A threat to impose a fee for consular support after Australian activist Colin Russell was detained in Russia has opened the prospect of broader charges for government support of thousands of Australians who find themselves in trouble overseas.

On Friday foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop said the activities of the Australian government on behalf of Mr Russell had cost tens of thousands of dollars, and she would look very closely at recovering the costs.

"Of course cost recovery can be an important part of providing consular support," she said.

You, like most Americans, are friendly and like to mind your own business. You have 2.3 kids, a mortgage, and a loving spouse.

But, this is the 21st Century. A grand era of technology. Buck Rogers and H.G. Wells would be so proud of our technological advancements.

Loose ends tend to clutter our lives and, supposedly, a new year is a good time to tidy them up or burn them to cinders.

Tony Abbott will be having a great holiday.

He is no doubt luxuriating in one of France’s snowfield resorts – built by collaboration between business and strong unions.

At 4:13 in the morning on June 13, 1944, there was an explosion in a lettuce patch 25 miles southeast of London.

The Abbottite heresy grows not just wickeder but crazier by the day.

Over 12 years into the so-called "Global War on Terror," the United States appears to be striking terror into the hearts of the rest of the world.

Almost everyone on the left is paying close attention to Tim Wilson’s appointment to the Human Rights Commission. Even I have written about this outrage, this outrage I tell you.

It is a sideshow compared to what is happening in the Australian Tax Office.

Here's a toast to Robert Burns, who taught to mark the time

by writing a song to sing each year for the sake of Auld Lang Syne,

for the past is filled with bad and good, the good should be remembered,

and in the shade of Christmas, when we're well and true Decembered,

From Gunter Ratingaher (picture of tree regeneration, by Gunter  Ratingaher).

The headline - "Bride and Boom!" - was spectacular, if you think killing people in distant lands is a blast and a half.

from john passant ….