World Philosophy Day, which the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) celebrates every year on the third Thursday of November, emphasises the enduring "value of philosophy for the development of human thought, for each culture and for each individual".

There were 14,722,754 voters enrolled to vote at the September 7 election. Just under 79 per cent of them cast their first vote for the Coalition parties or the Australian Labor Party, compared to more than 85 per cent in 2007 when government last changed hands.

Tony Abbott's handling of the Indonesian spying scandal is facing increasingly strident criticism from within Indonesia, with a powerful opposition figure and the country's former intelligence chief weighing in on the issue.

Counter-terrorism and border security sources say the standoff over spying could have a serious impact on operations if the row isn't resolved and Indonesia stands firm on its threat to downgrade co-operation.

The Coalition has accused Labor of sending mixed messages over its commitment to bipartisanship in repairing the frayed Australia-Indonesia relationship.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is showing no sign he intends to apologise to Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over the spying scandal.

from Crikey ….

Australia a 'wrecking ball' at UN climate summit

from Crikey …..

Spooks harm the national interest in their great Anglophone game

I am trying to understand the utter inhumanity of this Abbott government towards asylum seekers.  First, let’s look at just some of what they are doing.

Gus asks. As we generously give some old custom gun boats to Sri Lanka one has to ask, do we supply the ammos as well? Do we supply the fuel to run the boats? Do we supply the maintenance expertise or are these going to become pitted aluminium saucepans or rust buckets?... Fair questions I thought. 

As usual our little turd-in-chief is super generous in giving what is not his to give, as he made us foot the bill for his furious pedalling at charitable events... Nothing new.

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