australia

Australian news doesn't get a lot of coverage in the U.S., but it catches my eye when it does; I lived there for only four months, but I fell fully in love with the country. And this is absolutely wonderful news. Kevin Rudd, the new prime minister who replaced John Howard (I am refraining from making rude remarks about Howard; let's just say I was certainly no fan of his), has formally apologized for the treatment of Australia's indigenous people (that's just one possible link; there are so many).

"We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians."

There's a fantastic multimedia piece on the event here.

Ugh! So tired. But oh, my, did Chuck and I enjoy our four days at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, even the less good plays and the, well, disastrous tuna affair at the lame restaurant (all shall be revealed in good time).

Anyway, while we were away, things happened.
1. Nuclear war is OK online. Hey, we ran a story on Second Life. But this? This is creepy.

2. Get back on that rowing machine, Einstein! Exercise makes you smarter. SUCK. Why can't it all be about coffee and wine?

3. For more female equality (and better sex), don't beat your swords into plowshares; just get rid of 'em. Actually, that's but one thing that this Salon story tells us.
Generally women take a broader view of everything, for good Darwinian reasons.

4. Jesus F. Christ, please put down your book and pay attention to flight attendants when they talk about those emergency slides. And here's why.

5. Some dailies still have books coverage. Check out my hometown newspaper! Frankly, I'm shocked. Why? Where's Robert Heinlein on that list, eh?! (He was from KC, after all.)

6. Holy fucking shit: Hamas in kindergarten. If the photo with this story doesn't creep you out, you are not creepable. (Yes, it's totally SFW.)

7. Australia totally screws over its Aboriginal population. Seriously. Over the past six years, at least $30 million of the money the Government promoted as being for Aborigines was used to oppose native title and compensation claims.

8. Bush's Sweeping Push for Democracy Falters. Or so says The Washington Post. But um ... WHAT "push for democracy"? (Or here. Or here. Or here. Or ... )

9. The weekend's weirdest and possibly most counterproductive headline comes from Sunday's O, which ran Illegal immigrants aren't filling jails as the above-the-fold front page story. Um. Thanks, I think.
Online, the story has a different headline.

10. Don't have sex! You'll burn ... down your house!

BONUS: "Help! I'm Hot For an Older Lady in my Church Group!"

Monday. Sigh.

1. Cecilia, you're not breaking my heart. Wife of French president skips lunch with G.W.B. to go shopping.

2. Christ. Is any country safe? First Poland freaks out, then Ahmadinejad of Iran starts putting the hurt on ministers, and now? Turd Blossom leaves the White House. Calling all rats! Get off the ship!

3. What will happen when all of the water's gone? Aquifer woes.

4. Just in case you hadn't noticed, Barack Obama is one lucky hottie. (With narrated slideshow too!)

5. Uh-oh, Australia. U.S. airlines aren't the only ones in trouble.

6. Emmy-worthy? Doogie Howser can play a straight man on T.V. even though he's really gay! Wow.

7. Is your kid worth less than your dog? Barbara Ehrenreich explains children should get pet health care.

8. Marin Alsop, former Eugene Symphony conductor/artistic director, is a goddess of contemporary music. As Brett Campbell, our longtime classical freelancer always writes, the Eugene Symphony isn't really into new music. Should the Symphony (and artistic director Giancarlo Guerrero) get on it? Hmmmmmm.