Since the days of Alexander the Great, binge drinking has been a very popular past time - leading to him apparently killing a friend and burning down Persepolis while drunk.

Those are some Great shoes to fill.

Yet, governments, schools and the media have repeatedly tried to teach us of binge drinking's dangers. 

Dartmouth University has taken the lead, instigating a new nationwide policy to curb heavy drinking by their students.

Pour me another glass.

Binge drinking is defined as "the consumption of five or more drinks in a row by men — or four or more drinks in a row by women — at least once in the previous 2 weeks. Heavy binge drinking includes three or more such episodes in 2 weeks."

Seems I don't know anyone who isn't a heavy binge drinker.

Do you think this definition should be changed or should we change people's attitudes? Or should you follow HPD's no fools guide to drinking a lot but not dying?  . . read more

Obama has announced today that he is going to work hard to ensure that people won't be able to get in to the States so easily - Sarah Ferguson apparently empathises with the illegals.

He assures us his migrant 'overhaul' won't be arbitrary and that the government will try to make sure that it will only be unskilled workers that get deported so that lowly paid jobs can be filled up by millions of unemployed Americans.

America's rich are unsure whether to celebrate.

José wont be cleaning their pool anymore but Joseph down the road will have less reason to rob them.

Osama's sons have reacted negatively to the news, saying that Obama's policies are never arbirtrary and that their father was executed without attempting to send him to trial. 

Obama commented that it wouldn't have made any difference because if they looked at Arizona's immigration policies and Guantanamo, they would see that political prisoners never get a fair trial in the U.S of A. 

What do you think of Obama's new immigration plan? Is he just pandering to Latino voters? And was Osama arbitrarily targeted? Tell us and remember....Disqus!

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In a recent episode of Top Gear, there was outrage as the three presenters lazily said some lazy stereotypes about Mexicans. While this isn't particularly interesting in itself, the hysterical reaction in Mexico has been enlightening.

In the Senate there has been calls for the show to be censured and the Mexican Ambassador in London (who Jeremy Clarkson was sure would be asleep and unable to do anything) has demanded an apology. 

Please. 

This is a culture that loves to laugh at itself at the worst times and even has a word 'chingan' meaning when you fuck around with each other- sniping in a friendly way with witty banter and wordplay. 

The point of the 'chingan' culture is that the loser of a joking war is the one that gets angry and snaps- so I guess that makes Mexicans lazy losers?   . . read more

As plastic cups appear in bars all over Sydney, and the vast majority yell a hurrah of triumph, I whimper a little sigh of worry.

994 glassing attacks were recorded in 2008, a 70% increase in ten years.

Bottles were being liberally halved, thrown and smashed into the heads of pub goers all over the city.

And now they're taking our glasses away?

We, as citizens of Australia, deserve our right to defend ourselves against glassers, with our own glass.

The next time someone comes into a bar with a beautiful crystal schooner glass he brought from the club up the road, and you produce a plastic piece of recycled hippie crap – think about this article.

And think about how you'll be able to defend your family with a plastic cup.

Remember your right to bear glass.

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Dear Diary,

I’ve thought a lot about being an astronaut, a movie star, a fighter pilot…maybe even President! But today I know what I want to be when I grow up – a world leader in the climate change debate. You see diary, as such an ambassador I get to live a life of hypocrisy while people think I’m trying to save the world – like Copenhagen.

Then, I’ll get to travel to even more exotic destinations like Cancun, enjoying my taxpayers’ money in my high-moral profession while knowing full well that nothing’s going to be done. Then I can wait for the next wasteful summit - maybe it’ll be in the Arctic? I’ve never seen the ice (and it won’t be around for long)

Diary, you know I’ll never do anything constructive. But people will still love me for who I am. Don’t you think it’s the perfect life? . . read more

The world of travel is a strange one, everyday challenges like catching a taxi, ordering food or avoiding danger become the main event. National catastrophes, political intrigue and the daily grind become irrelevant until you return home and find out you have another Prime-Minister.

You can understand the appeal.

Attaining basics in a country you don't know, where they speak a different language makes you feel successful, busy and distracted from the real world. 

Yet the real world waits for your return, reminding you of what you've missed in the strange bubble you've been living in.  . . read more

The Vatican publication, L'Osservatore Romano declared in an article this week that Homer J. Simpson is a character that conforms to Catholic values, and praised "The Simpsons" for covering issues of faith, family and religion.

The article stated, and I translate, "few people know it, and he does everything to hide it, but it is true, Homer J. Simpson is a Catholic".

Like the vast majority of my generation, I've grown up watching the Simpsons and laughing at the satirical representation of the middle American male that is Homer. I just wonder that in approving Mr. Simpson does the Catholic church also condone the abuse of children, alcoholism, bigamy, extramarital affairs, blasphemy and the failure to love thy neighbour?

Or are these negative traits overlooked?

Perhaps this is the Catholic church's underhanded way to demonstrate that they are not a pack of cultural philistines. I just feel they should think a little more carefully about the pop icons they select as representatives - I always knew those at the helm of the church were largely aloof and dim-witted, but I thought it would be decades before they admitted to turning a blind eye to child abuse.  . . read more

...Kevin Rudd, the guest of honour at the launch of ABC 3 was the victim of a security scare from an unnamed contracted cleaner.

The story gets stranger as the AFP, the cleaning company and the ABC itself all refused to comment on what had happened.

It might not be a fair comparison but this 'incident' did make me think of the media world's reaction to Tareq and Michaele Sahali's White House invasion last week.

The couple got scorned and ridiculed from all corners and the Secret Service was forced to make an embarrasing apology for this uncharacteristic slip up.

Here though, Rudd's 'dance with death' has only been run on the 7pm ABC news (it didn't even make it to ABC online) and it looks like that will be it from here on in.

There hasn't been any mention of what risk Rudd had been placed in or what will be done differently to avoid similar breaches.

Why the difference if both breaches were equally harmless?

In my mind it shows that the media knows that Rudd's security isn't exactly going set the water-cooler ablaze, and that Rudd himself probably realises that to talk about it or investigate it further would look weak to a country that still prides itself on its stiff upper lip.

Kind of comforting that in Australia, the politicians ain't too precious.

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Poor Julia has had quite some issues of late. All that trouble with the Indian killings had given poor Julia a great headache. After all, her diplomatic skills are as pathetic as if Kevin Rudd were trying to grow a moustache.

All those denials, all that effort to avoid the situation, had really taken her out of her comfort zone.

But now, Julia felt right at home.

Yes! Now is my time to shine. Now is my time to show Australia that I can be a true leader!

"It's a scandal!” mouthed Julia "I think we want to see a lot of the Boxing Kangaroo, particularly now that we've had this ridiculous ruling. So, yes, boxing kangaroos everywhere.

" Phew, Julia thought to herself, and smiled happily. I’ve done it – saved a flag with a boxing kangaroo on it from persecution by the Olympic committee, for the honour and glory of my country.

For this is what an Australian leader does!

Pout for Australia!

Our country doesn’t elect ministers and cabinets to further Australia’s place in the world, to handle tense diplomatic negotiations with an overarching developing superpower, to strive to achieve the best for Australia and its inhabitants.

No sir! All Australian voters really want is a mascot with a large mike.

“And I’ll give it to them”, thought Julia “this is what I got into politics for”.

For what on Earth do people expect?

It’s as if they want her to answer the tough questions all the time. Come on everyone!

She’s just Julia!

Who do you think she is?

The Deputy Prime Minister?  . . read more

You tell me that’s it’s evolution,

Well can I do it at an hourly rate?

You say you got a real solution,

Is that having mummy and daddy foot the bill?

You ask me for a contribution,

and I’ll ask you to pay my superannuation.

But when you want money for minds that hate?

All I can tell you brother is welcome to the 21st Century.

You say you’ll change the Constitution,

Well good luck, university isn’t free anymore.

You tell me it’s the institution, Well you know, none of us can change a thing.

Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright, At least if they don’t run out of coffee, alright,

 As long as we stay disillusioned, alright,

And don’t give up our day jobs, alright.

Alright. Alright?  . . read more