December 2011
Watching a Test match is a great teacher of the virtues that make for success in life: determination, strategy and simply keeping your eye on the ball.
Anyone watching India knows that they are beating Australia hands down at all three. India is set to win while the complacent, lucky country seems sure to waste its natural advantages.
Obviously, after the events at the MCG yesterday, I am talking not of cricket, but of energy security.
Continue reading "Clean bowled in cricket, but they’ll clean us up in energy" »
The BBC has compiled a list of 12 Female Faces of 2011 (one for each month) and guess who took out the final spot?
Angela Zhang who at the age of 17 discovered a nanoparticle that kills cancer cells? Nope.
Eman al-Obeidi, who defied Muuammar Gadaffi’s regime by confessing to the foreign press that she had been beaten and gang-raped by members of his militia? Nope.
Continue reading "BBC’s panda propaganda is utterly bamboozling" »
Latest 2 of 46 comments
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Bow Hunter says:
Hey Claire, one of the women listed got Justin Timberlake to go to a dance with her - wow lucky that achivement got mentioned? But clearly you are OK with that one. Read more »
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Ben H says:
What about the few intelligent and courageous young women who defy the social pressure and feminist programming, and dedicate themselves to a husband and family early, before becoming weathered, jaded, overly assertive and generally unsuitable for commitment? Why are those ladies so unvalued and unrecognised? Read more »
Just when womens boxing thought it was making progress, it has been dealt a brutal double left jab right cross combo right where it hurts the most – between the legs.
Next year female boxing will make its Olympic debut at the London Games, but celebrations and preparations have been soured by a push by the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) to have the competitors wear skirts in the ring.
I kind of thought if there was one sport you didn’t want to piss off then it’d be boxing and the girls aren’t happy.
Continue reading "Boxing skirts the boundaries of credibility with sexist rule" »
Latest 2 of 78 comments
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Bora says:
Love how people are using the comments to show sexism and misogyny, when men vs. women or even general commentary on women’s sport is completely not the point of the article and has nothing whatsoever to do with it. Forcing women to wear skirts in boxing is nothing but sexist.… Read more »
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Ben H says:
The girls would be happier if they were trained in a more passive, graceful role, rather than one that instills unnatural agression and competitiveness. I’m not a fan of boxing in general, but find the concept of ‘ladies’ belting the senses out of one another downright sickening. Read more »
They’re already spruiking fans’ tours to the 2013 Ashes on the telly, in between ads for priceless mock memorabilia and the odd spot of cricket.
Not interested. Wouldn’t go to see The Ashes if I could. But the next tour to India? Now that’s something worth saving up for, and not just because India is a far more enticing travel destination than dreary, drizzly old England.
Fact is, Australia vs India is cricket’s great new rivalry. The Ashes, great tradition though it is, is second, with South Africa vs Australia third and daylight fourth. Disagree? Here are 10 reasons why India is the new England.
Latest 2 of 82 comments
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PW says:
Cowan 76 and Warner 42 runs in Melbourne, both for 2 outs. Both well below Katich’s Test average of 45. Read more »
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Al Johnston says:
“Australia drew 1-1 with SA in SA and should have won 2-0.” But they didn’t. And who seriously believes a two-Test series proves anything? Good result for Sri Lanka but the series is not decided yet. I would rather see England, as dominant now as they were in the 1950s,… Read more »
In a few months’ time, you will be confronted by a bunch of people will beg you to let a pair of cows onto a ship. But do not allow those wild-eyed bovine to set even one hoof on deck, lest they rend the supple flesh from your throat. That sounds crazy, but give me a moment to explain.
If ancient civilisations, reclusive internet jabberers and random online sex offenders are to be believed, 2012 marks the end of the world.
Some say an asteroid with a crudely-drawn smiley face will plunge into the Earth during the final chorus of Auld Lang Syne, while others believe apes will suddenly spear everyone to death on December 31. It doesn’t matter - it’s curtains either way.
Continue reading "Happy moo year, just watch out for those killer cows" »
Latest 2 of 17 comments
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Shane From Melbourne says:
Yes, I’ve heard that the Liberals do a lot of mass debating….. Read more »
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holden says:
Gillard knew before the election that there was going to be a bovine revolution, and she told us, “No way!”. She should call a new election because I would have voted for Tony if I had known the world was going to end. In fact everyone would have voted for… Read more »
If you’re a parent, you may think the seasonal requirement to buy your children stocking-loads of plastic crap has finally come to an end.
“Phew,” you may be saying (or perhaps flatulating if you consumed one too many prune-stuffed ham fists over Chrimbo).
“At last it will be possible to enter a shopping centre without being pressured to purchase a googolplex of anatomically unsound dolls, micro vehicles and cyber pets.”
Continue reading "Christmas is over but the brats need more bratz" »
Latest 2 of 52 comments
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Joan Bennett says:
My Mother always said the one child at my primary school (1970s) who got lots of “stuff” got it because her parents did not really want her. She was a miserable girl and I felt so deeply sorry for her even at that age. I think my Mum was right. … Read more »
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acotrel says:
I believe that what attracts the kids to these things , is a form of adversarialism. It’s cool to to have a go at adults, even if they are picking up the tab for everything in the kid’s lives. The old ‘teenage rebellion’ has moved forward a bit ? And… Read more »
Ah, the holidays. How good is it to relax on the couch to watch the cricket and – hang on, my phone’s beeping.
Gee, I’d better respond to some of those work emails.
And there are notifications on Twitter. Someone’s tagged a photo on Facebook. Looks like there’s a job offer via LinkedIn. And I should check out who’s on Google+ while I’m at it.
Seriously, do we ever turn off anymore?
Continue reading "We all need to tune in, turn off and chill out" »
Latest 2 of 56 comments
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I, Claudia says:
Relax, Fred - it’s really not that stressful. Read more »
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Alan says:
5pm on the 23rd - call from client , 5am on the 25th call from same client, 10am on the 27th call from same client - phone now turned off. Just because you don’t have a life don’t assume I’m the same. Read more »
In a democratic polity like Australia, there is a compact between the governing party and the governed people. Under it, the people make a choice and thereby give their consent to be governed after having been informed of the policies and platform of the respective parties.
This information is provided in a variety of ways: through official party platforms, policy documents, media releases, communications to organisations and individuals, and media statements. Together, it constitutes the basis upon which the citizens make a choice at an election.
Some of this material is vague and general, but much of it is detailed and precise. Parties make commitments to do – or not to do – certain things, knowing that their word will be relied upon by the people in casting their votes.
Continue reading "The wooden puppet who dreamed of becoming PM…" »
Latest 2 of 180 comments
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Ted says:
The public gets a say at least every three years, at the… wait for it… election. If members of the public, including you, believe that they can do a better job than the current representatives, they are free to stand for Parliament. On the basis of your comments, clearly you… Read more »
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Andrew (Andy) Alcock says:
David’s point about the Liberal Party backflip on the GST is a very valid one. The situation with a minority government has changed many of the ideas that the ALP wanted to introduce. Kevin, you claim that Howard was compelled to introduce the GST. This would not have been the… Read more »
There has been plenty of diplomatic semantics around the American presence in Darwin but many including the Chinese are still not satisfied. The United States has long wanted a permanent military base in northern Australia.
But they are not stupid.
So when Australian officials conveyed that a fixed establishment would not be politically palatable here they saved us the embarrassment of having to say no in a high-level bilateral meeting if the request was made.
Continue reading "A more permanent US presence no baseless rumour" »
Latest 2 of 39 comments
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Brian says:
Dieter - might I remind you that the reason the Swiss (who actually fought quite a few wars before turning to neutrality) were able to keep out of the world wars was due to their strong military (relative to their size) and aggressive defense of their borders? They had the… Read more »
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malohi says:
How did I miss this gem of a quid pro quo yesterday? Read more »
It’s the stuff of an edge-of-your-seat thriller: Scientists develop a fatal flu virus, one that could decimate humanity. What happens next?
Well, the fatal virus, a mutated strain of bird flu that can pass between other animals, is here. Scientists have created it in a lab - and it’s not clear what will happen next. Some scientists want to stop all the details of the research from being published for fear of bioterrorism, while others say ‘censorship’ will obstruct the search for a vaccine.
The very existence of the fatal virus, though, is a dramatic development. It echoes the plot of myriad horror flicks where the heroes battle an invisible villain amid gruesome illness and an increasing body count.
Latest 2 of 100 comments
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marley says:
@Kassandra - well actually, I’ve read several abstracts of articles by experts in infectious diseases, and they agree that there will be further pandemics, with H5N1 and H9N2 both considered as potential candidates, along with old favourites like H1N1. And let’s not forget that there were two pandemics in the… Read more »
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Kassandra says:
Oops typo meant H5N1 sry. The H1N1 subtype was the flu virus responsible for the 1918 “Spanish flu” and 2009 “swine flu” pandemics. Read more »
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