Goldman Sachs' boss Lloyd Blankfein has warned that a failure to raise the nation's borrowing limit would be "extremely adverse".

As the planet warms up, as the US economy is being held hostage, as the world is basically going bonkers (Aussie vernacular meaning mad, absurd, delirious demented, foolish, idiotic, frenzied, kooky, nutty) in many places as usual, should it not be time to reflect on our idiocy — er, I mean legacy... ?...

May be it's time for a beer.

It might seem like a world away but the impact of the US government shutdown is being felt much closer to home.

Former researcher at Melbourne's La Trobe University, Michael Lazarou, now works for the National Institutes of Health in Washington where he is researching Parkinson's disease.

This week he travelled to Perth to present some of his findings at the ComBio science conference being held in the city.

picture of Mount Rinjani, from google maps - 1258 AD — the summer that went AWOL...

Science and the study of the record gives us a great insight into the past... in 1258, some historical chronicles of Europe tell us that the summer was crap. Worse than crap... The year went pass as if winter never left. Crops were delayed and then rotted as they never dried, due to non-stop rain and fog. Trees barely fruited...

If you are an international jet-setter, you may have noticed that all the gang-planks, the access ramps and many of the corridors of international airports are sponsored by HSBC.

There are the same posters in Arabic, English or French depending on the city you've landed in and they will tell you the wonderful story of the future... The future is in good hands, the hands of the HSBC that in partnership with you will make the world prosper... Even the vegies that grow in your garden will be in partnership with HSBC... You will see your genetically manufactured turnip with a bio-engineered HSBC logo growing in the flesh. I made that last bit up...

It can be demonstrated that the Abbott government was only elected by default and a on a mountain of lies repeated through the press, especially the merde-och press... It can be demonstrated that the Abbott government is full of dumb people...

The latest from Gus' headquarters on global warming is not good news...

Despite whatever everyone is saying, Gus' analysis still points to a major event towards 2015. It's simple... In less than one hundred and fifty years, humans have added about 200 ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere. It takes nature to cycle variations of 100 ppm over 10,000 years or more. Result? Comparing the charts of this and that, humans have compressed an enormous of energy into the carbon cycle that has not fully reacted to or being accounted for yet — yet the planet is slowly on the road to adjust to the new levels of CO2. 

Students and universities have warned the Coalition against its proposal to abolish compulsory student fees, voicing concerns it could damage the international standing of Australian education and lead to critical services being scrapped.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison says the Government does not plan to publicly reveal when or if any asylum seeker boats are turned around - a measure that is a key plank of the Coalition's border protection policy.

Figures released by the Victorian Coroner reveal an addiction to gambling has been linked to 130 suicides over the past 12 years.

How far will the climate purge go?