What does China censor online?A beautiful — if depressing — visualisation of words, search terms and websites censored by China on the internet. Words like “democracy”.
January, 2010
Abbott’s green army
Following Tony Abbott’s first big speech of his leadership last night, Possum Comitatus takes a squiz at the size of the public opinion hurdle he faces on his two chosen policy areas: water planning and the environment.
Abbott’s army powerless against climate change
Tony Abbott will rally a “green army” to save the environment, but his anointed generals say it will be powerless in the face of climate change inaction.
Why do men use prostitutes?
A huge international research project is attempting to uncover the reasons men pay for sex (aside from the obvious). Amongst other surprising findings is that many “believed men would ‘need’ to rape if they could not pay for sex”.
Why Israel needs a Zionist revival
Israel is headed for a big political upheaval, says Ari Shavit, and if Zionists play their cards right, 2010 could be their year to seize back power and the national ideology.
BBC: Melbourne is still Australia’s “most successfully multi-racial city”
Melbourne’s self-declared reputation as “one of the world’s most harmonious and culturally diverse communities” has taken a blow with the recent killing of Indian student Nitin Garg — but the vilification is unfair and unfounded, says the Beeb.
Brainstorming: how to rebuild Haiti
Doctors, authors, journalists and academics weigh-in on what can be done to help rebuild Haiti in the long term — from fixing the government to refocusing on the countryside to fewer NGOs.
Bill Clinton: Haiti needs your help
Former US President Bill Clinton pens an op-ed for the Washington Post, appealing for cash donations for Haiti — not just to fix the immediate damage caused by the earthquake, but to continue building the country well into the future.
The fairly quiet Fair Work Week
A whole new set of federal laws about industrial relations has slid into being this week with very little fanfare. Anne Junor explains exactly what the changes entail for employees and employers.
Haiti wants your money honey, not your misguided love or old clothes
If you’re planning on donating to the horrific Haiti earthquake, that’s wonderful. But give cash, and only cash. As we learnt from the 2004 Tsunami, donating medicine, food and clothes does more harm than good for disaster stricken areas.
Not racist, just complacent: how self reflection is un-Australian
With all the issues surrounding Indian student violence, we’ve been getting caught in all the hysteria over whether Australia is or isn’t racist, whether the violence is race related and what we should do about it. Tim Watts debunks the myths.
Arty farts in uproar: culture isn’t just in the eye of the benefactor
Art gallery directors are begging, pleading and quitting over the lack of funding being made by state governments to their state cultural institutions. With funds drying up and art seen as charity, we’re becoming a second-rate culture, writes John McDonald.
A how-to guide for living in countries with no internet privacy
Lifehacker has a great guide to staying safe and protected online while living, working and travelling in countries where privacy isn’t respected — say, oh I don’t know… China?
Abbott: I will lead into battle a Green Army of thousands
In a bid to prove his green credentials, Tony Abbott made a sweeping speech at The Sydney Institute, acknowledging that the environment is a vote changing issue and calling for the creation of a 15,000 strong Green Army.
Google was hacked by the Chinese government
Internet security researchers have traced the attacks on Google back to the their original source: the Chinese government. If correct, they may have uncovered a massive, ongoing campaign of industrial espionage against US companies.
Crikey Says: Online media leads the way in horrific humanitarian crises
Online media may still be tying itself in knots over the small matter of how to make money but when it comes to covering horrific humanitarian crises, it really comes into its own.
How banks are already cashing-in on Haiti
As well-meaning westerners take out their credit cards to help earth-quake ravaged Haiti, banks and credit card companies are making hundreds of millions of dollars in transaction and processing fees.
Haiti: the disaster we saw coming
Scientists have known the Haitian earthquake — or something like it — was coming since 1985. Why was nothing done?
Bracing for a big one: Labor’s year ahead
It’s a bumper year ahead in politics as we prepare for the epic battle of Tony vs. Kevin. And considering Labor’s mixed record in office, it may not be as clear cut as we’d assume, writes Ben Eltham.
VIDEO: Wes Anderson’s fantastic acceptance speech
Kooky film director Wes Anderson was awarded an award by the National Board of Review this week. You didn’t really think he’d just stand up and give a normal acceptance speech, did you?
Charlie Brown was a terrible baseball player
Are you an obsessive nerd about sport? Well you ain’t got nothing on this guy, who has calculated Charlie Brown’s pitching average.
10 places not to visit in 2010
Forget the NYT’s “31 Places to Go in 2010” snoozefest, says BlackBook — read up on the best places to avoid.
Krill ask the tough questions…
Whales, are they our adorable, bigboned aquafriends or cynical, obese, mass-murderers?
Media briefs: Avocados: bigger than Haiti … Gawker offers $100k for an iTablet … Sesame St Fighter
All the worst Haiti coverage, Gawker puts up $100,000 for a chance at an Apple Tablet exclusive, Sesame Street enters the video game market and more news from the media.
Why you can’t trust a thing you read
The American media is fundamentally unreliable, says Glenn Greenwald: a mix of dodgy sources, unnecessary anonymity, and outright lies means we shouldn’t believe anything we read — even in papers like the NYT.
