October, 2010
Crikey Says: Howard’s hubris
Finally, we have John Howard’s own version of why he remained Liberal leader through to the 2007 election — and then went down, ignominiously and unnecessarily, with the ship.
Book review: The Mary Smokes — old-fashioned, but in a good way
Set in a small town outside Brisbane, author Patrick Holland’s second novel follows a young boy grappling with the death of his mother. Holland’s approach feels old fashioned and his sentences are tight yet lyrical, writes Angela Meyer.
David Suzuki on humanity’s “59th minute”
According to David Suzuki, humanity is in its 59th minute and we’re on a suicidal path of economic growth. Anna Rose was at the Sydney Opera House where Suzuki, as part of his Legacy Tour, used scientific examples to illustrate the laws of nature and how he says we’re breaking them.
Lazarus has already risen – in outer space
The title of John Howard’s soon to be released memoirs Lazarus Rising isn’t original - it is also the name of a 2003 SCI-FI novel about adventurous deep-space marines who fight “super-sized skinks.” The co-author admits he’s never heard of Mr Howard.
Assange on the run: it’s not paranoia if they’re really after you
Notorious Wikileaks head honcho Julian Assange checks into hotels using fake names, talks only on expensive encrypted telephones and is the self-professed “James Bond of journalism.” He claims his infamous website would deteriorate without him, writes John F. Burns.
M*A*S*H, public sentiment and the war Afghanistan
On the subject of the war in Afghanistan the Australian public seem to be echoing the same old testaments espoused in M*A*S*H - that war is futile and childish - but it is harder to imagine a better war to be a part of, writes David Burchell.
Bailout beneficiaries generously funding candidates
US companies such as General Motors and Chrysler that received federal bailout money are giving generously to political candidates - even those who campaigned against the bailout legislation, writes T.W. Farnam.
PHOTO GALLERY 
Now and Then: merging pictures of past and present
Now and then is a photography project in which photographers hold an old photograph inside a new one to demonstrate the way physical properties have evolved.
Google fesses up: we collected your private information
Following international controversy about the manner with which Google Streetview vehicles have collected data, the search giant have admitted that its fleet of cars have inadvertently snatched personal information such as emails and computer passwords.
must read 
The Iraq War Logs
The claims from thousands of classified US military documents from the Iraq War, released to the public by WikiLeaks, are startling: 15,000 new civilians deaths have been uncovered, torture of detainees in Iraqi prisons and Down’s Syndrome patients used as suicide bombers. The UK’s Bureau of Investigative Journalism spent three months combing through them.
Interview: Ten questions for Greg Barns
Greg Barns is an Australian barrister, author, political commentator, former political candidate in Hobart, Tasmania and ran the ‘99 Republic Referendum campaign with Malcolm Turnbull. Bob Gosford asked him ten questions at the 2010 Australian Lawyers Alliance Conference.
Was this Copenhagen all over again?
The climate negotiations came to a close last week in China and the closing plenary of the talks was not without drama. Delayed for over an hour, head negotiators huddled around the hall desperately seeking common ground, reports Phillip Ireland.
The safety risks of pilot P-platers and new style airline managers raised in Senate
Australia’s largest pilot union has warned that the indifference of airline managements and young pilots to training standards and experience is dragging down safety from its previously high level in this country, reports Ben Sandilands.
Grattan: A nation stuck in a gridlock
Two months on from the election and Australia still hasn’t made its mind up over who should run the nation, according to the latest Nielsen poll. It’s looking tough for PM Gillard. writes Michelle Grattan
TV review: The Walking Dead (Pilot) — zombies with extra bite
Producing a television show about zombies is a difficult proposition, but The Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont proves he’s up to the challenge with the his upcoming showThe Walking Dead . The pilot episode crackles with slick undead energy, writes Dan Barrett.
Nielsen: 51-49 to Coalition
A new Nielsen poll has the Coalition with a 51-49 lead, their first in any poll since the election. Labor’s primary vote is 34% while the Coalition is on 43%, writes William Bowe.
Spring Racing Carnival Jockey Wrap: the Cox Plate
Crikey’s Sport tsar Leigh Josey and SmartCompany Editor James Thomson have a look at which horses have a chance at taking out the coveted Cox Plate.
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Wankley Awards: The Gold Coast Bulletin’s V8 rev-up
As the Gold Coast spiv community struggles to rev-up the hyperbole ahead of the Gold Coast 600 V8 race this weekend, the biggest story of all appears to have been ignored by the glitter strip’s sole daily newspaper.
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s midterms: ‘Wassup Seattle’ … Obama raises the Huskies’ roof
Farmers, ex-hippies, old draft dodgers, dockers, timberworkers. Short hair and salt-and-pepper ponytails, grey sweats and Jimi Hendrix tie-dye. All packed to the roof of the Huskies basketball stadium waiting for Obama, writes Guy Rundle in Seattle.
Pilot association on the attack over P-plater fly boys
A scathing attack on the management cultures of Australia’s airlines has been made in a pilot association statement to key Senators in advance of a Senate inquiry into pilot training and standards.
The strange case of Janko v Horacio
Janko Tipsarevic, of Serbia, and Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos faced off in the Kremlin Cup. Zeballos won. Nothing too strange about that, except the manner in which the match unfolded soon raised alarm bells and red flags, says Jonathan Howcroft.
Hockey on banks saying what Labor should be
While Joe Hockey gets a belting, officials are pointing out exactly the banking cartel problems he is talking about.
