Helen Thomas - First Lady of the White House Press

"We briefly interrupt this Q and A session for an advocacy moment."

The news media walks a fine line these days, between reporting (we hope frank and fearless), and the now much more pressing interests of the bottom line, and keeping their own jobs.

But I recall the moment vividly when local Aussie media showed the White House administration belittling a journalist who was never afraid to ask the hard questions.

Helen Thomas was sent to the back of the room after more than 40 years in the front row, when a private note that "this President was the worst ..." became public.

It was as public an expression of censorship of the White House Press Corp, as any gesture that could be made.

Know your place, ask the "right" questions, and you won't be sent to the back of the room.

Helen Thomas wasn't backed up by her colleagues, no-one else in the room stepped up to the plate (to use a favoured US sports analogy) and you knew there wasn't much hope for the US media at that point.

When she returned to the front row, and in 2008, asked another hard question, her colleagues again abandoned their duties, and left Helen standing there, openly asking as she looked around at them "Where is everybody?"

ANDREW DENTON: You've said that your heart bleeds every day for the timidity of the White House Press Corp.

HELEN THOMAS:
I am shocked at their complicity with the government, ah the fact that they have gone along with a censorship of photos from the war.

Everyone remembers from Vietnam the little girl, you know, a flame in Napalm and so forth.

If the American people don't see what we've done, what we do when we drop a missile on a house in Sadr City, then wh-what is it? Why are they being shielded? Why do editors and reporters shield us?

It isn't reporters, it's the editors. They don't want to offend. It's better to have Britney on the front page, you get more play.

Such was and is, the state of US media reporting during this presidency. I hope there will be at least one more "Thomas moment" before George W. Bush departs the scene, and that we will see it reported.

Read the full transcript, and view video excerpts from last nights' episode of "Enough Rope with Andrew Denton - Elders", series.

Elders Part 4 - Helen Thomas (07/07/08)

Night visitor

We caught a Northern brown bandicoot in our cat trap last night. Apparently the exotic delights of rotten sardine was too much temptation. It was very relieved to be set free, and bounded off quickly into the natural undergrowth beneath our monstrous Monsteriosa [Monstera deliciosa]* plant behind the house.

Our first native critter since setting the trap to catch the feral cats which we've seen around the house and property, lately. Hopefully, this signals no more ferals for the next while.

*Correction and link 26/08/08

Urban life is stressing out our songbirds

Birds face threat to their survival as they make music at night in a bid to be heard above traffic.

Urban life is stressing out our songbirds | Environment | The Observer

"Songbirds in cities are damaging their health, exposing themselves to predators and weakening their gene pool by trying to be heard above the din of urban life."

Silent Spring.

North Korea blows up nuclear facility

Somewhat overshadowed by the report about NK finally handing over the report on its nuclear capabilities.

Amanpour: Stunned silence followed nuke plant implosion - CNN.com

YONGBYON, North Korea (CNN) -- North Korea blew up part of its Yongbyon nuclear plant Friday, in full view of CNN and a handful of international broadcasters invited to witness this dramatic and symbolic event.

U.S. State Department official Sung Kim also attended and called the move "a very significant disablement step."

I sincerely hope so. Anything that reduces the tension and opportunity for confusion or mistakes, is welcome.