Special editions of American publications which covered the good, bad , beautiful , ugly and fascinating events and places of the globe . Life magazine closed down several times, eventually for the last time this century .
In its heyday ,Life especially covered the American way of life and world events .The above book contains more than 5000 superb photographs ; an annual digest of major events over the period does not mentioned the election of a Labor government in Australia in 1972 , but records a "Conservative " victory in 1975.
Still alive is the National Geographic in which inventor Alexander Graham Bell played a large part in its early life .The above 1988 centennial issue contains extensive fold out covers of the magazine over the period , a quick scan revealing Australia featuring on at least four- two relating to the way of life, a surfboat riding a big wave on one , boxing kangaroos , and the Murray River . Papua New Guinea dominates two covers.
In what amounts to a letters to the editor section, Members Forum, there are several references to an article , Wool-Fabric of History , published May 1988, Jean Smiling Coyote of Chicago , Illinois , saying it read like propaganda from the wool industry , there being no mention of the widespread destruction of the vegetation (and consequent soil erosion) by domesticated sheep and the continuing massacre of competing herbivores and predators in sheep-ranching areas.
The Geographic's coverage of the Persian Gulf , with its vast oil reserves , drew interesting comments such as : Americans will need to learn more about the nations of the area as its future economic destiny increasingly depended upon it ...The US policy in the area had failed and should change , if the CIA had not overthrown Mohammed Mossadegh of Iran 1951-53 and supported the shah and his SAVAK (secret police ) the relationship with Iran and much of Middle East would be very different .
Fleas , the widespread use of DDT in Burma, Vietnam, India and southern Africa and AIDS were other topics of discussion .
