P.J. Gladnick papundits.wordpress.com A note to Atlantic magazine: George Orwell’s 1984 wasn’t meant to be a how-to guide… A couple of people writing at The Atlantic magazine see a fantastic silver lining in the current coronavirus outbreak. Jack Goldsmith and Andrew Keane Woods see the
I’m no fan of actors, musicians, sports stars and other ‘celebrities’ spouting garbage opinions on things they mostly know absolutely nothing about. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t spout their opinions – they have every bit as much right to spout garbage opinions as the rest of
Dr Michael Jackson covidplanb.co.nz Dr Michael Jackson is a postdoctoral researcher at Victoria University of Wellington. As a scientist, I am trained to think critically, to evaluate evidence, and ask questions – lots and lots of questions. That’s my job. In March 2020 the World Health Organization predicted
In a chilling scene in Chernobyl, soldiers tasked with shooting animals in the exclusion zone pause to take note of a communist propaganda banner drooping from a deserted building. “Our goal is the happiness of all mankind,” they read. They derisively remark on how happy they are – and go back
Barbara McKenzie stovouno.org Below is a TV commercial designed to promote the New Zealand Police as a force for good that is protecting the public by ‘shooting-down’ the COVID-19 virus. The advertisement shows a scene based on the spaghetti western ‘The Good, The Bad and the Ugly’ with a
Dr Grant Morris is Associate Professor in Law, Victoria University of Wellington. covidplanb.co.nz New Zealand has changed dramatically in response to COVID-19. Fundamental rights and liberties have been curtailed to assist in suppressing the virus. From a legal history perspective, this is similar to what New Zealand experienced
If you have a great Youtube or Vimeo video to share send it to videos@thebfd.co.nz
As I’ve written several times before, I may not agree with Bill Maher about much, but I absolutely respect his integrity. Because, unlike too many so-called ‘liberals’, Maher will always apply his principles with consistency and honesty. Put simply, Maher plays the principle, not the side. Maher trenchantly criticises
As the Wuhan virus swept the world, much attention was drawn to Dean Koontz’s 1981 Novel, The Eyes of Darkness, which focuses on a man-made virus breaking loose from none other than Wuhan. Koontz himself has downplayed his alleged prophetic powers, stating that it was mere happenstance that he
As Britain descends into a dystopian hell-hole not easily distinguishable from Christopher Priest’s bleak 1972 novel, Fugue for a Darkening Island (which beat the more famous Camp of the Saints by a year), every now and then there’s one step forward for every ten goose-steps backwards. An elderly
The Free Speech Coalition Less than 24 hours after celebrating our partial-win for New Zealand media, our worst fears have come true. While ethnic and rural/community newspapers have been spared, the same cannot be said of the magazines the Government has forced to shut up shop. A few hours
David Farrar Free Speech Coalition In a matter of days the Government has reconsidered its definition of “essential media” so that it will now include those publications which meet the following criteria: serves a need for hard to reach rural communities, with reduced connectivity, and/or serves non-English speaking communities,
Free Speech Coalition New Zealand’s political and economic events of the last eight days have been the biggest seen in our lifetime. Among the decisions taken on what businesses can and cannot operate, the Ministry of Culture and Heritage has decided what publications can and cannot publish for the
If you have a great Youtube or Vimeo video to share send it to videos@thebfd.co.nz
In this special live episode, join Free Speech Coalition spokesperson Jordan Williams as he hosts Ani O’Brien of Speak Up 4 Women and Stuff columnist Damien Grant for a debate on all things free speech, from Twitter, transgender politics, abortion clinic ‘safe zones’, pornography, and the ban on the
