from Crikey …..

The lawyer at the centre of the East Timor cabinet-bugging scandal has finally broken his silence to defend himself and his client against attacks by Attorney-General George Brandis and Abbott government lawyers.

There has been a court case launched by American Atheists against the use of a remnant of the 9/11 disaster in New York... At first, the battle could be seen as petty... This is obviously pointed out by many Christian dudes who make a good case for their side of the story. But not all is as clear cut as it seems. It's all about symbolism and the fanaticism of religious beliefs. 

Here comes Rod Dreher:

So you think you're free to speak your mind? Think again. We are, all of us, increasingly bubble-wrapped in the sounds of silence.

If there is one thing about Tony Abbott he loves a good fight.  He reminisces proudly of his boxing days and of his ‘sledging’ days of his youth; citing this as his only ability as a cricketer. “I couldn’t bat, I couldn’t bowl, I couldn’t field, but I could sledge….”

Treasurer Joe Hockey's colleagues have come to his defence after he sparked controversy by saying the best path to home ownership was to get a good job that pays well.

Yes, we all (some of us, yoofy ones) seek a good job that pays good money... We oldies watch with apprehension the day that the sky is going to collapse on top of our retirement plan and prevent us from reaching a toilet in time.

The president declared the coming of a “new world order.” And neocons were chattering about a new “unipolar world” and the “benevolent global hegemony” of the United States.

Millionaire entrepreneur and explorer Dick Smith has said that he is considering running for Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s seat of Warringah due to his anger with stalled aviation safety changes that he has personally been championing.

“I’m not sure, I’m quite angry that I haven’t been able to finish the aviation reforms,” he told ABC radio on Monday morning.