Last word on Belinda Neal?

THERE should be at least one change for the third State of Origin match - Belinda Neal in the front row.

ANTHONY McMAHON
Chatsworth Island*

*Letter to the Editor in yesterday's The Daily Examiner, Grafton

Grow up Christopher Pyne

Viewers of ABC TV's Lateline on Friday 13 June can be excused if they thought Liberal front bencher Christopher Pyne is related to Alexander Downer or went to the same schools the Member for Mayo attended.

Pyne, described by ABC's Virginia Trioli as "the Opposition's well-mannered Shadow Minister for Justice" debated recent political issues with Craig Emerson, "the ever-polite Minister for Small Business".

Pyne was pompous, arrogant and downright rude.

Among other things Pyne, in classic à la Alexander mode, remarked:
Well, the Troy Buswell story is done and dusted. ... He put his leadership to a vote in the Western Australian Liberal Party and the Liberal Party voted to continue with his leadership.

Enough said!

World prefers Obama

US citizens would do well to read the following article by Anne Davies of London's Telegraph. It appears in The Sydney Morning Herald.

If Barack Obama were running for leader of the world, instead of leader of the US, he would probably romp home.

The annual global survey of attitudes by the independent Pew Research Centre shows that the Democratic nominee for president has won the confidence of people in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia and is strongly preferred as president of the US over his rival, the Republican John McCain.

In Australia, 80 per cent of participants said they had confidence in Senator Obama, against 40 per cent for Senator McCain.

Similar results were reported from Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Japan and Tanzania.

American participants in the survey gave the two senators roughly equal scores.

The poll results came as a presenter on Fox News television was taken off air after she accused Senator Obama and his wife, Michelle, of greeting each other with a "terrorist's fist jab".

E. D. Hill made her comment after the presumptive Democratic nominee and his wife affectionately bumped fists on stage last week as he prepared to make his victory speech.

Read the Pew Research Centre's findings here.

Cane toads on the march in Clarence Valley

Image from http://fireflyforest.net

Cane toads have become a perennial problem for the Clarence Valley and are now popping up again in local canefields.

Yamba, Angourie and particularly nearby Yuraygir National Park have been gradually keeping a lid on toad numbers, but now new hotspots are appearing at Warregai Island, Palmers Island, Mororo Nature Reserve, Chatsworth Island, Micalo Island and Townsend.

According to The Daily Examiner cane toad capture numbers are:
Yamba/Angourie - 30,128 between 1999-2008
Brooms Head - 1,507 between 2004-2008
Mororo/Ashby/Warregai Isl/Chatsworth Isl - 844 between 2006-2008
Palmers Island - 395 between 2007-2008
Woombah - 6 between 1999-2004
Iluka - 1 in 2003
Grafton - 2 between 2001-2008
South Grafton - 1 in 2004
Copmanhurst 1 in 2007
Total = 32,890 (at least)

If you come across any of these pests in your local area please dispatch to that Toad Hall in the sky.
NSW National Parks & Wildlife would be happy to tell you how to do so humanely.

Then and now: images of John McCain

B&W photograph of baby John found at Friends of John McCain
Image of presidential candidate John found at Freaking News

Friday 13th June 2008

Iruscan is the King of the Cats

Art on the coast

Bush Melody 1996 by Irene Daly from the Regional Art Collection

Grafton Regional Gallery recently announced that its combined collections are now valued at an estimated $1 million plus.

Congratulations to Clarence Valley Council and gallery director, management and staff.