=== Todays Toon ===
ALP propose a Great Leap Forward just like China did, and here is a picture of Deng Xiaoping becoming chief of the Chinese communist party in '77. Echoes of Gillard as PM?
=== Bible Quote ===
“I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws.”- Psalm 119:30=== Headlines ===
Virginia Man Arrested on Charges He Aided Terror Group
Virginia man who warned that the creators of 'South Park' would be targeted for death over a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad has been charged with trying to aid terror group Al-Shabab, officials sayVilsack Offers to Rehire Ousted Civil Servant
Agriculture secretary says he is offering Shirley Sherrod a new job after forcing her to resign over a video clip that showed her making racial remarks at an NAACP event
Texas Mom: Kids' Autism Drove Me to Kill
Mother accused of strangling her 2 children earlier this week told a 911 operator she did so because they were both autistic and she wanted normal kids
$23 Million for Kenya Constitution Vote?
GOP lawmaker accuses the White House of 'illegal' acts for its role in Kenya's referendum on a new constitution that would legalize abortion in the country
(Breaking News)
Tiger Woods no hit with Aussie gamersTIGER Woods remains the richest athlete in the US but gamers in Australia have turned their backs on the golf star's video game franchise.
Giant dead jellyfish stings 150 beachgoers
A MASSIVE dead jellyfish stung 150 people at a beach, as officials struggled to remove it because it broke apart.
Amish teen led cops on buggy chase
AN Amish youth, 17, allegedly led police on a 1.6km-long "chase" after running a stop sign in his horse and buggy.
'Busybody' leaks secret Foster's targets
BEER and wine maker Foster's Group has blamed a light-fingered interloper for the publication of an internal earnings target.
Schwarzenegger compares Gibson to oil leak
ARNOLD Schwarzenegger says while BP may have contained its well, "no one has figured out how to contain Mel Gibson".
Cops nab flower-holding bank robber
POLICE today said they have arrested a suspect who robbed banks brandishing nothing more threatening than a bunch of flowers.
Small town farewells fallen Digger
A COUNTRY town is farewelling fallen digger Nathan Bewes, the 17th Australian soldier to die in Afghanistan.
Shares affected by fragile US economy
THE share market opened lower today after Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said that the US economy had weakened.
Mosquito chokes TV presenter
A TV news presenter was taken to hospital after a mosquito flew into her mouth, choking her during a live show.
Flooding impacting Santos operations
ENERGY company Santos says operations at Cooper Basin will continue to be impacted by the flooding in Central Australia.
NSW (The state which used to be the Premier State, and then the ALP came in for 16 years)
Keneally's rail land grabTHE State Government is resuming land from ordinary families to rezone and sell to developers at a premium. Read more here.
Little Harry's sad birthday
THE gifts his mother bought him for his birthday will be there when little Harry wakes up this morning, but his precious mum will not.
Worker pinned by boulder
A MAN was crushed and trapped by a 25kg boulder for two hours while working in a trench yesterday.
Husband beaten with a hammer
THE widow of a man beaten with a hammer and left face down in a bath yesterday told of her "indescribable pain".
Residents evacuated during blaze
A MAN and a woman suffered severe burns and two girls were treated for smoke inhalation after a house fire in the state's south.
Woody's story of a toy-nap
HE'S meant to keep law and order but Toy Story's Sheriff Woody found himself in the need of rescuing from cops right here in Australia.
Racing cracks $175m winner
RANDWICK racecourse's capacity will be increased by 30,000 and "five-star facilities" in a new deal.
Queensland (Only last year, ALP went to a rush election with conservative promises)
I may hand myself in, posts GrantESCAPEE Justin Grant has raised the prospect of handing himself in to authorities after taunting police online as he flaunts another day of freedom.
Asian tourist robbed at Chermside
A JAPANESE man in his 20s has been mugged at kinifepoint after getting off a bus at a shopping centre at Chermside on Brisbane's northside.
Four appeal over Tara murder
FOUR people will this morning appeal either the convictions or sentences they received for the shooting murder of a Western Darling Downs father.
Woman dead as car hits tree
A 29-year-old woman has been killed in an early morning crash at Moorooka on Brisbane's southside
Generous Clive splurges on staff
CLIVE Palmer has splashed out on staff at Yabulu nickel refinery near Townsville handing out overseas trips, cash rewards and luxury watches.
Fat bandit throws food at worker
A FAT man wearing a tracksuit and armed with a knife pelted food at a convenience store worker who turned the tables on the would-be robber.
One dead, eight injured in crashes
A WOMAN has died after a crash on the Warrego Hwy near Gatton and another female driver is fighting for her life after a freak mishap near Dalby.
Boys from the bush enjoy the beach
THIRTEEN indigenous teens from remote Queensland communities have come to the 'big smoke' for a program aimed at helping them learn life and work skills.
Facebook fugitive taunts police
FACEBOOK bandit Justin Grant is taunting police with status updates made from a mobile phone on his eighth day of freedom since escaping from custody.
We're knee-deep in Pommies
ONE in every 10 Brisbane residents is now a British expat. They're spurning migration to the southern states in favour of a life in the Sunshine State's capital.
Victoria (Bracks stood aside for Brumby without facing voters over broken promises)
Myki ready for use on tramsTHE State Government is about to announce that myki is ready to work on the tram and bus systems.
Shot cop was elite guns trainer
UPDATE 9.10am: AN officer who shot himself yesterday was preparing to teach others to use a new semi-automatic pistol.
Fears for missing man
POLICE are concerned for the safety of a man who hasn't been seen since leaving for a bike ride on Tuesday.
Head north and turn right
BY their own admission, the people of the Mallee are a conservative bunch.
Man dies in freak truck accident
UPDATE 9.40am: AN ELDERLY pedestrian has died after a truck rolled as he tried to jump the gap between the truck and its trailer.
Drugs, cash, gun seized in raid
UPDATE 6.38am: A MAN will face court today on magic mushrooms and cannabis trafficking charges after a police raid in Victoria's east.
'I wanted to eat his heart'
A YOUNG armed robber who slit a teenager's throat on a tram later said he'd wanted to eat his victim's heart, police say.
More Down syndrome babies aborted
THE number of Victorian women who terminate pregnancies after discovering their babies have Down syndrome has almost trebled.
AGL axes local jobs
ENERGY company AGL is moving 155 Victorian jobs overseas, saying the cuts will curtail soaring electricity bills.
Prisoner kissed, fondled guard
ALLEGATIONS of an affair between a prison guard and a female prisoner are the subject of a state Ombudsman's investigation.
Northern Territory (Between Queensland and Western Australia)
Dumb tourist swims in front of croc trapVICTORIAN swam in front of crocodile trap at Top End waterhole where large beast caught this year.
South Australia (Home to great wines)
Depraved stepdad jailed for 26 yearsA TREACHEROUS step-father who used psychological torture, death threats and even a teddy bear to sexually abuse two girls has been jailed for 26 years.
Killed over divorce
MELISSA Allen was beaten, accused of cheating and strangled then her killer husband told everyone she had committed suicide.
Strong man Foley a weak link
TREASURER Kevin Foley has gone from Government strong man to its achilles heel with a series of blunders and two clarifying statements in two sitting weeks.
Election all about eastern states
SOUTH Australians risk being overlooked in the election campaign as major parties focus their efforts on marginal seats in the eastern states.
Solo police at risk
SA POLICE will continue solo patrols despite a gunman's threats to a female officer early yesterday.
Foley survives another Oval attack
TREASURER Kevin Foley has survived another Opposition attempt to have an inquiry into his misleading of Parliament over the Adelaide Oval redevelopment.
Elderly man escapes aged care fire
AN elderly aged care village resident was woken by his neighbour to discover his home burning in a fierce fire this morning.
Cult leader told to reveal hoard
RUNAWAY Agape Ministries leader Rocco Leo has been ordered to disclose the extent of his fortune to the District Court within 21 days.
Drink-driving charges follow horse death
A DRIVER recorded a blood-alcohol reading five times the limit after a racehorse was struck and killed by a car early this morning.
Brave cop may have foiled robbery
A LONE female police officer may have disturbed a planned robbery when a man pointed a large gun at her .
Western Australia (Home to a lone conservative government in Australia)
'Chaotic' shop hours hit tourismTHE Australia Indonesia Business Council says WA tourism is suffering as a result of WA's "chaotic'' shopping laws.
Man shot in car park brawl
A MAN is expected to undergo surgery today after being shot during a brawl in Perth's northern suburbs last night.
Shotgun tasers in police sights
WA Police are considering the use of shotgun tasers that produce shocks lasting 20 seconds.
Pilbara prisoners to work at Rio Tinto
ABORIGINAL prisoners in the Pilbara will be given the chance to work at a Rio Tinto mining facility in an attempt to reduce crime.
High radiation levels at WA site
RADIATION levels more than 100 times normal background readings have been recorded at an old uranium site, despite the area being "cleaned" a decade ago.
Premier regrets power, gas hikes
PREMIER Colin Barnett says it is regrettable pensioners and low-income earners are feeling the pain of the sharp increases in water and power bills.
Uranium protesters rally in Fremantle
ANTI-nuclear protesters broke through a tight security cordon at a uranium conference in Fremantle today before being evicted from the Esplanade Hotel.
First 'election' asylum boat arrives
AUTHORITIES have intercepted the first asylum seeker boat to arrive during the election campaign, just north of Christmas Island.
'Tougher jobs than being an MP'
STATE Labor MP Mark McGowan says politicians would do well to remember that many people work harder than them, and for a lot less pay.
PMH staff open hearts to Rwanda
A DOCUMENTARY detailing WA medical staff performing heart surgery in Rwanda will be aired at Princess Margaret Hospital on Friday night to raise money for charity.
Tasmania (Nothing new ever happens here)
No breaking news today=== Journalists Corner ===
Keep calling your Senators to help end crimes against humanity in Burma!We have received a time extension for the letter, which means that we have one more week (until July 28th) to get our Senators to sign on.
Please continue to call Senators Lautenberg and Menendez and ask them to sign on to the Dear Colleague letter calling for a Commission of Inquiry into crimes against humanity in Burma.
Support for an investigation into the regime's crimes against humanity is the first step towards ending sexual violence, forced labor, and the killing of innocent civilians. If we don't shed light on the regime's crimes they will continue with impunity.
This is why Senators Feinstein (D-CA) and Gregg (R-NH) have sent a letter to their fellow Senators asking them to join them in sending a letter to Secretary Clinton to support UN action to investigate the Burmese regime's crimes against humanity.
Democratic governments such as the United Kingdom, Australia, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia already support the call for a UN-led Commission of Inquiry on Burma. Now, we need the United States government to get on board and be a strong voice supporting the establishment of an investigation into crimes against humanity in Burma.
Without the backing of the United States, the Special Rapporteur's call will go ignored! Tell your Senator that the U.S. must support a UN Commission of Inquiry into the regime's war crimes and crimes against humanity. Do not let this opportunity pass by!
With your help, this would be an important step in holding Burma's generals accountable for their crimes against humanity.
Please call Senators Lautenberg and Menendez to ask them to sign this important letter. (More instructions below).
The Senators only have until July 28th to sign the letter so please call now!
Burma's regime is attacking, killing, raping, and destroying the homes of ethnic minorities. Although these crimes have persisted for decades, the situation has received almost no international attention because the military regime keeps media and international observers away from the areas of attack. These crimes perpetuated by the military have gone on for too long. (Read more about crimes in Burma here.)
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Call your Senators using the information we have provided you in the box on the top right.
2) WHAT TO DO WHEN THE RECEPTIONIST ANSWERS
When a receptionist answers the phone, ask to speak to the foreign policy staffer by name.
• "Hi my name is [your name] from [name of your state], may I speak to [name of the foreign policy staffer]?"
Tell the receptionist that you live in the Senator's state and that you want to speak to the staffer about the letter regarding crimes against humanity in the country of Burma that is being circulated by Senators Feinstein and Gregg. Be sure to be polite, and say something like:
• "I'm calling because I would like to ask [staff person's name] if Senator [Senator's name] will sign onto a dear colleague letter about crimes against humanity in the country of Burma that is being circulated by Senators Feinstein and Gregg."
3) WHAT THE RECEPTIONIST WILL SAY
At this point the receptionist will either:
A) Transfer you to the telephone of the staff member. If this happens see section "A" below. or
B) Transfer you to the voicemail of the staff member. If this happens see section "B" below. or
C) Say that the staff member is busy, and ask to take a message. If this happens see section "C" below.
4. WHAT TO DO ONCE YOU ARE TRANSFERRED / LEAVE A MESSAGE
A) IF YOU SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE STAFFER
Thank them for speaking with you and tell them why YOU think they should sign the letter.
Tell them why you called. Here is a suggestion of what to say:
* "Hi my name is _______ I am from [your State]. I am very concerned about the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity that Burma's military dictatorship continues to commit against innocent civilians in Burma. I am calling because I would like to urge Senator __________ to sign the dear colleague letter regarding crimes against humanity in the country of Burma that is being circulated by Senators Feinstein and Gregg. The crimes against humanity in Burma should not continue with impunity."
* Give them some facts about Burma. "Burma's regime has destroyed over 3,500 villages in their campaign against ethnic minorities, their use of rape as a weapon of war has been well documented and so is their use of child soldiers."
*Your senator represents YOU and they want to know why YOU care. If you have traveled to refugee camps on the Thailand-Burma border, know Burmese people, grew up in Burma, or care about human rights, be sure to let the staff member know.
* You may also want to tell them that the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, Thomas Quintana, the leading expert, urged the United Nations and its member countries to set up an investigation into crimes against humanity in Burma, known as a Commission of Inquiry. So far the United Kingdom, Australia, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia have all pedged their public support for establishing this investigation, but the US Government has yet to support the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into crimes against humanity in Burma.
Offer to email them the letter; there is a good chance that the staffer may not have seen the letter yet. To do this, cut and paste the letter from this website: http://uscampaignforburma.org/coi-letter-clinton-2010-senate
Finally: Ask if your senator will sign the dear colleague letter.
It is likely that they will not give you an immediate answer because they need to ask your Senator. If that is the case, ask them politely when you will know about the final decision and how you can be informed.
To Sign on to the Letter:
Ask them to contact the following staffer, based on their party affiliation:
Democrats: Richard Harper in Senator Feinstein's (D-CA) office
Republicans: Brian Miller in Senator Gregg's (R-NH) office
Ask them when you can call back to follow-up.
B) IF YOU LEAVE A VOICEMAIL
Hi, my name is______, I am a constituent of Senator --------. I am very concerned about the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity that Burma's military regime commits against innocent civilians . I would like ask the Senator to sign on to a dear colleague letter calling for a UN investigation into crimes against humanity in Burma that is being circulated by Senators Feinstein and Gregg. As you may know, Burma's military regime has destroyed over 3,500 villages in their campaign against ethnic minorities, their use of rape as a weapon of war has been well documented and so is their use of child soldiers. I hope you take this action to help.
Be sure to leave your phone number so they can follow-up.
C) IF YOU LEAVE A MESSAGE WITH THE RECEPTIONIST
Follow the instructions for the voice mail. Call back the next day to follow-up.
After you call, please send us a quick email at mikejen@uscampaignforburma.org and let us know how your call went!
All the instructions you need are right here. It often only takes a few persistent calls to bring this issue to your Senators' attention.
Thank you for taking action on Burma. We truly appreciate your commitment.
=== Comments ===
Another Obama Official Forced Out and the Network News Ignores ItBY BILL O'REILLY
As we told you Monday night, Department of Agriculture official Shirley Sherrod admitted that years ago she held back some government assistance from a white farmer because of his skin color.
Click here to watch "Talking Points"!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHIRLEY SHERROD, FORMER DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE OFFICIAL: I was struggling with the fact that so many black people have lost their farmland, and here I was faced with having to help a white person save their land. So I didn't give him the full force of what I could do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
So after hearing that, I said this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Well, that is simply unacceptable and Ms. Sherrod must resign immediately. The federal government cannot have skin color deciding any assistance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
And that's what happened. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack fired Ms. Sherrod, but if you were watching the network news Monday night, you would know nothing about the story.
Once again, an embarrassing moment for the Obama administration was not covered, so let's run it down.
BLACK PANTHERS-JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CONTROVERSY: not covered by the network news.
ACORN UNDERCOVER VIDEO SHOWING EMPLOYEES HELPING CRIMINALS: not covered.
Obama green czar Van Jones forced to quit because of statements like "9/11 might have been an inside job": no coverage.
Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner comparing the Arizona illegal alien law to Chinese human rights abuses: not covered.
Dr. Donald Berwick, the new head of Medicare and Medicaid, saying that health care should be used to redistribute wealth: no coverage by the network news.
Stunning. Journalism in America is in dire trouble.
As for Ms. Sherrod, she is not going quietly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERROD: They asked me to resign. And, in fact, they harassed me as I was driving back to the state office from West Point, Georgia, yesterday. I had at least three calls telling me the White House wanted me to resign.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Are you willing to name names?
SHERROD: Oh, I can tell you that was -- that was Cheryl Cook, the deputy undersecretary. She said, "Well, Shirley they want you to pull over to the side of the road and do it because you are going to be on 'Glenn Beck' tonight."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
So Ms. Sherrod quit. This afternoon she was supposed to talk with Megyn Kelly, but canceled. She also refused to talk with me Tuesday night.
In the big picture scheme, this is a small story. Every administration in history has had employees do dumb things. Ms. Sherrod made a mistake and is paying for it.
But what about the American media? Why the news blackout when things become unpleasant for the Obama administration?
The simple answer is bias. The establishment press tilts left and is reluctant to do damage to a very liberal president. I think that is absolutely true. There is no other reason to spike stories that bring millions of viewers to the Fox News Channel.
You'd think the other TV news operations would want to attract that large audience as well. Apparently, they don't
===
HISTORY ALTERED
Tim Blair
A contentious video leads to the firing of an Obama official. Fox News is blamed:
On Wednesday’s Today show, Matt Lauer, Ann Curry and Savannah Guthrie left the impression that Fox News’s criticism of Shirley Sherrod was the reason she lost her job at the Agriculture Department, with Lauer, in his interview with Sherrod, charging: “I don’t know who to blame here, Miss Sherrod. I mean the, the, the activist who put forward this garbage in the first place has an agenda. We shouldn’t be surprised by that. The cable news network that, that played this garbage on and on and talked about it, has an agenda. We shouldn’t be surprised by that.”But there’s just one small problem:
Curry [claimed] that: “After the video was used to vilify her on Fox television, she lost her job,” and Guthrie advanc[ed] the NAACP’s notion, in her piece, that they had been “snookered" by Fox News.
Fox News never mentioned the story until after Sherrod had quit.Most people, unless consumed with paranoia, understand that it’s difficult to influence events after they’ve taken place. Which brings us to Charles Johnson, a big fan of MSNBC leftist Rachel Maddow:
Rachel Maddow took a close look at the role of Fox News in the right wing lynching of Shirley Sherrod.Let’s take a close look ourselves:
The three Fox News clips Maddow presents as evidence of Fox’s role – from 4:10 – carry these on-screen graphics:
• USDA official resigns over racially-charged remarksSo she’d quit before Fox had any role to play. Yet Maddow shrieks:
• Moments ago Sec. Vilsack accepted Sherrod’s resignation
• USDA official resigns over controversial remarks
How’s that for efficient! How’s that for action! Fox News and a conservative website uncover what they say is an admitted racist in the Obama administration and she is forced to resign immediately.Fox had nothing to do with it – unless they’re more efficient than even Maddow believes, what with the network’s apparent time-travel ability and all.
===
RELEASE THE CHAKRAS
Tim Blair
Further inconvenience for Mr Global Warming:
Former Vice President Al Gore has been hit by new allegations of sexual assault. This time, it’s two more massage therapists bringing the charges.Now it’s a trend. How will Al take care of this?
===
KEV NI-MOON
Tim Blair
A dream job for Kevni:
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd is being considered by the United Nations for a top-level job that would force him to leave Australia.TAKE IT!
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is considering creating a role for Mr Rudd as a top-level adviser on climate change, according to a diplomatic source with knowledge of the plan.This source … was it little Gracie?
“With his [Rudd’s] background, he’d want something more political than administrative, so they are leaning that way,” a senior source said yesterday. “He could be made a special envoy or ambassador reporting directly to the secretary-general.”Banksy Moon‘s personal weatherman. You’ve come a long way from Nambour, Kev.
===
YOU GOTTA HAVE SOIL
Tim Blair
Julia Gillard has been talking a lot lately about water and soil:
• “I support a population that our environment, our water, our soil, our roads and freeways, our busses, our trains and our services can sustain.”But sometimes – maybe it’s the accent – Gillard’s message is misreported, and things take a metaphysical twist:
• “There are environmental issues about water and about soil. But there are also sustainability issues about planning, about services.”
• Yesterday, she said the idea was about water, soil, city planning, infrastructure, services, access to a doctor, the environment and getting migrants to where there are jobs.
“I don’t think this is an immigration debate. I think it’s bringing into play issues about water, about soul, about city planning, about infrastructure and services, about getting skilled people where we need them,’’ she said.UPDATE. Gillard appears in Werribee:
The visit lasted just nine minutes before she was whisked into a car on Bridge Street.Come on, Julia. It isn’t that bad. Then again, the old home town has changed a little …
The nephew of Ms Gillard’s predecessor, Van Thanh Rudd, will contest the seat for the Revolutionary Socialist Party, which wants Australia to open its borders.UPDATE II. Formerly supported by Gillard, Mark Latham isn’t returning the favour:
Former Labor leader Mark Latham last night told Sky News that Ms Gillard was running a phoney population campaign.Peter Hartcher, among others, is alert to Gillard’s scam:
“If it’s not an immigration debate, it’s no debate,” Mr Latham said. “And I’ll tell you what it is, it’s a fraud. It’s an attempt to con people in western Sydney that she’s going to do something about congestion.”
So if it’s not about birthrates, and it’s not about immigration, perhaps Gillard knows of some other, secret source of population in the fifth dimension.
Because in the known universe, there are only two, and she has now ruled out debating either. So what on earth is she talking about?
===
MIDTERM ZOMBIES
Tim Blair
Republican ads are fun, and well-produced besides. Now take a look at this, from a bunch of Soros-funded progressives:
Is it the worst campaign video ever? No. That honour is retained by this Ned Lamont/Daily Kos ad of 2006:
Lamont fans were surprised when their man was wiped out. If only the ad had been re-scripted …
UPDATE. Lamont is nowadays refusing to appear in televised debates. Smart move.
===
ON CHEAPER AIRLINES, YOU BRING YOUR OWN POLICE
Tim Blair
Noun trouble in Texas:
Over at JoeSugarman.com, Joe writes that on his way home from a seminar in Austin, he settled into his first class seat – he’s what United Airlines calls a 1K traveler because he flies over 100,000 miles with them every year – and asked the flight attendant, “Are you serving any meals during our flight?” A few minutes later, he writes, “two armed Austin police officers boarded the plane, looked at me and said, ‘Sugarman, follow us.’”The attendant doesn’t even have the excuse of puzzlement at an Australian accent. I once asked for the bill at an Austin restaurant, and the bewildered waitress brought me a can of Budweiser.
Okay, in the flight attendant’s defense, she says she thought Joe asked her if there were police on the flight. But not in her defense: WTF, seriously flight attendant? You couldn’t even say, “I beg your pardon” or “Would you repeat the question” to confirm that you had an evil ‘sploding terrorist on board?
It was 10am.
(Via Brat)
===
MIRTH IN PERTH
Tim Blair
It wasn’t exactly a thriller in Manila:
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