"..every great movement of history comes to a point of choosing."

State Of The Union Address By The President
United States Capitol - Washington, D.C.
January 31, 2006 9:12 P.M. EST

"Fellow citizens, we've been called to leadership in a period of consequence. We've entered a great ideological conflict we did nothing to invite. We see great changes in science and commerce that will influence all our lives. Sometimes it can seem that history is turning in a wide arc, toward an unknown shore. Yet the destination of history is determined by human action, and every great movement of history comes to a point of choosing.

Lincoln could have accepted peace at the cost of disunity and continued slavery. Martin Luther King could have stopped at Birmingham or at Selma, and achieved only half a victory over segregation. The United States could have accepted the permanent division of Europe, and been complicit in the oppression of others. Today, having come far in our own historical journey, we must decide: Will we turn back, or finish well?

Before history is written down in books, it is written in courage. Like Americans before us, we will show that courage and we will finish well. We will lead freedom's advance. We will compete and excel in the global economy. We will renew the defining moral commitments of this land. And so we move forward -- optimistic about our country, faithful to its cause, and confident of the victories to come.

May God bless America."

10:03 P.M. EST END

"...fall in property crime ..." "the result of a reduction in heroin use.."

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research - nsw.gov.au
Release Date: Wednesday 1 February 2006
Commenting on the findings, the director of the Bureau said that the fall in property crime was the result of a combination of factors, including better vehicle security, a reduction in heroin use, rising real incomes, falling unemployment and rising rates of imprisonment.

"...global media - a collection of natural-born religion-haters..."

The Counterrevolution in Military Affairs - weeklystandard.com
by Ralph Peters

"Abetted by the global media, the suicide bomber is the wonder weapon of the age. The suicide bomber can justify any level of carnage because he's doing his god's will. The world's a stage, and every suicide bomber is, at least briefly, a star. A paradox of our time is that the overwhelmingly secular global media - a collection of natural-born religion-haters - have become the crucial accomplices of the suicide bomber fueled by rabid faith. We live in a new age of superstition and bloodthirsty gods, of collective madness. Again, our intelligentsia falls woefully short. They hate the world in which they are forced to live, and America has shaped that world. Today, America has replaced the horned, cloven-footed Lucifer of Europe's past; behind their smug assumption of superiority, contemporary Europeans are as superstitious and irrational as any of their ancestors: They simply believe in other demons. Human beings are hard-wired for faith. Deprived of a god, they seek an alternative creed. For a time, nationalism, socialism, Marxism, and a number of other-isms appeared to have a chance of working - as long as secular intellectuals rejected the evidence of Stalin's crimes or Mao's savagery (much as they overlook the brutalities of Islamist terrorists today). The intellectuals who staff the global media experienced the American-made destruction of their secular belief systems, slowly during the Cold War, then jarringly from 1989 to 1991. Human beings are hard-wired for faith. Deprived of a god, they seek an alternative creed. For a time, nationalism, socialism, Marxism, and a number of other-isms appeared to have a chance of working - as long as secular intellectuals rejected the evidence of Stalin's crimes or Mao's savagery (much as they overlook the brutalities of Islamist terrorists today). The intellectuals who staff the global media experienced the American-made destruction of their secular belief systems, slowly during the Cold War, then jarringly from 1989 to 1991."

Ralph Peters, a retired Army officer, is the author of 21 books, including New Glory: Expanding America's Global Supremacy and the forthcoming Never Quit the Fight.

Thugs, grubs - two males of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean appearance

Thugs, grubs & opportunities - 01/02/2006 -

"Nicholas Cowdery, QC, who has castigated both NSW Premier Morris Iemma and the leader of the opposition Peter Debnam for speaking publicly about those wanted by police and for calling them derogatory names. Debnam has called the alleged revenge attackers “thugs” while Iemma has called them “grubs.”

Male Critical Following Assault – Auburn - police.nsw.gov.au
1 February 2006

"Police are investigating an assault which has left a male in a critical condition at Auburn last night. Police are searching for at least two males of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean appearance."

"Spielberg's film is careful to make no moral judgments."

Michael Sexton: Munich ignores German blunders - theaustralian.news.com.au
February 01, 2006

"It is possible to enjoy Steven Spielberg's new film, Munich, as a thriller. But there are two important points that it does not make...moral distinction... to intentionally kill civilians. ...the conduct of the German authorities in Munich and the attitude of the International Olympic Committee.
The whole episode was a reminder to the Israelis of something they already knew: that they could expect no sympathy in Germany and little in the international community generally. Spielberg's film is careful to make no moral judgments. That is his choice, but its audiences need to be aware of the historical realities."

Michael Sexton is the NSW Solicitor-General.

"literacy for social equity and social justice"

Textbook case of making our past a blame game - theaustralian.news.com.au
Janet Albrechtsen - February 01, 2006

"School's back. That means pressing uniforms, searching for the elusive school tie, scraping out last December's lunch from the bottom of the school bag and covering a new batch of textbooks.
So, as you finish covering your child's school books, flick through them to see what all the fuss is about. There are many fine teachers trying to do their best with second-rate materials. But at least there is agreement on one point: there is much work to be done in undoing the progressive curriculum foisted on Australian schoolchildren."

Sydney Under Attack: Japanese Midget Submarine 31 May – 1 June 1942

Remembering 1942 - awm.gov.au
Sydney Under Attack: Japanese Midget Submarine 31 May – 1 June 1942
Presented by Dr Robert Nichols, the Memorial's Editor, on Friday, 31 May 2002, beside the Japanese midget submarine in ANZAC Hall.

A general observation: All historical events have a cause, but definitive explanations are hard to come by.
Things such as why Chuma got tangled up, or why Ban missed, or what Muirhead-Gould's motivation was we will never know for sure – though we can make reasonable conjectures. But even our best explanations will ever be tentative, though none the less fascinating to pursue. We should not expect simple explanations: sometimes there will be many reasons why something happened, as may be the case with why Ban missed. But one thing is clear: had he not, hundreds more might have died. The Chicago's full complement was around 750, many of whom would probably have been on board that night.
What is known for certain, however, is that sixty years ago tonight, 27 lives were lost on Sydney Harbour.

..."multi-modal mediated texts that are influenced by cultural and social factors"...

Kevin Donnelly: Let's go back to basics, beginning with the three R's - theaustralian.news.com.au - January 31, 2006

"What is the best way to raise standards and to ensure that students are well educated? Forget about more money and smaller classes. Why not, as Newsweek has argued, close the schools of education? Those schools, instead of giving beginning teachers a mastery of their subject matter, especially in areas such as primary literacy and numeracy, are more concerned with inculcating politically correct values. As Monash-based teacher educator Georgina Tsolidis notes in her summary of teacher training in Australia, education is redefined as a political process whereby students have to be empowered to challenge the status quo.
What's ignored is that high standards and higher order skills depend on rote learning and mastering the basics. Also ignored is that in the real world there are right and wrong answers and that generic skills such as problem solving are subject-specific."

[Kevin Donnelly is director of Education Strategies and author of Why Our Schools are Failing.]

"RU486 is not like any other drug. It is designed to cause an abortion that will end a developing human life."

Monique Baldwin: Probe a prescription for social concern - theaustralian.news.com.au - January 31, 2006

"This week the Senate community affairs committee will begin hearings into the contentious abortion drug RU486. No doubt the committee will hear a lot about important issues such as women's health, reproductive freedom and the social and ethical implications of abortion. But the question before the Senate is primarily about who decides. Who should take ultimate responsibility for allowing abortion drugs such as RU486 to be evaluated, registered, listed or imported?
So what's changed? Do we need accountability and transparency any less now? The TGA was never designed to negotiate the public policy complexities that accompany debate about such a drug. This task lies with our elected - and accountable - representatives. And they should not wash their hands of this responsibility."

Monique Baldwin is a drug regulatory affairs associate with a pharmaceutical company in Sydney.

Mrs James Rubin [Christiane Amanpour] helps John Kerry

CNN's face of "journalistic objectivity." - carolliebau

"Christiane Amanpour has declared the Iraq war a "disaster."

[Mrs James Rubin idea of news is what helps John Kerry.]

NSW crime - NSW police - NSW bean-counting bureaucrats

Scully cool on more police - Tue, Jan 31, 2006

The NSW Police Association has received no assurance of State Government support for its recommendation of a 3000 increase in officer numbers.
Police Minister Carl Scully said such an increase would be hard to obtain or to justify. “Its a hard to obtain number, it is not small and I really want to give the union the courtesy of having a detailed meeting with them and working through their submission,” Mr Scully said.

Tim Priest: Blame race riots on police force neglect
December 13, 2005

Indeed, police numbers were more likely dictated by the bean-counting bureaucrats under Police Minister Carl "Sparkles" Scully.
Although not widely known, the police ministry wields awesome power throughout the NSW police. So much so that most of the big decisions are made by so-called experts within the ministry and usually based on cost.

road rage, vulgar reality television shows and "ugly parent syndrome".

Society is too rude: top judge - news.ninemsn.com.au
Tuesday Jan 31 07:00 AEDT
New South Wales' most senior judge has launched a scathing attack on the morals of society, saying manners and respect are deteriorating and there is a growing concern about road rage, vulgar reality television shows and "ugly parent syndrome".
Speaking at the Opening of the Law Term dinner last night, Chief Justice Jim Spigelman called for a "zero-tolerance" approach to the decline in social graces, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Earlier: dagos-wogs-reffos-and-like
Howard backs calls for better manners - news.ninemsn.com.au
Tuesday Jan 31 12:46 AEDT
Prime Minister John Howard has backed calls by NSW Chief Justice James Spigelman for Australians to improve their manners.

.."dagos", "wogs", "reffos" and the like,".. Chief Justice James Spigelman

Rude and vulgar, that's us - dailytelegraph.news.com.au
Speaking at the Opening of the Law Term dinner last night, Chief Justice James Spigelman advocated a "zero-tolerance" approach to curb the decline in social graces.
"I am very conscious of the fact that there are those who say: 'Well these new migrants aren't like you good old migrants'. However, of course, we were not like 'us' then either; particularly when we were being called "dagos", "wogs", "reffos" and the like," the Chief Justice, who was born in Poland before migrating to Australia, said.

We are sailing to philadelphia

I am jeremiah dixon I am a geordie boy A glass of wine with you, sir
And the ladies I’ll enjoy All durham and northumberland
Is measured up by my own hand It was my fate from birth
To make my mark upon the earth...
He calls me charlie mason A stargazer am i
It seems that I was born To chart the evening sky
They’d cut me out for baking bread But I had other dreams instead
This baker’s boy from the west country
Would join the royal society...
[written by Mark Knopfler]

We skipped the light fandango

A Whiter Shade Of Pale Writers: Keith Reid/Gary Brooker
We skipped the light fandango
turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick
but the crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder
as the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
the waiter brought a tray

"..Douglas' repeated assertion that stated military requirements for shipping were usually inflated."

U.S. Merchant Shipping and the British Import Crisis - army.mil - by Richard M. Leighton

"The whole massive shift of U.S. shipping into British services, decided upon during a crisis in the war at sea, was admittedly a gamble - one the U.S. military leaders naturally resisted, since their operations stood to lose if the gamble did not pay off. The gamble did pay off, and the dark predictions of the military shipping staffs did hot materialize. That they did not do so was, in some measure, a vindication of Douglas' repeated assertion that stated military requirements for shipping were usually inflated. During the spring shipping crisis of 1943, WSA often failed to meet these requirements as originally stated, but just as often ships sailed on Army account without full cargoes and on numerous occasions the Army reduced its requirements or even turned back ships for lack of ready cargo. What confounded the logistical experts above all, however, was the spectacular turn of the tide in the war at sea. Beginning in April a new and more effective organization of antisubmarine operations, bolstered by long-range bombers covering the mid-ocean gap, began to take effect. Ship losses in that month dipped to less than half those in March, and in June they fell to a point (182,000 deadweight tons) that by comparison with the whole experience since Pearl Harbor seemed trifling. New construction, meanwhile, continued to climb, in May and June making net gains over losses of more than 1.5 million tons a month in all types of merchant shipping. The military shipping staffs continued to shake their heads-the trend could not last. Early in May they still foresaw huge deficits, and as late as July the Combined Military Transportation Committee, analyzing monthly average losses during the first five months of the year, which had fallen well below the agreed planning factors, were suspicious as to the meaning of "the present lull in Axis submarine action."
The civilian shipping experts, for their part, had always been skeptical of predictions of shipping availability beyond six months in the future-approximately the length of the longest turnaround-and on the eve of the TRIDENT Conference Douglas and Salter sounded a general note of caution to the strategic planners:
All estimates of available shipping and requirements ... covering a long period extending into the future are necessarily unprecise and subject to all the changing fortunes of war. Shipping availabilities fluctuate with the progress of submarine warfare, routing, loss of shipping in assault operations, and a variety of additional factors. Military requirements vary in accordance with developments in the theaters of war and modified strategic plans.
For these reasons, Douglas and Salter were not too worried over the huge shipping deficits currently predicted by the military staffs, which, they thought, were "within the margin of error inherent in a forward projection" and "may well prove to be manageable." By the time the Allied leaders met again, at Quebec in August, the shipping deficits had in fact disappeared."

"What's going on here? A political agenda, it seems."

The 'fascists' the left would have us believe in - smh.com.au - January 31, 2006 -

"A problem with history is that it is invariably taught by historians, writes Gerard Henderson. A problem with history is that it is invariably taught by historians. And some historians, who are not into postmodernism and who recognise the importance of chronology, still have their own agendas. Like others, some historians will believe what they want to believe. While this remains the case, there is more to good history than the junking of themes and the restoration of a sense of structured narrative."

Gerard Henderson is the executive director of the Sydney Institute.

"NSW with its most inexperienced police force in a decade"

Kindergarten cops - dailytelegraph.news.com.au
By Rhett Watson - January 31, 2006

"One third of the state's police have less than five years experience on the beat. An exodus of senior detectives and a recruitment drive in the past three years has left NSW with its most inexperienced force in a decade. The revelation comes as new figures released today reveal NSW is the nation's robbery capital. It comes a day after The Daily Telegraph revealed a secret report warning the force needs 3000 more police or face soaring crime levels. And NSW Police's own figures, listed on its website, reveal that almost a third of its 80 commands are understaffed."

Earlier: police were either too scared
moroney should know
nsw police mixed messages

Prime Minister Now and Then

PM 'unaware of kickbacks'
From: AAP By Shane Wright - January 30, 2006
Prime Minister John Howard has denied knowing Australia's monopoly wheat exporter was paying bribes to the regime of Saddam Hussein, even as he personally helped the company keep a key contract with Iraq.
Chapter XI – The Second Conscription Referendum
[To view the Official Histories you will need to have an application installed that can read PDF files such as Adobe Reader.]
The Prime Minister was assailed with the most vehement fury.
Mr. Hughes was in the centre of the disturbance, from which he at length emerged dishevelled, with bleeding knuckles testifying to his personal participation in the melee.

Jeff Masters whether weather should be political

I note over at Jeff Masters comments about politics and whether weather should be political it seems to depends on whether you are for one political party or another so the weather is whether.

When war was war: "..to straff Japanese life rafts.."

Battle of the Bismarck Sea - wikipedia.org
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea was a battle in the Pacific Campaign of World War II, between planes of the US Fifth Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force, and a Japanese convoy carrying troops to Lae. The task force was destroyed in detail, and the Japanese troops losses were extremely high.
Battle of the Bismarck Sea, 2-4 March 1943 - awm.gov.au
The battle was a disaster for the Japanese. Out of 6,900 troops who were badly needed in New Guinea, only about 800 made it to Lae. The Australian War Memorial states that 2,890 Japanese soldiers and sailors were killed.
Through 4 and into 5 March Allied aircraft were despatched to straff Japanese life rafts and rescue vessels to prevent the large number of Japanese who had escaped their sinking transports from being rescued and arriving in Lea to be rearmed and sent to the front. There was a deadly race for the survivors between Japanese submarines and Allied aircraft. It was a horrible task and one that haunted several of the aircrews for years to come. It is one of the realities of war that they had to be prevented from getting to the fighting in New Guinea. 2,890 Japanese soldiers and sailors were killed in the battle or drowned trapped in their sinking ships or drifting in the wreckage spread. Only 850 reached Lae. Few were battle ready and most had lost their weapons and equipment. No quarter was given or asked.

[Today the UN would hold an enquiry and seek war crime prosecutions.]

I wonder if somewhere in the universe, watched a man named Adam, walk upon the earth.

"But the world all stopped to watch it, yeah, on that July afternoon.
To watch a man named Armstrong, walk upon the moon.
And I wonder if a long time ago, somewhere in the universe,
They watched a man named Adam, walk upon the earth."

Written by John Stewart.

Media says Hamas not problem - Now Hamas is a problem?

Daniel Pipes: Region not ripe for democracy

"Middle East polls are empowering the West's deadliest enemies, warns Daniel Pipes
January 30, 2006 - Now that Hamas has apparently won the Palestinian elections, the West is hoist with its own petard. On the one hand, Hamas is a terrorist group that unabashedly targets Israeli civilians and calls for the elimination of the Jewish state. Returning to the dilemma posed by the Hamas victory, Western capitals need to show Palestinians that, like Germans electing Adolf Hitler in 1933, they have made a decision gravely unacceptable to civilised opinion. The Hamas-led Palestinian Authority must be isolated and rejected at every turn, thereby encouraging Palestinians to see the error of their ways."

Daniel Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum in Philadelphia and author of several books on Islam and the Middle East.

..HTN WET - as in "hot and wet"..Cronulla..

A hot, wet trail - yet police remain clueless in Cronulla - smh.com.au - January 30, 2006 - Many long-suffering residents believe a great injustice has been done to the Sutherland Shire, writes Paul Sheehan.
Personalised registration plates say a lot about the people who buy them. The owner of the car with the plates HTN WET - as in "hot and wet" - is certainly making a statement. This same owner might want to make a statement to police.
Finally, after two months, the full story on Cronulla is emerging. That's why the owner of HTN WET must surely be a person the police will want to have a friendly chat with. He clearly wants attention.

Modern Japan - Bishop Paul Yoshinao Otsuka

Bishop Paul Yoshinao Otsuka - catholic-hierarchy.org
Bishop of Kyoto
7 Oct 1954 Born Kyoto
20 Mar 1984 Ordained Priest of Kyoto, Japan
3 Mar 1997 Appointed Bishop of Kyoto, Japan
15 Jun 1997 Ordained Bishop of Kyoto, Japan

Gowings gone

Iconic Gowings closes forever - smh.com.au
January 29, 2006 - 5:31PM
Iconic Sydney menswear store Gowings has closed its doors for the last time.
Established in 1886 and known for selling men's clothing, knick-knacks and housing a popular barber shop, the store was placed into the hands of administrators in November last year.

Justice James Wood again helps crime

Let police run the youth clubs and witness a brighter future - smh.com.au - By Miranda Devine - January 29, 2006
The perfect antidote to the antisocial behaviour of young men that has driven the Cronulla riots, and much of the law and order problems in this city, was devised about 70 years ago.
Police and Community Youth Clubs, then known as Police Boys' Clubs, were designed to channel the energies and aggressions of wayward boys into boxing, wrestling and other organised physical activities under the stern but kindly eye of local police officers.
The "civilianising" of the PCYC movement, like a lot that ails the police force today, grew out of a controversial recommendation of the police royal commission. Justice James Wood was concerned about police having access to large amounts of cash at the clubs, because of a couple of instances of misappropriation.

Studies link cannabis use to psychosis in teenagers

Studies link cannabis use to psychosis in teenagers - smh.com.au - January 28, 2006 - Evidence is mounting that heavy marijuana use can increase the chances of developing severe mental illness for some adolescents whose genes put them at added risk.

Earlier my posting: Cannabis is worst drug for psychosis
on the Article: Cannabis is worst drug for psychosis - Simon Kearney - November 21, 2005 - Four out of five people with incurable schizophrenia smoked cannabis regularly between the ages of 12 and 21. Andrew Campbell, of the NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal, warned that a hidden epidemic of cannabis-induced psychosis could make the so-called soft drug more dangerous than heroin. "It's much safer to take heroin -- you can live to be 90 with heroin," Dr Campbell said.

So what was the cause of Bligh's removal, and why should we commemorate it today?

a Google search on the subject rum rebellion reveals
The rebellion-en.wikipedia.org was precipitated by the Governor of New South Wales, William Bligh, who attempted to normalise trading conditions by prohibiting the use of spirits as payment for commodities. Bligh was aiming to reduce the power of the rum merchants and the New South Wales Corps, which had a role in the trade.
while this article- smh.com.au says: Proof of history's rum deal - By Michael Duffy - January 28, 2006
Another reason for the persistence of the name Rum Rebellion is that it fits with the view, attractive especially to those on the left, that the officers of the NSW Corps were corrupt businessmen. It is true many had made good profits from rum trading in the 1790s, partly because they were the only ones who could afford to buy wholesale from visiting ships. But by 1800 their monopoly had been broken by the rise of ex-convict entrepreneurs such as Simeon Lord and immigrant businessmen like Robert Campbell.
So what was the cause of Bligh's removal, and why should we commemorate it today? Essentially it was the culmination of a long-running tussle for power between government and entrepreneurs, a fight over the future and the nature of the colony.

Emile Mauresmo last man standing

Third seed Emile Mauresmo won his first grand slam title when Justin Henin-Hardenne retired from the Australian Open men's singles final this afternoon because of illness.

"Curtin knew nothing about military matters and most of his ministers knew even less.."

Strategy and Command in Australia’s New Guinea Campaigns - awm.gov.au (Symposium paper)

Curtin knew nothing about military matters and most of his ministers knew even less –they were suspicious and mistrustful of the Australian military.
Over the years, successive Australian governments have had to grapple with the fact that the main threat to Australian security has come from or though the archipelago to the north. These threats have been handled in many ways: by deploying forces (usually as part of a coalition force); by cooperation with our neighbours; by establishing alliances; by withdrawing into fortress Australia; by cultivating friendships; by lending a helping hand; and by maintaining surveillance. In all this, Australia has learnt to put its own interests uppermost. But the time when Australia learned its most important lessons about strategy was during the New Guinea campaigns.

Blamey - saw Australia through its greatest military crisis...

Blamey - awm.gov.au was one of the very few national commanders to serve from the beginning of the war to the end. Be all this as it may, Horner certainly takes the measure of the military man. He says Blamey was one of the very few national commanders to serve from the beginning of the war to the end. Guarding "the fate of the nation", he saw Australia through its greatest military crisis when Japan threatened to invade in 1942. Be all this as it may, Horner certainly takes the measure of the military man. He says Blamey was one of the very few national commanders to serve from the beginning of the war to the end. Guarding "the fate of the nation", he saw Australia through its greatest military crisis when Japan threatened to invade in 1942. For Horner, it is enough to conclude that Blamey may not have been loved, or even admired, but he was respected and feared.

Cronulla revenge attacks - Bankstown problems in the area had declined.

Gangs in the police firing line - smh.com.au - January 28, 2006 - "

There has been progress in battling Middle Eastern gangs, police say. Andrew Clennell writes.
Police believe some people involved in organised crime might have taken part in the revenge attacks following the Cronulla riot, but that they were mainly the work of angry young men.
A former Bankstown police crime manager, Acting Superintendent Jim Johnson, said problems in the area had declined."

[Bankstown problems have moved to Cronulla?]

Hamas clothing store

Middle eastern gangs are more violent - obtaining evidence is the main problem in bringing criminals to justice

Gangs in the police firing line - smh.com.au
January 28, 2006 - There has been progress in battling Middle Eastern gangs, police say. Andrew Clennell writes.
Middle eastern gangs are more violent and of greater concern than any other group in Sydney, senior police say.

[Gangs were allowed to get more violent and now fear of violence to witnesses keeps them out of jail.]

armed robbery the offenders of middle-eastern appearance

Man shot during armed robbery - Punchbowl - police.nsw.gov.au 28 December 2005
A man suffered a gunshot wound to his foot in an armed robbery at Punchbowl.
About 4pm yesterday a 41-year-old man and a 35-year-old man, both from Punchbowl, were at a premises in Rossmore Avenue.
Two men, one of which was armed with a pistol, entered the rear of the premises and when they were confronted the 41-year-old man was shot in the right foot.
The offenders left on foot and were last seen heading west on Campbell Street.
Both have been described as being of middle-eastern appearance.

But Clooney's movie is strictly factoid.

Clooney gets it wrong about McCarthyist menace - theaustralian.news.com.au - Frank Devine

"The actors are solicitously escorted by a script. McCarthy is jerked on screen in short takes that show him at his most abominable. In one prolonged sequence he hectors, gosh, a little old black lady.
Rarely since the emperor Commodus established his enviable win-loss record by fighting gladiators armed with wooden swords has the fix been so comprehensively in.
But Clooney still can't resist egregious fakery to make assurance doubly sure.
When Murrow went to air on March 9, 1954, the army, goaded by McCarthy's slanders, was already making legal preparations for a showdown before another Senate committee. These hearings, which began on April 22, 1954, ruined McCarthy. The Senate buried him by censure in December. In other words, a democratic system spat McCarthyism out. Clooney's implication that it is threateningly alive in the 21st century should be a warning to the Left against entrusting messages to Hollywood boofheads."

"Many young Australians celebrated Australia Day in ignorance.."

Editorial: The facts come first - theaustralian.news.com.au
All Australia's history must be taught in our schools

"Many young Australians celebrated Australia Day in ignorance of what their ancestors accomplished and why. They will do the same come April 25th. Thanks to the way a generation has been taught, or rather not taught, history at school, young Australians are growing up completely clueless about how their country came to be the prosperous democracy they are proud of. Selectively teaching what is wrong in Australia's past before young people are given the incontestable facts and dates they need to assess all the interpretations on offer is an affront to Australia's civil religion of an egalitarian democracy. It is time for all schools to give their students the facts about our past. And if crowded curriculums mean there is less time for political role play, that will be no bad thing."

Earlier: From my experience history is not taught in NSW schools

From my experience history is not taught in NSW schools

PM's history speech gets mixed reception
The New South Wales Teachers Federation has accused the Prime Minister of attacking school teachers in his call for students to be taught more about Australian history.
Meanwhile, the History Teachers' Association of Australia (HTAA) has welcomed Mr Howard's call for greater concentration on the teaching of history in schools, but has questioned his approach. HTAA president Nick Eubank says the Prime Minister has a very clear view of history and the founding of Australia, but Mr Eubank says any study of history should question it. The new federal Education Minister, Julie Bishop, has also weighed in on the debate, saying she would like to see Australian students echo the American sense of pride in learning about their nation's history.
Balanced history must be taught: Labor - AAP Date: 26/01/06
The teaching of history in Australian schools must be a dynamic and balanced exercise, and not dictated by politicians of the day, Labor says.
Opposition Leader Kim Beazley says Australian students need to be taught the narrative history of this country but, he said, it must be geopolitically inclusive, not merely an American version. "It's important to get a full understanding and have good social history, it's important to have history studied from the military and diplomatic perspectives," Mr Beazley told reporters in Sydney, on Australia Day.Copyright © 2006 AAP

[From my experience history is not taught in NSW schools]

Emeritus Professor Harry MESSEL CBE - ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA DAY 2006 HONOURS
26 January 2006 - Australia Day Honours List 2006 - You can download or print a copy of the Australia Day Honours List: Australia Day Honours List (RTF 747KB) Australia Day Honours List (PDF 428KB) - The Governor-General is pleased to announce the following appointments and awards:
ORDER OF AUSTRALIA - COMPANION (AC) IN THE GENERAL DIVISION
Emeritus Professor Harry MESSEL CBE
For service to Australian science and to education as an outstanding educator raising awareness of the importance of the study of science and in particular physics, for instrumental contributions to improving science teaching in schools, and for conservation advocacy relating to endangered crocodile and alligator species.

"Oo mama-mow-mow, oo mama-mow-mow"

An appreciation of The Real Thing and Part Three Into Paper Walls
and their importance in Australian rock history
"Oo mama-mow-mow, oo mama-mow-mow"…

Does that simple, nonsensical refrain bring back special, pleasant memories, or does it simply irritate? If the latter is the case, read no further, for if you do, you will cop an almost scholarly account of how this singular tune has taken on the proportions of profound legend in the annals of OzRock – The Real Thing is the embodiment of "seminal", "important", and all of those other superlatives, and remains a bloody wonderful record to boot! Let’s examine this exceptional recording then (but while we do, if you have a copy, why not pull it out and put it on right now!)…

"...the money wasted and faith lost in the public school system."

More money, less faith at private school - smh.com.au January 25, 2006 - Increasing privilege is undermining stated values, writes Denis Fitzgerald. Denis Fitzgerald, a former senior public servant in public education and a former Teachers Federation official, is now a public school teacher.

While two question the issues raised:

One solution - January 26, 2006 - smh.com.au
"There is an easy way to redress the issues identified by Denis Fitzgerald ("More money, less faith at private school", January 25). Do what Ireland, England, Canada and New Zealand have done: maintain faith-based schools along with public schools - but do not have two funding systems. All schools are funded from one pot on the basis of student numbers, merit and need. Having two funding sources encourages a two-tiered system, as well as lack of equity and a jostling for resources. Having one source of funding would encourage genuine choice through diversity." Kate Mannix Epping
"Given his insider status, I wonder if Denis Fitzgerald could give us a critique of the money wasted and faith lost in the public school system." Ray Farley Leura

[I went to a non-public school and I think the public school system is more concerned with teachers then students.]

"Two dogs attacked each other as Lord Mayor Clover Moore officiated.."

Panic as police use capsicum spray - news.com.au
From: AAP January 26, 2006
Panic has broken out in a crowd at Sydney's Australia Day celebrations after police were forced to use capsicum spray to break up a dog fight.
Two dogs attacked each other as Lord Mayor Clover Moore officiated at a citizenship ceremony in Hyde Park about 12.30pm (AEDT).
Police used the capsicum spray after a pitbull and another large dog began fighting.

Terror spycams and Civil Liberties

Terror spycams across state
Thousands of extra private security cameras across Sydney and NSW will be made available to police to throw a security blanket over the entire state.

But New South Wales Council of Civil Liberties president Cameron Murphy says police already have sufficient access to security camera footage. "They should have access to it and the courts provide a mechanism for that now," Mr Murphy said. "It's another thing entirely to provide police with unfettered access so they simply ask and they're not required to provide a reason and you have to provide it. "That's the sort of policy that will lead to misuse and abuse of that power."

[Maybe catch more criminals. That would be misuse and abuse of that power?]

"..he might be Canada's John Howard."

Mark Steyn: A Howardesque leader in Canada - theaustralian.news.com.au

"And then I'd take a deep breath and try to explain that, no, he's not Canada's Thatcher or Reagan.
But, with a bit of luck, he might be Canada's John Howard. Not in the sense that he's a blunt, no-nonsense, plain speaker: that seems to have been bred out of our political DNA, alas.
Howard is an ordinary bloke, but he's not bland. By comparison, Harper is not just unexciting, he's unexciting even by Canadian standards! As he told a meeting in Ontario the other day, "Bland sells." Well, anyway, whatever the Brit guy's name is, the UK Tories have done what a lot of parties do: pick a great personality and then see if they can order him up a political philosophy from room service.
John Howard in Australia proves that's the wrong way round to do it, and so I think will Stephen Harper.
And, if over the next few years Canada upgrades its presence on the international scene from "All But Invisible" to a functioning member of the Anglosphere, that will be all to the good, too."

Mark Steyn, a Canadian, is a columnist for Canada's Western Standard, Maclean's magazine and a regular contributor to The Australian's opinion page.

"..Australia, its laws and its democratic values.."

PM outlines vision for Australia - news.com.au
From: AAP By Maria Hawthorne - January 25, 2006
"We expect all who come here to make an overriding commitment to Australia, its laws and its democratic values," Prime Minister, Mr Howard said.
"We want them to learn about our history and heritage. And we expect each unique individual who joins our national journey to enrich it with their loyalty and their patriotism."

"Mohammed Eid, 19, and Wael Tahan, 20, were on bail.."

Why now? Police told to explain riot raid - smh.com.au
By Leonie Lamont, Ben Cubby, Andrew Clennell and Geesche Jacobsen
January 25, 2006
A magistrate has grilled police about why they released two men allegedly involved in a reprisal attack immediately after the Cronulla Beach riot, in which a "hapless victim" was left with a fractured eye socket after being set upon by a carload of men.
Mohammed Eid, 19, and Wael Tahan, 20, were on bail for other offences at the time of the alleged attack. They were detained by police in the early hours of December 12, but were released after having their clothes taken for forensic examination and being interviewed.
Tahan was caught after allegedly fleeing a car police had been pursuing, and Eid was discovered at 5.30am, in an oyster lease 500 metres from the abandoned car. Tahan was on a court-imposed curfew at the time.

"..calling The Bush Administration (or conservatives in general) “Nazis” makes one look foolish."

Why Nazi rhetoric is so unserious - theanchoressonline.com
Ed Driscoll gives a little history lesson about how the Nazis dealt with opposition. Hint: it more than underscores just why calling The Bush Administration (or conservatives in general) “Nazis” makes one look foolish. You’ll want to read it all, including Ed’s update.
The White Rose By Ed Driscoll - eddriscoll.com - June 17, 2005 10:26 AM - The Reich Stuff - War And Anti-War
It was a highly courageous show of defiance. But it was suicidal. The verdict - the death-sentence - was a foregone conclusion. All three were guillotined the same afternoon. Willi Graf, Kurt Huber, and Alexander Schmorell suffered the same fate some months later. Other students on the fringe of the movement were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment.

You f***ing Aussie" and swore in Arabic.

Boy, 16, in 'pole attack on Aussie car' - theaustralian.news.com.au "When the driver replied he was Australian, the youth began smashing the driver's side window, injuring the driver with splinters of glass.
Magistrate Paul Falzon, summarising the police facts to the court, said that as he attacked the car the youth allegedly said: "are you f***ing sure you are, you f***ing sure? You f***ing Aussie" and swore in Arabic."

Editorial: Time to face facts - theaustralian.news.com.au "NSW has a law and order problem with ethnic gangs
Mr Iemma and his allies need to admit that this is a law and order problem, nothing more, nothing less. And stop pussyfooting around in solving it."

"Ed is the first blogger who can credibly claim to have influenced a national election."

Conservatives to Form Government in Canada - powerlineblog - January 23, 2006
The Conservatives have won big in today's Canadian election; it appears that they will form a minority government. Congratulations to our friend Captain Ed, who deserves a huge share of the credit. Ed is the first blogger who can credibly claim to have influenced a national election. Not that Ed makes that claim, but we do. And it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Congratulations, Ed!
Posted by John at 11:11 PM

[My comment to Ed "CQ you can take a bow for your great work on behalf of Canadian democracy. You bypassed the silly news ban on scandals and Canada learnt the truth. Again congratulations." Posted by: stackja1945 at January 21, 2006 06:54 PM]

[To the uninitiated do a google gomery captain ed I got 30,000 pages. Gomery investigated the Liberal scandal and captain ed posted the testimony Canada learnt the truth and voted the crooks out.]

MacArthur's Park is melting in the dark All the sweet, green icing flowing down

Spring was never waiting for us, girl It ran one step ahead As we followed in the dance Between the parted pages and were pressed, In love's hot, fevered iron Like a striped pair of pants Someone left the cake out in the rain I don't think that I can take it 'cause it took so long to bake it And I'll never have that recipe again Oh, no! I recall the yellow cotton dress Foaming like a wave On the ground around your knees The birds, like tender babies in your hands
And the old men playing checkers by the trees

Words and Music by Jimmy Webb

Myfanwy - John Betjeman

Kind o’er the kinderbank leans my Myfanwy, White o’er the playpen the sheen of her dress, Fresh from the bathroom and soft in the nursery Soap scented fingers I long to caress. Were you a prefect and head of your dormit'ry? Were you a hockey girl, tennis or gym? Who was your favourite? Who had a crush on you? Which were the baths where they taught you to swim? Smooth down the Avenue glitters the bicycle, Black-stockinged legs under navy blue serge, Home and Colonial, Star, International, Balancing bicycle leant on the verge. Trace me your wheel-tracks, you fortunate bicycle, Out of the shopping and into the dark, Back down the avenue, back to the pottingshed, Back to the house on the fringe of the park. Golden the light on the locks of Myfanwy, Golden the light on the book on her knee, Finger marked pages of Rackham's Hans Anderson, Time for the children to come down to tea. Oh! Fullers angel-cake, Robertson’s marmalade, Liberty lampshade, come shine on us all,
My! what a spread for the friends of Myfanwy, Some in the alcove and some in the hall. Then what sardines in half-lighted passages! Locking of fingers in long hide-and-seek. You will protect me, my silken Myfanwy, Ring leader, tom-boy, and chum to the weak.

From "Old Lights for New Chancels" (1940)

It's what academics call "cognitive bias."

Web surfers quickly decide a site's worth: study - www.ctv.ca - Updated Sun. Jan. 22 2006 8:36 PM ET - Canadian Press
Toronto — Graphic designers have long known the importance of good looks for things like ad copy and book covers. Now, a study backs it up for websites.

"Four men...bashed at Cronulla...ethnic community leaders...shielding gang members..."

Police under pressure smh.com.au - January 24, 2006

"Dec 4: Four men, including two lifeguards, are bashed at Cronulla Beach by men described by police as being of Middle Eastern appearance.
Jan 23: Superintendent McKay says ethnic community leaders are shielding gang members. Crisis talks take place between Mr Moroney and the NSW Police Association to end tension over the removal of Superintendent Bray, who is then restored to the investigation as Superintendent McKay's deputy."

"..Keysar Trad .. dumbfounded.. Moroney... embarrassing..."

Arabic leaders accused of riot cover-up - smh.com.au

"The new police commander of the squad investigating the summer riots has made the explosive claim that Arabic community leaders have failed to inform on men involved in revenge attacks. Detective Superintendent Ken McKay, of Strike Force Enoggera, yesterday angered the community and the one leader singled out, Keysar Trad, on the same day the Police Commissioner, Ken Moroney, was forced into an embarrassing compromise, reinstating the officer he sacked as the head of the same strike force on Friday. When the Herald later asked to whom he was referring to, a spokeswoman identified Mr Trad, the president of the Islamic Friendship Association, as one who could do more to identify culprits. Mr Trad denied shielding criminals, saying: "This is unfair. I am dumbfounded by it really. I spent most of Saturday helping the police."

"...dual desecration of cloning.."

Cloning – both morally wrong and redundant to boot!
Cloning - catholicweekly.com.au
By David Van Gend - 22 January, 2006

"The Lockhart Committee has presented the Federal Government with a brutal proposal to “clone and kill” embryonic humans on the altar of speculative science. Here is the dual desecration of cloning: not just that a human life is wrongfully killed for the benefit of others, but that a human life is wrongfully created out of any normal human setting. he public should be shown the true shape of stem cell science, which is thriving with no need for embryo creation and destruction. We must say “no” to the cloning and killing of dehumanised offspring proposed by the Lockhart Committee, and “yes” to the clinically magnificent and ethically innocent field of adult stem cell science."

*Dr David van Gend is the Queensland spokesman for Do No Harm: Australians for Ethical Medical Research, 116 Russell St, Toowoomba 4350.

Sacked chief reinstated - five people forward - Four arrested

Sacked strike force chief reinstated - smh.com.au
The new commander of the strike force today called on the Middle Eastern community to reveal the names of youths seen on the controversial security footage.
Detective Superintendent Ken McKay said only five people had come forward with information. Four people have so far been arrested over revenge attacks.

Light Horseman and his Horse

Light Horseman and his Horse - awm.gov.au
[To view the Official Histories you will need to have an application installed that can read PDF files such as Adobe Reader.]
Chapter III - The Light Horseman and his Horse
The Australian Light Horse, to which this volume gives particular attention, was in body and spirit the true product of the wide Australian countryside. On its peace footing before the war, it represented the mounted arm of the Commonwealth Military Forces. It was then composed of twenty-three - regiments, with a total strength of 456 officers and 6,508 men of other ranks. Some of the regiments, whose recruiting areas were close to cities and towns, included a small number of townsmen; but the light horse as a whole was essentially a force of countrymen, most of whom actually bred and owned the horses on which they did their few weeks of compulsory annual training. Its members were not armed with sword or lance. They were mounted riflemen, or in other words, mounted infantry, and their horses were intended merely to give them the greatest range of activity as a mobile body. The men were not trained in shock tactics - a point to be borne in mind in order to follow intelligently their work in Sinai and Palestine. Many of them, including a large number of their officers, had served with distinction as mounted riflemen in the South African War, only twelve years earlier, and the lessons learned against the elusive Boers had a strong influence upon their efficiency.

Can 20th Century Journalism Make it in the 21st Century? - tapscottscopydesk

Too little, too late? - powerlineblog January 21, 2006
Earlier today, Scott linked to Hugh Hewitt's outstanding Weekly Standard piece on the Columbia School of Journalism. The estimable journalist Nicholas Lemann is now running CSJ, and is trying to teach a new generation of journalists what he calls "power skills." By this he means the capacity to discover and analyze data through sophisticated research and analytical skills. Hugh is sympathetic to the project, but doesn't believe it can save the MSM.
Can 20th Century Journalism Make it in the 21st Century? - tapscottscopydesk - Saturday, January 21, 2006
Blogger and Talk Radio host Hugh Hewitt has a fascinating and important column in the latest Weekly Standard entitled "The Media's Ancien Regime." To put it bluntly, Hewitt has little hope for anything remotely resembling a bright future for what has passed for much of the previous century as objective journalism.

"...a disconnected, violent, racist, criminal subculture has grown within Sydney's Muslim community..."

Police alone in fight against this group
January 23, 2006 - A violent subculture has been growing in strength, thanks to politicians who choose to ignore it, writes Paul Sheehan.

"There also remain questions about the Government's priorities after the Cronulla riot and the revenge attacks that followed. Police were quick to subpoena the Herald for photos taken during the paper's coverage of the violence at Cronulla on December 11. Strangely, no subpoena has ever been received for the Herald's images taken the following night, December 12, when convoys of revenge attacks formed in Lakemba and Punchbowl before going on a largely unchecked rampage.
The big questions therefore remain: when is the penny finally going to drop for the NSW Government about the problems coming out of a subculture centred in Iemma's electorate? When are they going to realise that the gang rapes, the anti-terrorist sweeps by ASIO, the drug trade, the gun trade, the car rebirthing trade, and the thousands of incidents of harassment and intimidation are all linked, all part of the same cultural source?
Instead, we have the Premier, with his ministers and his senior police seemingly incapable of even acknowledging the existence of a disconnected, hate-filled, racist and criminal subculture within the broader, functional, assimilated Muslim community.
As a result, six weeks after the Cronulla riot, which itself was the latest in innumerable warnings, there remains little evidence any of those responsible for the pre-meditated, large-scale racial violence co-ordinated in Punchbowl and Lakemba on December 11 and 12 would ever have had to worry about the consequences had it not been for a media uprising that began on January 14 and is not going to stop."

Slavery: But many will ask, who will the Church be apologising to?

To select comment then select News Commentaries or
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Church of England urged to repent over slavery - Margaret Rodgers - Anglican Media Sydney

"The Synod of the Church of England will meet next month in London. Amongst the agenda items is the plan to have a debate on slavery to recognise the bi-centenary of the end of slavery coming up next year.
Two of the Synod members have indicated that they intend to move that the Church of England should apologise for its part in the evil slavery trade in the 18th century.
It was, of course politicians who were committed C of E members, and that included William Wilberforce, who led the campaign to bring slavery to an end. It is certainly a matter of infinite regret that there should have existed such an evil trade that treated human beings mercilessly and as a commodity.
But many will ask, who will the Church be apologising to? The victims died a long long time ago.
To remember this awful bi-centenary there are two things that would be much better to do rather than giving an empty apology for the past
These are: First, to commit themselves to seek for peace and justice for all, and for an end to racial discrimination in our age; and second, to work for an end to slavery in this age, for let’s not forget that there are many hundreds of thousands of people today who are slaves, for example in the Sudan. Ending human trafficking and the commodification of people today would also be a much better apology for the evil trade of the past."

Box office crash as films fail screen test

Sydney Australia Daily Telegraph - Monday, 23 January 2006
Box office admissions in Australia were down 9.75 per cent in 2005, the biggest slump in gross revenue since 1984.
The total box office was $818 million down on 2004's $907 million.
The top films of the year were Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith with $35.4 million and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ($30.799 million, although it's now earned $34.1 million).
The Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia quietly posted the figures without its customary fanfare.
But it has little to be embarrassed about after a number of Hollywood studio chiefs admitted its movies were too poor last year.
Anticipated hits such as Stealth, Bewitched, Hating Alison Ashley, Kingdom of Heaven, Elektra and The Island failed to fire.
Australian audiences were not alone though, box office revenue was down in many other countries.

[Movies fail simply because they do not entertain today like those of yesteryear.]

George Gershwin Symphony in Blue world premiere

Gershwin gamble enraptures crowd - By Simon Ferguson
Sydney Australia Daily Telegraph - Monday, 23 January 2006
The Sydney Festival put in another star turn on the weekend, holding about 85,000 entranced at the free Symphony in the Domain concert.
Organisers had gambled on a change, preparing a program of George Gershwin tunes instead of the usual purely classical menu. Their bold vision paid off on Saturday night when the Sydney Symphony Orchestra led by Wayne Marshall cast a spell on the crowd. The initial crowd estimated was down on the year before but the well-behaved crowd made organisers proud. Marshall began with Gershwin's best-known tune, Symphony in Blue, before running through a repertoire of great songs, some accompanied by singer Caroline O'Connor.

Cold winter - Hot summer - Global weather

Cold winter Lithuania experience minus 32 degrees and Finland experiences minus 42 temperatures
Hot summer in Australia Adelaide weather station put the mercury at 42.4 degrees.

"...just blame the Jews in America, and Israel abroad."

Making Sense of Nonsense - Victor Davis Hanson

"So how do we make sense of what seems so nonsensical?
Rather easily — just keep in mind four general talking points about America’s recent role in the world and most things gradually become clearer.
Point One (for Americans): My own flawless three-week removal of Saddam Hussein was ruined by your error-prone postwar peace.
Point Two (for Middle Easterners): We are for democracy — unless you Americans help us obtain it.
Point Three (for Europeans): We are privately for and publicly against what you do.
Point Four (for everyone else): When angry at either the United States (or yourself,) just blame the Jews in America, and Israel abroad.
Sometimes in these crazy times, that is all you need to know."

Malmedy, who is right?

While we read in Ardennes-Alsace

CMH Pub 72-26
"In the Losheim Gap the advanced detachment of the 1st SS Panzer Division, Kampfgruppe Peiper, moved forward through the attacking German infantry during the early hours of the seventeenth. Commanded by Col. Joachim Peiper, the unit would spearhead the main armored assault heading for the Meuse River crossings south of Liege at Huy. With over 100 tanks and approximately 5,000 men, Kampfgruppe Peiper had instructions to ignore its own flanks, to overrun or bypass opposition, and to move day and night. Traversing the woods south of the main panzer route, it entered the town of Buellingen, about 3 miles behind the American line. After fueling their tanks on captured stocks, Peiper's men murdered at least 50 American POWs. Then shortly after noon, they ran head on into a 7th Armored Division field artillery observation battery southeast of Malmedy, murdering more than 80 men. Peiper's men eventually killed at least 300 American prisoners and over 100 unarmed Belgian civilians in a dozen separate locations. Word of the Malmedy Massacre spread, and within hours units across the front realized that the Germans were prosecuting the offensive with a special grimness. American resistance stiffened."

In the book The War Between The Generals David Irving

Page 377
"Stimson told Roosevelt of the massacre of 150 U.S. troops at Malmedy
by the 1st SS panzer division, as described by survivors. "Well," replied the President cynically, "it will only serve to make our troops feel towards the Germans as they have already learned to feel about the Japs."

Page 380
"to the south at Bastogne, the tip of the other talon of the pincer, the fighting around Bastogne was getting fiercer as the enemy - and particularly the proud SS divisions - fought back against Patton. He wrote apprehensively on January 4, recalling the scandals he had brought down on himself in Sicily: "The 11th armoured is very green and took unnecessary losses to no effect. There were also some unfortunate incidents in the shooting of prisoners (I hope we can conceal this)." not far away, a Waffen SS unit had killed many Americans in a shoot-out near Malmédy early in Rundstedt's offensive, and had laid the American dead side by side - like the cordwood heaps Patton himself had commented on earlier - just before being thrown back in a counterattack. American combat propaganda made an atrocity out of this - the famous "Malmédy incident" - the episode that Stimson, in good faith, had related to Roosevelt."

Tribune ‘head of a tribe’ down 6.1%

Tribune Revenues Down 6.1% in December
Publishing advertising revenues down 4.5%
Television revenues down 10.1%

Cronulla riots - Bob Carr foreign minister - Bob Carr spin

Liberal leader forces beefed-up riot probe - theaustralian.news.com.au - Ean Higgins -
January 21, 2006 - "Peter Debnam scored his first victory as NSW Opposition Leader yesterday when his claims that police had ignored attacks carried out by Lebanese gangs forced Premier Morris Iemma to quadruple the number of police investigating the Cronulla riots. Mr Debnam said yesterday the videotape affair proved his point. "The Government and police hierarchy knew there was lots of evidence," he said. "The video is the final proof of exactly what the community has known for years. These people have been running riot. This Government has refused to lock up these Middle East thugs."
Carr tips US will lose interest - smh.com.au
By Michael Gawenda Herald Correspondent in San Diego - January 20, 2006
"The relationship between Australia and the US has peaked and Australian governments will have to come up with creative ways of retaining America's attention, says the former NSW premier Bob Carr."
The party's over - smh.com.au - January 21, 2006 - "After years at the epicentre of NSW power, Bob Carr's sultans of spin have entered the private sector, writes Andrew Clennell."

US Television fiction - Liberia fact

Bill Clinton Al Gore - Josiah Bartlet
The West Wing (television) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The West Wing is a popular and widely acclaimed American television serial drama The series is set in the West Wing of the White House, the location of the Oval Office and offices of presidential senior staff, during the fictional Democratic administration of Josiah Bartlet (Martin Sheen).
Hillary Clinton - Mackenzie Allen
Commander in Chief (television) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Commander in Chief is a television drama focusing on the presidential administration and family of Mackenzie Allen (portrayed by Geena Davis), the first female President of the United States, who ascends to the role after the previous chief executive, Teddy Bridges (played by Will Lyman), dies in office from a sudden ruptured cerebral aneurysm.
Meanwhile in the real world: Liberia
In the run-off election of November 8, 2005 between soccer legend George Weah and former finance minister Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Johnson-Sirleaf became the first female elected head of state in African history. She was inaugurated on January 16, 2006.

"..police were either too scared or too lazy..not want to get hurt.."

smh.com.au - police not to blame

"The Police Commissioner , Ken Moroney, has defended the decision not to break up a group of about 100 youths who met in a south-western Sydney park the night after the Cronulla riots, allegedly to plan revenge attacks.
"He's one of my most experienced commanders and I'm sure what would have been foremost in his mind was the safety and wellbeing of those [officers]."
The victim of the attack, Steve, said last night he was set upon by a gang of about 30 men. "They were pretty much consumed by rage. They were angry, very angry," he told A Current Affair. "It felt like a long time but it was only about a minute or so … It seemed like 20 or 30 guys. I really don't know. They just surrounded me. It was only the police sirens that made them stop." Steve's arm was broken and his knee damaged in the assault."

Little punishment for the real thugs

December 19, 2005 - "Politicians and the legal establishment have weakened the police force, writes Paul Sheehan. How many people have been arrested who weren't served up to the police courtesy of TV footage? So far, it's been the soft targets, not the hard men. As usual."

The Rise of Middle Eastern Crime in Australia Tim Priest

"The police were either too scared or too lazy to do anything about it. The damage bill on police cars became costly and these street terrorists grew stronger and the police became purely defensive. You see, the Police Royal Commission was about to start and the police retreated inside themselves knowing that the judicial system considered them easy targets. The police did not want to get hurt or attract Internal Affairs complaints."

["safety and wellbeing of those [officers]."]
["Steve's arm was broken and his knee damaged in the assault."]

[This is a war people like Steve are being injured and the police need to be kept safe?]

..Hong Kong.. grey haze over the city..

Little time to waste as China rises - smh.com.au - By Paul Sheehan - January 21, 2006
All of which means the Chinese will be coming to Australia, in large numbers. Even though China is much poorer than Australia, with about 400 million people still living in poverty, 25 million middle-class Chinese can now afford a holiday in Australia.
But China has made a devil's pact in order to quickly transform the living standards of the people. The developed world has not only shifted much of its manufacturing to China, but much of its pollution. The skyline of Hong Kong has thickened with the towers of commerce, but friends in Hong Kong told me last week they had never seen the grey haze over the city so thick, drifting in from the factories on the mainland.
Power always comes at a price.

[Maybe 25 million middle-class Chinese may decide to help change grey haze?]

..premier enraged over police handling ..

Scully returning to race violence fracas
January 20, 2006 - 10:04PM - NSW's police minister is on his way back to Australia to face a premier enraged over police handling of revenge attacks after the Cronulla riot, as a top cop investigating the unrest was stood aside.
NSW Police Association president Bob Pritchard said the officers believe the release of the video may have compromised their investigations.
"It's clear the playing of the video on television and putting it out to the public completely compromised a number of investigations," Mr Pritchard told reporters.

[More arrests may occur. This "compromised a number of investigations"?]

Redfern, Macquarie Fields, Cronulla, what next?

2005 Macquarie Fields riots
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

A Fields day for the do-gooders - March 3, 2005 - Events of this week offer a sound argument for zero tolerance of crime, writes Miranda Devine. Tim Priest blames the riots on a culture of impotence at the top of a NSW Police Service that is so preoccupied with avoiding complaints against officers it is paralysed at times of crisis. The result is that front-line officers are left unprotected and looking foolish while future rioters are emboldened.
So the riots will continue and police will remain powerless, just as they were in the Redfern riots a year ago. We haven't learnt anything since then, Priest says. A lengthy NSW parliamentary inquiry came up with the dazzling conclusion that the police who were attacked in the Redfern riots needed more "cultural awareness training".
Ken Moroney
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Ken Moroney is and has been the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police in Australia since 2002.
He replaced the former Commissioner Peter James Ryan in the position. Ken Moroney was selected for the position by the State Labor Government of Premier Bob Carr. Ken Moroney has worked under three separate police ministers them being Michael Costa, Minister John Watkins and the current Carl Scully.
Carl Scully
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Patrick Carl Scully (born 4 April 1957), Australian politician, is Minister for Police in the New South Wales state government.

New Age gods - old age killers

Wannsee Conference
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Wannsee Conference was the discussion by a group of Nazi officials about the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question" (Endlösung der Judenfrage). It took place on January 20, 1942 in the Wannsee Villa overlooking the Wannsee lake in southwestern Berlin and would lead to the Holocaust.
T-4 Euthanasia Program
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
T-4 Euthanasia Program (Tiergartenstraße 4 or Tiergartenstrasse 4) was the official name of the Nazi Germany eugenics program which forcefully conducted mass sterilizations and euthanasia on Germans who were institutionalized or suffering from birth defects. The use of the term euthanesia is a typical example of Nazi euphemism and bears little resemblance to the modern usage of this practice. In total, an estimated 200,000 people were killed as a result of the program.

[Now New Age gods say death to the infirmed and old]

..."an Australian and not a hyphenated Australian"

Middle Eastern crime squad formed From: AAP - January 20, 2006
Riot bashing victim speaks out From: AAP - January 20, 2006 - "It's Australia, people complain about the place but it's not really that bad."
Gallipoli Barracks located at Enoggera, with about 3000 members is one of the largest Army bases in Australia.
PM condemns hyphenated inequality - From: AAP - January 20, 2006 - Prime Minister John Howard has backed NSW Opposition Leader Peter Debnam amid Labor criticism of the state Liberal leader's comments on ethnic crime. "The very essence of all of these things is to treat everybody as an Australian and not a hyphenated Australian."

[If crime squad fails why not Army? Who in the Middle Eastern crime gangs wants to face the army?]

Germany started again with US help. What will history say about Iraq?

The Year of The Police -biglizards - a Follow-Up - Iraq Matters - Hatched by Sachi - January 17, 2006 - In my earlier post, Who Polices the Police?, I noted that the American military was increasing the number of military-police advisors to embed with and train the Iraqi Police.

My quote "With a highly-professional occupation force in place, there was a tendency after 1 July 1946 to return to the German authorities as much responsibility for administration of the occupation zone as was feasible under existing conditions." US Constabulary - army.mil

[My comment was: Germany started again with US help. What will history say about Iraq? Germany democracy stills works after sixty years.]

Damascus: dispute over first to enter the town 1918

Damascus - awm.gov.au was the capital of Turkish occupied Syria and Palestine and the first objective of the great offensive launched by Allied forces on 19 September 1918. There has been some dispute over the years as to which troops were the first to enter the town. The honour probably goes to a patrol of the 4th Light Horse Regiment early in the morning of 1 October 1918. They were followed by the 10th Light Horse Regiment that rode into the city around 5 am. Emir Said, who had been installed as Governor of Damascus the day before, surrendered Damascus to Major Arthur Olden, the regiment's second-in-command. At 9 am T.E. Lawrence, also known as "Lawrence of Arabia", and the Arab forces of Faisal, son of the Sherif of Mecca, entered Damascus.

T.E. Lawrence - adelaide.edu.au "We moved behind Deraa to hasten its abandonment. General Barrow joined us; in his company we advanced to Kiswe, and there met the Australian Mounted Corps. Our united forces entered Damascus unopposed."

Movie Lawrence of Arabia -imdb.com (1962) showed the Arab forces of Faisal entered Damascus first.

Two youths arrested whether Middle Eastern not mentioned

Youth charged over revenge attack - From: AAP - January 19, 2006
A 16-year-old boy has been charged and a 17-year-old arrested over retaliatory smash and bash attacks on the night after the Cronulla riot.
The 16-year-old was arrested at his home in Boundary Road, Chester Hill today and subsequently charged with assault, malicious damage, riot and two counts of affray.
He was refused bail and was due to appear in Lidcombe Children's Court today.
A 17-year-old Chester Hill boy also was arrested at his home this morning, but has been released and will undergo youth conferencing under the Youth Offenders Act, police say.

[First we hear of a video then we hear of arrests. Seems strange to me. Two arrests only.]

Earlier: cronulla video of crimes

"..but if Brokeback Mountain is any guide, his film won't enjoy a wide release."

Wish you were queer … there's manliness and there's Manliness - smh.com.au/stayintouch
By Joel Gibson and Tim Dick January 19, 2006
Surfing's equivalent of Brokeback Mountain is being filmed on Sydney's northern beaches. Directed by Ed Aldridge, a Brit, it's called Tan Lines, about two gay surfers in a small town somewhere on the NSW coast, and managed a few media mentions here when announced last year.
Director Aldridge didn't get back to us by deadline, but if Brokeback Mountain is any guide, his film won't enjoy a wide release. Despite the cowboy flick winning four Golden Globes, its distributor, Roadshow, has brought only 48 copies of the film into Australia. Compare that with the national number of screens on which these films are now showing: Chronicles of Narnia (412), King Kong (288), Rumour Has It (238), and Mrs Henderson Presents (75).

Earlier: Audiences lined up to see a "John Wayne movie"

Cronulla video of crimes but no arrests. Why?

Radio station 2GB, Sydney Australia reports that police have a video showing "Middle Eastern youths" committing crimes at Cronulla. Yet no arrests.

[Why? Protected species?]

Update: NSW Police Association president Bob Pritchard says police are investigating Cronulla.

[Police union comments. Not Police Commissioner. Not Police Minister. Who is covering up what?]

[By the way where is the Police Minister?]

"..22 witnesses were expected to be called in the case."

Teen denies lifesaver bashing - news.com.au
From: AAP - January 19, 2006
A teenager accused of assaulting a surf lifesaver at Cronulla beach has pleaded not guilty to two charges in a Sydney court.
Ali Osman, 18, of Bankstown, faced Sutherland Local Court today charged with assaulting Patrick Hunt while in the company of a gang of males, occasioning actual bodily harm, at North Cronulla beach on December 4 last year.
He is also charged with affray.
During a brief hearing today, Osman's lawyer Garry Gillett told the court his client pleaded not guilty to both charges and said 22 witnesses were expected to be called in the case.
Registrar Brian Williams adjourned the matter until March 2 and continued Osman's conditional bail.

Death to Life?

US Supreme Court ruling is seen by some as death to life. Why not life then death in its own good time. Why must some seek to act as God in trying to extend life or shorten life?

"Royal Dutch Shell has shut down a tenth of Nigeria’s oil production.."

Another oil war — Nigeria - http://austinbay.net/blog/
- 1/16/2006 - Filed under: General— site admin @ 2:04 pm

Nigeria: headed for civil war? Submitted by Bill Weinberg on Fri, 01/13/2006 - 01:55. Royal Dutch Shell has shut down a tenth of Nigeria’s oil production, after armed militants kidnapped four foreign oil workers and blew up a major pipeline Jan. 11.

Earlier: largely ignored crises are continuing

Cuckoo flies cage

Crash diet prison break out - smh.com.au
By Edmund Tadros - with AAP - January 18, 2006 - 12:29PM - A convicted sex offender and armed robber escaped from the maximum security Long Bay prison by losing weight, removing bricks from his hospital jail cell and "squeezing his way through the gap in the brick wall". Robert Cole, 35, had been in a cell in Long Bay Hospital 1 for forensic patients before he was noticed missing at 6.50am today, a Corrective Services spokeswoman said, adding that he was dangerous and should not be approached.

German aircraft had already operated from Syrian airfields in April 1941 in support of a revolt against the British administration in Iraq.

Syrian Campaign - awm.gov.au
The Syrian Campaign is one of the least-known Australian operations of the Second World War. Between 7 June and 11 July 1941, Australian troops, principally from the 7th Division, fought as part of an Allied force in Syria and Lebanon against the Vichy French. Syria and Lebanon had been French protectorates since France was granted a League of Nations mandate over them in 1919, and a pro-German Vichy French administration had assumed control following the fall of France in June 1940.
The aim of the campaign was to occupy Syria and Lebanon to prevent the establishment of a German presence there that could threaten Britain's bases in Palestine and its broader strategic position in the eastern Mediterranean. German aircraft had already operated from Syrian airfields in April 1941 in support of a revolt against the British administration in Iraq.

Banks give - banks take away

House price crush - dailytelegraph.news.com.au
Exclusive by Darren Behar Consumer Affairs Reporter - January 18, 2006
A record number of NSW families lost their homes last year as growing numbers struggled to meet mortgage commitments.

"Cambodia has become a worker-peasant-soldier state" Wilfred Burchett

Wilfred Burchett
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Burchett visited several POW camps in China and North Korea, describing them as "holiday resorts in Switzerland". His actions during these visits, including allegations that he had personally been involved in interrogations of POWs, caused a great deal of trouble for him in later years.
In 1956, Burchett arrived in Moscow as a correspondent with the National Guardian Newspaper, an American Communist weekly.
Burchett's special relationship with the government of North Vietnam gave him unprecedented access, and Hanoi consulted him several times to verify the sympathies of journalists seeking visas from Hanoi.
In 1975 and 1976, Burchett made a number of dispatches from Cambodia praising the government of Pol Pot. In an October 14th 1976 article for the Guardian, he wrote that "Cambodia has become a worker-peasant-soldier state" whose new constitution "guarantees that everyone has the right to work and a fair standard of living, it is one of the most democratic and revolutionary constitutions in existence anywhere". After the Vietnamese declared war on Cambodia in 1979, he quickly changed his opinion on Pol Pot's government.
KGB defector Yuri Krotkov testified before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Internal Security in November 1969 that Burchett had supplied information to the KGB, and that he worked for Hanoi and Beijing as an agent. Krotkov, Burchett's KGB control officer, also reported that Burchett was a secret member of the Communist Party of Australia. Krotkov testified that Burchett had proposed a "special relationship" with the Soviets at their first meeting in Berlin in 1947. Krotkov's testimony on Burchett was corroborated by two defectors from North Vietnam, Bui Cong Tuong and Ming Trung. Trung and Tuong disappeared a short time later, believed murdered on orders from Hanoi.

"The enormous human cost of communism has scarcely registered in Western consciousness, including in Australia."

Comrade Burchett was a party hack - theaustralian.news.com.au
Peter Kelly - January 07, 2006 - Following the collapse 16 years ago of the Soviet Union and of the communist world it led, Western communist parties eventually disbanded and former party members and supporters were left high and dry.
The estimated victims in each country are mind-boggling: USSR, 20 million deaths; China, 65 million; Vietnam, one million; North Korea, two million; Cambodia, two million; Eastern Europe, one million; Latin America, 150,000; Africa, 1.7 million; Afghanistan, 1.5 million. The international communist movement and parties not in power: about 10,000.

Car thieves go to church

‘It was as if a bomb had hit the church’- weeklytimes.com.au
Friday the 13th last week really did turn out to be a black day for Father Brian Byron and Our Lady of Peace Church Gladesville. Fr Brian was woken at 4am by the police who informed him that two hours earlier a car, carrying three youths, had veered off the road, crashed through the church’s brick fence, then through the wooden door on one side of the front porch and through the opposite door, demolishing both. Fr Brian described the scene “as though a bomb had hit it!”

"..Arafat ..ineffectual thug.."

Dueling legacies?
January 17, 2006 - Posted by Paul at 12:38 PM - "With Ariel Sharon's exit from the political scene, mainstream commentators and politicians have tripped over themselves in praising his recent policies of disengagement with regard to Palestinians. The man the MSM once regarded as a butcher is now lauded as a visionary whose legacy may well be peace. All of this is quite premature. Cliff May points out, however, that Sharon has left one indisputable legacy -- he has demonstrated that terrorism can be beaten. By sending tanks and troops to re-occupy Palestinian communities that Arafat had turned into terrorist bases, by killing top terrorists, by building a wall, and by treating Arafat like an ineffectual thug instead of a peace partner (all to the dismay of many who now praise him), Sharon crushed the intifada and made Israel a much safer place. That's a legacy to be proud of. One hopes that it is not negated by any subsequent legacy."

"It is believed many witnesses are reluctant to give testimony, fearing the power of the gangs."

Lock up 1000 gang members: Debnam - By Andrew Clennell and Jonathan Pearlman - January 18, 2006 - There are 1000 young gang members in Sydney who should be locked up, says the Leader of the State Opposition.
ALP 'soft on ethnic criminals' - Ean Higgins - January 18, 2006
The NSW Opposition claimed yesterday that a broad political conspiracy was protecting criminals of Middle Eastern descent from prosecution by police.

..Democrats and their allies in the bureaucracy..

"I May Be Slow, But I Ain't Blind" - powerlineblog - "As we have repeatedly noted, one of the fundamental problems faced by any Republican administration is the entrenched hostility of the federal bureaucracy, which is overwhelmingly Democratic. During President Bush's five years in office, this hostility has most critically been manifested by the CIA and the State Department, elements of both of which have worked actively to undermine American foreign policy. If the President were able actually to control the federal bureaucracy, as the Constitution contemplates, it would indeed effect a major change in the balance of power in Washington--not, in principle, between Congress and the executive, but between Democrats and their allies in the bureaucracy, and elected Republican Presidents. "

DP being dusted with DDT

The DP Flood Begins - army.mil/cmh/books/wwii

Earlier: typhus did not trouble itself
Persons going west into France were dusted with DDT at the border control stations.

Dutch guest of Imperial Japan

Chapter 25 - Camps in Borneo, Japan and Elsewhere - awm.gov.au
[Note the above links to is a pdf file which needs Adobe Acrobat]

"Presiding over this debacle is Morris Iemma, whose electorate of Lakemba..

How the politics of sheer populism led to racial riots - smh.com.au - January 16, 2006 - The Cronulla debacle is a sad indictment of the Labor Party, writes Paul Sheehan.
... Some of these political debts incurred by the NSW Labor Right among the Muslims in the Lakemba-Punchbowl-Bankstown area have been well documented, especially the lurid branch-stacking operations. The antecedants of this particular strand of racial politics can be traced back to one of the bad habits of the last federal Labor government.
By way of example, a former high-ranking police officer described to me the political strings pulled on behalf of Sheik Taj el-Din al Hilaly, now a prominent religious leader in Lakemba: "The Immigration Department wanted to deport him, and we had more than enough to get rid of him. But he stayed because of interference by [Paul] Keating. "
Even the Labor immigration minister of that time, Chris Hurford, would later complain to the Herald: "It was sheer populism. Voting power got in the way of good policy."

Mark Aarons crimes against humanity and his father

First we have: Mark Aarons - theaustralian.news.com.au: Government lags on action against war criminals - January 16, 2006 - The Vasiljkovic case again highlights the need for a much stronger investigative and legal framework to bring to justice those who have committed crimes against humanity. More than anything, we need the Prime Minister to show the political will to act. Mark Aarons is author of War Criminals Welcome and Sanctuary: Nazi Fugitives in Australia.
Then we have: Laurie Aarons - wikipedia.org
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Laurence "Laurie" Aarons (19 August 1917 - 7 February 2005), Australian Communist leader, was National Secretary of the Communist Party of Australia (CPA) from 1965 to 1976. He was born in Sydney, son of Sam Aarons, a leading member of the Communist Party and a veteran of the Spanish Civil War. The Aarons family was of German-Jewish origin. His brother Eric Aarons was also a senior party member. He followed his father into the CPA as a teenager and became an active trade unionist. During World War II Aarons was rejected for military service on security grounds, instead serving in the CPA's bureau for party members in the armed forces. In 1944 he married Carole Arkistall, with whom he had three sons: Brian Aarons, who was also later prominent in the Communist Party, Mark Aarons, a well-known broadcaster, journalist and author, and John Aarons.
Then finally we have: Grand mythology still blinds disciples to the crimes of communism - Gerard Henderson - smh.com.au said "According to the edited collection The Black Book of Communism, "the total approaches 100 million people killed" under communist regimes during the 20th century. What would Australia have been like if the communist party had come to power any time during the 1940s and 1950s? In short, would the Aarons family and their comrades have attempted to set up the kind of totalitarian state which prevailed in Eastern Europe? The answer is an unequivocal yes. Eric Aarons said as much in his memoirs, What's Left? On page 118 he related how, in 1956, the party's leadership discussed what response it should take to Nikita Khrushchev's confirmation that Stalin was a mass murderer: "I made the point at the central committee meeting which decided the matter that our outlook was such that, had we been in power, we too could have executed people we considered to be objectively, even if not subjectively (that is, by intention), helping our enemies. "In other words, Aarons is an authority for the proposition that if the communist party had gained power in Australia, it "could have executed" not only its outspoken enemies but also those who were opposing communism unintentionally. There should be no surprise here. After all, that is precisely what communist regimes were doing at the time in Eastern Europe and parts of Asia."

[Should Mark Aarons explain crimes against humanity and his father and not be questioning other people's alleged crimes?]

"France was in a state of civil war.. "

Chapter 27 - Debit and Credits - awm.gov.au
[Note the above links to is a pdf file which needs Adobe Acrobat]
"France was in a state of civil war and the two groups were divided by all the rancour and recrimination that civil war breeds."

Japanese Brutality

Earlier: The monsters of Germany and Japan
Iraq and Afghanistan today.
In the past Germany and Japan.
In the past to give the monsters of Germany and Japan freedom was unthinkable.
Now today we must give Iraq and Afghanistan a chance to fight the monsters they face.

Chapter 12 The Battle Of Muar - awm.gov.au
[Note the above links to is a pdf file which needs Adobe Acrobat]
22 Jan 1942 "Many Japanese seemed to delight in kicking where a wound lay open, and so great was their satisfaction at any visible sign of pain that often the dose was repeated."
"Whenever they stopped, troops ran to see the prisoners and add to their sufferings. One of the dead was placed in an upright position on a table top propped against a truck. There the body "seemed to create enormous amusement to the Japanese concerned, and was a n object of ridicule to many Japanese afterwards".An Indian lying in front of the building regained consciousness. The Japanese in charge at the spot gave him a series of kicks, bashed him with a rifle, thrust into him again and again with his bayonet, then heaved the corpse into the water near by."
"He was mostly refused help by Malays, who appeared to fear reprisals if they harboured him, but generally aided by Chinese, at the risk of their own and their families' lives. Then, thirty-six days after he had begun his attempt to escape, he was caught by a party of Malays, one of them dressed as a policeman, taken back to Parit Sulong, and handed over to the Japanese."