I doubt any Americans have heard of this story, so unless you have this is probably just for the Aussies. Tune out now if you are easily confused by foreign mutterings. The imminent release of Habib by the US military has created a few small problems for our beloved leader. With his release the door is now open for charges of wrongful imprisonment to be launched through the courts against the US government. The failure of such actions is nigh-on guaranteed, particularly with the Howard ...
The political commentator (mindus numbingus) is a fairly common animal, and one that can be found throughout the known world. Split largely into two seperate strands (socialus and liberalus) the displays and posturing of these creatures has entertained many throughout known history. The species can be broken down into a number of sub-species or genus - both strands appear to be found in roughly equal amounts in all genii, and scientists are still working to unlock the hidden secrets of ...
Recent newspaper stories have reported that the Australian government's aid assistance for the tsunami disaster will now sit at around AUS$1 billion dollars (US$700 million, roughly 340 million pounds). While I've been known to bitch and moan about stingy Howard, at least he's got his priorities right on this front. Nice work, little Johnny. Keep up the work of good and maybe I'll be more inclined to forgive your little... transgressions against liberty, egality and democracy.
Chances are few people agree with me, but I like the English language. I like the way it breaks its own rules with impunity. I like the way it rolls off the tongue without any unsightly throat-clearing or lisping. It could of course benefit from a few Swahili-like clicks, but then what language couldn't? I even like the way it's written. Of course there are various foreign locales who have no concept of spelling, and even spell such simple words as humour completely wrong, but this in ...
I've got a bit of a question for those few who read what I occasionally write, somewhat in the vein of Mig's Friday Five, but not really (seeing as how there's only one question after all). And it's Tuesday. So really it's nothing at all like Mig's Friday Five, but I'm sure you'll get over it. 1. But anyway, when you die and are mystically (or divinely or whatever adjective you prefer) transferred to the Pearly Gates/giant scales/dismemberment room/whatever to be judged by your deity ...
As a few of you may be aware, the Australian Liberal Party under the command of Prime Minister John Howard was recently reelected in a public, totally transparent and legitimate election by the adults of Australia. Unlike in the US there is no controversy about the fact that his party's success was the will of the people, so while I disagree with their decision, the will of the people must be accepted. But the interesting thing about this recent election is that Mr Howard was returned to ...
I'm sure we've all come across those confounding symbols of the modern workplace, those horrific sentences which turn the mind into cream cheese and stupefy everyone cursed with their presence. I speak, of course, of weasel words, the words of the modern bureaucracy and the marketplace. Consider this gem of marketing genius: But when you have a complex customer service challenge or marketing campaign that needs expertise from several areas of your company, a great team can step ...
I'm sure we've all seen the dramatic footage from NBC and its worldwide affiliates of the US marine shooting an unarmed and seriously wounded Iraqi (from style of dress and surrounding equipment almost certainly a rebel). The fading to black with the inclusion of full audio was particularly dramatic, and certainly got my attention as I worked on the news last night. But is a war crimes tribunal really necesary for the young man who pulled the trigger? Some who've probably pigeonholed me ...
In recent days a number of writers on this site have released their manifestos about patriotism. Conservatives like Draginol have argued that to be a critical leftist is to be unpatriotic. Liberals like Same Old Rat have plaintively asked, "Why?" In response it has been said that to believe that the US is anything but a force for the greater good in this world is to be unpatriotic. Fair enough - blind patriotism requires unending support in the face of any evidence, whether manufactured o...
Today I voted for the first time in my country's elections. There were five names on the house of reps ballot and 13 on the senate one. And while I spent a few minutes thinking about who I would rather have in power, I knew all along that what I voted was irrelevent, that I knew before voting that even if there was a change in the elected officials it would have no effect on my life. I am one of the forgotten people. As a young man with no children, moderately wealthy parents and in t...
Personally I don't like link articles, but just this once check out this article before reading further: Link Somehow I think this article sums up all the problems we face in this world. If someone's not in our monkeysphere, we're just incapable of feeling any of the compassion that we might show to someone who was. That's why the bum on the street is ignored but a struggling friend will get a helping hand (even if it's just holding a beer). Suicide bombers? They do it because th...
I found this article in my local newspaper this morning and thought it summed up fairly well my own opinions on the problem of terrorism, although I have a few reservations I'll add later if this article doesn't sink. Some might recognise Ziauddin Sardar's name from his collaborative work with Merryl Wyn Davies, Why Do People Hate America? but to those of you who don't, I recommend looking into some of the stuff he writes. It can be quite interesting and possibly enlightening. My favou...
Over the past few weeks this site has seen an upsurge in the number of articles attacking Islam for failing to police its more militant wings. Comparisons have been made with the failure of church leaders to condemn Nazism in the 1930s and the failure of American pastors to condemn racism in the 19th and 20th centuries. In nearly all cases Muslims are labelled wrong because they fail to condemn that which my ancestors (I make no claims about the courage/cowardice of yours) failed to condemn...
There has been a lot of calls for the eradication of the martial technique known as terrorism recently. Terrorism has always been with us. Roman legions were let loose on civilian camps who defied them in order to spread fear and terror amongst the restless peasantry. Crusaders used catapults to launch the severed heads of the dead over the walls of Jerusalem. Ninja hunted the powerful by night and spread fear and paranoia amongst the upper crust of the Shogunate. Anti-abortionists used ...