It might seem like a world away but the impact of the US government shutdown is being felt much closer to home.

Former researcher at Melbourne's La Trobe University, Michael Lazarou, now works for the National Institutes of Health in Washington where he is researching Parkinson's disease.

This week he travelled to Perth to present some of his findings at the ComBio science conference being held in the city.

picture of Mount Rinjani, from google maps - 1258 AD — the summer that went AWOL...

Science and the study of the record gives us a great insight into the past... in 1258, some historical chronicles of Europe tell us that the summer was crap. Worse than crap... The year went pass as if winter never left. Crops were delayed and then rotted as they never dried, due to non-stop rain and fog. Trees barely fruited...

NSW senator-elect David Leyonhjelm, who admits he benefited from voters mistaking him for a Liberal Party candidate on the ballot paper, will receive more than $1 million from taxpayers as a result of his hefty primary vote.

from politicoz ….

sugar on the table ….

from Antony Loewenstein …

Well, that’s one way to see.

If you are an international jet-setter, you may have noticed that all the gang-planks, the access ramps and many of the corridors of international airports are sponsored by HSBC.

There are the same posters in Arabic, English or French depending on the city you've landed in and they will tell you the wonderful story of the future... The future is in good hands, the hands of the HSBC that in partnership with you will make the world prosper... Even the vegies that grow in your garden will be in partnership with HSBC... You will see your genetically manufactured turnip with a bio-engineered HSBC logo growing in the flesh. I made that last bit up...

It should come as no surprise that here in Canberra ACT Labor Party Chief Minister Katy Gallagher supports an increase in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and broadening its base.  It was Labor ‘Messiah,’ the neoliberal Paul Keating, who first proposed a broad based consumption tax for Australia in 1985 and only backed down when the unions got cold feet at the last minute.

It can be demonstrated that the Abbott government was only elected by default and a on a mountain of lies repeated through the press, especially the merde-och press... It can be demonstrated that the Abbott government is full of dumb people...

from Crikey ….

Macfarlane swallows spin from gas industry on drilling ….

Shock. Awe. Magician unable to find Abbott

Now you see him, now you don't. A month ago you couldn't switch on your TV without Tony Abbott leaping out at you in a hi-vis vest or crotch-grabbing bike shorts, making that strangled braying noise that passes for laughter. HA HA HA HA.