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NEWS ... GLOBAL NEWS ... DO OCEAN CURRENTS CAUSE AUSTRALIA'S MEDIA UNITE ON COURT ACQUITS GLOBAL WARMING? FREE SPEECH PAN PHARMACEUTICALS BOSS Homecare forecaster William Gray claims that global ocean currents, not human-produced carbon dioxide emissions, are responsible for global warming, and that the Earth may begin to cool on its own in five to 10 years' time. Gray, a Colorado State University researcher best known for his annual forecasts of hurricanes along the US Atlantic coast, also said that increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere won't produce more or stronger hurricanes. He said that during the past 40 years, the number of major hurricanes making landfall on the US Atlantic coast has declined compared with the previous 40 years, even though carbon dioxide levels have risen. Gray complained that politics and research into global warming have created "almost an industry" that has unfairly frightened the public and overwhelmed dissenting voices. He said research arguing that humans are causing global warming is based on unreliable computer models that cannot possibly take into account the hundreds of factors that influence the weather. Gray said ocean circulation patterns are behind a decades-long warming cycle. He has argued previously that the strength of these patterns can affect how much cold water rises to the surface, which in turn affects how warm or cold the atmosphere is. (Source: by Dan Elliott, Associated Press, 28 April 2007) Awe largest newspaper, television and radio companies have set aside their traditional rivalries to unite behind a new public campaign, "Australia's Right to Know", designed to protect free speech. Fairfax Media (publisher of the Age and the Sydney Morning Herald), News Ltd (the Australian), FreeTV (representing free-to-air television networks, the ABC and SBS) and commercial radio broadcasters will argue that free speech is being eroded through more than 500 Federal and State laws and regulations. The media organisations believe some restrictions interfere with journalists' abilities to report issues and events accurately. A landmark Freedom of Information (Fol) case, brought to the High Court by the Australian newspaper, was lost in 2006, prompting calls for a significant overhaul of Fol laws to better protect the public interest. Media outlets are concerned that whistleblowers and others prepared to reveal sensitive government material in the public interest are not adequately protected, nor are the journalists who report the material. Legal academics have been critical of the Fol laws, and international studies have shown that Australia ranks poorly on press freedom compared with other developed countries. (Source: The Age, Melbourne, 10 May 2007, http:/www.theage.com.au) he Australian Democrats have called for the Howard government to apologise following the acquittal of Pan Pharmaceuticals boss Jim Selim in the New South Wales Supreme Court on 18 April. The company, Australia's largest natural health manufacturing base, was orced into administration in May 2003 ‘ollowing the largest pharmaceutical recall in Australia's history. "It was a pointless exercise targeting complementary medicines and it sent hundreds of small businesses broke," said Democrats leader and health spokesperson Senator Lyn Allison. "The Howard government turned its back on the mess and just walked away." Over 1,500 products were recalled, not cause they caused adverse reactions but because of speculation about "inconsistent quality". Mr Selim was accused of a litany of charges, including breaching his manufacturing licence. In the end, only two counts made it to court and these were thrown out. "The unprecedented recall had a devastating effect on small businesses and shook public confidence in complementary health," Senator Allison said. "The very least those who have suffered deserve is an apology." (Source: Australian Democrats press release, 18 April 2007, http://www. democrats.org.au; Alliance for Health Freedom Australia, http:/Avww.ahf-au.org) WHERE HAVE ALL THE TV VIEWERS GONE? Ans number of Americans drifted away from television over the few two months. More than 2.5 million fewer people were watching ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox than at the same time last year, statistics show. Everyone has a theory to explain the plummeting ratings: early daylight savings time, more re-runs, bad shows, more shows being recorded or downloaded or streamed. The networks argue that viewership is changing, not necessarily declining. The viewer plunge couldn't have come at a worse time for the networks: next week they will showcase their fall schedules to advertisers in the annual "up front" presentations. (Source: AP, 9 May 2007) JUNE — JULY 2007 NEXUS + 7 www.nexusmagazine.com