http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/dennis-phillips/ Dennis Phillips taught U.S. politics and history at Macquarie University and the University of Sydney. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/presidential-wannabe-perry-is-all-hat-no-cattle/ Just when you thought the race for the Republican Party nomination for US president could not become more bizarre, Texas governor Rick Perry, 61, throws his hat in the ring. As they say in Texas, Perry is “all hat and no cattle”. Politically he represents the frontier-style brand of bare-knuckle American conservatism that often surprises and puzzles overseas observers. One respected Texas political analyst described Perry as “yet another small-minded, right wing, Texas governor” who on August 13 portrayed himself as THE Christian presidential candidate at a ‘Prayer-A-Palooza’ campaign launch at a Houston football stadium. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Dennis Phillips) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/presidential-wannabe-perry-is-all-hat-no-cattle/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/presidential-wannabe-perry-is-all-hat-no-cattle/#item6548 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:50:21 +0000 Dennis Phillips | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/first-world-problem-death-by-fat/ Children as young as 10 are at risk of heart disease. Doctors are faced with obese toddlers, and teenagers that weigh up to 200kg. Kids are fat, and getting fatter, and it’s no surprise if they’re guzzling soft drinks and gobbling fast food. Dr Matt Sabin, from the Royal Children’s Hospital weight management clinic, says: “We’re not talking about a little bit of extra weight, we’re talking about severely obese children”. The United States and Australia are experiencing a lethal ‘fat crisis’ that is growing steadily worse. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Dennis Phillips) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/first-world-problem-death-by-fat/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/first-world-problem-death-by-fat/#item6314 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:35:54 +0000 Dennis Phillips | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/in-politics-truth-is-negotiable-and-morality-is-optional/ The campaign tactics of all major parties in the NSW election proved we live in an atmosphere where truth is negotiable and lying is routinely accepted as a political necessity. The result is widespread public cynicism that often masquerades as humour - but is, in fact, an excellent form of crowd control. We do not expect our politicians to amount to much, so we are neither surprised nor particularly upset when they don’t. Rather than demand reform, we tell cynical jokes and are bemused by their brazen immorality. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Dennis Phillips) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/in-politics-truth-is-negotiable-and-morality-is-optional/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/in-politics-truth-is-negotiable-and-morality-is-optional/#item5521 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:00:27 +0000 Dennis Phillips | Author bios | The Punch