One week ..

The carnival rolls on, an ever-fescent drama; issues exciting, emoting, engaging but for mere instants only to be displaced like yesterday's leftovers.

Look at the week just passed; -

• Apple refusing to unlock a single terrorist's phone in order to protect our privacy. Is that why they keep asking us to provide them our data, to protect our privacy?
• China putting missiles onto disputed islands. This fellow is no Mr Nice Guy. Perhaps the US could retaliate by refusing repayments on their China debt! He who lends is the pawn of he who borrows.
• Refugee advocates take over the ABC! Oh no that is old news. Well ABC apologizes for incorrectly reporting the rape of a 5 year old asylum seeker child. Mr Scott  has ordered (perhaps begged would be more like his style) for 'controversial' stories to be referred 'up the line' before they are broadcast. What is controversial? Did the ABC journalists think the rape of a 5 year old was controversial?
• Scott Morrison presents at the National Press club for a full hour on...! " uh, he didn't say much something about Unicorns." Nothing is off the table, I guess except the GST and Unicorns. There is a lesson in this for any government. If you start a debate you should say something. 
• Of course the regular terrorist attacks, this time in Turkey. Some dozens dead. Seems like the PKK.  So Turkey attacks Kurds in Syria. 
• Syria an endless morass of misery. Russia has changed the balance of power by simply bombing indiscriminately. Where are the protests for the innocent victims? Protests about disproportionate action by Russia? Really! Where are those passionate protesters for the innocent children?
• Staff at Brisbane hospital refuse to let an asylum seeker child from Nauru be returned to the off-shore detention centre on Nauru. This is a case of heart ruling mind. No doubt these protesters feel with great passion the potential damage to this one child, but the consequences of such protests in the past caused the death of 2000 drowned on their way to Australia. The protest for this one child is in stark contrast to the lack of protests for the death of thousands of children in Syria
• The share-market in turmoil with oil up one day, down the next . The nest egg certainly smaller since the beginning of the year. But by the end of the week oil rose and the world's markets rose and stockbrokers turned their frowns up side down.
• Cardinal Pell abused in song for failing to return to Australia to face the music, admittedly for the third time. The press all cock-a-hoop about this one. One would think he was the paedophile.
• And for some good news, a new cure for cancer ! Not quite, but good progress with a 90% remission rate on a trial of a therapy which boosts a patient's immune system. 
• and much, much more. 

The daily news and news commentary molds our mindset. In addition to our personal problems, our media encumbers us with the troubles of the world. News and news background is presented to enrage rather than inform. Facts are generously garnished with adjectival spice to engage our
very human vices; wrath, envy, avarice and lust.

If only it were otherwise I think the world would be a much different; more content, harmonious, even peaceful, place.

If you are in doubt why not disengage from the news for just 2 days. I am sure you would find it therapeutic.