Innovation and discovery comes from people with inquisitive minds - minds that have been nurtured by a well rounded education system; one that encourages critical thinking, experimentation, and a good understanding of what scientific knowledge we have already. Now look at what is happening in the US - a drastic cutback in public education, "teaching to the test", and in many areas, official dismissal of science and scientific discoveries. Quite a few school districts are actively pushing creationism against evolution, dismissing global climate change, and many "non-essential" curriculum activities.

I was once told "If you think the cost of education is expensive, consider the cost of ignorance."

They've gone about a fur as they can go.

The government isn't telling it's citizens what they can and cannot do. This is just an employer directing it's employees what they are not permitted to do while at work using the employer's equipment and facilities. Just about every employer will do that. So what's your problem?

Or even more insulted if you were called a seppo.

Have you ever met, in person, an Australian Prime Minister? Back in 1988, I was a guest at the Parliament House Christmas party put on my the Labor Party for Parliament House staff. While I was having a cold beer, up comes an older man, magnificent head of silvery-gray hair, with a glass of orange juice and a big cigar.

"G'day mate, I'm Bob", he said, offering his hand

I shook his hand and replied, "G'day Bob, I'm Ken."

That's how Aussie PM's should interact with other Aussies. I would hope the current Aussie PM would react the same if I said "G'day, Julia, I'm Ken."

Just because you win a battle doesn't prove you right, it only proves you are stronger. Likewise, just because you lose a battle doesn't make you wrong. The leaders of the US revolution committed treason against the British monarchy - but of course once they won the war, who was going to prosecute them. There are few war crimes for the victors.

It's a moot point anyway - even the current people governing Texas would not be foolish enough to seriously consider secession. Once they were no longer part of the US, but a foreign country, it would only be a matter of time before Mexico reclaimed that area.

Maybe they were free to leave the first time. But what about when they were readmitted to the Union - I'm sure part of the readmitting of the confederate states would have involved no future secession.

And many constitutional scholars disagree with your proposition that any of the US States can secede from the Union.

Makes me proud to be an Australian. Now there are no reasons why we can't colonize space - we can take our slabs of VB with us, all we need is a barbie (that's the device for cooking hunks of dead animals over flames, not the de-sexed doll) that is safe to use in zero gravity.

Crack a tinny, mate.

Which certainly applies at the court where I work in Florida - we are all subject to pre-employment drug tests, and random drug test - the "pee in the cup" type as a condition of employment. Fail the test, and you're out of a job.

$10 for a cup of coffee???? I didn't know the warm, brown liquid that was sold at Starbucks was actually "coffee". Now, if I want a cup or warmed up, caffeinated, over sweet yak urine...

Wait a minute - I thought the original article was referring to hospitals in the USA - so then "best healthcare" is not an option.

What punishment would the guilty person get? I'll bet you London to brick it wouldn't even get to court.

One law for the power elite, and the rest of us can bugger off.

This is the price we pay for using all of these "services" at no direct cost to ourselves. Something has to pay for all of the infrastructure, developers, support, etc from Twiter / Facebook / Google / etc.

Don't forget to enter "about:robots" in the FireFox address line....