Midnight Oil

[Powderworks] LMOC: One Country or 51st State of the US?

Virgil Thomas Alexander Morant v-morant@onu.edu
Thu, 17 Oct 2002 03:44:01 -0400


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It has, I am sad to say, been ages since I heard a Peter Garrett rant on =
anything, but I still remember the disturbing parts of American culture =
that were popular in Australia when I was there ten years ago.  I'm an =
American, though, and I don't take the blame.  I too believe in free =
will.

Does anyone remember a guy named "Snow" who had a song called =
"Informer"?  Dear Lord, I must have heard that blasted song ten thousand =
times on the radio in Australia back then.  Why, I'm sorry the thought =
even just occured to me, because now that lame tune is going to torment =
my brain for the rest of the night and the coming day.  Jeez!

By the way, on a more heartwarming subject, I just want to reiterate =
(this also was discussed about eight months ago on the list, but, what =
can I say, I'm a bit late) that Kosciuszko is still Midnight Oil's best =
song, and Place without a Postcard is their finest record.  I'm not very =
fond of Breathe, although I do like a couple of the songs, and I think =
Home is wonderful (one of their five or ten best even, maybe), and I =
listened to Redneck Wonderland once and never again except occasionally =
for the title track, which is fairly entertaining.

Capricornia rocks.  That one was a blessed relief to somone who just =
couldn't deal with Redneck Wonderland.

-Virgil.
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Craig Jacobson=20
  To: Kathryn Adams=20
  Cc: powderworks@cs.colorado.edu=20
  Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2002 7:37 PM
  Subject: Re: [Powderworks] LMOC: One Country or 51st State of the US?


  Consider the specific items included in PG's rant:  grunge, grunge=20
  fashion, rap, the Olympics.

  First, the Olympics:  Australia hosted Melbourne 1956 as well as =
Sydney=20
  2000.  That's two of the last twelve summer Olympics, the same as the=20
  U.S. over this period.  (We'll leave the winter Olympics out of this=20
  discussion until Bondi Beach freezes over.)  So, Australia's =
involvement=20
  in the international sports community is hardly new.

  The other items, all presented as an American cultural invasion, are=20
  choices made by Australian consumers, not something forced upon them.=20
   If I can avoid all of the above living a few miles from midtown New=20
  York, and also avoid the ubiquitous McDonalds, I'm not sure why those =
in=20
  other countries can't as well.

  Finally, we have the CNN issue.  Ironically, I spent many nights=20
  drinking many VBs in that club in Bali that was blown up with =
Australian=20
  friends, listening to what a joke they thought CNN was as a news =
source.=20
   I've been reading the SMH online for news on the Bali situation.  The =

  cable news channel I watch is owned by Rupert Murdoch.  My favorite =
news=20
  magazine is British.  The point of this is that news is far more=20
  international than it was in the pre-CNN days.  Anyone with an =
internet=20
  connection who gets all of their news from CNN is doing it by their =
own=20
  choice, not by dint of American dominance.

  I used to travel overseas often, and it always saddened me to see=20
  McDonalds and Coke and Michael Jordan shirts all over the place.  I =
wish=20
  the rest of the world would chase McDonalds by simply not eating =
there.

  Off of my soapbox now...

  Kathryn Adams wrote:

  > Its always fascinating to see the differences between the rants in =
Oz=20
  > and PG ranting that goes on elsewhere, particularly the US.
  >
  > When Pete rants in Australia, there seems to be a lot of =
declarations=20
  > of individuality and the need for cultural autonomy.  When Pete =
rants=20
  > on North American stages, he seems to wander toward =
internationality,=20
  > harmony, and universal respect sorts of themes.  The same broad =
brush=20
  > generalities may be more or less applied to Rob's comments to the =
press.
  >
  > Now I recognize that the message gets tailored to the audience, and=20
  > there is a strong comfort level factor in the things they say =
abroad. =20
  > What I'm trying to get a handle on is this:  what distinguishes the=20
  > "One Country" internationalist sentiments from "51st (52nd,53rd...)=20
  > State" laments voiced in Oz?  I know that some important differences =

  > lie in the areas of consent and franchise versus domination and=20
  > colonization.  But how are the impulses toward global unity and=20
  > national autonomy reconciled?
  >
  > Any insights anybody?  Stories to tell that would flesh this out a=20
  > bit? It would be interesting to get multiple Oily data points from=20
  > different spots around the globe.
  >
  > _______________________________________________
  > Powderworks mailing list
  > Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu
  > http://www.cs.colorado.edu/mailman/listinfo/powderworks
  >



  _______________________________________________
  Powderworks mailing list
  Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu
  http://www.cs.colorado.edu/mailman/listinfo/powderworks

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<DIV>It has, I am sad to say, been ages since I heard a Peter Garrett =
rant on=20
anything, but I still remember the disturbing parts of American culture =
that=20
were popular in Australia when I was there ten years ago.&nbsp; I'm an =
American,=20
though, and I don't take the blame.&nbsp; I too believe in free =
will.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Does anyone remember a guy named "Snow" who had a song called=20
"Informer"?&nbsp; Dear Lord, I must have heard that blasted song ten =
thousand=20
times on the radio in Australia back then.&nbsp; Why, I'm sorry the =
thought even=20
just occured to me, because now that lame tune is going to torment my =
brain for=20
the rest of the night and the coming day.&nbsp; Jeez!</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>By the way, on a more heartwarming subject, I just want to =
reiterate (this=20
also was discussed about eight months ago on the list, but, what can I =
say, I'm=20
a bit late) that <EM>Kosciuszko</EM> is still Midnight Oil's best song, =
and=20
<EM>Place without a Postcard</EM> is their finest record.&nbsp; I'm=20
not&nbsp;very fond of <EM>Breathe</EM>, although I do like a couple of =
the=20
songs, and I think <EM>Home</EM> is wonderful (one of their five or ten =
best=20
even, maybe), and I listened to <EM>Redneck Wonderland</EM> once and =
never again=20
except occasionally for the title track, which is fairly =
entertaining.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><EM>Capricornia</EM> rocks.&nbsp; That one was a blessed relief to =
somone=20
who just couldn't deal with <EM>Redneck Wonderland</EM>.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>-Virgil.</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Dcjake@pipeline.com href=3D"mailto:cjake@pipeline.com">Craig =

  Jacobson</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=3Dkate@dnki.net=20
  href=3D"mailto:kate@dnki.net">Kathryn Adams</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A =
title=3Dpowderworks@cs.colorado.edu=20
  =
href=3D"mailto:powderworks@cs.colorado.edu">powderworks@cs.colorado.edu</=
A>=20
  </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, October 16, =
2002 7:37=20
  PM</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Powderworks] =
LMOC: One=20
  Country or 51st State of the US?</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>Consider the specific items included in PG's =
rant:&nbsp;=20
  grunge, grunge <BR>fashion, rap, the Olympics.<BR><BR>First, the=20
  Olympics:&nbsp; Australia hosted Melbourne 1956 as well as Sydney=20
  <BR>2000.&nbsp; That's two of the last twelve summer Olympics, the =
same as the=20
  <BR>U.S. over this period.&nbsp; (We'll leave the winter Olympics out =
of this=20
  <BR>discussion until Bondi Beach freezes over.)&nbsp; So, Australia's=20
  involvement <BR>in the international sports community is hardly=20
  new.<BR><BR>The other items, all presented as an American cultural =
invasion,=20
  are <BR>choices made by Australian consumers, not something forced =
upon them.=20
  <BR>&nbsp;If I can avoid all of the above living a few miles from =
midtown New=20
  <BR>York, and also avoid the ubiquitous McDonalds, I'm not sure why =
those in=20
  <BR>other countries can't as well.<BR><BR>Finally, we have the CNN=20
  issue.&nbsp; Ironically, I spent many nights <BR>drinking many VBs in =
that=20
  club in Bali that was blown up with Australian <BR>friends, listening =
to what=20
  a joke they thought CNN was as a news source. <BR>&nbsp;I've been =
reading the=20
  SMH online for news on the Bali situation.&nbsp; The <BR>cable news =
channel I=20
  watch is owned by Rupert Murdoch.&nbsp; My favorite news <BR>magazine =
is=20
  British.&nbsp; The point of this is that news is far more =
<BR>international=20
  than it was in the pre-CNN days.&nbsp; Anyone with an internet =
<BR>connection=20
  who gets all of their news from CNN is doing it by their own =
<BR>choice, not=20
  by dint of American dominance.<BR><BR>I used to travel overseas often, =
and it=20
  always saddened me to see <BR>McDonalds and Coke and Michael Jordan =
shirts all=20
  over the place.&nbsp; I wish <BR>the rest of the world would chase =
McDonalds=20
  by simply not eating there.<BR><BR>Off of my soapbox =
now...<BR><BR>Kathryn=20
  Adams wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; Its always fascinating to see the differences =
between=20
  the rants in Oz <BR>&gt; and PG ranting that goes on elsewhere, =
particularly=20
  the US.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; When Pete rants in Australia, there seems to =
be a lot=20
  of declarations <BR>&gt; of individuality and the need for cultural=20
  autonomy.&nbsp; When Pete rants <BR>&gt; on North American stages, he =
seems to=20
  wander toward internationality, <BR>&gt; harmony, and universal =
respect sorts=20
  of themes.&nbsp; The same broad brush <BR>&gt; generalities may be =
more or=20
  less applied to Rob's comments to the press.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Now I =
recognize=20
  that the message gets tailored to the audience, and <BR>&gt; there is =
a strong=20
  comfort level factor in the things they say abroad.&nbsp; <BR>&gt; =
What I'm=20
  trying to get a handle on is this:&nbsp; what distinguishes the =
<BR>&gt; "One=20
  Country" internationalist sentiments from "51st (52nd,53rd...) =
<BR>&gt; State"=20
  laments voiced in Oz?&nbsp; I know that some important differences =
<BR>&gt;=20
  lie in the areas of consent and franchise versus domination and =
<BR>&gt;=20
  colonization.&nbsp; But how are the impulses toward global unity and =
<BR>&gt;=20
  national autonomy reconciled?<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; Any insights =
anybody?&nbsp;=20
  Stories to tell that would flesh this out a <BR>&gt; bit? It would be=20
  interesting to get multiple Oily data points from <BR>&gt; different =
spots=20
  around the globe.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;=20
  _______________________________________________<BR>&gt; Powderworks =
mailing=20
  list<BR>&gt; <A=20
  =
href=3D"mailto:Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu">Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu</=
A><BR>&gt;=20
  <A=20
  =
href=3D"http://www.cs.colorado.edu/mailman/listinfo/powderworks">http://w=
ww.cs.colorado.edu/mailman/listinfo/powderworks</A><BR>&gt;<BR><BR><BR><B=
R>_______________________________________________<BR>Powderworks=20
  mailing list<BR><A=20
  =
href=3D"mailto:Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu">Powderworks@cs.colorado.edu</=
A><BR><A=20
  =
href=3D"http://www.cs.colorado.edu/mailman/listinfo/powderworks">http://w=
ww.cs.colorado.edu/mailman/listinfo/powderworks</A></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></=
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