For years it has been debated amongst physicists, chemists and rock mechanics. Just who is the style icon who has guided scientists to the fashionista status they now enjoy? Finally, there is an answer. The influential New Scientist magazine has named comedian Jerry Seinfeld as the most influential figure in shaping the Science Nerd Look favoured by gifted young scientific thinkers the world over.

Record label Jamster! has announced that the scheduled release of the Crazy Frog’s follow-up to Jingle Bells/U Can’t Touch This has been delayed indefinitely. The album, featuring the working title Ring Ding Ding!, has been dogged by staff walk-outs, contract disputes and, insiders say, increasingly bitter disagreement over its creative direction.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is still in a coma more than a week after suffering from a massive stroke. Sharon displayed eye movement early in the week, and while it’s not clear how much cognitive function he will regain, doctors say he has now completely recovered his low-level ability to hold the Palestinians responsible for any problem in Israel, including his stroke.

Prime Minister Howard has marked the end of the Asia Pacific Climate Summit by pledging $100 million to prevent his brother Stan from chopping down endangered trees on his Bowral property. The funds, which will be paid to Stan Howard in cash, will be the first significant measure the government has ever tried to reduce climate change.

The captain of the Japanese whaling ship, Nisshin Maru, has defended his actions during a collision with the Greenpeace-owned vessel, Arctic Sunrise as being undertaken “purely for research purposes” as part of an ongoing program to establish whether a more institutionalised cull of activitists may be needed.

Channels Seven and Ten have made history of themselves by winning the right to pay $780 million for the AFL broadcast rights from 2007-11. The deal will be the biggest in Australian sporting history, even exceeding Panthers player Craig Gower’s out-of-court settlement. “This marks the beginning of an exciting new era for Channel Seven,” announced Seven Chief Executive Kerry Stokes. “What was that era where the dinosaurs all died? That one.”

Shane Warne’s estranged wife Simone has contradicted recent claims that the champion spinner is appealing too much, saying that in her opinion, he’s no longer at all appealing. Mrs Warne, who is seeking a divorce, pointed out that her husband's appeals were only successful these days when they were directed to drunk English girls in nightclubs.

Media mogul Kerry Packer’s corpse has been called before a Senate committee, following claims that he may have engaged in illicit life minimisation activities. It is believed that Packer could be exploiting a tax loophole that allows him to pay as little as zero cents in the dollar taxation, simply by experiencing fatal kidney failure. However, Packer’s cadaver has defended itself, saying it’s paying no less tax than it did when he was alive, and acting considerably more in the public’s interest.

British tourist Peter Falconio emerged from hiding today to applaud the conviction of Bradley Murdoch for murdering him. Falconio said he agreed with the jury’s verdict that Murdoch was guilty, even though a body had never been found. “The end of the trial is a great personal relief. Now I can get on with my life,” Falconio said, flanked by his new wife Cathleen. “I just hope that one day Bradley Murdoch will reveal where he buried my body, so that my family and Joanne can have some closure.”

Family First Senator Steve Fielding has given the Government the final vote it needed to pass its controversial voluntary student unionism legislation. “Some have argued that I should have supported the bill because unions fund welfare services such as counselling and childcare centres,” Fielding said. “But why would you need childcare when you’ve got a wife to stay at home and mind the kids?” he asked. “Those are the kinds of families we’re putting first.”