© 2018 Greg & Sylvia RAY

Murdoch media turned me into a royal-watcher

If it weren’t for the Murdoch press I’d have paid no attention at all to Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle. But eventually the noise and ruckus of the dominant media stable’s apparent anti-Harry campaign managed to penetrate the shield of disinterest I generally deploy against the British royal family. The Murdoch press, I find, is a valuable guide to opinion and fact. If Murdoch pundits seem to be foaming at the mouth and yelling an opinion then I often feel pretty confident that the correct opinion will be just about opposite to what they…

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Read more about the article Bashing students with the bible
Christ driving out the money-changers, by Caravaggio.

Bashing students with the bible

The scripture for today in the USA, apparently, is from the book of Mark: “For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” The American Christian Taliban thinks it’s outrageous that some US students might have a sliver of their tuition debts set aside. Oh dear. Apparently they’ve been able to find some verses in the bible that condemn people who don’t repay their debts. I suppose they must have been furious during the Global Financial Crisis when the world’s governments bailed…

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Read more about the article The British crown and Australia’s identity issues
The Queen of Australia

The British crown and Australia’s identity issues

Australia has an identity issue. Or two. Or three. And having representatives of the British crown sitting on top of its elected governments doesn't help matters at all. For non-Australians who might be tempted to think I'm joking, here's a quick sketch of my strange country. As a white settler nation, forcibly transplanted over the top of a pre-existing ancient population and sitting uncomfortably on the fringe of Asia, Australia is a very long way from the Europe of its white origins. White Australians love to be thought of as in tune with the huge continent…

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