1996 Tour de France Winner Admits to Doping …..

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/26/sports/othersports/26cycling.html?hp

By IAN AUSTEN

Published: May 26, 2007

 

PM warns Coalition of electoral annihilation …..

The Prime Minister has warned his colleagues that current opinion polls mean the Coalition would not just lose a federal election, it would be annihilated.

John Howard has told a meeting of Liberal and National MPs the polls show Labor would win emphatically.

He has warned if they are expecting him to pull a rabbit out of a hat, he does not have a rabbit.

 

APEC SUMMIT - FORECAST TRAFFIC CHAOS …..

The NSW Government has reportedly come up with a drastic solution to the chaos of the APEC summit - Tourism NSW will reportedly produce a campaign with the slogan: "Get Out of APEC Weekend".

It is understood industry operators will offer package deals & special rates to encourage Sydneysiders to leave the city during the long weekend of September 7-9 to avoid the disruption.

Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington

Friday May 18, 2007

The Guardian

(BIG LETTERS BY GUS)

'I do not regret close relationship with Bush'

"BUSH'S IQ IS ACTUALLY 86, NOT 85... BUT I WAS THAT CLOSE..."

· I would take the same position again I WOULD LIE, TELL PORKIES, BULLY, AND GET MY BELLY SCRATCHED IN THE SAME MANNER AGAIN

· There is still work to do for the common good AS LONG AS THERE IS OIL IN IT.

 

from the ABC ….

Green group targets Turnbull over Gunns mill assessment

‘Environmentalists are taking legal action against federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull over his assessment of Gunns' proposed northern Tasmanian pulp mill.

The Commonwealth had to begin its own environmental assessment of the $1.5 billion development after the timber company withdrew from the original assessment process.

 

from Lateline …..

JOE HOCKEY: No, of course not. Of course I couldn't say that. But you know what, you can't go into a contract, a perfectly valid contract, which two people entered into without duress, by agreement and say we are going to have this new government test apply and if there is anything wrong, we're going to have back pay. Now that is - that is probably unlawful, but obviously the logistics of that are phenomenal. Now, you have to take it at face value.

Loyal to Bush but Big Thorn in G.O.P. Side
By SCOTT SHANE and DAVID JOHNSTON
Published: May 17, 2007

WASHINGTON, May 16 — For a loyal George W. Bush Republican, James B. Comey has made a remarkable amount of trouble for the White House.

As deputy attorney general in 2003, he appointed his old friend Patrick J. Fitzgerald as independent counsel in the C.I.A. leak case, leading to the perjury conviction of Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby Jr.

In 2004, he backed Justice Department subordinates who withdrew a legal memorandum justifying harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists. This spring, more than a year after leaving the government, he publicly praised several United States attorneys who had been dismissed, undermining the administration’s claim that they were removed for poor performance.

 

As seen on the 7:30 report, ABC TV...

Rattus talking to O'brien .…..

from the ABC …..

Howard reflects on 'very bad' poll result

Prime Minister John Howard says today's Newspoll result is very negative for his Government.

Support for the Government has fallen in the Newspoll, despite last week's Budget, with Labor increasing its lead to 18 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.

The Coalition has polled 41 per cent to Labor's 59 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.

from the NYT …..

Bank's Report Says Wolfowitz Violated Ethics

By STEVEN R. WEISMAN

Published: May 15, 2007

 

‘Cricket tours have been cancelled due to terrorism, world wars and even the French Revolution, but never before on account of a government's interventionism.

John Howard's directive sets a dangerous precedent for sport in Australia, albeit a popular one in this case. But should the Government look to broaden that ban beyond matches played exclusively in Zimbabwe, as Howard and Alexander Downer foreshadowed, it could well find itself in a heated battle with the very body it is trying to help.

 

‘The Government is unable to break its addiction to soaring defence spending on high-tech but unsuitable assault toys. This is money that should have been spent enhancing lives through health and education.

 

Blair will stand down on 27 June

He made the announcement in a speech to party activists in his Sedgefield constituency, after earlier briefing the Cabinet on his plans.

He acknowledged his government had not always lived up to high expectations but said he had been "very blessed" to lead "the greatest nation on earth".