‘This is an essay born of despair, an angry cry from the heart about the impoverishment of mainstream public debate in this country, delivered with passion and eloquence.

The frustration is palpable as David Marr writes, "What's done most to gag democracy in this country is a sense that debating John Howard is futile".

The lout in the outhouse faced an international backlash today over his attempts to kill off global plans to tackle climate change.

His bushit majesty was accused of effectively tearing up international agreements to try to reduce carbon emissions.

He threw global efforts to control global warming into confusion by proposing an alternative to the United Nations process.

‘The Bush administration has said that it will fight to keep meatpackers from testing all their animals for mad cow disease.

The Agriculture Department tests fewer than 1 percent of slaughtered cows for the disease, which can be fatal to humans who eat tainted beef. A beef producer in the western state of Kansas, Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, wants to test all of its cows.

‘But it was impossible to save the Great Republic.

She was rotten to the heart.

Lust of conquest had long ago done its work; trampling upon the helpless abroad had taught her, by a natural process, to endure with apathy the like at home; multitudes who had applauded the crushing of other people's liberties, lived to suffer for their mistake in their own persons.

‘…. though Iranians sound bellicose, Iran has not started a single war since the revolution of 1979. Indeed, Iran was the victim of a war launched by Saddam Hussein, whom we secretly supported. Not within living memory has Iran invaded or attacked another country.

But in the last 110 years, peace-loving Americans have fought Spain, Germany twice, Austria-Hungary, Japan, Italy, North Korea, North Vietnam, Iraq twice and Serbia. We have intervened militarily in the Philippines, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Nicaragua, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Lebanon and Grenada. We bombed Libya. Now, a case can be made for most of these wars, whose fallen we honor on Memorial Day.

‘Of the seven wonders of the ancient Mediterranean world, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Colossus of Rhodes, four were destroyed by earthquakes, two by fire. Only the Great Pyramid of Giza today remains.

The Great Global Warming Swindle was something I discovered on pp.1 & 2 of The Age of Thursday May 24th. This is presented as a documentary questioning the science behind climate change. The program caused a storm when it was aired on UK Ch.4 in March. Howls of protest were heard from scientists including some featured in the film, that it's makers used fabricated data, half truths and misleading statements.

It is postulated that the ABC Board has been pressuring the broadcaster to show this so called documentary to its Australian audience. Despite recommendation from the ABC Science Journalist, Robyn Williams, who advised the TV division not to buy the program, he has further labelled the broadcaster of "verging on the irresponsible" over its decision to air something that was "demonstrably wrong".

from the ABC …..

PM tight-lipped on climate change ads

The Prime Minister has dodged questions about whether a new government advertising campaign on climate change is planned.

Labor insists the Government intends sending all eight million households in Australia a taxpayer-funded, full-colour brochure on climate change with a personal cover note from John Howard.

from the ABC …..

Labor hypocrisy on IR exposed, says PM

The Prime Minister has used Question Time to accuse the Opposition of hypocrisy on industrial relations (IR).

John Howard has pointed to Labor's recent criticism of a small business in New South Wales for allegedly stripping workers of entitlements.

‘Ken Rogers of Washougal, Washington was enjoying a visit with family in Kennewick and looking forward to some fishing when his slumber was rudely disturbed on the night of July 13, 2003.

Rogers, a 54-year-old regional sales manager for Georgia-Pacific, was sleeping under the stars when a large dog suddenly vaulted over a wooden fence and sank its teeth into his left arm. Shocked and disoriented in the darkness, and not wearing his eyeglasses, Rogers struggled desperately to free himself from the dog, to no avail.

The cost of cancelling Iraq's debts to Australia has been paid from Australia's foreign aid budget, a new report has claimed.

The report also claims that $1 billion of Australia's aid budget is not used to alleviate poverty. It also states that funding of Federal Police salaries in the Solomons and construction of Pacific detention centres was included in our aid budget.

The Aid Watch document claims that 95% of the $A661 million debt was for wheat purchases from Australia. Aid Watch writes that "Australia decision to cancel this debt was part of an agreement made in 2004 by the international group of rich nations called the Paris Club and was based on the premise that it would increase Iraq's economic prospects."

The "new" Australia/Japan/US Missile Shield pact came out of Tokyo just in time for Downer and Rice's tete a tete. Downer followed up by saying that Australia was going to help but wouldn't be directly involved. Aha, that must be why we need the three ships.

‘The former head of the Star Wars missile defense program under Presidents Ford and Carter has gone public to say that the official version of 9/11 is a conspiracy theory and his main suspect for the architect of the attack is Vice President Dick Cheney.’

Former Head Of Star Wars Program Says Cheney Main 9/11 Suspect

meanwhile …..