One of the more salient – yet overlooked – aspects of Robert Manne’s Quarterly Essay Bad News is its assessment of The Oz’s coverage of the Iraq War and its aftermath, writes NAJ Taylor.
October, 2011
Spielberg’s Tintin — a glossy Indiana Jones-esque globetrotter
Steven Spielberg’s big budget film about Hergé’s intrepid globe trotting reporter has some breathtaking moments and an endearing naivety, writes Guy Lodge.
Jarvis Cocker: modern music is like ‘scented candles’
You don’t have to be a Pulp fan to enjoy this revealing interview with muso Jarvis Cocker, as he talks about awful pop lyrics and young artists now coming from middle and upper-class families.
Revealed: Steve Jobs final project
In the final months of his life, Steve Jobs spent his time at Apple helping to design the new iPhone 5 — not the iPhone 4S that was released just last week. Jobs’ last project is expected to be a “complete redesign”.
The Occupy movement: rebels with (or possibly without) a cause
Occupy Wall Street participants in America and around the world have vented their frustration about corporation greed but the movement remains scattered and the next step for protestors is unclear, writes Shannon Bond.
Popular policies v unpopular government
From the ETS to onshore processing of asylum seekers, the government are struggling to manage policies that are actually quite popular. It’s all about authority — or lack thereof, says The Piping Shrike.
Can lawyers save the planet?
Lawyers have been called many things over the years, but “greenie” generally isn’t one of them. Yet with politicians hamstrung to address environmental problems, the legal profession is fast becoming our planet’s last line of defence, writes Greg Foyster.
Paul Whittaker: editor of the country’s most-feared newspaper
You may not know Paul Whittaker but you do know his boss, Rupert Murdoch. Pugnacious, proud and confident, the 42-year-old Whittaker, the new editor of Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, is already causing a stir by laying into Barry O’Farrell, writes Paul Barry.
Occupy everywhere: protests go global
Crikey media wrap: The recent Occupy Wall Street protests sparked a global day of action on Saturday, with demonstrations in Europe, Asia and Australia seeing thousands take to the streets to protest against corporate greed and corrupt governments.
Tony Abbott’s latest gig: appearing in a 1938 exploitation film
Appearances from the ubiquitous federal Opposition Leader are strewn throughout the media. However, Crikey film reviewer Luke Buckmaster was particularly surprised to discover Tony Abbott apparently appearing in a 1938 exploitation film.
Qantas dispute: so much for the Prime Minister’s powers of persuasion
Last week Prime Minister Julia Gillard urged the unions and Qantas to negotiate a settlement of their disagreements. To say that none have been reached is something of an understatement, writes Ben Sandilands.
Iran, the US and Saudi Arabia’s half-baked responses to foiled assassination attempt
Other than statements from the US, Iran and Saudi Arabia no further advice on last week’s foiled “Hollywood style” plot to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to the US has been provided, writes NAJ Taylor.
Nielsen and Galaxy: slight improvements for Labor
The latest Nielsen has the Coalition leading 57-43 on two-party preferred, down from 58-42 last time. QV Galaxy poll of 1009 respondents has it at 58-42. Both present ever so slight improvements for Labor, reports William Bowe.
Sim Budget: Herman Cain’s computer game fiscal policy
American media outlets are having a grand old time playing around with the reporting of Republican presidential nominee Herman Cain’s ’9-9-9′ tax plan, writes Luke Buckmaster.
Counting the cost of a pokies Greens Lantern
This morning, Greens Senator Richard Di Natale back-flipped from the party’s previous line on poker machines — abandoning mandatory pre-commitment technology and agitating instead for the roll out low-intensity pokies based on new $1 bet limits.
Sideshow Alley: A kiss is just a kiss …
Tony Abbott’s blood pledge comes a close second, but the clear winner for this week’s Sideshow nomination is that kiss …
Crikey Clarifier: What’s a bridging visa?
Immigration Minister Chris Bowen announced an increase in the amount of bridging visas given to asylum seekers to clear out the crowded detention centres. But how do they work?
News Ltd, AFP join forces to suppress Simon Artz conversation
The Australian government solicitor and the AFP are co-operating with News Limited in an attempt to suppress the contents of a key conversation between Paul Whittaker and police commissioner Tony Negus.
Qantas strikes: the players, who’s right and where will it end?
With the PM Julia Gillard and the Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson threatening to heavy the Qantas unions, what is going on in the disputes, and how did we get here?
Catholics miss out again in royal rules
Whether it’s from the presence of the Liberal Democrats or from David Cameron’s own convictions, Britain’s coalition government is steadily building up some reformist credentials.
Govt squeeze on China economy could mean hard landing for us
With China’s slowing economy, Australia, well and truly tethered to this monster, should understand that the dangers of a hard landing seem to be rising, not easing as it had seemed.
Packer comes to lunch, AFR delivers the pokies threats
We all know that James Packer doesn’t get out much in public, so The Australian Financial Review was clearly chuffed that he agreed to give yesterday’s star-studded “Chanticleer Chairman’s Lunch” in Sydney some extra gravitas.
Gladstone bags of diseased fish banned from sale
Reopening Gladstone Harbour to fishing has clearly put public health at risk, so much so the the local fish market has banned the sale of them, writes Crikey naturalist Lionel Elmore.
NZ oil spill a two-way disaster — for the environment and the PM
A rich local marine environment — and the immediate political fortunes of New Zealand’s government — hinge on the fate of the crippled cargo ship Rena, writes freelancer David Ritter.
