The (Not So) Brave New World

With the vast majority of media outlets now controlled by a small number of organisations, the Internet is the last refuge for those seeking news and information not tainted with the biases of mainstream media's political agendas. With its global reach and relative freedoms, the Internet provides a vehicle where views can be posted, shared and discussed with very little fear of repercussion. While mainstream reporters are force feeding the populace with what to think on major issues such as the Egyptian crisis, Afghanistan and the like, the Internet serves as the last bastion for alternative views in real time. Sites such as truthdig.com, whatreallyhappened.com, wikileaks.org and others, provide an alternative source of information and many include the option to leave comment. The comment sections provide a forum for discussion, opinion, adding information, providing opposing views and much more. It is often the case that the comments provide more substance to an article that jus...

A gradual shift can often be undetectable and the full impact of change not seen or felt until we are so far down the road that any change of direction is difficult. The Australia of my youth, in many aspects, is virtually unrecognisable against today's Australia and the direction in which we are heading is far removed from where we once hoped we would be. A myriad and multitude of small direction changes, distractions and events set against global economic and humanitarian chaos, has steered Australia in a direction far from our hopes and aspirations of decades past. Our voices, which were once heard, are now mere mumblings. Our actions, feeble. We have taken our stance on the global stage firmly behind others, standing in the background as a supporter of the bigger players. We are first in line to join others' causes, pledging our support, resources and finances for goals we do not fully understand. We quickly echo the rhetoric of the bigger players to remind them that we ...