Showing all posts in June 2019

Australia’s asylum seeker issues are making headlines in the UK. This is from today’s Independent: “Australia’s treatment of asylum-seekers is under scrutiny again after revelations about a three-year-old girl who suffered serious mental health problems after spending her life in mandatory detention. Professional advice that Naomi Leong, a Malaysian child, should be allowed out to…

Who is a terrorist and what defines terrorism? ABC Radio National’s Media Report investigates: Author Phil Rees (“Dining with Terrorists“): “…In using it [the word terrorism], you are buying into the support for the policies of the United States and George Bush…” Host Richard Aedy: “Do you really think that? Do you think they’ve come…

Sergeant Zachery Scott-Singley is a US soldier in Iraq in the 3rd Infantry Division (his job is translating Arabic). He’s writing a blog, A Soldier’s Thoughts. His most recent post, It was still dark, talks of his colleagues being on patrol, killing a young boy in cold blood and the US military’s response to the…

As you can see on the sidebar to the right of this post, I’ve added a donation mechanism – a button if you will – to my blog. It’s been a tough decision. Why? Since starting this blog, a number of people have come forward to kindly offer financial support. Others have suggested the inclusion…

And here we thought only Republicans were God-fearing ideologues. Think again. Wonkette reports: “The state of Texas, birthplace of sexy cheerleading, continues its efforts to ban it: Yesterday, a bill passed the House and now it moves on to the Senate. Its sponsor, Democrat Al Edwards, thinks unprotected cheerleading leads to “young girls being pregnant…

The following report is released by Israeli peace group Gush Shalom. In yet another example of the Israeli state trying to shut down dissent, peace groups demonstrating the route of the “separation fence” are met with violence from IDF troops. No provocation occurred. Yet another sign of Israeli “democracy” at work: “Following the brutal attack…

“Personally, I’m voting Draino, the only party that promises to get people’s drains unblocked within four calendar years of the blockage being reported.” Monty Python Terry Jones informs British voters where to direct their valuable vote during today’s election. “Rampant voter apathy” is guaranteed.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is arguably Washington’s most powerful lobby group. The organisation holds extreme views on the Israel/Palestine conflict and has been a long-time opponent of negotiation with the Palestinians. Indeed, AIPAC’s public and private persona couldn’t be more different. Jeffrey Blankfort reported in 2003: “It [AIPAC] wanted to appear to…

John Pilger released his new book in 2004, Tell Me No Lies: Investigative Journalism and its Triumphs. The collection contained numerous examples of exemplary reporting from the likes of Seymour Hersh, Robert Fisk, Greg Palast, Edward Said, Anna Politkovskaya, Martha Gellhorn and Pilger himself. Pilger wrote in the introduction of an age when questioning authority…

Humorous. Probably accurate. And yet his confusion will continue. (Thanks Road to Surfdom.) UPDATE: Who kicked the kitty out of the cannon? (Thanks Polywise.) Much needed relief on a day where this is supposed to be a surprise. Tell us something we don’t know.