worldpress.org -- required reading

I was so sad the day the print format of World Press magazine folded, several years ago, and on balance was so glad the day I discovered it had been resuscitated as an online publication. World Press organizes its content around a topic, and presents a selection of articles and analyses from around the planet on that topic, from all kinds of viewpoints.

The "news" put on our plates by American media outlets is phenomenally solipsistic, particularly around election time. Pop quiz for those who digest only the news available from American newspapers and TV: "What's happening in Iran? Czech Republic? Cambodia? Afghanistan, even?" I'd wager you have no clue. The better-informed among American-news consumers might be able to cite a sound bite, and that's it. (Note: I'm including myself in the huge group of Americans currently under-informed on world news.)

Are we even aware enough of international opinions on our ongoing election, and do we have any sense of the impact on our global relations of a President McCain vs. a President Obama? NOT. Instead, all available minutes of news-time on the US airwaves (TV being a much more solipsistic medium here than print) treat us to the SAME 40 minutes or so of today's actual news (and bullshit non-news) repeated over and over.

If you believe that it might be important, or at least interesting, to know what is being thought and said around the world, check out worldpress.org. And if you like what they do, consider sending them a donation!