I wonder if little Johnny's been reading items from Dubya's recommended reading list?  Upon having a surf of my regular blogs, I came accross this on Exploded Library.  It's a great precis of the Texas Republican Party's operating platform.  And it's scary stuff if you download the PDF and flick through it.  • more

My hero Christopher Hitchens is a writer and political mind that rarely keeps still. Once upon a time he was a leftist in the style of Chomsky but has shifted somewhat to the right, supporting Bush, the incursions into the Iraq and has become an US citizen. Despite my own left leanings I find myself agreeing with his arguments, and yet still love radio national. Here Hitch attacks Michael Moore and makes pointed claims that dismiss Fahrenheit 911 as little more than celluloid rewriting of recent history Read up for anyone who thinks that Howard has been led astray by the big bad US. Hardly. • more

I'm hoping I can put the whole Abu Ghraib thing to rest after this post, but I've a feeling that there's more to come. • more

Another cold June spent indoors at the State theatre at the Sydney Film Festival. The wine, the popcorn, the crowd, the beauty of the Theatre itself; and then some strange Bhutanese film that tries to be Waiting for Godot, and flumoxed me. The remade Sentimental Bloke and The life and Death of Peter Sellers have been the standouts so far. • more

PJ and I were reflecting on the simple things last weekend. These continue the tradition of being the best.... • more