Guy Rundle warns British High Commissioner to Australia, Valerie Amos, about our Dropbear problem, gives his thumbs-up to the Cabinet decision on parallel book imports, and shares tales from the US right-wing fringe.
November, 2009
Guy Rundle: The increasingly famous Amos, Kerr a “dimwit”
Crikey Says: Don’t mention the “r” word
There are signs that the largely undiscussed pact between Australia’s major political parties not to exploit issues of race, immigration and population may be breaking down.
‘Stronger democracy’ gives way to strong-arm democracy in NSW
NSW government agencies will be collating the private data of NSW citizens and providing it to the NSW Electoral Commission to automatically update the electoral roll. There’ll be no opting out; you will have no choice.
David Coe’s mystifying board election
The likes of the Business Council of Australia and Australian Institute of Company Directors need not be too concerned about the “two strikes” rule — David Coe and RHG just proved as much.
Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours: News Ltd’s alternative agenda on book imports
News Ltd papers may have a secondary agenda in paying so much attention to parallel book imports, a damning report on the Victorian Government’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure, and the party’s over at The Age.
Wankley Awards: Rebecca Twigley’s product placement
Myer fashion ambassador and speech pathologist Rebecca Twigley and her boyfriend of six years, Carlton footballer Chris Judd, are getting married. Time to cash in.
Kiwis voting system to go to referendum
Malcolm MacKerras has been trying to persuade New Zealand’s politicians to replace their Mixed Member Proportional electoral system with a better one.
Where’s the book buyer’s voice in the book debate?
We’ve heard from the ideologues, the book sellers and working authors. So where’s the book buyer’s voice in the book import discussion? Michael R. James weighs in.
Melbourne Muddle: elite students turning away from law in droves
Elite students are turning away from the once-prestigious Melbourne University law school in droves, shunning the Melbourne Model in favour of not only long-time rival Monash, but also RMIT and Deakin University.
Why Murdoch may be more right than wrong about Google
mUmBRELLA’s Tim Burrowes asks if Rupert Murdoch has a point in thumbing his nose at Google and locking News Ltd’s content behind a paywall — maybe Google traffic isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Rupert forced to confront free-to-air reality
Tonight in Britain, the Australian idea of a sports broadcasting anti-siphoning list will be firmed up into a reality for Rupert Murdoch and his Sky satellite pay TV group.
Hammertime for Sydney’s social media set
Rapper, preacher and Twitterati MC Hammer paid a visit to Sydney’s Social Media Club this week, explaining how he’s used social media to turn his image around from a ’90s has-been to cutting-edge entrepreneur.
Thatcher is dead — the cat, not the former British Prime Minister
“Thatcher has died”: This text message sent by Canadian Transport Minister John Baird to a person at a gala dinner informing them that his beloved cat, named after the Iron Lady, had died, sent MPs into a panic.
California’s water wars rage on
California lawmakers have approved several bills that could significantly change the state’s troubled water system, fueling hopes that a generation of feuds over the state’s most vital and overexploited natural resource might soon be over.
Apple closes in on Microsoft
Ten years ago, Apple’s market capitalisation was $17 billion and Microsoft’s was $356 billion. Today, Apple’s is $182 billion, compared with Microsoft’s $261 billion. Can it come from behind to completely conquer the computing market?
How many calories would you like with that order?
Croakey’s North American correspondent, Dr Lesley Russell, investigates the effectiveness of “calorie-counting” menus, while a local obesity policy expert, Jane Martin, looks at whether such an option might be useful in Australia.
Video of the Day: The 1987 Dance Aerobics Championships
In their own words: “hot”.
New warning on the risks of surgery on your lady bits
Research published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology says women are undergoing Labioplasty amid a “shocking” lack of information on the potential risks. The report also questions the idea of aesthetically pleasing genitals.
More revelations from Sarah Palin’s book
The contents of Sarah Palin’s new book, Going Rogue, are beginning to leak out. Amongst the revelations, Palin claims she was hushed-up from speaking on election night and the McCain campaign slugged her with a $500k legal bill.
A confused government’s way forward
Trying to turn the Howard-era foreign policy sow’s ear into a Rudd government silk purse is doomed to policy failure, writes Damien Kingsbury.
leaked 
The axe is about to fall at Newsweek
Politico has its hands on an internal memo from Newsweek editor, Jon Meacham, informing staff that about a dozen job are about to be cut.
The last great Nazi trial
In November, former Nazi concentration camp guard John Demjanjuk will appear before a Munich court, charged with 27,900 counts of accessory to murder. With time running out to prosecute other ex-Nazis, the case marks the end of an era in world history.
Hannity: Jon Stewart was right, we faked footage
Fox News anchor Sean Hannity has admitted to using misleading footage of an anti-health care reform rally which made the event look far more popular than it actually was, but claims it was an honest mistake.
