Archive for February, 2009
Next Entries »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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