Missing Link Daily

A digest of the best of the blogosphere published each weekday and compiled by Ken Parish, James Farrell, Gilmae, Darlene Taylor and Saint.

Politics

Australian

RWDB J.F Beck notes that new PM Kevin Rudd is insightful enough not to piss off Brian Burke, while pissed-off ‘lefty’ Andrew Landeryou digs up Burke’s alleged assessment of journalists invited to the dinner.

In deciding not to obstruct the repeal of Workchoices the Opposition has created dilemmas for both itself and the Government, according to Ken Lovell.

Mark Bahnisch argues that monetary compensation for the Stolen Generations is not politically impossible.

Harry Clarke surprises no-one by demanding that they bring back Mal Brough or at least ditch Macklin.

Possum Comitatus analyses Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson’s 9% opinion poll popularity rating.  Maybe he needs to have a word to George Pell about the efficacy of prayer.

International

David Bath reports that Bill Gates has been accused of recklessness in bypassing the WHO with his antimalaria project.

Juan Cole analyses the Pakistan election results where Musharraf allies fared poorly.

Tim Blair parses a Reuters/SMH story about the retirement of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro to reveal the underlying ideological assumptions.

Jeremy points out the similarities between Hilary Clinton’s plagiarism charges against Obama, and the Liberals’ revival of the Burke Affair.

Ilana Mercer argues that Obama’s borrowing/plagiarising of a speech snippet was putrid, while Norman Geras rather less hyperbolically doesn’t think it matters much. 

Economics

Joshua Gans explains how Malcolm Turnbull’s NAIRU question should have been answered.

John Quiggin foreshadows future posts arguing for wage subsidies, as a means to reduce the NAIRU.

Simon Jackman points out that the Sydney Morning Herald doesn’t even seem to know what NAIRU is, at least judging by the photo at right. Nor do I (KP) for that matter, I thought it meant an Indian Prime Minister or a misspelled Pacific bird shit outcrop. 

Jason Soon fears that a Clinton administration may embrace populist but unsound economic policies, unlike her hubbie who concentrated on other types of embrace.  Jason also has an interesting muse about good capitalism and bad capitalism.

Law

Peter Timmins highlights the ineffectiveness of Victoria’s FOI law in uncovering information about the deal between the government and the F1 grand prix circus run at Albert Park in Melbourne each year (though not for much longer judging by some recent stories).

Issues analysis

tigtog puts on her gas mask and examines the Clive Robertson rape comments.

Harry Clarke reveals how big name scientists (including Roger Scruton and Hans Eysenck) were paid to play down the dangers of smoking from the 1970s through to the late 1990s.

Cory Doctorow reports that the American Psychological Association’s refusal to condemn psychologists who participate in illegal government torture of suspected terrorists has driven a deep rift into the organization, with many prominent members quitting in protest.

Ben Peek promotes a book to which he contributes a chapter, in which authors envision the world’s future in four years time.  It doesn’t really sound like a bold predictive exercise, does it?

Gary Becker and Richard Posner debate ways to engineer an end to America’s “romance with guns” in the wake of the latest semi-daily school massacre.

Arts

Dogpossum debates Fats Waller versus Duke Ellington, with Ellington currently the winner.

Well, we love Fred the Bear, although not sure about Ned the Bear (he’s not as cute as a ginger puss called Garfield, or Fred the Bear for that matter). Wicking’s Weblog shares Ned’s pain.   

Credible Witness features a funny poster to be found in Brunswick. Brunswick is the inner-city suburb in Melbourne where folks don’t know the difference between a possum and a cat, or perhaps it’s the inner-city suburb where folks have a strange sense of humour.

Melbourne Film Blog takes a look at Dracula and Singing in the Rain in its week in review.

Amanda Rose makes a big claim: The Wire ((a TV show I’ve never heard of, I confess ~ KP)) is “the best show ever made in the history of television “.

Snark, strangeness and charm

Guido reveals the problems an NESB person can have with that c**t word used by Jane Fonda on the tellie the other day.