Let me advance the modest proposal that, if we extrapolate medical advances in the manner of IPCC scientists,  death will very soon be a matter of personal preference -- as it should be in a modern and enlightened society. Therefore, having children, those little freeloaders, demands a nuanced perspective

Fretting over oil supplies might seen perverse as world prices continue to fall, but only until you consider that Australia imports almost every drop of its petrol and diesel. Now, in this buyer's market, would be a good time to top up the nation's shamefully neglected strategic reserve

The Kaiser and Hitler each invaded Belgium, neither quite managing to make a permanent success of the enterprise. Muslim fundamentalist Abu Imran makes no bones that his strategy is better: father lots of Muslim babies and breed the mussel-eating kufar into submission

It comes as no surprise that tolerant and pacific followers of the Prophet opt for the most part to stay mum. Knowing full well that their sacred texts extol violence, which leaves little room for doctrinal debate, they are also aware that the creed's more ardent acolytes have knives at the ready

The world's leaders marched boldly through the streets of Paris, proclaiming themselves undaunted champions of free speech. Then they went home to supervise prosecutions and deportations of those who mistook their photogenic posturing for sincerity

Australia's Academy of Science is overdue to clarify its position on global warming, but don't expect that much-delayed document to be written in the ink of rational objectivity. Despite doubts creeping into the pronouncements of overseas counterparts, local warmists remain determined to defend the faith

How is that the Middle East's sole democracy prompts so much angst, loathing, and condemnation? As a veteran news service correspondent explains, when an IDF soldier's offensive T-shirt is deemed newsworthy and neo-Nazi rallies at Palestinian universities are not, there's your answer

Transformed by technology, our lives are enriched by the ease and distractions its advances continue to bestow. Best not to dwell on Australia's very modest contributions to that revolution. It might just ruffle that mood of lovely, cheerful torpor

Astonished that the ABC -- their ABC -- reported on Islamist mayhem and murder in Paris without mention of the killers' motives and affiliation, Geoffrey Luck asked the national broadcaster for an explanation. What followed was a prolonged exercise in admission, retraction, denial and obfuscation

That recent Paris march with its retinue of presidents and prime ministers leading the hoi polloi sure was an inspirational moment in the crusade to defend free speech. What a pity the ABC footage was spliced, edited and nothing like the sequestered reality of a stage-managed photo op

If the Opposition Leader can't grasp that tougher, tighter times are upon us, he's a fool. If he persists in blocking and harrying every single effort to batten down the economy, knowing full well the risk of recession, he's a scoundrel

Even if you see Beijing's economic statistics as credible, which they are not, their trend says the country's "miracle" growth is tailing off. Yet here we have the likes of Malcolm Fraser stating that our future resides with the Middle Kingdom

Anyone can be a prophet of doom: Pick a spot on the globe, any spot, and state with oracular authority that it will suffer most from runaway climate change. Tim Flannery fancied Perth, for example, which has yet to become his predicted ghost town, but he has plenty of company in the dunce's corner

While it's heartening to hear Muslim community leaders proclaim their affection for Australian freedoms and values, the smile tends to fade when you contrast the Koran's injunctions with the fundamental principles of Western life and liberty. You can support one or the other, but not both

The catering was sub-par, according to Philip Adams, who selflessly saved fellow guests from sampling it, but the inaugural awards to mark the anniversary of Governor Arthur Phillip's initial assault on Indigenous civilisation went off without a hitch

Like many modern leaders, Bavaria's castle-building Ludwig II was very keen to indulge his edifice complex with other people's money. Unlike modern leaders, all it took to stop his crazed campaign of construction was a long walk on a short foreshore

Physicists happily indulge speculation that our universe is a chimera emanating from some pimply youngster's computer program: it 'thinks', therefore we are. But describe that adolescent tinkerer as The Creator and  secularist enforcers of scientism erupt in a riot of rejection and reproach

It is impossible to tell how soon France and the rest of Europe will be Judenfrei, but the process is well underway. When the exodus is complete, let's just see how well the Continent's sophisticates get along with the sort of people who cheered the Charlie Hebdo massacre