The fish KAK rejects and other dramas from the world of Australia’s chat queen.
May, 2009
Sustainable energy, without the hot air
If we’re serious about getting off fossil fuels, we need to start applying some real figures and equations to discussion about sustainable energy, says physicist David MacKay.
Do fridges use more energy when filled with food?
The NY Times answers a chilling question.
SA & WA Newspolls: Rann and Barnett on top
Sometime back yonder, the latest South Australian and WA Newspoll State politics quarterly estimates were released onto the Newspoll public database. Here’s what they’re saying.
Baker drug deal found in breach
For every Plavix script in 2009, Sanofi-Aventis agreed to donate 25 cents to support the Baker’s research and health programs. Upshot? A slap on the wrist and a $25,000 fine.
Video of the Day: Slumdog Price is Right
“How would a bum like you know a price like that?” Answer: destiny.
The world map of human evolution
Now we know we’er all evolved from lemurs, check out National Geographic’s interactive world map of significant archaeological finds in human evolution.
The rich who will get richer, thanks to the Budget
Despite the rhetoric, Budget 09 wasn’t all bad news for the rich — in fact, a number of our richest entrepreneurs stand to profit.
How electrocution really kills you
We all know not to whiz on the electric fence, but do you know why? Gizmodo and Mythbusters’ Adam Savage explain how electrocution kills you — and it isn’t what you think.
Australians scared of the Internet filling up
Following Sunrise’s staggering revelation that, ZOMG: the Internet is full!!11!1!, ZDNet ask punters how to keep it from spilling out all over their floor.
Australia’s coastline defence: one submarine
Don’t tell Indonesia: the Australian Navy has just one of six Collins Craft subs left in service.
Muscle Master
Apparently this is a video game trailer. Probably — it doesn’t really matter; it’s awesome.
Play her off, fully sick Keyboard Cat
Sydney nightclubber Clare meets Keyboard Cat. Hilarity ensues.
Penny-pinching, the media’s theme du jour
The media are herd animals and as befits these ‘hard’ times the Columbia Journalism Review has been tracking what it calls the ‘frugality beat’. Australian journos aren’t immune.
Picard: Why journalists deserve low pay
Journos just aren’t creating much value these days, says Robert Picard, and until they come to grips with that, no amount of blogging or twittering is going to solve their failing business models.
Google decide not to buy up the world’s media… yet
Google have looked into dipping their multi-coloured fingers into print media, but have decided it’s better to “avoid crossing the line”, says CEO Eric Schmidt.
Military attorney: Waterboarding just the “tip of the iceberg”
A military attorney who represented a former Guantanamo detainee tells CNN that waterboarding is only “the tip of the iceberg” in terms of torture in the prison.
Michael Connelly on the death of newspapers
Michael Connelly’s latest novel nails its depiction of life as a journo in the ailing world of print media.
Don’t bail-out California
California is completely, totally, irreparably hosed, says Megan McArdle. It will go bankrupt — and we should let it happen.
Many more MPs will go: Brown
Gordon Brown says more MPs will be suspended from the British Labour party in his crackdown on the abuse of parliamentary expenses.
Thousands victims of Irish church abuse
A new report from Dublin has found tens of thousands of Irish children were sexually and physically abused in religious schools and institutions from 1930 to 1990.
Is an agreement at Copenhagen all that matters?
Mainstream Australian discussion of the Copenhagen Conference is focussed entirely on the need for a “successful agreement” — but not how you might define such success.
Backing away from Gitmo pledge
The White House seem to be having second thoughts about their hasty closure of Guantánamo Bay prison, Cuba, with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs now calling it a “hasty decision”.
Cool Capitol reception for Netanyahu
Washington is no longer a welcoming the Israeli PM with open arms
How an American brought down the house of rorts
Meet “sassy” American reporter Heather Brooke, the woman who fought and won to expose the British MP expenses scandal.
