Author Archive
John Key’s changing narrative on al-Qaeda threat in NZ
PM justifies spy bill: Kiwis trained by al-Qaeda NZ Herald 1 August 2013 Kiwi with al Qaeda links ‘no threat’ NZ Herald 31 August 2011 Yeah, this can pretty much be seen in the context we discussed on Saturday: Justifying mass surveillance with ‘terror threat’ is a right wing talking point. Also interesting: SIS spying […]
An important article by Andrea Vance & some thoughts about democracy in NZ
Seriously, read this: Spy scandal journalist speaks out Maybe I’m ‘conflicted’, since I’ve worked in the press gallery — back when it was where it should be: in the corridor on the 2nd floor of Parliament Buildings, a short stroll from the actual Parliamentary Press Gallery. I’ve used the swipe-cards, used the Parliamentary Service-provided phone […]
Are you dating a tyrant? Take our simple quiz to find out!
In response to a comment from Shayne: How do I know if I’m dating a despot? It’s a jungle out there for innocent citizens like you. We understand. It’s nice to have someone in your life, someone to hold you close — but how do you know if the guy you’re dating is actually an […]
Trying to make Google’s glasses look glamourous
I had to chuckle when I spotted a request online for a picture of someone ‘attractive’ wearing Google’s somewhat creepy wearable spy camera/computer — then saw the request responded to with this picture from Google’s original marketing material (i.e. a posed professional model): She’s gorgeous, no question. But, of course, she’s being paid for her […]
With respect, Mr Key, you misjudge me.
In an interview broadcast on state broadcaster (well, for now) TVNZ’s Q&A current affairs programme this morning, John Key characterised New Zealanders who’ve expressed dissent about his GCSB Bill, and specifically the thousands of us who took part in protest rallies throughout the country yesterday, as “either politically aligned or misinformed“. Listen to this 20 […]
Photos from Auckland ‘Stop the GCSB Bill’ rally
Here are some photos of the main speakers at today’s ‘Stop the GCSB Bill’ rally in Auckland. Click to view them larger. Feel free to use these images if you wish (with picture credit to Peter Aranyi, please) or contact me to get a higher resolution file.
‘Stop the GCSB Bill’ rallies and marches today
You may have heard there were protest rallies around New Zealand today, demonstrating public opposition to John Key’s proposed expansion of surveillance powers of the GCSB. I went along to the Auckland one. It was packed. Here’s a panorama I took of the crowd at Aotea Square (it’s two photos stitched). For me, one of […]
Justifying mass surveillance with ‘terror threat’ is a right wing talking point
All over the world right wing politicians are justifying encroachments on their citizens’ civil liberties with references to the 9-11 terrorist attack or the spectre of a similar outrage. In the US, Republican presidential-possible Governor Chris Christie has just had a crack at it, whacking ‘libertarian’ concerns about privacy and civil liberties as ‘esoteric’ or […]
The slippery slope: Dissent > Protest > Politics
Rick Falkvinge on civil liberties in the age of the internet. “The old guard is introducing censorship, wire-tapping, an end to anonymity — a crackdown on free speech.” “If the old politicians understood that the laws they are making are the equivalent of putting microphones under every cafe table … ” (cf: like Urban Cafe? […]
Another stab at big-O objective journalism/media
He’s wonderful, huh? Go and read the whole thing at Maria Popova’s site. I was a fan a Hunter S. Thompson long before I got into journalism — I read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas while I was still at high school, back in the days when I was listening to Pink Floyd’s album Meddle […]
Photos from the ‘Stop the GCSB Bill’ public meeting
I went along to the packed public meeting at the Mt Albert War Memorial Hall. Standing room only. Here are some photos. Click to view them larger. Feel free to use these images if you wish (with picture credit to Peter Aranyi, please) or contact me to get a higher resolution file.
‘News co.s aren’t in the business they pretend to be in.’
Here’s a quite smart analysis of the challenge ‘traditional’ news companies face vis-à-vis the internet eating their lunch … Certainly the landscape for those working in ‘da media’ has changed (understatement!) and those who look at journalism as a career are increasingly faced with putting their skills and experience to work feeding the machine (or […]
Wry
via Juha Saarinen @juhasaarinen
You’re doing ‘hit-pieces’ on government critics, now David? Seriously?
You may remember the name David Farrar. I write about him here now and then, usually fairly affectionately (well, comparatively). David Farrar showing WhaleOil how it’s done Negative credibility sux, eh @whaleoil? eh @dpfdpf? I’d double-check if they told me what day it was A study in spin. And Farrar lends a hand … Wailing […]
‘…the classic kind of despotic manoeuvre Muldoon would have tried to pull off at his most power-drunk.’
NZ Herald columnist Deborah Hill Cone lets John Key and Steven Joyce have it with both barrels in her piece today: Govt’s event-veto powers in SkyCity deal bizarre relating to a ‘bizarre‘ clause in the just-inked SkyCity convention-centre-for-casino-licence-extension-and-hundreds-of-extra-poker-machines deal with the National-led government. I’m a fan of Hill Cone’s writing, as we have discussed before. […]
