Whilst I don't believe there are pat answers for the debate, comparing fatalities in school shootings with the totality of deaths in relation to lightening strikes, shark attacks, international or domestic terrorism, or just about any other death total within the United States, is just plain disingenuous.

Either compare those figures with the total deaths in relation to ALL shootings in the US, or start partialing out the number of deaths by lightening in school specific strikes, acts of international or domestic terrorism at school sites, or the number of times someone got munched by a shark in the school swimming pool or on a class day trip to the local water body.

Your comparative basis is fundamentally flawed.

More Fun.

Prowse was also in 'A Clockwork Orange', the seminal 1971 film, as 'Julian', the bodyguard to subversive writer F. Alexander (played by Patrick Magee). He was chosen for the role due to his physical prowess (he was a past weight lifting champion) - the role required him to lift Magee in a wheelchair and carry him down stairs, as well as look physically intimidating I guess.

Given that Australia follows the Westminster system, and our government is a representative one (i.e. we all vote to choose our own electorate's representatives), then no Prime Minister is 'voted in' directly by us (well, unless you live in his electorate). The party with superior numbers in the Legislative Assembly has a leader it elects, and that party is invited by the Governor-General to form government. If the party elects a new leader, then they by definition are the elected Prime Minister.

And if you're suggesting that K. Rudd was any less beholden to the 'big, bad Unions' than J.Gillard, and secured his leadership solely with the aid of non-union aligned factions and a bit of magic pixie dust...

It's like complaining a vote for Liberal is a really vote for Corporate Swill-meisters: the power bases of the major political parties have been pretty much as is for all eternity.

I didn't vote for K. Rudd either, but all the best to Ms Gillard. Just please Julia, dump that dead arse Conroy and whatever wheelbarrow he pushes, tell Fielding to stick his poison apple support, and get on with the job.