People speak about the Global Village and the World Wide Web and Social Networking, as if humans are connected as one. Here are indicators, showing how the world still suffers from the THEM & US Syndrome — some could argue that US used to mean USA, but with its powers diminishing, things might change soon enough. First, consider film and television, as well as documentaries. All producers know the importance of international distribution, yet their ignorance is revealed when they naively cater to one type of viewer, and speak only in miles and inches, unaware of the many who simply cannot understand such measures. While watching documentaries, I am agitated by narrators who do not even realise that half their audience would have no idea what 95 degrees Fahrenheit really means. They could easily superimpose the conversions on the screen for us to follow, but no… we don’t exist.

For over twenty years I have wondered when the Americans would stop printing brochures and newsletters which are date-stamped as ‘Fall’ or ‘Summer’. I used to work for American companies, and I could not get it through to anyone at our US head-office that a large part of the world is not in step with the American weather system. It’s just plain rudeness.

In December of 2011, I was logging on to my WordPress account and I noticed that the front-page (see below) had white dots falling down the screen, simulating snow. I wondered how a global company like WordPress could be so ignorant about the Earth and its temperatures. Would WordPress consider simulating that snow when it is very hot at its end of town?

So I engaged a researcher to gather all the temperatures around the globe during December; to work out where in the world it snows, and how many countries celebrate Christmas without snow. (If the argument is going to be about Santa’s birth-place, we would have to argue about whether or not Christmas (Christ’s Mass) is all about Santa or all about Jesus, whose local climate at the time of his birth was unlikely to be snowing.)

Of the 370 countries surveyed, we find that only 74 of them experience snow during December. 111 countries register temperatures that can be considered cold. 73 countries are mild to pleasant. 112 countries were experiencing temperatures above 21 degrees Celsius  (69.8 Fahrenheit).

If we consider the world (say 370 countries) at two ends of the scale, we have snow in 74 countries, and a warm to hot climate in 112 countries. I think 112 beats 74. Can anyone tell me why we project/force unrealistic images of Christmas with complete disregard to the rest of the world? Mind you, this merely counts countries as single entities. Try this exercise based on ‘population’ and ask how many people (in terms of quantity) know Christmas to be a hot time, and you will see some amazing numbers. Maybe soon, when the Social Network becomes a United Nations approved cyber-city with its own Mayor and voting system, we might take the whole thing to a vote, and the majority might well vote to obliterate snow from the Christmas image.

Below was the screen-grab that infuriated me, showing snow falling on my screen while I was sweltering in the Merry Sydney Summer.

On Friday 7 October 2011 I attended the launch of the website that aims to build stronger communities by challenging extremist ideologies in Australia. The Attorney-General, Mr Robert McClelland, launched the site as part of the Government’s $9.7 million Countering Violent Extremism program.

Attorney-General The Hon Robert McClelland MP at the launch of the Resilient Communities website at the Museum of Sydney. Incidentally, the Museum was the site of the first Government House.

During question-time, I suggested to the Attorney that extremists are hard to shift. Once they subscribe to an ideology, it’s almost impossible to change their mind. I said that the people who deserve our attention are those who are impressionable, and therefore, we would do well to consider who in our community are influencing the masses. I pointed out that some radio announcers and journalists need educating. We live in a free society, and by no means was I suggesting that we ever tell journalists what to think or believe. However, it seemed to me, from my experience, that many people in influential positions, simply do not understand the issues. I said, ‘If doctors and similar professionals are required to undergo annual training programs, then why not radio jocks? I do not want to tell radio announcers what to say, but I think that they would not say half the things they do, if they really understood the issues.’

If doctors are found guilty of malpractice, they can be suspended or struck off. Yet, radio personalties are part of a product. Their product is radio. Their station is privileged to be granted a radio licence. Why then, when a court finds that the manufacturer of the product (the station and its staff) had breached the law, can no-one suspend the offenders? At best, they pay a small fine. I do not want to hit them over the head. I just need them to learn more about the issues, because they can easily inflame a situation. Radio is a product, much like shampoo is a product. If a company manufactures a shampoo that causes people to suffer rashes, the product is recalled. Why is it that when a radio station sells a product that is harmful to society, no recourse is available? Once again, I am not so keen on the recourse, but more eager to ensure that it is mandatory that those who hold a licence and their staff who deliver a product that could easily ignite racism and conflict, be expected to stay abreast of the issues; just like doctors, pharmacists, accountants, and lawyers must undergo annual professional development.

OVERBOARD

This matter became clearer to me while I was working with author Ghassan Nakhoul who launched his book ‘Overboard‘ on the tenth anniversary of the sinking of SIEV-X. Ghassan’s book tells the true accounts of boat-people, while pointing out that they are humans who have suffered greatly. Ghassan says that such humans have feelings. They are not statistics.

What struck me was that when I mentioned this book to a broad range of people, they slipped into the discussion about boat-people having no consideration for the due process. Many said that asylum seekers and refugees ought to join the queue, and that Australians do not like queue-jumpers. I was amazed that, even after ten years, the complainants remained naive and unenlightened.

Yet, at the launch of ‘Overboard’, where the keynote speaker was Admiral Chris Barrie AC (the former Chief of the Australian Defence Force who was embroiled in the Children-Overboard Affair) we heard about the real pain and suffering of those who were fleeing war and persecution. At the launch, I told the story relayed to me by a doctor from Iraq who had 12 hours to flee Iraq after Saddam Hussein ordered the doctor to mutilate soldiers who had disappointed the dictator. The doctor arrived in Australia on a boat (as Captain Cook himself did) and was held in detention for five months before any official asked him if he had any papers. Indeed, he had all his papers and all his credentials. If that doctor had not fled, he would have been mutilated and killed. So pray tell, which queue was he expected to join? Now, the doctor works in Sydney and is a world-leading surgeon who is making headlines for his discoveries and innovations. He could not join us at the ‘Overboard’ book launch because he was in the UK, representing Australia while launching the world’s first robotic knee. Yet, while his boat was approaching Australia, the headlines and the radio-jocks would have had us believe that the doctor was a queue-jumper, and possibility a terrorist. Since his release from detention, he has helped countless Australians by giving them knee and hip replacements?

COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM

The Attorney’s initiative dovetails with the Government’s efforts to reduce the risk of home-grown terrorism by, ‘strengthening Australia’s resilience to radicalisation and assisting individuals to disengage from violent extremist influences and beliefs.’

No country is immune form the scourge of docile leaders (religious or otherwise). I have a feeling that a good place to start is at schools, by really helping children to embrace their studies and to engage in their communities. Wayward students who are not given hope and support tend to drift. While wandering aimlessly, they soon hanker after a community to which they could belong. Sadly, shows like ‘Underbelly’ and gangster movies tend to spark a passion for belonging to a gang. Young hopeless youth find strength in a sense of belonging. What they can’t attain through good works, they can achieve via bad deeds. Belonging to a gang, gives them everything they need: a sense of belonging; purpose; mission; excitement; and mate-ship (along with an income through ill-gotten gains). Unfortunately, growing-up on the wrong side of the tracks, propels a slippery ride where a brick wall awaits them at the journey’s end. The other sad thing is that the handiwork of these depleted souls affects everyone. We must catch them young, inspire them, and set them on a path that provides a rewarding journey. To do this, we need role models. While to me ‘education’ means home, school, and street, I dare say that it’s a tough call to attend to all three. Indeed, governments can do something about schools. From what I have seen, schools generally do not cater to those on the fringe.

By the way, if you would like to read a chapter I wrote about terrorism in my book, ‘How to Lose Friends and Infuriate People’ (4th edition), you can click here. The chapter is called, ‘Infuriating Terrorists: Why tolerant people must not tolerate intolerant people.’

Having reached the last episode of ‘The Golden Mile’, I had only three questions:

1) Who were the 45 parliamentarians who voted against Independent Member Mr John Hatton’s push for a Royal Commission into Police Corruption? After years of campaigning, the vote was 45 ‘for’, and 45 ‘against’, until Mr Hatton used his Independent vote to tip the scale. He had made it by a whisker. Imagine if just one more MP had sided with the blind mice. Just one, and Sydney might never have had a Royal Commission.

2) What did those 45 MPs have to say for themselves after the Wood Royal Commission handed its findings? Justice James Wood uncovered hundreds of cases of serious, disgraceful, senior-level corruption, despite the then Police Commissioner emphatically assuring New South Wales that there was no systemic corruption in the police service. Did any of the 45 MPs ever apologise to Mr Hatton, or at least thank him?

3) Where are those 45 MPs these days? Why did they not want a Royal Commission? Why were they so blind or uncaring? How many other votes did they stuff up? How many other good ideas did they obstruct?

While viewers were flabbergasted at the level of corruption that they finally realised was happening on the streets where they walked, dined, and partied, I was shaking my head and wondering why it is so difficult for our community leaders and elected representatives to rise to the occasion and show some magnanimity.

Now we must ponder a new question: Is there any corruption in the here and now? I suspect that every generation presumes that putridity happens elsewhere.

More than ever before, speaking-up is harder than ever before. If it’s not due to the obstacles erected by those who care too much about protecting their golden goose, it’s thanks to the obstacles erected by those who do not care at all… just fill in another form and maybe one day, like maybe never, we might think about it… oh is it 4:45 pm already? See ya tomorrow… I don’t get paid enough to care.

That attitude is the definition of corruption. The corrupted soul is a danger to society — more so than a gangster with a loaded gun.

Today’s news refers to an incident in Brisbane. I have had a litany of bad service from taxis in the Brisbane area. Here is a letter that I sent to the Yellow Cab Company of Brisbane.

Dear Yellow Cab. I wish to make a complaint regarding the driver of taxi number [withheld] in vehicle [withheld] regarding an incident on Sunday morning… outside the Brunswick Royal George Hotel next to the Sun Herald Building. I know that this is not a taxi rank. Yet I waited in line with many others for one hour. If it is not a pick-up point, then a clear no-pick-up rule should apply. The place operated like a rank, and is therefore confusing. Finally after drunks were pushing and shoving, and 50% of all passengers jumping the queue and drivers of all taxi companies picking up people from the middle of the line and the back of the line, it became my turn as the first in the queue. The driver of [withheld] insisted that I tell him where I am going, before accepting me as a passenger. The Valley is super-charged with intoxicated rough youths. There were all sorts of unpleasantness while waiting in line. I told the driver that it should not matter where I was going and I opened the door and sat inside. He immediately started to petition the four or six youths whom he had just dropped off, and they began to threaten me, with one saying, ‘I will kill you’ and others shouting obscenities and hurling abuse. The matter was seconds away from flash point, and the driver would not accept me as a passenger. I was 100% sober (I never drink or take drugs). While in his cab, I was sandwiched between his abuse and the youths’ threats which he was inflaming.

While in the taxi I called 000 and spoke to the police. At this time, coincidentally, a police car stopped in front and the driver went to complain to the police about me. The police then asked me to step out of the taxi. The driver said to the police that he was going home and did not want to take any more fares. Please investigate this driver’s meter. You might find that he lied to the police, which is an offence. He refused me passage because I would not pre-advise him of my destination, which I presume is against the rules. He incited violence, which I believe is an offence. He was rude, obnoxious, and verbally abusive. The police immediately presumed that I was the problem passenger and asked me to move along, not listening to my story. I heard a police officer ask, ‘Has he not paid his fare?’ This is a huge presumption, and the taxi driver was allowed to leave while I was against a wall being surrounded by four or more police officers.

Now I was stranded for another hour, while aware of a gang of youths eyeing me out for a fight. The whole taxi situation in the Valley is an indictment on the authorities who are responsible. The place is over-crowded with drunks and drugged thugs, along with decent people out for a pleasant night out. The taxi stands are invisible to tourists like me from Sydney. Where thousand of people congregate, where is the nearest stand? Why are there no signs to assist in this matter? Why not a sign to point to the nearest stand? Why not a taxi administrator like they have at airports. The place is a mess with lots of pushing and shoving. No doubt you are not responsible for all of these matters, and the local council and the city needs to address this ghastly situation. Any taxi stand ought to be one block up so that the left turn is made on to the ramp to the bridge, rather than block the Mall area, which can take ten minutes just to move 100 meters with the fare running. The whole situation is bad. I have had other issues with taxi drivers in the area. This time, I would appreciate your assistance in this regard before I contact my legal counsel and take civil action as well as media action about a level of service that is absurd, made worse by police officers, including a Senior Sergeant who did not understand the situation and should not have been on the beat if he and his colleagues are unable to understand the basics. I have lodged an official complaint with the Brisbane Area Command about the Police officer in question. It now falls upon you to please meter out the necessary disciplinary measure against the driver. I would welcome your call and your written response so that I can advise my legal counsel with the result of this first step. Thank you.

After waiting 40 days for a satisfactory response, here is what Yellow Cab Company said:

Dear Jonar,

As previously stated the driver has been subjected to Yellow Cabs Rules of Conduct and Operating Procedures. Under current Qld Privacy Provisions we are unable to divulge any disciplinary action that may have been taken against this driver. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by this unfortunate incident and thank you for your valuable input.

Respectfully Yours

This is not good enough. How can I know that anything was done? Privacy, my foot. And when a driver is attacked, it’s all out for the sympathy-card, with protests in the street and deputations to our Prime Minister. A range of people need to pull their head in, while another group must put its head together and stop licensing idiots, no matter their skin colour or country of origin. It has nothing to do with race or nationality, but with absurdity and stupidity!

Not long ago, people snapped-up the thick tomes to use them as door-stops or to raise computer monitors off desks. Pages from the books could have been used to light the barbecue or to help get the log-fire going. These days, most monitors come with adjustable stands. Fancy heating devices in the home have made open-fires less attractive in terms of maintenance. And the advent of a stable internet has taken the Yellow- and White-pages on-line.

So, what are we to do with all those books that seem to hang around for months? No-one wants them. What will the publishers do about it? They make millions from advertisers who wish to list their business. Over the years, we saw the introduction of the spot-colour, and later the full-colour, listing. Something dramatic will have to happen. They can’t keep printing and shipping such bulky books that no-one wants. Yet, they can’t admit to the advertisers that the circulation has dropped. Not unless there are similar reductions in the rate card.

Office buildings and residential apartment blocks are littered with books that tenants do not want.

This is one of those developing stories. Something big will have to happen. Keep an eye on the on-line versions. At the moment, their search capabilities are almost useless. Over the years, they have improved. Way back, I recall speaking with the White Pages people about the on-line listings not containing a post code. If one found a name and address, one had to go to another application to find the post code. The woman said that they decided not to list the post code so that direct-marketers will not use the White Pages as a quick search tool for bulk-mail campaigns. At the time, the company had other products that it wanted to sell to direct marketers. The problem was, regular users were frustrated. So much so, that the White Pages had to back down.

Twelve months ago, if one searched for ‘John’s Butcher’, one had to trawl through thousands of entries because anything with the word ‘John’, plus anything with the word ‘Butcher’ was returned, making it impossible to locate the said organisation. Not only that, the likes of ‘Johnson’, ‘Johnston’ etc, as well as ‘butchery’ and ‘butchers’ etc were included. After many protests from the public, and from me as well, they changed it. In addition, they now provide a national search so that one does not have to conduct the same search in a state-by-state basis.

Despite all of these improvements over ten years, the search engine is still juvenile. I would rate it a 5 out of 10. They have a long way go. The company had better get on with it, because the printed form will soon collapse, and it will need a richer alternative if it is to drag the same amount of revenue from advertisers who are reluctant to pay the thousands that they had come to expect from the paper days.

The environmentalists might soon have something to say about all that pollution. When you add up the tonnes of ink, as well as the paper and the pollution from the delivery-trucks that transport the raw materials and the finished products, these books can take their toll on the environment. Not to mention the thousands that end up in regular rubbish bins, despite the range of collection initiatives.

The books are shrink-wrapped in plastic, and then placed in a plastic bag. That's a lot of plastic bags for a society that is frowning upon their use, with threats from governments that bags will be banned and that some supermarkets are charging for them. My local supermarket does not provide plastic bags unless someone asks for them, or unless it is obvious that one is required.

These days, newspapers are delivered in plastic, secured with rubber bands.