PHOTO GALLERY: The black stain ocean polluterDolphins swim under oily water and workers frantically put oil booms and sand banks into place to prevent further damage from the horrific Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
May, 2010
Writing a good title is really… something
Writer and journalist Gordon Haber’s untitled essay on the lazy patterns authors fall into when titling their books. Ever read Participling the Proper Noun, The Occupation’s Relative or The Lyrical Instruction Manual?
rumour 
*CHUNG CHUNG* Law & Order axed?
After 20 seasons, Law & Order has been axed — or has it? Deadline says it may all just be a big game of chicken between NBC, TNT and series creator Dick Wolf.
PHOTO GALLERY: Behind the boring Budget lockup
The Oz takes you inside the Budget lockup, showing their chief political journos and editors madly scrambling at rows of laptops in a wood panelled room. It looks thoroughly tedious.
Lethal’s AFL tipping advice: Round 8
So we’re 31.12% through the 2010 AFL season. Close enough to call it a third. And what have we learned? asks Leigh Josey, as he gives his picks for the weekend ahead.
The rebellious Laura Bush — the pro gay feminist
Laura Bush, wife of Dubya, may have kept silent during her time as First Lady, but now she is openly contradicting her husband on issues of gay marriage and abortion.
The big bank investigation cheat sheet
Which big American banks aren’t being investigated for fraud these days? ProPublica has put together a crib note guide to which banks are under scrutiny, by whom, and for what.
exposed How the big banks silenced their whistleblowers
An excellent investigation finds investigators at some of America’s biggest banks and lenders uncovered damning evidence of fraud and corruption in the mortgage industry — but the organisations either ignored them, harassed them, or fired them. And read part two here.
Tasty Tiger gets a big feed
Helped by high trolley ‘lolly’ sales such as food and drinks in-flight, and a tax credit against earlier losses in Australia, Tiger Airways has posted a net profit after tax of $SIN 28.2 million, writes Ben Sandilands.
Meet the man who shut down the skies
When the UK airspace was full of Icelandic volcano ash, Andrew Haines, head of the Civil Aviation Authority was the one declaring the planes couldn’t fly. But who is he?
The economics of backyard chooks
Reckon you’re saving money on eggs by keeping chickens in the backyard? Maybe at the supermarket, but what about the coop, feed, water bottles, and the birds themselves… Joshua Levin does some serious number crunching on the real value of the backyard chook.
great read 
What are words worth on the web?
A look at the complex economics of online media: “Opinions posted on blogs are cheap. Great journalism is expensive.” So should online media editors prize hits over high-quality content? And what are words on the internet actually worth?
Uhlmann: Meltdown, schmeltdown, Rudd’s a climate wimp
Rudd’s just bowling a nude ball when it comes to his handling of the ETS. What happened to “delay equals denial” and “too much time wasting”? asks Chris Uhlmann.
New species in the Amazon: mall rats
American style shopping malls are growing like weeds in Brazil’s Amazon cities, creating a new challenge for local environmentalists: how can they argue against new roads and power plants when they’re helping fuel the latest fad?
Betting Market Friday: Abbott’s march across the markets
The polling stampede for Tony Abbott pushed Labor out by 4 or 5 cents across all agencies, while the Coalition tightened by between 15 and 30 cents. Possum Comitatus explains.
Playboy‘s 3D centrefold is about more than just bigger boobs
Playboy has released a 3D edition of its ailing t-n-a magazine. But it’s not just a gimmick, says Melinda Varley: it’s a sign print media is finally “getting” digital.
Adobe drops a love bomb on Apple
In the latest chapter of the Apple vs. Adobe stoush, Adobe has fired an unexpected shot: launching a “We [heart] Apple” ad campaign. While on its site, the company’s founders have written an open letter to Steve Jobs.
Canberra: no longer crap
Just a few years ago Canberra was a pathetic attempt at a national capital, now it’s a booming, exciting city. And it’s all thanks to Kevin Rudd and his love for bureaucrats and policy wonks.
Why are we surprised when our government doesn’t bribe us?
Wayne Swan’s “no frills” budget is about responsibility, not politics. Why is this a shock? Budgets should always be about careful management, not buying votes, and anything else should not be “expected”, says Tom Ormonde.
The curious case of Kevin Ruddon
Kevin Rudd is slumping right in the middle of an election year, a shadow of his former popularity. But blame Labor and its push for anti-meritocracy, not the PM, writes Nick Dyrenfurth.
Meet Thailand’s rogue “Commander Red”
Renegade Thai General “Seh Daeng” (Commander Red) was shot on the streets of Bangkok yesterday, adding further fuel to an already bloody battle. The BBC profiles the divisive Red Shirt leader and cult figure who likens himself to Mel Gibson in Braveheart.
Why Bangkok is about to get a lot bloodier
Rogue Thai General “Seh Daeng” — “Thailand’s scariest bogeyman” — was shot in the head yesterday. A lot of angry Red Shirts are about to get a lot angrier.
Who owns Facebook?
Facebook is now said to be worth over $22 billion, and when the company finally floats next year, its owners are going to get very, very rich. Meet Silicon Valley’s next overnight billionaires.
Coorey: Gold for miners, but he can’t buy off stay-at-home-mums
