Boxing Day There are two Australian traditional events the day after Christmas: cricket and the start of the Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race. This year I went out to Watsons Bay, by South Head and the Gap, to watch the start. The line forms just past Shark Island by Rose Bay, and crowds line the harbour and the view points out to sea, at every vantage point along the way. Boats of all sizes and types also pour into the harbour to view the start and to accompany the racers, past the heads if they're suitable to the open ocean, but generally staying out of the way. Lots of helicopters, too, and one blimp, the latter a somewhat unusual sight. The Americans have a boat in the race, too, a super-maxi called Commanche, and it's apparently had a credible start. Next year perhaps I'll see about going to see some cricket, if there's any in town. I think the Boxing Day test is in Melbourne.

Moral Compass: Lacking Here we have the true measure of the current Attorney General of Australia and the Liberal Party's commitment to the rule of law: Because David Hicks has been labelled a terrorist, torture is o.k. Without the courage to face his questioner, George Brandis dismisses the torture of David Hicks by the CIA, with the apparent knowledge and complicity of a government of which he was a member, and scuttles away from actually answering to the charge. As much as it pains me whenever Dick Cheney rears his hideous mien to pontificate on terrorism and justify his crimes, it is worse to bring such men as this back into power and pretend that it's a good thing. Brandis, you toad, answer the question.