The first country to give every child a computer: Uruguay?For all Our Kevin’s posturing about an “education revolution”, Australia has been well and truly beaten to the punch on equipping kids for the digital era: Uruguay has become the first country to provide a laptop for every child in a public primary school.
October, 2009
Independent: Why Blair won’t get our vote (again)
UK paper The Independent says it won’t support Tony Blair as a candidate for the Presidency of the European Union: “When the choice between Britain’s relationship with America and its relationship with the rest of Europe became unfudgeable, Mr Blair chose America”.
The secret plans of News Limited
News Limited have come out swinging against Mark Scott’s speech from last week, with reports in The Australian of how Rupert Murdoch is actually going to implement his paywall plans.
Why does no one like Malcolm Turnbull?
Kevin Rudd gets all the accolades as the popular PM. Why is poor Malcolm Turnbull so hated by the Australian population? The Punch does some (fairly unscientific but nonetheless amusing) investigating.
Farr: Glenn Stevens — the breakaway star of Australian finance
The rising star of “celebrity central banker” Glenn Stevens is overshadowing Treasurer Wayne Swan — the guy who’s supposed to be the authoritative voice on the nation’s economy. So who should voters listen to? asks Malcolm Farr.
Coorey: The He-man contest: Rudd vs. Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull claims Rudd weakened our borders, but he isn’t rushing to reinstate the Pacific Solution. Kevin Rudd has to balance hardline laws with his humane electoral message. Who will emerge the toughest? asks Phillip Coorey.
Mark Day: News does have content worth paying for — we just haven’t figured out what it is yet
Mark Dayleaps into the The Oz’s “Stacks-on ABC’s Mark Day” Day: Scott is wrong to dismiss paywalls on the grounds that much of News Corp’s content isn’t worth paying for: it is, and when Rupert works out what and why, he’ll let you know.
When it comes to Afghanistan, we’re slow learners
Securing Kabul is not the same as gaining control over warring tribes in regional areas. The British realised this in 1839 with the Afghan War, occupation doesn’t equal victory. Can we never learn from history?
News bites back at the ABC
News Digital Media CEO Richard Freudenstein hits back at the “misguided commentary and criticism” of News Corp and its Dear Leader made by ABC chief Mark Scott last week.
Taylor: This is just round one
Malcolm Turnbull is about to face a big dilemma, says Lenore Taylor: the Government is unlikely to agree to all of his CPRS amendments, and his own party is unlikely to accept any compromise.
Davidson: Remember when this debate was actually about climate change?
The Federal Government and Opposition have both polluted the emissions trading debate with infighting and political power plays, says Kenneth Davidson. Neither party is offering a clear or realistic vision to combat global warming.
Grattan: Turnbull’s won the battle, but not the war
Malcolm Turnbull may have won the first fight with his party over emissions trading, but there are two much bigger battles ahead, says Michelle Grattan: negotiating with the government, then trying to get that deal through the party room. This war is far from over.
Film review: The Final Destination
Luke Buckmaster reviews new 3D horror/slasher flick, The Final Destination: a diabolically fun no-brainer that makes for fast, lean and mean trashy entertainment.
Sunday Talk: Australia moves on from 2001
Guy Rundle wraps the best and worst of the Sunday political gabfests.
Twitter launches… a wine label?
Social networking phenom Twitter is making and selling its own branded wines, with profits going to help promote literacy in the third world. At US$20 for a bottle of Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, it better be a good drop.
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Which browser works best?
The performance of the top 5 major web browsers are have been tested, compared and compiled into this handy chart. Which program is leading the pack? You might be surprised…
Ban big-screen TVs?
The US state of California is poised to ban big screen TVs in order to cut energy usage and spare itself the cost of building a new power plant. Could this be the way forward for curbing Australia’s energy-guzzling ways?
Breakfast Media Wrap: Plenty of talking to come about emissions trading before a decision
The pick of the morning’s media
Coalition to deal on Rudd’s CPRS
Malcolm Turnbull has finally worn the Coalition backbench down on emissions trading. Bernard Keane looks at the amendments he’ll be bringing to the negotiating table.
Coalition to deal on Rudd’s CPRS
After an epic joint partyroom meeting, Malcolm Turnbull emerged at 8.00pm Sunday night to delcare he’d received support from the Coalition backbench to negotiate a series of CPRS amendments, writes
The world’s stupidest special edition Monopoly sets
These things exist: Inflatable Monopoly, I Love Lucy Monopoly, Bass Fishing Monopoly… and those aren’t even the stupidest. What’s wrong with the original Scotty-dog-and-thimble edition?
Hydrogen-fuelled cars aren’t out of the race yet
Many have declared the development of hydrogen cars dead in favour of cheaper, simpler electric vehicles. But companies including Suzuki, Mercedes and Toyota are still quietly tinkering away at the technology.
Design the next Simpsons character
Oh, how epically wrong this could go: The Simpsons is holding a contest for fans to create a new character for the show. Can anyone say ‘Cousin Oliver’ (or perhaps ‘Poochie’)?
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Read the damning toxic waste report oil giant Trafigura tried to cover up
Wikileaks has a copy of the “Minton report” — exposing how toxic waste dumping by oil company Trafigura hospitalised thousands in Africa — which the UK media was suppressed from reporting.
Breakfast Media Wrap: Curbing the drinking habits of a nation on the Sunday agenda
The pick of Sunday morning’s media
