Author Archive
Sorry, but this man is treating us like children (or fools)
John Key's line: As I had reason to tell someone in a completely different context recently … No doubt Mr Key's line, “Look, members of the news media, despite what those NSA/GCSB documents say, you're completely wrong — but it's not my job to tell you how you are” approach will work for some […]
For some reason this SERCO baby ID card troubles me
I saw this image shortly after it was published on Twitter, and it has affected me. My kids both had passports at very early ages — my daughter starting walking on one of our (then) frequent business trips to Malaysia and Singapore. My son could barely hold his head up for the pharmacy assistant taking […]
BlueChip: Running out of courts to appeal to
It’s a bad look when someone wins in the District Court, loses in the Court of Appeal, then wins in the Supreme Court. Still, them’s the breaks. What a terrible trail of devastation Mark Bryers and his BlueChip gang left in New Zealand — and that was among the people who got off their chuff […]
BBC Scotland on spying. Some of the same issues and questions as New Zealand
I heard part of this BBC Scotland report by Eamonn O’Neill as he “explores the world of contemporary espionage” this morning and recognised several of the same talking points about increased state security agency surveillance keeping us ‘safe’ as are deployed here in New Zealand — it’s right there in the title: ‘How safe are […]
Nicky Hager on protecting sources
Investigative journalist and author Nicky Hager was part of the Centre for Investigative Journalism’s recent Logan Symposium … Check out CIJournalism’s YouTube channel for more. Update: If you’re a journalist, don’t miss John Pilger’s blistering presentation on media vs propaganda & news ‘agenda’. An important message. Pilger’s speech notes War by media and the triumph […]
So why say it, Mr Cameron?
Very odd. See also Cory Doctorow’s article at Boingboing: ‘What David Cameron just proposed would endanger every Briton and destroy the IT industry‘
From ‘News of the World tactics’, journalists as ‘little henchmen’ to … #hypocrisy
See earlier: Teapot tape saga sputters out with withdrawal of ‘costs’ action against cameraman.
Another deceitful photoshop fail
One more in my occasional series highlighting Photoshop deceit… this time showing the unreality of distorting body images using Photoshop — i.e. bulking up Justin Bieber. via @caffiene_addict Of course, as previously noted, women generally get slimmed down …
“We love surveillance”
On the day it’s announced that Ian Fletcher is to depart from the GCSB, a few thoughts about surveillance … British PM David Cameron is already making the appropriate noises … nicely framed by John Gruber at DaringFireball.net. And, for context, here’s Mr Fletcher’s rather soothing speech to the 2014 Privacy Forum …
Alexa O’Brien, Amnesty International, testimony to Catalonia Parliament re Chelsea Manning
This testimony by Alexa O’Brien provides a good, compact ‘highlights’ package/history of the treatment whistle-blower Chelsea Manning received at the hands of the US Military judicial system. The video features her speaking with a translator (21 mins) while in the audio below (mp3 10 mins) the translator has been trimmed out. Worth paying attention to, […]
Lawmakers and ‘leaders of our community’ in action
“Pungent aroma of dickwad” — not my most eloquent criticism, but it will suffice. When they’re not busy enabling warrantless spy agency surveillance powers (under urgency) these lions of the Parliament, Peter Dunne and Jami-Lee Ross take potshots at opposition MPs as ‘muppets, cult-followers, hillbillies, bigots and racists’. How ignoble. [View the story “Conversation with […]
Peter Watts at Canada Privacy Symposium — ‘Burn the Data to the Ground’
A surprising and very interesting presentation about authoritarian surveillance — its link to fear, and being aware of hard-wired responses including dominance and anti-predator behaviours … with a side swipe at the roots of ‘religious belief’. I like Peter Watts’ approach to the topic, looking back at the powerful and another take on ‘only the […]
Dedicated to no-one in particular …
‘Cool Kids’ by Echosmith — on Jimmy Fallon’s show (Update: that Jimmy Fallon link ‘expired’, so here’s a new ‘live’ version… albeit somewhat tightly produced & cut … I really did like the Fallon show live version) ‘Official’ music video here
John Pilger on the shabby persecution of Julian Assange
I have respected John Pilger since before I trained and entered journalism in the 1980s. I respect his courage and his tenacity, his willingness to show up and tell the truth as he sees it. He’s also no fool. So, although it may not be a popular stand, in terms of some people’s interpretation of […]
She’s a hard road finding the perfect instrument to manipulate the market, son.
Another post from the Colliding Worlds department, here’s an article I just posted at the Empower Education website … Comments & discussion welcome there. – P
