Rock stars who shouldn’t have tried actingRock star actor, sometimes that is an oxymoron. The Independent senses an excuse for a photo gallery.
June, 2009
Margaret Atwood: the age of the bottleneck
Humans have been through bottlenecks before, says Atwood, moments when adverse conditions produce mass die-outs. But this time we have to squeeze the whole natural world through the bottleneck too.
schadenfreude 
The apartment the Madoffs won’t see again
It’s bye-bye forever to the $35,000 Lavar Kerman Persian carpet and the $20,000 Chippendale-style tea table in their art-filled four-bedroom duplex on the upper East Side, says NY Daily News.
Death becomes Michael Jackson?
When Elvis died there was no etiquette for handling the death of a rock superstar, says David Hepworth. Thirty years later, it’s a different story.
GE scores billions from bank bailout loophole
General Electric have become the biggest beneficiaries of the US government’s bank bailout scheme — despite not even being a bank.
In defence of statistics
Journalists, academics and politicians in England have joined forces in an offensive against bent stats. Straight Statistics wants to boost public confidence in data, by lampooning those who misuse it.
Why bother with altruism when capitalism will land you $36?
The glory of the free market is reaffirmed as private enterprise takes on the Free Hugs guy.
Abbott’s star on the rise
As senior Libs rallied around Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull following disastrous polling results, Tony Abbott is set to be promoted, possibly to the immigration portfolio, says Phillip Coorey.
Symphonies in Yiddish
I grew up in a house of loudness and in time, I too managed to add something to my sisters’ symphonies. Michael Gawenda recalls childhood in a tumbling down weatherboard house in Caulfield.
Psychoanalysis and cricket: view from the couch
Former England cricket captain Mike Brearley is now a psychoanalyst. And, argues Edward Marriott, that’s not such a stretch. Both need patience in an age where the quick-fix is king.
Gladwell: Free newspapers the way to go? Hmmm
“Information wants to be free,” says Wired editor Chris Anderson. Malcolm Gladwell is dubious: Does he mean that the New York Times should be staffed by volunteers, like Meals on Wheels?
He-cession: how the GFC is killing macho men
The era of male dominance in the workplace is coming to an end, with 80% of recent job losses in the US falling on men, and places like Russia and the Middle East full of “surly, lonely, and hard-drinking men”.
Honduras: old-school coup or something new?
The kidnapping of Manuel Zelaya was like an old-fashioned Latin American coup d’etat, writes Richard Gott. But the rightwing supreme court and armed forces are claiming legitimacy. Who’s right?
Geek up your ties with the Matrix “Merovingian knot”
Declare your love and dedication to the Matrix trilogy with this step-by-step guide to tying your tie just like “The Merovingian”. Guaranteed hit with the ladies.
Chavez rules the airwaves in Venezuela
Hugo Chavez wants to shut down Globovisión, the last remaining national channel in Venezuela that’s critical of the government. At the same time, the government has built itself a huge media empire.
Video of the Day: Moonwalked — a YouTube tribute
Ever since he first walked on the moon in 1983, Michael Jackson’s signature dance move has been imitated but never beaten. Here, Slate V compiles a very YouTube tribute.
Things you touch every day that are dirtier than a toilet
Wash your hands thoroughly after using a toilet. That’s good — but it’s probably not the time you most need to. Cracked list six things far filthier than the common loo.
Latin America: Obama’s next test
President Obama must tread lightly on the military overthrow of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya. His call against “outside interference,” to respect national sovereignty is a good start.
Honduras defends its democracy; Castro and Clinton object
Honduras is being pressured by the likes of Fidel Castro, Daniel Ortega, Hillary Clinton and Hugo Chavez to restore ousted leader Manuel Zelaya to power. But Zelaya is not a legitimately elected leader, writes Mary Anastasia O’Grady.
“Evil” Madoff sentenced to 150 years
Disgraced businessman Bernie Madoff has been sentenced to 150 years in prison for operating one of the largest frauds in Wall Street history, a crime described by the judge as “extraordinarily evil”.
Ahmadinejad wins. Again!
Iran’s Guardian Council has finished recounting a random 10% of votes from June 12’s presidential election. Uphshot? No irregularities. And President Ahmadinejad’s vote count just got bigger.
Big? Dominant? Google tells why it is vulnerable
Just like AT&T, IBM, Intel and Microsoft before it, by becoming so pervasive, Google now faces intense scrutiny from regulators. So it’s on a PR offensive to convince the world it’s not omnipotent.
Restaurants discover how tweet it is
From posting daily specials to responding to guests’ tweet requests on the menu for that night, Twitter is letting restaurants lure customers.
Shock finding: hole in Ozone layer not good news for environment
Kate Ravilious over at New Scientist reports that the hole in the Ozone layer, though it’s proven a veritable windfall for Australia’s dermatologists, may be speeding up climate change.
Breakfast Media Wrap: Query over how long stimulus benefits will last
The pick of the morning’s media
