Rio Tinto exec Stern Hu — who is still sitting in a Chinese jail — has not seen his family since July, wears a neon-orange jumpsuit and is forced to sit upright or sleep on a communal board, reveals John Garnaut.
March, 2010
Will News Corp make its carbon neutral target?
In 2007, Rupert Murdoch made the rash promise to make News Corp carbon neutral by the end of 2010. So, how’s it going? Actually, it’s been surprisingly successful, notes Margaret Simons.
Coming second doesn’t make you a winner
Wow, the Liberals came second in both the Tasmanian and the SA elections! What a great result. Except, that means they lost both elections, not that you’d realise from reading today’s headlines.
Berg: Australian politics is drifting with no ideological anchor
Australia isn’t deeply divided along ideological lines — unlike the US — and our politics is worse off without it. Without a strong party ideology, how can policies be written? asks Chris Berg.
must read 
NYT liveblogs the health reform vote
Health care reform in the US is looking like it just might happen, with Democratic leaders claiming they now have the 216 votes needed to pass the bill later today. The NYT has the all the latest as this historic moment unfolds.
SA election: skew not skewered
The SA election had something you don’t see very often in Australian elections: a major skew in the swing. The safer the government seat, the larger the swing against the government. Possum Comitatus has the numbers.
How Hawker pulled it off in SA
Peter van Onselen has a blow-by-blow account of how ALP strategist Bruce Hawker engineered Mike Rann’s unlikely victory in SA. And if that’s what he did for an unpopular leader, think about what he can do for Rudd.
JSF: The truth about that rushed $3.2 billion commitment
Defence Minister John Faulkner was conned into promising $3.2 billion upfront for 14 completely useless, low-rate F-35s because Lockheed Martin is running a project with the capacity to swallow a very large fraction of US and western allied GDP, writes Ben Sandilands.
The state election wash-up
The SA and Tasmanian battles may be over, but the 2010 political war has just begun, and the pundits are sharpening their swords.
Coorey: Attack dog Abbott to be debating captain?
It’s a risky move by Kevin Rudd to give Tony Abbott equal status and debate him on health reform, but Rudd reckons he’s got the got the upper hand in health, writes Philip Coorey.
No really Obama, we’re totally cool with your cancelling
Oh, Obama you couldn’t make it down under because you’re too busy? Don’t worry, it’s not like we were all excited and had our ‘Yes We Can’ t-shirts ready or anything, writes Dominic Knight.
The apocalyptic language of travel advisory warnings
Travel advisory warnings always send me into a spin, writes Kevin O’Faircheallaigh. Two hundred words describing the many ways I can die in this country, followed by two useless ones on how to avoid it: “Stay alert”. That’s it?!
Attack of the Crikey nerrrrrds!
For this week’s Crikey question, the team have donned the glasses, put the retainer back in and fired up the Commodore 64: What was your nerdy hobby as a child?
Why Ugg boots are bad for you
… and not just because they make you look like a bogan. Apparently they also cause serious foot, ankle, and, hip problems. Now, if someone can just find a medical argument against Crocs…
Is the US and Israel love affair about to break up?
The relationship between Israel and the US is at crisis point, says The Economist, with Barack Obama becoming increasingly fed up after Israel’s announcement of 1600 new houses to be built in Palestinian Jerusalem.
Why the internet should win the Nobel Peace Prize
The internet has fundamentally changed our planet, allowing us to spread outpourings of empathy and altruism throughout the world like never before. Doesn’t that deserve a Nobel nod? asks neuroscientist Jamil Zaki.
AFL 2010: Year One at Richmond
A rookie coach, a fresh manifesto and a new man-child to love — what’s not to like about the Richmond Tigers in 2010? asks Tigers fan Scott Ewing in a preview of the AFL 2010 season.
Chatroulette: 89% male, 47% American, 13% pervert
Chatroulette is the latest internet phenom, where strangers are randomly paired up to have webchats. But who’s actually playing? According to new data: horny American men. Whodathunkit?
From boom to bust: Australian employment over three years
Possum Comitatus looks at how Australian employment has changed over the last three years, from the peak of the last boom in 2007 to today. The IT industry is shedding, while health and science are on the up.
The bullies in a one paper town
Extraordinary attack on Brisbane mayor Campbell Newman by The Courier-Mail exposes the bullying tactics and simmering tensions between politics and an incestuous media environment in the one-paper town.
Crikey Says: Blue in the face over SA and Tas elections
Who knew, a mere five weeks back, that the Tasmanian and South Australian elections would morph into such nail biters?
Redmond in bowling club burnt end
On the eve of the SA election, Opposition leader Isobel Redmond has been forced to answer questions about a legal deal she was involved in as member for Heysen, writes Crikey intern Tom Cowie.
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s UK: In conversation with Germaine, who incidentally, may sue Morry.
Our hero Guy Rundle attends the London Australian Film Festival, where he learns that Germaine Greer is considering suing Morry Schwartz, John Hillcoat would love to make a romcom with Nick Cave, and Londoners serve sausage rolls with Vegemite. Hilarity ensues.
