Gordon Brown likes Glee? Bollocks!Pollies have to show they’ve got their finger on the pulse, that they know what crappy reality TV show everyone is showing. But why do politicians claim to be fans of something they’re not? As the UK election is showing, it’s a mess when politics meets popular culture.
April, 2010
Tony Martin: How blood bank workers saw Carl Williams’ bloody demise
Tony Martin was at the blood bank when news of Carl Williams’ demise unfolded. Apparently the gory death of a bloody murderer is far less interesting to people who are up to their armpits in blood every day.
History lessons from Hitler’s library
Was Hitler a book lover or a book burner? asks Michael McDonald. A new book offers a peak at the shelves of the Nazi leader’s 16,000-volume library. So how much can you really tell about a man from what he reads?
The flight ban isn’t about volcanic ash — it’s about negative thinking
Airlines aren’t worried about their pilots’ safety — they’re worried about the survival of the species. Sociologist Frank Furedi explains why Europe’s flight ban is based far more on our “worst-case thinking” than level-headed risk assessment.
The NSW media blackout over deaths in custody
There were three tragic deaths in custody in NSW in 2009. So why did the media only report on that of Mark Holcroft? asks the Indigenous Social Justice Association’s Ray Jackson. Could it be because he was the only one with white skin?
Quiggin: Abbott abandons da yoof
Abbott is making a shameless grab for the anti-youth vote by proposing under-30s be denied the dole, but it probably won’t work, says John Quiggin: why try to convert rusted-on oldies at the expense of people who are still forming their political views?
Death to bankers
The US economy is still struggling severely, says Stephen King from Disneyland. In the past, dodgy business people and politicians who ruined the economy were sentenced to jail or death. Would harsher penalties deter the greed?
A magazine for stranded travellers
Journalist Andrew Losowsky is stuck in Dublin due to the volcano, and has put a call-out to fellow stranded journalists around the world: Let’s pass the time by creating a magazine.
Corruption at BHP?
BHP Billiton is being investigated for possible corruption involving government officials by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The alleged corruption relates “primarily to certain terminated minerals exploration projects”.
Fighting for the states’ right to exist
Kevin Rudd’s political agenda was wrapped up in a hospital plan. The historic health reform deal was only partly about health and the GST, but more about fighting for the states’ rights and their right to exist.
revealed 
Liberal infighting breaks out
A power struggle has broken out between federal Liberal director Brian Loughnane and his deputy James McGrath, threatening the party’s critical marginal seat strategy for the upcoming election.
revealed How the health deal was done
Simon Benson has the inside story of how the health deal was struck, with Kristina Keneally’s powerful secret handshakes, John Brumby walking out of meetings and the last minute $800m sweetener.
Deal and no deal between PM and Premiers
Daily media wrap: All sides are declaring victory in the battle over public hospital reform, except no one seems to have actually won — yet.
Under 30? No dole for you, says Tony
Under 30s would be banned from the dole and told to go work in mining, proposed Tony Abbott at a meeting with resource industry leaders. Is this clever, creative thinking or a simplistic way to end a skills shortage?
Albrechtsen: Only Malcolm can save us
Realistically, Malcolm Turnbull is the Liberal Party’s best chance of keeping the now marginal seat of Wentworth. He should bust out the Dame Nellie Melba option, says Janet Albrechtsen.
revealed 
Google maps government censorship requests around the world
Google reveals — via Google Maps, naturally — the number requests to censor content received from governments worldwide, in six months alone. Brazil tops the list, though a big red question mark still hangs over China.
A letter of apology from the WikiLeaks soldiers
Two soldiers from the unit shown killing 12 civilians in Baghdad in footage released online recently by WikiLeaks pen an open apology to all those hurt and affected.
Should Gizmodo have paid for the leaked iPhone?
Gizmodo got a major scoop with the leaking of the new iPhone. Foster Kamer talks to Gawker Media head honcho Nick Denton about Steve Jobs’ angry phone call, the ethics of publishing the scoop and whether they’re on Apple’s black list now.
Gangs of footballers
One Premier League soccer player is being forced to pay £15,000 every three months to a London gang in protection money. Is this what happens when footballers from poor suburbs suddenly hit the big time?
Melbourne and Talk Radio: will it work?
Melbourne loves to tells itself that our city is more literate, more politically aware and more civilised than Sydney. With the launch of Melbourne Talk Radio yesterday, that narrative is about to be tested, writes Margaret Simons.
Cox: The sleaze factor in election strategies
Can we stop over emphasising the results of polls, with their dicey questions, margins of errors within the weekly changes and lack of clarity about their relationship to actual voting reasons? asks Eva Cox.
First Dog draws the 2010 AFL season: round 4
Number four in a series of cartoons documenting the Western Bulldogs AFL Home and Away season in 2010 by First Dog on the Moon. That is all.
Antony Green: The NSW Libs can win in 2011
NSW ALP has become the notorious, messy state government. But can the Coalition win in 2011? Well, says Anthony Green, the Coalition can win as long as it gets votes in the right seats.
Travel etiquette: the war against reclining
After a horrific 10 hour bus trip in Laos with bandanna wearing Europeans who take up every inch of spare space, Kevin O’Faircheallaigh lets rip at travellers who put their seats back.
Crikey Competition: The RuddBot Detailed Programmatic Specificity Translator™
Pick a snippet of text — anything from a song lyrics to a poem to a conversation with your GP — and run it through the DetailedProgrammaticSpecificityTranslator™. How would the Ruddbot say it?
