Sun May Be Galactic Hitchhiker
Simulation shows that sun's circular orbit does not necessarily mean it stayed put.
MISSIONS/LAUNCHES
Shuttle Endeavour Moves to Launch Pad as Rescue Ship
NASA Cleans Up Cargo for Hubble Shuttle Flight
SCIENCE/ASTRONOMY
Explosion From Edge of Universe Seen
Dwarf Planet Named for Hawaiian Goddess
RECENT HEADLINES
Satellite Insurance Rates Driven by Capacity, Not Track Record
Most Massive Star in Class By Itself
Navigating by the Stars
Earth Hot Spots Spark Alien Ideas
COOL STUFF
Image of the Day: Two of Us
New Video - Hubble's Last Service Call
A musical animation of the space shuttle capture, service and separation of the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: NASA/GSFC
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
It's Coming .. From Rumble's Vaults
A sneak preview behind the scenes of the Martial Art/Comedy - Maximum Choppage: Round 2
Edited By Rudge Hollis
www.myspace.com/rumble_pictures
www.rumblepictures.com.au
Proudly made in Cabramatta
Rumble Pictures 2007
===
A group of youths participated in 2007's March the 4th's Clean Up Australia Day. Traveling from Carramar to Cabramatta, they produced a documentary/TV ad promoting environmental awareness.
Headlines Monday 22nd September
Sudanese admit US diplomat murder
FIVE Sudanese Islamists admitted in filmed confessions their role in murdering a US diplomat and his driver in the Sudanese capital on New Year's Day, a court heard today.
John Granville, 33, who worked for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and his 40-year-old Sudanese driver Abdel Rahman Abbas were shot dead in their car before dawn in Khartoum on January 1.
Confessions filmed by police after the arrest of the five were shown to a crowded courtroom in Khartoum.
"The American car braked suddenly, and we stopped behind it," one of the defendants, Mohammed Makawi, 23, said on the video. "Then I shot two bullets from a pistol."
Abdelbaset al-Hajj al-Hassan, a 29-year-old merchant, then fired with an AK-47 assault rifle.
"We were looking for an American's house, when at last we saw the American's car," Hassan said on the video.
"We fired at them, and I shot six bullets from a Kalashnikov rifle...it took 10 or 15 seconds, then we left quickly."
Earlier on the evening of the attack they had spotted but spared a group of Chinese and a British man with his children, they said.
The men planned a second attack on an American target in February, but were arrested before they could carry it out, they said.
The defendants, wearing traditional white robes and religious caps, sat behind bars in a side gallery of the courtroom.
===
MP blames indigenous kids for poor results
By James O'Loan
QUEENSLAND Minister Rod Welford has blamed indigenous and remote area students for dragging down the state's academic performance.
In comments to the Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens Associations' annual general meeting, Mr Welford said the state had been "weighed down" in the national literacy and numeracy tests for Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students.
Queensland finished second last among the eight states and territories, prompting calls for a parliamentary inquiry into the state education system.
Mr Welford yesterday said he was simply making the observation that "statistically there are groups that get lower scores", which affected average scores.
"This isn't a reflection on any of those communities," he said.
Mr Welford also acknowledged more had to be done to lift indigenous and remote area classroom standards. - that is so unfair. The states have underfunded education and welfare .. - ed.
===
“WE, THE FREE, MIGHT BE THE ENEMIES OF FREEDOM”
Tim Blair
A British guide to leading left-wingers claims that the crazy leftoid fringe “has all but disappeared over the last year as the surge in Iraq has worked and more on the left wake up to the fact they have been ‘fellow travelling’ with radical Islamists.” This isn’t the case in Australia, where we’re still being told that terrorists are victims:
Prof Anthony Burke, senior lecturer at the University of NSW where ADFA classes are held, in his book Beyond Security, Ethics and Violence, said students should try to understand terrorists rather than fight them.
===
PREMISES ENTERED, DETAILS DELETED
Tim Blair
The Australian‘s Christian Kerr notes the latest, er, appearance from the men of no appearance:
Have a look at this extract from a report carried by the news service AAP:
“A gang of armed men robbed a western Sydney club last night. A group of five or six men, believed to have been wearing hooded jackets and carrying a gun, allegedly entered the Regents Park club at around 11.10pm and ordered staff and patrons to the ground.”
===
BACK TO BARACK
Tim Blair
Barack Obama maintains his recent lead
===
WORLD SUPPLIED
Tim Blair
The antics of foreign politicians are reliable filler for TV newscasts. A slow news day is instantly revived by, say, some Taiwanese parliamentarians going at each other with fists and chairs, or a bunch of Italian MPs shaping up over a soccer match, or the first president George Bush vomiting on an appalled Japanese prime minister.
It was a little unfair of us to laugh at Gerald Ford falling down stairs when at the same time we were the guys letting crazy Jim Cairns be treasurer. And it was possibly a little hypocritical of us to giggle at those Taiwanese brawlers while the likes of Mark Latham were around.
Still, foreign people are funny. And newscasts need those clips, otherwise every segment after the weather would be limited to newborn zoo beasts.
===
END GAME II
Tim Blair
They adore bad news:
“The majority of left-wing blogs are absolutely loving the financial crisis. It’s the rapture of the marxists.”
===
BROWN’S PALS
Tim Blair
British PM Gordon Brown still has some friends left. Unfortunately for him, they’re all Tories.
FIVE Sudanese Islamists admitted in filmed confessions their role in murdering a US diplomat and his driver in the Sudanese capital on New Year's Day, a court heard today.
John Granville, 33, who worked for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and his 40-year-old Sudanese driver Abdel Rahman Abbas were shot dead in their car before dawn in Khartoum on January 1.
Confessions filmed by police after the arrest of the five were shown to a crowded courtroom in Khartoum.
"The American car braked suddenly, and we stopped behind it," one of the defendants, Mohammed Makawi, 23, said on the video. "Then I shot two bullets from a pistol."
Abdelbaset al-Hajj al-Hassan, a 29-year-old merchant, then fired with an AK-47 assault rifle.
"We were looking for an American's house, when at last we saw the American's car," Hassan said on the video.
"We fired at them, and I shot six bullets from a Kalashnikov rifle...it took 10 or 15 seconds, then we left quickly."
Earlier on the evening of the attack they had spotted but spared a group of Chinese and a British man with his children, they said.
The men planned a second attack on an American target in February, but were arrested before they could carry it out, they said.
The defendants, wearing traditional white robes and religious caps, sat behind bars in a side gallery of the courtroom.
===
MP blames indigenous kids for poor results
By James O'Loan
QUEENSLAND Minister Rod Welford has blamed indigenous and remote area students for dragging down the state's academic performance.
In comments to the Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens Associations' annual general meeting, Mr Welford said the state had been "weighed down" in the national literacy and numeracy tests for Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students.
Queensland finished second last among the eight states and territories, prompting calls for a parliamentary inquiry into the state education system.
Mr Welford yesterday said he was simply making the observation that "statistically there are groups that get lower scores", which affected average scores.
"This isn't a reflection on any of those communities," he said.
Mr Welford also acknowledged more had to be done to lift indigenous and remote area classroom standards. - that is so unfair. The states have underfunded education and welfare .. - ed.
===
“WE, THE FREE, MIGHT BE THE ENEMIES OF FREEDOM”
Tim Blair
A British guide to leading left-wingers claims that the crazy leftoid fringe “has all but disappeared over the last year as the surge in Iraq has worked and more on the left wake up to the fact they have been ‘fellow travelling’ with radical Islamists.” This isn’t the case in Australia, where we’re still being told that terrorists are victims:
Prof Anthony Burke, senior lecturer at the University of NSW where ADFA classes are held, in his book Beyond Security, Ethics and Violence, said students should try to understand terrorists rather than fight them.
===
PREMISES ENTERED, DETAILS DELETED
Tim Blair
The Australian‘s Christian Kerr notes the latest, er, appearance from the men of no appearance:
Have a look at this extract from a report carried by the news service AAP:
“A gang of armed men robbed a western Sydney club last night. A group of five or six men, believed to have been wearing hooded jackets and carrying a gun, allegedly entered the Regents Park club at around 11.10pm and ordered staff and patrons to the ground.”
===
BACK TO BARACK
Tim Blair
Barack Obama maintains his recent lead
===
WORLD SUPPLIED
Tim Blair
The antics of foreign politicians are reliable filler for TV newscasts. A slow news day is instantly revived by, say, some Taiwanese parliamentarians going at each other with fists and chairs, or a bunch of Italian MPs shaping up over a soccer match, or the first president George Bush vomiting on an appalled Japanese prime minister.
It was a little unfair of us to laugh at Gerald Ford falling down stairs when at the same time we were the guys letting crazy Jim Cairns be treasurer. And it was possibly a little hypocritical of us to giggle at those Taiwanese brawlers while the likes of Mark Latham were around.
Still, foreign people are funny. And newscasts need those clips, otherwise every segment after the weather would be limited to newborn zoo beasts.
===
END GAME II
Tim Blair
They adore bad news:
“The majority of left-wing blogs are absolutely loving the financial crisis. It’s the rapture of the marxists.”
===
BROWN’S PALS
Tim Blair
British PM Gordon Brown still has some friends left. Unfortunately for him, they’re all Tories.
Promoting New Music Moon's Day 22nd September
Between Rick James and the Deep Blue Sea
by georgeptingley and LWinston
LWinston uploaded his usual brilliant rhythm track to which I have added nineteen of my own. BETWEEN RICK JAMES AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA is about this incredible journey we all take, a vast array of mysterious twists and turns - some joyful and some less so.
The track is dedicated to the memories of funkmaster Rick James as well as wonderful teacher Ron Gorow whose book HEARING AND WRITING MUSIC has inspired me to perceive musical intervals in a completely new way..
Thanks also to my very special friend Nancie, and, of course, LWinston who got this whole train rolling.
Greetings from Northern California - George
===
A Gig in the Sky (Tribute to Rick Wright)
by LaFayette
Richard William Wright (28 July 1943 – 15 September 2008) was a pianist and keyboardist best known for his career with Pink Floyd. Wright's richly textured keyboard layers were a vital ingredient and a distinctive characteristic of Pink Floyd's sound. In addition, Wright frequently sang background and occasionally lead vocals onstage and in the studio with Pink Floyd (most notably on the songs "Time", "Echoes", and on the Syd Barrett composition "Astronomy Domine" ...
This song is a tribute in my own way to this great musician.
The last part (at 3'38 to the end) is a small piece of the original copyrighted song : "Great Gig in the Sky" by Pink Floyd ©. This musical allusion, where I play acoustic guitar, is there only for the tribute and the reason I can't share the song.
Hope you like
- LaFayette
===
Le Griffon
by LaFayette
The griffin is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and often wings of an eagle. As the lion was traditionally considered the king of the beasts and the eagle the king of the birds, the griffin was thought to be an especially powerful and majestic creature. Griffins are normally known for guarding treasure. In antiquity it was a symbol of divine power and a guardian of the divine...
- LaFayette
===
Meditation
by ShadowofNine
A one take lead, could have worked harder on it, but would have lost my inspiration I think....
Hope you like Meditation
© Shadow Productions
===
Six Feet Of Trouble
by Dylan and DebaserJones
DebaserJones is one of the most talented songwriters around (in and out Icomp)...So glad to do this collab with him, he just sent me those lyrics a few weeks ago and talked about Nick Cave...
Here's the result...a bit noisy...should be played LOUD, please...
DebaserJones - Lyrics
Dyl - music and vocals
===
FLY LN
by RAMZAR
FruityLoops ... immoderate use of samples, some loops with the piano roll and an impossible love LN!!!!
===
Blaine Transue's Dishwasher with Spittalfield Bell Warp Ambience
by particledots
A sound collage containing the following components
1) Blaine Transue's Dishwasher (model/brand unknown)
2) Church Bells recorded outside Spittalfield Market in London on a Sunday morning in August 08
3) Death threat to me from voice mail recording 1999
4) bibavox and particle ambience
5) The quest for anti-inflammatory pain killers (Ibuprofen) for an extremely painful right knee
6) Ghost guitar chords from the track 'There's Nothing'
Software - Sony Soundforge, Sony Vegas and various plugins
Hardware - Zoom H4, Dell Dimension 8400 PC with win xp SP3, Squier Strat Guitar, Telephone and Answering Machine, Big Bells, Little Bells
===
Holy Holy (For ddball)
by MessengerBoy
Over a year and half ago, ddball uploaded his version of this song. At that time I shared in a comment how we used to sing this song back in the '70s at meetings and Bible studies. I also told him I might cover it so he could get an idea of how it might have sounded at one of those meetings.
I'm no singer, but I decided to give it a shot. This isn't perfect by any stretch, but I think it's pretty honest. I hope the bass in the guitar is not too much, I tried to bring it down a bit. I tried to mix it so it would sound very live (with mistakes and all) and very intimate. Let me know what you think.
===
You Can Run...
by McCallum
A Living, Breathing, Pumpin instrumental Trance Ballad
CAUTION: not recommended for people prone to motion sickness
Sunday, September 21, 2008
It's Coming .. From Rumble's Vaults
Maximum Choppage, the original, in three parts
first
second
third
Now, after 4 years, the team has brought forward something that rivals the Matrix for action .. on no budget. Get with the experience.
first
second
third
Now, after 4 years, the team has brought forward something that rivals the Matrix for action .. on no budget. Get with the experience.
NSW Lib Updates
Nathan Rees' 'Beef Stroganoff' Moment: Black Panther Inquiry
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Nathan Rees claims not to have the ‘time nor the inclination’ to find out how the State Budget got into such a mess, but wants to have an inquiry into the so-called ‘black panther, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today.
“This is Nathan Rees’ ‘beef stroganoff’ moment and demonstrates how out of touch Labor has become,” Mrs Skinner said.
Ambulance Strike: Labor's Strung Officers Along Before
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Ambulance officers will be hoping further talks next week with Health Minister John Della Bosca and the State Labor Government will actually solve the problems, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today.
“Ambulance officers have been duped before by this State Labor Government before – being told their concerns will be addressed, only to be disappointed,” Mrs Skinner said.
Morris Iemma: Took The State From Bad To Worse
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Morris Iemma’s legacy will be one of taking NSW from bad to worse, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today.
“While I wish Morris Iemma and his family well in his retirement, his record is one of debt, delays, dithering and desalination,” Mrs Skinner said.
Morris Iemma Must Stop Dithering And Resign Today
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Morris Iemma must stop dithering and finally submit his resignation today or confirm he will remain in Parliament until the next election, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today.
“Morris Iemma must do something he’s not good at today and make a decision,” Mrs Skinner said.
Rail Projects Under Threat: Commuter Stress Set To Get Worse
Written by Gladys Berejiklian MP
Shadow Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian said today news the State Labor Government plans to axe major rail projects will rub salt into the wound of commuters who already struggle to get to and from work everyday.
“News that two major rail links and the entire Rail Clearways project, are under threat will infuriate commuters who have been putting up with sub-standard services,” Ms Berejiklian said.
State Labor Government: It’s Still All About Media Spin Instead Of Action
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Complaints from Nathan Rees and John Della Bosca about media scrutiny prove nothing has changed within the State Labor Government, whose soul purpose seems to be to avoid negative headlines rather than work for the people of NSW, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today.
“Instead of getting on with the job of governing NSW, the State Labor Government is too busy trying to manipulate its own media image with spin,” Mrs Skinner said.
NSW Labor Ignores 'Once In A Century' Crisis In Global Markets
Written by Mike Baird MP
While prominent and highly esteemed market experts recognise the significance of the global financial meltdown, the NSW Labor Government is doing nothing to protect the State’s finances, Shadow Minister for Finance Mike Baird said today.
“Globally, well-respected commentator Alan Greenspan is describing the current financial crisis as a ‘once in a century event’, however the NSW Premier is keeping his head firmly entrenched in the sand,” Mr Baird said.
The New Model Morris Minor: Now With 100 Per Cent Recycled Sound Bytes
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Labor’s latest Premier Nathan Rees has recycled the same tired old lines of his predecessor, confirming that you can change the Premier; but you can’t change Labor, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today.
“There are eerie similarities between Nathan Rees’ well rehearsed sound bytes and those of his predecessor. Given that Nathan Rees was a former senior adviser in both the Carr and Iemma Governments; it’s unsurprising he’d sound almost identical,” Mrs Skinner said.
Harbour Bridge Cashless Tolling Well Overdue
Written by Barry O'Farrell MP
NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell said the expansion of cashless tolling to the Sydney Harbour Bridge is long overdue, but the State Labor Government needs to get it right.
“State Labor has dithered for years over cashless tolling for the Sydney Harbour Bridge, so we welcome this development,” Mr O’Farrell said.
More...
Rees Must Rule Out Debt Bomb Giving Criminals A 'Get Out Of Jail Free' Card
John Della Bosca Must Finally Listen And Head Off Ambulance Industrial Action
Message From Vandal Attack On Premier’s Office - Put Police Back On The Beat
Fees And Charges Do Not Add Up To Waste Reduction
Rees Must Show Leadership In Fire Brigades Dispute
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Nathan Rees claims not to have the ‘time nor the inclination’ to find out how the State Budget got into such a mess, but wants to have an inquiry into the so-called ‘black panther, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today.
“This is Nathan Rees’ ‘beef stroganoff’ moment and demonstrates how out of touch Labor has become,” Mrs Skinner said.
Ambulance Strike: Labor's Strung Officers Along Before
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Ambulance officers will be hoping further talks next week with Health Minister John Della Bosca and the State Labor Government will actually solve the problems, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today.
“Ambulance officers have been duped before by this State Labor Government before – being told their concerns will be addressed, only to be disappointed,” Mrs Skinner said.
Morris Iemma: Took The State From Bad To Worse
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Morris Iemma’s legacy will be one of taking NSW from bad to worse, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today.
“While I wish Morris Iemma and his family well in his retirement, his record is one of debt, delays, dithering and desalination,” Mrs Skinner said.
Morris Iemma Must Stop Dithering And Resign Today
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Morris Iemma must stop dithering and finally submit his resignation today or confirm he will remain in Parliament until the next election, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today.
“Morris Iemma must do something he’s not good at today and make a decision,” Mrs Skinner said.
Rail Projects Under Threat: Commuter Stress Set To Get Worse
Written by Gladys Berejiklian MP
Shadow Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian said today news the State Labor Government plans to axe major rail projects will rub salt into the wound of commuters who already struggle to get to and from work everyday.
“News that two major rail links and the entire Rail Clearways project, are under threat will infuriate commuters who have been putting up with sub-standard services,” Ms Berejiklian said.
State Labor Government: It’s Still All About Media Spin Instead Of Action
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Complaints from Nathan Rees and John Della Bosca about media scrutiny prove nothing has changed within the State Labor Government, whose soul purpose seems to be to avoid negative headlines rather than work for the people of NSW, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today.
“Instead of getting on with the job of governing NSW, the State Labor Government is too busy trying to manipulate its own media image with spin,” Mrs Skinner said.
NSW Labor Ignores 'Once In A Century' Crisis In Global Markets
Written by Mike Baird MP
While prominent and highly esteemed market experts recognise the significance of the global financial meltdown, the NSW Labor Government is doing nothing to protect the State’s finances, Shadow Minister for Finance Mike Baird said today.
“Globally, well-respected commentator Alan Greenspan is describing the current financial crisis as a ‘once in a century event’, however the NSW Premier is keeping his head firmly entrenched in the sand,” Mr Baird said.
The New Model Morris Minor: Now With 100 Per Cent Recycled Sound Bytes
Written by Jillian Skinner MP
Labor’s latest Premier Nathan Rees has recycled the same tired old lines of his predecessor, confirming that you can change the Premier; but you can’t change Labor, Deputy NSW Opposition Leader Jillian Skinner said today.
“There are eerie similarities between Nathan Rees’ well rehearsed sound bytes and those of his predecessor. Given that Nathan Rees was a former senior adviser in both the Carr and Iemma Governments; it’s unsurprising he’d sound almost identical,” Mrs Skinner said.
Harbour Bridge Cashless Tolling Well Overdue
Written by Barry O'Farrell MP
NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell said the expansion of cashless tolling to the Sydney Harbour Bridge is long overdue, but the State Labor Government needs to get it right.
“State Labor has dithered for years over cashless tolling for the Sydney Harbour Bridge, so we welcome this development,” Mr O’Farrell said.
More...
Rees Must Rule Out Debt Bomb Giving Criminals A 'Get Out Of Jail Free' Card
John Della Bosca Must Finally Listen And Head Off Ambulance Industrial Action
Message From Vandal Attack On Premier’s Office - Put Police Back On The Beat
Fees And Charges Do Not Add Up To Waste Reduction
Rees Must Show Leadership In Fire Brigades Dispute
Live Science News Headlines
Financial Fiasco: Can America Recover This Time?
Some experts worry that future generations could be worse off economically than their parents. - things could go very wrong if the democrats retain congress. - ed.
New Iguana Species Found in Fiji
Plants Make Own Painkillers
8 Ways to Green Your Night Out
Nation's First Weather Museum Survives Ike
Top Features
100 New Sharks and Rays Named
Parachutist Survives Fall, Gets 'Pacemaker for Pain'
How Food Labels Could Power the Future
Dogs Catch Human Yawns
Video
The F-22 Raptor: Fighter for the 21st Century
Showdown at Grizzly River
Image of the Day
Parasite Wasps More Numerous than Once Thought
The large number of species of wasp that lays its eggs under the skin of unwitting caterpillars is even more diverse than previously thought according to researchers.
Some experts worry that future generations could be worse off economically than their parents. - things could go very wrong if the democrats retain congress. - ed.
New Iguana Species Found in Fiji
Plants Make Own Painkillers
8 Ways to Green Your Night Out
Nation's First Weather Museum Survives Ike
Top Features
100 New Sharks and Rays Named
Parachutist Survives Fall, Gets 'Pacemaker for Pain'
How Food Labels Could Power the Future
Dogs Catch Human Yawns
Video
The F-22 Raptor: Fighter for the 21st Century
Showdown at Grizzly River
Image of the Day
Parasite Wasps More Numerous than Once Thought
The large number of species of wasp that lays its eggs under the skin of unwitting caterpillars is even more diverse than previously thought according to researchers.
Headlines Sunday 21st September
Turnbull needs some mongrel
Piers Akerman
FEDERAL Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull’s selection of shadow cabinet members will reveal how he intends to meet the challenges of his new leadership.
===
60 dead in bombing at Marriott Hotel in Islamabad
By Masroor Gilani
A SUICIDE bomber has detonated a truck packed with explosives at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, killing at least 60 people in a brazen attack in the heart of Pakistan's capital.
Police said 200 people were also wounded in the massive explosion, which ruptured a gas pipeline and triggered a huge blaze that engulfed the heavily-guarded site in flames.
Many victims leapt to their deaths from the upper floors of the hotel to escape the fire, a senior security official said, and there were fears more were buried in the debris.
Officials said they were worried that the hotel, a key meeting place for foreigners, would collapse.
The attack came hours after new President Asif Ali Zardari - who faces a serious challenge in reining in al-Qaeda and Taliban militants - delivered his first address to parliament, which is just a few hundred metres away.
===
MP Bill Shorten dumps wife for Quentin Bryce's daughter
By Sharri Markson
LABOR MP Bill Shorten has left his wife for the daughter of Kevin Rudd's newly appointed Governor-General, Quentin Bryce.
The parliamentary secretary for disabilities and children's services separated from his wife, Deborah Beale, in the past month and is understood to be in a relationship with Chloe Bryce, The Sunday Telegraph reports.
Mr Shorten, who was formerly the Australian Workers' Union national secretary, has been touted as a future Labor leader for several years.
He is understood to have broken the news to Ms Beale at an AFL game at the MCG a month ago.
"He told her 'I don't think I want to be married anymore'," said a Labor source. - this possible ALP leader is all class. - ed.
===
Premier Nathan Rees haunted by Milton Orkopoulos
By Sharri Markson
NEW SOUTH WALES Premier Nathan Rees has been accused of choosing to remain ignorant about the allegations against his former boss, pedophile Milton Orkopoulos, because he was told the sex scandal would derail his career.
Former Labor MP Paul O'Grady said Mr Rees questioned him about the former NSW minister on three occasions between October, 2005 and a month before his arrest in November, 2006.
Mr Rees was Orkopoulos's chief-of-staff until three days before he was charged over the under-age sex and drug offences.
"Nathan raised the issue with me on at least two, if not three, occasions,'' Mr O'Grady said.
"He said: 'What's going on with Milton?'
"I said to him, 'As someone who wants to be a (political) candidate, do you think that's an intelligent question to ask?'
"I don't know (how much he knew) because I didn't encourage the conversation.''
Mr O'Grady, who was a friend of Orkopoulos, also told The Sunday Telegraph Mr Rees had confronted his then-boss about his marijuana use.
"I know he had conversations with Milton about the marijuana use,'' he said.
As well as child sex offences, Orkopoulos also smoked marijuana with teenagers in his parliamentary office. - he has no policy but ignorance. Perfect for the ALP leader in NSW - ed.
===
Iguanagate interviews to go public
By Andrew Chesterton
POLICE have closed the case, but key players in the Iguanagate scandal are duelling over their version of events.
Federal MP Belinda Neal and her former staffer Melissa Batten have recorded interviews for the ABC's Australian Story that will be aired tomorrow night.
The program will also air video footage of Ms Batten's police interview, recorded in the days following the June 6 incident at Iguanas Waterfront restaurant at Gosford.
The Sunday Telegraph understands the footage includes claims Ms Batten was instructed by a senior staff member in Ms Neal's Gosford electorate office to avoid giving a statement to police.
It is understood the footage will include claims that Ms Batten was told to hide from police at the back of Ms Neal's office to avoid being interviewed about the incident.
===
Journalist 'punched in the face' by Vietnamese police
A journalist was beaten by police who detained him while he covered a Catholic prayer vigil in Vietnam.
Ben Stocking, an Associated Press reporter positioned in Hanoi, was released from police custody on after about two and a half hours and required four stitches to the back of his head. His camera was confiscated by police.
"They told me I was taking pictures in a place that I was not allowed to be taking pictures.
"But it was news, and I went in," Stocking said.
Stocking said plainclothes police escorted him away from the prayer vigil, took his camera and punched and kicked him when he asked for it back. - it is still a communist nation. Thank you Gough Whitlam. - ed.
Piers Akerman
FEDERAL Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull’s selection of shadow cabinet members will reveal how he intends to meet the challenges of his new leadership.
===
60 dead in bombing at Marriott Hotel in Islamabad
By Masroor Gilani
A SUICIDE bomber has detonated a truck packed with explosives at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, killing at least 60 people in a brazen attack in the heart of Pakistan's capital.
Police said 200 people were also wounded in the massive explosion, which ruptured a gas pipeline and triggered a huge blaze that engulfed the heavily-guarded site in flames.
Many victims leapt to their deaths from the upper floors of the hotel to escape the fire, a senior security official said, and there were fears more were buried in the debris.
Officials said they were worried that the hotel, a key meeting place for foreigners, would collapse.
The attack came hours after new President Asif Ali Zardari - who faces a serious challenge in reining in al-Qaeda and Taliban militants - delivered his first address to parliament, which is just a few hundred metres away.
===
MP Bill Shorten dumps wife for Quentin Bryce's daughter
By Sharri Markson
LABOR MP Bill Shorten has left his wife for the daughter of Kevin Rudd's newly appointed Governor-General, Quentin Bryce.
The parliamentary secretary for disabilities and children's services separated from his wife, Deborah Beale, in the past month and is understood to be in a relationship with Chloe Bryce, The Sunday Telegraph reports.
Mr Shorten, who was formerly the Australian Workers' Union national secretary, has been touted as a future Labor leader for several years.
He is understood to have broken the news to Ms Beale at an AFL game at the MCG a month ago.
"He told her 'I don't think I want to be married anymore'," said a Labor source. - this possible ALP leader is all class. - ed.
===
Premier Nathan Rees haunted by Milton Orkopoulos
By Sharri Markson
NEW SOUTH WALES Premier Nathan Rees has been accused of choosing to remain ignorant about the allegations against his former boss, pedophile Milton Orkopoulos, because he was told the sex scandal would derail his career.
Former Labor MP Paul O'Grady said Mr Rees questioned him about the former NSW minister on three occasions between October, 2005 and a month before his arrest in November, 2006.
Mr Rees was Orkopoulos's chief-of-staff until three days before he was charged over the under-age sex and drug offences.
"Nathan raised the issue with me on at least two, if not three, occasions,'' Mr O'Grady said.
"He said: 'What's going on with Milton?'
"I said to him, 'As someone who wants to be a (political) candidate, do you think that's an intelligent question to ask?'
"I don't know (how much he knew) because I didn't encourage the conversation.''
Mr O'Grady, who was a friend of Orkopoulos, also told The Sunday Telegraph Mr Rees had confronted his then-boss about his marijuana use.
"I know he had conversations with Milton about the marijuana use,'' he said.
As well as child sex offences, Orkopoulos also smoked marijuana with teenagers in his parliamentary office. - he has no policy but ignorance. Perfect for the ALP leader in NSW - ed.
===
Iguanagate interviews to go public
By Andrew Chesterton
POLICE have closed the case, but key players in the Iguanagate scandal are duelling over their version of events.
Federal MP Belinda Neal and her former staffer Melissa Batten have recorded interviews for the ABC's Australian Story that will be aired tomorrow night.
The program will also air video footage of Ms Batten's police interview, recorded in the days following the June 6 incident at Iguanas Waterfront restaurant at Gosford.
The Sunday Telegraph understands the footage includes claims Ms Batten was instructed by a senior staff member in Ms Neal's Gosford electorate office to avoid giving a statement to police.
It is understood the footage will include claims that Ms Batten was told to hide from police at the back of Ms Neal's office to avoid being interviewed about the incident.
===
Journalist 'punched in the face' by Vietnamese police
A journalist was beaten by police who detained him while he covered a Catholic prayer vigil in Vietnam.
Ben Stocking, an Associated Press reporter positioned in Hanoi, was released from police custody on after about two and a half hours and required four stitches to the back of his head. His camera was confiscated by police.
"They told me I was taking pictures in a place that I was not allowed to be taking pictures.
"But it was news, and I went in," Stocking said.
Stocking said plainclothes police escorted him away from the prayer vigil, took his camera and punched and kicked him when he asked for it back. - it is still a communist nation. Thank you Gough Whitlam. - ed.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Space.com News
Earth Hot Spots Spark Alien Ideas
Researchers found hydrothermal vents supporting an extremophile ecosystem.
MISSIONS/LAUNCHES
NASA Eyes Loose Insulation for Hubble Mission
New Cargo Ship Arrives at Space Station
SCIENCE/ASTRONOMY
How Rare Is the Earth?
Nearby Galaxy Nearly Invisible
RECENT HEADLINES
Water Flowed on Mars Longer than Thought
NASA Eyes Nuclear Power for Moon Base
Reports: China Chooses Fighter Pilot as First Spacewalker
The Future of America's Space Corps
COOL STUFF
Image of the Day: Galaxian
NASA's Most Memorable Missions
As NASA turns 50, here's a look at some of its most memorable missions.
Researchers found hydrothermal vents supporting an extremophile ecosystem.
MISSIONS/LAUNCHES
NASA Eyes Loose Insulation for Hubble Mission
New Cargo Ship Arrives at Space Station
SCIENCE/ASTRONOMY
How Rare Is the Earth?
Nearby Galaxy Nearly Invisible
RECENT HEADLINES
Water Flowed on Mars Longer than Thought
NASA Eyes Nuclear Power for Moon Base
Reports: China Chooses Fighter Pilot as First Spacewalker
The Future of America's Space Corps
COOL STUFF
Image of the Day: Galaxian
NASA's Most Memorable Missions
As NASA turns 50, here's a look at some of its most memorable missions.
Liberal Messages Saturday 20th September
Time to act to help Australia’s pensioners
I will move to introduce legislation when parliament sits next week to give Mr Rudd the opportunity to deliver an extra $30 a week to around 860,000 Australians who need it and deserve it.
The Coalition Plan to Cut Petrol Tax
Recent News
Turnbull Doorstop - Economy
I’m offering Kevin Rudd today, with my Deputy Julie Bishop with me here today, we’re offering to Kevin Rudd to sit down with him and speak and cooperate in a bipartisan way on the measures that can be undertaken in the very near term to provide greater stability and security in our economy and our financial markets. Those are the big issues of the moment.
Western Sydney misses out on trades training for students
It defies belief that not only have the Rudd Government scrapped the proposed ATC in Penrith but they have not provided a trade training centre for a single school in all of the western suburbs of Sydney.
The benefits of working go further than a payslip - Article for ABC's Unleashed: Getting the disabled back to work
A job provides a person with a sense of purpose, it helps grow confidence, develop social skills and introduces us to different situations and people. All experiences that help shape who we are.
Turnbull interview with Madonna King (612 ABC Brisbane) - Barnaby Joyce, Aged Pension, John Murphy...
We are proposing a $30 a week increase for the single aged pension right here, right now.
Helen Kroger - First Speech (15 September)
I could not let the opportunity pass me by without saying how excited I am as a women to begin my career in parliament at the very time that Sarah Palin is about to shatter the penultimate glass ceiling of politics in the United States.
Council of Australian Local Government
The Coalition welcomes the Government’s announcement that the first meeting of the Council of Australian Local Government will be held in late November – but has warned against the Rudd bureaucracy turning this meeting into yet another talkfest.
Garrett undermines PM’s Local Government announcement
Peter Garrett today embarrassed the Prime Minister by undermining his announcement of a so-called new “cooperative engagement” with local government.
Minister for Employment has no plan for job creation
The announcement today that Telstra will shed 800 staff makes it even more important for the Rudd Government to focus on job creation.
Turnbull interview with Ali Moore (774 ABC Melbourne) - Chris Ellison, economy, Barnaby Joyce, HIH...
Chris Ellison is a great loss and I was certainly expecting to be working with him in the shadow cabinet as Leader just as I had as shadow treasurer. But his departure, which will be a great loss to us, obviously creates another vacancy in the shadow cabinet.
Garrett confused on pipeline
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett must strive to inspire greater confidence that he will stand up to the Victorian Government which is desperate to take water from the Murray Darling Basin.
WA enters a new era in mining
An exciting new era is about to begin in the Australian resource sector with the long-awaited green light on uranium mining in Western Australia.
Congratulations to Australian Paralympic Team
Senator Bernardi said all Australians can be proud of the Australian Team who placed fifth on the medal tally with an impressive 79 medals.
Turnbull interview with Leon Byner (Radio 5AA, Adelaide)
It’s very hard to predict that Leon. The one thing I could say is that business confidence would be higher in Australia if Mr Swan and Mr Rudd hadn’t embarked on a political campaign - a political strategy, right from the beginning of this year to talk down the economy and talk up inflation.
Heaven help the self funded retirees
Labor has again hidden behind a wall of rhetoric, after today refusing to outline any measures the Rudd Government was taking to protect Australian superannuation accounts arising from the volatility of the American capital market.
It's about people – So why has Rudd declared war on Bourke Community?
Today over 400 Bourke residents attended a rally in Bourke to save their town after the Rudd Government ripped the guts out of its economic base.
Turnbull on LiveNews.com.au - The big issue today is the economy...
If Kevin Rudd was fair dinkum about bipartisanship, he will be seeking to work with us on the economy. Click here for video.
Minister for Workplace Relations fails economics 101
Today the Minister for Workplace Relations has revealed her ignorance about the measurement of productivity in Australia.
Turnbull interview with Melissa Doyle and Matthew White (Sunrise, 7) - Liberal Party leadership, economy, Republic...
We are committed to a better deal for Australia’s pensioners and while we look forward to the results of the review that the Rudd Government is undertaking, and we recognise that there should be other reforms, right here right now, we want to increase that single pension by $30 a week and we’ll be introducing legislation into the Senate to do just that.
Rudd's shambolic revolution
The cornerstone of the Rudd Government’s education policy was the ‘Digital Education Revolution’ which originally promised a computer on every desk for students between years 9 and 12. That quickly changed to access to a computer, which has now changed to one computer for every two students
Turnbull interview with Alan Jones (Radio 2GB) - Liberal leadership, economy, ETS...
We need policies that will not trash the Australian economy and you know, really the absurdity of Mr Rudd’s position is this; he has come out with an options paper on an emissions trading scheme – well that’s fair enough. I’m disappointed that the options paper doesn’t advance the policy development one iota of where it was last year when we were in government.
I will move to introduce legislation when parliament sits next week to give Mr Rudd the opportunity to deliver an extra $30 a week to around 860,000 Australians who need it and deserve it.
The Coalition Plan to Cut Petrol Tax
Recent News
Turnbull Doorstop - Economy
I’m offering Kevin Rudd today, with my Deputy Julie Bishop with me here today, we’re offering to Kevin Rudd to sit down with him and speak and cooperate in a bipartisan way on the measures that can be undertaken in the very near term to provide greater stability and security in our economy and our financial markets. Those are the big issues of the moment.
Western Sydney misses out on trades training for students
It defies belief that not only have the Rudd Government scrapped the proposed ATC in Penrith but they have not provided a trade training centre for a single school in all of the western suburbs of Sydney.
The benefits of working go further than a payslip - Article for ABC's Unleashed: Getting the disabled back to work
A job provides a person with a sense of purpose, it helps grow confidence, develop social skills and introduces us to different situations and people. All experiences that help shape who we are.
Turnbull interview with Madonna King (612 ABC Brisbane) - Barnaby Joyce, Aged Pension, John Murphy...
We are proposing a $30 a week increase for the single aged pension right here, right now.
Helen Kroger - First Speech (15 September)
I could not let the opportunity pass me by without saying how excited I am as a women to begin my career in parliament at the very time that Sarah Palin is about to shatter the penultimate glass ceiling of politics in the United States.
Council of Australian Local Government
The Coalition welcomes the Government’s announcement that the first meeting of the Council of Australian Local Government will be held in late November – but has warned against the Rudd bureaucracy turning this meeting into yet another talkfest.
Garrett undermines PM’s Local Government announcement
Peter Garrett today embarrassed the Prime Minister by undermining his announcement of a so-called new “cooperative engagement” with local government.
Minister for Employment has no plan for job creation
The announcement today that Telstra will shed 800 staff makes it even more important for the Rudd Government to focus on job creation.
Turnbull interview with Ali Moore (774 ABC Melbourne) - Chris Ellison, economy, Barnaby Joyce, HIH...
Chris Ellison is a great loss and I was certainly expecting to be working with him in the shadow cabinet as Leader just as I had as shadow treasurer. But his departure, which will be a great loss to us, obviously creates another vacancy in the shadow cabinet.
Garrett confused on pipeline
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett must strive to inspire greater confidence that he will stand up to the Victorian Government which is desperate to take water from the Murray Darling Basin.
WA enters a new era in mining
An exciting new era is about to begin in the Australian resource sector with the long-awaited green light on uranium mining in Western Australia.
Congratulations to Australian Paralympic Team
Senator Bernardi said all Australians can be proud of the Australian Team who placed fifth on the medal tally with an impressive 79 medals.
Turnbull interview with Leon Byner (Radio 5AA, Adelaide)
It’s very hard to predict that Leon. The one thing I could say is that business confidence would be higher in Australia if Mr Swan and Mr Rudd hadn’t embarked on a political campaign - a political strategy, right from the beginning of this year to talk down the economy and talk up inflation.
Heaven help the self funded retirees
Labor has again hidden behind a wall of rhetoric, after today refusing to outline any measures the Rudd Government was taking to protect Australian superannuation accounts arising from the volatility of the American capital market.
It's about people – So why has Rudd declared war on Bourke Community?
Today over 400 Bourke residents attended a rally in Bourke to save their town after the Rudd Government ripped the guts out of its economic base.
Turnbull on LiveNews.com.au - The big issue today is the economy...
If Kevin Rudd was fair dinkum about bipartisanship, he will be seeking to work with us on the economy. Click here for video.
Minister for Workplace Relations fails economics 101
Today the Minister for Workplace Relations has revealed her ignorance about the measurement of productivity in Australia.
Turnbull interview with Melissa Doyle and Matthew White (Sunrise, 7) - Liberal Party leadership, economy, Republic...
We are committed to a better deal for Australia’s pensioners and while we look forward to the results of the review that the Rudd Government is undertaking, and we recognise that there should be other reforms, right here right now, we want to increase that single pension by $30 a week and we’ll be introducing legislation into the Senate to do just that.
Rudd's shambolic revolution
The cornerstone of the Rudd Government’s education policy was the ‘Digital Education Revolution’ which originally promised a computer on every desk for students between years 9 and 12. That quickly changed to access to a computer, which has now changed to one computer for every two students
Turnbull interview with Alan Jones (Radio 2GB) - Liberal leadership, economy, ETS...
We need policies that will not trash the Australian economy and you know, really the absurdity of Mr Rudd’s position is this; he has come out with an options paper on an emissions trading scheme – well that’s fair enough. I’m disappointed that the options paper doesn’t advance the policy development one iota of where it was last year when we were in government.
Headlines Saturday 20th September
Deportation order revoked after donation
Former immigration minister Amanda Vanstone reportedly overturned a deportation order against a suspected Melbourne mafia identity after a large donation to the Liberal Party.
The order was revoked 14 months after a large donation was made to the Liberal Party by the man's brother, an alleged Calabrian crime figure, Fairfax newspapers say.
Four Liberal MPs in two states lobbied or contacted Ms Vanstone about Francesco Madafferi's case, Fairfax says.
Madafferi's brother, Antonio, donated $15,000 to the Liberal Party in September 2004 and a further $7,500 in June 2006.
Ms Vanstone granted the visa in November 2005.
However, Fairfax says there is no evidence to show that the donations influenced any decision-making by Ms Vanstone or encouraged any of the politicians to contact her about the case. - this calls into question the appropriateness of ALP in government. The ALP have been known to corruptly misuse visa process. - ed.
===
Rudd a phoney: Turnbull
The Prime Minister has been described as a 'phoney' by the new Opposition leader.
Malcolm Turnbull hasn't just stuck to the Federal arena in his attack on Labor telling the Telegraph, new Premier Nathan Rees makes Morris Iemma looks good.
He says the NSW Government has reached a new low of incompetence.
Mr Turnbull also denied Labor's claim that he's an arrogant Sydney silvertail who can't relate to average voters.
"I have seen both ends of the economic spectrum," he said.
In an interview with the paper, Mr Turnbull promised "leadership, energy, action" as he tries to topple the Rudd government.
"We are determined to make this a one-term government," he said. -It is hard to know when some highly paid spinner is going to take some direction which supports Rudd, but he really has done a terrible job and I applaud Turnbull for pointing it out. - ed.
===
US President announces financial sector rescue package
United States President George W Bush has announced plans for a financial sector rescue package. - one notes the package has largely been upposed by Democrats. - ed.
Former immigration minister Amanda Vanstone reportedly overturned a deportation order against a suspected Melbourne mafia identity after a large donation to the Liberal Party.
The order was revoked 14 months after a large donation was made to the Liberal Party by the man's brother, an alleged Calabrian crime figure, Fairfax newspapers say.
Four Liberal MPs in two states lobbied or contacted Ms Vanstone about Francesco Madafferi's case, Fairfax says.
Madafferi's brother, Antonio, donated $15,000 to the Liberal Party in September 2004 and a further $7,500 in June 2006.
Ms Vanstone granted the visa in November 2005.
However, Fairfax says there is no evidence to show that the donations influenced any decision-making by Ms Vanstone or encouraged any of the politicians to contact her about the case. - this calls into question the appropriateness of ALP in government. The ALP have been known to corruptly misuse visa process. - ed.
===
Rudd a phoney: Turnbull
The Prime Minister has been described as a 'phoney' by the new Opposition leader.
Malcolm Turnbull hasn't just stuck to the Federal arena in his attack on Labor telling the Telegraph, new Premier Nathan Rees makes Morris Iemma looks good.
He says the NSW Government has reached a new low of incompetence.
Mr Turnbull also denied Labor's claim that he's an arrogant Sydney silvertail who can't relate to average voters.
"I have seen both ends of the economic spectrum," he said.
In an interview with the paper, Mr Turnbull promised "leadership, energy, action" as he tries to topple the Rudd government.
"We are determined to make this a one-term government," he said. -It is hard to know when some highly paid spinner is going to take some direction which supports Rudd, but he really has done a terrible job and I applaud Turnbull for pointing it out. - ed.
===
US President announces financial sector rescue package
United States President George W Bush has announced plans for a financial sector rescue package. - one notes the package has largely been upposed by Democrats. - ed.
From Rumble's Vaults
Rumble Pictures - Project Vengeance
www.myspace.com/rumble_pictures
Starring Johnny Nguyen,
Timothy Ly
Directed by Wayne Pham
Sound Editing by Robert Trieu
Choreography by Timothy Ly
===
Music Video --- The Closet Romantics - Homebound Carriage
Music Video from the Closet Romantics. Directed By Timothy Ly
http://www.myspace.com/theclosetromantics
Starring
Suezane Lam
Jen Jen Chung
Ivan San
Makeup
Michelle Le
Cinematography
Rudge Hollis
Wayne Pham
Rumble Pictures
2007
www.myspace.com/rumble_pictures
Starring Johnny Nguyen,
Timothy Ly
Directed by Wayne Pham
Sound Editing by Robert Trieu
Choreography by Timothy Ly
===
Music Video --- The Closet Romantics - Homebound Carriage
Music Video from the Closet Romantics. Directed By Timothy Ly
http://www.myspace.com/theclosetromantics
Starring
Suezane Lam
Jen Jen Chung
Ivan San
Makeup
Michelle Le
Cinematography
Rudge Hollis
Wayne Pham
Rumble Pictures
2007
Friday, September 19, 2008
Space.com News
Galaxy Formation: A Clumpy Affair
Evidence is mounting that galaxies form by chunking together smaller galaxies.
MISSIONS/LAUNCHES
Dust Devils Photographed in Martian Arctic
Hurricane Ike Delays Space Station Delivery
SCIENCE/ASTRONOMY
Possible First Photo of Planet Around Sun-Like Star
Star Cluster to Hide Behind Moon
RECENT HEADLINES
Buyers Bemoan Launcher Prices, Availability
NASA Moves Rescue Shuttle, Prepares for Hurricane Ike
The Yin-Yang of Ultraviolet Radiation
Mini Sub for Small Spaces
Video - Falcon 1's Third Flight
SpaceX's third rocket launch attempt ends in failure with an in-flight stage collision. Credit: SpaceX.
Image of the Day: New Day Rising
Evidence is mounting that galaxies form by chunking together smaller galaxies.
MISSIONS/LAUNCHES
Dust Devils Photographed in Martian Arctic
Hurricane Ike Delays Space Station Delivery
SCIENCE/ASTRONOMY
Possible First Photo of Planet Around Sun-Like Star
Star Cluster to Hide Behind Moon
RECENT HEADLINES
Buyers Bemoan Launcher Prices, Availability
NASA Moves Rescue Shuttle, Prepares for Hurricane Ike
The Yin-Yang of Ultraviolet Radiation
Mini Sub for Small Spaces
Video - Falcon 1's Third Flight
SpaceX's third rocket launch attempt ends in failure with an in-flight stage collision. Credit: SpaceX.
Image of the Day: New Day Rising
Promoting New Music Freya's Day 19th September
Trivium - Dying In Your Arms (dual cover)
Lead - Kevin
Rhythm - Khanh
Timing was off here and there...
===
Any Other Way
by k6
I got out of a two hour visit with the dentist. Came home and put this together. My face looks like I have a golf ball stuck in it but it feels like a soccer ball. The pain medication is making me sick. Kind of like "the operation was a success but the patient died" sort of feeling. The best thing to come out of it all is this tune.
I'm going with Xolv's suggestion and calling it a Bossa. Thanks man.
===
Joplin's SEARCHLIGHT RAG (1907)
by georgeptingley
This is my nomination for most "criminally overlooked" Scott Joplin rag. Apparently, publication and distribution of this great work was mismanaged and for many years the piece was not even included in Joplin's collected works. Lack of both recordings and critical appraisal have only added insult to injury. In this iComps exclusive, I am endeavoring to rescue this work from almost complete oblivion.
The form is Intro AA BB A CC DD. Listen how each section complements the next-not one note, phrase, harmony or modulation out of place.
Pianist George Peter Tingley performs Scott Joplin's SEARCHLIGHT RAG of 1907.
Lead - Kevin
Rhythm - Khanh
Timing was off here and there...
===
Any Other Way
by k6
I got out of a two hour visit with the dentist. Came home and put this together. My face looks like I have a golf ball stuck in it but it feels like a soccer ball. The pain medication is making me sick. Kind of like "the operation was a success but the patient died" sort of feeling. The best thing to come out of it all is this tune.
I'm going with Xolv's suggestion and calling it a Bossa. Thanks man.
===
Joplin's SEARCHLIGHT RAG (1907)
by georgeptingley
This is my nomination for most "criminally overlooked" Scott Joplin rag. Apparently, publication and distribution of this great work was mismanaged and for many years the piece was not even included in Joplin's collected works. Lack of both recordings and critical appraisal have only added insult to injury. In this iComps exclusive, I am endeavoring to rescue this work from almost complete oblivion.
The form is Intro AA BB A CC DD. Listen how each section complements the next-not one note, phrase, harmony or modulation out of place.
Pianist George Peter Tingley performs Scott Joplin's SEARCHLIGHT RAG of 1907.
Headlines Friday 19th September
Children at risk from every angle
Alan Jones
We need to reflect on the dreadful story of a young 19-year-old woman being raped in a taxi in November last year, twice indecently assaulted as she drifted in and out of sleep.
The young lady woke to find the cab stopped in a side street in Beverly Park. She was forced into the back of the taxi and raped.
Justice has prevailed and the taxi driver, 22-year-old MD Kawsar Ali, will be sentenced in November.
Then a nine-year-old girl is the latest victim of a reported child abduction attempt in Sydney in the past month. And this at a time when the Safety House network has been disbanded last year without public debate.
The Stranger Danger programme has gone. And the police presence.
You tell me how often you see a policeman or a woman on the beat. If we can't afford that, we can't afford anything.
Well may parents wonder how safe their children are on the streets. And lament the seeming inability of society to protect the innocent.
But tragically parents may face the same concerns in the nation's classrooms. Not through physical violence, though that occurs as we know through unchecked bullying, but through intellectual assault.
Consider this: Mr Rudd has appointed Professor Stewart McIntyre and a literary researcher, Peter Freebody to his National Curriculum Board. And they're going to draft documents outlining the content of history and English in a national school curriculum.
Professor McIntyre is a former member of the Communist Party. He's been accused of advocating a theory of history described as "history from below", that is excluding national achievement and focusing instead on victim groups. This is the sort of history which characterises white settlement of Australia as an invasion.
The other bloke, Peter Freebody is a literacy researcher. He doesn't even believe that the definition of being literate is being able to read and write to a required level.
He says, wait for it, that literacy is "a moral, political and cultural decision about the kind of literate practices that are needed to enhance people's agency over their life trajectories and to enhance communities' intellectual, cultural and semiotic resources in print/multimediated economies."
How's that rubbish for Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard's education revolution and back to basics curriculum?
===
Police 'too slow on abductions'
AN incident where two women tried to snatch a young boy comes as Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione is under pressure to release prompt crime details.
===
North West Metro a waste of time and money
By Rhys Haynes
THESE people are costing taxpayers at least $11,000 a day on a bogus rail project that could be dumped within weeks.
===
Labor can't attack Malcolm's money
Alan Jones
The story of the week - apart from the financial rout on the world's stock markets - is the rise of Malcolm Turnbull to be Australia's alternative Prime Minister.
This is a remarkable ascendancy, given that this time four years ago Mr Turnbull wasn't even in the Federal Parliament. And his election this week has obviously struck fear into the government, because whatever else might be said about Mr Turnbull, he's bright and he's successful and he's run and been involved in big business.
And what Australians want, given that they all want to do well, is someone running the joint who knows how to do well and clearly has a history of doing just that.
Malcolm Turnbull fits that bill.
In the light of that, and the extraordinary personal attacks that immediately cascaded over him from his Labor opponents, an editorial in yesterday's Australian newspaper is instructive indeed.
It talked about the Government playing the silvertail card. It talked about the bare-faced hypocrisy of attacking an independently wealthy Opposition Leader when the Prime Minister's family is worth several million dollars. But it then said, "The deeper problem for Labor is that the politics of envy are out of step with the times," and said "Today's Labor voters don't despise wealth, they aspire to it".
And the editorial went on, "The reputational danger for Labor politicians who refuse to drop this tired old rhetoric is that they end up looking like jungle-bound Japanese soldiers who haven't realised the war is over".
It said, "The politics of envy represent an invidious form of class warfare that should have died a natural death last century".
But expressing the hope that Labor has transformed itself, the editorial argues, "Not a bit of it. As Labor's spurious defence of the luxury car tax shows, today's ALP is ready to play the jealousy card whenever it suits".
But then, describing this as a short-sighted tactic, it said "An attack on wealth is an attack on the aspirations of Labor's core constituency. It pre-supposes a zero sum economy, pitting winners against losers in which one man's good fortune is another man's bad fortune".
The editorial described this as alien to the entrepreneurial can-do culture on which this nation was built.
It talked about people in the Australian community "sick and tired of being battered by class war rhetoric".
The editorial said, "Politics today has transcended class. Labor's rusted-on supporters are tertiary educated, well-heeled professionals from the inner cities. Labor's softest support is in the blue collar outer suburbs.
"Mr Turnbull's opponents are making a big mistake if they think that attacking a toff with a silver spoon is just a bit of harmless fun. It is their reputation that will be damaged, not Mr Turnbull's".
===
Vatican Official Defends Evolution Against 'Useless' Creationism
VATICAN CITY — A professor at a Vatican-sponsored university expressed dismay Tuesday that some Christian groups reject the theory of evolution — implicitly criticizing the literal interpretation of the Bible.
Further emphasizing the official Catholic stance, a Vatican official restated the Church position that evolution is not incompatible with faith.
Both men spoke at a press conference ahead of a March event aimed at fostering dialogue between religion and science, and appraising evolution 150 years after Charles Darwin's landmark "On the Origin of Species."
The forum is being organized by Rome's prestigious Gregorian Pontifical University, which is highly influential in Vatican circles, and by the University of Notre Dame in the U.S. state of Indiana.
===
People That Are Slow To Recognize Danger Vote Politically Liberal
By Jeanna Bryner
Fierce individualists, Americans figure that we choose our own political beliefs — but actually it could come down to biology.
Individuals who are more easily startled by threats are more likely than others to support protective policies, such as military spending, the Iraq War and the death penalty, finds a new study.
Researchers over the years have put forth several factors to explain a person's political beliefs, including religion, culture, genetics and everyday experiences.
Alan Jones
We need to reflect on the dreadful story of a young 19-year-old woman being raped in a taxi in November last year, twice indecently assaulted as she drifted in and out of sleep.
The young lady woke to find the cab stopped in a side street in Beverly Park. She was forced into the back of the taxi and raped.
Justice has prevailed and the taxi driver, 22-year-old MD Kawsar Ali, will be sentenced in November.
Then a nine-year-old girl is the latest victim of a reported child abduction attempt in Sydney in the past month. And this at a time when the Safety House network has been disbanded last year without public debate.
The Stranger Danger programme has gone. And the police presence.
You tell me how often you see a policeman or a woman on the beat. If we can't afford that, we can't afford anything.
Well may parents wonder how safe their children are on the streets. And lament the seeming inability of society to protect the innocent.
But tragically parents may face the same concerns in the nation's classrooms. Not through physical violence, though that occurs as we know through unchecked bullying, but through intellectual assault.
Consider this: Mr Rudd has appointed Professor Stewart McIntyre and a literary researcher, Peter Freebody to his National Curriculum Board. And they're going to draft documents outlining the content of history and English in a national school curriculum.
Professor McIntyre is a former member of the Communist Party. He's been accused of advocating a theory of history described as "history from below", that is excluding national achievement and focusing instead on victim groups. This is the sort of history which characterises white settlement of Australia as an invasion.
The other bloke, Peter Freebody is a literacy researcher. He doesn't even believe that the definition of being literate is being able to read and write to a required level.
He says, wait for it, that literacy is "a moral, political and cultural decision about the kind of literate practices that are needed to enhance people's agency over their life trajectories and to enhance communities' intellectual, cultural and semiotic resources in print/multimediated economies."
How's that rubbish for Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard's education revolution and back to basics curriculum?
===
Police 'too slow on abductions'
AN incident where two women tried to snatch a young boy comes as Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione is under pressure to release prompt crime details.
===
North West Metro a waste of time and money
By Rhys Haynes
THESE people are costing taxpayers at least $11,000 a day on a bogus rail project that could be dumped within weeks.
===
Labor can't attack Malcolm's money
Alan Jones
The story of the week - apart from the financial rout on the world's stock markets - is the rise of Malcolm Turnbull to be Australia's alternative Prime Minister.
This is a remarkable ascendancy, given that this time four years ago Mr Turnbull wasn't even in the Federal Parliament. And his election this week has obviously struck fear into the government, because whatever else might be said about Mr Turnbull, he's bright and he's successful and he's run and been involved in big business.
And what Australians want, given that they all want to do well, is someone running the joint who knows how to do well and clearly has a history of doing just that.
Malcolm Turnbull fits that bill.
In the light of that, and the extraordinary personal attacks that immediately cascaded over him from his Labor opponents, an editorial in yesterday's Australian newspaper is instructive indeed.
It talked about the Government playing the silvertail card. It talked about the bare-faced hypocrisy of attacking an independently wealthy Opposition Leader when the Prime Minister's family is worth several million dollars. But it then said, "The deeper problem for Labor is that the politics of envy are out of step with the times," and said "Today's Labor voters don't despise wealth, they aspire to it".
And the editorial went on, "The reputational danger for Labor politicians who refuse to drop this tired old rhetoric is that they end up looking like jungle-bound Japanese soldiers who haven't realised the war is over".
It said, "The politics of envy represent an invidious form of class warfare that should have died a natural death last century".
But expressing the hope that Labor has transformed itself, the editorial argues, "Not a bit of it. As Labor's spurious defence of the luxury car tax shows, today's ALP is ready to play the jealousy card whenever it suits".
But then, describing this as a short-sighted tactic, it said "An attack on wealth is an attack on the aspirations of Labor's core constituency. It pre-supposes a zero sum economy, pitting winners against losers in which one man's good fortune is another man's bad fortune".
The editorial described this as alien to the entrepreneurial can-do culture on which this nation was built.
It talked about people in the Australian community "sick and tired of being battered by class war rhetoric".
The editorial said, "Politics today has transcended class. Labor's rusted-on supporters are tertiary educated, well-heeled professionals from the inner cities. Labor's softest support is in the blue collar outer suburbs.
"Mr Turnbull's opponents are making a big mistake if they think that attacking a toff with a silver spoon is just a bit of harmless fun. It is their reputation that will be damaged, not Mr Turnbull's".
===
Vatican Official Defends Evolution Against 'Useless' Creationism
VATICAN CITY — A professor at a Vatican-sponsored university expressed dismay Tuesday that some Christian groups reject the theory of evolution — implicitly criticizing the literal interpretation of the Bible.
Further emphasizing the official Catholic stance, a Vatican official restated the Church position that evolution is not incompatible with faith.
Both men spoke at a press conference ahead of a March event aimed at fostering dialogue between religion and science, and appraising evolution 150 years after Charles Darwin's landmark "On the Origin of Species."
The forum is being organized by Rome's prestigious Gregorian Pontifical University, which is highly influential in Vatican circles, and by the University of Notre Dame in the U.S. state of Indiana.
===
People That Are Slow To Recognize Danger Vote Politically Liberal
By Jeanna Bryner
Fierce individualists, Americans figure that we choose our own political beliefs — but actually it could come down to biology.
Individuals who are more easily startled by threats are more likely than others to support protective policies, such as military spending, the Iraq War and the death penalty, finds a new study.
Researchers over the years have put forth several factors to explain a person's political beliefs, including religion, culture, genetics and everyday experiences.
It's Coming
Maximum Choppage, round 2.
The seats may be filled for the four nights, but keep an ear open ..
What is this?
Ninja in the city?
Spoiling the carefully cultivated image of ninja cool. Still the hands move as a blur .. such speed.
The seats may be filled for the four nights, but keep an ear open ..
What is this?
Ninja in the city?
Spoiling the carefully cultivated image of ninja cool. Still the hands move as a blur .. such speed.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Live Science News Headlines
Why People Ignore Hurricane Evacuation Warnings
Reasons vary from not having the means to flee to 'hurricane fatigue'.
Bees Do the Wave to Save Their Lives
Ike Underscores Foolishness of Building on Barrier Islands
Tiny 'Ships' Sail Bloodstream to Destroy Cancer
Ancient Amphibian Had Enormous Teeth
Top Features
Strange 'Ant from Mars' Discovered
How 'Kilroy Was Here' Changed the World
Jurassic Undertakers Feasted on Dead Dinosaurs
Rare 'Forest Giraffe' Photographed
Video
How Black Holes Beat the Clock
Showdown at Grizzly River
Reasons vary from not having the means to flee to 'hurricane fatigue'.
Bees Do the Wave to Save Their Lives
Ike Underscores Foolishness of Building on Barrier Islands
Tiny 'Ships' Sail Bloodstream to Destroy Cancer
Ancient Amphibian Had Enormous Teeth
Top Features
Strange 'Ant from Mars' Discovered
How 'Kilroy Was Here' Changed the World
Jurassic Undertakers Feasted on Dead Dinosaurs
Rare 'Forest Giraffe' Photographed
Video
How Black Holes Beat the Clock
Showdown at Grizzly River
Headlines Thursday 18th September
Terrorists find ally in Left’s willing dupes
Piers Akerman
SEVEN years after Osama bin Laden’s jihadis razed New York’s World Trade Centre towers and crashed hijacked aircraft into the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania paddock, a Melbourne jury has convicted seven men on terrorist charges, ending a phase in the nation’s largest and longest-running terrorism trial.
Contrary to the views of numerous self-appointed guardians of the Whitlam Labor government’s legacy of multiculturalism, there are radical members of a significant minority group in Australia who were determined to kill and maim as many innocent Australians as they could in their ``holy’’ war.
Predictably, a number of civil libertarians, academics and legal figures who have vilified those who predicted such a development since the 9/11 bombings and the earlier Islamist attacks against civilians in Bali and the West, have continued their attacks on the legal system which enabled these men to be held, tried and convicted.
Seven years ago, those who were prescient enough to foresee just such terrorist cells being formed in Australia by Islamists were unquestioningly branded as racists by broadcasters within such major media organisations as the ABC and SBS, and by various State Government anti-discrimination bodies which were played like violins by outspoken advocates for the wider Muslim community.
The charges brought against individuals, including this writer, in the running ``lawfare’’ conducted in the ridiculous tribunals and commissions by lawyers such as Sydney’s Adam Houda were rarely, if ever, successful but some of the targets may have been intimidated into quiescence by the accusations of bias and racism levelled against them for pointing out the obvious.
Their concerns have now been shown to be justified and they have been vindicated.
The conviction of Melbourne’s self-anointed ``cleric’’ and ``sheik’’ Abdul Nacer Benbrika, his three ringleaders and other members of his group, have given the lie to those who protested that Islamists were being wrongly targeted by the authorities and some in the media.
By the same token, a handful of moderate members of the Muslim community deserve praise for their co-operation with law enforcement bodies which enabled police to construct their complex case.
The trial has helped strip away much of the apologetic mythology which supporters of the radical Islamists have worked to construct with the assistance of left-wing workers in a compliant media.
Benbrika, it should be noted, was an illegal immigrant who was ordered out of Australia in 1990, 1994 and again in 1995, and though a review tribunal upheld a decision not to grant him a permanent visa, there was never any deportation order issued against him.
Further, he was able to remain by pushing the system to its limit, in his case by marrying a Lebanese-born Australian citizen and claiming his right, under the spousal arrangements provisions that came into force under Labor in 1990, to remain in the country.
===
ALASKAN HEELS
Tim Blair
Just a routine image from the 2008 campaign:
===
CLIMATE CHANGING
Tim Blair
A promising start from Malcolm Turnbull:
He used his first press conference as leader to target Mr Rudd’s climate change measures, saying voters had not been fully informed.
===
DROUGHT ENDS
Tim Blair
Mark Steyn is back online. From a pre-hiatus column:
Meanwhile, Barack Obama staggers from gaffe to gaffe like a Dan Quayle minstrel show and nobody minds.
===
9/11 REMEMBERED IN LONDON
Tim Blair
Arabic daily Asharq Al-Awsat reports:
Islamic fundamentalists in Britain held a conference coinciding with the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
Members of the fundamentalist “Al-Ghuraba” movement gave speeches and a Ramadan fast breaking dinner was held during the London event.
===
THEY CLING TO STREISAND
Tim Blair
Unlikely to have been heard at Obama’s $28,500-per-head Hollywood spare Change! dinner:
“Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula?”
===
MODO DOES WALMART
Tim Blair
Wasilla survived a multi-pronged NYT reporter assault, so now they send in opinion-page MOAB Maureen Dowd:
I wandered through the Wal-Mart, which seemed almost as large as Wasilla, a town that is a soulless strip mall without sidewalks set beside a soulful mountain and lake.
Wait until she finds out there’s no subway.
===
PHOTOS DOWN!
Tim Blair
It’s the most ferocious arts protest ever:
Canadian members of the social networking website Facebook are taking down their profile photos to protest the Canadian government’s decision to reduce funding for the arts.
===
HONEST JULIO
Tim Blair
Julio Flores cannot tell a lie:
At about 4 p.m. on Sunday, the owner of the two-story brick home on Ardsley Court, in Teaneck, where Mr. Flores had been working, saw him acting suspiciously and spoke to him, the police said.
He told the owner he was, “just putting my girlfriend in cement,” the police said. The owner than called 911, the police said.
That’s the last we’ll hear from Julio.
===
HITS LANDED
Tim Blair
Further promising signs:
Malcolm Turnbull last night demanded that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd fix the “financial ruin” of NSW rather than fly to New York next week.
===
EXPECTATIONS FOR THE WOMAN
Tim Blair
University of Washington academic David Domke disses Sarah Palin:
“She does not in any way challenge the traditional conceptions of men and women that are present among conservative evangelicals.
“She is a mother of five, she talks about God as having a plan for people’s lives.
“Her role on the ticket is to support the presidential candidate and this fits very much what would be the expectations for the woman.”
As reader Wally asks: “So what does that say about Joe Biden?”
===
EMISSIONS, EMPLOYMENT REDUCED
Tim Blair
Mark Hawthorne on Lehman Brothers, whose meltdown was slightly more rapid than Earth’s:
Two Lehman reports from last year have been central to convincing governments, media and business of the need for a global carbon trading scheme to limit greenhouse gas emissions. In them, Lehman Brothers makes predictions about the climate in 2100, provides projections for climate change costs and suggests possible trends in the carbon market for the next 50 years.
Impressive stuff, except, as has been pointed out, Lehman should have been more concerned with existing markets rather than phantom ones.
Icecap’s summary: “A year ago they couldn’t predict their bankruptcy but were predicting the climate 100 years ahead.”
===
CUT THROUGH THE PIGS
Tim Blair
Obama refines his election plan:
“If we can cut through the nonsense and the lipstick and the pigs and the silliness, then I’m absolutely convinced that we’re going to win.”
===
SIX LAWS A WEEK
Tim Blair
Reason reports:
Since it took power in 1997, Great Britain’s Labor Party government has created more than 3,600 new criminal offenses.
===
SORRY DAY
Tim Blair
Irfan Yusuf unreservedly apologises:
An opinion article published in The Canberra Times by Irfan Yusuf on August 18, ‘’Justice the remedy required to help Bosnia heal’’, cited the US analyst Daniel Pipes as predicting that Europe’s next Holocaust victims would be Muslim migrants and it alleged that Mr Pipes suggested Muslims thoroughly deserved such slaughter. The Canberra Times and Irfan Yusuf accept that Mr Pipes never predicted nor has he ever endorsed a Holocaust of European Muslims, and they unreservedly apologise to him for the errors.
===
SHE’S INSIDE THEIR HEADS II
Tim Blair
Playwright Eve Ensler:
I am having Sarah Palin nightmares. I dreamt last night that she was a member of a club where they rode snowmobiles and wore the claws of drowned and starved polar bears around their necks.
Piers Akerman
SEVEN years after Osama bin Laden’s jihadis razed New York’s World Trade Centre towers and crashed hijacked aircraft into the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania paddock, a Melbourne jury has convicted seven men on terrorist charges, ending a phase in the nation’s largest and longest-running terrorism trial.
Contrary to the views of numerous self-appointed guardians of the Whitlam Labor government’s legacy of multiculturalism, there are radical members of a significant minority group in Australia who were determined to kill and maim as many innocent Australians as they could in their ``holy’’ war.
Predictably, a number of civil libertarians, academics and legal figures who have vilified those who predicted such a development since the 9/11 bombings and the earlier Islamist attacks against civilians in Bali and the West, have continued their attacks on the legal system which enabled these men to be held, tried and convicted.
Seven years ago, those who were prescient enough to foresee just such terrorist cells being formed in Australia by Islamists were unquestioningly branded as racists by broadcasters within such major media organisations as the ABC and SBS, and by various State Government anti-discrimination bodies which were played like violins by outspoken advocates for the wider Muslim community.
The charges brought against individuals, including this writer, in the running ``lawfare’’ conducted in the ridiculous tribunals and commissions by lawyers such as Sydney’s Adam Houda were rarely, if ever, successful but some of the targets may have been intimidated into quiescence by the accusations of bias and racism levelled against them for pointing out the obvious.
Their concerns have now been shown to be justified and they have been vindicated.
The conviction of Melbourne’s self-anointed ``cleric’’ and ``sheik’’ Abdul Nacer Benbrika, his three ringleaders and other members of his group, have given the lie to those who protested that Islamists were being wrongly targeted by the authorities and some in the media.
By the same token, a handful of moderate members of the Muslim community deserve praise for their co-operation with law enforcement bodies which enabled police to construct their complex case.
The trial has helped strip away much of the apologetic mythology which supporters of the radical Islamists have worked to construct with the assistance of left-wing workers in a compliant media.
Benbrika, it should be noted, was an illegal immigrant who was ordered out of Australia in 1990, 1994 and again in 1995, and though a review tribunal upheld a decision not to grant him a permanent visa, there was never any deportation order issued against him.
Further, he was able to remain by pushing the system to its limit, in his case by marrying a Lebanese-born Australian citizen and claiming his right, under the spousal arrangements provisions that came into force under Labor in 1990, to remain in the country.
===
ALASKAN HEELS
Tim Blair
Just a routine image from the 2008 campaign:
===
CLIMATE CHANGING
Tim Blair
A promising start from Malcolm Turnbull:
He used his first press conference as leader to target Mr Rudd’s climate change measures, saying voters had not been fully informed.
===
DROUGHT ENDS
Tim Blair
Mark Steyn is back online. From a pre-hiatus column:
Meanwhile, Barack Obama staggers from gaffe to gaffe like a Dan Quayle minstrel show and nobody minds.
===
9/11 REMEMBERED IN LONDON
Tim Blair
Arabic daily Asharq Al-Awsat reports:
Islamic fundamentalists in Britain held a conference coinciding with the anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
Members of the fundamentalist “Al-Ghuraba” movement gave speeches and a Ramadan fast breaking dinner was held during the London event.
===
THEY CLING TO STREISAND
Tim Blair
Unlikely to have been heard at Obama’s $28,500-per-head Hollywood spare Change! dinner:
“Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula?”
===
MODO DOES WALMART
Tim Blair
Wasilla survived a multi-pronged NYT reporter assault, so now they send in opinion-page MOAB Maureen Dowd:
I wandered through the Wal-Mart, which seemed almost as large as Wasilla, a town that is a soulless strip mall without sidewalks set beside a soulful mountain and lake.
Wait until she finds out there’s no subway.
===
PHOTOS DOWN!
Tim Blair
It’s the most ferocious arts protest ever:
Canadian members of the social networking website Facebook are taking down their profile photos to protest the Canadian government’s decision to reduce funding for the arts.
===
HONEST JULIO
Tim Blair
Julio Flores cannot tell a lie:
At about 4 p.m. on Sunday, the owner of the two-story brick home on Ardsley Court, in Teaneck, where Mr. Flores had been working, saw him acting suspiciously and spoke to him, the police said.
He told the owner he was, “just putting my girlfriend in cement,” the police said. The owner than called 911, the police said.
That’s the last we’ll hear from Julio.
===
HITS LANDED
Tim Blair
Further promising signs:
Malcolm Turnbull last night demanded that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd fix the “financial ruin” of NSW rather than fly to New York next week.
===
EXPECTATIONS FOR THE WOMAN
Tim Blair
University of Washington academic David Domke disses Sarah Palin:
“She does not in any way challenge the traditional conceptions of men and women that are present among conservative evangelicals.
“She is a mother of five, she talks about God as having a plan for people’s lives.
“Her role on the ticket is to support the presidential candidate and this fits very much what would be the expectations for the woman.”
As reader Wally asks: “So what does that say about Joe Biden?”
===
EMISSIONS, EMPLOYMENT REDUCED
Tim Blair
Mark Hawthorne on Lehman Brothers, whose meltdown was slightly more rapid than Earth’s:
Two Lehman reports from last year have been central to convincing governments, media and business of the need for a global carbon trading scheme to limit greenhouse gas emissions. In them, Lehman Brothers makes predictions about the climate in 2100, provides projections for climate change costs and suggests possible trends in the carbon market for the next 50 years.
Impressive stuff, except, as has been pointed out, Lehman should have been more concerned with existing markets rather than phantom ones.
Icecap’s summary: “A year ago they couldn’t predict their bankruptcy but were predicting the climate 100 years ahead.”
===
CUT THROUGH THE PIGS
Tim Blair
Obama refines his election plan:
“If we can cut through the nonsense and the lipstick and the pigs and the silliness, then I’m absolutely convinced that we’re going to win.”
===
SIX LAWS A WEEK
Tim Blair
Reason reports:
Since it took power in 1997, Great Britain’s Labor Party government has created more than 3,600 new criminal offenses.
===
SORRY DAY
Tim Blair
Irfan Yusuf unreservedly apologises:
An opinion article published in The Canberra Times by Irfan Yusuf on August 18, ‘’Justice the remedy required to help Bosnia heal’’, cited the US analyst Daniel Pipes as predicting that Europe’s next Holocaust victims would be Muslim migrants and it alleged that Mr Pipes suggested Muslims thoroughly deserved such slaughter. The Canberra Times and Irfan Yusuf accept that Mr Pipes never predicted nor has he ever endorsed a Holocaust of European Muslims, and they unreservedly apologise to him for the errors.
===
SHE’S INSIDE THEIR HEADS II
Tim Blair
Playwright Eve Ensler:
I am having Sarah Palin nightmares. I dreamt last night that she was a member of a club where they rode snowmobiles and wore the claws of drowned and starved polar bears around their necks.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Headlines Wednesday 17th September
Turnbull victory best for Libs
Piers Akerman
Malcolm Turnbull’s emergence as the leader of Parliamentary Liberal Party is the best possible outcome for the Coalition, and ultimately, may also prove to be best for the nation.
While there were only four votes in his 45 – 41 victory over Brendan Nelson, the margin is greater than that which saw Nelson succeed former Prime Minister John Howard after the Liberals lost office last November in the election in which Mr Howard lost his own seat of Bennelong.
Had Mr Nelson survived by a four seat margin in this morning’s party room ballot, the result would not have been as positive for him as many in the party would have viewed him as just hanging on.
There were no speeches in the party room before the ballot, Mr Nelson gave it his best shot when he called for the spill on Monday night and made what those present thought was without doubt clearly the most impassioned of his career.
The party will now go out of its way to ensure that he is rewarded for his service, particularly in taking the leadership after the election loss and doing his best in the most difficult of times.
His loyalty and courage will not be forgotten.
Mr Turnbull gave a strong speech to the party room after his victory in which he made two main points, that the Liberal Party’s values of freedom, independence and self-reliance were both good and popular and in the Australian spirit, and that the next election was very winnable for a party with a positive agenda that was not prepared to wait for the government to lose.
He made it clear that the party will not adopt a “small target” strategy.
===
SACKADEMICS
Tim Blair
It’s an arts apocalypse at Melbourne University:
Up to 20 senior academics could be sacked from Melbourne University’s embattled arts faculty by the end of the year, in a cut designed to save about $2.1 million.
Embattled arts academics earn $105,000 per year. For talking to kids with emotions hair about Camus.
The troubled arts faculty has already weathered the loss of 24 professional and six academic staff via voluntary redundancies this year. That exit followed last year’s departure of 24 academic staff from the faculty, a move that cut wages by $4.5 million, to $43.2 million this year.
===
STILL TOGETHER
Tim Blair
Pravda‘s Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey keeps the bird alive:
As regards Bush, well, one has only to go to the Bushisms website and the man comes across as a vapid and abject joke. True, he looks pretty good holding a plastic turkey and does appear to have the ability to improvise with kids on the White House lawn when left alone with them, appearing to be on the same intellectual level. Kind of like a retarded uncle who hangs around the ranch saying inanities but who nobody ever takes seriously.
===
TELEBAMA
Tim Blair
Barack Obama and his loyal running mate – ol’ teleprompter – continue on the campaign trail:
The Illinois senator used a teleprompter at both his Colorado events Monday — making for a particularly peculiar scene in Pueblo, where the prompter was set up in the middle of what is normally a rodeo ring.
===
THE BEAT GOES ON
Tim Blair
John McCain’s heart has completed about 1,800,000 successful beats since he named Sarah Palin as his running mate. The politico-commentary community sweats on a failed heartbeat:
• “John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.”
• “Is this really who the Republican Party wants to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency?”
• “I’m stunned (and insulted as a citizen) that McCain feels he can place a heartbeat away from the Presidency a hard-core creationist with NO foreign policy experience or even positions.”
===
AFTER THE MOMENT
Tim Blair
“This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow,” promised Obama, “and our planet began to heal!” Let’s check on all that Obamatastic slowing and healing:
Results of a program using Aspen’s Canary Initiative to sell carbon offset credits to Democratic National Convention attendees are a little underwhelming.
===
ELECTORATE WOOED
Tim Blair
American voters are stupid – stupider than everybody! – according to a Democrat blogger:
Nobody is more stupid than an American voter … Obama tried to treat these morons like adults and it’s killing him and us.
NYT columnist Bob Herbert agrees:
While watching the Sarah Palin interview with Charlie Gibson Thursday night, and the coverage of the Palin phenomenon in general, I’ve gotten the scary feeling, for the first time in my life, that dimwittedness is not just on the march in the U.S., but that it might actually prevail.
===
COMMON SCENTS
Tim Blair
“Are you an elitist?” asks Mark Morford, fixated as usual on various probing devices. He’d have done better to ask Eduardo A. De Oliveira, who writes:
In Manchester, during Obama’s speech, I saw families yearning for a new direction. I saw diversity mixing peacefully at Veterans Memorial Park. Hope was in the air. The rally sounded like a student council meeting, with shouted “yeahs” and “that’s rights.” It smelled like a rock concert.
More likely that it sounded like a rock concert and smelled like a student council meeting. De Oliveira contrasts the peaceful Obama “vibe” (just for you, Morford!) with vile NASCAR materialists John McCain recently mixed with:
Sunday in Loudon, McCain spoke briefly at the Sylvania 300. Jackets with logos announced a materialistic aura, as NASCAR fans lined up to get free stuff. It smelled like burgers and fries.
===
WITHDRAWING WITHDRAWN
Tim Blair
Amir Taheri reports:
While campaigning in public for a speedy withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Sen. Barack Obama has tried in private to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence.
According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July.
===
REDUCE GLOBAL BRAINING
Tim Blair
Becoming a vegetarian will reduce your carbon meatprint and stop global warming instantly, according to Science. But it will also reduce something else:
Scientists have discovered that going veggie could be bad for your brain—with those on a meat-free diet six times more likely to suffer brain shrinkage.
===
FRIENDS QUOTED
Tim Blair
Interestingly, Obama’s latest ad doesn’t directly target alleged McCain deceit. Instead, it cites criticism of that alleged deceit by Democrat pundits – including leading plouffer Joe Klein. If these ads didn’t work the first time (when they were provided free of charge) why does the Obama campaign think they’ll work now?
===
LOOKING CRITICALLY AT THE JEW
Tim Blair
Antony Loewenstein – hitmaster! – has written a book about blogging. Which is a little like Uncle Charley’s Big Book of Totally Proven Facts, or Reba Meagher writing about crafting a positive public image. Despite being silenced the last time he hit the publicity trail, Loewenstein gamely submits to a radio interview, with entertaining results:
Loewenstein: [Chuckles] I thought I might get asked that question at some point. Umm ... look, not really ... uh, I think ... umm ... uh, look, in my first book, My Israel Question, obviously I was looking critically at the Jew as you rightly say about how appalling Israel treats the Palestinians and also umm ... Arabs within its own state.
===
MOOSEWITCH PROJECT
Tim Blair
Five New York Times reporters penetrate darkest Wasilla, Alaska, seeking information on the Great Northern Moosewitch. Two are eaten by a bear, but the survivors file this harrowing account. Among the things you will learn, according to Tom Smith’s reading:
—Sarah Palin when she was mayor put pressure on the town council to fire the town attorney, whom she did not like, possibly because he was not pro-development enough. I earnestly pray this is not true.
—Sarah Palin often uses lots of notes when she speaks, even going so far as to use tabs and different colors of notecards. This is just so unbelievably tacky and small town I am considering killing myself.
—Not only Governor Palin but members of her staff sometimes use their personal email accounts to do public business. This charge is perhaps the most deeply shocking of all.
===
Forget the economy... Labor MP addresses the meaty issues
A Labor MP has spoken out in Parliament over the portion of beef stroganoff serviced to his wife in the staff cafeteria.
===
Cathy Freeman's brother dies in car crash
The brother of Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman has been killed in a car accident in Mackay in north Queensland.
Piers Akerman
Malcolm Turnbull’s emergence as the leader of Parliamentary Liberal Party is the best possible outcome for the Coalition, and ultimately, may also prove to be best for the nation.
While there were only four votes in his 45 – 41 victory over Brendan Nelson, the margin is greater than that which saw Nelson succeed former Prime Minister John Howard after the Liberals lost office last November in the election in which Mr Howard lost his own seat of Bennelong.
Had Mr Nelson survived by a four seat margin in this morning’s party room ballot, the result would not have been as positive for him as many in the party would have viewed him as just hanging on.
There were no speeches in the party room before the ballot, Mr Nelson gave it his best shot when he called for the spill on Monday night and made what those present thought was without doubt clearly the most impassioned of his career.
The party will now go out of its way to ensure that he is rewarded for his service, particularly in taking the leadership after the election loss and doing his best in the most difficult of times.
His loyalty and courage will not be forgotten.
Mr Turnbull gave a strong speech to the party room after his victory in which he made two main points, that the Liberal Party’s values of freedom, independence and self-reliance were both good and popular and in the Australian spirit, and that the next election was very winnable for a party with a positive agenda that was not prepared to wait for the government to lose.
He made it clear that the party will not adopt a “small target” strategy.
===
SACKADEMICS
Tim Blair
It’s an arts apocalypse at Melbourne University:
Up to 20 senior academics could be sacked from Melbourne University’s embattled arts faculty by the end of the year, in a cut designed to save about $2.1 million.
Embattled arts academics earn $105,000 per year. For talking to kids with emotions hair about Camus.
The troubled arts faculty has already weathered the loss of 24 professional and six academic staff via voluntary redundancies this year. That exit followed last year’s departure of 24 academic staff from the faculty, a move that cut wages by $4.5 million, to $43.2 million this year.
===
STILL TOGETHER
Tim Blair
Pravda‘s Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey keeps the bird alive:
As regards Bush, well, one has only to go to the Bushisms website and the man comes across as a vapid and abject joke. True, he looks pretty good holding a plastic turkey and does appear to have the ability to improvise with kids on the White House lawn when left alone with them, appearing to be on the same intellectual level. Kind of like a retarded uncle who hangs around the ranch saying inanities but who nobody ever takes seriously.
===
TELEBAMA
Tim Blair
Barack Obama and his loyal running mate – ol’ teleprompter – continue on the campaign trail:
The Illinois senator used a teleprompter at both his Colorado events Monday — making for a particularly peculiar scene in Pueblo, where the prompter was set up in the middle of what is normally a rodeo ring.
===
THE BEAT GOES ON
Tim Blair
John McCain’s heart has completed about 1,800,000 successful beats since he named Sarah Palin as his running mate. The politico-commentary community sweats on a failed heartbeat:
• “John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency.”
• “Is this really who the Republican Party wants to be one heartbeat away from the Presidency?”
• “I’m stunned (and insulted as a citizen) that McCain feels he can place a heartbeat away from the Presidency a hard-core creationist with NO foreign policy experience or even positions.”
===
AFTER THE MOMENT
Tim Blair
“This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow,” promised Obama, “and our planet began to heal!” Let’s check on all that Obamatastic slowing and healing:
Results of a program using Aspen’s Canary Initiative to sell carbon offset credits to Democratic National Convention attendees are a little underwhelming.
===
ELECTORATE WOOED
Tim Blair
American voters are stupid – stupider than everybody! – according to a Democrat blogger:
Nobody is more stupid than an American voter … Obama tried to treat these morons like adults and it’s killing him and us.
NYT columnist Bob Herbert agrees:
While watching the Sarah Palin interview with Charlie Gibson Thursday night, and the coverage of the Palin phenomenon in general, I’ve gotten the scary feeling, for the first time in my life, that dimwittedness is not just on the march in the U.S., but that it might actually prevail.
===
COMMON SCENTS
Tim Blair
“Are you an elitist?” asks Mark Morford, fixated as usual on various probing devices. He’d have done better to ask Eduardo A. De Oliveira, who writes:
In Manchester, during Obama’s speech, I saw families yearning for a new direction. I saw diversity mixing peacefully at Veterans Memorial Park. Hope was in the air. The rally sounded like a student council meeting, with shouted “yeahs” and “that’s rights.” It smelled like a rock concert.
More likely that it sounded like a rock concert and smelled like a student council meeting. De Oliveira contrasts the peaceful Obama “vibe” (just for you, Morford!) with vile NASCAR materialists John McCain recently mixed with:
Sunday in Loudon, McCain spoke briefly at the Sylvania 300. Jackets with logos announced a materialistic aura, as NASCAR fans lined up to get free stuff. It smelled like burgers and fries.
===
WITHDRAWING WITHDRAWN
Tim Blair
Amir Taheri reports:
While campaigning in public for a speedy withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Sen. Barack Obama has tried in private to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence.
According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July.
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REDUCE GLOBAL BRAINING
Tim Blair
Becoming a vegetarian will reduce your carbon meatprint and stop global warming instantly, according to Science. But it will also reduce something else:
Scientists have discovered that going veggie could be bad for your brain—with those on a meat-free diet six times more likely to suffer brain shrinkage.
===
FRIENDS QUOTED
Tim Blair
Interestingly, Obama’s latest ad doesn’t directly target alleged McCain deceit. Instead, it cites criticism of that alleged deceit by Democrat pundits – including leading plouffer Joe Klein. If these ads didn’t work the first time (when they were provided free of charge) why does the Obama campaign think they’ll work now?
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LOOKING CRITICALLY AT THE JEW
Tim Blair
Antony Loewenstein – hitmaster! – has written a book about blogging. Which is a little like Uncle Charley’s Big Book of Totally Proven Facts, or Reba Meagher writing about crafting a positive public image. Despite being silenced the last time he hit the publicity trail, Loewenstein gamely submits to a radio interview, with entertaining results:
Loewenstein: [Chuckles] I thought I might get asked that question at some point. Umm ... look, not really ... uh, I think ... umm ... uh, look, in my first book, My Israel Question, obviously I was looking critically at the Jew as you rightly say about how appalling Israel treats the Palestinians and also umm ... Arabs within its own state.
===
MOOSEWITCH PROJECT
Tim Blair
Five New York Times reporters penetrate darkest Wasilla, Alaska, seeking information on the Great Northern Moosewitch. Two are eaten by a bear, but the survivors file this harrowing account. Among the things you will learn, according to Tom Smith’s reading:
—Sarah Palin when she was mayor put pressure on the town council to fire the town attorney, whom she did not like, possibly because he was not pro-development enough. I earnestly pray this is not true.
—Sarah Palin often uses lots of notes when she speaks, even going so far as to use tabs and different colors of notecards. This is just so unbelievably tacky and small town I am considering killing myself.
—Not only Governor Palin but members of her staff sometimes use their personal email accounts to do public business. This charge is perhaps the most deeply shocking of all.
===
Forget the economy... Labor MP addresses the meaty issues
A Labor MP has spoken out in Parliament over the portion of beef stroganoff serviced to his wife in the staff cafeteria.
===
Cathy Freeman's brother dies in car crash
The brother of Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman has been killed in a car accident in Mackay in north Queensland.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Get A Job (NSW ALP -Politics)
Get A Job (NSW ALP -Politics)
Many overseas will have missed how the NSW Australian Labor Party (politically liberal) has imploded recently. They were only elected last year for a term that won't finish until 2011, but the leader, treasurer, health minister and police minister have all left in the last two weeks.
Nathan Rees, Morris Iemma, Bob Carr, Reba Meagher, That Police Minister, Joe Tripodi, Michael Costa, Gough Whitlam, Neville Wran, Frank Sartor, Milton Orkopoulos, Paul Keating, Della Bosca, Carmel, Mark Latham and Bob Hawke you can all take a bow. You made this.
===
I love the silhouette's number, and feel that it deserves much better treatment than that I gave it ..
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Yip yip yip yip yip yip yip yip
Mum mum mum mum mum mum
Get a job Sha na na na, sha na na na na
Every morning about this time
she get me out of my bed
a-crying get a job.
After breakfast, everyday,
she throws the want ads right my way
And never fails to say,
Get a job Sha na na na, sha na na na na
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Yip yip yip yip yip yip yip yip
Mum mum mum mum mum mum
Get a job Sha na na na, sha na na na na
And when I get the paper
I read it through and through
And my girl never fails to say
If there is any work for me,
And when I go back to the house
I hear the woman's mouth
Preaching and a crying,
Tell me that I'm lying 'bout a job
That I never could find.
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Yip yip yip yip yip yip yip yip
Mum mum mum mum mum mum
Get a job Sha na na na, sha na na na na
Many overseas will have missed how the NSW Australian Labor Party (politically liberal) has imploded recently. They were only elected last year for a term that won't finish until 2011, but the leader, treasurer, health minister and police minister have all left in the last two weeks.
Nathan Rees, Morris Iemma, Bob Carr, Reba Meagher, That Police Minister, Joe Tripodi, Michael Costa, Gough Whitlam, Neville Wran, Frank Sartor, Milton Orkopoulos, Paul Keating, Della Bosca, Carmel, Mark Latham and Bob Hawke you can all take a bow. You made this.
===
I love the silhouette's number, and feel that it deserves much better treatment than that I gave it ..
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Yip yip yip yip yip yip yip yip
Mum mum mum mum mum mum
Get a job Sha na na na, sha na na na na
Every morning about this time
she get me out of my bed
a-crying get a job.
After breakfast, everyday,
she throws the want ads right my way
And never fails to say,
Get a job Sha na na na, sha na na na na
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Yip yip yip yip yip yip yip yip
Mum mum mum mum mum mum
Get a job Sha na na na, sha na na na na
And when I get the paper
I read it through and through
And my girl never fails to say
If there is any work for me,
And when I go back to the house
I hear the woman's mouth
Preaching and a crying,
Tell me that I'm lying 'bout a job
That I never could find.
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Sha na na na, sha na na na na,
Yip yip yip yip yip yip yip yip
Mum mum mum mum mum mum
Get a job Sha na na na, sha na na na na
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