Whistleblower Edward Snowden says New Zealand prime minister John Key has not been telling the truth about mass spying on citizens, just days before the country goes to the polls.

There's one good reason for why Scotland should vote yes for independence: the breaking up of the United Kingdom would be an imminently good thing for the sake of world peace.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has reassured Australians that everything possible is being done to protect them, a day after the terror alert was raised to high for the first time.

The decision to increase the alert level on Friday followed a spike in "chatter" detected in a sixfold increase in counter-terrorism operations during the past year.

Mr Abbott on Saturday repeated his assurance that the upgraded alert level did not mean a terror attack was imminent.

But it was designed to raise community awareness about the increased likelihood of a terrorist attack in Australia, with people urged to contact the authorities if they noticed anything suspicious.

The University of Sydney has withdrawn invitations for two Sri Lankan human rights organisations to an international conference at the request of the Sri Lankan military, angering campaigners.

It is not pleasant to contemplate the thoughts that must be passing through the mind of the Owl of Minerva as the dusk falls and she undertakes the task of interpreting the era of human civilization, which may now be approaching its inglorious end.

Tony Abbott At Large …..

Tony Abbott At Large

"Competitive federalism" was explicitly pushed by the Coalition's Commission of Audit, is implicit in Joe Hockey's first budget and is likely to underpin the looming federalism white paper. And the nation's big tax avoiders love it.

net neutrality ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpbOEoRrHyU

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The ABC religious and ethics unit carries on, once more, looking at god's navel... Here I don't know what to make of a philosopher who does not appear to believe in god but could be, as she throws us back into the jaws of legendary history, the "Book of Job". It's been a long time since I looked at this book of legends...

4 KEY FINDINGS

Rupert Murdoch has taken to Twitter to canvass opinion about dropping 'Page 3' topless shots from his best-selling British tabloid.

On the same day (9 September 2014) as a Newspoll result shows that Labor still leads the libs (CONservatives) 52 to 48, (even mentioned by Andrew Bolt who is surprised that labor is not more ahead than this) there is poster advertising for the Australian using another Newspoll result that states: "majority back role in Iraq"... Gus was there on the lookout to turn this garbage on its head, using mischief...

Of course in any polls — especially one like this one on Iraq — one needs to know what was (were) the question(s) and how is a "role" defined. Where does "role" sits in between sending a bunch of flowers and an all out war with foot soldiers, yet again?.