Orwell saw this coming

In his all-too-prescient novel 1984, published on 8 June 1949, British author George Orwell predicted a world in which an all-powerful nanny state would watch everyone through surveillance devices called "video screens", watching out for anti-social (and anti-government!) behaviour.

For years now, there have been CCTV cameras outside George Orwell's  home in London. Now a sign has been added warning all and sundry to be of good behaviour... or else!  

Only in No-longer-great Britain, you say? If you live in the USA or Canada... or China... look around you. All that's missing is the sign.

And speaking of English thinkers and writers who had disturbing visions of the future of their sceptered septic isle, check out "'I told you this would happen!': Enoch Powell", WWW 10/8/11.

VIDEO: Michael Matt refutes claim that The Remnant is too political

Seems we're all pretty much agreed to forget about the Not-so-great Debate. And now that Still-President Trump and the First Lady have been diagnosed with Covid-19, and won't be able to get out on the hustings for a couple of weeks, we need to talk about "politics beyond Trump". There are other things going on!

There are some in the Catholic Church who think that religion and politics shouldn't be mixed. Some are critical of The Remnant newspaper and editor Michael Matt for campaigning for the re-election of President Trump. But they need to learn something from Pope Bergoglio. In today's world, especially in the Excited States of America, religion and politics cannot be separated!

Almost every major issue in the 2020 election has religious overtones and undertones. The globalism espoused by the Holy(?) Father is just one example. In this video, Mr Matt tackles head-on the argument that there can be any separation, in these troubled times, between church and state. Mr Matt answers critics who say RTV has become "too political", and talks about: 

* The latest from the New Normal: Abortion by Mail.

* Big Brother surveillance, facial recognition technology on the horizon.

* Dr. Fauci says that if we all get vaccinated, the pandemic might end by 2022.

* Dr. Fauci says it's a big mistake to open bars and restaurants.

* Michael takes an old woman to church, after being isolated in solitary confinement for months.

* If we're so worried about Grandma, why are we doing THIS to her?

Do you think the war on life, Trump and America is mere "politics as usual"? Or is this part of a global war on God Himself? Listen and learn!

   

As you heard, Mr Matt and his colleagues at The Remnant have launched their own website, Remnant TV. Click here to have a look. Walt has it bookmarked!

CCTV is watching you!

Not SCTV... CCTV -- Closed Circuit Television. In his latest "clip book", The [Un]documented Mark Steyn (Regnery 2014), friend Mark writes: "It accompanies you as you make your way to work whether by car, bus, train, or taxi. And it's there waiting for you at the end of your shift, as you go to buy your groceries or head to the movies."

He goes on to quote from The Defector, a novel by American author Daniel Silva: "...CCTV, the ubiquitous network of 10,000 closed-circuit television cameras that gave London's Metropolitan Police the ability to monitor activity, criminal or otherwise, on virtually every street in the British capital.... The subjects of the United Kingdom, birthplace of Western democracy, now resided in an Orwellian world where their every movement was watched over by the eyes of the state."

Mr. Steyn says that's true, except for the "10,000" cameras. By some calculations, he wrote in 2009, the snoop-robots [Walt's phrase. Ed.] numbered some 5,000,000. That would include this one, ironically watching innocent people passing by the home of... wait for it... George Orwell!

Thanks to Agent 34. Walt knows you're watching!

Presidential debates as reality shows

Did you watch the Great Debate last night? Why??!! Did you expect to learn something about economics? Were you genuinely unsure who to vote for and thought the debate would help you make up your mind? Or did you tune in just for the entertainment value?

Entertainment value is important in the Excited States of America nowadays. Last weekend, as poll after poll showed that Mitt was not inevitable after all, the pundits were saying that the lamestream media would have to start hyping Romney to give at least the appearance of a horserace, for the sake of ratings over the next five weeks. Who wants to watch a contest where the result is already known?

Walt suspects that the majority of those who tuned in did so with minds already made up, cheering either for the candidate sitting in the red corner or the one in the blue corner. And what they wanted to see was a good scrap during which one or the other would get knocked down for the count, or slip and fall out of the ring, or commit some horrible gaffe which would lead to effective disqualification.

I think I've pushed the metaphor far enough. My point, if you missed it, is that the debates have become just another TV reality show. Perhaps they have been so ever since the sweat dripped off Nixon's face and caused 1000s of grossed-out voters to pull the lever for the dry and clean-shaven JFK. The crook who said he was not a crook thus became the first contestant to be voted off!

The first show in the 2012 series of Big Big Brother was not on a par with Superbowl or a WWF cage match. There was no knockout or even a TKO, but in Walt's estimation you had to give the match to Mitt on points. It wasn't so much that Mitt was hot but that the Prez was not so hot.

Obama talked about policy in more detail than an insurance salesman, but pulled his punches on Romney’s business experience and the spycam "47% video". One correspondent called Obama's attack, or lack thereof, "muted and strangely reticent".

Rudy Giuliani was quoted as saying Obama’s unease showed. "This is the first time in four years, since he debated Hillary Clinton, that anyone has really challenged this man, and he fell apart," said the wily pol, describing Obama at times as "totally befuddled".

To put it another way, it was not so much a debate as much as Mitt taking a drive in the country with Obama tied to the fender.

Does this mean we should rush to the bookmaker's and get our bets down before the odds change? Is it, as Republican Senator John Thune said, "a whole new ball game"? Hardly! Mitt picked up a first down last night, but the goal is still a good 60 yards down the field and the media wind is against him.

Note from Ed.: I have extracted from Walt a promise signed in blood that he will ease up on the sports analogies. What with the NHL season looking likely to be cancelled in its entirety, I think he is suffering from withdrawal.