Einstein versus Trump*
Einstein tried to explain complex things and understand reality; Trump tried to explain it away and distort reality.
Media
articles
Words of Outrage or Outrageous Action?
Do you reward rage with rage or do you ignore it and walk away quietly?
Wellington Central: Should Grant Robertson Stand Aside?
Should Labour’s Grant Robertson stand aside in Wellington Central to guarantee the Greens are available to be a coalition partner?
Small start to inflated bullshit.
I was reading one of Chris Trotters reflections which looked at the Corrections Amendment Bill 2018, that just passed its 3rd reading. “Putting The Check In Right-Wing Prisoners’ Mail”. It sounded odd and oddly lacked detail. I came to the conclusion taking press releases at face value without thinking was a very bad idea.
All hail our computer overlords
IBM has staged a debate between an IBM computer and the world debating champion. The human won but the debate suggests that it may be just a matter of time … and the computer had remarkable things to say about poverty.
Blomfield beats Slater
Matt Blomfield has obtained judgment in his long running defamation case against Cameron Slater.
Herald and Du Plessis-Allan present compelling argument in favour of industry wide bargaining
Heather Du Plessis-Allan has written as compelling an article in favour of the the Government’s proposed industry wide negotiations as you could ever think possible.
About that $100,000 National Party donation
Fran O’Sullivan has correctly stated that the investigation of the $100,000 donation made to the National Party that was partitioned to hide it should be of much greater concern to the New Zealand Police than Sarah Dowie’s texts.
Herald names Dowie as the sender of that text to Jami-Lee Ross
Sarah Dowie has been identified as the MP under police investigation for sending the text to Jami-Lee Ross saying that he deserved to die.
Chinese Herald changed Herald articles to be more China friendly
Stuff has reported that its opponent, the New Zealand Herald, has via its Chinese version amended stories to make them more acceptable to the Chinese Government.
National’s dead cat strategy
National has attempted to drown out news of further leaks, bad poll results and a reference of Maggie Barry’s behaviour to the Auditor General by staging a big stink in Parliament.
All that is wrong with America’s democracy
In Georgia, despite the Repbublican candidate who oversaw the election process engaging in the mass disenfranchisement of Democrat voters, the removal of voting machines to make voting in Democrat areas more difficult and baseless smearing of the Democrat candidate, the result is on a knife edge and a second vote is a possibility.
Everything is awesome
National is trying to say that everything is fine with Simon Bridges’ leadership, that he has handled the Jami-Lee Ross crisis well and that his leadership is assured. I beg to differ.
We are failing kids from poor families
Kirsty Johnston has produced an in-depth analysis of the current rate of young people from poor backgrounds entering professional ranks. And the news is not good.
Business confidence verses business certainty
Lately the news has been all doom and gloom about business confidence. But what is the reality? And should we worry what an Australian Bank is telling us?
The week of Limogate
Tracy Watkins and Tova O’Brien have both written articles criticising Simon Bridges’ handling of Limogate.
Bullshit upon Bullshit.
Doctors being intimidated.
The manufacturing of a narrative
The past week has seen the Herald focus on issues concerning Clare Curran to the almost exclusion of anything else, including the perilous state of our Health system and Kim Dotcom’s successful appeal against the last Government’s breach of his rights of privacy.
Knighthood Interrupted, and the curious case of New Zealand Defamation Law
Bob Jones is now suing the woman that wants to strip him of his Knighthood over her use of the term “hate speech.” Can we think about perhaps stopping this litigiousness now?
Doofus of the week
Doofus of the week is Bob Jones for spouting racist nonsense that would have been embarrassing in the 1960s let alone now.
When the jet stream slows…
…let’s ridicule Donald Trump.
Breaking: Libertarian opposes free speech
Don Brash has emerged from his crypt once again to tackle the greatest problem facing New Zealand today (in his strange little world) […]
Higgins on National’s shit creek
Higgins: “Water quality should be a massive issue this election. Some friends, who are the kind of dyed-in-the-wool National supporters who call everyone else a loony leftie, now say water quality will guide their vote and it can’t possibly go to National.”…
Labour’s leadership team
Labour’s new tactic of featuring a leadership team seems to be working well.
Fleeing Auckland
Spinoff: “The Spinoff/SSI survey reveals the extraordinary impact of housing crisis on residents of New Zealand’s biggest city – and the extent to which Aucklanders blame foreign speculation.”
Metro: A government on the ropes
Metro: “The National-led government — with its laissez-faire approach to homelessness, house prices and mass immigration — is sailing into a ferocious storm. A newly critical mainstream media and a resurgent opposition is a powerful mix.”
NZ in the international news again
John Roughan on Labour’s birthday
In the Herald John Roughan has offered some very positive comments about the Labour Party and what it stands for.
Stacey Kirk’s Stuff Up
Fairfax journalist Stacey Kirk has published a vicious smear against a group of cancer sufferers. Is this the nastiest lie ever published in the NZ media?
Rachel Stewart eviscerates John Key
Rachel Stewart has penned an opinion piece highlighting John Key’s avoidance of serious media in preference to engaging in rude, crude and highly unattractive stunts on commercial radio.
Stuff report on child abuse
Not exactly light or cheerful Saturday morning reading – but we should all read it anyway. Stuff’s (Katie Kenny & Blair Ensor) excellent special investigation on child abuse in NZ.
A Government of spin redux
The Herald has withdrawn a story that reported on Government pressure on the ERO to rewrite a report after what appears to be pressure from the Government to do so.
Briefing Papers: Refugees and inequality
Briefing Papers have been busy recently, check out some recent articles. How long can wealth keep sucking up before a society breaks down completely?
Bashar al-Assad and other Bastards.
What proper journalistic coverage of Syria looks like.
Briefing Papers (AUT)
As our media becomes increasingly shallow, you might be looking for some solid content reading on a quiet Sunday. Check out Briefing Papers from AUT.
Local right wing media on climate change
Jack Tame on Newstalk ZB has recently brought refreshingly realistic commentary on climate change. Meanwhile in the Herald climate change is thought to be a good thing because summers become warmer.