First Australians?

The current SBS series First Australians is an important and serious attempt to tell the story of the impact of the colonisation of this continent. It is long overdue. That said, I can't help questioning a couple of points, not the least being the title.
Did the indigenous occupants think of their land as Australia? No, judging from the (colonists') historical records and programme interviews, it was simply, but emotively, 'country'. Therefore the very title places the series firmly within settler discourse, particularly with the emphasis on post-contact events.
Thus far, there has hardly been mention of 40-60,000 years of Aborigine settlement and the archaeological remains (yes, I know, I'm biased, and subsequent episodes may redress this failing). Given the details of the terror in Tasmania in the 1800s, perhaps 'Last Australians' would have been a more appropriate title.
My second quibble is with the repeated use of the word 'civilization'. From a historical and academic point of view, I have yet to come across a definition of 'civilization' (and I've just spent a semester tutoring 1st years on ancient civilizations) that can be applied to Aborigine culture. Urban centres, state level government and administration, intensive agriculture, writing systems - none of these major prerequisites for 'civilization' status (however meaningful a concept that is, or is not) were found by Cook and the subsequent settlers.
This is not, of course, to say that Aborigine culture was and is 'uncivilized', nor lacking in complexity. Their art, oral traditions and sensitive and sustainable management of often hostile environments are remarkable and put much of what the 'White Fella' has done to shame. But it somehow seems politically incorrect these days to suggest that these features of their culture do not equate to civilization. This is simply inaccurate.

Kevin07 shows his worth

This week's announcement of decisive and considered measures to buffer Australia, and especially its less well-off inhabitants, from the global financial meltdown, and to reassure the markets about the security of Australian banking system, is timely and impressive.
Kevin07 has been criticized, largely by those with nothing better to do other than generate news when there is none (e.g. BBC correspondent Nicholas Bryant), for inaction and caution, having the temerity to wait for reviews rather than rush to fill soundbites and pander to the media gallery, and daring to travel overseas to put Australia's case on the world stage. He has answered many of those criticisms and should be commended for it. I dread to think what Little Johnny would have done, other than pretend it all wasn't happening, as he did with climate change.

Finn moves!

Here are a couple of vids of the wee monkey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtDEyUIjSMo

A bit rich

Interesting how banks such as the Commonwealth are scrambling to snap up 'bargains', spending hundreds of millions of dollars taking over their smaller competitors in the midst of the global financial crisis when there's (allegedly) not enough money / confidence to go round, and they certainly couldn't possibly afford to pass on fully cuts in interest rates...
I also fail to comprehend how the Aussie dollar can free-fall against the Greenback when the economy here is in relatively good shape, the banking sector is relatively robust and interest rates relatively high, whereas the US economy is going down the toilet, the US banking system is rotten to the core and their interest rates negligible.
I'm sure there's some logically explanation, other than keeping petrol prices at the bowsers here artificially high... answers on a postcard please!