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Archive - 2008

Submitted by David Roffey on February 29, 2008 - 3:49pm.
Management Update 28
February stats and financials - still no opps for money laundering.
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Submitted by David Roffey on February 28, 2008 - 11:18am.
'Iraq War cost so far: $6 trillion': Stiglitz
Stiglitz and Bilmes dug deeper, and what they have discovered, after months of chasing often deliberately obscured accounts, is that in fact Bush's Iraqi adventure will cost America - just America - a conservatively estimated $3 trillion. The rest of the world, including Britain, will probably account for about the same amount again.
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Submitted by John Pratt on February 23, 2008 - 2:30pm.
Reckless Greed: How exposed are we?
The growing realisation of how exposed the financial system is – and from transactions that should never have taken place – is reinforcing the mounting credit crunch, which, in turn, is spooking stock markets. This raises many questions, including – how safe is our superannuation?;
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Submitted by David Roffey on February 21, 2008 - 1:22pm.
Garnaut Interim Report
[Full report here] Australia’s interest lies in the world adopting a strong and effectiveposition on climate change mitigation. This interest is driven by tworealities of Australia’s position relative to other developedcountries: our exceptional sensitivity to climate change: and ourexceptional opportunity to do well in a world of effective globalmitigation. Australia playing its full part in international efforts onclimate change can have a positive effect on global outcomes. Thedirect effects of Australia’s emissions reduction efforts are ofsecondary importance.
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Submitted by Democratic Audit on February 20, 2008 - 5:33pm.
Democratic Audit Update - 18 February 2008
The latest update from the Democratic Audit program at ANU on how our democracy is working.
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Submitted by Basil J Smith on February 20, 2008 - 5:24pm.
Strong Government
We need strong government – based on the strength of the people. Democracy basically means strong people, because only a strong people can be self-governing – facing up to the costs that the demands of the present and the future will entail.
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Submitted by Richard Tonkin on February 18, 2008 - 6:36pm.
The pains in Howard's End
As Howard fell on his sword, the monogrammed daggers sticking in his back were obvious.  I doubt that, for John, the blows felt like the friendly pats on the back that they are now portrayed as being. Have a look tonight, and tell us what you reckon.
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Submitted by Craig Rowley on February 17, 2008 - 11:11pm.
What are you optimistic about?
This year one of my Christmas gifts was What Are You Optimistic About? It had me considering my own answer to the question, and thinking about what answers might be given by members of the Webdiary community.
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Submitted by Fiona Reynolds on February 15, 2008 - 2:54pm.
Father Park final
Father Park final
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Submitted by Fiona Reynolds on February 15, 2008 - 2:34pm.
Father Park
Father Park
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Submitted by Michael Park on February 15, 2008 - 8:08am.
US Primaries
In every American election there are two acts of choice, two periods of contest, the first is the selection of the candidate from within the party by the party; the other is the struggle between the parties for the post. (James Bryce, American Commonwealth)
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Submitted by Fiona Reynolds on February 14, 2008 - 7:24pm.
Australia 2020 Summit
Government, irrespective of its political persuasion, does not have a monopoly on policy wisdom. To thrive and prosper in the future we need to draw on the range of talents, ideas and energy from across the Australian community. (Kevin Rudd)
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Submitted by Ken Westmoreland on February 14, 2008 - 6:22pm.
Time to become amigos
Many commentators in Australia have taken an even more negative and distorted view of Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries, simply because of East Timor. Unlike the Indonesians' colonial master, the Dutch, the Portuguese are, ahem, "wogs", but unlike the Italians and the Greeks, they are not as well represented in Australia, or have as high a profile.
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Submitted by Guest Contributor on February 12, 2008 - 5:10pm.
Sorry
For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry. To the mothers and fathers, the brothers and sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry. And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry. (Kevin Rudd)
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Submitted by Ian MacDougall on February 10, 2008 - 1:32pm.
Keating's eulogy for Suharto
If any continuous theme runs through [Paul Keating's] career, it is power: the acquisition of it, the exercise of it, the company of it, being on the side of it, loss of it, and now reminiscence of it. I cannot put it more appropriately, even though my grandmother once told me never to use language: power has been to Keating as shit to a blowfly.
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Submitted by Bryan Law on February 10, 2008 - 12:04pm.
A little experiment with civil liberties in Australia
In 2005 the Australian government dramatically expanded the security powers of many state agencies as part of the “war on terror”. The new sedition laws, control orders, and secret pre-emptive detention all seem major threats to civil liberties, dissent, and (dare I say it?) democracy in this country.
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Submitted by PF Journey on February 3, 2008 - 7:49pm.
The Year of the Rat
Once upon a time, the Jade Emperor of the Heaven decided to invite the Animals for a party. The first to arrive was, you guess it, the ambitious and resourceful Rat ...  Another video essay from PF Journey.
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Submitted by Democratic Audit on February 3, 2008 - 10:33am.
Democratic Audit Update 2 February 2008
The Rudd Labor government has announced that it will amend contracts with the non-government sector to allow NGOs to resume their advocacy role without the need for prior government vetting.  The previous government had restricted the advocacy function of NGOs by requiring public statements to be scrutinised by government officials prior to release.
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Submitted by David Roffey on February 1, 2008 - 10:05am.
Management Update 27 - and a question of history ...
January stats, and a question on the integrity of Webdiary archives.
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Submitted by Richard Tonkin on January 31, 2008 - 9:33am.
AFP = Above Freedom of Press?
"The ministers that presided over the fiascos have been booted from thecorridors of power to the back-alleys of Liberal Party HQ.  Keelty, onthe other hand, remains aloof from calls that such as him should beaccountable for their mistakes."
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Submitted by David Roffey on January 30, 2008 - 5:32pm.
Peak Coal?
"The perception that coal is the fossil fuel of last resort may well be an illusion." Energy Watch. Professor David Rutledge of CalTech in a lecture last October, suggests that world coal reserves are grossly overstated and could be substantially exhausted this century.
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Submitted by John Pratt on January 30, 2008 - 4:38pm.
Past the tipping point?
Last month may have been the most important yet in the two-decade history of the fight against global warming. ... But what may turn out to be the most crucial development went largely unnoticed. ... A NASA scientist named James Hansen offered a simple, straightforward and mind-blowing bottom line for the planet: 350, as in parts per million carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It's a number that may make what happened in Washington and Bali seem quaint and nearly irrelevant. It's the number that may define our future. (Jim McKibben)
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Submitted by Bob Wall on January 30, 2008 - 3:42pm.
Bush's Last Hurrah
"Not a good start for reality. And that's just the first paragraph. Starting there, there should be plenty of opportunities for 'Diarists to provide their views on the validity (or otherwise) of Bush's claims." 
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Submitted by PF Journey on January 29, 2008 - 5:35am.
The legacy of Suharto
Greg Sheridan, writing for the Oz, describes the Suharto as "an authentic giant of Asia, a nation-builder, a dictator, a changer of history" My own analysis is that he has done more harm to Indonesia than good. He did create short term stability for the country, but on the fundamental issues that are vital to the long term prosperity, democracy and survival of the country, he has come out short, very short.
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Submitted by Melody Kemp on January 29, 2008 - 5:21am.
A death in the family
Australians have a fear of Indonesia that is only equalled by Indonesian’s fear about Australia. The major difference is that Indonesians know far more about Australian politics than Australians know about Indonesia.
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Submitted by Craig Rowley on January 28, 2008 - 7:43am.
They make a grain into a kubba
Over the past two and a half years, researchers at the Fund for Independence in Journalism have sought to document every public statement made by eight top Bush administration officials from September 11, 2001, to September 11, 2003, regarding (1) Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction and (2) Iraq's links to Al Qaeda. Although both had been frequently cited as rationales for the U.S. war in Iraq, by 2005 it was known that these assertions had not, in fact, been true.(Center for Public Integrity)
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Submitted by Basil J Smith on January 26, 2008 - 1:32pm.
Resurrecting democracy
The genius of Athenian democracy lay in the fact that the people were able to join in all the discussions and decisions. However, the size of populations in modern societies has caused a reliance on government by representatives - and our political system is now contaminated by political parties. We must recreate the dream of democracy — the rule of a participating, responsible people.
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Submitted by Fiona Reynolds on January 17, 2008 - 5:24pm.
Empire versus Democracy: Why Nemesis is at the door of the USA
In Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic, Chalmers Johnson compares  the US’s present military behaviour with that of the Roman Empire, and warns that financial bankruptcy could herald the breakdown of constitutional government in America.
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Submitted by Richard Tonkin on January 16, 2008 - 6:26am.
Filipino Monkey - the new "Tonkin Incident"?
Sound from a man speaking from a small open boat would be accompanied by background noise like wind and the engine, but the dialogue on the video is unhampered, as spoken from a closed room. The Pentagon, according to the Guardian, has countered  this problem by saying that it recorded the film and the sound separately and then edited them together to give a "better idea of what is happening"...
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Submitted by PF Journey on January 14, 2008 - 9:07am.
The SCG Cricket Match: The new Lagaan
Not much has been written, in fact nothing at all, about the geopolitical significance of that controversial New Year cricket match at the SCG. Yes, geopolitical. It was about the emergence of India as the next economic super power and manifesting itself as a cricket super power as well. This is the elephant in the room that everyone is still not seeing.
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Margo Kingston

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