Mini-links
- Joan Baez – non-violence in action
- Paul Yarrow – News Raider
- Student Journalist – bends a US senator right over
- Vegetables – committing suicide
- What English Sounds Like – a 1972 song by an Italian, written to sound like it’s English
- You see a beaver in the distance – best randomly connected internet chat ever
Back-chat
Ryan Sproull Archive
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The Trouble with Muslims
Posted on January 11, 2010 | 3 CommentsOne of my naive fantasies is that New Zealanders are a pretty decent lot, and that while its trans-Tasman cousin may be the international home of racism, New Zealand is bit more mature than all that. Oh, sure, we've got fringe nuts like the National Front, but they're exceptions that prove the rule. And we do have a certain undercurrent of racial prejudice about the natives - but it's that nice, normal, acceptable level, like the background radiation of cellphone towers. Can't do much about it, not ideal, but we all seem to have agreed somewhere along the line not to talk about it. -
Brian Edwards on Determinism
Posted on January 1, 2010 | No CommentsBrian Edwards recently expressed his innate laziness by rehashing his views on determinism. He cites the fact that he is a "hard determinist" as support for his position on crime and punishment. Basically, because a combination of genetics and environment entirely determine a person's actions, it makes no sense to punish them. While I appreciate Dr Edwards' sentiments, I take issue with various points and turns of phrase. -
Beck
Posted on October 8, 2009 | No CommentsDid Glenn Beck Rape and Murder a Young Girl in 1990? (dot com) -
Less Lethal
Posted on September 28, 2009 | No CommentsThe G20 protests in Pittsburgh over the weekend probably weren’t as large-scale as the organisers hoped. That didn’t stop the Pittsburgh police (and the military, in umarked cars?) from responding with force. “Less lethal” force, according to police messages. They included OC gas (pepper spray),... -
Sneakers. For sneaking.
Posted on September 24, 2009 | No CommentsA new cybersecurity project is out that lets you choose for how long data lives. -
Still Accepting Backups
Posted on September 22, 2009 | No CommentsMark has finally found his Goddess. Still accepting offers. -
The Secret
Posted on September 21, 2009 | 2 CommentsA few thoughts regarding Freemasonry. -
Contextual Value (Part I)
Posted on September 21, 2009 | No CommentsThe first of what will probably be several posts on the topic of morality and decision-making. WARNING: Boring to most. -
I don’t know very English.
Posted on September 18, 2009 | 1 CommentHere is a letter sent to FDR by a wee 12 year old. How cute is that? -
A plan so cunning.
Posted on September 18, 2009 | 15 CommentsWhat began as a few drinks with bloggers became a devious plan. Or just a plan. Barely even that. -
Drinking Liberally: Lewis Holden
Posted on September 17, 2009 | 8 CommentsA review of the Republican Movement unfair for both its brevity and lack of befuckedness. -
Neave Again
Posted on September 14, 2009 | No CommentsA few choice morsels from a Flash developer who has too much time on his hands. -
True Blood
Posted on September 4, 2009 | No CommentsA disappointing series reviewed. -
Trust Me
Posted on August 26, 2009 | 1 CommentWired has an interesting story about the growing efficacy of placebos. This at a time while a $330 billion mental-health pharm industry is killing 40,000 people a year and curing no one (or “Making a Killing“). Meanwhile, Oxford University’s suggesting that maybe we’re over-medicating and... -
Neverendum
Posted on August 24, 2009 | 1 CommentOf course, it’s not 88% of New Zealanders who voted “no”. It’s 88% of people who felt strongly enough about the issue and thought the question was meaningful enough to go to the trouble voting at all. So about half of eligible voters. Slightly more... -
Voluntary Student Unions
Posted on August 21, 2009 | 4 CommentsSo, Sir Roger Douglas’ Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill has been pulled from the hat, and we can look forward to months of debate drawn along traditional left/right lines. It goes like this. Most of the universities in New Zealand have compulsory SA (student... -
Craccum Editor ’10 – Dan Sloan
Posted on August 21, 2009 | 2 CommentsThe results are in, sort of, and the winner of the Craccum Editor election is Dan Sloan, who will be going into his second (non-consecutive) year as editor. -
That Time Again
Posted on August 15, 2009 | No CommentsIt’s Craccum election time again, poor bastards. Usually it’s either a one- or two-horse race, with fairly obvious people from the incumbent editors’ team running against someone hoping to interrupt the dynasty. This time it’s a bit more interesting, and it’s really something I’ve been... -
Don’t you… forget about him.
Posted on August 7, 2009 | No CommentsGoodbye, John Hughes. You gave us Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, which means you gave us Parker Lewis Can’t Lose, and so you also kind of gave us that guy who replaced Daniel in Stargate for that one season that one time. And Planes, Trains &... -
Should a Smack?
Posted on August 5, 2009 | No CommentsI won’t bore you with a rehash of what makes the current referendum question ridiculous. That’s been well covered by just about everyone in the country – except, presumably, those who signed the petition in the first place. The stupidity of the wording is perhaps...
