Forum for Saturday 27 May 2006 iraq

Another humiliating taunt came this week. The only person the United States has managed to catch and convict over the events of September 11, 2001, had nothing to do with it, according the man who organised the evil acts: Osama bin Laden.

How could the US, with all of its power and wealth, have so comprehensively bungled its response to September 11? How could it have gone from having the sympathy of nearly the whole world to being reviled by much of it? By invading Iraq.

The US now has an impossible condundrum in Iraq: it says it will not leave until the country is secure and peaceful. But the country will never be secure and peaceful until it does leave.
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Forum for saturday 20 May 2006 boxing

A courageous Government could put an end to boxing in Australia.

This week’s match between Anthony Mundine and Danny Green at Sydney’s Aussie Stadium was televised for all to see. As was the bout before it between John Hopoate and his hapless victim Frank Faasolo which lasted a mere 47 seconds.

Each boxer intended to injure his opponent. Indeed, they boasted of their intentions before the bouts. In any bout, the only way for a boxer to compete is to assault his (or, heaven help us, her) opponent.

It is unlike any other sport. Other sports have injuries, but the aim of those sports is not not to injure. Quite the contrary. In boxing the aim is to inflict punches to the head, preferably knocking the opponent out – outright assault.
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forum for 13 may 2006 miners and media

The reputed $6 million offer by the Nine Network to Tasmanian miners Todd Russell and Brant Webb tells us as much about media audiences as the grubby media iteself.

The bulk of media audiences lap up the emotional, the pruient, the salacious and inconsequential, especially about people of their own kind and leave aside the more important, difficult, analytical and consequential, especially if it is about people not of their kind.

Sure, it was terrific the miners were rescued and why shouldn’t they try to milk their story for all it is worth if the audience wants it?
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Long-haul Budget

Jon Stanhope is in it for the long haul.
This is why he went now for a Budget that is tough – or in ministerial words one that is “economically responsible”.
Several factors allowed him to be tough – a-dollar-a-day tough, or more than $450 per home-owner if you add the utilities charge that will inevitably be passed on by ActewAGL, Transact and Telstra.
Politically, he is more than two years out from and election and the Opposition is in disarray. Continue reading “Long-haul Budget”

forum for 6 may

Some time ago I was puzzled by the behaviour of ice cubes.

I could not fathom why sometimes I could turn the ice tray upside down and the cubes would fall out cleanly, yet on other occasions the ice cubes would break up and I could not get them out of the tray without whacking the tray vigorously on the side of the sink, or running hot water all over the tray until the half-melted shrunken cubes had no choice but to dribble out.

But now I have solved the problem. I can now get the ice cubes to fall out cleanly every time.
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forum for 6 may meme

Some time ago I was puzzled by the behaviour of ice cubes.

I could not fathom why sometimes I could turn the ice tray upside down and the cubes would fall out cleanly, yet on other occasions the ice cubes would break up and I could not get them out of the tray without whacking the tray vigorously on the side of the sink, or running hot water all over the tray until the half-melted shrunken cubes had no choice but to dribble out.

But now I have solved the problem. I can now get the ice cubes to fall out cleanly every time.
Continue reading “forum for 6 may meme”