The lucky country? Try selfish and deluded, too

What Americans don't know and don't understand is quite an obstacle to progress.

If you think the widening chasm between the rich and the rest spells trouble for American democracy, have a look at the growing gulf between the information-rich and-poor.

Justification for airport detention of partner of Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald alarms human rights groups and Tory MP

The detention of the partner of a former Guardian journalist has triggered fresh concerns after it emerged that a key reason cited by police for holding him under terrorism powers was the belief that he was promoting a "political or ideological cause".

from peter fitzsimons …..

It's about the Pope's move last week to dismiss German Bishop Franz-Peter Terbatz-van Telst of Limburg, after finding out he'd spent no less than 31 million euros on his private residence. An admirable move, one might think, given that this Pope's motif seems to be simplicity and humility

Pakistan's interior minister has said the death of Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud has destroyed the country's nascent peace process.

"This is not just the killing of one person, it's the death of all peace efforts," Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said.

Pakistan summoned the US ambassador to protest over Friday's drone strike that killed Mehsud.

It came a day before a Pakistani delegation had been due to fly to North Waziristan to meet Mehsud.

In opposition, Tony Abbott promised Australians they would get a "no-surprises" government.

"We do not kill our cattle the way the US is killing humans in Waziristan with drones." - Rafiq ur Rehman

Rupert Murdoch says Australia needs to embrace high immigration to add dynamism to the economy, enhance its human capital and create strong bonds with the rest of the world.

from new matilda …..

The rest of the world agrees that Tony Abbott's climate policy is crap. Standing firm on the carbon tax is Bill Shorten's chance to prove he's PM material, writes Ben Eltham

Kevin Rudd made no secret of his fury at the strong anti-Labor editorial stance taken by News Corp papers during the 2013 election campaign, but a new book by one of his closest advisers reveals how hard he first tried to find favour with News after he returned to the prime ministership.

from politicoz ….

There is a report done for the Tassie Hydro in regard to birds being killed by wind turbines...  Of course the numbers are quite small (and can be counted on one hand on a good decade) as most of the bird species know how to avoid being hit by the spinning blades... But the monitoring goes on in order to get accurate statistical data...

Thanks to cost cutting measures, two of the most loathed bureaucracies in Australia could merge – and drive users of their services to a state of apoplexy

"Facts are in the way of opinions" Allan Gus Jones.

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There is no better cartoon than this one by Stan Cross, first published in Australia in 1933, to illustrate the seriousness of our predicament and the stupidity of our leaders at present while being faced by global warming.  Here we are 80 years later, still clowning around...