One of the Prime Minister's backbenchers has likened the climate change debate to a science fiction film plot, but says "alarmist" claims are more comedic than frightening.

Sea levels may rise much faster than predicted because climate models have failed to account for the disruptive effects of stronger westerly winds, Australian-led research has found.

Recent studies of Antarctica have suggested the giant glaciers of West Antarctica may have begun an irreversible melting that will raise sea levels by as much as 3 metres over 200-500 years.

I don't know about you, but Barnaby Joyce appears to me as one of the comedians in Australian politics... He has a sense of warped humour that hides a CONservative steel-trap conviction and his deficiency with economic figures... If politics were entertainment... What AM I SAYING? politics is entertainment! Entertainment conducted by sadists. 

But back to Joyce defending his boss' less-than-satisfactory FTA with Japan, mostly designed to sell more beef...

I have a beef with him though. 

Wikipedia is set up to inform people with the best possible facts and figures in all spheres of human endeavours... In contrast, the Conservapedia appears to have been set up as a rabid Christian organisation to counteract Wikipedia... The Christian religion demands love, compassion, turning the other cheek and being kind... Nothing of the sort is shown in this complete rubbish Conservapedia. This is what this half-footed pedestrian rotten pedia has to say about Wikipedia:

I have news for you... When you think that news is news... it's just a psychological trick to massage your brains... And News Corpse aka the merde-och press has expertise beyond a Freudian dream on this subject. What do you see in the picture above? 

It is called ''the death spiral'' and it is terrifying power suppliers.

At the moment they are awarded price rises to cover the cost of their spending on cables and substations. If power usage slides (as it has been), they are granted further price rises to ensure they can continue to recover those costs.

It has not been a big problem because their customers have had nowhere else to go. Until now.

Watching some old 1960s Yankee movies, one can already see the infiltration of Jumbodom: the kingdom come of jumbo food serves. This is the domain of super sized soda serves and towering hamburgers which by then were already creating the genetics for the fat butts of today — by offering upsize for "better value"...

In a week where we are told that chimps are using clever sign language to transfer information, it reminds me of my great uncle. "The difference between chimps and man, is god" once said the great Артур Leonisky. Here, my great uncle was being discreetly satirical, like a chiding precursor of Bertolt Brecht, though Bertold had to rewrite some of his "Mother Courage and Her Children" so the satire could be more obvious to the plebs.

The US military says it has grounded its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fleet following a fire on board one of the multi-million-dollar jets.

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Shape, form, content (formula), fields, kinetics and the conservation of energy. picture by Gus leonisky.

The Dish — "in a sheep paddock" outside Parkes... Picture by Gus Leonisky.

“Parkes’ Biggest Event Since Gold Discovery”, screamed the headline of the Parkes Champion-Post one August day in 1958.

Australia has a proud history of welcoming migrants to our shores, where they have enriched our society. Where's the political party that celebrates this rather than punishes new arrivals? Richard Hughes writes.