Steve Irwin, the world famous “Croc Hunter”, is in trouble. He held his one month son Bob in the crook of his arm while he fed a whole chicken to a four metre crocodile named Murray as part of a feeding display at his Australia Zoo. As […] Continue Reading…
January 06, 2004 | Graham
Bob and Croc affair owes something to politics
January 05, 2004 | Peter
Climate Change and Economics
Without question, the biggest issue facing humanity in this century is how to deal with global climate change. Anyone who does not acknowledge this stark fact is simply in denial.
If the moderate predictions are correct and we see temperature rises of even two or three degrees on average this […] Continue Reading…
January 04, 2004 | Graham
World Idol needs political and polling consultants
Does the international public really think that Kurt Nilsen was the best singer in the World Idol competition? I suspect not. The real winner in terms of being the best singer and performer is probably Kelly Clarkson. In my previous post I suggested […] Continue Reading…
January 02, 2004 | Peter
Looking Back at the Whitlam Years
The release of cabinet papers from 1973 gives us a chance to review those dramatic years of the Whitlam government. It is hard to overestimate the importance of that first Labor government after 23 years of stultifying conservative rule. Australia was in dire need of social reform, if only […] Continue Reading…
December 31, 2003 | Peter
Aboriginal Culture and Its Critics
The continued predicament of Aboriginal people in Australia is a festering sore that sooner or later must be healed. There appears to be a growing contingent of mostly right/conservative people that wants to deal with this issue by completely discounting the Aboriginal experience in the past and therefore now […] Continue Reading…
December 30, 2003 | Peter
The Year Ahead
Oh what a year it promises to be! The world becomes more and more unstable in almost every way, and there are crucial elections in the US and Australia. Will things turn around in 2004?
In 2003 hopes that the world and its problems could be managed by a increasingly […] Continue Reading…
December 29, 2003 | Peter
The Year that Was
Some of the more important events of 2003 had an air of inevitability about them. President Bush II was always going to invade Iraq and Simon Crean was always going to get knocked off as ALP leader.
Looking back, the intent of the US under the leadership of George W […] Continue Reading…
December 28, 2003 | Graham
Year ends with another push poll
What is Newspoll up to? According to the Sunday Mail today 66 percent of people favour banning tobacco smoking in pubs and clubs, and 77 percent believe that the number of poker machines should be reduced.
Both figures are probably true, and elicit a “So-what?” response from me.
[…] Continue Reading…
December 27, 2003 | Graham
Don’t SMS Guy
World Idol last night (be prepared to wait if you click on their link, it’s one of the worst professionally designed sites you’re likely to ever use). It’s not as good as the regional competitions. It is a one-off Eisteddfod style competition…
[…] Continue Reading…
December 26, 2003 | Graham
Powderfinger, My Dad and Christmas
One Christmas I remember being given a game of “Pick up sticks” where the aim was to gradually extract tiny straws from a tangle without moving any of the others. It is an entirely opportunistic exercise where you take relationships between sticks as they come. I’m finding […] Continue Reading…