This weekend is the Caulfield Cup, so join Leigh Josey and James Thomson — and occasional ramblings from First Dog on the Moon as they talk horses, Vodka Cruisers, betting and how likely it is they will actually win any money (current status: unlikely).
October, 2010
Is it time to lay the Games to rest?
New Delhi citizens had high hopes for the Commonwealth Games and were bitterly disappointed with its lackluster turnout. Business has been bad across the board, prompting Andy Bull to ask: is it time to declare the Games dead?
The Big Mouse’s struggle to stay in the black
Walt Disney Chairman Rich Ross ought to be happy about generating more than $2 billion from two movies this year alone, but the Big Mouse has a plethora of ongoing dilemmas it needs to constantly address in order to remain profitable, writes Julian Lee.
Great painter at work: David Ralph
Embedded within the thriving arts community called Advertising, a refurbished old warehouse in Melbourne’s Richmond is the brand new space for an exciting gallery called Block Projects. W.H. Chong peaked inside.
Introducing the Skypebook
The long prophesized merging of Skype and Facebook has come to fruition in Skype 5.0, which features sleek integration of Facebook’s news and friends feeds, says Jennifer Grove
Google announces annual mobile ad revenue
Google has for the first time announced its annual revenue from mobile phone advertisements: a cool US$1 billion. CEO Eric Schmidt is - quite understandably - singing a happy tune, reports Tricia Duryee.
Tea Party candidate abvocates abolition of public schools
Tea Party candidate David Harmer, tipped to win his district in November, believes public school funding is “socialism in education” and has previously called for the elimination of public schools entirely - but he’s keeping those views quiet on the campaign trail, writes Nick Baumann.
Six months on and the Happy Meal is still smiling
A New York woman has attracted international headlines by showcasing a Happy Meal she has kept for six months. According to her, it looks like it hasn’t aged a day. The big question remains: when will she eat it?
Unpicking myths about parents who reject childhood vaccinations
The decision of the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing to revoke the Australian Vaccination Network’s charitable status will no doubt have a substantial impact on the group. Julie Leask unpacks some anti-vaccination myths.
Democracy and the fear of cannibalism: Chilean foreman speaks
Luis Urzúa, the Chilean mining foreman who helped keep his team alive for two months while they were trapped 700 metres below the ground, has given his first interview from a San José hospital bed - discussing the group’s use of democracy and its unspoken fear of cannibalism.
Murray Darling debate is not holding water
The mammoth draft proposal released by the Murray Darling Basin Authority last week has been attacked from virtually every angle. With so much rancor and emotion, logic and reason appear to be drowning in the debate, writes David Penberthy.
The raging war between farmers and Gillard
It’s no surprise the Murray Darling Basin Plan consultations are fiery affairs, full of angry rural people. PM Gillard is going to lose control of this water debate before it’s even started, warns Lenore Taylor.
Crimes in 140 characters or less
To prove that policing isn’t just about car chases and gang fights, the Greater Manchester Police Station tweeted every single incident that got called in. It’s a fascinating look at the busy-but-banal look at policing.
Grattan: Defending crazy Tony
Gung-ho Tony Abbott wanting to get embedded with Aussie troops in Afghanistan is back to the Action Man Abbott of old. But he might need to retreat on his defence policy, says Michelle Grattan.
How to save billions in health costs
Today Department of Health and Ageing staff will be told that Australia could save billions on medicines by using cheap generic products. Jane Martin of the Obesity Policy Coalition also believes policy makers also should implement a tax of on soft drinks.
Why do grown men weep in Toy Story 3?
How come adults can watch a film about cartoon toys aimed at children and be reduced to crying messes? Ironically, people can apparently connect more emotionally with the characters because they are animated.
What is the value of sports journalism?
Being a sports journalist can be a pretty sweet gig, but does it have any positive impact on society? Confronted by extreme poverty in New Delhi, David Lowden questions the importance of the profession he’s worked in for the last two decades.
Victorian election war-of-words: the Myki champion turned Greens critic
A war of words has broken out between rival candidates in the knife-edge Melbourne seat of Brunswick, with Labor candidate Jane Garrett branding the Greens’ Cyndi Dawes a “hypocrite” for her support of the troubled Myki ticketing system during her former role as a spruiker for the authority charged with its rollout.
Visa changes expose higher education funding problems
For too long we’ve funded higher education through a reliance on foreign students. Now the costs of that reliance are becoming clear.
Rethinking Afghanistan: risks, consequences need to be assessed
The quality, relevance and consequent utility of general public debate concerning Australia’s military commitment to the UN-endorsed International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan is often problematic at best, writes Neil James, executive director, Australia Defence Association.
‘Race to the bottom’: why our poorest pay the most tax
Australia’s poorest pay the highest effective marginal tax rates, leading to long-term work disincentives for welfare recipients, according to a brief released by The Australia Institute this week.
Jetstar climbs into bed with American Airlines
The “virtualisation” of air travel took another controversial leap forward in Auckland this morning where Qantas subsidiary Jetstar announced an inbound code-share deal into NZ with American Airlines.
Gallop on the new politics, proportional voting and ministerial ring-ins
An extract from a speech from Professor Geoff Gallop — former Western Australian premier and director of the Graduate School of Government at the University of Sydney — delivered as part of the annual Hawke Lecture in Adelaide last night.
Wesfarmers transparency sets example on contract disclosures
It can be argued that ASIC and the ASX are allowing the likes of BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto to trade in an uninformed market because of a failure to update the market on quarterly iron ore and coal contract prices.
States continuing to impede progress towards a sustainable Murray-Darling
A sustainable Murray-Darling Basin — and the regional communities that depend on it — need a properly-working water market. The states are preventing one from developing.
