Loose cannons

Bloated

"Twenty per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia are the result of flatulence from cows and sheep [therefore] ... restrictions would have a dramatic impact on the farm sector." — National Party senior federal vice-president David Russell telling the NP convention why Australia shouldn't ratify the Kyoto protocol limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

Promoting democracy

"If they have no interest in the election, it would good if they just slept on that day." — PM Yoshiro Mori's advice to the 40% of undecided Japanese voters in the June 25 election.

No, but they'll try

"Can we argue that we face the same threat if we have a North Korea trying to integrate into the international community?" — A US "former senior defense official" worried that reduced tensions in Korea will remove a pretext for the planned US missile defence system.

Acceptance

"In a free market, more than any other economic system, individuals are rewarded for their actions rather than their origins ... If equality of opportunity is maintained, there is clearly a case for accepting unequal outcomes." — June 24-25 Australian editorial on Australia's widening wealth gap.

And Packer might die a pauper

"In our democracy, where voting is compulsory, those who feel they are not gaining from [national prosperity] have just as much political power as the winners." — Australian editorial again.

From GLW issue 410