Category: Uncategorized

WE TAKE the Churchillian description of democracy as the worst system of government except all the others as a given, almost unimaginable to question. But it is likely to face severe challenge in the longer term. Continue reading “Democracy inept in the face of climate change”

WHEN the Feds were hard up in the 1980s and did not want to get the blame for tightening purse strings in the ACT it gave us self-government. That way some local politicians could take the flak from voters who would not take it out by turfing out a local federal Member, as they did in 1975 and 1980. So it is a little hypocritical for the Feds to then turn around and say you can’t have full self-government when the local government does something the Feds don’t like – like same-sex marriage or euthanasia. Continue reading “Well-governed ACT does not deserve Fed veto”

THIS week broadcaster Alan Jones called the proposition of human-induced climate change “superstition” and he launched an abrasive personal attack on Prime Minister Julia Gillard. It was hardly surprising. Continue reading “Superstitious Jones falls for the ad hominen fallacy”

EVENTS in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya are now revealing yet again the utter failure of the Middle East policy of the Administration of George W Bush, much of which is being continued by the Obama Administration. Continue reading “How not to establish democracy in the Middle East”

WHAT a contrast. I used to think that state and territory level governments were inept, prone to corruption, stupid, and generally worse than the Feds every time. I used to think that the smaller the government, the worse it got. Continue reading “Secrecy has its political cost”

SOMETIME in the mid-1970s I wrote an article about taking my ancient Holden car to the Dickson Motor Registry for its annual registration check-up. Continue reading “Do we need to know we are going 240km/h?”

THE destructive energy from a cyclone comes as water evaporates from the ocean and the saturated air rises. As it condenses it releases energy, some of it in the form of wind. Continue reading “Cyclone not god-made freak but man-made warming”

THIS week’s leaks to The Guardian and Al-Jazeera show more clearly than ever the fundamentalist religious triangle which prevents peace in the Middle East. Continue reading “Triangle of religious fundamentalism stops peace”

HERE are some misconceptions highlighted by the Queensland floods. First to insurance. Continue reading “Walk away to avenge insurance companies”

NOT many people would like to be on the receiving end of a verbal slanging from the actress and rock singer Courtney Love. She has described her fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir as a “drug-pushing prostitute”. Continue reading “Power to publish comes with cost”