I rarely mention my own follies. But this morning on the back page of the Sydney Morning Herald was a picture of what someone had called a “luminarium

a couple of great cartoons...
one in The New York Times by Tom Toles on the precariousness of credit in the US (and in the whole world as well) at

http://www.uclick.com/client/nyt/tt/

and the other one from Ted Rall on "beliefs"....

http://www.ucomics.com/rallcom/

Magic...

In the blog above I mentioned a few numbers but after a reassesment of "stuctural topology' I should amend this paragraph:

Globalisation, as a form to expand capitalistic markets and choices, is a form of social engineering that can have some benefits but looking at it closely, it is mostly profitable for those who are in the top third of the social pyramid, those who concentrate the ownership of supply and can buy quality exclusivity. Yes, the capitalistic system is a pyramidal system that builds on and is dependant on its various layers. It also demands that, in order to support itself, it has an in-built ten percent necessary growth. This means that in real term only SIX (not 11) percent of the world population is going to truly benefit. TWENTY-SIX per cent ( not 30) will survive enough to maintain itself at a present average level of supply and consumerisation. This means that no matter what, about SIXTY-EIGHT (not 56) per cent of people in the entire world will stay (or go) below the poverty line — consuming scraps and producing most if they are lucky to have something to do. The pyramid of the pharaoh, as impressive feat of engineering as they are, also represent the glory of our social structures in which we have the annoying purpose of burying our own local social pyramids to support a much larger one... We thus give up our freedoms, to be burdened by more and more stones being added above..

From News Corp. Acquires IGN for $650 Million
... Under the terms of the agreement, IGN and its network of sites, which includes TeamXbox, GameSpy, Rotten Tomatoes, AskMen.com, sites within the Vault and Planet networks and more, will become part of News Corporation's Fox Interactive Media unit. ...
... IGN has approximately 28 million unique users. Adding that to News Corp.'s other sites gives the company U.S. web traffic of nearly 70 million unique monthly users and more than 12 billion page impressions per month. News Corp. also said it will take the opportunity to cross-promote Fox's television and film content and that IGN's network would "enable the company to more efficiently introduce new products and services using its enhanced web presence." "With the acquisition of IGN and its 28 million unique users, we have gone a long way toward achieving two of our key strategic objectives in our efforts to become a leading and profitable Internet presence," commented Murdoch. ...

And, from Murdoch desperate to catch up in the internet race
 ... On the agenda was how to turn News Corp's web properties into a hub for entertainment-related content. One News Corp insider called the strategy an attempt to create an "entertainment Google" - a one-stop shop for all those looking for computer games, movies, music or chat online. ...
... Now, the News Corp boss has spoken of his intent to build a network that will "redefine the portal". In an April speech to American newspaper editors he said: "We have to refashion what our web presence is. It can't just be what it too often is today: a bland repurposing of our print content. The challenge for us is to create an internet presence compelling enough for users to make us their home page." He went on to pursue two themes - the provision of deeply local and personalised news and the creation of "virtual communities" linking coverage to blogs and opening up sites to feedback. ...

Does interactive entertainment mean gamesters and others will pay to have the Murdochs watching over their online choices? What else is at stake, if it isn't the "rights" to spy on us, to log our preferences, and sell them off to the highest bidders?

Is Rupert the tenth Avatar, and in collusion with Beazley?
From Beazley calls for practicality in terrorism fight
... "We need spies ... "

From Auntie ABC

Google buys wiki-builder JotSpot
Google continued expanding its online empire with the purchase of pioneering US technology firm JotSpot, which specialises in collaborative web pages called "wikis".

Unlike Google's grand $US1.65 billion stock deal to acquire online video-sharing website YouTube announced three weeks earlier, the JotSpot takeover was disclosed informally in weblogs.

Details of the JotSpot acquisition were not disclosed.

"Okay, I can finally blurt it out," JotSpot founder Joe Kraus wrote in a weblog posted at the JotSpot site and on Google's media information web page.

"JotSpot is now part of Google, and I couldn't be more excited."

Earlier this year, the Californian company launched JotSpot 2.0 Internet application software, saying it was a leap forward in the evolution of the way people share and edit websites.

JotSpot 2.0 is a "wiki" computer application that enables people to make joint calendars, spreadsheets, photo galleries and virtual filing cabinets.

The term "wiki" was inspired by the Hawaiian word "wiki-wiki" for "very quick," and is used in Internet parlance to refer to a site that allows visitors to make changes to content.

The popular online Wikipedia encyclopedia is the seminal example of a wiki.

JotSpot will move its 27 employees to Google's campus in California.

"As we built the business over the past three years Google consistently attracted our attention," Mr Kraus said.

"It was pretty apparent that Google shared our vision for how groups of people can create, manage and share information online."

From our trusted ABC and for your eyes only

US intelligence unveils spy version of Wikipedia

The US intelligence community has unveiled its own [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1778615.htm|secretive version of Wikipedia], saying the popular online encyclopedia format known for its openness is key to the future of American espionage.
The office of US intelligence czar John Negroponte announced Intellipedia, which allows intelligence analysts and other officials to collaboratively add and edit content on the Government's classified Intelink Web much like its more famous namesake on the worldwide web.
A "top secret" Intellipedia system, currently available to the 16 agencies that make up the US intelligence community, has grown to more than 28,000 pages and 3,600 registered users since its introduction on April 17.
Less restrictive versions exist for "secret" and "sensitive but unclassified" material.
The system is also available to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and national laboratories.
Intellipedia is currently being used to assemble a major intelligence report, known as a national intelligence estimate, on Nigeria as well as the State Department's annual country reports on terrorism, officials said.
Some day it may also be the path intelligence officials take to produce the president's daily intelligence briefing.

From the sad place ABC

Glass House axed
By Rebekah van Druten of ABC Online

The ABC has axed its popular comedy show The Glass House.

Comedian Corinne Grant says she and co-hosts Wil Anderson and Dave Hughes have known about the decision for a number of weeks

"Obviously we're devastated ... it's very upsetting, but it's not an overnight shock to us. We have known about it for a while now. But we don't understand the decision at all," Grant said.

She says when the ABC broke the news no "good" explanation was given.

Lesna Thomas from ABC TV Publicity today confirmed the show has not been renewed for 2007.

She says it has had five years on air and that the national broadcaster has decided to go in a new direction.

Grant says that is ridiculous.

"Only the ABC would cancel a show that is at the height of its ratings success and say it is time to move on. That would be like Pat Cash winning Wimbledon and going 'oh, it's time to move on'," she said.

"We just won an AFI award, we're nominated for another one, we just got nominated this year for the Most Popular Light Entertainment Program for the first time in the Logies - why would you cancel a show when it's at the height of its popularity?"

Grant says suggestions that the show may have been axed because of regular segments poking fun at Prime Minister John Howard or US President George W Bush are speculative.

------------------

Speculative... Yeah, sure... the Backburner Show, the most entertaining show on the box was also axed in a weird manner... It was also making fun at Dubya in the early days... Is comedy such a problem for the ABC? A bit too "rude"? is comedy with no teeth or butt, sad comedy or a sick lame joke? Bring seditious satire on! Come on Auntie, don't leave us with nothing to hope for and don't force us to satellite subscribe to the US Daily Show for a bit of you-know-what about politics and politician spuikers!

On April 24, a textile factory collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing over 1,100. A government investigator has presented his results to SPIEGEL. They tell a harrowing story of a disaster caused by greed and the pressures of globalization.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/bangladesh-report-on-dhaka-factory-collapse-points-to-greed-a-909275.html

 

From David Dale:

In the role of Tony Abbott you find Jodie Foster, whose answer to the question ''How will you stop the boats?'' is ''Fire the missiles''.

.......
Damon cannot feign innocence. He has form as a political animal, the ultimate Hollywood leftie. During the past decade, his films have offered these explanations of the way the world works:

■ How the greed of the oil industry causes young men in the Middle East to turn to terrorism (Syriana, 2005);
■ How the CIA was born out of paranoia, blackmail, sex and suicide (The Good Shepherd, 2006);
■ How the CIA spies on ordinary people and assassinates individuals deemed to be acting against American interests (The Bourne Ultimatum, 2007);
■ How an idealistic doctor worked to overthrow corrupt dictatorships in South America (Che: Part Two, 2008);
■ How Nelson Mandela used sport to prevent civil war in South Africa (Invictus, 2009);
■ How George W. Bush's team tricked Western nations into invading Iraq and then screwed up the introduction of democratic government there (Green Zone, 2010);
■ How spin doctors manipulate voters into choosing candidates with secretly fascist agendas (The Adjustment Bureau, 2011);
■ Why we should trust scientists over businessmen and politicians (Contagion, 2011);
■ How mining companies destroy communities and poison soil and groundwater through fracking (Promised Land, 2012);
■ Why gay marriages are no different from straight marriages, and can be emotionally destructive if one spouse has financial power over the other (Behind the Candelabra, 2013);
■ How the richest 1 per cent stripped the planet of its resources, hastened climate change, monopolised medical advances to prolong their lives and escaped to a secure community on a space station, forcing the poor to live in rubbish dumps and work as slaves (Elysium, 2013).

Where can Matt Damon go from here?
Here's my suggestion: he'd be perfect as the young Lang Hancock in Up from Underground: The Gina Rinehart Saga. As long as he's prepared to work for $2 a day.

For more details on Matt's messages, see smh.com.au/entertainment/blog/the-tribal-mind.

Popcorn propaganda
Apart from Matt Damon's efforts, the best movies with a political agenda include: All the President's Men; The American President; Apocalypse Now; The Audience; Avatar; Bob Roberts; Bulworth; The Candidate (1972); The Candidate (2012); Charlie Wilson's War; The Contender; Dr Strangelove; Frost/Nixon; Goodbye Lenin; Good Night and Good Luck; The Ides of March; In the Loop; Lincoln; The Lion in Winter; The Lives of Others; The Manchurian Candidate; Newsfront; 1984; Primary Colors; The Queen; Thirteen Days; V for Vendetta; Wag the Dog; Zero Dark Thirty.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/matt-damons-left-turns-20130831-2swzi.html#ixzz2ds4XuPgR