Headlines Saturday 3rd April 2010

=== Todays Toon ===

How Bill initiated the second intifada

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. At 46 he was the third-youngest president; only Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy were younger when entering office. He became president at the end of the Cold War, and as he was born in the period after World War II, he is known as the first Baby Boomer president. His wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is currently the United States Secretary of State. She was previously a United States Senator from New York, and also candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. Both are graduates of Yale Law School.

=== Bible Quote ===

“[Jesus Again Predicts His Death] Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”- Matthew 20: 17-19

=== Headlines ===

From a "Jesus and Mary chain" with a difference to a giant bunny in the US, from passion in Haiti to a flying pig in Sydney, see how the world's Christians are marking Easter.

U.S. Army plans to spend tens of billions of dollars over the next year and a half to refurbish, move 2.8 million pieces of equipment in 88,000 containers out of Iraq.

Karzai Rant Draws Rebuke
White House calls Afghan president's condemnation of international community's role in election 'troubling'

Terrorized Mexicans Flee Drug Violence
Immigrant living in Texas with no job, electricity or water says it's still better than hometown

Doc: Vote Obama? Get Care Elsewhere
Fla. doctor who opposes health overhaul posts sign telling patients to go somewhere else if they voted for Obama

A man with a passing resemblance to gangland boss Jason Moran used the dead mobster's name to escape 15 traffic infringements, attempting to use the "Einfeld defence".

Detention centre at breaking point
ASYLUM seekers sleeping in classrooms as new boat pushes Christmas Island past capacity.

'Brutal knife attack' kept secret by police
OPPOSITION says people have a right to know after alleged attack on an Indian man was kept quiet.

Housing recovery to trigger rate rise
UNEXPECTED property recovery has fuelled speculation of more rate pain to come this year.

'Lucky losers' fight over $13m lotto win
THREE mates squabble over massive Lotto win leaving little to show of their good fortune.

Jesse James 'strayed weeks into marriage'
SANDRA Bullock's cheating husband got one of his alleged mistresses pregnant, report says.

One dead following hotel fight
ONE man is dead and police arrested a second after an alcohol-fuelled brawl with security guards in the carpark of Campbelltown's Club Hotel on Blaxland Road.

Atheists are 'believers who hate God'
ATHEISTS resent not ruling the world, says Anglican Archbishop

=== Journalists Corner ===

They are ordinary Americans who have led extraordinary lives!
Sarah Palin profiles these real Americans who have given back, given all and have never given up.
LIVE from Afghanistan!
Geraldo's getting answers on America's latest tactics and strategies in the war torn region!
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Facts, Fictions and Faith
The death of Christ. How much is historic? Tradition? Myth? Lauren Green explores man's greatest mystery!
===
Guest: Sen. Harry Reid
His health care bill passed, but could it cost him his seat? Greta's LIVE from Las Vegas with the senator!

=== Comments ===

Protecting the Snyder Family
By Bill O'Reilly
In March 2006, 20-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder was killed in Iraq. His family in Maryland was obviously devastated.

A week later, Matthew was buried, but that ceremony was interrupted by members of the Westboro Baptist Church, who traffic in expositions like this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH PROTESTERS: Semper Fi, Semper f-gs, coming home in body bags.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

These hateful fanatics believe that God is punishing America because the USA does not persecute gay people. Led by a loon named Fred Phelps, the church interrupts military funerals, telling grieving family members that God killed their sons and daughters. It doesn't get more vile than that.

Matthew's father, Albert Snyder, sued the church and won. A jury awarded the Snyder family almost $11 million because it found the church had intentionally tried to harm them. The judge in the case reduced the judgment to $5 million, but the church appealed.

Three federal judges in Virginia then overturned the verdict, saying the vicious protesters have a right to free speech. And then incredibly, the judges hurt the Snyders even more, awarding the Westboro cranks court costs, meaning the Snyder family has to pay more than $16,000 to their persecutors.

I said that is grossly unjust and I will pay the sanction.

Appearing on "Good Morning America" on Thursday, Mr. Snyder addressed the freedom of speech issue:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALBERT SNYDER, FATHER OF LANCE CPL. MATTHEW SNYDER: I find it insulting to all the other soldiers that have died. I find it insulting to the families. I find it insulting to the military and to the veterans. It's just — so many people have died in this country throughout our history to preserve such a precious right and to have a group of 80 people destroy it and mock it the way they are, it's a crime. It was just a nightmare. They positioned themselves about 30 feet from the main entrance of the church, and they held signs that said, "God hates you," "You are in hell," "Semper Fi f-gs."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

I also spoke on "GMA" reiterating that the federal judges are wrong and cruel to boot, and that we will assist the Snyder family as it takes its case to the Supreme Court.

And you can help, too. There's a Web site set up: MatthewSnyder.org. All donations will help the Snyders try to right this terrible wrong. It will cost them big money to take this to the Supreme Court.

As for the Westboro Baptist Church, it does have a right to spew its hateful rhetoric, but it doesn't have a right to be in your face. As I said, if President Obama were speaking at that funeral, you know damn well those people would have been a quarter of a mile away, not yards away.

The authorities in Westminster, Maryland, simply did not protect the Snyder family. This case demonstrates how out of whack we are in this country when it comes to dealing with evil. We simply don't know how to confront it, and the forces of darkness understand exactly how to use our system to do as much damage as they can.

We hope the Supreme Court will understand just how important the situation is to protect freedom, not limit it.
===
LADY SONIA McMAHON
Tim Blair
Lady Sonia McMahon, widow of widow of former prime minister Sir William McMahon, has died at 77. In 1971, Lady Sonia wore the finest dress ever seen at the White House.
===
NANNY DUTY
Tim Blair
The Melbourne Age‘s Greg Baum:
Sometimes the state acts as a nanny because that is its duty. It is called governing.
===
OPEN SOCIETY
Tim Blair
Belgium follows ABC newsreader Virginia Haussegger‘s advice and bans the burqa:

The face-covering veil is set to be banned within weeks in Belgium, making it the first country in Europe to make the wearing of Muslim clothing illegal …

“Wearing the burqa in public is not compatible with an open, liberal, tolerant society,” said MP Daniel Bacquelaine, from a French-speaking centre right party who proposed the bill.

It won’t ever happen here, unless someone wears a burqa made from plastic bags and bottles of water. The Belgian ban should please Osama bin Laden’s stripper-loving son:
‘Thank God my father doesn’t run the world,’ Omar grins.
===
PRIVACY PREVAILS
Tim Blair
July 2009, England:

Prisoners on the run from Holleseley Bay prison cannot be identified because it would breach their rights to privacy, the Ministry of Justice has said. Civil servants have refused to name inmates who have fled prison …

April 2010, Australia:
Police and immigration officials are searching for a man who escaped immigration detention while on an excursion to the Melbourne Aquarium last week.

[A Department of Immigration and Citizenship] spokesman, who declined to be named, would not confirm details of the man’s nationality or the reason he had been detained, citing privacy reasons and said he could not give a description of the wanted man.
===
CHI-TOWN STUMBLER
Tim Blair
Not content with imitating Jimmy Carter, now he’s replicating Gerald Ford:

The price of Obama’s book has also fallen lately, in sympathy with his approval ratings. And on the subject of falls:

When TV news anchor Melanie Lawson fell out of her chair during a live broadcast it seemed to be a perfect TV ‘blooper’ moment.

U.S. chat show hosts picked up on the incident and joked about the clip they called ‘Anchors Away’.

But they are no longer laughing after it was revealed Lawson suffers from multiple sclerosis and uses a cane to walk.

Keith Olbermann, who hosts a daily show on the cable channel MSNBC, issued a personal apology to Lawson after realising his error.

Nice of him to apologise. Pity that so few viewers would have seen it.
===
POWER DANCE
Tim Blair
Earth Hour had little impact in New England:

Usage declined about 650 MW from the start to the end of Earth Hour, but declined 700 MW over the same period the previous Saturday.

Alas, our good intentions didn’t seem to accomplish much.

Never mind, newbies. In old England, Earth Hour keeps rolling on:

Thousands of homes were still without power today and hundreds of drivers were trapped in snow overnight as Britain was once again battered by blizzards and gale-force winds.

The severe winter storms knocked down power lines and caused widespread transport havoc as around two million holidaymakers prepared to flee the country for the Easter weekend.

Maybe they’re headed to Canada, where joyous dancers defied Earth Hour and instead celebrated the wonder of 1750-watt outdoor illumination:
Those kids are being raised right.
===
GERMANS LESS SCARED
Tim Blair
Four years ago, 62 per cent of Germans claimed to be personally afraid of climate change. That number is now down to just 42 per cent. In other positive German developments, John LeBlanc files his piece on the Great Mexican Mercedes Marathon (tragically, in Australia such an event exists only in the realm of fantasy). Click here for some driving footage and here for further background.
===
But what will he actually do?
Andrew Bolt
Rudd could have simply cut immigration levels, or he could choose instead to do something purely symbolic:

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has appointed Tony Burke as the nation’s first population minister, amid growing concerns the number of Australians will rise to unsustainable levels.
===
Yet another, like never before
Andrew Bolt
Kevin Rudd, by weakening our border laws, has unleashed a wave of people smuggling that’s bigger than any before. The 33rd boat of this year arrives:

There are yet more asylum seekers on their way to the island, with a boat carrying 79 passengers and four crew intercepted on Friday.
===
Canada’s sponsored fascists request Holocaust
Andrew Bolt

Power Line on Canada’s soft fascists - and the harder fascists they cover for:

From Mark Steyn we learn that the the Palestine House in Toronto is hosting Abd al-Bari Atwan, editor of the London newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi. Atwan is, in Steyn’s words, “a celebrity eliminationist” who declared on TV that “if the Iranian missiles strike Israel, by Allah, I will go to Trafalgar Square and dance with delight.”

Word of Atwan’s appearance sparked a demonstration by the Jewish Defense League. During the demonstration, Palestine House officials were caught on tape telling Jewish protesters “You need another Holocaust” and “We love jihad… We love killing dogs… your bitches with you.”

I’m not one of those who wants the government to prosecute hate speech. But I thought Canada, which launched proceedings against Steyn for “Ïslamphobic” utterances, had laws against this sort of thing.

It turns out that, far from prosecuting the Jew haters at the Palestine House, the Canadian government is subsidizing them.
===
Obama needs care
Andrew Bolt
Seems Barack Obama still hasn’t had the health care he really needs:

President Obama’s overall job approval rating has fallen to an all-time low of 44 percent, down five points from late March, just before the health bill’s passage in the House of Representatives. It’s down 24 points since his all-time high last April. Forty-one percent of those polled said they disapproved of the president’s performance.

Among the many cooling on the blank slate on which they’d scribbled their own hopes:

Former New York Mayor Ed Koch expressed disappointment in President Obama on Thursday for his treatment of Israel after it announced it would continue construction in East Jerusalem – the section of the holy city claimed by the Palestinians.

“I have been a supporter of President Obama and went to Florida for him, urged Jews all over the country to vote for him saying that he would be just as good as John McCain on the security of Israel. I don’t think it’s true anymore...”

Staring Games - and mitch should know I'm nuts

I know you stare. Don't deny it. I hope you guys are well and that you have a smashing weekend- wish me luck on my mission.
x
n

Community Channel - Natalie Tran

Rocketboom interview

Headlines Friday 2nd April 2010

=== Todays Toon ===

KILL BILL OF RIGHTS
Bush's illegal wiretapping operation.
This cartoon was kind of inspired by one of Jim Borgman's pulitzer-prize winning editorial cartoons from the early '90s. His involved George H.W. Bush as a used car salesman and his catchphrase, "Read my Lips," so needless to say, it was much funnier than this one is.
George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States (1989–1993). He was also Ronald Reagan's Vice President (1981–1989), a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.

=== Bible Quote ===

“[For the director of music. Of David.] The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”- Psalm 14:1 -- Happy Easter --

=== Headlines ===

Modern stage parents are increasingly using the Web to get their kids in the spotlight, but posts like this 'Scarface' reenactment have critics wondering if they're going too far.

Atheists are 'believers who hate God'
ATHEISTS resent not ruling the world, says Anglican Archbish

Demand for Border Hearing
GOP lawmaker calls for border security hearing after murder of Ariz. rancher believed killed by illegal immigrant

'Babs' Boxed In
Poll shows Sen. Barbara Boxer neck and neck with three Republicans who hope to run against her in November

Tragedy at Disney
Disney World bus strikes, kills 9-year-old boy in third bus-related accident at theme park in six months

U.S. Navy Captures 5 Pirates After Gun Battle in Indian Ocean
The USS Nicholas reported taking fire from a suspected pirate skiff and returned fire before pursuing it and eventually disabling it.

Was H1N1 Crisis Overblown?
As health officials warn that the H1N1 influenza season is not over, it’s being reported that the government is about to throw away millions of vaccines. Do you think the crisis was overblown?

NASA Planning Billions More for Climate Research
Despite growing questions about the validity of NASA's climate data, the space agency plans to move ahead with a whopping 62 percent increase in the budget for climate science.

The tiny whimpers of a baby abandoned on a verandah have spurred police to find his mother, with nursing staff already doting on him and showering him with love.

Toddler dies after balcony fall
A TWO-YEAR-OLD boy has died in hospital after falling more than seven metres from a balcony.

Asylum seekers ring ahead for instructions
BOAT people dial 000 to notify police of their presence before they were caught by border patrol.

How to avoid the annual Easter rip-off
DRIVERS are told how much petrol should cost over Easter and urged to boycott price gougers.

Bizarre theories circle radar anomalies
CONSPIRACY websites sent into meltdown after mysterious shapes appear on our radar system.

Williams apologises for 'redneck' jibe
COMEDIAN makes peace with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, offering to take him to a strip club.

'Second chance liver mum loses battle'
RECOVERING drug addict Claire Murray has died after doctors turned off her life-support.

Notorious bikie leader free to race
THE boss of the Notorious bikie gang, Allen Sarkis, is free to pursue a drag racing career after his bail was relaxed to allow him to leave Sydney for more than a day.

Liberal Premier-elect Will Hodgman vows to work with Kevin Rudd
TASMANIAN premier-elect, Liberal leader Will Hodgman, has promised to move quickly to cut land tax and work cooperatively with Kevin Rudd on health reform.

Minister Frank Sartor and MP Cherie Burton obtain AVOs after threatening emails
A SERIES of emails - one titled "coffin carrier required for independent murderer" - prompted police to take out an interim apprehended violence order yesterday to protect a minister and an MP. - sounds like the ALP are applying the rancid turd theory to hide the fact their members have molested this man. - ed.

=== Journalists Corner ===

They are ordinary Americans who have led extraordinary lives!
Sarah Palin profiles these real Americans who have given back, given all and have never given up.
Guest: Ed Koch
The former mayor speaks out on why he is outraged over the administration's treatment of Israel!
===
A GOP Jumpstart?
How could the health care bill ultimately help the party take back the Hill in the upcoming elections?
===
Let's Hug it Out ...
Just not during class! Why some schools are now banning hugging!

=== Comments ===

Senator McCain Changes His Mind About Mexican Border
By Bill O'Reilly
In May 2001, we went to Phoenix, Arizona, to report on the porous Southern border. As part of that program, I interviewed Sen. John McCain and told him that the only way the border could be secured was to use U.S. troops. The senator disagreed:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, R-ARIZ.: I do not favor using troops because they are not trained for it. They don't have the kind of qualifications necessary. I have strongly favored us using all the technical equipment that our military has including satellites, including aircraft and other technical means.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Well now Mr. McCain has changed his mind, finally. But it took a terrible tragedy.

Arizona rancher Robert Krentz, 58, was found shot to death on his own property. Mr. Krentz leaves behind a wife, three kids and two grandchildren. His family had been ranching in Arizona since 1907.

Police suspect the murder was committed by an illegal alien who then fled back to Mexico. Authorities say they followed the man's footprints for about 20 miles until the trail stopped at the border.

In response to the murder, Sen. McCain wrote a letter to President Obama: "I am asking you and the administration to immediately reconsider your position and send National Guard troops to our Southern border region."

We applaud Mr. McCain's new position, but must point out that "The Factor" has been saying this for 10 long years:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: After much study and thought, I have come to the conclusion that the military has to secure the Mexican border. One of the mandates of the federal government is to provide security for American citizens from outside forces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Sadly, Mr. Krentz did not get that security.

As for President Obama, "The Factor" has been told that he cancelled a military exercise which would have trained troops on the Southern border. Of course, that would have inhibited anyone from crossing where those troops were.

The president apparently feels that a military presence on the border would send the wrong message to the world, that the U.S. is militarizing the Mexican border.

So here's my question: What's wrong with that?

Obviously things are out of control down there, are they not? Thousands of people are being killed in Mexico by drug gangs, millions are crossing the border illegally, and we're worried about sending the wrong message? That's insane. The Southern border should have been militarized a long time ago.

A new Rasmussen poll says an astounding 72 percent of Americans want the U.S. military on the border. Just 16 percent don't. Another huge victory for common sense.

But still, the federal government dithers, putting all Americans at risk.

Once again, John McCain's conversion on border security is helpful. We hope President Obama will notice and rethink the issue before anyone else gets murdered.
===
Obama Damages His Game-Changing Brand
By John Tantillo
Politically, Barack Obama managed to pull something off with health care reform that no one had been able to do thus far. This is an achievement.

Unfortunately, it is a brand-damaging achievement. To push through this landmark legislation, the president had to align himself so closely to the Democrats that his image as an outside “change bringer” is virtually ruined.

Fact is, Obama has now cast his lot with the Democratic old guard, and the Republicans are now positioned as the hardened opposition. Forget all about bipartisanship. Even if it were possible before, that window has closed now. (With their talk of repealing the legislation, the Republicans are signaling that they risk becoming the party of “no,” which isn’t good for them either — but it’s easier to fix than Obama’s problem.)

From a marketing perspective, the fundamental problem for the president is that by turning to the old guard Democrats, he has turned his back on significant segments of his Target Market. Fiscally conservative Independents and Democrats, as well as the many crossover Republicans who voted him into office, are not seeing the man they voted for occupying the presidency. They’re not seeing Candidate Obama in President Obama. This is political bait-and-switch, and it alienates a wide swath of those who were supporters of Candidate Obama.

Bottom line, the die has been cast. Obama and the Democrats are joined at the hip. What’s next?

President Obama needs to put the pedal to the metal if he wants to have a chance of re-election in 2012. This means that he might as well start pushing every piece of partisan legislation he can, because he won’t be getting his reputation as a new kind of politician back anytime soon. He can only hope that the legislation he passes (Wall Street regulation, immigration, etc.) works and makes those Target Markets he’s done such a good job of alienating happy again.

And, remember, things are always easier when you keep marketing and branding in mind.

John Tantillo is a marketing and branding expert and president of the Marketing Department of America who markets his own services as The Marketing Doctor. He is a frequent contributor to the Fox Forum and the author of a new book "People Buy Brands, Not Companies."
===
Obama Choosing to "Pass Over" Israel
By Jon Kraushar
President Obama is plaguing Israel and placating its enemies for his own political gain
Obama’s desire to out-do past presidents in achieving breakthroughs where his predecessors failed is a laudable goal except that, as with health care reform, Obama cares less about the consequences of his actions and more about his reputation as a “transformational” leader whose will justifies any way.

So strong is Obama’s desire to broker an historic formation of a Palestinian state that the president vilifies Israel over its plan to build 1,600 apartments in East Jerusalem—territory that Israel won in the 1967 Mideast war. In the Mexican-American War, ending in 1848, the United States won land that now comprises the states of California, Utah, and Nevada, as well as most of Arizona and New Mexico, and parts of Wyoming and Colorado. Is President Obama willing to give that land back to the Mexicans?

And since when has sacrificing “land for peace” resulted in anything other than sacrifices for Israel?

As Mario Loyola points out in the National Review online: “Israel withdrew from south Lebanon in the interest of peace and got a second Lebanon war instead. It withdrew from most of the West Bank, and was repaid with a thousand Israeli civilians dead. It withdrew from Gaza, forcibly uprooting thousands of Jewish settlers, and the response was thousands of rockets fired at its civilian population, attacks that continue to this day. Still, despite these horrifying object lessons in the flaws of the ‘peace process,’ the Obama administration acts as if the peace process has no flaws at all and if Israel would just make a few more concessions, everything would be okay.”

U.S. officials describe the president as “livid” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu because of the East Jerusalem construction. Is Obama equally “livid” over the Iranians’ construction of nuclear weapons?

While Israel faces an existential threat from Iran and while the Palestinians persist in calling for Israel’s destruction, Obama repeatedly calls for Israel to make more “concessions” for the sake of a “peace process” while the Palestinians make no concessions. Last year the president warned Netanyahu not to surprise the U.S. with a military attack against Iran.

Put that together and Obama is asking Israel to meekly acquiesce to its sworn enemies and to make itself vulnerable to annihilation, which is completely contrary to Jews’ vows of “never again” after the Holocaust.

Two obligations of any nation and its government are to maintain the security of its people and the sovereignty of its borders. This is all Israel is asking for Obama to accept—not with rhetoric but with the realistic understanding that America should not ask Israel to endanger itself as America should not be endangered.

In the Haggadah, the prayer book used for the Passover Seder, Jews ask: “May we be spared sorrow and adversity, and may we never suffer shame or humiliation.”

In 2008, 78 percent of American Jews voted for Obama. Perhaps one lesson of this Passover should be “never again” to that.

Communications consultant Jon Kraushar is at www.jonkraushar.net.
===
LITTLE HATS AND PARTY WHISTLES
Tim Blair
An excruciating New Yorker profile of NYT columnist Paul Krugman delivers this priceless caption:

Krugman and his wife, Robin Wells, at home with their cats, Doris Lessing and Albert Einstein.

Pretentious, much? When they’re not hanging ridiculous names on domestic animals, Paul and Robin like to throw incineration parties for anxious academics:

“I was nervous until they finally called it on Election Night,” Krugman says. “We had an Election Night party at our house, thirty or forty people.”

“The econ department, the finance department, the Woodrow Wilson school,” Wells says. “They were all very nervous, so they were grateful we were having the party, because they didn’t want to be alone. We had two or three TVs set up and we had a little portable outside fire pit and we let people throw in an effigy or whatever they wanted to get rid of for the past eight years.”

“One of our Italian colleagues threw in an effigy of Berlusconi.”

“I put out some coloring paper and markers so that people could write stuff on it and throw it into the fire. People really felt like there was stuff they wanted to shed! I had little hats and party whistles.”

And safe scissors so nobody would hurt themselves. Speaking of harm, the article doesn’t mention any fire-related trauma for either of the Krugman cats; just as well, because an incendiary Albert could burn for weeks.
===
RUDDNECKS
Tim Blair
Alabama’s Will Collier deals with Kevin Rudd, lately deploying his diplomatic skills in the direction of the Yellowhammer State:

Nobody from Alabama ever set up anything nearly as stupid as Rudd’s recent “global warming” plan that cost nearly $3 billion and led directly to over a hundred houses burning down and several deaths. That’s pretty impressive; my 100%-Alabamian grandad was an electrician, and in a 60-year career (he was still doing wiring in his 80’s), he never managed to burn down even one house.

This unusual international dispute began with comments from saccharine comedian Robin Williams:

Nothing much there to be upset about, although Williams could use some lessons on Australian Rules football. Then the PM got involved:

Furious Alabama residents have hit out at Kevin Rudd and demanded he issue an apology for his “redneck" comment, made during the PM’s spat with comedian Robin Williams.

US media organisations, including the New York Times and FOX News, picked up Mr Rudd’s remarks, which followed Williams joking “Australians are basically English rednecks”.

Alabama newspaper the Birmingham News ran an “Australia vs Alabama” headline on the most prominent section of its website and asked readers to comment.

They did not hold back, with one accusing Mr Rudd of making a “racial epithet” while another wrote “if it weren’t for some Alabamians fighting in the war, the Australians would be speaking Japanese”.

“I’m going to go to the zoo and punch a kangaroo in protest,” another wrote on the Birmingham News site.

Blood on your hands, Kevin. Williams has since apologised:

“Please let me come back to Australia without a cavity search, and if not I’d love to go to a strip club with you in New York.”

Yet still the insults fly. This is particularly wounding:

Some Alabamians agreed with Rudd’s redneck comment and defended Australia.

“I have been to Australia several times and it is a modern progressive society with strict environmental laws and good schools,” a reader wrote.

Those, sir, are fighting words.
===
BIGGER THAN KERRY
Tim Blair
“Marc Morano broke the Swift Boat story and effectively stalled John Kerry’s presidential run,” reports Esquire. “Now he is working against an even bigger enemy: belief in climate change. Somehow, he seems to be winning.”

(Via Brat)
===
OCCUPIER INTERVIEWED
Tim Blair
Leftoid website New Matilda inquires of SMH reporter Paul McGeough:

What question should we ask our next interviewee?

And McGeough‘s reply:

Australia is occupied by a foreign power and you join the resistance — where would you draw the line between name-calling and suicide-bombing?

Depends on the occupiers. In the case of McGeough, I’d just tell him to go back to Ireland. No need to bomb the fellow.
===
TIPPING POINT
Tim Blair
Via the great Paco, urgent capsizing news:

Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., was questioning Admiral Robert Willard about the Navy’s plans to relocate 8,000 personnel and their families to Guam. After noting at some length that the island is narrow, Johnson says “My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated it will tip over and capsize.”

CL forwards an item that should calm the tilty Democrat: “Like other islands, Guam is attached to the sea floor, which makes it extremely unlikely that it will tip over, even if there are lots and lots of people on it.”
===
Lovelock: warmists know their case is weak
Andrew Bolt
Gaia guru Professor James Lovelock explains why warmist scientists are so prone to fury when questioned:

The great climate science centres around the world are more than well aware how weak their science is. If you talk to them privately they’re scared stiff of the fact that they don’t really know what the clouds and the aerosols are doing. They could be absolutely running the show. We haven’t got the physics worked out yet....

We do need scepticism about the predictions about what will happen to the climate in 50 years, or whatever. It’s almost naive, scientifically speaking, to think we can give relatively accurate predictions for future climate. There are so many unknowns that it’s wrong to do it.

(Thanks to reader John.)
===
The new puritans
Andrew Bolt
I’d have thought stripping was the last thing you’d do in a country called Iceland, and now it is.

The country’s parliament last week voted to ban striptease shows, making it a crime to turn a buck from a naked woman.

Now, normally news from Iceland - even news including words such as “stripper” and “nude” - cuts no ice with me.

But there’s a moral to this story that helps explain why Formula One driver Mark Webber protested last weekend that Australia had turned into “a bloody nanny state in which we’ve got to read an instruction book when we get out of bed - what we can do and what we can’t do”.

Mark, all the way from Iceland comes your explanation.

The telling thing about Iceland’s ban on strippers is that it’s long been a Christian country - yet it’s not Christians now forcing everyone else to live by their finger-wagging code.

True, Iceland’s Christianity is of that wobbly northern European kind, with only one in 10 believers in a pew on Sundays. Sounds a bit like Australia.

Yet the 90 per cent of Icelanders formally registered with a church have long tolerated the strip shows that a new breed of believers have now banned.

And who are these new wowsers? Why, followers of a creed that’s also growing strong here, and dangerously lacks Christianity’s tolerance.

You see, Iceland is the first country in the world to ban stripping and lapdancing not for religious reasons but feminist.
===
Boat people call for Rudd’s cabs
Andrew Bolt
I WISH Home Affairs Minister Brendan O’Connor would stop telling such preposterous lies.

Take his press release on Thursday, boasting how our navy caught the latest boat trying to reach Australia.

“Last night, Border Protection Command successfully intercepted a suspected irregular entry vessel.”

Intercepted?

“Intercept”, says my dictionary, means “to stop, seize, or interrupt in progress or course or before arrival”.

So did HMAS Broome on Wednesday night do any of the above?

Here’s the facts, as reported by the West Australian: “A boatload of asylum seekers claiming to be near Christmas Island has made contact with Australian authorities after making a triple zero emergency call.

“Police said the call was received in Perth just before 5pm Wednesday asking for help and stating the vessel was close to Christmas Island.”

And HMAS Broome was then sent to the boat - the 32nd this year already - to pick up the passengers.

This is not intercepting. This is being called like a taxi.
===
Boat people resent more boats arriving
Andrew Bolt
There is indeed a queue - or two:

The rising number of boats reaching Australia is also causing anxiety among refugee communities already here, as their hopes of bringing family diminish with each new arrival.

The refusal rate for refugees wishing to sponsor family to join them sits at 90 per cent and is set to grow as more places are filled by applicants who ask for humanitarian visas once they arrive.

The trade-off arises from a 1996 law peculiar to Australia that bundles the two categories of people together and puts a lid on the total. Frederika Steen, a former immigration official in resettlement services, said it was a ‘’systemic issue’’.

‘’They are taking away the places set aside for recruitment selection from overseas.’’
===
Let’s not tell you how we spent your cash
Andrew Bolt
Why should you be told just how Kevin Rudd squanders your billions?

THE Victorian and federal governments are refusing to release cost breakdowns for thousands of building projects in the state’s public schools, prompting claims the information is being withheld to conceal rorts and ripoffs in the $16 billion program.

In contrast to Victoria, the New South Wales government has posted cost breakdowns for each of its projects under the federally-funded schools building program on its website.
===
The arts collective draws as one
Andrew Bolt
It’s just another measure of the political disposition of scribbling class:

The Bald Archy - a parody of the Archibald Prize for portraiture - is a competition of humorous works of art, making fun of Australian celebrities and politicians…

There were 91 entries in this year’s Bald Archy, which was culled to 45 finalists.

This year’s collection is dominated by caricature of politicians - there are nine images of Tony Abbott, with many of them depicting the leader of the opposition in his red budgie smugglers. Kevin Rudd features in the finalist field only once.

Oldest Recorded Voices Sing Again

Oldest Voice Recording Phonograph, originally uploaded by ddbsweasel.

An "ethereal" 10 second clip of a woman singing a French folk song has been played for the first time in 150 years.
The recording of "Au Clair de la Lune", recorded in 1860, is thought to be the oldest known recorded human voice.
A phonograph of Thomas Edison singing a children's song in 1877 was previously thought to be the oldest record.
===
In fact, the ability to record a voice has been around for thousands of years. Vinyl records made recorded sounds by a stylus etching grooves on the surface, and another stylus reading the grooves.

The grooves were made by spinning the record at an even speed.

In much the same way, pottery can do the same. Scientists, working with the oldest pottery in the world, have had some success in bringing back to life Ancient Greek, Chinese and Babylonian artists. The oldest recording known is of an Aboriginal in Australia. On the pottery, which is thousands of years old, someone is heard to wonder when daylight savings would end.

Headlines Thursday 1st April 2010

=== Todays Toon ===

This Political Cartoon by Hy Rosen, dated November 10th 1985, shows President Ronald Reagan.
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975).
Born in Tampico, Illinois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s. He began a career as an actor, first in films and later television, appearing in 52 movie productions and gaining enough success to become a household name. Though largely a B film actor, two of his most notable roles are in Knute Rockne, All American and Kings Row. Reagan served as president of the Screen Actors Guild, and later spokesman for General Electric (GE); his start in politics occurred during his work for GE. Originally a member of the Democratic Party, he switched to the Republican Party in 1962. After delivering a rousing speech in support of Barry Goldwater's presidential candidacy in 1964, he was persuaded to seek the California governorship, winning two years later and again in 1970. He was defeated in his run for the Republican presidential nomination in 1968 as well as 1976, but won both the nomination and election in 1980.

=== Bible Quote ===

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”- Isaiah 53:5-6

=== Headlines ===

Flooding on a scale rarely seen in New England has forced hundreds of residents from their homes as forecasters warn worst is yet to come.

Drilling, Baby, Not Enough?
Environmentalists and the GOP believe Obama's offshore drilling plan makes little headway to energy independence

'Gay is Good' Appointee Irks the Right
Social conservatives worry Obama's labor pick will strip religious rights from schools and businesses

Border State of Denial?
Pleas for help go unmet in Washington as border states beef up police forces to patrol for illegal aliens

Chechen Rebel Leader Says He Ordered Moscow Bombings
The Chechen leader of the Islamist "Emirate of the Caucasus" Doku Umarov, (aka Dokka Abu Usman) has claimed responsibility for this week's Moscow metro bombings that killed 39, The Kavkav Centre, a Chechen internet site, said Wednesday.

Despite having officers monitoring him this week, the Australian Federal Police have since lost Dragan Vasiljkovic (inset), who is accused of war crimes in Croatia.

'Online predator hunted teen girls'
A MAN is accused of stalking and raping teenage girls that he met on social networking websites.

New Qantas drama as jet's tyres explode
FLAMES shot out from under a Qantas A380 when its tyres burst as it landed in Sydney last night.

Teen was stabbed 'many dozens' of times
MURDERED Mudgee teenager's life ended in frenzied stabbing at hands of stranger, cops say.

Aussie animal at the mercy of Americans
THOUSANDS of sugar gliders kept as pets in the US are being fed soft drinks, ham and hotdogs.

Storm over weathergirl Sarah's shaggy 'do
CHANNEL 7 news boss Peter Meakin tells glamour weathergirl Sarah Groen to grow her hair back.

Markson 'was driving the car'
NEW claims have emerged that Lara Bingle's celebrity agent Max Markson was behind the wheel when his company's car was caught speeding, not his employees.

Country school cans $600,000 canteen
A COUNTRY school community is refusing to sign off on its $600,000 education revolution canteen, claiming it is smaller than a single-car garage and unusable. Parents are incensed that the canteen, built with Federal Government funding, is so under-sized that two people working inside it will not be able to pass each other safely. The Parents and Citizens' Committee at Tottenham Central School in the Central West said its original canteen was twice the size, with large serving and preparation areas. The committee wants education bosses to explain how airconditioning, toilets and more space could not have been provided for $600,000. President Rick Bennett said yesterday that a sports complex being built in the town for $415,000 included showers, toilets, stainless steel benches, ceiling fans, a meeting room, undercover barbecue and a veranda.

=== Journalists Corner ===

They are ordinary Americans who have led extraordinary lives!
Sarah Palin profiles these real Americans who have given back, given all and have never given up.
Guest: Ben Quayle
Dan's son runs for the House! Then, defusing Iran - how will Obama deal with this nuclear threat?
===
Franken Gets Fresh!
What sparked his outburst with an internet blogger? Plus, Dennis Miller on the rise of nanny states!
===
Guest: Tom Corbett
PA's attorney general takes on the governor of his own state over the health care bill.

=== Comments ===

Long ride to nowhere for ALP benevolence
Piers Akerman
NEXT Wednesday, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will ease himself back onto his bicycle for the 13th annual Melbourne-to-Sydney charity ride. There is no doubt he will pedal into a headwind of criticism from the Labor Party, just as when he swam, cycled and ran a full 42km marathon in a charity fundraising iron man event last weekend. - Roxon bragged before the 'debate' that Rudd was not going to release the details of ALP's health policy, but just a few flagship items, but they would highlight the fact that Mr Abbott was not going to release opposition details. And the press accepted this as status quo, and ran with it. So that legitimate questions about government health policy remain unknown. But much has been made about Mr Abbott's popularity based on his release of opposition health policy detail.
I get it that it is about politics, but it doesn't have to appear corrupt. Media people don't have to appear as if they are ALP campaigners. Yet, ridiculously, Channel 9 on April Fools Day decided to have a news item about Mr Abbott having media analysts school him on how to behave before the cameras .. I guess it had to be Mr Abbott as it is well known that without such support Rudd would never have anything to say. - ed.
===
Hating America
By Bill O'Reilly
When you do violent things, you hate your country. It doesn't matter why you do them. Violence in itself is destructive to society. And there's all kinds of violence: physical, mental and emotional.

The FBI has smashed a whacked-out militia group in Michigan, arresting nine people. Apparently these loons were plotting to kill a police officer and then bomb the funeral in the hope of touching off an uprising against the government.

Crazy? Off the chart. We congratulate the FBI for arresting these people, assuming of course the charges are proved.

In another insane situation, the Westboro Baptist Church, which hates gay people and believes God is punishing America, won a victory in court. These disturbed souls from Westboro disrupt military funerals, so Albert Snyder of York, Pennsylvania, the father of a Marine killed in Iraq, sued the church for intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy. Mr. Snyder won in the beginning and then lost on appeal, and incredibly, the court has ordered him to pay more than $16,000 in court costs to the Westboro people.

That is an outrage, and I will pay Mr. Snyder's obligation. I am not going to let this injustice stand.

It's obvious those cranks at Westboro were intentionally trying to hurt Mr. Snyder and his family. It's obvious they were disturbing the peace. They should have been arrested, but our system is so screwed up that loons are allowed to run wild.

Mr. Snyder is fighting a good fight, and he is taking his case to the Supreme Court. We are behind him 100 percent.

There is far too much hatred in America. That's obvious. It comes from both sides. The Michigan militia and the Westboro Baptist Church are far-right nuts, but there are just as many far-left idiots doing vile things.

Thirty-eight-year-old Norman Leboon has been charged with threatening to kill Republican Congressman Eric Cantor. Apparently Leboon wants to kill Cantor and his family and is now being held without bail. It looks like this guy is simply nuts. Ideology might not be in play.

However, a brick was thrown through the window of the Michigan Republican Party headquarters on Monday. Obviously that's political.

The point is that the situation in America is reaching critical mass. There is far too much hatred in the air.

The press is obviously pumping up inappropriate things that happen on the right and pretty much ignoring hateful things on the left. Bernie Goldberg and I established that on Monday.

But every member of the media should condemn all hate speech and violent activity. It is simply un-American.
===
Senators Demand Explanation of NASA's Flawed Climate Data
By Jeremy A. Kaplan
Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and David Vitter (R-La.) have written a letter to NASA chief Charles Bolden demanding answers to questions surrounding newly uncovered irregularities in the space agency's climate data.

Maps from NASA's GISS reveal temperatures where no data exist, thanks to mathematical extrapolation of data.

Not everyone is sipping the global warming Kool-Aid.

Concerns about the validity of NASA's climate research are being raised following revelations that the space agency admitted its data was less accurate than other weather trackers'. Disturbed by these reports, as well as the growing Climate-gate scandal that has left global-warming theorists reeling, Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and David Vitter (R-La.) have written a letter to space agency chief Charles Bolden demanding answers.

"The American people deserve to learn the truth about the data," Barrasso told FoxNews.com, stressing the risks of basing public policy on science that remains largely undecided.

FoxNews.com has obtained an advance copy of the letter -- the third that Barrasso, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Oversight for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Vitter, ranking member of the Committee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, have written in the months following the Climate-gate scandal.

Writing that "American data is partially derived from the corrupted data set that has been criticized as too political and unscientific as a result of the Climate-gate scandal," the senators have invited Bolden to testify before the Senate on the credibility of NASA's data.

When contacted for comment, NASA had still not received the letter, but a spokesman for the space agency was awaiting to the Senators' comments. "NASA has not received the letter," NASA spokesman Michael Cabbage said. "We look forward to working with the senators to respond to their concerns."

Read Senator Barrasso's letter to NASA

The letter, expressing concern with NASA's newly revealed use of data from the East Anglia University's Climatic Research Unit, cites interviews with CRU's chief Phil Jones and programmer Ian "Harry" Harris, both of whom denigrated the quality of the CRU data. "No uniform data integrity, it's just a catalogue of issues that continues to grow as they're found. This whole project is SUCH A MESS," Harris reportedly commented.

Barrasso and Vitter also refer to a Feb 27 study by former NASA physicist Edward Long, who was involved in the development of several upper atmospheric research satellites. Long claimed that NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) had been progressively modifying data, "lowering temperature values for far-back dates and raising those in the more recent past."

"We shouldn't make decisions affecting millions of American jobs when the data isn't credible," Barrasso told FoxNews.com.

He said he's particularly concerned with planned changes to public policy regarding carbon credits and so called "cap and trade" legislation, rules that are based on the assumption that man is at least partly responsible for global warming.

"If the president is successful in passing what I call a 'cap and tax' bill, which is something that's already passed the House last year, I think all Americans will see their electricity rates go sky high," he told FoxNews.com.

"When the administration is trying to make an endangerment finding on carbon dioxide, I think it's reckless to make such huge decisions affecting American jobs and the American economy based on data that may not be reliable, and seems to be contaminated."

"I don't think the facts bear out, at this point," he said. "You wonder if it's more about politics than it is about science."
===
Another boat load turns up - undetected and undeterred
Andrew Bolt
A shambles of a policy, and a farcical defence of our borders:

A BOATLOAD of asylum-seekers has arrived at Christmas Island undetected, the second vessel to do so this week.

The boat was intercepted last night about one kilometre from the island. It is understood there are more than 80 people on board.

On Monday, a boat of asylum-seekers sailed into Flying Fish Cove and phoned the Australian Federal Police office on Christmas Island to request a pick-up…

It is the 101st boat since the Rudd government came to power.

How good would our navy be at stopping boats that don’t actually want to be detected? Say, Chinese naval ones?

UPDATE

How does Kevin Rudd plan to stop the boats, and how many people has he now lured to their deaths, above the 53 I’ve counted?

Naval intelligence sources told the Herald Sun that Colombo encouraged Tamils to risk the dangerous voyage. Some Tamil boats have disappeared, though no one knows how many might have perished.

UPDATE 2

How did Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard put it when she was in Opposition?

Another boat on the way, another policy failure.
===
Little faith in this priest
Andrew Bolt
Another of those Anglican priests, trashing the faith they’re paid to maintain:

A controversial church billboard in Auckland, which depicted Mary and Joseph in bed together, has been ruled not offensive by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The ASA received a number of complaints late last year from people concerned the St Matthew-in-the-City Anglican Church billboard alluded to sexual activity between Jesus’ parents, the NZPA reported.

The sign read, “Poor Joseph. God was a hard act to follow.”

Bizarre. Who are these Anglicans who day-dream about sex with Mary?

Well, here’s the self-promoting vicar responsible - in the photo he puts up of himself on his church website:
Here’s his description of the kind of Christianity he follows:

Progressives are more interested in spirituality than right belief or proper worship.

It’s one of those no-sweat faiths, where you can just radiate your superior morality without being obliged to actually do anything, or, it seems, even to believe in anything in particular except a few political slogans:

If you come to St Matthew’s…
don’t expect to find a prayer group
don’t expect to find a Bible study group
don’t expect a women’s fellowship,
or a men’s one either
don’t expect to find a Sunday School…

At St Matthew’s
you won’t to be expected to go on a duty roster,
or be part of a fundraising campaign,
or join a working bee....

Don’t expect to be expected at Church either…

At St Matthew’s
you can expect to find interesting people;
people who have a commitment to social justice and radical theology

(Er, not a commitment simply to God?)

And here’s the vicar’s latest effort in preaching his faith through laughing at the greatest sacrifice of its founder, and the most profound moment in the entire history of Christianity:
===
ABC gives poor Aborigines a break
Andrew Bolt
Reader Sian, hoping to get an ABC internship, was excited by the first half of this ABC announcement:

Many people would love the opportunity to be introduced to the ABC, and we have created an introduction for you via our ABC National Indigenous Internship Program.

Ah, well. Sian misses out, but a few lucky Aborigines will get an opportunity that people of their colour are rarely offered.

In fact, let’s now meet some of the ABC’s officially “Indigenous Staff”, including lucky beneficiaries of the ABC’s policy to give employment preference to Aborigines, or employment to Aborigines in Aboriginal shows:
UPDATE

Several readers observe that at least the fourth person pictured is demonstrably Aboriginal. In fact, here’s his tangled genealogy, as released by the ABC itself:

Daniel is from the Minjungbal clan of the Bundjalung nation...Through his mother, he is a descendant of the Kullilli people of south-western Queensland… His paternal ancestors came from Vanuatu… Among his other ancestors are an English merchant seaman who married above his rank into the family of the paramount chief of Fiji and, an intrepid West Indian who jumped ship in Australia in the late nineteenth century – disappearing from official notice by marrying into the Aboriginal community.

(Post modified to remove implication that all the above received indigenous internships.)
===
Rudd disses Alabama
Andrew Bolt
It’s not particularly smart or prime ministerial to be trading offensive stereotypes with a comic:

AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has hit back at a jibe by US actor/comedian Robin Williams that Australians are just “English rednecks”. ...

“The Australians are basically English rednecks...,’’ [Williams] said....

Mr Rudd said: “First of all, I think Robin Williams should go and spend a bit of time in Alabama before he frames comments about anyone being particularly redneck.”

He’s a professional diplomat, you know.

UPDATE

Reader Alan RM Jones:

Judging by the growing international coverage, Rudd’s poorly judged remarks only amplified Williams’ silly joke. So now it appears to be a contest between Alabama and Australia as to which is most redneck and whose remark was most offensive. Good thing our PM is a professional diplomat.:

The Telegraph (UK)
Fox News (US)

Daily Mail (UK)

Sky News (UK)

BBC (UK)

USA Today

(Thanks also to readers John and Michael.)
===
Climate change, happening before your eyes
Andrew Bolt
Steven Goddard and Anthony Watts:

Barring an about face by nature or adjustments, it appears that for the first time since 2001, Arctic Sea ice will hit the “normal” line as defined by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) for this time of year.

Could the ABC please send alarmist Marian Wilkinson back up to the Arctic to file an update on this report of 2008:

Turns out Wilkinson may have been right:
If you want to see climate change happening before your eyes, scientists will tell you: “Go to the end of the earth”, and that’s why we’re here, in the Arctic Circle.
===
Manne named
Andrew Bolt
“Stolen generations” propagandist Professor Robert Manne is taken apart by Keith Windschuttle. This really should finish forever Manne’s reputation as a scholar in this field.

Windschuttle’s article may explain not just Manne’s inability to name even 10 of the 25,000 children he claims were stolen just to destroy their “Aboriginality”, to “help keep white Australia pure”, but Manne’s strange silence recently:

In 2004, Manne announced he was writing a book on Aboriginal child removal policies in Australia during the twentieth century. Six years later, it has still not appeared.

I wonder whether Manne now realises that he went far, far beyond the evidence to find a cause that would do for his reputation what the Holocaust did for his beloved Hanna Arendt. And now he can neither prove nor recant.
===
More terrible than enfant
Andrew Bolt
Michael Shmith is an extremely genial person. But Barrie Kosky - the wildly overrated cultural graffitist - has pushed even Shmith too far.
===
MFB ends discrimination
Andrew Bolt
Some of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade’s irrational affirmative action plans which we discussed last week are being axed:

THE Metropolitan Fire Brigade has shelved its attempt to bypass equal opportunity laws amid intense criticism of its plan to give preference to multicultural and indigenous people in pre-employment training.

Last night, MFB chief executive Ken Latta said the decision to withdraw its application to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal was due to an ‘’extraordinary reaction’’ to its plans, and ‘’misconceptions’’ about what it was trying to do....

The MFB was seeking an exemption from the Equal Opportunity Act so it could give preference to indigenous and under-represented cultural and linguistic groups in pre-employment training…

(The decision) comes after criticism from women firefighters at a separate plan to boost the number of women in the workforce.
===
Chinese justice a farce, but journalists will defend it
Andrew Bolt
Again more evidence to suggest it’s possible that Stern Hu is indeed guilty, and that China is justified in jailing him:

STERN Hu brought two bribes of 1 million yuan and $US300,000 from private Chinese steel mills back to his Shanghai home and put the money in the family safe, his wife, Zhu Xiaoli, told police in evidence presented at the trial of the Australian Rio Tinto executive, now jailed for 10 years.

A 70-page written verdict from the court, a copy of which has been obtained by The Australian, raises questions about the extent of corruption in Rio’s Shanghai office.

Mind you, with China’s justice system such a joke, who can be sure of anything? - of course it may have been routine practice in China which the authorities are abusing for their own ends. Just as the AWB scandal while the UN was engulfed - ed.
===
Another conflict imported
Andrew Bolt
How sweet that the boats are bringing in more playmates for boys who want to play soldiers:

POLICE seized dramatic footage and images of gun-wielding Melbourne-based terrorist cell supporters who allegedly took money from Victorians under the guise of raising cash for humanitarian aid.

Victorian Tamil Tiger terrorist cell supporter Aruran Vinayagamoorthy is pictured proudly wearing a Tamil Tiger uniform and brandishing an automatic military assault rifle.
It is just one of many images seized by police during raids on the suburban Melbourne homes of courier Vinayagamoorthy, Tamil community newspaper editor Sivarajah Yathavan and Sydney accountant Arumugan Rajeevan.

Crown Prosecutor Mark Dean, SC, said the men formed the leadership group of the Australian arm of the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers and Supreme Court judge Paul Coghlan said he accepted they did.

But at least they won’t lack for friends right here:

A SENIOR member of the Australian Tamil community says former Tamil Tiger fighters are definitely among the influx of boatpeople to arrive on our shores.

Australasian Federation of Tamil Associations secretary Victor Rajakulendran said the high proportion of young men on the boats, coupled with the risks faced by the Tigers in Sri Lanka, made it certain some arrivals were members of the defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Of course, it’s just a few hotheads here that give the rest a bad name and blah blah. In Sydney:

A LARGE brawl broke out in Sydney’s west last night between Tamils protesting against the war in Sri Lanka and supporters of the Government’s offensive.

Several people were arrested after a punch was thrown at a police officer during the brawl involving more than 50 people, and a man was bashed by four others after he took a small Tamil flag from a car and snapped its pole in half, police said.

Again in Sydney:

In Melbourne:

A group of around 50 Sinhala expatriates, some of them allegedly inebriated, attacked a car-rally demonstration The attack is said to have taken place while the cars in the rally were waiting for signal on Exhibition Street. The attackers were reportedly returning from a parallel demonstration by them that took place 2 km away from the junction.

A car of the Tamil rally carrying flag and banner strayed close to the demonstration of the Sinhalese.

Read the rest of the thread at that last link to see just what kind of hatreds exist between members of the two communities.
===
Madden gasses on
Andrew Bolt
To boast how he’s cutting emissions, Planning Minister Justin Madden and his Labor mates spend $55,000 blowing out more:

MORE than $55,000 of taxpayers’ money was spent on a State Government tour of the US led by embattled Planning Minister Justin Madden.

It cost $36,295 to send Mr Madden and an unnamed ministerial staff member on a nine-day tour of four US cities to spruik Victoria’s sustainable building credentials… The Brumby Government’s Cabinet secretary Tony Lupton took part in part of the tour during his 10-day US trip, spending almost $20,000.

(Thanks to reader CA.)
===
Rudd hands over another $500 million for rorts
Andrew Bolt
That’s your taxes, folks, all gone down the drain thanks to rush-rush-Rudd:

THE federal government’s $16.2 billion education building stimulus package could have delivered thousands more school buildings had it not been for inflated costs including a series of secret fees paid to major construction companies.

The Australian can reveal managing contractors in NSW have been charging fees of between 12.5 and 16.5 per cent on projects - about 3 1/2 times amounts suggested by the federal government - adding as much as $500 million to the cost of the Building the Education Revolution rollout in NSW.

Managing contractors are further entitled to charge 5 per cent in “contingency fees”, a 1.3 per cent fee for reporting to government and unspecified “design and price risk” fees.

A senior contracting source familiar with the fee arrangements, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Australian one of the seven major contractors in NSW, the Reed Group, had levied 20.93 per cent in fees on work done. “I was amazed to see such high fees,” the source said. “I have not seen anything like this previously...”

A spokesman for NSW Education Minister Verity Firth yesterday confirmed the 20.93 per cent figure, saying it included “site supervision, profit margin and incentive payments”.

Federal Education Minister Julia Gillard has repeatedly insisted project costs for managing contractors were capped at 4 per cent.

And what does this translate to on the ground?

Covered outdoor learning areas, spanning 30m by 25m, typically cost between $170,000 and $250,000, including full installation, according to builders.

NSW government figures show more than 40 COLAs under the BER have been costed at more than $800,000 in NSW alone.

UPDATE

Ray Hadley:

No one is calling for the BER to be shelved, but what most reasonable people want is simply this: if there is $16.2bn to spend we want value for our money. The way it’s being handled at the moment means we end up spending $16.2bn and we get infrastructure worth about $7bn and no one in government seems to know where the other $9-odd billion is going.

UPDATE 2

Around the country, school communities are seeing how their taxes were squandered:

A COUNTRY school community is refusing to sign off on its $600,000 education revolution canteen, claiming it is smaller than a single-car garage and unusable.

Parents are incensed that the canteen, built with Federal Government funding, is so under-sized that two people working inside it will not be able to pass each other safely.

The Parents and Citizens’ Committee at Tottenham Central School in the Central West said its original canteen was twice the size, with large serving and preparation areas. The committee wants education bosses to explain how airconditioning, toilets and more space could not have been provided for $600,000.

Here’s the well-padded costing. And I do mean well-padded:

Funding for the canteen included a $4675.79 ‘’managing contractor’s incentive fee’’, an $18,001.80 project management cost, $114,162.48 for design documentation, field data and site management and $80,000 for preliminaries.

(Thanks to readers CA and JayTee.)
===
Rushed, incomplete, sympathetic yet admittedly appalled
Andrew Bolt
So how conclusive is the British parliamentary report which yesterday dismissed Climategate as a scandal about nothing? Some clues:

Phil Willis, the committee’s chairman, said of the e-mails that “there’s no denying that some of them were pretty appalling.” But the committee found no evidence of anything beyond ”a blunt refusal to share data,” adding that the idea that Jones was part of a conspiracy to hide evidence that weakened the case for global warming was clearly wrong…

The committee expressed sympathy with [Climate Research Unit head Phil] Jones, whom Willis said had been made a scapegoat for larger problems within the climate science community… But the lawmakers did criticize the way Jones and his colleagues handled freedom of information requests, saying scientists could have saved themselves a lot of trouble by aggressively publishing all their data instead of worrying about how to stonewall their critics.

Lawmakers stressed that their report—which was written after only a single day of oral testimony—did not cover all the issues…

Willis said the lawmakers had been in a rush to publish something before Britain’s next national election, which is widely expected in just over a month’s time.

“Clearly we would have liked to spend more time of this,” he said, before adding jokingly: “We had to get something out before we were sent packing.”