Hank Aaron's record of 755 lifetime home runs is eclipsed by Barry Bonds. Regardless of controversy, Bonds will be recognised as a playing great. If he could field, he'd have been a Yankee.
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A student who heckled Mr Downer has been lauded by media, who gush his performance 'original.' One wonders if, in two hundred years time, when the actions of Conservatives go far in eliminating poverty, if this heckler will be praised for his support of meaningless gestures and poverty.
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Interest rates rise. No way will I vote ALP ever.
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Cardinal Pell attacked for sensible policy favoring Catholics for Catholic schools.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Heckler Lauded
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Downer loses cool with student
By Sandra O'Malley
AGE is no protection when Alexander Downer is in a combative mood.
ACT student Alex Meekin got a taste for the thrust and parry of political life when he took the foreign minister to task over climate change during a session of Talkback Classroom at the National Museum of Australia today.
The Narrabundah College student was part of a panel grilling Mr Downer on energy and raised the minister's ire on a number of issues.
Tricky questions
Mr Downer at first batted the tricky questions away, diplomatically sidestepping whether he agreed with climate change sceptics in the Government like Finance Minister Nick Minchin.
Instead, he advised students to be tolerant and appreciative of diverse views, urging them against being dismissive of anyone who disagrees with them.
Hypocritcal
Mr Downer's tolerance started to slip when the 17-year-old asked about the moral imperative involved in addressing climate change, suggesting there had been similar economic arguments against ending slavery 200 years ago.
"We're not trying to have some sort of polemic debate," the minister said.
Alex got under his namesake's skin when he compared Government spending on political advertising with the $100 million it put towards the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, known as AP6.
The point drew a strong round of applause from the mainly student audience but Mr Downer was unimpressed.
"I know where you're coming from because I've been in politics a long time," he said.
Labor suspicions
Mr Downer went on to talk up the prospects of consensus at the UN climate change conference in Bali in December – viewed by many as Kyoto Mark II.
But when Alex questioned whether Australia could have much impact given its refusal to ratify Kyoto, Mr Downer hit back: "It sounds like your questions come from a familiar source".
"A source I'm very familiar with, I'd say they've written them well for you," the minister said, suggesting he thought the questions were supplied by Labor.
"Cheap shot"
A final interruption, in which Alex started to make reference to the Liberal Party was the last straw for the minister.
"Mate, I'm trying to answer (another) question and you are trying to make ... some cheap shot about the Liberal Party," Mr Downer said.
Organisers denied the students had been fed questions from any source.
Variety of sources
Talkback classroom producer Stephen Cutting said the students had been briefed by a variety of sources, including Mr Downer's office, Labor, the federal parliamentary library, business and industry.
"I think comments like that underline the effectiveness of how these kids learn the issues, they've met with many experts, they've been briefed by everybody including Mr Downer's own office," he said.
"(But) it's up to students what they glean from the whole experience and they formulate the questions."
Analysts forecast more rate pain
from news.com.au
WHOEVER wins this year's federal election could face another interest rate rise in the first few weeks of their term in government.
And the case for another increase following today's interest rate rise to the highest level in over 10 years could well start tomorrow, should monthly labour force statistics point to an even tighter jobs market.
As widely tipped by financial markets, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) today raised its cash rate to 6.5 per cent from 6.25 per cent, and to its highest level since November 1996.
This will lift the standard variable mortgage rate to 8.3 per cent from 8.05 per cent, adding over $40 per month to an average mortgage of around $250,000, and taking a sizeable chunk of the tax cut average wage earners received from July 1.
And most of the 66,763 people who were granted a home loan during June will immediately feel the pinch from today's rate rise, given only 17 per cent of them took out a fixed rate mortgage, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics released today.
"I regret very much the adverse impact of any interest rate rises on Australian homebuyers, I regret that very much,'' Prime Minister John Howard told parliament.
But he stressed that his government had not broken its promise to keep rates lower than a Labor government, even after five rate rises since the 2004 election and a total of nine since 2002.
"Interest rates for housing loans averaged 12.75 per cent under the former government and that is a full four and half percentage points higher than interest rates will be as a result of today's increase in the cash rate,'' Mr Howard said.
However, Labor Leader Kevin Rudd pointed out that interest rates reached 22 per cent when Mr Howard was treasurer in 1982.
In a statement accompanying its rates decision, RBA governor Glenn Stevens said the high outcome of the consumer price index in the June quarter indicated a "less favourable'' outcome for inflation.
He said this indicated "that any further increases in inflation would take place from a higher starting point than previously envisaged.''
"Based on these considerations, the board judged that a somewhat more restrictive monetary policy setting was required in order to keep inflation consistent with the target in the medium term.''
JP Morgan chief economist Stephen Walters said there was nothing in the RBA's statement to suggest it had finished raising rates, but does not expect a move until after the election, expected in either October or November.
"We expect another 25 basis-point tightening in December owing to clear evidence of robust domestic economic growth, a healthy global backdrop, the higher starting point for core inflation in Q2, and the likely acceleration in headline inflation in coming quarters,'' Mr Stephens said.
"In particular, food and energy prices are rising sharply owing to the drought, crude oil prices remain elevated, and the booming domestic economy continues to bump up against capacity constraints, which the long investment boom has only partly alleviated.''
Despite the surge of interest to get a home loan prior to today's rate rise, including over 11,000 first-time home buyers, there is little sign of housing affordability getting any easier.
The ABS's house price index for the June quarter shows house prices in capitals across the nation on average grew 3.2 per cent, the fastest pace of growth in a year. Annually, prices rose 9.2 per cent.
Bonds captures homer record
from FOX Sports
SAN Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds surpassed Hank Aaron as Major League Baseball's all-time home-run slugger today (AEST) with his 756th career homer.
Bonds, 43, clubbed a 3-2 pitch by Washington Nationals left-handed pitcher Mike Bacsik into the right field seats with one out and nobody on in the fifth inning to break the record Aaron had held for more than 30 years.
He had tied Aaron's cherished mark of 755 on Saturday in San Diego.
The seven-time National League Most Valuable Player's 22nd homer of the year sparked a delirious celebration by San Francisco fans, who have cheered their hero throughout his chase for history despite the cloud of steroid suspicions that have cast a shadow over his achievements.
Bonds raised both hands over his head in triumph as he connected with the pitch from Bacsik, who became the 446th different pitcher to yield a home run to the Giants superstar.
Bacsik stood still on the mound, not even turning to watch the flight of the ball. As Bonds approached second base, Nationals second baseman Ronnie Belliard clapped.
Bonds's 17-year-old son, Nikolai, was waiting with his index finger lofted to the sky, but Bonds first stood on home plate, raised both arms to the sky before pumping his left fist.
Bonds then exchanged hugs with his son, teammates, two daughters, mother and wife.
After accepting congratulations from his family, Bonds acknowledged the cheering throng, bowing and blowing kisses to each corner of the ballpark.
Willie Mays, No.4 on the all-time home run list and Bonds's godfather, came out to embrace his godson, and Aaron, who had made it clear earlier this season he didn't care to be present for the moment, delivered a video tribute that was played on the centre field scoreboard.
"I would like to offer my congratulations to Barry Bonds on becoming baseball's career home run leader,'' Aaron said.
"It is a great accomplishment which requires skill, longevity and determination. Throughout the past century the home run has held a special place in baseball, and I have been privileged to hold this record for 33 years.
"I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historical achievement.''
Bonds then addressed the crowd.
"I want to thank all the fans here in San Francisco,'' he said. "I broke it at home, it's been fantastic. I want to thank my teammates. You guys have been strong, thanks.''
After the inning was over, Bonds walked to his position and raised his cap to the fans. He again raised both fists in the air in short left field as he turned to each section of the park.
Before the sixth inning started, Giants manager Bruce Bochy replaced Bonds with Rajai Davis.
Bonds walked back to the dugout to a standing ovation, hugging shortstop Omar Vizquel on the way and the game continued without him.
Matt Murphy, from New York, emerged from a scrum in the bleachers with the historic ball in his hand.
The 22-year-old man, who was wearing a New York Mets jersey, was hustled out of the right-centre field section, flanked by a squad of San Francisco policemen.
Murphy and a friend were en route to Australia and bought the ticket on a whim.
Agence France-Presse
Pell's Catholic school revolution
By Bruce McDougall
THE Catholic Church wants to discourage non-Catholic families from enrolling their children in its schools under a return to strict religious values.
Church leaders headed by Cardinal George Pell yesterday issued an edict to all Catholic schools, demanding that students and their parents be more devout and outlining a plan to lure back thousands of poorer families who have left the system.
The Church will not ban non-Catholic students from enrolment - it says it considered, but rejected, plans for a formal "downsizing to accommodate only those who are committed to the faith".
But it wants to introduce a new four- way selection test to give preference first to children from the school's local parish, then to other Catholics, other Christians and finally children from other religions.
The state's 585 Catholic schools have been urged to "re-examine how they might maximise enrolment of Catholic students".
The edict also tells Catholic schools to increase the proportion of school staff who are "practising and knowledgeable Catholics".
Catholic families will be urged to "maximise their participation".
Students and younger teaching staff will be encouraged to take part in religious events such as World Youth Day.
Church leaders want more people at Sunday Mass and deeper involvement in the life of the local church by students and ex-students.
Fears that the drift of Catholics away from the Church's schools is seriously "watering down" numbers of the faithful has forced Cardinal Pell and other Catholic leaders to take action in a bid to reverse the trend.
Enrolment of students from a non-Catholic background in Catholic schools across the State has more than doubled to 20 per cent over the last two decades.
In a rare pastoral letter, "Catholic Schools at a Crossroads", the Bishops of NSW and the ACT admit changes in enrolment patterns have "radically affected the composition and roles of the Catholic school. . .".
The letter, with Cardinal Pell as head signatory, said: "Half the students of Catholic families are enrolled in state schools and a growing proportion go to non-Catholic independent schools.
"Another enrolment trend of particular concern has been the decline in representation in our schools of students from both poorer and wealthier families."
The letter reveals church leaders faced pressure to "downsize" the Catholic school system to include only students and staff who embraced the religion. But the bishops decided against such a radical change.
Catholic schools educate about 240,000 students and employ 15,500 teachers across the state.
Cardinal Pell was not available to comment yesterday, directing inquiries to the Bishop of Broken Bay, David Walker.
Speaking at the launch of the pastoral letter at the Mary MacKillop Memorial Chapel, Bishop Walker said it was time to reassess the future of Catholic schools.
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