Despite taking heat from their left, Labor may be happy to see Sunday penalty rates talked about, writes Ben Eltham. Once again, penalty rates are on the agenda. Ever since WorkChoices made industrial relations the central issue of the 2007 campaign, penalty rates have popped up as a reliable Labor scare campaign. In 2010, forMore
Source: When Penalties Rate A Mention, Labor’s Chances Improve – New Matilda
By Alan Lester | (The Conversation) | – – The recent debacle of David Cameron’s filmed condemnation of Nigerian and …
Source: Britain should stop trying to pretend that its empire was benevolent | Informed Comment
The Sykes-Picot agreement as seen through Arab eyes
The 1966-76 Cultural Revolution is a history too long and too tragic to fully conceal.
Source: Breaking the silence on China’s ‘Great Revolution’ – Al Jazeera English
Voters want change. Elites in D.C. and the media — both liberal and conservative — are actively obstructing it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLuuvmJ6L_Y
By Matt Agorist / The Free Thought Project Tacoma, WA — On May 24, 2014, 15-year-old Monique Tillman and her brother were riding their bikes when they were stopped and this young girl was assaulted by Tacoma Police Officer Jared Williams. Tillman and her brother had done nothing wrong and were merely targeted by this ‘public servant’ because they had the unfortunate luck to have […]
Source: [Watch] Cop Brutally Beats Black Teen For Riding Her Bike, Charges HER With Assault
One in four Australians will need a lawyer this year. Many won’t be able to afford one – and will suffer the consequences.
Banks are exploiting the fact that we are bad money managers.
Stan Grant strides towards me. It is easy to see why the television camera so loves his face. We meet at the plush Sofitel Hotel in Melbourne, where tea is poured from an elegant pot. Halfway through our conversation, the NSW honorary consul for Mongolia comes up for a chat. He seems in awe of Grant and tells him that his children are great fans: they’ve watched his speeches on YouTube. He thanks Grant for appearing on TV with him once. “Give my regards to President Elbegdorj,” Grant tells him.
Source: The advocate: On Stan Grant’s radical hope | The Monthly
New Yorkers Are We Famous Yet made waves last month with a video in which they got two people to dress in traditional Jewish and Muslim clothing and walk down the street together.
Source: Australia is the second most talented country in Europe, apparently
Whether his new found support of the re-election of the Turnbull government is genuine or not, Tony Abbott should find it easier to play nice now that his former chief of staff Peta Credlin has taken over.
By Christian Marx Over the past three decades, the political and sociological narrative has become narrower than ever. Sensible social policies are now trumpeted as “dangerously communist”. The most basic social systems are labelled “hand outs for bludgers”. The Murdoch press is a hateful echo chamber for the intellectually stunted and the shallow thinkers. It…
Source: The system is the problem – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Beyond the paradox of celebrating a bygone Islamic civilization at the height of Islamophobia in the United States.
Source: When Muslims ruled the civilised world – Al Jazeera English
And almost screw it up.
Source: Watch Us Do This Really Simple Science Experiment That Proves Donald Trump Wrong | Mother Jones
Over the past three months, as Trump and Clinton secured their grip on their party’s presidential nominations, US pollsters have been quietly surveying tens of thousands of Americans. More than 15 different polling companies have now collectively quizzed more than 150,000 people, across 65 different polls. The bad news for Donald Trump, and reassuring news for the rest of us? Hillary Clinton has led in 63 of those 65 polls, and trailed in just one.
The voice is instantly familiar; the tone, confident, even cocky; the cadence, distinctly Trumpian. The man on the phone vigorously defending Donald Trump says he’s a media spokesman named John Miller, but then he says, “I’m sort of new here,” and “I’m somebody that he knows and I think somebody that he trusts and likes” and even “I’m going to do this a little, part-time, and then, yeah, go on with my life”.
Source: Donald Trump masqueraded as publicist to brag about himself
Jerusalem family’s ordeal reveals how government bends its own laws to facilitate takeovers.
Source: How Israel helps settler groups grab Palestinian land | The Electronic Intifada
Prof. David Shulman won Israel’s most prestigious prize. He’s giving the prize money to one of Israel’s most dedicated — and persecuted — activist groups. Here’s why. I often get comments, specifically from family members,…
Source: WATCH: Israel Prize winner on why he’s giving prize money to Ta’ayush | +972 Magazine
Universities are wonderful places. They are centers of learning, thinking, and social experimentation, and at least some of them prize truth for its own sake. They are also one of society’s special tools for solving problems.
Source: Are Universities Actively Thwarting Efforts to Combat Climate Change? | The Nation
The Panama Papers, media investigations and Turnbull Government members themselves reveal corruption is endemic. And becoming more brazen. Alan Austin reports. Again.
Source: Coalition corruption: They are not even embarrassed about it
According to a 2015 headline in Rupert Murdoch’s rag, The Australian, “No, the rich don’t pay a ‘fair share’ of tax. They pay all of it.” The hypocrisy of a Murdoch-owned entity discussing tax is overwhelming. In 1999 the BBC published an article clearly setting out Murdoch’s well-known strategy for tax avoidance. “in the four…
Source: Piss off ya nasty old bludger – » The Australian Independent Media Network
John Menadue concludes his unmasking of the claim by Malcolm Turnbull, the media and others, that conservatives are better economic managers.
Source: No, conservatives are not better economic managers (Part 2)
Hiring private detectives to investigate lovers is big business in India as modern technology challenges tradition.
We need to create human societies from people of many different backgrounds.
MICHAEL SMITH (7-Eleven Chairman): Well I think you’ve come to the nub of the issue. We were on fire when this happened and we needed to act really quickly. We appointed the panel and we’re very grateful that they came to help us to make that as an issue that we didn’t have to spend…
Author Helen Russell tells Beverley O’Connor why Denmark is the happiest country in the world.
Source: The secrets to Denmark’s happiness – The World – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The first debate of the election campaign, a “people’s forum” of 100 undecided voters in western Sydney that was a relatively free-flowing affair, saw Bill Shorten come out ahead. After the encounter…
Source: Shorten wins first debate
Why was young Melbourne artist Hamishi Farah held at LAX for 12 hours and then deported from the US and forced to miss his own art exhibition? He’s not sure either.
Source: New York trip ends in mystery deportation for Melbourne artist Hamishi Farah
Allen Key, departmental head, IKEA.
Official results Saturday showed that reformist and moderate politicians allied with President Hassan Rouhani won a big victory in second round parliamentary elect
Source: Iran’s new parliament has more women than clerics – Your Middle East
TeleSur | – – Soon, researchers predict, the middle class will no longer be the largest class in the United …
Source: Aside from Super-Rich, All Americans are poorer this century | Informed Comment
The latest Panama Paper leak has Donald Trump’s name all over it
Source: Uh Oh: Trump Named In The Panama Papers 3,540 Times! | Crooks and Liars
The curious mix of misguided charity and conservative rage directed at Duncan Storrar explains why the Coalition are so anxious to keep inequality off the electoral agenda. Whatever you do, don’t mention the (class) war, writes Ben Eltham. In recent days, Australia’s media has been transfixed by Duncan Storrar, an audience member on the ABC’sMore
Source: The Pursuit Of Duncan Storrar Reveals The Savagery Of Australia’s Class Warfare – New Matilda
The actor Johnny Depp makes light of the apology he made to Australia, while promoting a movie in London
Source: Johnny Depp mocks his Australian apology over dog smuggling – video | Film | The Guardian
Company leaders defend their huge salaries by saying bonuses incentivise CEOs to perform better. Doesn’t this same principle apply all the way down to the shop assistant and their Sunday penalty rate?
Source: Why penalty rates are just like CEO bonuses – The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Day to Day Politics: The average punter wouldn’t know. Friday 13 May So much happens ‘day to day’ in an election campaign. How much of it gets through to the average punter? How much permeates their minds and leaves such an indelible impression that it affects the way they vote? Take this week, for example.…
Source: Day to Day Politics: The average punter wouldn’t know. – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has hit back at suggestions he was part of a tax avoidance scheme centred in the British Virgin Islands, saying the decision to base the Siberian mining company there was purely for geographical convenience.
“Look, when you’re setting up global ventures, you have to be in touch with the local markets in which you’re operating,” Mr Turnbull said. “So when it came to setting up an HQ for an operation in central Russia, a small archipelago in the middle of the Caribbean was the logical choice. I mean where else could you reasonably run a Siberian gold mine from?”
He said the location had absolutely nothing to do with tax. “Now I know people would have preferred if we’d set up that company in Melbourne or Sydney – even Moscow. But the fact is you’ve got to be in amongst the action, ready to make the most of opportunities. And the fact is we could be there, right at the mine, at the drop of a hat. In 48 hours door-to-door. 40 if the connecting flights were good”.
WASHINGTON – (CT&P) – Paul Ryan and Donald Trump released a joint statement today meant to signal their unity following a two-hour meeting on Capitol Hill.
The statement from the presumptive GOP presidential nominee and House Speaker said the two had a “great conversation” and that they were honest over their “few differences” during two hours of meetings on Thursday.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is often referred to as one of the world’s most intractable. After close to a century of struggle and decades of failed peace-
Source: The battle of narratives in Israel/Palestine – Your Middle East
A recent poll finds that 72 percent of Jewish Israelis believe Israel’s control over the Palestinian territories does not constitute occupation. So what do you call military rule over a captive population that didn’t vote…
Source: Most Israeli Jews think there’s no occupation. So what is it? | +972 Magazine
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