Latest Youtuberium from the Australian Democrats:

[insert country name here] is close to its longest run of economic growth since the Second World War, with the economy 28.3 per cent larger in the year to June 2007, than it was ... in December 1999. Average [insert country name here] economic growth ... has been 3.4 per cent per annum ... Our unemployment has halved, and now sits at around the lowest levels reached in the OECD. Latest figures put the rate at 3.6 per cent, and that has been achieved at the bottom of the business cycle.

Australia criticised over Solomons role

Solomon Islands PM Manasseh Sogavare has criticised the Australian-led RAMSI (Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands), accusing the mission of representing too much of Canberra's interests and of failing to focus on its mandate to restore law and order in the South Pacific nation. More from Associated Press in Tuesday's Sydney Morning Herald.

Exhibit A:

PETER COSTELLO: This is the last question time—

Opposition members interjecting—

PETER COSTELLO: It could well be the last question time before the election...

(source: Hansard, 20.9.07)

Exhibit B:

[Dave] Hughes: "What are you talking about, the election or the grand final?"

USA goalkeeper Hope Solo was dropped from the starting eleven for their FIFA Women's World Cup semi-final against Brazil on Wednesday. Brazil won 4-0. Hope wasn't happy. She obviously thought that if she was playing, Brazil would have scored less goals than USA.

Hope Solo wins this week's Jose Maurinho Award for Sports Egotism:

I've just learned of the passing this morning of one of my real heroes. The voice of Frank Hyde calling the rugby league on Saturday and Sunday afternoons was an integral part of my life for about two decades. His career as a broadcaster stretched back far before that, and even earlier came his playing career with Newtown, North Sydney and Balmain. Everyone loved him, he was such a charming man.

So John Howard will step down as Prime Minister if he is re-elected for a fifth term of office later this year. But did the former suburban solicitor, who is always so finicky about the exact words that he uses, really say that?

This is the relevant quote from the transcript of his interview on the "7.30 Report" last night:

sydney declaration

1. Mike Atherton's closure of England's innings at the SCG when Graeme Hick was 98 not out.

2. An aspirational emission of greenhouse gases not worth the paper it is written on.

It's over. Martial law is gradually winding down and Mister Iemma is Tearing Down That Wall. GW Bush has found the right exit and left Austria following the conclusion of OPEC.

Friday at 3 in Hyde Park. I won't be there.

www.bumsnotbombs.org

UPDATE Friday evening: smh.com.au gets to the bottom of the story.

This really is one of Australia's darkest weeks as an independent nation. Parts of Sydney including the Opera House, Botanic Gardens and Circular Quay have been fenced off for the APEC gabfests. It's been called the biggest security operation in Australia since the 2000 Olympics. But at least with the Olympic Games, it was a celebratory occasion for all to join in. This is just a paranoid exercise in keeping Them (in upper case) away from us (in lower case).