from our ABC …..

‘Budget revives Coalition's election hopes

Peter Costello's 12th Budget is sparking some hope for Coalition MPs ahead of the federal election, while the Opposition is doing its best to spoil the party.’

Looking back ten years to the signatories of the Project For A New American Century's Statement Of Principles, it looks as if the members of the cabal are dropping like flies. Rumsfeld was hit by a pre-election propaganda mutiny, "Scooter" Libby fell on his own sword to protect fellow signatory and boss Dick Cheney, whose political lifespan diminishes daily within a cloud of war profiteering accusations Now it looks like Paul Wolfowitz, the Iraq War instigator who now heads the World Bank appears to be facing the guillotine for stuffing wads of cash into the mattress of his lady-love.

Here's part of what they all signed:

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We aim to make the case and rally support for American global leadership....

‘Thus Ms. Rice was dispatched to three Sunday shows last weekend to bat away Mr. Tenet's book before "60 Minutes" broadcast its interview with him that night. But in each appearance her statements raised more questions than they answered. She was persistently at odds with the record, not just the record as spun by Mr. Tenet but also the public record. She must be held to a higher standard - aka the truth - before she too jumps ship.

It's now been nearly five years since Ms. Rice did her part to sell the Iraq war on a Sept. 8, 2002, Sunday show with her rendition of "we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud."

from the the Sydney Morning Herald …..

‘Families will be the focus of tomorrow's federal budget, which will also increase defence spending and deliver tax benefits skewed towards those on middle and low incomes.

Mr Costello confirmed the separate child-care rebate which repays couples 30 per cent of child care costs after the benefit has been received will be paid back more quickly.

from Alan Ramsay …..

from the New York Times …..

For Queen and First Lady, Bush Will Try White Tie

By Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Jim Rutenberg

Published: May 5, 2007

from the BBC …..

Climate change 'can be tackled'

While the Queen waited 15 minutes for her red carpet to be unrolled ….

While the New York Times is not mentioning her visit to the US state of Virginia ….

I wrote this piece a year ago. Gerard's land-clearing made the papers yesterday..

Sometimes clearing local land dwellers out for business purposes is quite successful. The British managed to evict many Highland Scots from potential sheep pastures by religious trickery. The children of some of those evicted ended up poisoning the flour in Aboriginal workers' rations to clear Australian land for similar purposes. I've got a strong feeling that something similar almost happened to my family.

pentagon told it must give up oil …..

May 2, 2007

‘Canadian-owned Barrick Gold, the world's largest gold producer, is exploring, building and operating huge, open-pit gold mines on nearly every continent on the planet.

‘President George W. Bush vetoed legislation on Tuesday that would have required him to begin withdrawing U.S. combat troops from Iraq this year, setting up a new showdown with Democratic leaders over funding the war, the White House said.