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In the wake of Labor Senator Fatima Payman’s shock decision to cross the floor and vote with the Greens against her party I was bemused, to say the least, to see social media light up with valiant attempts to press Gough Whitlam into service as the arbiter of what the ‘correct’ labor response should be. Continue reading »

The conflict in Gaza has generated vigorous discussion about the assumed ethical prohibition against attacks on health facilities in times of war and the circumstances in which this prohibition might be validly circumvented. The actions of Hamas on October 7th 2023 have been widely condemned and no-one has attempted to offer an ethical justification for Continue reading »

The purpose of this paper is to help promote discussion about the ways in which the efficiency, effectiveness and capability of the Australian Public Service (APS) and its integrity can be improved, and the standing of the APS as a key institution in Australia’s democratic system can be restored. Competent democratic government in the public Continue reading »

As legacy media dies we seek its phoenix. With the new financial year comes a welcome slump in begging e-mails for newsletter subs. Not just from the spare room laptoppers but also the towering universities that pay their vice chancellors millions yet want the public to fund an editor. Appeals stress reading is free but Continue reading »

Without ANZUS Australia would no longer feel the need to follow its great and powerful friend into wars which have nothing to do with this country. Most importantly, Australia would no longer have to sacrifice young Australians in wars which have little or nothing to do with this nation. Background History From the time of Continue reading »

Between the months of April and August of last year, I drove my EV and trailer RV to more than 40 locations and 15,000 kilometres in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region while I documented my experience. What did I learn during my self-funded journey? As unique and enlightening as it was – how much does Continue reading »

The US Congress’ decision to push TikTok towards sale or ban due to national security concerns has garnered support from nearly 40 per cent of Americans and 59 per cent of Australians, but its impact could lead to job losses and deepen the tech divide between US and China. TikTok is seen as a litmus Continue reading »

He seems depressed. Meanwhile, here’s more of the GOPs ballot rigging: President Joe Biden’s Democratic allies could get a boost to keep him on the ticket from some unlikely partners: Republicans. Led by conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, Republicans are currently looking to guarantee that Biden will be the Democratic nominee — and to make it so that, if Biden withdraws, it won’t be easy to replace him on ballots. While Biden’s campaign insists he has no plans to drop out, Republicans are gearing up for any and all possibilities. They’ve been preparing for this moment for quite some time. About four months ago, after special counsel Robert Hur’s report raised more concerns about Biden’s health, staffers at Heritage’s Oversight Project started researching laws in states across the country for replacing a nominee. They laid out just how difficult it would be for Democrats to replace Biden in key swing states in a memo that was compiled in early April and released last week ahead of the debate.

We had some progress. We’re going backwards.

“Democrats have no spine” A month ago, I asked, “Who would you rather have watching your back, lackadaisical voter? Dick Durbin or Rocky Balboa?” When Democrats panic at the first sign of trouble, Ms. or Mr. Independent has got to question whether they have what it takes to lead the country. Granted, Republicans still scare-monger about communists and Marxists, etc., decades after the collapse of the Soviet empire. Ms. or Mr. Independent might insist that if they want to lead this country in the 21st century they might first try living in it. That said, steadfastness is not one of Democrats’ strong points. Hell, I don’t have warm fuzzies about voting for us right now. And I’m not the only one to observe that Democrats running around with their hair on fire over Joe Biden’s debate performance last week is a lousy advertisement for any of their candidates. Self-doubts and timidity are not confidence-inspiring. One need not be particularly savvy to know that. Stuart Stevens made the case to MSNBC that Democrats need to start projecting strength and quit the public second-guessing.

If you have the day off and celebrate, I hope you enjoy! Doesn’t seem like much point in a regular post when the majority of readers will probably be otherwise occupied.

Lincoln’s Second Inaugural address March 4, 1865: “Fellow countrymen: at this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends is as well known to the public as to myself and it is I trust reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future no prediction in regard to it is ventured. “On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it ~ all sought to avert it.

Nearly half of Brits incorrectly believe that a polling card can be used as ID when voting

Last year China overtook Russia to become Kazakhstan's biggest trading partner, with two-way trade topping $41 billion. In Central Asia, it is Beijing, rather than the West, that has the capacity to end the era of Russian dominance

Road signs flash by in a fun exploration of the similarities and subtle variations in messaging from around the world

- by Aeon Video

Watch at Aeon

Moving from Belgrade to Toronto, learning the social ‘rules’ fostered my sense of belonging. But there’s an important caveat

- by Ljiljana Radenović

Read at Psyche

I was searching for meaning and purpose so I became an academic philosopher. Reader, you might guess what happened next

- by Pranay Sanklecha

Read at Aeon

Den värld vi lever i är i grunden osäker och kvantifierbara sannolikheter är undantaget snarare än regeln. Om ”Gud inte spelar tärning” som Einstein hävdade, skulle jag tillägga: inte heller människor. Världen som vi känner den kan endast i begränsad omfattning förstås utifrån antaganden om säker och fullkomlig kunskap. Dess inneboende och nästan obegränsade komplexitet […]

Das Bündnis erlassjahr.de, das sich mit Unterstützung von 500 deutschen NGOs seit Jahren für eine Entschuldung einsetzt, sieht beim IWF und der Bundesregierung als einem der wichtigsten Anteilseigner des Fonds eine Mitverantwortung für die Proteste in Kenia. Und damit auch für die Toten durch Polizeigewalt. Der IWF habe Demonstrationen gegen die massiven Steuererhöhungen vorausgesagt, aber trotzdem […]

More than half of the town of Nelson's population is Muslim – yet a 'lack of unity and tribal rivalry' has split the community over who to vote for

'For the media to be interviewing political leaders and not even asking the questions is shocking'

While we should not expect too much of an incoming Labour government, we should not forget just how dark the last few years have been, writes Chris Grey

The Conservatives are about to pay the price for 14 years of epic misrule. But while a Labour 'supermajority' is in the best interests of the country, it is no guarantee of a return to stability, argues Simon Nixon