www.desertdreams.com.au http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss af Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:16:37 +0930 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:16:39 +0930 iBlog 1.4.6 Desert Star Desert Stuff Desert Star Arts & Entertainment www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20071129143436/index.html Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:34:36 +1030 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20071129143436/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20071107014152/index.html One ought to be at least a little conciliatory of John Howard's years in power, but I'll let someone else do that. The kindest thing that I can say about the man, is that he stayed in power long enough for us to throw him out, including it seems, out of his own seat. This hope of mine was expressed in a previous blog, 'The Rat to go down with his ship' . In this alone, Howard lived up to, and fulfilled my expectations. ]]> Wed, 07 Nov 2007 01:41:52 +1030 www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20071107014152/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20071023125933/index.html Nothing, apart from the Howard Government winning this years election, (which is not going to happen), would disappoint me more than if John Howard had chosen not to contest it as his party's leader. For a while it seemed, he was contemplating retirement; passing the baton to his economic partner throughout his eleven year reign, treasurer Peter Costello. Fortunately Howard's hubris, along with his life-long dedication to conservatism, and his love of power, has seen him remain to fight his last fight. I didn't want him to retire, because I want to see him defeated. ]]> Tue, 23 Oct 2007 12:59:33 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20071023125933/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20070924233758/index.html After what seems to have been a year of a phony election campaign, the incumbent John Howard, Australia's Prime Minister, will soon have to call an election. He is in no hurry to do so, as his so-called 'Liberal' party trails the opposition Labor Party by more than ten points, and the Labor leader Kevin Rudd is being perceived as a fresh face. Howard is increasingly being seen as a man who has run out of ideas, but also as a man who has brazenly danced around the truth far too often. ]]> Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:37:58 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20070924233758/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20070802124245/index.html Of one thing we can be sure. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty, Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews, and Prime Minister John Howard will pursue Mohamed Haneef with every ounce of their being. Far more important for them now, is not Dr Haneef's guilt or innocence - details like that are not important for this Government - it is the political mileage to be gained from denigrating him, and the loss of face to be suffered if he proves to be innocent. One has only to observe the on-going slaughter in Iraq, (justified now as a huge loss of face if the invasion fails) with the carnage of Iraqis not even worthy of comment by the war mongers Howard and Downer, to see how individuals of other than white Caucasian bent stand in the grand order of things. ]]> Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:42:45 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C2046438413/E20070802124245/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070701232227/index.html Sun, 01 Jul 2007 23:22:27 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070701232227/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070628124841/index.html Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:48:41 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070628124841/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070626234951/index.html Tue, 26 Jun 2007 23:49:51 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070626234951/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070625112824/index.html Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:28:24 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070625112824/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070623011215/index.html Sat, 23 Jun 2007 01:12:15 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070623011215/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070620211542/index.html Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:15:42 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070620211542/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070620013222/index.html On the 18th June, after a totally sleepless night, when I gave up, read a book, and rose to prepare my final packing, I found myself winging it to Croker Island, via Goulburn Island. For much of the flight I dozed, but from my seat just behind the pilot of the twin engined Cessna Titan 404, my blurry gaze focussed on the vast northern wetlands of Kakadu and Arnhemland, the isolated northern coast, and a smattering of islands below. The plane seemed to fly itself, with the pilot flicking an occasional switch, and making entries in his log book. Three Aboriginal women, one an elder with a pierced nasal septum, a middle aged woman, and a mother with two small boys, and a public servant with a lap-top on his way to Goulburn shared the flight. I gave the Croker ladies a brief explanation of my purpose in visiting their island, and they were very interested and encouraging.

]]> Wed, 20 Jun 2007 01:32:22 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070620013222/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070617205523/index.html Sun, 17 Jun 2007 20:55:23 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070617205523/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070524002456/index.html Wed, 23 May 2007 00:24:55 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070524002456/index.html www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070504111424/index.html Fri, 04 May 2007 11:14:24 +0930 www.desertdreams.com.au/C1759100478/E20070504111424/index.html