‘During his inaugural appearance before Congress last week, the new U.S. intelligence czar made a rare public reference to one of Washington's secret dreads.

‘John Howard's servility to the US is even greater than Tony Blair's and has earned him the nickname Bush's deputy sheriff. The conspiracy between Washington, the media and politicians is eroding the country's freedoms.

‘If Pelosi ever goes beyond complaining that Cheney is impugning her “patriotism” – while Cheney counters that he is only questioning her “judgment” – she might point out that it is the Bush administration that has “validated” al-Qaeda’s 9/11 strategy over the past five years.

‘Stung by a spree of suicide attacks, Pakistan's military junta this week had to take in an unannounced guest bearing ill tidings.

from our dancing ABC …..

Sydney gets set for Mardi Gras

‘One of the unimpeachable truths about our unimpeachable president is that he’s providing lots of money to terrorists, most recently to Sunnis linked to al-Qaeda.

The New York Times

U.S. and Brazil Seek to Promote Ethanol in West

Lalo de Almeida for The New York Times

from Crikey …..

 
from the ABC ….

Govt's Burke attack 'gross hypocrisy', ALP says Labor is accusing the Government of gross hypocrisy for its attack on the Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd over his meetings with the former Western Australian Premier Brian Burke.

from our fair but imbalanced ABC …..

Hicks's father confronts PM about terrorism charges

Reading about the proposal for a South Australian-based nuclear reactor reminded me of another story.

Last May, a report stated that a professor had been hired by an unnamed consortium, which had intentions of building a reactor at Woomera.

Of all the places in a state to build a reactor, you would consider Woomera to be the most likely. Not only is it close to fuel supply but also a stone's throw from the launch pad.

‘"By 2010 we will need [a further] 50 million barrels a day. The Middle East, with two-thirds of the oil and the lowest cost, is still where the prize lies."

from our cheezy ABC …..

Bush briefed on US stockmarket fall