A spectacular boat explosion, pointed guns, BRW rich listers and secret shareholdings in the British Virgin Islands are just some of the intriguing elements involving former government ministers, investors and controversial coalmining deals worth tens of millions of dollars.

No less than the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) posted a column on the history of putting to death those who engage in financial malfeasance. 

Bill Shorten, nasty little prick, insulted an Asian woman about her pie. This is big news in Australia. It is much more important evidently than the possible charges to be laid against Rupert and James Murdoch in Britain.

from politicoz …..

Wayne Swan is a working class legend in his own lunchtime. Just ask him. Or rather just read his John Button memorial speech.

Commentators are fairly unanimous that the Rio+20 talks have been a failure. Expectations had of course been low. And because of this most developed country leaders stayed away. In opening the summit Ban Ki-Moon admitted the draft outcome was “disappointing” due to the conflicting interests of member states. China’s Sha Zukang, the UN’s lead on the conference agreed, calling the statement “an outcome that makes nobody happy.”

from the Drum …..

Research discussed by The Drum's panel on Thursday night confirms that improvements to Australia's food supply are desperately needed if we are to reduce deaths from Australia's number one killer, heart disease.

from Crikey ….. 

Nuclear drumbeat grows as US eyes Australia

The weather and the time difference are turning the London 2012 Olympics into the doona games as Sydneysiders snuggle up in front of the TV or computer, and shun live venues offering Olympic viewing.

It’s bad enough getting beaten by Americans who just buy their gold medals by the truckload, or Russians, who can call on the exciting pharmacological resources of Vladimir Putin’s secret KGB labs, or, quelle horreur, those cheese-eating surrender monkeys who... who... who...

from Crikey ….. 

Chris Graham: Brough is back, with a record of failure

"What should I give up?" asks Andrew Leigh, the freshman Labor parliamentarian.

The 2012 London Olympic Games were preceded by an Opening Ceremony that controversially involved a social history of the ordinary people of England since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the middle of the 18th century.  Unfortunately the Opening Ceremony considered only the several score English subjects of the English Establishment and ignored the horrendous maltreatment of hundreds of millions of other subjects of the ruthless British Empire.