Balance Acts

Just for the balance of things. There are several ways of expressing yourself. Or enjoying others expressing themselves. If you are in Copenhagen and looking for something to do this weekend, why don't you try this site for inspiration:

http://www.copenhagen2009.org/Home/Info/What_is_On.aspx

A Paradoxical Fan

Yesterday I caught myself getting anoyed. I may even have cursed. Luckily I did so with no one else present. I let myself blame The Danish People's Party (O) for all things bad in our society. The severe surveillance that I don't think becomes a free, open, and modern society. That control should be better than trust? And I blamed the party and its heavy influence for the past eight years for this.

Later I laughed at myself. I let the party get to me. What does that mean? It means that they have a democratic justification. With varying polls showing that 12-17 percent of Danish voters support them. The party keeps the democracy alive and kicking. They make people think and form their opinions. They fuel debate. In short, they work. With party leader Pia Kjærsgaard never failing to tune into the feelings and frame of mind of the party's electorate with close to a hundred percent precision. Never failing to cover the base perfectly. Isn't that what democracy is all about? And imagine getting anoyed with this adorable iron lady who gets away with practically anything in politics? I'd rather interview her, as a very unlikely fan.

For a more elaborate overview of the Danish political scene, please see:

http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2008/10/cliff-notes-to-danish-politics.html

A Modern Pretorian Guard

Here, there, everywhere. Have you noticed the growth in security firms and surveillance companies during this past decennium? They are in stores, in all forms of transportation systems, hotels, airports, in our mobiles, GPS, ATM's, our work places - and what the heck, why don't we even allow them into our private residence areas? They tape us and own the rights to the tapes. To protect us, naturally.

One of these companies, beginning and ending with a letter and a figure interfixed, has grown out of absolutely nothing for the past eight years through acquisitions. I even saw them at the municipality job centre. Three man tall sitting lazily around reading newspapers the entire day - when not doing an hourly round to watch over the job seekers at the computers. Or filling paper into the printers. Three man tall, full time, doing the job of a part time page girl. The paradox is: there are never any incidents to justify their presence (one such could of course be staged to justify the need for them). And I'm sure that they could be called - or rightly so, the police - if needed. Imagine the amount of tax dollars that go into these guards reading newspapers the entire day.

I say, with this constant eye in the sky - why don't we join in the game? Have some fun with this East block method. Let's start watching these guards closely. Just a taste of their own methods. Little Brother style.

Meta-Comment No. 9

Do you know the feeling when you want to express gratitude, but you can't find the words? Or can't reach the ones you want to thank? The frustration of it? Here goes, without words it comes out something like this: *PB#JS%SC@!

Homophobic Paradox

Most men enjoy watching two women kissing. I'm not sure that the case is the same when reversely women watch two men kissing. Personally, I don't mind it either. Good for them, I think. But in the 21st century homophobia still keeps the Copenhagen Metro Company from showing the winning film from the short film festival 60Seconds - because it might offend people. Eventhough the Copenhagen Metro Company co-arranged the festival. Two men kissing. Big deal. In a shower - but from the waist up. In these CO2 awareness times, aren't they doing the politically correct thing: shower with a friend!

Watch and decide for yourself:

http://politiken.dk/indland/article752591.ece#poll752647

http://politiken.tv/nyheder/indland/article752663.ece

Walter Russell Mead in Town

11th June American historian Walter Russell Mead, a Henry A. Kissinger fellow for American foreign policy at Council of Foreign Affairs in NY, gave a lecture at CAST/Centre for Advanced Security Theory at University of Copenhagen.

Where he also gave an interview. One of the points was that an American president had more or less four strings to play in exercising American foreign policy:

• The Hamiltonian - Goal: to develop world trade and commercialize countries
• Based on Alexander Hamilton. The initiator of the American Constitution under first US president George Washington.

• The Wilsonian - Goal: to change the world and to develop democracies worldwide
• Based on Woodrow Wilson. US president 1913-21 and initiator of the UN forerunner, Leage of Nations.

• The Jeffersonian - Goal: to ignore the world and to ensure freedom/security at home
• Based on Thomas Jefferson. The architect behind the Declaration of Independence and third US president.

• The Jacksonian - Goal: to protect American interests by force if necessary
• Based on Andrew Jackson. Seventh US president, American General who drove native Americans to the West.

"Obama's approaches in foreign policy are deeply rooted in these four schools. If you read his speeches with these four schools in mind, you'll find that he is something of a violinist. And although he seems to hit the Jacksonian string less - he does hit it," Walter Russell Mead claims.

His point being that any given president will change his role during a presidency, based on circumstances. From the universally open role to the realistic-cynical role when the United States is threatened. Even Obama, if faced with threats to mainland USA or the Americans.

"Suppose the Iranians respond to his ouvertures and it all goes very nicely, we would get one kind of approach. But if they keep testing missils and get closer to a bomb, we could see another approach. And it's interesting that every time he's asked, Obama says, 'I don't take options off the table'. Unlike Bush, he doesn't go around saying it all the time, but if you ask him, that is what he will tell you," Mead stresses. Paradox: Different package - same contents.

Interview Project

The hiatus at Paradoxical News was also spent continuing the interview project about journalism and the use of sources, and more interviews are lined up in the nearest future. To the benefit of the readership of Paradoxical News.

Paradoxical News Hiatus

The permanent readership of Paradoxical News will have noticed a break in the segments. This hiatus was spent moving HQ. The editor of Paradoxical News is sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused, and would like to express gratitude to its readership for the patience shown during this period.