If the shock of Egypt’s unexpected uprising and success has a debt to anything, it is journalism. The lack of raw power only hides the strong impact that this trade has. Journalists themselves look timid, out of place, running around perhaps accompanied by a cameraman, harmless mischief-makers. But Egypt showed how everyone’s a journalist, how journalism embodies the voices of the people and gives them an outlet that reverberates throughout the globe- by Sumer Dayal (UNSW, Sydney)  . . read more

After Tunisia erupted in popular protests, pundits all over the world were writing about the event as if it was a trigger-point for similar rebellions to take place in similarly repressive dictatorships all over the Middle-East.

I like many was sceptical.

Pundits love to heap significance on an event as if it's world changing or the start of something special - most often they're wrong or are connecting dots that don't exist. 

It seems though that this time their predictions were right; Bahrain is splintering and the once fighting fit Gaddafi is lying on the ropes - looking as if he'll have to throw in the towel like Ben Ali and Mubarak. 

It seems like the implications of these protests can't be overstated. 

  . . read more

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

Today might be an incredible day in Egypt's already incredible history. It is expected that hundreds of thousands will pack the streets in protest again Murbarak's oppressive regime; hoping to see a Tunisia styled exodus of the dictator.

Interestingly it probably isn't Murbarak who has the most to lose from his ousting.

The U.S - the perennial puppet masters in the shadows- have poured billions into Murbarak's 'stable' government, but now, the champions of world democracy might look a bit sheepish when the people want a voice and they want them silenced. 

  . . read more

When you think of the Middle-East it's unlikely the words 'succesful popular uprising' are immediately at the tip of your tongue- in fact until Tunisia's President fled they'd actually be impossible to put together because Tunisia was the region's first.

Now though anything seems possible.

Egypt is a trigger pull away from explosion, Libya could be next in the firing line and dicators all across horrible dicatorships must be reloading and getting ready for reprisal.

An amazing moment as world food prices hit all time highs and selfish and greedy leaders are finding out that they aren't the only ones who want to chew the fat.    . . read more