We will all live with the consequences of our government’s failure to achieve a legally binding agreement at Copenhagen, writes British High Commissioner to Australia Valerie Amos.
December, 2009
Why siblings drive us crazy but we still love them
The Bible’s first homicide was between siblings, which may not seem surprising as you celebrate the family filled holiday season. But our love/hate relationship with our siblings is genetically programmed. Blame your 50% shared genes.
Letter from...: Tunisia: Ben Ali, chairman of the (bill)board
In Tunisia, wedged between Algeria and Libya on Africa’s Mediterranean coast, President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali’s heavily Photoshopped image is everywhere, writes Grant Doyle.
Datapig: low-emission meat means we’re cookin’ with gas
Some animals do a lot more burping and farting than others. Datapig David Gillespie gives the lowdown on which beasties are responsible.
Diary of a Surgeon: Diary of a surgeon: death of overseas-trained doctors
Hospitals and regulators, if they are satisfied with the supervisory structure around overseas trainees, should be able to approve their employment in the system, writes Professor Guy Maddern from St Anywhere.
Remember the Murray-Darling? It’s still in deep trouble …
While the Murray-Darling has dropped out of the media cycle, the goal of sustainable management remains as far off as ever, particularly after events this month.
Update from subscriptions central on Crikey Christmas pack deliveries
Here’s a quick update for those of you waiting on a parcel of Christmas goodies from Crikey.
Mayne: Big bank AGMs and the cynical late December club
The big banks used to be the masters of cynical pre-Christmas AGM scheduling, but this year, agri-business competitors AWB and Incitec Pivot have stolen the prize — both planning their AGMs for 2pm on 23 December.
Simons: Content makers come to grips with the big grapple
Margaret Simons’s round-up of this year’s biggest media industry news, movers, shakers and changes.
Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours: No Red for Hey Hey?
That black face loving comedy crew down at Hey Hey are returning to our humble screens next year, but will resident grouch Red Symons also return? Plus, news on the Myer renos.
Peter Galbraith: I was not plotting against Karzai
Ousted former senior UN official Peter Galbraith says a NYT piece accusing him of plotting to oust Afghan President Hamid Karzai was false: the UN is just trying to distract people from its terrible mishandling of the country’s elections.
Montazeri: Iran’s bravest cleric
The New Republic pays tribute to the recently deceased Ayatollah Hosseinali Montazeri, Iran’s highest-ranking Shiite cleric and one of the Ayatollah Khomeini’s most vocal critics.
Copenhagen and the new global hierarchy
Copenhagen has revealed the new world order in global politics: the US has lost influence, China is the big bully, Africa sticks together and small nations can veto anything they dislike, says Leslie Gelb.
Mexico: the new front of the abortion wars
Two years after Mexico became the first Latin American country to legalise abortion, the issue is dividing communities and opinion, as the country’s very Catholic past battles with its increasingly liberal future.
Can Latin America save Japanese electronics?
Japan’s ailing electronics industry is looking offshore to save the country from its economic woes, attempting to convince 400 million-odd South Americans to get on board with the country’s digital-TV standard in order to flog them new sets and TV phones. Will they buy in?
Colebatch: The Copenhagen glass is half full
It’s Christmas drinks at the Economists’ Club, and Copenhagen is the talk of the town. Tim Colbatch tells the tale.
The phoniest tabloid tales of the year
From Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s endless breakups to by-the-minute updates on Katie Holmes’s uterus, Jezebel takes a look back at the year that was in the celebrity news that… wasn’t.
Keneally’s desal claims don’t hold water
In an effort to promote the new desalination plant, NSW Premier Kristina Keneally claims she grew up drinking recycled water. But a Daily Tele/em> investigation has found she’s stretching the truth just a little on her rural Ohio upbringing.
Shanahan: Rudd stuck between a rock and a hard place
After failing to achieve agreement in Copenhagen, Kevin Rudd has to balance the Greens and Tony Abbott to try and pass his ETS. Rudd’s now the diplomatic middle child, both domestically and internationally, notes Dennis Shanahan.
Qantas: The good times are back
Qantas is now predicting a first half profit before tax of between $50-150 million, and today reported a strong rise in passenger numbers for the group airlines of 9.7%, reports Ben Sandilands.
Give fixed four-year terms (and the NSW ALP) the flick
Fixed four-year political terms should be booted. Scandal fatigue and political disengagement has set in for NSW voters and it’s time for a recall election, writes NSW Nationals leader Andrew Stoner.
