KUOW News Round-Up
As you may or may not know, our local NPR station, KUOW 94.9 FM, does a weekly news round-up every Friday morning at 10. I would have said that they are likely to lead off with the new SAP boundaries but then I woke up to find Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I'm thinking that's the lead. Nevertheless, I think the new SAP boundaries will make their way into the discussion. It might make good listening given that these are some of the pundits who write daily on city issues. As well, they do take call-ins (543-KUOW) and e-mails (weekday@kuow.org) on topics so if you are so moved, you have the opportunity.
About Obama. I was a little taken aback (I read it on the Stranger Slog and thought they were joking). Even though we all saw the reaction throughout the world when Obama was elected, I realize that it was deeper than I thought. Obama's election really, really means something to people other than Americans. Expectations are very high in this country (despite everything that he faced down coming into office) and this points out that the world joins those expectations.
I wouldn't take this as a win on his part (although it may take the sting out of losing the Olympics). Talk about having the weight of the world on your shoulders. Good luck, Mr. President.
About Obama. I was a little taken aback (I read it on the Stranger Slog and thought they were joking). Even though we all saw the reaction throughout the world when Obama was elected, I realize that it was deeper than I thought. Obama's election really, really means something to people other than Americans. Expectations are very high in this country (despite everything that he faced down coming into office) and this points out that the world joins those expectations.
I wouldn't take this as a win on his part (although it may take the sting out of losing the Olympics). Talk about having the weight of the world on your shoulders. Good luck, Mr. President.
Comments
I voted for him ( as well as donated and volunteered quite a bit) and I know how much his election means to others around the world, but this raises expectations to an almost unreal level.
I don't think it is a good thing so early, but anything that irritates Rush can't be all bad.
As to the rest of the world's view:
I dont think anyone in this country really understands how much the rest of the world views America negatively... 8 years of Bush and how that happened, isolationism during the world wars, coupled with dozens of decades of covert and overt interference in other countries' politics, the push for globalisation and everything that goes with that, economically, socially, environmentally, the refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol and multiple United Nations initiatives to make food and water basic human rights and to protect women and children, the call for nuclear disarmament and the arm twisting of other countries that are working towards nuclear capability, while at the same time continuing to maintain, even grow, its own nuclear defense stockpiles ... the list goes on and on...
Then you look at the situation in America internally...health care, education, violence, dysfunctional individuals and families, a political system that disenfranchises millions because it is not representative, the death penalty, mass media - its all relative of course, but America is really more like a third world country than it is like the rest of the West/developed world...
I dont remember the economists name, but earlier this year a famous economist was interviewed on KUOW and he said bluntly that the American economy and how it functioned was on a par with that of Brazil, Mexico and China...
Its a shame most people in this country believe your own PR... look at the ridiculous posturing over health care reform - "we have the best health system in the world"... um, no you dont...
Its the arrogance that sticks in most peoples' craw...
She was in Accra at the same time as Bush, and the Ghanaians were thrilled to see Americans- even though they had issues with the President
http://www.dhs.gov/files/statistics/publications/LPR08.shtm
see table 3....
And perhaps Bush was a dope... but what about Berlusconi? Those really smart Europeans are completley capable of electing their own buffoon repeatedly for 15 years.
And your sample size for "Its a shame most people in this country believe your own PR"? Again - just in my circle of Seattle friends, there is a wide range of views on how they see this country and our current issues.
I don't disagree that there are those who hold the views you write but generalizations don't help and frankly discredit you and what you write.
My view is that the prize was premature and my hope is that hindsight will show it to be well deserved. Less than one year has passed since the election so I'm going to reserve judgement on success and failure for now.
I found it bizarre that the board gave MG-J a big pay raise after only one year and NO measurable results.
Obama has been in office less than a year. Does he have measurable results to show?
So who were the other possible recipients? I thought in past cases like Mother Teresa and Linus Pauling displayed a long history of successful activism for peace. Guess I see Obama through a different lens than the Nobel committee. I hope his next year is better than MG-J year two.
Oh please, why should KUOW talk about the SAP? There's only arguing over block lines. It really isn't that newsworthy. It'll be newsworthy when Eckstein has 2000 students come fall.
(Don't get me wrong: we give KUOW money every year. I always feel like people who DO give money ought to be given some device that lets them *zap* the pledge drive stuff, like skipping the ads on a DVR. Oh well.)
All the other stuff about how the world views us, while interesting, is not germane to this blog, so I'll give it a miss, lest it give me a (WV) migracke.
Either way, good one! Ewwws, for sure!