Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald has returned a five indictment count against Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby. There’s a full transript of his press conference here. Been pressed for time but will make my way through the indictment and the commentary as time permits.
The shorter Patrick Fitzgerald at this […]

This is hilarious. (And because it’s Friday, I’ll take the link via Flute.):
The headmaster of The King’s School has thrown his support behind the discussion of the contentious theory of intelligent design in the nation’s secondary schools.
Tim Hawkes has warned against gagging debate in schools on the theory, which argues that gaps in Charles […]

I don’t know how closely Australian readers are following the investigation by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald into who leaked the name of CIA undercover agent Valerie Plame to US journalist Robert Novak, but the case is as fascinating as it is complicated.
I wouldn’t presume to try and cover all the issues that have arisen as […]

Trevor Cook gets his bum smacked by Catherine Lumby for comments he made about something she wrote about blogging. Trevor’s retraction is gracious and sincere, and when was the last time you saw a journalist offer anything like that sort of an apology? Although I don’t buy into the ’self-correcting’ blogosphere bulldust that […]

Fox News anchor and all-round White House mouthpiece, Brit Hume, wiggles his big fat head and says of the 2000 US military deaths in Iraq:
“by historic standards, these casualties are negligible.”
The country, indeed, the world, thanks you for that historical insight, Brit.
ELSEHWERE: More negligible information.
AND ALSO: Love this quote from the Prez:
“And the best way […]

Here’s yet another example of how powers granted under the rubric of anti-terrorism laws in Britain are being used more widely (I listed a bunch of other examples the other day too):
Scotland Yard’s “shoot to kill” strategy has been widened to include other offences such as kidnapping, stalking and domestic violence, The Independent has learned.
…The […]

Ah, the things you say when you’re trying to get elected. Who remembers these fine words from John Howard back in 1995? Not John Howard, obviously:
No address on the role of government can ignore the role of parliament itself and the community’s view of the institution, particularly since the televising of parliament.
No person […]

Amazing the condescension that emerges when politicians become convinced that they can’t lose. Saw this revealing exchange on telly last night and had a little Animal-Farm moment: couldn’t tell if I was looking at the current prime minister or the previous one:
INTERVIEWER: I want to talk firstly of course the IR reforms just before […]

The prime minister is waiting for your call:
Prime Minister John Howard has rejected suggestions that the new anti-terrorism laws could be unconstitutional.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie is sending a letter to his counterparts that warns there could be “significant constitutional problems” with the proposed preventative detention and control orders.
A constitutional lawyer also says there is the […]

One of the things I really miss about living in the US is the cheap books. Not only is the regular retail price much lower, but you had access to the Amazon secondhand list which was an absolute boon.
Naturally, then, I’m really interested in the new Google book project, and while I admire the […]