This is appalling. Maybe it should just be ignored, but John Howard is becoming so desperate that he is now playing the Disabled Child card.

Watch in disbelief as the outgoing Prime Minister exploits a young boy with cerebral palsy, but remember that, all being well, in fourteen days time this arrogant self-centred old man will be consigned to the non-recyclable wizbin of history.

(And no, the Liberal Party's technical boffins still don't know to convert a 16:9 video to 4:3 for Youtube.)

Ah yes, the home Test cricket season has begun. All the familiar trappings of the opening day.

The quiet buzz of the crowd still finding their seats as the first ball of the day is bowled. The sedate crack of willow on leather which echoes around the stadium as the ball is struck defensively to the leg side. The same act repeated five more times as Phil Jaques blocks Chaminda Vaas' inswingers. The return of the drizzle at the end of the over, the covers are driven on as the players and umpires walk off.

Yes, it's summer again. None for none after one over, rain stopped play.

If Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley were to re-appear in contemporary Australia and remake her most famous novel, Telstra would be the monster. John Howard would be Dr Frankenstein, and Richard Alston would be Igor.

The privatisation of Telstra is arguably the worst of the Howard Government's economic failures. It was a classic example of putting ideology before economic sense.

Selling off a government-owned business in order to reduce capital debt is not, in itself, a bad concept.

Selling off a highly profitable government-owned business can work if done properly.

Before I start talking policy over the next couple of weeks before the election, it's worth disclosing that I have become a shareholder again for the first time since May 2005, albeit without really trying and against my will.

Following the demutualisation of NIB Health Funds I was allocated shares as a policy-holder. These shares were issued on 1 October 2007, and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange on 5 November 2007 at an issue price of 85c. At close of trading today they were trading at $1.26.

While everyone else does their weekly campaign summaries on a Friday, I get around to it whenever... in this case the following Wednesday.

(i) "Coalition gains one point on Labor!" Well golly gee. Four words: Statistical. Margin. Of. Error.

Will John Howard continue with his ostentatious morning powerwalks when he becomes the retrenched former member for Bennelong? Or will he entertain grandson Angus with the method of transport demonstrated in the last of today's clips by Nationals leader, Mark "I can't recall" Vaile.

Barely two months after Sydney was turned into Fortress APEC, comes the revelation in today's Sun-Herald that thieves scaled a two-metre security fence last Sunday and roamed unchecked through State Parliament before making off with six security guard shirts.

The Sun Herald continues the story.

It's almost time for cricket to re-emerge from ten months of the absurd. The Australian team for next Thursday's First Test against Sri Lanka at the Gabba has been announced. No huge surprises. Good to see Phil Jaques selected to partner Matty Hayden at the top of the order. No room for Katich following his 306 on the Paddington Highway on the weekend. The first pace attack of the post-Pigeon era is about as expected.

My focus today is on Tony Abbott, minister for health and aging, and honourable member for Warringah; and Peter Costello, federal treasurer and honourable member for Higgins.

First, Abbott and Costello debate themselves over the major issue of the day.
Second, the Invisible Man acts as stunt double for Abbott at the National Press Club.
Third, Costello is picked on by someone smaller than him who is not John Howard.
And finally, exclusive footage as Federal Cabinet calculate the size of a budget surplus.

Tony Abbott has had a Barry Crocker of a day today. Made to apologise to prominent asbestosis sufferer Bernie Banton, half an hour late for the health policy debate in Canberra at lunchtime because of a photo-op with JWH in Melbourne, and then heard swearing at his opposite number Nicola Roxon after said debate. The Sydney Morning Herald has a recap of the highlights of Bud's Halloween, and I hope to put together a Youtube Do Dia Abbott compilation later tonight.