The only possible future the Nationals have is as a rump of a Coalition with the Liberals. A small, not particularly relevant and faintly embarrassing rump.
September, 2009
Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours: McGurk still haunts ALP councillors
Is there more news to come in NSW surrounding Michael McGurk and sitting ALP councillors ? Is Peter Costello lining up for an ambassador posting? Tipsters tell all.
I’m sleeping with my mother-in-law. Help.
Playboy’s advice column — last seen advising men how to save money at a strip joint — doles out a pithy response to one man’s affairs. Playboy, it is all about the writing after all.
Allo, Allo! Postcard from Luxembourg
Australia’s newest Ambassador to the EU, Brendan Nelson, drops Crikey a line from glittering Luxembourg City, Luxembourg — the “Albania of Western Europe”.
The magazine getting high on the economy’s lows
The global financial slump has been a disaster for most magazines, but for the mellow folk at High Times, it’s been a real trip, with more people toking up to get through the tough economic times. “Weed is recession proof,” says editor Bobby Black.
Rudd’s stimulus furphy won’t create jobs
The government is arguing that their stimulus packages have “saved jobs”. But it is difficult to reconcile that statement with this data, writes Sinclair Davidson.
Bradfield preselection shows NSW Libs have changed
At this Saturday’s Bradfield preselection at the Hornsby RSL, one of the front runners will be a conservative who also happens to be openly gay, although Irfan Yusuf doubts that he’ll be wearing a skivvy.
Emmys an ode to TV’s demise
When a glitzy awards ceremony meant to point out the best of the TV starts out with an entreaty to get people to “put down your remote,” you know something’s out of whack, says Brian Steinberg.
The fake New York Post
Last year, political pranksters The Yes Men put out a fake edition of the New York Times. Now they’ve given the Post the same treatment in honour of the current UN meeting with the headline: “We’re Screwed”
New York Post fails to see the funny side of spoof paper
The New York Post has failed to see the funny side of a spoof version of its paper created and distributed in New York, calling the cops on those handing it out and confiscating their copies of the paper.
Read the fake New York Post
Are you geeky enough to work at Google?
Google’s latest hiring strategy: putting up signs around tech-geek mecca MIT with a code and the phrase, “If you can figure this out, you may have a future with Google.” No-one at the uni has cracked it yet — can you?
Competitions are great for companies. Just ask Netflix.
Netflix now has a winner in its much publicised contest to award $1 million to anyone who could improve its movie recommendation algorithm. The crowdsourcing competition is a great business model, says Daniel Indiviglio.
Who is Glenn Beck and where did he come from?
No-one in the US right now is getting more media oxygen — or perhaps creating more hot air — than Fox News anchor Glenn Beck. Meet the new pin-up boy for the American Right.
Let’s invite Russia to the party in Afghanistan
The US and NATO commander in Afghanistan reckons they need tens-of-thousands more troops to have a hope of succeeding — but where to find them? Why not Russia? suggests Daniel Gallington: unlike most countries, they actually want to be there.
Africa picks up first world’s mess. Again.
Oil trading company Trafigura will pay compensation to 31,000 people in Ivory Coast after it dumped oil in inhabited areas, causing illness and death. This is just how the rich world treats Africa, says George Monbiot.
New-look Disney ejects studio head from the castle
Actors loved film studio head Dick Cook. But with poor box office performance, despite a 38-year history with Disney, management has ordered him from the Happy Kingdom. It’s part of a wider rebranding, says Kim Masters.
Newsweek‘s top 500 green companies
The eyebrows have it
In an MIT study, subjects were asked to identify celebrities by altered photos: without eyebrows, and without eyes. Apparently eyebrows were more helpful. You be the judge, says W H Chong
Sexy Sadie the cleaning lady
Ambi Pur is advertising their new toilet cleaner with a great ad campaign, spoofing traditional “hot and heavy” perfume and cologne ads.
Corbett’s tough call: what will Fairfax’s deputy chairman do?
Fairfax chairman Ron Walker wants to stay until March. But with the Marinya camp’s significant minority pushing for an earlier demise, any victory would be pyrrhic, says Jennifer Hewett. Time for a push?
Penberthy: Why I care when Rudd swears
I couldn’t give a rat’s bottom if Kevin Rudd swears or not, says David Penberthy. What is interesting is the divide between the modern softie who yucks it up on Rove and R-rated Rudd.
Does Gillard really have a Director of School Signage?
Schools have been told to stop erecting the government’s controversial “Building the Education Revolution” signs. But does the sign scheme have a director and just how much money has it been given? asks Christian Kerr.
Will Obama bail out the newspaper industry?
US President Barack Obama says he’s open to the idea of giving dying news organisations tax breaks in order to save the media, lest those nasty bloggers take over the news industry with their shouting and opinions.
New York Magazine / Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Birthers, teabaggers, town hallers, speech-to-schools scaremongers… the certifiably insane have officially taken over America’s political discourse. How did things get so crazy, so quickly? Is it fear driven by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, or is Obama himself to blame?