Qu(ot)e?

THE fog of terror has lifted and John Howard's weakness is again exposed.

The Prime Minister seems like an actor who's lost his lines. No wonder he's been urging his ministers to think up ideas for him to discuss.

But he has always battled to sell his values. To inspire. To make people feel good about themselves and their country.

True, a freedom-loving conservative must be wary of Man-with-the-Plan politics of the kind socialists, and Labor, love. But voters do want to know what a leader is on about -- what motivates him and what kind of sunlit Australia he's working for.

What has Howard given them? In 1996, he simply promised to make us ``relaxed and comfortable'', and won only because he wasn't Paul Keating. In 1998, he promised the GST, so he'd at least look like he believed in something, unlike Labor's Kim Beazley.

In 2001, Howard ran on fear. He'd protect us from terrorists and fake refugees -- which is great, but not a vision. How weak Labor was to have lost.

And now? What is Howard selling now that the war on terror is, for most voters, won?

Colostomy Lugs in The Hun

Just what the hell is going on at The Hun? Did someone finally get to the bugger with an enema bag?