from Mike Carlton 

Very ugly developments in the genteel world of town planning ….. 

Frank Vellar, the badly shaven property developer, has not done any favours for the industry in which he has suddenly become such a colourful figure.

For the first time in the nation’s history, more than one in 100 American adults is behind bars, according to a new report. 

Nationwide, the prison population grew by 25,000 last year, bringing it to almost 1.6 million. Another 723,000 people are in local jails.

To cancel one high-level Franco-German meeting is unfortunate.

To cancel two in less than a week implies a bank of freezing fog is descending over the Rhine. 

from Crikey 

Iemma's power privatisation to favour Chinese state giant 

Alex Mitchell writes: 

Ben S. Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, signaled his readiness on Wednesday to bolster the economy with cheaper money even though inflation is picking up speed....

The Plan is for the United States to rule the world.  

The overt theme is unilateralism, but it is ultimately a story of domination.  

It calls for the United States to maintain its overwhelming military superiority and prevent new rivals from rising up to challenge it on the world stage.  

The company behind a controversial development under Canberra Airport's flight path that was approved by the Planning Minister against the recommendation of an independent panel has emerged as a big donor to NSW Labor. 

Village Building Company, which pushed for several rural properties in Queanbeyan to be rezoned residential so it could build more than 4500 homes on it, donated $154,400 to NSW Labor since 2002, Australian Electoral Commission returns reveal. 

Opposition defence spokesman Nick Minchin has launched a stinging attack on Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, over a review into the Defence Department's Super Hornet contract. 

More than a quarter of adult Americans have left the faith of their childhood to join another religion or no religion, according to a survey of religious affiliation by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. 

Some leading businesswomen have expressed disappointment at the lack of female representation on the steering committee for the Federal Government's 2020 summit. 

Actress Cate Blanchett is the only woman named as part of the Government-appointed 10-member panel that will choose people to attend the summit in April. 

The Rudd Government has commissioned a defence white paper which could see a dramatic change in strategic priorities or at least in the way defence dollars are spent.

Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon is also reviewing whether to proceed with a $6 billion plus contract for a fleet of new Super Hornet fighter jet aircraft from the United States.  

I have front row seats to the madness of post-9-11 Washington D.C.  

The overtly fascist overdrive of the U.S. government has twisted an already backwards nation into a Homeland of Terror.  

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been caught on camera swearing at a member of the crowd at the annual farming fair in Paris. 

Ralph Nader says he will run again as an independent for the US presidency. The anti-establishment consumer advocate made the announcement in a televised interview on Sunday. 

Mr Nader was accused by many Democrats of handing the presidency to George W Bush in the November 2000 elections. He ran again unsuccessfully in 2004.