Umm, Jihad why don't you consider what you just said, and see how long it takes you to realise how stupid it is to assume everything Daisym says is anti-American because she quoted a newspaper.

Sorry, but I suspect you would have a problem with any critique of the US.

Jerry

interesting interpretation. I posted an article the heading of which was 'Australian Academics branded Anti American ....' To post such a thing makes me anti American.

Alternatively, if you happened to be an Austalian (I mean a geniune one) you might have been interested in such an article because of what it says about Aust US relations - and i tis possible that Australians who visit USPO might be interested in discussing such things.

Apparently not that much though - since the threads been dominated by

(a) a minor incident thats already been done to death on this forum, and had nothing to do with the OP, and

(b) my discussion with you - which has absolutely nothing to do with Australian academics being anti American - but to do with defending myself aganst your accusations that I am anti American.

You seem to be forgetting that in America, intellectual freedom is being able to choose between brand A and brand B. The epitomy of sophistication, we are.

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Who does vote for these dishonest shitheads? Who among us can be happy and proud of having all this innocent blood on our hands? Who are these swine? These flag-sucking half-wits who get fleeced and fooled by stupid little rich kids like George Bush?

--Hunter S. Thompson

sigh. it seems even that is too many choices for some.

welcome back Pogo!

Thank goodness we got back to the thread topic!

Has it occurred to anyone that this is all part of the stifling of Australian society and its right to dissent? We aren't apathetic enough, now the powers that be have to dumb us down even more. Industrial Relation "laws", which are non-existent for actual workers, now it's a gag on Academic discourse.

Of course, Howard has long been known for his anathema to intellectuals. Mocking and calling them the chattering class. Unless they're Keith Windschuttle. The history wars have been extended to Ministerial restraint on what is to be taught in our schools, no funding if it's not the 'official version'. My goodness, next thing you know we will be taught that the settlers in Tasmania did everything they could to avoid the aboriginal population from 'leaving' Tasmania! Or Wave Hill was nothing but communist sympathisers stirring up trouble amongst the 'child-like' indigenous population whom Lord Vestey (the man whom George V refused to meet due to his Great War profiteering) had taken under his avuncular wing! That's if it is even allowed to be mentioned.

As for the stolen-generation it is already being denied!

This thread, which I thank Daisym for starting, is of significance and needs serious consideration by all of us. Never have our rights been more under attack from the forces of reaction. Forget Australia in the 70s and 80s when we were at least progressing as an independent nation with our links to those actually living in our neighbourhood, now we are back to the fore-lock tugging of the first half of the 20thC.

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Lucky is he (sic) who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil

Don't forget Howard's moves to control the ABC which are now in place.

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"There were no D-Day Heroes in 1973" - Cold Chisel Khe Sanh

Oh! god, you would remind me of that!

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Lucky is he (sic) who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil

I have to wonder whats going to be happening to our comedy shows ....

I can't see how 'the plurality of voices' thing will sit in this genre ... does it mean comedians will have to become reverent? Such a thing would KILL Australian comedy.

daisym, What Australian comedy? The influx of even more US TV shows in implementing the FTA will have killed all that off, probably by this time next year!

As if our TV wasn't full of ghastly US shows already they are now selling off our TV channels to overseas interests.

This bloody government and John Howard in particular, are the worst we have ever had - and that's saying a lot! Remember Billy 'Bigears' McMahon?

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Lucky is he (sic) who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil

I was thinking of programmes like the glass house, chasers war on everything (OK, thats finished for now - but I would hate that to be permanently cut) and a few others. It wouldn't affect comedy shows on other channels, but even some of the comments on tripleJ's breakfast show would have to be ... carefully considered to ensure that the 'plurality of voices' gets heard.

I prefer comedy on the ABC, but the fact is that a lot of the Australian comedy on the commercial channels also bags the government/authority/those in power. Since this is aimed at the ABC, it would mean that audiences would have to watch commercial channels to get any half way decent comedy (and there are a few shows my daughter watches that are kind of OK) ... and I couldn't stand that because I hate advertisements.

OOPS - is the glass house and chaser on ABC ... or SBS? I get the two mixed up ... those are the only TV stations worth watching in this country.

and the ABC at least has a policy on a certain percentage of local (Australian) content, so we are somewhat protected there.

I know that when my son comes to visit he turns on some inane 'sit coms' or whatever that I don't understand on the commercial channel. I guess these are the american shows you are talking about.

I don't think that these are particularly interesting or funny for the most part, although there are one or two that seem to have more wit than the others.

I think Australian comedy shows have always been superior to anything that I've seen from the US - even US stand up comics seem to not have that certain je ne sais quios ... but then, they live in a different universe. My understanding is that our humour totally escapes americans as well ... who generally don't have the ability to laugh at themselves.

I recently saw something on insight (SBS) where a comedy segment was shown. An advertising executive had showed this to a US audience, who thought they should probably have thought it was insulting (not to them, but to us) it was classic comedy.

I think this difference highlights why a lot of US comedy can be so ho hum to Australian audiences.

I agree though, Howard will go down as the worst Oz PM in history - despite the 'economic management' record - which in any case is predicated on a lot of major restructuring that in the longer term may not be seen as the smart moves they appeared to be at the time.

A sense of superiority based on very ignorant assumptions to classify the other as "different" and non human.

Heil Daisy!

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One day, I will sneak across the border into Canada and be an illegal alien. It will be fun.

Sadly, this is how one Brit views Aussie TV:

Awful Aussie TV

Neighbours - This has been running every day for 92 years and every episode was written by Rolf Harris, the acting is awful, the stories are worse and all those dirty awful Aussie voices are just piercing to the ears. This program makes Australia look really sunny, but the fact is Australia isn't at all, they just stick a dodgy filter on the camera lens! Australia's weather is more like Russia. If you ever go to Australia, you'll find that they hand you out a complementary pair of sunglasses with the built-in "Neighbours" filter when you get off the plane - this makes it look sunny and warm.

Home And Away - If anyone can tell the difference between this and neighbours then email me.

Rolf's Cartoon Club - Not really an Aussie program but Rolf was on it so it's in here. Retarded kids attempt to make cartoons with the assistance of Rolf, and guess what he draws ?? you guessed it......a kangaroo with his face on next to a fence.

Micallef Program - Absolutely awful attempt at alternative comedy. No country apart from the UK can pull this off so don't even try !!

Blinky Bill - Hmmm, I can't remember if this was Australian or just Americans doing the voices (like Rocko) It's shit anyway.

Prisoner Cell Block H - Ooh, this was good, cardboard walls and acting to make Hulk Hogan look good, it's a shame it's on about 5am because I used to love watching all the lesbian sex scenes.

Pugwall - This was shit

The Bush Patrol - I never actually watched this but I like the name.

Round The Twist - This is the most popular thing to ever come from down under but the fact is that all the cast were English and some Mexican, they were just good at the accent. The whole thing was filmed in the beautiful Bognor Regis but they used the Neighbours camera filter to make it look warm.

SOURCE: 'I can't bladdy stand Australians' website. Also known as 'Australia is wank.'

Jihad - its not based on ignorance. Australians have had American comedy shows shoved down their throats for decades. the only Oz comedy American Audiences have been exposed to is crocodile dundee ... which was made for an American Audience and doesn't really reflect Oz comedy.

you forget Jihad - that with US global hegemony - EVERYBODY gets a taste of your culture ... you just miss out on everybody else's.

Our cultures ARE different - and since you are familiar with my posts (or ought to be by now) you should be well aware that I don't have a problem with cultural difference.

Americans DO appear to live on another planet to the one we live on. Our culture IS different from yours. our way of looking at the world is different. surely with all these Aussies on the board you've realised that by now!

Ummm! Frank if you are going to use a reference then please find one with some gravitas!

NEIGHBOURS - is hardly watched in Australia, but the poms lapped it up. It was going to be axed, except it went to another channel when it was sold to the UK.
HOME and AWAY - A superior clone of Neighbours. But usually only watched by a certain age-group, and good luck to them!
ROLF'S CARTOON - Rolf Harris has not lived in Australia for the last 60 years!
MICALLEF'S PROGRAMME - Probably too subtle for the poms who are used to watching Neighbours!
BLINKY BILL - A children's programme, again probably too subtle for the poms.
PUGWALL - Never heard of it! Probably another children's programme.
THE BUSH PROGRAMME - - ditto -
ROUND THE TWIST - Has won several international children's programme awards. US had nothing to do with it, nor did Mexicans. It was filmed in Australia.

I would say that the website you have quoted is very firmly tongue in cheek. By the way, are you a friend of Iaca?

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Lucky is he (sic) who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil

Oh! and by the way, I wouldn't bother trying to watch PRISONER CELL BLOCK H that comment about the 'lesbian sex scenes' was very definitely tongue in cheek. Oh! no pun intended!

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Lucky is he (sic) who has been able to understand the causes of things
Virgil