Interesting you would bring up that issue, because I just read about it in the Times yesterday for the first time!
Frankly, I think a big part of it is just that Americans don't find trade disputes to be very interesting news. I know I was bored reading about it. As for the story itself, looks like another case of the US using money and influence to try and punish a country with which it is having a childish spat. > My own impression of the people on this list is that we're different, > far more well informed than the typical person. Many of my neighbours > cannot even locate Japan on the map for instance - ok that's an > exaggeration but you get the idea. The media reinforces the insularity > I see. > > Here's another good example, speaking of Canada - there's been a long > running software lumber dispute between the US and Canada. Three years > ago, the administration imposed a tariff on Canadian lumber exports at > the insistance of the US lumber industry. Canada disagreed and took > the trade dispute to the various oversight treaty organizations (the > WTO, FTA and NAFTA) There has been 2 WTO , one FTA, and three NAFTA > hearings over this dispute. All of which have ruled against the US in > this matter. The NAFTA hearings all stated, the most recent quite > strongly, that this tarriff was clearly illegal and the US was in > violation of the NAFTA accords. It also ruled that it owed Canadian > producers about $2 billion. The response has been a refusal to > recognize this ruling. Yet except for one very small blurb in a back > sectin of the Post, there has been almost no notice in the US media. > > larry > > On 8/17/05, G <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Well, you lived in Canada for a period right? So you can do a good >> comparison between the US press and a foreign press on a day to day >> basis. I >> can go out and read the BBC website, and I've listened to Australian news >> agencies on the internet....but it's not the same as being immersed in a >> media coverage for an extended period where you can really get a feel for >> how and what they report on a daily basis. So I can't really do a >> comparison >> adequately. >> >> I don't really know if the US media is insular and inward. I mean, I >> watched >> about 45 minutes of news before going to bed last night, a few minutes of >> FOX news, the rest MSNBC and CNN, and just about the entire time was >> devoted >> to foreign news topics. Is this the exception? I guess it depends on >> where >> you look. If you look to get your news from questionable >> sources....you'll >> end up with Hilton stories all day. If you want foreign news, you can get >> that readily as well. >> >> As for the US administration, i'm assuming you are basing your conclusion >> on >> the fact that Bush hasn't made many public statements concerning Japan >> recently? If so, it would be reasonable to question why that is. Not sure >> that you can draw the conclusion though, that the administration doesn't >> care about what is happening in Japan, or isn't aware of the issues. >> >> >> > both. Compre the US media to that of Japan, France, England, >> > Australia, Canada or South Africa. The US media is insular and inward >> > looking to a point of dangerousness. Mind you given some other >> > country's focus, ie., in Brazil it was really big news when a popular >> > member of menudo go kicked out for reaching puberty. But when Paris >> > Hilton's dog gets more media attention than the famine in Niger, you >> > know something is wrogn. >> > >> > larry >> > >> > On 8/17/05, G <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> I'd imagine the Bush administration is paying close attention. I bet >> >> they >> >> know the issues, and the major players. >> >> >> >> Nope, I can't answer any of those questions, and I watch and read the >> >> news >> >> religiously. So are you criticizing our media for not giving enough >> >> air >> >> time >> >> to this issue? >> >> >> >> >> >> > OK its the most important election in a major ally, and how much >> >> > attention is being paid to it. Do youknow any of the issues? Or the >> >> > major players. Who is running against Koizumi in his district or is >> >> > he >> >> > a proportional rep? >> >> > >> >> > Can you answer any of those questions? >> >> > >> >> > You do the math. I am not saying meddle, how about just paying a bit >> >> > more attention to stuff that happens beyond the US's collective >> >> > nose. >> >> > That way next time the next Al Queda wont be as likely to blindside >> >> > the nation. Navel gazing is fine for a monk but for a "great power" >> >> > its stupid. >> >> > >> >> > larry >> >> > >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > >> > >> >> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Purchase Homesite Plus with Dreamweaver from House of Fusion, a Macromedia Authorized Affiliate and support the CF community. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=55 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:169814 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
