News 9/07/10

(Dame Anne Rankin's 1954 photograph of HRH Queen Elizabeth II and Australian Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies, on their way to throw another shrimp on the barbie and perhaps hoist a few brewskies.)

• Australia has its first minority government in seventy years. Balance of power held by four independent MPs who are not in a formal coalition with Prime Minister Gillard's Government. This means she's going to have to get their backing for almost everything she wants to do.

• Former JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater's legal counsel reportedly in talks about a plea deal.

• Twenty five year old documentary about gay parents, Choosing Children, to play in San Francisco. Madonna! Shoulder Pads! Turkey basters! Ronald Reagan!

• Democrats are having trouble articulating a "clear set of policy goals" as midterms loom. One example Nate Silver of 538 mentions is Don't Ask Don't Tell, which overwhelming majorities favor repealing. Democrats could use this as a popular rallying cry, "(b)ut perhaps hamstrung by Mr. Obama, who has taken a series of half-steps on the issue, few of these Democrats have chosen to do so." Nice analysis from Silver about the contrast in messaging between Democrats and GOP on a host of issues including health care reform, immigration and the economy.

News 8/23/10

("What's so special about the cheese makers?"

"I can't hear a thing. C'mon, let's go to the stoning.")

• Richard Just, Executive Editor of the New Republic has written an excellent opinion piece about Obama's contradictory and disgraceful stance on Marriage Equality. He "is already leading on gay marriage; he is just leading in the wrong direction." (Via ABC News.)

• Archbishop Timothy Dolan wants you to know that some hate crimes make "God sad" while other hate crimes are just fine. (The Catholic Church is always good for a chuckle.)

• Protesters of Muslim community center: "Religious tolerance is all about tolerating the many different ways we have of worshiping Jesus Christ." Fear and hatred of Muslims is still a popular pass time.

• Australians try to figure out who will form new government. Financial markets wobble amidst uncertainty.

• Quarter of a million Chinese evacuated from area near border with North Korea as Yalu river swells past the friendly stage.

• Thirty-three Chilean miners trapped for seventeen days are alive and well. May be out by Christmas. (What are they doing to keep from going crazy down there?)

News 8/22/10

(Most of the clan is headed to Jin Wah restaurant in Beaverton this morning for dim sum. In the meantime here's a nifty picture of Niu za mian noodle soup courtesy of Jason545889.)

• Australians facing a hung parliament for the first time in 70 years. Green Party may be the key to a new distribution of power.

• Irish human rights activists march for full civil marriage equality. They explain the new Civil Partnership bill "fall(s) far short of providing full equality.”

• No plans for now to move proposed Islamic center further away from Ground Zero. Welcome to America where religious tolerance, due process and equal protection are "controversial."

• World Net Daily and Ann Coulter slashing away at each other over Ms. Coulter's appearance at GOProud.