Going undercover as a content farmerDemand Media is the “biggest, scariest content machine on the web”, paying an army of freelancers to churn out traffic-driving content for sites like eHow.com and Cracked.com. Is there real money to be made? It it credible journalism? TIME journo Dan Fletcher gives it a crack.
March, 2010
Why the Pope should resign
To address the latest sex scandals involving paedophilia and sexual abuse by priests in Ireland, Pope Benedict XVI has penned a letter to the Irish faithful. But did the Pope know that priests were being protected from their crimes?
Single cabin short haul shake up
Another set of nails have been driven into the coffin of class distinctions and curtain partitioned cabins in short haul air travel, with Air New Zealand to offer single cabin services across the Tasman, writes Ben Sandilands.
Watch the environmental movement’s first TV series
Our Vanishing Wilderness was a seminal and pivotal 1970s TV documentary series that first raised Americans’ awareness of pollution and environmental destruction, and the whole thing is now available free online.
IMF or not to IMF, that’s the Greek question
Getting confused whether or not an IMF bailout seems likely for Greece? You are not alone. Izabella Kaminska tracks the twisting route of the bailout.
The racism pervading our police
When it comes to receiving justice in this country, it matters what colour your skin is, writes Suvendrini Perera. From aboriginal deaths in custody to violence against Indian students, institutional racism afflicts our police forces.
Why are so many bloggers blokes?
This piece is currently causing quite a stir in the blogosphere: Why is the world of online journalism such a sausage-fest? According to Canadian columnist Margaret Wente, it’s because men love the “adrenaline rush” of online punditry. And chicks don’t, apparently.
Wright: You snooze, you lose Slipper
The sneaky infamous snap of Peter Slipper catching 40 winks during SBY’s address to Parliament enraged Slipper so much that he called for the privileges committee to examine who snapped it.
Betting Market Friday: Coalition back on course
Possum Comitatus’s weekly wrap of the political betting market: Sportsbet and Betfair have moved back towards the Coalition, while the other agencies continue to remain on their month-long steady course.
Who answers the White House phone?
Everything you ever wanted to know about dialing the leader of the free world: Does he really have a secret number? Can you call it? And what about the iconic Cold War “red phone”?
The top 15 world leaders on Twitter
If you can’t get enough of @KevinRuddPM’s 140-character quips, here are 14 other tweeting heads of state to follow, including Crikey favourite, Queen Rania of Jordan.
A bar brawlin’ Question Time
Yesterday’s Question Time was most exciting, with Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd flexing their health muscles (and vocal cords) with some early election campaigning and Julia Gillard wiping the floor with her opponents.
Who else has researched ‘Spinning the Media’?
Maria Strumendo and Wendy Bacon look at previous Australian and international academic work into PR influence in the media.
The pundits predict tomorrow’s polls
How Australia’s political and media pundits reckon tomorrow’s elections will play out, and what it will mean for the big Federal battle later this year.
Grattan: Our lady-in-waiting
Kevin Rudd is the current definite for the top job, but his popular deputy Julia Gillard is waiting in the wings and could threaten his leadership. Michelle Grattan explores how the ‘Julia factor’ will play out.
Newspoll: Tasmania is well hung
A last-minute Newpoll in today’s Oz predicts Tasmania is set to face a hung parliament tomorrow, with neither major party popular enough to pull in a clear majority.
Election Eve editorials: Vote 1 ALP
With Crow Eaters and Taswegians headed to the polls tomorrow, the papers are telling both states to look past the ALP’s problems and return both the Rann and Bartlett governments.
Showdown at the old despatch box
After shooting it out in a Question Time stand-off, Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott have agreed to an old fashioned showdown over health in a debate next week. Bernard Keane recounts a wild, wild day in the chamber.
Raue’s SA prediction: ALP by the skin of its teeth
The Tally Room’s Ben Raue makes his pick for Saturday’s election in South Australia: 23 Labor seats, 21 Liberals and 3 independents.
Would you trust the Immigration Department with your life?
Rimi Khan reflects on a disturbing interview she witnessed between an asylum seeker and the Immigration Department in 2002. How much has changed for asylum seekers since John Howard days?
What we can learn from the Cuban health system
Earlier this week a doctor put the skids under the PM’s health reform sales bandwagon, by suggesting he should take a leaf out of Cuba’s book. What exactly is so special about the Cuban health system? asks Melissa Sweet.
Berlusconi busted trying to censor the press
After learning that the state broadcaster was to show a program focused on corruption cases against him, Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi went on a tirade against the country’s broadcasting regulator.
The myth of overpopulation
The world doesn’t have too many people, says author Fred Pearce: it just has too many greedy people. It’s not the poor and their big families ruining the planet — it’s the rich and their big cars.
Film review: Cop Out — Kevin Smith’s screwy salute to buddy cop comedy
Director Kevin Smith’s latest slack comedy, Cop Out — about a bumbling pair of police officers — continue Smith’s tradition of creating gradually worse films with age, writes Luke Buckmaster.
