The crystal ball gazing over house prices continues to twist and turn with two veterans of the genre going head-to-head. House prices will fall, argues Adam Schwab. Are you kidding me? counters Rismark’s Christopher Joye.
July, 2009
Macklin botches Alice Springs town camp compulsory acquisition
Jenny Macklin has botched the compulsory acquisition of the Alice Springs town camps for the second time in as many months, and now faces the prospect of having to cut a deal with Tangentyere Council.
A simple truth: you can’t have health reform without pain
If only health reform was as simple as taking two quick pills and waking up in the morning with a shiny new system, writes Melissa Sweet.
The Australian‘s flavour of the month: Tony Abbott
Perhaps it’s something about winter in Canberra. It was around this time last year that The Australian began trying to get a boom for Peter Costello going. This year Tony Abbott’s in favour.
The melting Arctic photos Bush tried to hide
More than 1000 spy satellite photos of Arctic ice have been recently declassified by the Obama Administration, providing pretty compelling - and terrifying - evidence of rapidly melting ice.
VIDEO: TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington on Charlie Rose
TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington talks to Charlie Rose about Google vs. Microsoft Bing, e-readers, Facebook and his decision to publish those leaked Twitter documents.
Aussie gay couples Googling their rights
The legal rights of Australian gay couples are a confusing and messy affair, with information hard to find and too much time spent Googling their legal standing, says Davina Storer who recently got legally married in Canada.
Mother calls for increase to mental health care
A mother has called for greater care for the mentally ill in Tasmania, following an incident where her 35 year old mentally ill daughter pulled her eye out of its socket using her own fingers.
Postcard from America: seems like old times
It may be awash with gadgetry — iPhones, Priuses, WiFi — but in some ways, travelling through America is like stepping back into Australia circa 1970, says Tim Dunlop.
The best bank you’ve never heard of
While banks around the world drown under the GFC tidal wave, Spain’s Banco Santander is surging ahead and look likely to make the largest profit of any Western bank this year. So what are they doing right?
You are not going to be famous. Deal with it.
Surrender the fantasy, says Jim Hanas: you will almost certainly never be famous; and he’s done the maths to prove it. Your chances of becoming as famous as Lindsay Lohan? 1 in 1,574,638.
US ends the kill count in Afghanistan
In an effort to promote its shift in focus in Afghanistan from hunting down enemies to protecting local civilians, the US military has stopped releasing the death toll figures of militants killed in battle.
Crossing the Floor with Bernard Keane: The rise of the politician writer
Bernard Keane eyes the sudden outbreak of political writing: Wilson Tuckey’s email rant, Tony “rent-a-quote” Abbott’s new book and Rudd’s 6000 words of what the man himself calls “his mediocre prose”.
The tech industry’s bloody secret
The mineral trade that powers the manufacturing of computers, mp3 players, mobiles and other gadgets could also be funding a bloody civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Do some of the world’s biggest electronics companies have blood on their hands?
Newsweek: The recession is over!
“The recession is over” declares Newsweek… with one caveat: tough times are still ahead for Americans — GDP growth alone can’t feed a family or pay a mortgage, and the country will need a new strategy for recovery to make it happen.
Cycling winning the war against drugs
The Tour de France reached such a nadir in the 2006-08 period that something had to be done about the mainly older generation of cheats, says Brendan Gallagher. Now, there are reasons to feel positive.
Want a stake in Virgin Blue? It’ll cost you $231m
Virgin Blue has revealed how it will fund its survive-and-expand strategy for the recession and the expected recovery. And the search has begun for a successor to CEO Brett Godfrey.
A final tour of the Tour de France
From sulkiest rider to most unusual press freebie, Alasdair Fotheringham looks at the things that made this year’s Tour de France buzz.
Should 16-year-olds vote?
Should 16- and 17-year-olds vote? The recommendation could be made in the Rudd government’s second electoral green paper later this year. Senior Liberals are sceptical.
News Digital sites ban uninvited audio ads
News Digital Media will not run online ads that unexpectedly autoplay audio on its websites in light of a study that found 70% of visitors to News sites are bothered by them.
Rudd’s economic diatribe: “sensible and self-serving”
Did you read Kevin Rudd’s hefty 6100-word economy essay in the weekend papers? Ross Gittins did. He looks at how Rudd is spinning the figures, all while denying the Liberals any credit for its relative health.
Google, Fairfax and News Ltd jostle for real estate online
Fairfax and News Ltd want to protect their online real estate cash cows now that Google will offer a free property listing service on Google Maps. Would they dare to stop paying for key search terms?
North Korea opens its first fast-food outlet
Freedom fries, anyone? North Korea is now allowing its subjects to sample a Western-style hamburger — as long as they don’t call it that. Patrons at the new Samtaeseong diner can order “minced beef with bread” for only $1.70, or about half the average North Korean daily income.
Potter’s political preference?
With all this talk of young Aussies voting, how would Harry Potter himself vote? Actor Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry, has made his Liberal Democrats intentions clear. Does this make New Labour the Death Eaters?
