'Stop and search' is racial profiling by any other name

Criminal law and human rights barrister Greg Barns writes:

Bernie Madoff, the New York Ponzi scheme master who is now in jail, is generally said to be the biggest financial criminal in the history of the US.

But at an estimated $US60 billion or so, his con is insignificant compared to the $US138 billion con pulled by Lehman Brothers and some of its senior managers, in the nine months from the last quarter of 2007 to the June quarter of 2008.

Citibank's "tough patooties" customer service charter

Adam Schwab writes:

from Crikey .....

Taxing at double time to pay for Abbott's baby bonus

Glenn Dyer writes:

February 13 marks the two-year anniversary of the Australian government's historic apology to its indigenous population.

Israel's decision to approve 1,600 new homes in an ultra-Orthodox East Jerusalem neighbourhood is undermining Middle East peace talks, US Vice President Joe Biden said in Jerusalem on Tuesday.

Earlier Tuesday, the Interior Ministry approved the building of 1,600 new housing units in Ramat Shlomo, with a ministry official saying the plan will expand the ultra-Orthodox East Jerusalem neighbourhood to the east & to the south.

Last night on Q&A Julie Bishop showed her ability to use the force: "I find your lack of faith... disturbing".

http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/03/09/deathjulie/?source=cmailer

Over the 12 months since the tragic tale of the deaths of six Afghan civilians - including four kids - killed last year in a raid by Australian forces, video journalist Sophie McNeill and chief producer Geoff Parish have been assiduously digging into that story.

And tonight - some chilling new developments. A warning, though - there are images in their report that could disturb some viewers.

http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/transcript/id/600357/n/Questions-from-Oruzgan

Prime Minister Gordon Brown's explanation to the Chilcot Inquiry on why he, when he was Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer & wrote the cheques for it, backed the war on Iraq.

He said: "It was the right decision for the right reasons. Aggressor states that refuse to obey the laws of the international community have to be confronted". Iraq was a "serial violator of the rules of the international community."

An awareness of class makes clear who is fucking whom. That's why American capitalism's official line is that we area "classless society." Denying the existence of class, deeming all Americans (excepting a few too-obvious-to-be denied cases, such as inner city blacks and the poorest of immigrants), "middle class" was one of American capitalism's great strokes of genius. It blurred the line between workers and capitalism's middle class commissariat - the petty business, mid-management, teaching and owning class managing the rest of us for the elites.

Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares! Sunrise or Lateline, A Current Affair:

Christopher Pyne is saying his prayers.

God bless Tony and God bless me,

And God, please help me get on TV.

I don't care when and I don't mind where.

- with apologies to A. A. Milne.

Christopher Maurice Pyne, the federal Liberal MP for the Adelaide seat of Sturt, opposition spokesman for education, is what we in the trade call a media tart. That is, he would crawl through razor wire and gunfire to get his name in a newspaper or his silly head in front of a microphone and a camera.

Four men who have been imprisoned for over a year - some for almost two years - are going to US federal court to challenge their detention at the notorious Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

The men, whom their lawyers say have never engaged in hostilities against the US and are not members of groups that have engaged in hostilities against the US, have never been told why they are being detained, never been permitted to speak with a lawyer or given a meaningful opportunity to challenge their detention before a court or impartial administrative board.

from Crikey .....

Lost Near Fossil Creek: locals bemused as Abbott quadbikes

Bob Gosford writes: