@peterrobinson - You produced fewer dire politicians. I concede your point.

Thanks Whiskey Sam: nice to be back.

Barkha, you look like a woman of means - why don't you be our tour impresario?

Beautifully put.

Great links, Tony. This is the line that sums up the official Eco Loon position and it makes me sick:
DR ROD LENANTON: People ought to be made to understand, I guess, the risks that they take when they're swimming and make their own decisions about whether they go into the water or not.

@justine olawsky. I love that photograph. It definitely ranks among my all-time Favorites of Weird. I agree hanging an elephant is maybe a bit extreme.

Another thing: Australia's saltwater crocodile population is out of control. They're moving south towards places like Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, which really don't need any maneaters raining on their parade, what with the bull sharks they've got there already.

@fred cole Great post, dude. And with you all the way. I never cease to be amazed by the illiberalism of some readers on this issue.

Might I suggest, James that Krugman's criticism is a case of Caliban's rage on seeing himself reflected in the glass. Does he not realize that a) Cameron's comedy Coalition is not even cutting spending - merely the rate of increase in spending and b) that we're printing money with an enthusiasm which would make Ben Bernanke proud. We're all Neo Keynesians now, unfortunately. At least our political class are. That's why we're doomed, I tell you. Doomed!

@dogsbody - I think he was showing solidarity with the global warming afflicted Maldives. As you know they are sinking beneath the ocean due to man's wanton selfishness and greed. That's why they're building 7 new airports (no really) to accommodate all the tourists flying in to see these precious Indian Ocean jewels before they drown.

@outstripp Your illusion that you are still alive is a classic case of "false consciousness" induced by the industrialist, capitalist, enviro-destroying conservative hegemony (of which Ricochet is a part).

In fact, if only you listened to experts like NASA's Dr James Hansen you would realize that you died many years ago, killed by your selfishness, greed and refusal to adjust your lifestyle in order to contain your ADDICTION TO OIL>

Thanks Diane. I've put in an explanation. Two nations divided by a common language, etc....

@etoiledunord Oh that will come. Don't you worry. Soylent Green.

Aha! Rutabaga!

Oh and Diane, as for Spike Lee: I think he should put away in prison on principle. You know, just for being Spike Lee, never mind the rest.

@davidknights. Well, yes, of course part of me thinks that. The scorched earth take no prisoners part. But I think mercy is a great virtue. I also think of the stupid things I did when I was young - some of which could have caused real damage and only did not do so thanks to the Grace of God. And I wonder what in the great scheme of things would have been achieved by ruining a man's life for Tweeting something he didn't sincerely mean.

  Don't misunderstand me: I'm not a freaking hippy. I HATE the enemy. But I do think it's important to ask oneself - what exactly am I trying to achieve here?

Peter I can confirm that this is not happening. It is a figment of your imagination. As you know, I have been predicting in these pages and on podcasts for some considerable time now that America is doomed and that nothing good can happen to it ever again. No way would something as miraculous as ObamaCare being struck out happen, especially not by your notoriously leftist Supreme Court judges.