To Move Those That Count

Critics, many Republicans - and Fox News! - will not let Obama off the hook. Which is pretty much business as usual. Fine. After his State of the Union address this week, apparently he wont move Republicans. But those that really count. THX.

US politics is much too important to the American people to be left to soap box hollars. They will be there no matter who's in charge. It's about what really counts for the Americans.

Defence in Shambles

For more than a week a debate - or scandal? - has been running in the Danish media. Film documentarist Christoffer Guldbrandsen revealed in the film magazine Ekko, that in 2007 a leak to TV2 News Afghanistan reporter Rasmus Tantholdt allegedly came from the Ministry of Defence, that Danish special force soldiers were to be sent on a mission to Iraq. Highly controversial because the parliament wasn't informed about the mission till one day after the leak to TV2. This means an offense that could lead to imprisonment. And furthermore, because the leak could potentially endanger the lives of the special force soldiers, whose mission demands secrecy.

Film documentarist Christoffer Guldbrandsen maintains in the film magazine and in the major Danish dailies, that the information about the leak in connection with his documentary is valid, and that it came from the spin doctor of Minister of Defence Søren Gade - Jacob Winther. He maintains that he has a recording of the leak. The spin doctor denies the allegations and threatens through his lawyer Guldbrandsen with a civil law suit.

For security reasons in the Ministry of Defence, this could have severe consequences for minister Gade. Since the onset of the so-called Gade-Gate, both main characters - Jacob Winther and Christoffer Guldbrandsen - have been in radio silence themselves since the beginning of last week. Leaving all press communication to their lawyers. Leaving all comments to all other mentioned and implied persons, from TV2 political reporters to Minister of Defence, Søren Gade.

Paradoxical News managed to make a hole through to the central person, spin doctor Jacob Winther, just before this weekend (just before his threat about the civil law suit, and just before speaking with minister Gade about the issue). Here's how he responded to the allegations:

Do you understand why you're the suspect of the leak as a spin doctor and special counsel to Søren Gade?

'I told Ritzau (news agency), that I won't get into why I am suspected, and who believes what and why.'

Why would Guldbrandsen point to you, if it has no bearing? And isn't it natural that suspicion falls on you in your capacity as political advisor and spin doctor?

'I can't say what is natural and what is not. I never talked with Guldbrandsen, so I don't know what he bases this on and what he will do.'

Apparently that you made a call to Rasmus Tantholdt from TV2?

'It doesn't change the fact that I never talked to Guldbrandsen, and I have no idea why he puts this forward. I can't comment any further, and I don't want to make an interview about what I believe, what the motive could be, and why Guldbrandsen says as he does. But I would have liked to talk with Ekko, if they had called me before printing their article. But they didn't. If you give air time to someone with an undocumented allegation - I find that strange.'

Can't you recognize the widespread thought, in your capacity as special political advisor, that people point to you?

'Not really. But I've found, that when you have a title as special advisor, you can get yourself involved in practically anything. I don't understand it, but this is how it has turned out.'

But your response is that the leak did not come from you?

'Yes, I said that to anyone who wants to listen to me.'

Later, the information came that Guldbrandsen had the leak on tape - through his lawyer. What remains to be seen (heard) is this tape that Guldbrandsen claims to prove the leak. And it will not be publicized before an actual trial, according to Guldbrandsen's lawyer.

To leak information that has bearings on the security for Danish soldiers on a mission could give up to 12 years of prison in Denmark. There is no protection of sources in effect if the potential crime could give more than four years of prison. And the potential time Guldbrandsen could face is a couple of years of prison for slander, aggrevated because of Winther's public position in a ministry. PN tried to get comments from minister Søren Gade, film maker Christoffer Guldbrandsen, and editor-in-chief of the film magazine Ekko - with no such luck, because of a pending law suit. Paradoxically most other Danish media got comments from Søren Gade, whereas PN got from the central person, but not the others involved. What is Paradoxical News - if not paradoxical?

For further information, please see:
http://www.dr.dk/DR1/soendag/Artikler/2010/0201120052.htm
http://www.berlingske.dk/politik/spindoktor-uberoert-af-guldbrandsen-trussel
http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Indland/2010/01/30/202757.htm
http://politiken.dk/politik/article893170.ece
http://www.ekkofilm.dk/?allowbreak=false&id=814
http://www.ekkofilm.dk/?allowbreak=false&id=821

Record Collection

130.662.190 Danish kroner. This is the amount collected during Saturday evening's Danish collecion show Danmarks Indsamling. Pretty good for the past few weeks' work. To be split between 12 development projects for women in Africa - and the earth quake victims in Haiti. Last year's Danmarks Indsamling collected a little over half that amount, about 78 million Danish kroner. So things will get moving again - in Africa as well as in Haiti.

Free at Last

Today is the 65th anniversay of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp. The Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, is usually held in the month of April. But on 27th January 1945 the Auschwitz camp was liberated by the Soviet Red Army after the demise of about one million Jews - alone at Auschwitz, and a total of six million Jews. So why do we commemorate this day? Because it must never happen again.

For further information, please see:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/01/26/auschwitz.liberator/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8483017.stm

State of The Union

President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address this week is critical: What is the state of the union? What is he to tell Congress? He inherited two wars, Iraq and Afghanistan. He inherited an economy in turmoil after the bank and real estate crises. He inherited a climate change challenge with the USA on the side line of the Kyoto treaty. He inherited continued terror threats to mainland USA. He inherited inherent opposition to change of the health care system. So what's a president to do?

Obama's situation is much the same as any president in modern times: He inherited challenges from the former presidential period. And he's being critisized no matter what he does. In the minds of Americans, it all boils down to the economy and safety - job creation, a stable income, health care, and security. So all Obama can do is to fight for what he believes in. Fight for change. Fight for security. Fight for the Americans.

Republicans are not letting him off the hook. Paradoxical, really, because he shares values with them. Isn't it odd, that Republicans, often religious, god fearing, good people, with a soft spot when it comes to charity, family values, and security - will agressively fight the political projects of this president? He even bridges over to Republicans on many issues, like security. And he will continue to make that effort in order to create coherence in US politics. The bridge builder - the Pontifex Maximus - will continue to move from disappointment to disappointment towards success with unbeaten enthusiasm. Because it can be done. Obama will reach out to the good nature and soft hearts of Republicans. Because they can be moved. This is the State of The Union.

From Denmark with Love

Haiti or Africa. Every human being counts, when every krone is counted after the national collection for the needy is set in motion this upcoming Saturday 30th. Danmarks Indsamling 2010 (Danish Collection) is a joint effort between DR/Danish Broadcasting Corporation and twelve relief organisations and NGO's:

• Unicef Denmark (http://www.unicef.dk/)
• Red Barnet (Save the Children Denmark) (http://www.redbarnet.dk/Default.aspx?ID=983)
• Børnefonden (Childrens Foundation) (http://www.bornefonden.dk/)
• Dansk Flygtningehjælp (Danish Refugee Council) (http://www.drc.dk/)
• Folkekirkens Nødhjælp (Dan Church Aid) (http://www.google.dk/url?q=http://www.danchurchaid.org/&ei=lzNgS73rHoaknQPUoaDKDA&sa=X&oi=spellmeleon_result&resnum=1&ct=result&ved=0CAcQhgIwAA&usg=AFQjCNGNkM5w-on_hz6xyxc7b8y9u0HJcA)
• Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke (MS Action Aid) (http://www.google.dk/url?q=http://www.ms.dk/sw13950.asp&ei=uTNgS9ivCaHsmwPGjNTQDA&sa=X&oi=smap&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=4&ved=0CAwQqwMoAzAA&usg=AFQjCNEaEAPWYaK9jqX7RZsdZDHCMqdyvA)
• Care Denmark (http://www.care.dk/)
• Læger uden Grænser (Médecins Sans Frontières) (http://www.msf.org/)
• Adra Denmark (http://www.adra.dk/)
• Dansk Røde Kors (Danish Red Cross) (http://drk.dk/)

The cash collections will be possible through sms/text messages, collection boxes, and a telethon. And a grand show will take place at the Tivoli Concert Hall Saturday 30th from 19-24 (7PM-12AM). Be active, be a part of it, and give your contributions. Relieve yourself in order to relieve others. From Denmark with love.

For further information, please see:

http://www.dr.dk/danmarksindsamling

Another Flight of Relief

82 tonnes packed onto eight trucks. This is the amount of additional relief being sent to Haiti from the Unicef warehouse HQ in the Copenhagen Freeport over the next couple of days - expected to reach Haiti Wednesday via flight today from Amsterdam to The Dominican Republic. Wooden boxes with tents, from one huge tent HQ of 240 square metres, to several other medical station tents of 72 square metres.

Most of the boxes contain jerry cans for water storage for hospitals and other relief facilities, family water kits - containing plastic buckets, ten litre jerry cans for water storage, and packages with water purifications tablets. Along with oral rehydration powder and RUTF/ready to use therapeutic foods with nut paste and nutritiants.

Another flight of relief is on the way. The help is on the move. With the unsettled situation in Haiti, the paradox seems to be how to get the relief all the way across to those who need it most.

Second Life News Flash

He's just sitting there all day, playing online games with his game figure. A virtual female human figure. Right now his game figure is out on an outpost, out on a ban, and she's just waiting to revive and re-enter battle. The female game figure has survived over and over again and can block deadly attacks with a 75 percent guarantee. A cat with - at least! - nine lives. The man playing has no real life beside the game.

As much as you can choose to celebrate the virtual second (third, fourth, and...) lives of these game figures, it is just that - virtual second lives. Paradoxically not many people celebrate people who survive hard blows on their lives, or deadly diseases threatening to end these lives. Real lives. So here's a second life news flash: Some people have second lives - in real life. Let's celebrate that instead.

He Still Prevails

According to a poll made by ABC News and Washington Post published today, Barack Obama's approval ratings are 15 percent lower than one year ago, based on his overall performance in office. With about eight in ten Democrats supporting, and about the reverse figure Republicans disapproving. Although the same poll states wide support for his personal qualities. The disapproval rates are caused by the difficulties in realizing the political election promises. A permanent political paradox - since the success of any president depends on passing bills in the two houses - and support from Democrats and Republicans alike. A reform political programme will always meet more inherent resistance to change than a status quo political programme - because You know what you have, but you don't know what you're gonna get. Taking this angle into account, he still prevails.

For further information, please see:

http://abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit/1100a1ObamaatOneYear.pdf

Still Signs of Life

There are still signs of life under the rubble in Haiti. About 70 people have been pulled out from the ruins alive. And today, a Danish UN worker Jens Tranum Kristensen was found alive under the rubble of the collapsed UN building. This makes the efforts to raise cash through donations even more compelling. Please see the foundations of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush here for some of the channels to raise cash for the Haiti population:

Clinton Haiti Web site: www.clintonfoundation.org/haitiearthquake
Bush Haiti Web site: www.georgewbushcenter.com/haiti
Options/Denmark:

http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2010/01/haiti-devastation-calls-for-global.html

Haiti Devastation Calls for Global Action

Desperate situations yield desperate actions. The situation in Haiti is far from resolved, since the earthquake January 12 with a magnitude of 7.0 on the Richter scale. But there is still hope that the UN and international aid organisations will find ways to resolve the desperate status quo. The current status is a problem of getting the help across under the current security conditions in the country. Catastrophes just take time to resolve.

For further information, please see:

www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/14/haiti.../index.html

www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/16/.../index.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8462949.stm

http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=91&Body=Haiti&Body1

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/haiti-earthquake-help-victims/story?id=9547030

http://news.blog.lemonde.fr/2010/01/15/une-situation-sanitaire-catastrophique/

http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Udland/2010/01/16/041931.htm

http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/article/27796484/?rss

Magnitude 7.0 - HAITI REGION

Meta-Comment No. 15

If no news is good news - then how do you explain the massive use of Breaking News segments on world wide tv channels, the internet media, and the print media? From massive floodings, to wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond. And from terror related plots to major economic scandals. To the current devastating situation in the poor nation of Haiti. It would appear that no news is good - but more news even better. Just another news paradox.

Paradoxical Update

Paradoxical News once again moved HQ and would like to express its regret for the less fluent flow of paradoxical news. Paradoxically, even in these times of serious matters and major headline stories. The editor-in-chief once again thanks supporters for their loyalty to PN.

You Had Me at Hello!

Lost and found: Here's the thing - if you really love something, you're bound to lose it at some point. Sometimes you find it again. The trick is to make a hole through. My love is Journalism. Information. News. Writing. Media. The real stuff. The trick is to get your wire through. It's been a decade now. So what does the media industry really want? A little more aggressive? A little more sharp? At least have a look at the stories, the efforts, and the strategies below. Paradoxically, the wire through was PN. The maybe not so real stuff. And even at Paradoxical News some stories are too paradoxical. Forced by circumstances, I've simply had to loosen the grip. But my love stays the same. And I'm still here, if there's an opening. Reporting. Re-enactments or pre-enactments. Infotainment. Fiction or fact. You had me at Hello!