For supporters of John Kerry, who have seen allegations about the Democratic candidate's military record sap his campaign, it must have seemed like a case of just deserts.

The president, George Bush, was last week looking vulnerable on the same grounds after CBS's flagship current affairs show, 60 Minutes, broadcast a report claiming he had been suspended from pilot duties for failing to meet the required standards. It was also claimed that a commanding officer had been put under pressure to "sugar coat" Mr Bush's performance reviews.

But while CBS stands by its story, allegations have now surfaced that 60 Minutes based a large part of the report on forged documents.

Although what one man - even a presidential candidate - did more than 30 years ago can seem rather trivial, the US election is being fought between a self-declared "war president" and a man who, in stump speeches, claims he would defend his country as president in the way he had defended it as a young man.

Running on empty

The fourth floor of San Francisco's City Hall feels remote. Dimly lit and strangely quiet, it conveys a sense of isolation from the powerful people who do their work in the lower levels of the building.

Here, in an unremarkable conference room, is where the San Francisco Peak Oil Preparedness Task Force is conducting its second meeting. Two of its officers are absent, and only one member of the public has turned up to participate. It is an atmosphere that belies the issue's cataclysmic potential.

The day's breaking news headlines of oil reaching $100 per barrel for the first time in history is perhaps a harbinger of things to come. One year earlier the price was $58 per barrel. This dramatic increase in such a short span would devastate economies around the world if it continued at anywhere close to that rate.

Meet our 2004 Miss Showgirls

THERE are seven candidates for the 2004 Miss Showgirl competition.

The seven are a broad cross-section of the Wauchope community.

The winner of the Miss Showgirl award will be announced during the official opening of the show on Saturday April 17.

The candidates and brief profiles of the seven are:

Alicia Taylor - Alicia is18 and works as a shop assistant, recently completing her HSC at Wauchope High, she has deferred a Bachelor of Economics at Newcastle University for 1 year. Alicia says "In the future I would like a career in this field, also to be happy and comfortable and to make the most of life's experiences".

Barbara Gilbert - Barbara left school in year 11 but plans to complete her HSC some time in the future. She is currently working towards qualifying as a level one horse riding instructor with the Equestrian Federation of Australia.

Saturday Question

You folks are almost in top form this morning, with or without coffee (and I notice there's a new poster, amyreba ... unless she's an old poster with a new name). Second personal blog question for the morning: Should I leave the blog open with minimal oversight when I'm on vacation? I noticed that CDADave and Dawn Q Otee have wondered if that's a good idea.

New community centre planned

I am so happy with the North Harrow Islamic Centre and the proposed islamic design which will be run under islamic laws. We don't have a Mosque in North Harrow and muslims don't have anywhere to go in Harrow. I hope the North Harrow Islamic Centre becomes a centre for all muslims in North West London and may be attraction for muslims from abroad. I will certinaly be visiting few times a day to pray there. I hope in few years time more land is purchased and the North Harrow Islamic Centre is expanded. Happy Eid to ALL muslims. Mohammed. Allah-ul-Akbar. .

Be brave, Pakistani poetess tells Taslima Nasreen

It makes a change if people reach out and hold our hand when we need support and help. After all, we are also humans," she commented.

She said that it was the Indian intelligentsia who were her real hosts.