In case you missed it, Australia ratified the Kyoto accords, leaving only one industrialized country — US — refusing to join. Slightly amusingly, Andrew Revkin of the Times initially said that only two countries remained — the behemoth US and tiny Liechtenstein. But in this post, he apologizes to the postage-stamp European nation. It is, indeed, only US. An aside about Australia: Its late acceptance of the worldwide protocols designed to combat global warming (reached in '97, went into force in 2005 upon reaching its agreed-upon minimum of signatories, who now number 174) was a direct result of a change in government last week. The new Minister for Environment, Heritage and Arts is Peter Garrett, the magnetic, hulking leader of the former band Midnight Oil, whose songs always had strong progressive political and environmental content (not to mention driving beats and great melodies). When I think of leaders, he often comes to mind, though I can't help but wonder if he'll thrive within what passes for polite political discourse in the modern age. (Then again, what the hell do I know about Peter Garrett? I am a fan and admirer, but little more.) Thanks to Geoff Edgers of the Globe for cluing me into the Garrett angle.