wallydownundy

Mourning used to be conducted in private. When a loved one died we would retire to the inner most sanctum of our homes for private time with loved ones. When a hard of state or beloved icon died, we might gather at the church or cemetery to pay our respects. Then Diana died and our mourning turned public.

Today that most private of emotions – grief – is on display with vast public outpourings for Michael Jackson.  Record stores have sold out of his music. Producers are rushing a new CD of unreleased music to capture what they call “grief momentum.” Jackson is projected to overtake Elvis’s US$50 million per year in royalties. He’ll be the most lucrative dead star in history.

I can’t help but feel a little odd about all this. It certainly isn’t the first time the public has turned to their wallets to assuage grief. I lived in Hong Kong when Gianni Versace was murdered. All stores around the world were closed, spare the one in Central, Hong Kong. Extra security guards were hired. Velvet ropes kept the crowds in queue. And before lunchtime the entire store was sold out.

I get a little awkward around all this. I am adept when consoling families. But how do you deal with the office receptionist who says she would have stayed home if she’d known Michael was dead? What do you say to the friend wearing a single glove?

Is “Beat It” too blunt?

The Twitter-verse is alive with postings from Iran. With global news agencies blocked from Tehran the world’s exposure to post-election chaos is delivered via Twitter and YouTube. These seem to be the only sites able to escape the tightest Internet filtering system in the world - built by Siemens and Nokia.

If ever there was a public relations nightmare for a company this has to be the daddy of them all.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Iran’s monitoring system is the most sophisticated in the world. It even exceeds the capabilities in China. And it was provided, in part, by European companies Siemens and Nokia:

“The monitoring capability was provided, at least in part, by a joint venture of Siemens AG, the German conglomerate, and NokiaCorp., the Finnish cellphone company, in the second half of 2008, Ben Roome, a spokesman for the joint venture, confirmed.” (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

To be fair the equipment and technology was developed to improve mobile telephone technology in a developing nation. Yet the sophistication of the filtering and blocking system exceeds that of any country in the world. Surely it would have been apparent, at installation, the capabilities could be used for political oppression especially as Iran remains an autocratic state.

I, for one, will be monitoring the response of Siemens and Nokia to these developments.

Australian slang could be studied at a doctoral level and still you’d be finding new phrases. It’s a social leveler unknown in America. George Bush tried to speak like a common man - most days he came across as inarticulate. Here in Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd peppers his comments with common man language. Yet as an erudite man it comes across as studied and slightly false.

“Fair shake of the sauce bottle, mate,” said Rudd yesterday when defending postings in a Ministerial shake-up. Critics say not enough women got postings. Kevin defends the roles and winners by comparing it to a barbecue sauce bottle.

“If you were to compare what this Government has done in terms of promotion of women of talent and ability compared with our predecessors, it’s chalk and cheese,” he continued. Once again the colloquial language comes out.

For communicators this is done in an effort to boost understanding and retention - right away every listener gets a mental image that is emblazoned in their mind.

How does Rudd’s Government compare to Howard’s? Chalk and cheese.

“I have come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the US and Muslims around the world.”
President Barak Hussein Obama in speech at Cairo University - June 2009

Yesterday in Cairo USA President Barack Hussein Obama gave a speech that redefines relations with the Muslim world. Carefully crafted over months - and with input from prominent US Muslims - the speech included a few historic firsts. It was the first time a US President mentioned the state of Palestine. He decried Israeli settlements and called for an end to construction. He reversed US policy developed under Bush that led to resentment and anger: “The cycle of suspicion and discord must end,” he said.

And in his speech Obama became the first US President to quote the Koran, then issued a greeting of peace: “As-salaam alaikum” (peace be with you). And while his speech was important for its location - Egypt is an important US ally - he rightly noted that there is a mosque in every state of the USA.

The speech was broadcast live across the Middle East on television, Internet and covered in numerous social media forums. Obama’s audience includes the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims, leaders of the Arab states, Israeli leaders and people and of course citizens of the United States.

Throughout his campaign Obama was praised for his loquaciousness. He’s a natural orator comfortable behind the lectern. Yet this speech blended brilliant phrases with far-reaching policy. It is a speech that will be studied for years to come.

And of course the critics will be dissecting every word and each nuance of delivery. Closer to the scene locals in Cairo already complained of the street closures and security precautions. One newspaper headline read, “Cairo Closed.”

Remember Keanu Reeves in “The Matrix” and those great scenes where he dodged bullets? If I were any good on Adobe Photoshop I’d touch up this photo and put Kevin Rudd’s photo on the face of Keanu. Today Australia dodged a bigger, nastier bullet - recession.

Based on the volume of exports, Australia avoided recession. I know, I know - that’s unbelievable. In today’s global meltdown for Australia NOT to be in recession is a miracle.

But before we all race along George Street planting “High Fives” on fellow Australians, let’s pause and consider. Unemployment is up. Stores are shuttered. Confidence is shaky.

There used to be a non-alcoholic whisky called Claytons (”The drink you have when you’re not having a drink”). This may not be a recession in pure technical terms - but it’s a Claytons recession.

It’s definitely a Monday. Weekend gone - week of work stretches ahead. And what a week it will be.

Today in America, General Motors is expected to declare bankruptcy. It will be the largest ever. And while government and insiders may wish for a “surgical” effort and a quck recovery, a reorganisation on this scale will take months - if not years.

Closer to home Australia is expected to declare recession on Wednesday. For those living through job losses and declining confidence it seems a no-brainer. However a recession is technically declared when two quarters of declining economic activity. The last quarter of 2008 saw a 0.5% contraction - forecasters predict the first quarter of 2009 saw shrinkage between 02. and 0.4%.

For those unfamiliar with an Australian custom, on the first day of the month (prior to 12:00 noon) you’re to rush up to people and provide a pinch then a punch while saying, “A pinch and a punch for the first of the month.” Given the economic news this week perhaps it’s a pinch to ensure they’re awake then a punch to stop them screaming.