Cricket fiasco:

Steve Martin writes: I am probably a little late in saying my piece on the latest brouhaha but Tuesday night on Channel 9 was too much for me after watching Tony Greig pontificating about cricketers knowing when they are “out” and suggesting that they should “walk” when they know that they are out. I remember a couple of years ago when Adam Gilchrist did exactly that; and suggested that others should follow suit. He was not supported by many. Including if my memory serves me right by Tony Greig. As for Anil Kumble suggesting that the Indian’s honor had been impugned by the decision to suspend Haberjahn Singh on the allegation of Australian players that Symonds had been racially vilified. Again my memory goes back to the last Australian tour of India when the crowd were audibly calling Symonds a monkey, and in fact there were banners saying just that. The Indian authorities despite the evidence denied that it ever happened. Contrast that with the response of the Australian cricket authorities response to the racial abuse that the South African team received on their last tour. Life bans for any implicated in future for this offence. The fact that there were some lousy decisions by the umpires is unfortunate, but it happens, they are human, and mistakes happen though some of the more glaring examples are hard to take; but it’s not an excuse to take your bat and ball and threaten to go home.

Nuclear power and climate change hard yakka:

Michael Angwin, Executive Director of the Australian Uranium Association, writes: If Mark Byrne (yesterday, comments) cast his foresight a little wider, he would see the flaw in his proposition that nuclear power can’t make a contribution to greenhouse gas mitigation as part of the hard yakka required by 2030. It can. Professor Ross Garnaut thinks so: “We have large deposits of … uranium, the exports of which would increase in a world of major and effective mitigation.” The IPCC thinks so: “Nuclear power … has the potential for an expanded role as a cost-effective mitigation option.” The World Energy Council thinks so: “One thing that is clear is that … [nuclear power] offers the potential for very significant [emissions] reductions.” Some of the hard yakka that Australia needs to do is to ensure that there are no unnecessary barriers to the expansion of Australia’s uranium mining and exports, which could potentially double by 2015.

Keith Thomas writes: While it is good that Australia is facing up to climate change reality and its responsibility by ratifying Kyoto, it is critical that we don’t get lost in the Kyoto ‘woods’ and overlook the climate reality. Although we need to meet Kyoto targets this is not the main game. We are in danger of escaping to our comfort zone of bureaucratic process and forgetting the outcome we should be working for. Southern Australia is drying systemically due to climate shifts that – if not addressed within the next 3-5 years – will mean much of inland Australia will go into ecological, social and economic meltdown. Kyoto carbon reduction targets for 2012 and beyond will not help much in this. We need to keep our focus on real effective mitigation and resilience measures that address the impacts that we in Australia are already facing eg increased secure rainfalls and cooling effects, and not just complying with well-intentioned but ineffective consensus agreements.

Sydney Festival:

Diana Simmonds, who is reviewing the Sydney Festival each night on www.stagenoise.com, writes: Re. “A popular festival? Egads!” (Yesterday, item 15). “Lacks balance and is a disappointment to some …” Yes well, “some” – actually means “a couple of people I was talking to in a foyer”. “Total absence of classical music.” This means “not like Leo used to do back in the olden days.” “Seriously lacking in good judgment and good taste.” Oh please. How can anyone say such a thing when not standing on a small stage at the Melbourne Comedy Festival? So far this festival is diverse, fascinating, has already – after four nights – had massive hits and a couple of misses; is pulling in people who don’t normally go to arts events; is pulling in people who live and breathe arts events. It’s different from last year and different from the year before that. What more can you ask?

Media has a baby:

Rosemary Swift writes: Re. “Media has a baby as Nicole Kidman reveals spermination” (yesterday, item 4). “Today Tonight use pregnancy as excuse to partially re-run Sonia Kruger interview with Nicole Kidman that originally aired on 26th Nov spruiking The Golden Compass movie and interview ‘celebrity photographer’ [i.e. paparazzi] Peter Carrette who reckons the first photo of the child will be worth $1.5m.” One “celebrity photographer” is a paparazzo. More than one and they become paparazzi. And thank you Sandra Kanck (yesterday, comments). It is disappointing, frustrating and downright bloody offensive that women in politics are still judged and reported on their looks. I despair sometimes…

Crikey by midday, please:

Colin Prasad writes: Is there any chance that for 2008 you could aim to get your daily newsletter out by midday? I’m an accountant and like to conduct my life in a regular and orderly way; which means having my lunch at noon. I’d like to read Crikey as well. Or perhaps at least set a KPI to have out by 12:30pm everyday…

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