COMMENT IS FREE ?
Yesterday, in Finland, Independence was celebrated strongly and peacefully. However many critical voices remain questioning this or that aspect of Finnish life. Over the last year Finns have been hit by many conservative editors of newspapers and the message has been : Join NATO. Many politicians agree and try to influence public opinion. In terms of business there is no question because NATO pays and much of the downside costs would be footed by the tax payer. NATO, for business wars, is a win-win. In other words there has been a fairly obvious move by those with some power of media to get the Finnish public to accept NATO membership.

But thankfully Finns remain saying a rather big NO. Still, after this marketing of NATO, somewhere between 65% and 75% of Finns say no to NATO. Just how long this will continue as a firm no is difficult to say. However yesterday the Finnish Prime Minister came out and said that NATO was not a good bet for Finland. Being an active member of the European Union was enough to satisfy basic national security. Such a no to NATO would also avoid ruffling the Russian feathers. But the point I would like to emphasis is this. Comment is not free or as free as we might think here. The media elites always have subtle or even "Whiplash" power vis-a-vis public spheres. But if there are available spaces for free comment then then the public voice may be a check and a balance to media business and political power.

Also yesterday thanks to a few bloggers and especially Chris White ( see links) I had the strange pleasure of listening to the "Comment is Free" tape where Guardian Unlimited elite chatted about their new toy on the blogging scene. I am sure the Chris White site will feature many a comment concerning this tape recording of Guardians of the gates. Suffice to say here that it seems today that this "Comment is Free" (CiF) business plan is reaching the desired objectives and aiming at targets. But it is yet another nasty arrow in the eye of real free comment and an open critical society. The next step will be that Grevious Bodily Harm will be done by the said "Miss Whilash" as she sells her bows and arrows, her indicators and her targets through a grading and de-grading system. Whiplash promises to rank and file us all although we should be happy at this because our "time will be saved" ( never understood just how time can be saved when it cannot even be possessed but there you have it) through her giving, with help from her audience, a litttle star system. I guess Whiplash wants her new toy to serve as a "Centre of Excellence". Pugwash I say.
But what can we expect from a slick market(mouse.co)teer.