“Our most basic freedoms are threatened by an outrageous attempt to shut down peaceful activist magazine NORML News,” declares Libertarianz Drugs Spokesman Luke Howison. Three issues of the popular cannabis activism magazine NORML News have been submitted to the Office of Film & Literature Classification for ‘classification’ – which is potentially a precursor for a [...]

Catastrophes, Culture, Free Speech, Freedom, Libertarianz, New Zealand, Police, Politics | 1 Comment »

I’ve noticed something weird going on in Karori recently.  Check out this sign from the window of the Karori Post Office (click for big): That’s right.  It’s a serious-looking Big Brother poster warning Karori residents that surveillance and recording of their physical whereabouts, conversations, phone calls, text messages and internet use “may” be operating, for [...]

Culture, Freedom, New Zealand, Photos, Police, Politics, Wellington | 4 Comments »

I was fascinated to read about the Sentinelese recently – a tribe of 250-odd hunter-gatherers living on a fairly big tropical island off the coast of India. They are extremely hostile to visitors and appear to have had no more than cursory contact with people from the outside world. This picture is the typical view [...]

Culture, Freedom, Linkage, Non-state actors, Pacific, Photos, Science, World | 2 Comments »

A bizarre blog post on The Stranded contains some extremely odd thinking.  During the debate about Matariki, ACT MP David Garrett asked Chris Finlayson in Parliament: Is the Minister aware that Dr Paul Moon, a professor of history at the Auckland University of Technology and a well-known expert in pre-European history, is of the view [...]

Culture, Free Speech, Labour, New Zealand, Pacific, Science | 11 Comments »

The kerfuffle over the benefit payments to two beneficiaries certainly has legs.  It’s disappointing to see the Left completely fail to engage with the central argument: are beneficiaries getting too much money, too little or about the right amount? Some of the controversy is about a grant of around $10,000 to solo mother Natasha Fuller [...]

Culture, Labour, New Zealand, Politics | 4 Comments »

It’s great to cheer for protestors who are fighting for democracy in Iran (and they appear to be fighting for their lives as well), but the sad truth is that each of the four candidates in Iran’s race are heavily involved in corrupt, often murderous government activities. Wikipedia has this to say about Mousavi: Mousavi’s [...]

Catastrophes, Culture, Middle East, Politics, World | No Comments »

Cannabis law reform campaigner and Cannabus driver Dakta Green has been arrested and charged twice for minor cannabis offending and breaking bail conditions. Libertarianz notes with alarm that these arrests coincided with the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party’s announcement that Dakta Green would be standing as their candidate in the Mt Albert by-election. Libertarianz supports the [...]

Culture, Freedom, Libertarianz, Politics | No Comments »

Designer Babies are finally here, thanks to the good folks at The Fertility Institutes. In the latest twist in the march towards designer babies, The Fertility Institutes says they will soon be able to offer couples the ability to screen their embryos for eye color, hair color, and complexion.  The Institute cannot change the DNA [...]

Culture, Freedom, Personal, US | 3 Comments »

Phil and I have been full-on campaigning recently, with only one week to go till the election.  (Vote Libertarianz!)  Anyway, to take a break from all the hard work, please enjoy this very clever remake of “Take On Me”: (Hat tip Chordstrike).

Culture, Miscellaneous | No Comments »

The 17 Tuhoe Terrorists ‘Alleged’ Terrorists (well, the seventeen that the police have evidence against) have been committed to trial. They are, as usual, making outlandish claims of their complete innocence. Bailey, as the only individual who had all charges against him thrown out, says his sister and brother are still going to trial. “It’s [...]

Culture, Firearms, Freedom, New Zealand, Non-state actors, Police, Terrorism | No Comments »