Reported firstly in New Scientist, this grand attempt by Richard Branson to save the planet for all humanity leaves Bannerman just a little non-plussed.

Bannerman and his lady today decided to kick back in Gold Class. The film? Casino Royale.

Vladimir Putin has made what he says is "an invitation to think" to the United States of America. Using the term ’Unipolar’, he has openly accused the U.S. of overly provocative and internationally illegal tactics in it’s foreign policy of unilateral pre-emption.

PM pledges funds for elderly Australians. 11/02/2007. ABC News Online

(via ABC News Online - Just In)

Your either rat on the ally or you accept your orders and do as you’re told

"It depends where we are on the rotation cycle and they are normally of a six-month duration, and it depends also on the detail of those consultations with the Americans," - Kevin Michael Rudd, in response to Howard’s foamy-mouthed outrage at US Presidential candidate, Barack Obama’s statement that he would withdraw US troops from Iraq in early 2008, if he is successful at the polls.

In the Bannerman’s parlance, to rat on someone is to give them up to relevant authorities for alleged wrong-doings. This is borne out by the Urban Dictionary:

RAT - someone who snitches on others. tattletale, snitch.

If Little Johnny Howler wants to be a nark, he ought to at the least get his colloquialisms in a row.

A possible conversation between Alexander Downer and Robert Gates, as imagined by Bannerman

DOWNER: G’day Bob. I’d heard you were in Munich. Rattled any beer halls yet? [lightly chuckles]

GATES: Hey Lex......good to see you. Yeh, trying to drum up a few more troops for Afghanistan. You know how Europe is. You here on business or pleasure?

DOWNER: [nods knowingly] Well......business really. The Boss is getting jumpy over this Hicks thing, y’know. We have an election this year and the public have finally woken up that you’re holding one of ours at Gitmo. Bloody media prats don’t help either. [scowls] Look, when are you fellows likely to be doing something concrete, so we can tell the media to back off?

GATES: [casts eyes around furtively] Weeeeell, you know how the law goes, Lex. We got our butts canned last year and Dubya doesn’t want any repeats. He’s sort of inferred that he’d like the problem to just go away. [chuckles] Had to send an explanatory memo to the CIA on that one. They kinda got all excited.

[joint mirth on the part of both men]

DOWNER: [frowns] Yes, I know Bob.....but the Weasel’s got his election allergy acting up. Surely you can give me something to be going on with? Can’t you at least formalise those charges? Oh.....by the way.....nice one on the ’material aid’ bit. Next to impossible to disprove, eh? [elbows Gates, nudge-nudge style]

GATES: [frowns] Yeh.....next to impossible to make stick as well, what with the fact that some klutz has already admitted we know he’s never fired a shot at our boys. [shrugs] Still....he was in Afghanistan, so that has to count for something, I guess.

DOWNER: [looks hopeful] So....I can tell the Boss you’re gonna lay charges ASAP? A court date, maybe?? Middle of February is coming up fast.

GATES: [throws hands up] Awww look, Lexy. Why don’t we just send the asshole home? He’s yours anyway and getting him back would certainly kill any dissent in your media and lay public opinion. You could even sell the deal by telling the people what a great bunch we all are - you guys included, of course.

DOWNER: [gasps for breath and clasps hands around face. Voice rises several octaves] WHAT!! And admit that all the things we’d call him, accused him of and hidden behind while you held onto him were all a fraud???!!! Are you mad?! It would mean the end us politically.

GATES: [smirks knowingly] Well, look at it this way, Lex. I’ll be out of a job by years end and misery just loves company, right? Play your cards right, and you might still be in line for that chair at the UN.

DOWNER: [nods while searching for agreement] So.....what you’re saying is that I should just go home and tell everyone we’ve spoken about the issue, and leave well enough alone??

GATES: [gives ’Dolly’ the two finger pistol salute and winks] Y’know, for a guy with a public school accent you’re pretty street smart, Lex.

Journalists shown ’Iranian weapons’ in Iraq.

So, here we have Little Johnny Howler once again creating havoc in the playground by name-calling and picking on the new boy.

"Only when we get through the next six, 12 months or whatever period of time it takes will we be in a position to make any reasonable and responsible judgement about whether the United States, Britain or anyone else is in a position to withdraw,"
PM standing up for Australia

“one billion dollars a year, which is less than half a per cent of Commonwealth Government expenditure” - Senator Nick Minchin at current Senate Estimate hearings

Clearly this government has no regard for it’s current rate of expenditure, nor how it’s spending is dissembled. Surely ’tis time this government was given the ultimate wake-up call with a turfing out at the polls.

Bannerman wishes to draw attention to a very succinct, very authoritative and very pointed critique from the Senator for Queensland, Andrew Bartlett. Also a surmising of a potential future trap for the unwary Australian republican proponent from Cam Riley.

Well formed and stated, gentlemen. Bannerman applauds.

"Come on sports bloggers. When the going gets tough the tough get going. Surely someone can crank out a few well chosen cliches and some penetrating analysis, even from the depths of mortification."

"One of the key points it made was that a premature withdrawal would be a disaster," - Alexander Downer
ABC News Online

Here’s a serious question from the Bannerman. Does anyone honestly pay any attention to what ’Dolly’ Downer has to say on any issue which originates from the mouth of his fearless leader? Take the above selective quote, supposedly originating from the Baker-Hamilton report on what is purported in the media lately as the primary recommendation of a staged withdrawal from Iraq by U.S. military forces.

In yet another first for the Hyperidian Bannerman, promotion of an American comedy show.

Stephen Colbert’s Daily Show, making some rather pointed comments about our own glorious leader.

"We don’t agree that the deadline, so-called, has been ignored," - Helen Coonan
ABC News Online

Doubtless, Helen Coonan doesn’t believe the deadline Howard supposedly gave to the Yanks re: David Hicks has been ignored, just as she doesn’t believe Telstra is shafting rural Australia or that people really don’t want digital television.

Bannerman isn’t feeling all that charitable at the moment, so the reader will need to excuse him if he seems less then his usual ebullient self. Reason? Well, there are undoubtedly many, but for the sake of this post, let’s assume it’s to do with David Hicks.

Hicks coming home

"We would take our share for Queensland so there would be a benefit for us, but this would create a healthy Murray-Darling," - Chairman Beattie

'Water war' fears over resurrected Bradfield scheme. 19/02/2007. ABC News Online.

The Bradfield Plan has had two resurrections since being canned in 1933. Once in 1947 and again in the 1981. The reason it hasn’t been actioned to date is one of cost -v– benefit.

’Mr Andrews says it’s not possible under Australian law for Mr Jovicic to be granted Australian citizenship at this time.’
Lateline - 20/02/2007

Bannerman draws the readers attention to the last three words in Kevin Andrews’ or his department spokesperson’s statement on the future of Robert Jovicic. "...at this time." Bannerman wants to know just when, under Australian law, it will become possible for Mr Jovicic to be granted at least a return to permanent residency, pending his citizenship instatement? Bannerman wants to know why the Howardian regime appears intent on toying with this man’s future, after bowing to the weight of public opinion and returning him to the country he has spent 99.95% of his life in?

Bannerman asks whether Australia is still the land of the Fair Go, or has it, under the conservative regime, become a society of moralising judgementalists? The simple facts are that Robert Jovicic is a human being. He has admitted he made mistakes in life. He is asking for a ’fair go’. A chance to prove that what he claims to be a changed persona is in fact that. Bannerman believes in the spirit of true Australiana. Jovicic deserves the benefit of the doubt. He deserves the ’fair go’ he asks for. He does not deserve to be treated as a disposable piece of humanity to be discarded at the whim of a bigoted, self-serving government which has form on the issues of regard for human rights.

The humble incandescent light bulb is about to become history as Australia dumps it in favour of more energy efficient technology.

Sydney Morning Herald.

The more efficient technology? Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs, of course. The ones that cost more in energy terms to manufacture, aren’t suitable for enclosures as spotlights or downlights and contain that nasty neurotoxin, mercury.

A television alert from the Bannerman. Tonight is certainly David Hicks night on SBS. ’Insight’ at 7:30pm has Phillip Ruddock and Terry Hicks together in the same audience discussing the issue of David Hicks. Then at 10:00pm, SBS is replaying the documentary, ’The President versus David Hicks’.

To cap the television media pressure, we hear now that ’Dubya’ rang L.J.Howler at dawn, no less, today. He wanted to discuss North Korea. Little Johnny hit him up over David Hicks. Bannerman can imagine the tenor of the conversation, with ’Dubya’ wanting to talk top level stuff and L.J. whining about 2007 being an election year and he’s feeling the heat, George. Can’t you do something?

It’s tough at the top. Bannerman hopes it gets a hell of a lot hotter and tougher and in short order.

LP comments policy at Larvatus Prodeo

Bannerman chuckled, chortled and guffawed his way through the entirety of this Labia Prodders post. Clearly one or more of the rabid end in the blog spectrum - notice, ideology is not a factor in this post - has imitated the neighbourhood tomcat and sprayed up the walls at LP.

Astronomy - Exclusive: New Horizons update 4 - S. Alan Stern

Bannerman briefly flirted with the idea of maybe, perhaps, outlaying the necessaries for a Crikey_dot_com subscription. He is ever so glad he didn’t waste the exorbitant sum of $115.00 per annum for this sort of trash which rolls up daily in his email box by way of tasty snifters, encouraging subscription.

Bannerman was somewhat distracted yesterday, and as a result, failed to address the SBS Insight program of Tuesday evening. In order that the ether not be further cluttered by same ol’ same ol’ commentary on the subject by Bannerman, please permit him the luxury, dear reader, of referring you to Darryl Mason’s and Rex Ringschott’s respective takes on what quite frankly was the best evenings viewing in the current affairs genre for Bannerman for many a moon past.

Well written, gentlemen.

It’s getting close, reader. Close to the start of the 2007 V8 Supercar season.

"Ten years ago the Australian government took away the worlds first Voluntary Euthanasia law. Last year they banned Australians from using the telephone, fax, email and Internet to seek information about end of life issues. Now they have taken to banning and burning books." - Doctor Phillip Nitschke,