The trouble for the Coalition is not that Barnaby Joyce says first thing that comes into his mind — it’s that he’s speaking from the heart. And the longer he’s in the shadow Cabinet, the more he’ll do.
December, 2009
Kevin and Mary: a match made in Heaven
Kevin Rudd’s positioning of himself to benefit from the canonisation of Mary McKillop follows a proud tradition of politicians exploiting religion for political purposes.
Video of the Day: Banking goes bananas
Choice takes on the Westpac bananas ad:
Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours: A less accountable NSW government?
What were the five finalists of the staff pitching competition at the SBS annual Christmas party that made “several jaws hang limp over their seared tuna canapés”? And is the new NSW Premier less open and accountable than Rees?
Why China won’t rule the world
Forget the conventional wisdom, says Minxin Pei: China isn’t going to become the great financial power of the 21st century. It may have survived the GFC relatively unscathed, but the country’s economy is still rife with problems.
‘You are a filthy #$%* fascist bastard’: the joys of being a politician
Why do people write terribly poisonous emails — or even worse, handwritten insults on Christmas cards — to politicians? asks Malcolm Turnbull, who’s obviously been getting even more than normal as of late.
How the press twisted the tale of Hawke’s bday bash
The press had great fun last week because whoever organised Bob Hawke’s birthday party stupidly decided to include a dancer in a bikini with a John Howard face mask — and anyone who attended became fair game for attack, writes Jeremy Sears.
Australia cooks the books in Copenhagen
Australia is trying to masking increases in industrial pollution by hiding them in the likes of soil and forests, reports John Hepburn. Unless this changes, the Copenhagen Treaty will just be a meaningless set of numbers.
New taxes and breaking up the banks: Obama’s adviser spills on US economy
Paul Volcker is a senior economic adviser to Barack Obama, former chairman of the Federal Reserve and chair of the US Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Der Spiefel interview him about the current state of the US economy. Can it return to its previous prime?
RIP Paul Samuelson, trailblazing economist
The WSJ plays tribute to Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Samuelson, who died on Sunday, age 94 — a man Ben Bernanke has called “one of the greatest teachers that economics has ever known”.
Everyday things that died in the 2000s
From answering machines to smoking in bars to paying for porn, New York Mag says goodbye to the once common-place items and activities rendered obsolete in the noughties. We’ll miss you, Rolodex.
Dowd in Iraq: Karzai calls America’s bluff
Maureen Dowd is in Iraq, where she says Hamid Karzai has just pointed out that the emperor may be a little under-dressed by openly stating that the country won’t be able to support itself for at least another 15-20 years — and the US will keep acting as a sugar daddy.
Blair: I would have invaded Iraq anyway
An unrepentant Tony Blair says it was right to invade Iraq and dispose of Saddam Hussein even without evidence of weapons of mass destruction. So the cynics were right all along? asks Paul Reynolds.
How drug money saved the world financial system
At the height of the GFC, drug and gang money were the only liquid investment capital around, essentially keeping our entire financial system afloat, says the head of the UN Office for Drugs and Crime. And they say crime doesn’t pay.
Content Farms: the new media boogeyman
“Content Farms” like Answers.com and the Demand Media stable are flooding the web with thousands of low quality articles geared towards search engines and ad revenue every day, posing a serious threat to the future of quality online content.
Climategate: the winners and losers
The Climategate leaked email scandal has rocked players on both sides of the climate change debate. As the dust settles in Copenhagen, Mediate looks at who’s left standing.
Toyota’s new ad: sexist and incestuous?
A new ad for Toyota featuring a girl’s father and boyfriend having an innuendo-laden conversation about taking her virginity with lines like “I’ll have her on her back by 11” and “She can take a good pounding” is causing a bit of a stir online. Toyota says it’s “funny”.
Enter the Branding: the new-look Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee’s daughter is attempting to “relaunch” her father’s brand as a “lifestyle” — with products including rubber ducks and lampshades, in an effort to increase the value of his estate to at least $5 million. You stay classy, Shannon Lee.
Barnaby’s yellow peril obsession
If you’re listening to new shadow minister for finance, Barnaby Joyce, then you’ll assume that Australia is in great foreign debt to China. Except, only 3% of Australia’s foreign debt is held by the Chinese, compared to 24% to Britain. Why the China fear?
More Higgins nonsense: the media mess
There seemed to be much confusion and mashing of facts by political spectators about the Higgins by-election, says Possum Comitatus. Will no one check the facts and figures on voter numbers before making big claims?
Crikey Says: The NSW papers prepare their terrorist manifestos
Today, as they grasp for relevance in their dotage, the SMH and the Tele are running campaigns to demolish constitutional democracy in NSW that are absurd and positively embarrassing.
Angry Flyers Lounge: Loyalty schemes that disappoint
A frustrated Qantas passenger and frequent flyer unleashes his fury in the Angry Flyers Lounge. Time to remember: frequent flyer programs are nothing to do with customer loyalty and everything to do with making cash.
McDonald’s Down Under: from Yagoona to 800 golden arches
Simon Canning was there when Australia’s very first McDonald’s in 1971. As the company raises its 800th set of iconic golden arches, he looks back at the brand Australia loves to hate.
