Headlines Saturday 3rd October 2009

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000 tot Zac, 4, saves mum Gaylene Hawkins's life

TEACHING her son a rhyme about dialling 000 helped save Gaylene Hawkins' life. Zac, 4, recited the tune that reminded him what to do if ever in trouble.

Joe Halderman pleads not guilty to David Letterman plot
A TOP TV producer has been charged with attempting to blackmail talk show star David Letterman for having sex with female staffers in a case rocking the US television world. - Letterman's performances are so boringly predictable he needs to do something to get viewers. Letterman supports the corrupt Obama, this must be how Obama's victims feel too. - ed.

DNA test lab bungle
THE accuracy of the state's DNA database has been thrown into doubt after a bungle led to the wrongful conviction of a man for a crime he did not commit. Authorities yesterday admitted the "error", which resulted in a man receiving a nine-month suspended sentence for a break-and-enter committed in 2002. The bungle occurred when someone at the state's DNA lab put a crime scene sample into another crime scene's vial, which accidentally placed the man at the robbery. Police used this information to prosecute the man, who then pleaded guilty to the crime.

Aussie bodies in quake rubble
THE search for survivors continues with thousands missing, including 60 Aussies.

The great Samoan tsunami escape
AN Australian expat has detailed his remarkable escape from a roaring Samoan tsunami.

Rio de Janeiro wins 2016 Olympics
SOUTH America to host its first Olympics after voters snub Barack Obama's push for Chicago.

POW 'veteran' Arthur Rex Crane 'living a lie'

THE Federal Government has referred a case of alleged fraud involving a man who claimed to be one of Australia's youngest prisoners of war to the Australian Federal Police for investigation.

Banks pledge 'no more greedy rates'
THE big four banks agree to keep interest rates steady until the RBA raises the official interest rate.

Kids buying 'illegal' energy drinks
MORE than three quarters of energy drinks on sale contain illegal levels of caffeine.

Marek Edelman of Warsaw Ghetto Uprising dies
THE last commander of the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising against Nazi Germany, Marek Edelman, has died at the age of 90, the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper reports.

Philippines under 'state of calamity'
PHILIPPINES is under a "state of calamity" as terrified people flee their homes as another powerful typhoon nears.

Hatchet attack, 'schoolgirl wanted to die'
A TEENAGE boy brutally bludgeoned a lovelorn girl in the head with a hatchet after she said she wanted to die when her ex boyfriend, his best mate, dumped her.
=== Journalists Corner ===

The Truth About ACORN!
Fraud, corruption, undercover tapes - We brought it all to you! Now could ACORN face new scandals?
Plus - for the first time, the founder of ACORN in an explosive interview!
Watch as Megyn Kelly hosts this powerful special!
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The Public Option Battle!
Dems continue to drive for a gov't alternative. As the GOP attempts to block the bill, which side is better for you? Rep. Mike Pence has answers!
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Wasteful Spending and Fraud?
Are they coming attractions you can expect for government run health care?
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Guest: Michael Strahan
Gridiron great Michael Strahan on his switch to sitcoms. Then -- Mike jams out with Lynyrd Skynyrd!
=== Comments ===
MOTOON ANNIVERSARY
Tim Blair
It’s four years (and a couple of days) since Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published several cartoons, leading to widespread Presbyterian unrest. Mark Steyn:

To mark the anniversary, the International Free Press Society, with which I am honored to be associated, has declared September 30th International Free Press Day. In the four years since their publication, I have learned at first hand how imperiled true freedom of the press is in a western world by now almost congenitally disposed to pre-emptive surrender. So I am happy to support International Free Press Day, and I hope it will become an annual event.

As Steyn wrote at the time: “The Danish cartoons story was a test, and the civilized world failed it.” The media especially. International Free Press Day is at least an attempt to learn from that test.
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O NO
Tim Blair
Despite Presidential magic, Chicago misses out on a chance to host the final Olympics:
Chicago was eliminated in the first ballot of voting for the 2016 Olympics on Friday, a stunning defeat for the city that was expected to be one of the two finalists.

Not even the presence of President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama — nor a long list of celebrities — was enough to help the United States’ third-largest city.
Instead, athletes and tourists will be robbed and shot at in Rio. Obama’s people blame the defeat on “politics”, which is usually a President’s strength.
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NAMBCZAR
Tim Blair
Comments allegedly made by Kevin Jennings in 1997:

One of the people that’s always inspired me is Harry Hay, who started the first ongoing gay rights groups in America.

Nothing controversial there – until you discover that Jennings is Barack Obama’s “safe schools czar” and Harry Hay was a prominent advocate for NAMBLA. Yes, NAMBLA. Obama needs a vetting czar.

UPDATE. Leftist excuse-generating outfit Media Matters, upset over this right-wing “smear campaign”, writes that Jennings’s speech was “nothing to do with NAMBLA.” True, but it was about – at least in part – inspirational Harry Hay, who was hot for NAMBLA even after mainstream gay organisations shunned the child-lusting perverts. Media Matters also writes that Hay’s obituaries (he died seven years ago) in the NYT, Associated Press and SF Chronicle “made no mention of NAMBLA.” Again, true. Media Matters should ask themselves why this might be.
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WORLDWIDE PANTS DOWN
Tim Blair
A top ten list from Jim Treacher.

UPDATE. I always thought something was going on with these two. Further CBS reality TV amusement here.

UPDATE II. Another top ten list.
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Obama Administration Talks to Iran
By Bill O'Reilly
It is a mystery to me why many Americans do not see that a world war could happen soon. If you go out on the street and ask people about the Iranian nuclear situation, you'll get a lot of blank stares. But this is off-the-chart important for you and your family.

On Thursday in Geneva, the USA and our allies spoke directly to the Iranian government. President Obama and other world leaders are insisting Iran stop its nuclear weapons program. But as we've reported, the mullahs do not seem to be afraid of economic sanctions and they continue to play games while working feverishly to get a nuclear weapon.

Once again, Stratfor.com is a great source of information and Thursday they said:

"Obama is now facing two crises in the Islamic world - Afghanistan and Iran - and by all indications he doesn't have a clear strategy on either. His advisers are good enough, and he is smart enough, to realize that simply continuing in the same direction on either issue will not be a recipe for success. Iran, Russia and the Taliban already view him as weak. Going to war with Iran would remove three million barrels per day of crude [oil] from the market and reverse the nascent economic recovery — not to mention reigniting conflict in Iraq."

So it is clear that the Iranians have a strong hand, but there is one bit of good news. Very quietly, a top Iranian diplomat, a guy named Mottaki, has slipped into Washington and it is assumed that he is speaking directly to the White House. Reports from Geneva say the USA and its allies have offered Iran a huge incentive to stop its nuclear weapons program. We don't yet know what the incentive is. But with the mullahs fighting unrest among their people, there is a reason for them to deal.

Of course, we are dealing with the devil, as Iran is a brutal country bent on causing destruction.

But President Obama doesn't really have much choice. He has to make some kind of deal with Iran. If he doesn't, there are only two choices: the world goes to war, or Iran becomes a nuclear power.

That is the stark reality.