May, 2010
must read 
Inside the Thai killing zone
A terrifying tale as journalist and photographer Nick Nostitz reports from the riots in Bangkok, where the army opened fire on the protesters, killing 33 and injuring 239. Be warned, some of the photos are graphic.
Should gay actors stay in the closet?
Newsweek has caused a minor storm with its essay by Ramin Setoodeh, who asked — not unreasonably — whether gay actors could play straight. It’s an ugly fight but maybe gay actors should keep the closet door locked, writes Jason Whittaker.
Shanahan: Who’s the most believable leader?
This election will come down to a simple question, writes Dennis Shanahan. Who do you believe is the best person to manage the economy: Kevin Rudd or Tony Abbott?
Newspoll and Galaxy: 50-50
The Oz has Newspoll a day earlier than usual, and it confirms the picture of just about every other poll — including Galaxy — in having the two-party vote on 50-50, reports William Bowe.
Crikey Competition: What public figure needs their own musical?
Crikey competition time. Tell us an Australian public figure that deserves their own musical tribute, along the lines of Keating! The Musical. Who gets your vote?
PHOTO GALLERY: Gordon Brown’s last day
A sad photo gallery of Gordon Brown’s final moments at Number 10, as he takes the killer phone call from Nick Clegg and then the drawings by Brown’s children are removed from the walls.
Morgan: Coalition ahead of Labor
Another sad poll for Rudd with Morgan having Labor’s primary vote down 2.5 per cent on last week to 41 per cent, the Coalition up the same amount to 42.5 per cent.
Dear Wall Street: you’re all wankers, sincerely, Main Street
There’s a big divide between Wall St and everybody else in the US, and a recent anonymous abusive letter written by a banker type only highlighted the divide. Nick Kapur penned a reply on behalf of the lowly worker.
The cult-like marriage retreat that brought us together
Ann Bauer explains how she and her husband escaped from a religious marriage retreat, full of couples who hated each other and wedding night re-creations.
Even Reagan isn’t enough of a Reaganite
The Republican Party has launched so far to the hard right that none of the modern Republican presidents — not Reagan nor Nixon nor Dubya — would be able to be elected today.
What if unemployment was as forecast?
Back in the 2009/10 budget, Treasury forecast that unemployment in Australia would hit 8.25% around June 2010. Possum Comitatus charts that against what actually happened, showing two very different Australias.
Guthrie wins out, judge slams Harto & Blunden
Former Herald Sun editor Bruce Guthrie has been awarded $580,808 in damages plus costs in his unfair dismissal case against News Ltd.
Abbott’s mix of the savvy and the inexplicable
Tony Abbott has correctly targeted Kevin Rudd as Labor’s weak link. But he has his own weaknesses, as the last 24 hours have shown.
Morgan poll: Rudd’s popularity continues slide post-Budget, but watch for Malcolm
Today, following the proposed taxation changes and the Federal Budget, the L-NP Opposition would now win a close a Federal Election, according to a special telephone Morgan Poll conducted over the last 2 nights (May 12/13, 2010).
Liberal savings initiatives — Abbott rediscovers old-time religion
Don’t set too much store by the paltry savings initiatives on offer from Tony Abbott last night: he’s using it to fund a variant of the Regional Rorts program.
Housing a ‘productive way to spend’ your hard-earned?
The Australian housing bubble is causing investment in over-priced property to the detriment of dynamic business. This may be “productive” for real estate agents or mortgage brokers, but not for the Australian economy.
China likely to introduce carbon price before Australia
The Australian policy to not reintroduce CPRS legislation until 2013 leaves the country in danger of being left behind, with China being far more progressive on climate action, writes Peter Wood.
Clegg and Cameron: common interests, common enemies
Don’t be surprised if Nick Clegg and David Cameron find themselves on the same side in cabinet more often than not. Were it not for the different coloured ties, it would often be difficult to tell them apart.
Pokies, Gonski, red-faced Woolies, pollsters and censorship
If ever you wanted evidence that Woolworths is embarrassed about being Australia’s biggest pokies operator, look no further than the fact it is still yet to tell the ASX about spending more than $150 million buying new licences in Victoria.
As athletes, we’re grateful for extra pocket money from Budget
If ever there was an assumption that athletes are not overly interested in politics, the political interest displayed by athletes in Olympic sports on Budget day suggests otherwise, writes Olympic rower Kim Crow.
The Addy refuses to run Sex Party’s Abbott ad
The Adelaide Advertiser has refused to run an Australian Sex Party ad featuring a photoshopped version of opposition leader Tony Abbott clinging desperately to the leg of a woman in fishnet stockings, writes Crikey intern Matt de Neef.
Overland branded biased by Jewish academics
Australian Jewish academics are trying to intimidate one of the country’s leading literary journals.
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s UK: Con Lib-Dems divide up the spoils, dim-sum style
The first meeting of the UK’s coalition cabinet looked about as dignified as one of those casual get-togethers at a Chinese restaurant where everyone brings extra guests, and you’ve got your elbow in ginger beef all evening.
