all in Russian but the seriousness and the devastation crosses all language barriers.

So that's a taste of what the rest of the world was listening to this week. Actually, you can too. It's all on your computer, either via Podcasts from iTunes or casual browsing to whatever streaming audio sources you can look up via Google. It's all there and you can check it out. Getting information about what's happening in the world around you is essential. If you can't find it where you live you have to find it where you can. There's too much going on not to know about it.

(Alan Greenspan - entering into that strangest of trysts, Politics and Economics)

With the latest "mea culpa tour" of Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, I found myself listening to a program, originally broadcast by ABC Radio National in Australia on August 17, 2005, where the discussion centered on a previous economic crisis; the 2001 economic meltdown between Peter Hartcher of The Sydney Morning Herald, Paul Kasriel formerly of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and Late Night Live host Phillip Adams. Certain eerie parallels come to mind.

Peter Hartcher (Sydney Morning Herald): “He (Greenspan) was gearing up to do something about it (the bubble). He could see that it was way out of line, he could see that it was about to . .that it was carrying up the economy up to great heights, it was going to burst and the economy would be dashed to the ground, we’d be in recession, everyone would lose their money. He saw it unfolding exactly as it was going to, and we know that because we have the minutes of the Feds secret meetings, they published in full five years later. And he even went so far as to begin to warn about it, and you’ll remember he gave a famous speech where he said the markets were entering a period of ‘irrational exuberance’. But then something funny happened. After he gave that speech markets around the world took a tumble. But then Greenspan stopped on that agenda. He stopped warning about the bubble, he stopped shaping up to do something about it, and he switched and went over to the other side and became a cheerleader. Now, really the question you’re asking is why did he do that? What changed? And the short answer is, he played the politics, not the economics.”

Needless to say, hindsight is always 20/20, but this was clearly a matter of not learning from mistakes, or caring not to pay attention to them.

In either case, the Big One showed up on our doorstep three years later and the media went into overtime with hand-wringing. Nobody, it seemed learned anything.

(In a word, Mao would shit)

With the G-20 Summit going full blast, I ran across this great documentary produced by ABC Radio National Australia as part of their Background Briefing series from February 2006. It's a reminder that, as much as we complain of being flooded by goods from overseas, we're doing our level best to heap gobs of shameless consumerism all over the world as well.

We joke about MacDonalds' on the Champs-Elysees in Paris - but all the Wal-Marts popping up all over China are something else.

Stan Curry - Radio Australia Reporter: “Lined up in all their red uniforms, Wal-Mart workers begin their day with an ode to Wal-Mart. Ludwig Beethoven is probably turning in his grave. And Chairman Mao too, must be a little astonished at how his legacy is being spun.”

Clay Chandler (Fortune Magazine reporter): “ When you actually go see how they run their employees at their stores, what I was struck with was the similarities between the Chinese Communist Party Organizational pattern. They get these people together in groups, they organize them in very small cells, everybody is very aware of what everybody else is doing within their cell, and encouraged to kind of talk about each other. They sing songs together. They do little drills to create workers solidarity. They run around in red shirts. And they do Wal-Mart Company cheers. They look like nothing so much as the old Red Guard of the Cultural Revolution.”

It's interesting to see how increasingly Gordian our entanglements are becoming with the rest of the world on economic terms. We can't just assume the isolationists stance because it no longer is realistic and hasn't been for many years. Therefore, solutions to our economic situations are more complex than they ever were. Snap answers and judgments no longer need apply.

And then there's that issue of Immigration . . .

(I would urge you to check out ABC Radio Nationals website as well as streaming audio - they are one of the best and as I have said before, they offer information about our own country not generally available here. So in addition to the CBC and the BBC, add this one to your daily dial hopping for useful information).