June, 2010
Thomas tore her reputation to threads 
Helen Thomas in the land of the free, home of the gagged
Yes, what Helen Thomas — the longest serving member of the White House press corps who retired yesterday — said about Israel was despicable. But doesn’t the US have freedom of speech in its constitution? asks Roy Greenslade.
Over 1000 US troops killed in Afghanistan 
We barged into Afghanistan without a clue
British military chiefs are now coming out against the decision to send 3,000 British troops into Afghanistan back in 2004, saying poor advice was given and now hundreds of lives have been lost/
Masters: I’m embedded with the unit whose soldiers died
ABC journo Chris Masters has been embedded with same Aussie unit in Afghanistan that lost two soldiers yesterday. He talks to Leigh Sales about being on the ground with the troops.
Can we leave Afghanistan yet?
Two Australian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan yesterday. After nearly a decade of Aussie troops in Afghanistan, it’s time for our PM to finally commit to a departure plan, writes Daniel Flitton.
Kelly: Rudd’s Left out everything Right
Rudd’s stuck in a bind, now a target of both the Right and Left for abandoning ETS and then pushing the mining tax. Brand Rudd is damaged but not dead…yet, writes Paul Kelly.
What another 32 A380s for Emirates could mean
The order of 32 more Airbus A380s by Emirates is about as many of the giant jets as it would need to operate all of its current flights between Australia and New Zealand and its Dubai hub, writes Ben Sandilands.
For Sale: Blackwater
Blackwater, the US military security company embroiled in civilian killings in the Iraq War, is being put on the market. But what will happen to the its covert CIA activities if it gets sold?
leaked 
Madoff on the inside
Disgraced former stockbroker Bernie Madoff is now sitting in a gaol cell in North Carolina, angrily insulting the investors that made him rich, blaming them rather than taking any personal responsibility.
Cheers TV: Episode #8: Choice Pinot Bro
New Zealand, responsible for a tsunami of Sauvignon Blanc, produces other wine varieties too. Say hello to NZ Pinot as Independent sommeliers Dan Sims and Ben Edwards conduct a drinking tour of the North and South Islands. Warning: this episode will give you diurnal fluctuations. (No sav blancs were harmed in this tasting.) Independent wine […]
Death of an American dream (Hopper and Sex and the City)
W H Chong pens an obit to Dennis Hopper, as well as to the death of the American Dream, as seen by the glassy dead-eyed, pumped- and pimped-up women of Sex and the City.
Another Matilda that drowned in the billabong
As New Matilda prepares to close its virtual doors, it takes a look back at long defunct Matilda magazine. No it’s not its predecessor, but a political satire mag that received 16 defamation writs.
Panicking over the WHO influenza pandemic
Will the scandal about undeclared industry ties of experts who advised the World Health Organisation on pandemic influenza claim the scalp of the Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan? asks Melissa Sweet.
VIDEOS: Bringing Obama back down to Earth
Malia and Sasha Obama may be cute First Daughters, but they are perpetrators of intense psychological abuse. The victim? Dad Barack. Either they are belittling or indifferent to their famous dad.
Labor and the retreat of Greens preferences
Greens preferences seem to have been shifting considerably over the last six months. Possum Comitatus takes a closer look at where preferences are now going.
revealed 
CIA used detainees as human guinea pigs
The Bush administration’s attempts to prove that “enhanced” interrogation techniques did not constitute torture actually involved the CIA using human experimentation on detainees.
Heart Foundation tick and Coles tick go against the grain
The Heart Foundation is getting its undies in a twist about Coles using a tick on its branding. But consumers might be healthier if they let the Coles tick guide their purchases.
The Oz semi settles its police leaks case
ACLEI is investigating the way Federal Police dealt with The Oz over Cameron Stewart’s anti-terror raid leaks. Despite a court settlement yesterday, there are many more questions to answer.
Business confidence down for third successive month: NAB
As was probably expected, Australian business confidence fell sharply in May, down for a third successive month while business conditions were mixed to weaker.
Keane: Twitter, certainty and branding — the grim future of political journalism
The mainstream media are already preparing us for their demise. But what will politicians do when mass media is no longer available to convey their messages to voters?
Rudd’s tougher refugee line could criminalise humanitarian aid
In true post 9-11 politics style, the Australian government is going after anyone to look tough and in control on refugees. And it’s put humanitarian aid in the firing line, writes Brami Jegan.
Greens could inspire a climate change
The Nielsen poll is supposed to have sent the government into panic mode, but the poll is wildly out of whack. Just how strong is the swing to the Greens anyway?
Guy Rundle: Rundle does Amsterdam: right winger Wilders, the canary in the coalmine of European politics
Geert Wilders, the peroxide blond leader of the PVV, the Freedom Party, has become the bete noire of Dutch politics, and a hero to crazed right-wingers everywhere around the world.
If Rudd’s a slave to opinion polls, then surely he’ll back down on RSPT
Recent polls indicate that if an election were held now Labor would be swept from office. If politics is like a giant game of rock, paper, scissors, to Kevin Rudd, opinion polls will always beat paper and rock.
