No jokes in the sun
It's in America. Nothing to do with climate change, this is a week of activity organised by the in which the US media focus on issues of open government and freedom of information.
It's a tribute to the of the US Supreme Court judge Louis Brandeis: 'Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.'
There's some interesting stuff - check out the links - but funnily enough (or actually in this case not so funnily) the thing that strikes me most are the . A couple made me smile, but the 'jokes' are largely obvious, predictable, strident and heavy-handed, with many being more or less the same from one cartoon to the next. Secrecy about secrecy, the trade-off between security and openness, the stuff that eavesdroppers hear - all the most unimaginative gags are there repeatedly. Maybe it's called Sunshine Week as you can see all the jokes coming so easily.
So what's going on here?:
Is it that I'm too British to get the American sense of humour?
Can jokes not be delivered to order?
If you care about an issue, is it hard to be funny about it?
Are the cartoons better assessed as propaganda, not attempts at entertainment?
Is freedom of information the world's least amusing topic?
Sunlight may be a good disinfectant, but clearly I'm going to have to find my laughs in the shade.
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Does one need formal jokes about Freedom Of Information secrecy when real life is far funnier. Edgar Hoover of the FBI was (allegedly) entitled to a whole unit of his agents to look into his private life.
I noted that Newt Gingrich had a skeleton in his own marital cupboard when he was "dissing" President Clinton about his misbehaviour in that area.
Remember our own PM John Major's efforts to clean up the Tories eggactly at the same time as he was favouring Curry. Who was the yoke on then? (sorry, Martin)
No, Martin. In my opinion, you are not wrong about finding mostof it unfunny.
When I suspect keeping secrets in some environments still cost people their lives. The catalogue of journalists deaths in Putin's Russia make it hard to raise a smile. Irony can be funny but I baulk at gallows humour too.
i think you are missing the point sir.
the cartoons are only funny if you see the truth in them, i am guessing you see no truth in them therefore dont see them as funny.
Mr Rosenbaum there is no freedom of information and even if there was i truely believe that their is no journalist left who has any interest in discovering and uncovering some news.
Why waste your time when reuters and co can tell you what the news is.
So we the people will go back to sleep and you will not have to put up the pretence any more.
Our news culture is so dumbed down that radio five the other day announced charlottte church being pregnant as 'breaking news'
Still i guess she is more important than anyone at the bbc having a decent look into Iraq, 9/11, 7/7 etc etc.
With each passing day you are losing credability more and more.
I am now at the point where i accept that the bbc's output is mainly fictional. News that tells a nice story but one that has a very loose association with the truth.
So in one year i have gone from trust to disgust with the bbc.
Which leaves me what as a trustworthy news organisation
So, have a sunshine week and pretend that you all care, but our eyes are open and one by one the people are noticing whats going on.
A year ago if i said anything about 911 i would be laughed at by folks. Now i am noticing more and more people look back and say "yeah, i know. but what can you do"
So what can YOU do then.
No need for a response from you or to even publish this, as long as you remember Mr Rosenbaum that
you can't fool all the people all the time.
When you going to make a big decision and put your head above the parapet and tell us all you know.
Soon people might be asking you questions as to where where you when you were needed
And your answer would be?
Gregor Aitken - I found your post funnier than the jokes. I will quote from your post? "Mr Rosenbaum there is no freedom of information and even if there was i truely believe that their is no journalist left who has any interest in discovering and uncovering some news"
Boy, Mr Aitken, did you you post this on the wrong site! Have you read any of Open Secret? Or do you mean only "the news according to Gregor Aitken?" Take a look at Guido Fawkes site. That is where this post of yours belongs. Scary, very scary.
I had foster relatives who worked in some areas they couldn't discuss with anyone - even their family. Quite right too
Now everybody thinks they have a right to know everything. To what end? To put national interests in danger, our servicemen and women.To embarrass everyone no matter whom may be hurt in the fallout?
I would prefer a gentle nudging by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ of the "poweres that be" for more openness than Guido Fawkes type posters - who if given everything would suspect that they were given everything for some underhanded reason.
As to your last question to Martin Rosenbaum - your answer is in the web site address box on your computer. Oh and needed for what?
Martin, I have had further thoughts on those that frequent sites like Guido Fawkes. A few weeks ago I posted twice there, film analoy again - I am limited I am afraid - and watched me get steam rollered. Never again.
If I understood Mr Aitken's text - the Iraq War, 9/11 etc) some/all texters come with their own prejudices. Which is fine - so must I.
But hopefully if I find out something that counters these views I would be willing to change tack and re-assess what I thought I knew and may be alter what I thought.
Guido Fawkes (the Michael Caine film - The Italian Job?) - "You were only meant to blow the bloody doors off!".
I am fearful that latter day Gunpowder Plotters wouldn't be satisfied with just the Palace of Westminsters' doors - even given advances in demolition would allow them to blow up the whole place AND leave the doors standing!
No, I guess they want to take down the whole place - occupants and all. And then who would be next?
No. Secrecy is sometimes not funny is it?
A visit to Guido Fawkes site today proved most illuminating but one could suspect being played with. A bit mixed up but it seemed to make sense in a hopeful way.
Or one of those unnecessary formal jokes, Martin I mentioned at the top of this thread at my expense. Sigh!
Oh and the full text of the Yates' letter to Parliament - how does that get there? Is there a postman in the Tower of London? LOL