The game of being famous for what you aren’tRising NBA star Kevin Durant has become an angelic figure in American sport. However, the celebration of his clean-cut reputation is indicative of a wider propensity for athletes to accrue fame not for what they are but for what they aren’t, writes Tommy Craggs.
September, 2010
How the Apple isle is making a minority government work
Down in Tassie the ALP Premier David Bartlett formed a minority government with the help of Greens MPs. And it’s chugging along quite nicely thanks, declares Kate Crowley.
PHOTO GALLERY 
The world’s worst workplaces
Want to know where not to get a job? This photo essay reveals the world’s worst occupations and workplaces, from sorting grain in Belarus to manufacturing carpet in Libya.
From the projects to YouTube to the music charts
Every so often a YouTube video becomes more than just a quick giggle and actually makes money. This video — a comical interview with the brother of a sexual assault victim, turned into a song (seriously) — has been racing up the iTunes charts.
The journo who wrote a 1000 word story on Twitter
When Ford was forced to pay US$131 million damages after an Explorer rolled and killed a young man, no news services picked up the story. So writer Adam Penenberg took to Twitter.
Why we shouldn’t put up with sportspeople advertising sugar
CSR’s admission as to the dangers of fructose is far more than any tobacco company ever managed (before they were forced to). We banned cigarette advertising at sporting events almost 20 years ago.
Business slow for techies
The technology sector is often associated with a burgeoning industry left largely unscathed by the effects of the GFC. However, new and unexpectedly low hiring trend figures in America suggest it may not be the engine of economic recovery many may have hoped.
Snubs and surprises at the Helpmanns … but is that such a scandal?
Cate Blanchett was snubbed! Not a complete surprise, granted, given she wasn’t even nominated. But still outrageous! Jason Whittaker reviews Australian theatre’s night of nights.
Flies, famine and floods: meet the hungry family living amongst it
A photo of toddlers with their faces covered in flies, lying on a rug in a makeshift camp has become the “human face” of the Pakistan floods. The Guardian tracks down Reza Khan, the two-year-old drinking from a insect-covered bottle.
Facebook now, or forever hold your peace
French immigration minister Eric Besson has delayed a trip to the altar with his 24-year-old fiancé in response to a Facebook group in which over 1000 people pledged to disrupt the ceremony. Besson is reportedly one of the country’s least popular politicians.
Phoenix not there for I’m Still Here
Speculation continues to grow about whether Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix’s “meltdown-umentary” I’m Still Here is an elaborate hoax. To add to the mystery, Phoenix was nowhere to be seen at one of the film’s first public screenings.
PHOTO GALLERY A cracked and chaotic Christchurch
Bridges twisted like they were made of cardboard, buildings without walls or roofs and roads with gaping holes in the middle of them: this gallery of the Christchurch earthquake is quite an eye-opener.
Chinese global investments soar
More and more Chinese companies are investing overseas, with the country chalking up around US$56.5 billion in outbound investments. That makes China the world’s fifth largest global investor, writes Ding Qingfen.
Mad Katter doesn’t love the gays
Bob Katter got questioned about his homophobic jokes on last night’s Q&A. His claim that no gay people live in his electorate is very wrong and very worrying, says Erik Jensen.
Playing the name game
For every Google, there are a million John’s Cafes and A Cut Above hairdressers. So what’s the trick to a great business name? Try something quirky, memorable and with an available domain name, says the experts.
Did Murdoch tap Princess Di?
Following recent revelations that UK celebrities have had their voice mail messages tapped by the Murdoch press, fresh questions have been raised about whether the same thing happened to Princess Diana, who repeatedly spoke about being “bugged.”
It could all come down to a bridge
Bob Katter’s decision about which party to back could ultimately favor Labor due to the construction of the Einasleigh River bridge, which after many years of lobbying was funded by the Rudd government.
The end is nigh
Crikey media wrap: Today is the day of reckoning, when the three independents will finally announce whether they are Team Gillard or Team Abbott, leading Australia out of political purgatory.
French population poised to protest pensions reform
Viewed as a key plank for his reelection platform, French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to raise the nation’s official retirement age from 60 to 62 has generated widespread controversy, with around two million people expected to stage unions-supported strikes.
Reopening the dialogue about Myanmar
As Myanmar approaches its first election in two decades, a conversation about politics and human rights in the Southeastern Asian nation has again captured media attention. Soon the world might have to stop labeling its government a “regime,” writes Nirmal Ghosh.
Grattan: Time to decide. Now.
After more than two weeks of political purgatory, the time is well and truly here for the “three amigo” independent MPs to decide which party to back. There are no excuses for more delays, writes Michelle Grattan.
Katter on Q & A: sound and fury, signifying nothing
Last night Bob Katter was the guest star of ABC’s Q & A and he didn’t fail to put on one heck of a show: talking from the gut, debating the audience, lunging between emotions. But he kept his cards very close to his chest, writes Mark Davis.
The festival’s in town: what Melbourne will serve up
Curtain Call loves an arts festival, and Melbourne’s international showcase in October promises much. Festival director Brett Sheehy walks us through what theatre audiences can expect.
Five years in and the honeymoon is over for the A-League
After five seasons of largely positive news, the A-league is beginning to go through a bit of a rough patch. The news is grim and, as Crikey reader Graham Hand writes, it looks like there is nothing that the FFA can do about it.
Gillard finally found what she was looking for
Ever since Julia Gillard became PM, she’s been desperately seeking authority and validation for the role. This election — even with a hung parliament — has given her that, argues Peter Brent.
