I guess every medium filters the news somehow. I read 5 different newspapers here as part of my job, and each one has a different slant.

this is slightly off topic, but this is one of the real reasons i am in love with blogs and the internet. here in the united states, it is extremely eye-opening and important for regular people (like me) to be easily able to read what people all over the world think – without the horrid media filter i’m fully aware we live behind.

Interestingly enough, I talked with my sister who does live in the U.S., and what she is terribly upset about is not an impending war with Iraq, but the fact that George W. Bush is basically gutting domestic programs and taking money from childcare, education, programs for the poor and cities, etc., and individual states are then following suit because they simply can’t take up the slack. Meanwhile, huge tax breaks

We have a love hate relationship with America. We are at once bullied by and assimilated into American culture; most of our teevee/ entertainment has moved from British to American. I think it’s just another type of colonisation sometimes; globalisation, schmobalisation.

However we need America. We’re tied to America. We’re very small, and very insubstantial and it’s nice to be on your side. Yet we really hate how America changes the rules to suit itself. I agree that we confuse capitalism with America; although since most of that which reaches us comes from America’s direction, it’s possibly understandable, definitely forgiveable.

I think that what I’m trying to say, is that America is no less nor more a steaming heap of shit than anywhere else. What America has on its side is its size and wealth, and really, who can compete with that?

Certainly not my little slice of home.

I love America for the diversity it allows, for the possibility that exists within it. And I hate it for the hypocrisy and the way that once it gets going, it’s like an inevitable machine that’s gonna eat you. And when it’s that machine with no one at the wheel, or a lunatic, it is rather scary. Rather being somewhat of an understatement.

Hrm. Bran might be close with her hypocrisy theory after all.

April? Late April. Great. Should be rid of the lice by then!

Sigh. We think we’re coming in late April.

Hypocrisy, yes. Yes, there are many factors, Bran. Also the tall poppy syndrome, wherever who’s on top is hated most; the eat the rich syndrome. Shallow Americans whining about anti-Americanism need to consider where it comes from, and shallow anti-Americans need to consider what exactly it is they’re against.

Deep anti-Americanism, is okay, of course.

i’m not anti-american, but i’ve never been exactly pro-american, either. i like the ideals, as i’m an idealist and ideallic things appeal to me, but the practices. hrm.