the global war on warlocks
‘Let me say something about Harry Potter—warlocks are enemies of God…’
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Torture Victoria
Following on from a post I wrote in August, the Human Rights Law Resource Centre (HRLRC) has received two replies to its letter calling for the United Nations to investigate possible human rights abuses in Barwon Prison – from Victorian Corrections Minister Tim Holding, and Attorney General Philip Ruddock.
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Think you can fly and read minds? Join the CIA!
Via Boing Boing, I just discovered the CIA’s shagadelic recruitment site! Ever wonder how the US finds the merry folk who run its secret prisons across Europe? Well, you too can complete the CIA’s online ‘personality test’, a remarkable little quiz that includes questions about your lifestyle choices and, rather oddly, the kinds of superpowers you’d like to possess.
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The tragic demise of child labour and walrus moustaches in public life
Sunday's Age contained an article regarding the latest IPA product. This "think tank" (perhaps "Giggle Factory" would be more accurate) has issued a list of what it believes were 'Australia's 13 biggest mistakes'.
the global war on witches
The control order slapped on Jack Thomas contained several extraordinary details. The authorities banned Thomas from leaving his home after midnight. for example, and they provided a list of individuals he couldn't contact, a list that included several dead people.
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Welcome to the Police Station
A final Jakarta tale… ONE STEAMY Thursday morning we rumbled out of Jakarta on the slowest, oldest rattletrap bus I'd ever seen. Which in Indonesia, is saying something. We were headed for a conference. Few of us knew our exact destination though, because the conference organisers were still working on getting a permit and security was tight.
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The Wind that Shakes the Barley
I saw Ken Loach's latest film, The Wind that Shakes the Barley the other day. A great film – certainly the best film on this part of Irish history that's ever likely to get a commercial release.
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The Australian’s favourite “leftists” add their voices to the Islamophobic choir
Kerry Langer, former leftist, in this morning's Australian tries to stiffen up support for the occupation of Iraq.
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On a well-worn path in Afghanistan
Canadian journalist Eric Margolis on Afghanistan:
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if the GWOT actually had anything to do with protecting us…
then the report in today's New York Times would henceforth dominate all discussion of it.
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Palestinian resistance and the 6th anniversary of Al Asqa intifada
This coming Thursday, 28 September, marks 6 years since the beginning of the Al Aqsa (second) Intifada.
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Torture is a Downer
Torture is part and parcel of our times: Foreign Minister Downer reckons it is okay for the US to use special extraction of information programs (a euphemism for torture) on 'terrorist' detainees; when Australian citizens have reported being on the receiving end of such programs, they have variously been maligned, smeared, dismissed by many in the media, and of course by those of our political leaders for whom the US can do no wrong.
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chickens coming home
prospect of terrorism irrelevant to control order
The Age today quotes the head of counter-terrorism at the Australian Federal Police acknowledging that there's no evidence that Jack Thomas ever planned a terrorist attack in Australia. But apparently it doesn't matter.
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