I like to run around reading, and watching, different news organizations and blogs. Usually I read the Left-Wing stuff, mostly because it preaches to the choir in me and makes me feel angry at those SOBs out there screwing us over - and strangely feel better in the process. You know, HufPo, DKos, MSNBC (well, Countdown and TRMS) among others. And I still hang on to watching the regular MSM that I grew up with (though I yell at the TV while watching them). But as of late...
As of late I've been telling myself, 'Hey, get outside of the box. Get outside of the US box.' And so I've been trying.
I read The Guardian from time to time to get a taste of what our "closest partner" in England thinks of us. (I chose The Guardian over The Times Of London because it seems that those who read The Guardian are a bit more pissed off at us and that The Times seems to kiss up to us.
I've gone back to reading The Japan Times, and Asahi Shimbun mostly because I lived there for quite a while and it gives a strangely skewed view of the US and the world through a uniquely Japanese perspective. Afterall, it is one of the only purely democratic nations that has kept the same party in power most of the time since the end of the Second World War - with the very short periods of time (in the early '90s and the current government).
I've even begun to look over the Korean Central News of the DPRK for shits and giggles.
(Admittedly, I've even watched a bit of Fox - god help me.)
But what I really want to see is Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya. I'd like to watch their video service. I can get Al Jazeera in English, which gives a great perspective of what's happening in the Middle East and our effect on the area. Well, I can get Al Jazeera video in English. But I want to see Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera in Arabic.
Do I understand Arabic? No. But there are many things that you can pick up by just watching things. Things that may be more critical of us. Would I take it for face value? Probably not. But hey...
I've tried to get the video feeds from Livestation. I can get Al Jazeera English, which is good, but I am betting is a bit watered down. However, if I try to get Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera, I get the following message:
Sorry, we are not allowed to display this channel in your region.
This channel can be viewed Worldwide excluding USA
We detected you are in United States of America (US)
If you feel you have received this message in error please contact us for assistance.
Even when I try to get BBC Arabic, I get:
Sorry, we are not allowed to display this channel in your region.
This channel can be viewed Worldwide, excluding USA, Canada, European Union, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand
We detected you are in United States of America (US)
If you feel you have received this message in error please contact us for assistance.
This is strange to me in my "First Amendment" world.
I have a friend in China who has YouTube shut down to her. And looking at their government I'm not surprised. (Any place that has a rules list in their hotels about the illegal passing of anti-revolutionary pamphlets, and nuclear material - not to mention stopping me from filming me entering the Wal-Mart in Beijing, stopping YouTube is no shock.)
I just want my MTV? Hell...
I just want my First Amendment rights to see what's actually going on around the world.
(If anyone knows where I can get these video sites, please let me know.)