Born 115 years ago today in Hermannsburg, Northern Territory, Albert (Elea) Namatjira remains one of Australia’s most famous artists, for his landscape paintings that celebrated the country through a unique lens of reds, ochres and purples. His story is a tragic one: the Western Arrarnta man became the first Aboriginal to be granted Australian citizenship in 1957. He was then exempted from laws that denied Indigenous Australians the right to vote, own property and drink alcohol, but was arrested for introducing liquor into his community – a charge which he denied. He was released from prison after two months but never recovered, and died of a heart attack in 1959, aged 57.

Dante, following Virgil, comes to the gate of Hell; where, after having read the dreadful words that are written thereon, they both enter. Here, as he understands from Virgil, those were punished who passed their time (for living it could not be called in a state of apathy and indifference both to good and evil). Then pursuing their way, they arrive at the river Acheron; and there find the old ferryman Charon, who takes the spirits over to the opposite shore; which as soon as Dante reaches, he is seized with terror, and falls into a trance.

Britain to ban sale of all diesel and petrol cars and vans from 2040

Plans follow French commitment to take polluting vehicles off the road owing to effect of poor air quality on people’s health

As part of a government strategy to improve air quality, Britain is to ban all new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040 amid fears that rising levels of nitrogen oxide pose a major risk to public health.

In the USA, the left leaning media has been marginalised. Some silly pundits call “The New York Times” a publication of the left — as if being a capitalist/Democrat supporter means being an organ in favour of equality and restraint of governmental abuses. It’s a bit like Le Monde in France or Der Speigel in Germany. These papers will expose the trickery of the Right but rarely expose the mischiefs of the “fancy caffe latte left”, which in the USA are the establishment hawks, the warriors and the cash manipulators of the Democratic party. 

Today (23/7/17), the glacial Sundae Turdograph pluges to new depth in the sewer of effluential commentary on news and other subjects, including the unimportant Karl Stefanovic. Who? I hear you say.

The human services minister, Alan Tudge, has argued increasing welfare and government services to disadvantaged and remote Aboriginal communities will do little to alleviate poverty.

In a speech on child poverty on Thursday, Tudge outlined his view on the alleviation of poverty, which is still experienced by three million Australians, including 731,000 children.

hydra

The CIA in Indonesia...

Background from the CIA World Fact Book:

JUST ABOUT the last thing Malcolm Turnbull did before leaving Australia last week was to inveigh against his colleagues' navel gazing.