An opportunity for Civil Conversation

Sun Jan 25 15:37:51 PST 2004

Catherine – it is true that our “major networks” would love to think
that they control the news. And our President (The Shrub) would love to
think that he controls the networks. And unfortunately (or very
fortunately as I would think) both are profoundly in error. The networks
are losing market share – the truth of the matter is that a large number
of Americans are on Cable (I am not) – where there are more channels
than you could ever flip to. True, a substantial portion cover such
exciting topics as How to Have a Better Sex life – but there is more.
Add in the fact that we are in truth a “wired” nation – and it becomes
clear that the possibility of controlling the flow of information in the
USA is as possible as it was for the “Rulers” of China during the
Tienamen (sp?) Square situation of several years ago. Nothing would have
pleased those folks more than to closed down communication with the
outside world. And they would have done it if they could – but had they
done it (cut the phone lines) they could not get the economic data they
needed. I remember sitting in my basement with several young Chinese
Students during that time, who wanted to know what was happening, and
support their fellows. I happened to have a number of phone lines,
faxes, and InterNet connections. And I can tell you China was a sieve. I
couldn’t prove it, but I honestly think that I knew more (reading over
people’s shoulders) about what was going on in China than the
Intelligence folks. Anyhow, Free Speech, and the free flow of
information is alive and well in the USA. In a word – we got lots of
Open Space. Now that does not mean that we have been using it well, but
actually we have gotten along pretty good for several hundred years.
Major excesses to be sure.  Total idiocy – absolutely! But in the sloppy
way of Democracy – we muddle through. So far at least. We just have to
keep the Space open.

Harrison

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20845
Phone 301-365-2093
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
<http://www.openspaceworld.com/>  
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm
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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
Catherine Pfaehler
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 4:11 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: AW: An opportunity for Civil Conversation

Chris – indeed, America’s media seem to be owned by only 5 corporations,
all of which have sponsored the current president’s campaign. Freedom of
speech may well be something which does not exist any longer in your
country, as a well-informed friend (named Paul) tells me. Sad. He states
that unless you get your informations through the web or speak foreign
languages, as an American, you are no longer informed objectively.

With love and compassion - Catherine

Catherine Pfaehler
Kellersriedweg 8
CH - 2503 Biel
T/F/B ++41 - (0)32 - 365 68 41

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]Im Auftrag von Chris
Macrae
Gesendet: Samstag, 24. Januar 2004 22:49
An: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Betreff: Re: An opportunity for Civil Conversation

I'm always a bit scared (beyond my depth) about radical democracy but I
did feel pretty angry about this story- if anyone feels I've misworded
it, I'd appreciate editing advice- on the other hand if you feel like
voting on whether CBS merits a future if the circumstances portrayed by
moveon.org are correct, then please do vote
Chris Macrae
http://www.beyond-branding.com/blog/blogger.html

SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2004 
why you may never see the greatest ad ever made... 
...
the eye-catching opening second: ten-year olds working in a steelworks

cut several times to other big industry factory lines peopled by kids

no words just ominous sounding music for 20 seconds

then silence and 10 seconds for the caption :

who else did you think would be paying back America's debt?

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

If not the world's biggest conversation, I would have thought this
should be one of America's biggest. But apparently CBS won't screen it
even though American people have collected to pay the money their
superbowl rate card demands. Unless there is an explanation that's
currently alluding my grey cells, I conclude CBS and parent viacom don't
believe in freedom of speech

A few years ago the idea that the public could rate a global empire the
size of Andersen as too untrustworthy to be worth having around seemed
unlikely. From all our research at Beyond-Branding, it seems time to rip
down a big networked media company. Perhaps CBS is the goat that needs
to be sacrificed; its not this company's first offence against public
decency as the documentary on who tried to block freedom of speech in
exposing how much tobacco companies new about addiction to deadly habits
showed.

You can vote for the future of CBS here.
http://www.fastcompany.com/poll/?x=1127

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
Harrison Owen
Sent: 11 December 2003 16:16
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: An opportunity for Civil Conversation

Folks - Up for a little radical Democracy???
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