Chris not Christians
Thursday, February 19th, 2009I’m not a Christian. I think the Biblical creation story is daft. I don’t think it should be taught in schools. But I do think that when a serious radio programme debates the issue “Should creation be taught in schools?” the station should at least find someone who thinks it should to include in the […]
Ethics inquiry into 13-year-old dad story
Thursday, February 19th, 2009The UK’s Press Complaints Commission is looking into the ethics of The Sun’s story about a 13-year-old fathering a child. On what grounds, you ask? In NZ, the issue might be the child’s privacy (can a boy really consent to a story like that?) or whether the paper had “particular care and consideration for reporting […]
Boscawen appeal fails
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009The Court of Appeal has thrown out the Bill of Rights challenge to the Electoral Finance Act. That’s not to say that they thought the EFA was consistent with the BORA. Just that they wouldn’t consider the issue. I’m not too surprised that they threw out the challenge to the Attorney-General’s decision not to report […]
Children’s privacy marches on in ECHR
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009The European Court of Human Rights has gone much further than NZ’s Hosking case in protecting children’s privacy. Parents of a newborn baby snapped by a private clinic in its sterile unit successfully argued that the taking (and keeping) of the photos (even without publication) without parental consent breached the child’s right to private life. This […]
Lundy 2
Thursday, February 12th, 2009Here’s one thing the prosecutors could have said to White about the Lundy case: Lundy filled his gas tank in Wellington. The fuel warning was flashing when he got back to Palmerston North. How did Lundy manage to empty the tank in one normal-speed trip back to Palmerston North plus a bit of driving in […]
Lundy case is falling down?
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009I commend to your attention Mike White’s terrific article questioning the conviction of Mark Lundy in North & South magazine. It seems Lundy is to be added to New Zealand’s increasingly large stack of questionable convictions. When serious questions like this arise, I don’t think it’s enough for police and prosecutors to respond, as they often do, by […]
Books are doomed
Tuesday, February 10th, 2009Yeah, I don’t much like e-books either. But here’s the thing: that doesn’t matter. Old paper-and-binding books are doomed anyway. Don’t believe me? Read this. The logic is unassailable, I think.
Books banned in New Zealand
Thursday, February 5th, 2009The censor’s office has posted an interesting list of the books banned or restricted here since 1965. 250 books have been banned or restricted in that period. Interestingly, nearly two-thirds of those bans/restrictions have been since the passage of the Films, Videos and Publications Classification Act in 1993, and nearly a third were in the period […]
In Jesus’ name, amen
Thursday, February 5th, 2009Someone complained to the Advertising Standards Authority that a Christmas ad from Bond and Bond was offensive to Christians. The ad said: CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS WITH SOME NEW GEAR, IT’S WHAT HE’D WANT Offensive to Christians? Well… maybe some. But it’s mostly spoofing the brazen commercialisation of Christmas, including by Bond and Bond. […]
“Vile racist abuse?”
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009Here’s Vince Siemer’s case in a microcosm. Siemer writes intemperately about Stiassny. The courts overreact to Siemer. Siemer overreacts to the courts. In the $920,000 damages judgment, Justice Cooper accuses Siemer of directing “vile racist abuse” at Stiassny. Here’s his reasoning: [48] [Stiassny] complained also that some of the language used by Mr Siemer had […]
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