Dual reality

On this balmy Sunday evening in Sydney, two pieces to avoid the pitfalls of having to watch Big Brother.

Former US Presidential candidate and consumer advocate, Ralph Nader, wonders if the advent of the internet has lessened our chances of organising as a legitimate and credible alternative to the "irrevocably corrupt Democratic and Republican parties" and has made us " slaves to our machines?"

It's a provocative piece, and although I don't fully agree with some of Nader's conclusions, his intentions are simple: a grassroots movement to shake up the establishment.

Secondly, investigative journalist Greg Palast takes on the globalisation lover, Thomas Friedman:

"In his endless series of pukey peons to globalisation, Friedman promises that free trade, an end of regulation, slashing government welfare and privatisation of industry will lead to an economic nirvana. Yet, all he and his globalisation clique can point to as the free market's accomplishment is the murderous competition between workers across borders to cut their wages for the chance to work in the new digital sweatshops."