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Rather than face an embarrassing defeat at the hands of his own part, Australia's PM has abandoned the new refugee laws. "I never did think it was a mistake to try and provide more protection to the Australian people," the SMH quotes him as saying. Exactly why we would need protection from small numbers of peaceful Papuan civilians, I have no idea.

ETA: I meant, of course, "his own party", but I like that typo so much think I'll keep it.

(no subject)

In airport news, even passengers will now have to be placed inside transparent plastic bags.

(no subject)

And in the continuing quest to thwart anti-terrorism efforts by alienating the Muslim community, a former British police chief has got stuck into them. "I'm a white, 62-year-old, suit-wearing ex-cop - I fly often, but do I really fit the profile of a suicide bomber?" he asks. Perhaps not, although fellow critic of political correctness Theodore Kaczynski turned 64 this year.

ETA: Looking at this a month later I am still embarrassed by the lameness of my comparison with the Unabomber. To be honest, though, I'm still unclear on whether profiling is a sensible policing strategy; or just an excuse for tarring a whole community with the same brush.