Air France plane suffered string of technical failures before crash into Atlantic
There is 'slim hope' of finding any survivors from a missing Air France passenger jet which crashed into the Atlanctic carrying 228 people after a string of technical failures.
Pakistan Court Orders Release of Mumbai Suspect
LAHORE, Pakistan — A Pakistani court on Tuesday ordered the release of a hard-line Islamist cleric allegedly linked to last year's deadly attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai, his lawyer said, setting the stage for a new round of tensions between the neighboring countries.
Indian protesters burn Rudd effigies over student attacks
Effigies of Kevin Rudd have been burnt as protesters expressed their anger over a string of attacks on Indian students.
"Tragedy": Australia set to breach Kyoto
Australia is on track to breach the Kyoto protocol by emitting too much greenhouse pollution. - I know the press are sold, but the phrase "On track to breach" sounds phoney. - ed.
Sex workers protest at Parliament House
Decked out in tight fitting, red outfits and shouting, "No bad whores, just bad laws", Sydney sex workers have protested outside NSW Parliament demanding an end to discrimination.
Man shot dead by police in Armidale
A man armed with a knife has been shot dead by a police the Northern Tablelands town of Armidale.
Budget leak leaves NSW govt red-faced
NSW Roads Minister Michael Daley has refused to say whether he'll investigate the RTA after the entire Roads Budget was leaked today.
Labor, PM remain strong in opinion poll
PM Kevin Rudd and Labor have maintained strong leads in the latest opinion poll, despite ongoing pressure from the opposition following last month's budget. - his lack of conviction has not yet hit home, but will. Turnbull had better pay close attention to what befalls Rudd as those who flip flop on climate change mythology will not be treated well when it is finally debunked. - ed.
Business as usual for Holden as General Motors files for bankruptcy
Holden's Australian and New Zealand operations will remain unchanged despite its American parent, General Motors, filing for bankruptcy protection.
RBA set to sit on rates
The Reserve Bank will sit at 3% for the cash rate at its monthly meeting today after figures yesterday confirmed that the economy is probably where the central bank thinks it should be.
Rampant Raiders thump underwhelming Rabbitohs
The return of John Sutton wasn’t enough to save South Sydney from a rampant Canberra side on Monday night, with the Raiders thumping the Rabbitohs 34-18 at ANZ Stadium.
Heroic comeback from Federer averts another Open upset
Roger Federer mounted one of the biggest comebacks of his career on Monday when he rallied from a two-set deficit to beat Tommy Haas and reach the French Open quarterfinals.
Megan Fox stuns US sailors
'World's Sexiest Woman' Megan Fox has caused quite a stir on a navy boat.
=== Journalists Corner ===
What Does It Mean for You?
What does GM's filing for bankruptcy mean for you? Do you have a GM car? Do you or a family member have a job that is related in some way to the auto industry (and in particular GM?) Tell us on our new GretaWire Web site
===
Am I the Only One?
Check out the headline and quote from today's New York Times:
U.S. Expected to Own 70% of Restructured G.M.
The above headline tells us what is going to happen after General Motors (soon to be "Government Motors") files for bankruptcy (expected Monday.) If you read the article you will read the really scary (dumb?) part. Check out what is in the article:
" ... The day-to-day running of the firm, this person said, would be left to professional managers, and the government would not be involved in decisions about closing factories, renegotiating contracts or selecting product lines ..."
===
On the Record w/ Greta
Taking down terrorism and protecting America --
What works and what choices will Obama make?
Former VP Dick Cheney and daughter Liz Cheney go 'On the Record'!
===
A Special 'Hannity'
Spending Sprees...
...Congressional Earmarks
Pork Barrel Projects...
101 days after Obama signed the stimulus --
Sean exposes the 101 worst examples of government waste!
=== Comments ===
Obama’s stuck with his Gitmo promises
Piers Akerman
US PRESIDENT Obama is in a jam and wants Australians to help him out. Like our own Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Obama ran an election campaign big on promises that he is having difficulty keeping. - it didn’t take long for those puppies to roll over and play dead. But the press still haven’t woken up to it. During the election campaign McCain didn’t sound as if he were certain it was a bad idea. There was a flight from the presidential position of Bush as there had been earlier, when he pushed through the surge in Iraq.
Thing about Rudd is that he has a lot invested in China, and a lot invested in US Dems and in this issue he cannot please either.
It is said that those with convictions must be brave, but those without conviction are scarred at every turn. It must be terrible being Rudd, as in this case, no matter what decision he makes, no one will be his friend. But that is all his own fault as he has no character, no convictions. - ed.
===
DEATH TO THOSE WHO INSULT HOLDEN
Tim Blair
Jeremy Clarkson’s take on Australian automotive loyalties:
In Oz, everyone is either a supporter of Holden, part of General Motors, or a supporter of Ford. Oh sure, there are solicitors and accountants who will claim they are above such nonsense, but when pressed they will say: “Of course, I’m a GM man by birth and I would never allow a Ford onto my drive because” — and at this point they start to get a bit red in the face — “they are all raving poofters and” — by this stage they will be banging the table — “I hate them. I would gladly lay down my life and the lives of my children for Holden and I will kill anyone with a hammer if they disagree.”
A friend of mine in Melbourne, a total Marxist, is the most devoted Ford supporter I’ve ever met. He doesn’t have a licence and has never driven a car.
===
CANVAS FLANNERY
Tim Blair
Artist Hobie Porter’s latest exhibition – depicting a dry, dying Tweed Heads region – opened last month at the Tweed River Art Gallery:
Dry Rain presents a dramatic, yet intimate glimpse into the artist’s creative and environmental concerns …
A paradoxical title, Dry Rain suggests a vision of an unpredictable and unimaginable climate. It is not water that falls from his cloudy atmospheres, but rather an army of withered leaves.
One week later:
The entire Tweed Shire was drenched Wednesday night, with an average of about 150mm falling in 24 hours from the coast to west of Murwillumbah …
[Tweed Heads rain reader Wal] Smith said the good thing about the rain was it had fallen out west, where farmers were in need of wet weather.
Townies didn’t enjoy it so much. While artist Porter is environmentally concerned about fried foliage flurries, the local dam is full to overflowing – and has been since 2007.
===
WAXMAN PICKED
Tim Blair
It could be a note in Hansard, but that headline instead refers to the California nightbeast:
In a major win for environmentalists, Democrats in the House of Representatives voted Thursday to put Rep. Henry Waxman of California in charge of a key panel that will have oversight over global warming issues in the new Congress.
Waxman seems not to know much about anything:
Brian, is it illegal to use it … it … it’s illegal … it’s legal on … some circumstances … I’m getting’ confused … I don’t know … do you know? We don’t know.
===
GLOBAL SWARMING
Tim Blair
The swarm is especially active of late. It could be a sign.
===
90 MONTHS TO GO
Tim Blair
Andrew Simms – he’s not just from a think tank; he’s from a think and do tank – is counting down the months:
Ten months have passed since pointing out that we have, at best, 100 left before a new, far more dangerous phase of global warming begins … With at best 90 months left on our clock …
Doomsday is now scheduled for Friday, December 2, 2016, which is unfortunate, because we miss out on a weekend. Simms must have about a whole quarry full of scientific qualifications to achieve this level of precision:
He went to the London School of Economics …
Oh, well. Strange thing about scientific qualifications; they don’t seem to matter if you’re on the warmist team, but absence of them disqualifies sceptics. Simms’s previous panic was over supermarkets:
===
GO TO THE SOURCE
Tim Blair
When considering what may motivate boat people to attempt an Australian landing, it’s probably worth listening to the boat people themselves.
===
The sun also rises
Andrew Bolt
In what circumstance would it not be a success?
A parade of blonde women that took place over the weekend through the streets of Riga is set to become an annual event after organisers hailed it as a success.
===
Too late now to complain
Andrew Bolt
Oh, so that’s why Anna Bligh rushed to an early election, before voters twigged:
THE Bligh government will scrap its 8.35 cent per litre fuel subsidy and hold a multi-billion dollar fire sale of State-owned assets to offset a plunge in revenues during the global financial crisis.
===
Not all victims are equal
Andrew Bolt
You mean that there’s some ways of being bashed that aren’t hateful?
HATE crime could soon be an offence in Victoria as the State Government moves to crack down on violent attacks against Indian students, homosexuals and other targeted groups.
So bashing an Indian student will be a hate crime, but bashing an English one not, even though both lose their teeth.
UPDATE
Attorney General Rob Hulls says he’s just following the example of NSW. So how have the laws there worked in reducing “hate crime”? Let’s check today’s papers:
THE teenage victim of an alleged schoolyard bullying campaign has revealed his torment amid a culture of violence at a public high school in Sydney’s west… He said attacks between rival ethnic groups occurred at the school almost weekly, with Lebanese youths battling Asian groups both inside and outside the grounds.
Hmm. Would passing yet more laws against this help?
UPDATE 2
If Luke Mitchell had been Asian, and his attackers not, this crime would be more deserving of punishment, according to Hulls:
THREE suspects in the brutal stabbing murder of a good Samaritan in Melbourne early yesterday have fled overseas, Victoria Police have confirmed.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland today said there were three suspects in the murder of 29-year-old, Luke Mitchell, in Brunswick and all three had fled to Thailand.
Or put it the other way around: Luke Mitchell’s murderers deserve less punishment because the man they killed was a white heterosexual.
UPDATE 3
Is Jack Donnelly the kind of (alleged) victim Hulls intends his laws to help?
===
The new green Dreaming
Andrew Bolt
Professional Aborigines now merge the Noble Savage myth with the New Age green faith.
The Gold Coast Bulletin yesterday:
A DEAD baby humpback whale (that) was found washed up at Runaway Bay will be given a traditional Aboriginal burial. The whale was towed to South Stradbroke Island where it was buried late yesterday at the request of elders from the Kombumerri tribe, traditional owners of the land. Members of the Kombumerri yesterday said they had a cultural obligation to treat the whale with respect as their name meant “saltwater people”. “We are traditional hunters and gatherers connected to the ocean and if we had failed to do this the sea gods would be very angry with us,” said Hilary Blundell. Tribal elders will return to the island in the next few days to perform a traditional burial ceremony for the whale.
The Gold Coast Bulletin editorialises under the heading “Sad, but that’s life”:
DOES the death of a whale really warrant a funeral conducted by Aboriginal elders? It certainly wasn’t the norm in pre-European Australia when the beaching of whales was a time of great feasting, rather than sadness. In his book The Other Side of the Frontier: Aboriginal Resistance to the European Invasion of Australia, Henry Reynolds writes that “coastal clans were used to gathering in large numbers to eat whales cast up on the beaches”. That sounds more like a barbecue party than a solemn ritual. Indeed, Torres Strait Islanders continue to hunt and eat that other seagoing mammal, the dugong. A funeral for a whale sounds like a case of politically correct romanticism rather than the continuation of an age-old tradition.
We’ve seen this before, of course. Remember last year’s traditional Aboriginal whale whisperer?
Collette is the abandoned calf, or was, found listlessly drifting among the boats of Pittwater last month. Every New Age wailer in Sydney was soon by her sickly side, sobbing, holding out buckets of milk, or crooning odes to a mammal then known, confusingly, as Colin.
But Associated Press describes the undoubted star of this circus: “One effort came from Aboriginal whale whisperer Bunna Lawrie, who visited the calf Thursday afternoon. Adorned with feathers on his head and white paint markings on his face, Lawrie reached into the water to stroke Colin while singing a humming, tongue-rolling tune.”
Wow. Reporters were impressed. What had the whale whispered back, they demanded to know? Replied Lawrie solemnly: “He felt really lonely and he wanted to be with his mother and family.”
Really? In fact, Collette gave Lawrie the back of her fin, not even bothering to set him right about her true sex, and spending less time yapping with him than did the journalists. As AP conceded: “After a few minutes the whale swam away to nuzzle a nearby yacht.”
If Aboriginal whale whisperers are traditional, someone forgot to tell the whale.
===
Heard it before, and better
Andrew Bolt
Some still recognise stale blather when they see it:
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd wrote an essay for the world’s top foreign policy publication Foreign Affairs but it was rejected by the magazine’s editorial board.
The Punch can today reveal that Mr Rudd penned an essay last summer concerning his idea for an Asia-Pacific Union along with his paper on the global financial crisis. But Foreign Affairs magazine published by the Council on Foreign Relations chose not to run the piece.
Foreign Affairs editor, James F. Hoge Jr., told The Punch that Mr Rudd had intended the piece to coincide with Mr Rudd’s trip to the United States in March of this year but there were “timing problems” between the magazine’s publication and Mr Rudd’s visit.
Mr Hoge said that there was also “overlap” between the essay’s topic and similar articles recently published in Foreign Affairs… According to sources familiar with the essay it was considered by some at the magazine to be “overly bureaucratic"…
The revelation follows criticisms of Mr Rudd over the publication in February of an essay in The Monthly. Some commentators welcomed that essay as a valuable critique of capitalism but others panned it as amateurish and superficial.
===
Two stories from a better Iraq
Andrew Bolt
Omar Fadhil Al-Nidawi of Iraq the Model says falling violence, successful elections and a booming stock market are not the full measure of the success of the liberation of Iraq:
I would like to share two snapshots from Iraq that I hope will help you see why I believe Iraq is making solid progress towards liberty, prosperity and the rule of law. Recently, two stories dominated the media in Iraq. The first started when the ministry of trade was bombarded with allegations of rampant corruption… In Iraq this used to happen all the time, but now a wind of change is blowing.
Pressure from the press, the public and partners in the Government forced the minister of trade to submit his resignation. Resignation alone was not deemed enough. The minister was arrested on Saturday as he was attempting to flee the country. He will join other corrupt officials in custody awaiting trial. The fascinating thing about this case is that the indicted minister is a member of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s Dawa Party.
Then there is the case of Kitabat, the prominent Iraqi online journal.
Kitabat, founded in 2002 by an Iraqi expatriate, has somewhat served the role of a shadow parliament in which people from across the Iraqi spectrum voice their opinions without censorship. Five months ago, Kitabat published an article in which the author accused the office of Maliki of nepotism and abuse of authority.
How did the Prime Minister respond to these, indeed unfounded, accusations? In Saddam’s days the case would have been closed with a bullet to the dissident’s head. It was common practice to send embassy officials on assassination missions armed with silent pistols or even axes, as was the case in the attempt on former PM Iyad Allawi’s life in London in 1978. Instead, Maliki opted to go to a court of law and sue the author and the owner of Kitabat. Maliki’s decision came under severe criticism from free press advocates who saw his action as an attempt to restrict freedom of speech.
Maliki ultimately yielded and dropped the case.
===
Voters will not be swayed
Andrew Bolt
Newspoll has Labor maintaining the 10 point lead its more or less had for two years:
The poll, based on interviews with 1153 voters telephoned at random, found Labor comfortably ahead in two-party-preferred terms by 55 to 45 per cent…
The only real change lately:
While Mr Rudd retains a commanding lead as preferred prime minister, his support has taken a 10-point plunge from its April high of 67 per cent to Mr Turnbull’s 18 per cent.
Lenore Taylor:
MALCOLM Turnbull has clawed himself out of the leadership netherworld of negative personal approval ratings and Kevin Rudd’s popularity continues to wane…
Newspoll chief executive Martin O’Shannessy says the shift in leadership ratings could indicate the start of a softening in Labor’s vote. “Some people seem to be having a second look at their perceptions of Kevin Rudd,” he said. “But it’s the economic debate that is holding people’s attention. Since they haven’t felt much personal pain yet, they haven’t drawn firm conclusions ... it’s the hip-pocket nerve that’s the sensitive one.”
===
Too aloof
Andrew Bolt
Akash Arora on complaints by Indian students of Australian “racism”:
I moved to Sydney as an international student in 2003 and found racism lurking more in the immigrants’ psyches than on the streets. A fellow Indian student at the University of Technology, Sydney, once told me he preferred to live a 50-minute train trip from the campus in Harris Park than in the student accommodation provided (for the same price) right next to the campus. When I asked why, he promptly replied: “Because Harris Park has Indian neighbourhood, Indian cinemas, Indian restaurants, Indian shops …” Just one question popped to my mind. Why did he move to Sydney if he didn’t want the Australian way of life?
The problem, in fact, starts here. Many immigrants resist integrating into mainstream Australia. They want the benefits and lifestyle of a Western nation, but without blending with its current.
Over a period of time this creates a cultural rift, first in their lives and then in their minds, which, in the absence of any logical definition, they term “racism”.
It’s interesting that the loudest complaints now of racism come from people least willing to integrate - a Latino expat businessman from the US, Indian students just here from an education, and Aboriginal and Muslim rejectionists. That’s not to say they are all wrong, of course.
===
Young Con Anthem
Young Cons is not attempting to force their religious beliefs onto anyone, but rather encourage discussion among the American youth. They do not claim to have all the right answers, but merely try to express their views through music. Their goal is not to pursue a rap career, but rather get young Americans involved in politics.
===
How Left-Wing Zealots Are Violating Our Civil Rights
By Bill O'Reilly
Please stay with me on this. One of the most fundamental rights that we have in this country is to speak freely without fear of reprisal. But that right is violated everyday by zealots, some on the right but most intensely on the left.
Two words: Miss California. She spoke her mind. She was punished by the left.
Right now gay marriage and illegal immigration are the areas where rights violations are most apparent. Of course, the left will tell you that banning gay marriage is a civil rights issue, but that will be decided by the courts.
However, those who oppose gay marriage are being attacked. Here's a good example. Actress Charlize Theron was angered by the California Supreme Court upholding the vote against gay marriage and publicly stated quote: "I don't agree with homophobia or discrimination of any kind. I will continue to fight this fight for equality and speak up for the basic civil rights of all Americans."
Does that include the rights of Americans who sincerely oppose gay marriage not to be called homophobes, Ms. Theron?
Now, it is important to remember that most gay Americans and their supporters are not zealots. Here's a good example of that:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you see the Bill O'Reilly segment about you?
ADAM LAMBERT, "AMERICAN IDOL" FINALIST: I did. I got a little nervous when it started. I was like great, that's great, but then the two female correspondents again on the show were really supportive, so whatever.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Mr. Lambert could have taken a shot at us but did not, perhaps because we've been fair about his situation and on the gay marriage issue in general.
But fairness does not matter to some left-wing loons. Writing in The Denver Post, columnist Joanne Ostrow said I "spewed racist bile" because I want a secure border and the deportation of illegal aliens who commit violent crimes. Ostrow's attack was vicious, so we confronted her:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PORTER BERRY, "FACTOR" PRODUCER: You went on to say that he was spewing racist bile. Do you want to apologize for that?
JOANNE OSTROW, DENVER POST TV CRITIC: To me, it's racist.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's racist?
OSTROW: I was expressing myself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But that's fine, but shouldn't you give an example if someone's a racist. If you're going to call someone a racist, shouldn't there be something to back that up?
OSTROW: I already said it. Now we're sort of repeating and repeating. Is O'Reilly upset that Imus is getting more attention these days?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Ostrow obviously violated my rights as an American by libeling me, and she is just one of many.
Last week, L.A. Times critic Ann Powers wrote that I tried to denigrate Mr. Lambert's sexuality. Total lie:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: We wish Mr. Lambert the best. And if he's the best singer, then he should win, right?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
We asked the L.A. Times to correct the record. Publisher Eddy Hartenstein refused to take any action whatsoever. Again, my rights as an American were violated by this newspaper and Ms. Powers.
Now, I'm a big boy with a big megaphone, and I can defend myself. But many of you can't. If you are labeled a bigot or punished in the marketplace for holding a non-liberal opinion, you cannot right the wrong. And this far-left fascism is very wrong. It must be called out. Fair-minded Americans can disagree, but our freedoms must be protected.
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