Prime Minister Tony Abbott says coal is "good for humanity" and will be the "world's main energy source for decades to come" as he opened a new $3.9 billion coal mine in central Queensland.

The top one percent of the wealthiest people on the planet own nearly fifty percent of the world's assets while the bottom fifty percent of the global population combined own less than one percent of the world's wealth.

So, Australian Prime Minister wants to shirt-front Russia's President Vladimir Putin, does he? It is difficult to find a more blatant example of childishness, incompetence for the position, criminal intent, downright nastiness and an indication of a disturbed mind crying out for therapy. Don't the Australian people deserve better?

Dear Mr. Abbott,

After your reckless remarks and unfounded, slanderous insinuations about Russia shooting down a civilian aircraft and murdering Australian civilians we now have apparently a statement attributed to you by the media of your country about intending to "shirt-front" President Putin on his visit to Brisbane in November for the G-20 Summit.

Not to mention Aboriginal deaths in custody or the woman killed every week by her partner.

It is now looking pretty clear that some sections of the Parliamentary Labor Party Left are distancing themselves from the Bill and Tony comedy duo. I wouldn’t be surprised if this tactic is part of the right’s attempt to win back disaffected supporters and voters. Let the left have a little leeway, not too much, but enough to attract support for a new Labor that will be in fact just like old Labor – neo-liberal economically and reactionary socially.

Anthony Albanese has signalled Labor has gone too far in supporting the Abbott government’s national security agenda, particularly the new “draconian” restrictions on press freedom which would see journalists jailed for between five and 10 years.

Australians back the federal government’s decision to join the military effort against the militia group calling itself Islamic State, but believe doing so will make us “less safe”, according to a new poll.

Only the Australian Labor Party could kid itself into believing that the world is its oyster, simply because unity has broken-out within its parliamentary caucus.

David Crowe refers to the failure of Joe Hockey to follow through with Labor’s proposed repeal of section 25-90 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. (‘Libs must fix credibility gap on tax dodge’ The Australian Friday October 10, Commentary p 14.)

from Crikey …..

In 1940, when the Communist Party of Australia was banned by the Menzies government, police raiding militants often compensated for their ignorance of socialism by simply confiscating all books with red covers. The legendary Sydney waterfront activist Stan Moran supposedly even convinced constables that a portrait of Karl Marx merely depicted a jolly old Santa.

I wish I could get a list of G20 delegates and send them copies of the documents Chevron✓ and the Australian Tax Office have filed for Chevron's appeal against an ATO claim for back taxes and penalties.

If the United States is not an empire, the word has lost all meaning.

No sparrow falls in the forest that does not provoke a national security assessment and response.