Australia’s looming unemployment crisis continues to gather momentum with economists scrambling to re-adjust their jobless forecasts.
April, 2009
Media briefs: Public broadcasters lose their heads (literally)
SBS’s Paula Masselos departs, Fox won’t air Obama news conference, and Elisabeth Murdoch continues to take over global reality television.
The Monthly gets its Manne after Warhaft exits
According to a long-term observer of Melburnian journalism, it is a simple enough case of “two middle aged bores who can’t stand it when a smart young woman answers them back.”
Swine flu pandemics and other porkies
In terms of impacts on human lives, the current outbreak of swine flu in North America is minimal.
So hot right now: Burnt Food Museum
The museum’s “collection” includes burnt cutlery, waffles, lemons and more – truly, a marvel to behold. You can even submit your own addition to the collection.
Why Portfolio folded
Condé Nast’s business magazine, Portfolio has closed; Slate lists four reasons why.
A pun too far?
It is disturbingly easy for sub-editors to descend into a kind of journalistic psychopathy in which all stories are fair game for jaunty puns, writes Mel Campbell. But are some stories unpunnable.
Why bras should be tax deductible (and more)
Women face a brutal choice: which would you prefer to see shrivel - your ovaries or your super nest egg? It’s time for tax policy to help make things easier for women, argues Jessica Irvine.
Save our TV show: fan campaigns that worked (and lots that didn’t)
In recent years, some massive fan campaigns have been mounted to save ailing cult shows from the axe. A look at the ones that worked… and the ones that didn’t.
I waterboard: one man experiments on himself
A Straight Dope reader tries out waterboarding on himself (or so he claims). The verdict? “I would have sold my children to escape.”
Countess’s breakfast almost ruined by criminal butler
The Countess of Arran was miffed when her butler landed a curfew order that meant he could not leave his home until after breakfast, especially because he makes the most smashing scrambled eggs.
A coffee drinker’s guide to the world
The LA Times checks out the best brews from around the globe (no, Melbourne, you aren’t in there; get over yourself).
The global cost of swine flu
Could an epidemic take down global markets?
Swinefighter: the swine flu game
It isn’t news until someone makes a bad flash game about it. Thus: Swinefighter, the swine flu game.
Video of the Day: 1970s swine flu propaganda
Think the swine flu hysteria only started this week? Think again: a 1976 swine flu propaganda film.
Choice: most breakfast cereals are unhealthy
An investigation by Choice has found most breakfast cereals — especially those aimed at kids — contain far too much sugar and/or salt.
Twitter audience is exploding, but no-one’s sticking around
A study has found that over 60% of people who sign up to Twitter have stopped using the service a month later.
What adopting a white girl taught a black family
When the African-American Riding-Smith family adopted a white daughter, they found the idea of a post-racial America is still far from reality.
Swine flu hysteria pulls 10,000 tweets per hour
Twitter is recording about 10,000 tweets about “swine flu” per hour.
The opportunist’s guide to real estate
With home values are dropping all over the US, ruthless buyers are picking up bargains.
Can a video game make you cry?
Video games will soon surpass movies as the world’s most lucrative entertainment medium, but will we ever get the same emotional experience from a console as we do the silver screen?
Web services drained by unprofitable third world countries
Sites like YouTube and Facebook are seeing unprecendent growth in the developing world, but these countries drain their servers and generate little ad revenue. What is the socially minded Web2.0 to do?
Wolverine reviewed: check your brain at the door
Wolverine is clearly take it or leave it popcorn entertainment, ripe for intellectual condemnation. But it does a fine job doing what it ought to: entertain.
The continuing horror in Sri Lanka
It is very hard for the international community to effectively intervene in this calamitous situation, but that’s no reason for barely trying at all, writes Andrew Bartlett.
