tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-157693582012-02-02T18:20:51.737+09:00Political rageThe purpose of this blog is to discuss global politics, as well as to occasionally mock political decision-making.About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comBlogger2611100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-57280791910557846562012-02-02T17:55:00.003+09:002012-02-02T18:20:51.756+09:00Racial prejudice attributed to Labor's Bob Katter MPIt seems there are a great many people being fooled by a hoax - at least on some level. There is a speech being passed around Australia which is attributed to Bob Katter MP, the sitting member for Kennedy in Queensland. Clearly people want to celebrate him as a beacon of nationalistic pride. On many levels he might represent nationalists, but he did not write the following speech - it was a About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-18597056554095773122012-01-27T07:46:00.003+09:002012-01-27T07:55:22.930+09:00Images less than prime ministerialPhotography does not get any better than this. We have images of the Prime Minister of Australia, Labor leader Julia Gillard, being mobbed by rioters. Catch this series of images:1. We have Julia clinging for dear life to a party colleague2. We have Julia being protected by her collleague3. We have Julia missing a shoeThere is another photo of her recuperating in a staff vehicle. These images canAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-52742382725239839112011-10-28T06:08:00.003+09:002011-10-28T06:47:30.950+09:00Foreclosed houses being destroyed in the USAYou'd have to wonder why banking CEOs are paid so much when you reflect on their 'narrow' thought process. We have in the US a situation where homes in foreclosure are being destroyed in order to 'clear markets of excess housing stock'. When this happens of course, housing prices will rise, economic demand will stimulate spending. The problem is: 'Housing is an asset' - a potentially productive About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-6408480055773105642011-09-27T04:38:00.005+09:002011-09-27T05:09:59.946+09:00The philosophy of crapPhilosophy - its just crap right? Well; not entirely. The problem with crap is the 'craper' rather than the crap. Its not that exists, its where people decide to leave it. Philosophy is an expression of people's thoughts. I say, if the philosophy sounds like crap, it is probably because it is crap. i.e. If it is difficult for you to understand, it is because the author:1. Never intended it to be About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-59739423098653516352011-09-23T03:40:00.003+09:002011-09-23T03:50:01.823+09:00Relevance of Ayn Rand's villains today?Bill Gates as Howard Rearden? For the most part I agree with this; on the other hand, I have to argue that Microsoft Word was an unstable system from 1990 to 2007. Now, I can safely edit a document in Microsoft Word 2007 without it falling over. No instability problems at all. A belated thank you to Microsoft. But I conclude that Bill did not seem to love his product as much as Rearden. But maybeAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-48150387328228470722011-09-03T09:53:00.004+09:002011-09-03T10:59:04.690+09:00Extortion by government and WikiLeaksWikiLeaks is back in the new with reports that it has released a 2nd encrypted file to its supporters. It seems probable that these 'secret files' contain embarrassing information for various governments around the world. It is interesting to reflect upon the moral legitimacy of the US and WikiLeaks actions over this 'privacy' tussle. The issues as I see them:1. The government is supposed to be aAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-13580253455599734532011-08-27T06:09:00.003+09:002011-08-27T06:16:46.867+09:00US political race - the presidential nomineesAre the media advancing their own biased or prejudicial interests in their discussion of presidential nominees. The topic of this discussion in the NY Times is debt reduction; and the debate is focused upon who would make the better presidential candidate - Romney or Perry? The question is - why is Ron Paul left out of the debate? He is by far the most credible on debt reduction and monetary About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-4948299374395018342011-08-25T15:36:00.004+09:002011-08-25T16:13:55.341+09:00The best Republican nominee for 2012 Presidential RaceBased on this NY Times poll, Ron Paul appears to be the most popular nominee for the Republican presidential race. The lead nominees are:1. Ron Paul (79.21%)2. Rick Perry (9.19%)3. Mitt Romney (8.25%)4. Michele Bachmann (3.35%)This is of course an online poll, so it remains to be seen whether this will translate into actual primary nominations. One suspects Ron Paul's lead is not so strong, as heAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-59664785788898981302011-08-22T14:08:00.001+09:002011-08-22T14:10:25.693+09:00Publications on liberty from Cato InstituteHere is a link to the Encyclopedia of Libertarianism. ------------------------------------ Author Andrew Sheldon Resource Rent Tax Applied Critical Thinking | www.SheldonThinks.com About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-82649783255394840632011-08-22T08:15:00.002+09:002011-08-22T08:17:43.118+09:00Global democracies in moral crisisThe problem with this article is that it suggests that there is no debt crisis – just a ‘growth crisis’. Is that not just another way of saving ‘debt crisis’, because we are saying that we cannot create more debt because we cannot sustain it. We are saying that we can create more debt, but debtors will lose; and in that case it will be the Chinese and Arab investors. i.e. The debasement of the About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-85537209702697869082011-08-03T14:34:00.003+09:002011-08-03T14:41:40.290+09:00Submission to NZ parliament on regulationThis is the submission I made to the NZ parliament on the 3rd August 2011. If I am assassinated or ignored, in lieu of any hope of influence, then it will be a belated funeral. Of course, I have little hope for their intellectual honesty, but I won't totally discount yours.1. Arbitrary. The problem with regulation in all democracies is that it is arbitrary. There are basically two legal About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-55879132541268380262011-08-02T14:08:00.004+09:002011-08-02T14:19:12.713+09:00Australia govt requires drivers licence for lawn mowersAustralian drivers of lawn mowers will be required to obtain a driver's license and dog walkers will be required to obtain a walking permit under new regulations by the Australian Labor government. These progressive measures are considered enlightened social policy in the era of permanent recession. i.e. Well as permanent as any policy can be until the next loophole or fiscal or monetary stimulusAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-57209916592305532962011-06-27T14:10:00.003+09:002011-06-27T14:14:25.480+09:00The end of the Labor Party and independent MPsI give the independent MPs in the Labor Party of Australia coalition one month to leave Labor and precipitate a change in govt, or see their role in parliament disappear at the next election. This issue with the Philip Morris is destined to be hugely embarrassing. It highlights the risk to Australian taxpayers that arises from free trade agreements. ------------------------------------About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-53601198891282254922011-06-23T11:34:00.004+09:002011-06-23T11:48:34.907+09:00The Ombudsman is not effective - just good publicityThe Financial Services Ombudsman was established to keep practitioners of financial services honest and accountable. According to the SMH Online, the FSO processed 23,790 complaints and resolved 90% of them. The problem of course is that when the Sydney Morning Herald says that the FSO resolved 90% of the complaints, it means that most people simply gave up trying to get any notion of justice. About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-85035677202806795592011-05-20T13:05:00.001+09:002011-05-20T13:05:09.572+09:00It Began With Ayn RandIf that were a fact, your premise would still be wrong because she did not support taxation, and she earned a great deal from book sales....t­hey sell like the bible.Read the Article at HuffingtonPostAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-86971324565431798332011-05-09T06:51:00.004+09:002011-05-09T06:56:39.496+09:00A chaos of public administration in NZThis article by the NZ Herald highlights in NZ how the government is bringing about the failure of state administration. Apart from the prospects of civil unrest, as we have seen in the Middle East, the public system is broke and needs to be dropped. Of course this type of chaos is occurring in all of the democracies around the world; and understandably so. The US was the base currency which About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-24588019714214943822011-05-07T18:04:00.003+09:002011-05-07T18:08:43.218+09:00Ron Paul - presidential candidateIt will be a very different type of America is Ron Paul gets elected. Those Conservatives might have to ask themselves why so many people feel inclined to use drugs given Bush's administration. Bush was of course was an alcoholic, so its apparent he could not even live with his own conscience, and yet he felt compelled to impose it upon a nation. Or was it just a lifestyle decision? He seems to About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-13564264402464317762011-05-05T08:44:00.004+09:002011-05-05T09:33:15.976+09:00What is wrong with a meritocracy?Notwithstanding my positive views of Ayn Rand, and the acknowledgement I make to the impact she has had on my life, there were some negatives, and she also displays her share of blunders. Among them are sweeping statements and dubious reasoning. Someone referred me to her conception of 'meritocracy', offered at the Ayn Rand Institute:“Meritocracy” is an old anti-concept and one of the most About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-14997180636863717032011-05-04T15:40:00.002+09:002011-05-04T15:52:37.858+09:00Syrian military crack down on protestersThere is a massive crackdown occurring in Southern Syria at the moment. It makes one think that the UN Security Council ought to intervene in this country to prevent human rights abuses. There are a number of problems of course:1. Control of the skies is not going to do much2. Syria is strongly supported by Iran3. Support would need to include military arms or a ground force, and I don't see About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-74858937194500677672011-05-02T10:59:00.002+09:002011-05-02T11:05:42.051+09:00Japanese corruption - worst in the OECD?When one has the opportunity to live in different countries or merely takes the time to read the political news in different countries, one soon realises that its corruption is not isolated to one's country. It is essentially universal that politicians under democracy are corrupt. I would expect no less under any form of tyranny because, like democracy, they are not relationships based upon About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-52965599866090302362011-04-28T14:21:00.006+09:002011-04-28T18:07:27.031+09:00Extended smear campaign against RandI pride myself on being the best critique there is. If I am going to maintain this mantel then I have to demonstrate as much by critiquing the critiquers, who critised the critiquers who criticised Rand, who seemingly everyone loves to hate. Well, someone must be buying her books!So how does one critique people effectively? Well, what I do is read completely through their commentary and pick out About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-28444166925225873982011-04-24T15:22:00.004+09:002011-04-25T12:21:22.128+09:00A political crusade against NSW legal servicesIf you have ever dealt with the Australian legal system you would know just how bad the system is. The problem is that most of you simply tolerate injustice and avoid legal action. You tolerate high legal charges, you tolerate the extortive market practices of companies subject to token regulation. Here is a Twitterer who is fighting back. Frankly, I think these people are campaigning on issues About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-31856207617938993662011-04-24T05:57:00.005+09:002011-04-24T06:08:40.281+09:00The role of governmentA Twitter is "doing a paper on whether governments should go for growth or happiness. Got anything interesting, any posts?This is the problem learning at public (government) or private (religious) schools with poorly trained teachers....they presume too much, or think too shallowly. Are they responding to earthily concerns, or are we supposed to conjure up some 'half reality' out of context?The About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-2139727049742853772011-04-14T07:29:00.003+09:002011-04-14T08:03:40.737+09:00Our common path to democratic revolutionJustice strikes me as a false economy which it becomes seduced by its own power to change intentions by imposing certain values upon people. This is the legacy of statutory laws, which if we reflect on, do nothing but impose a greater tyranny upon us. Let us reflect on some examples:1. Social protocol or values. There are laws which restrict the use of certain words of vile language. For instanceAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-86133310922536530032011-04-14T05:32:00.003+09:002011-04-14T06:00:04.986+09:00The movie 'Atlas Shrugged' - cause and effect?I was first introduced to Ayn Rand's non-fiction book 'Capitalism - The Unknown Ideal' by a manager at Pizza Hut in Sydney when I was 19yo. The book and the sequence of other Rand books I would read over the next few years had a profound impact on me. They gave me a intellectual clarity that surpassed those people who I would confront in society who lived in moral ambivalence. Years later I About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-65669963750437089442011-04-14T05:05:00.005+09:002011-04-14T05:24:54.579+09:00Greenpeace disrupts offshore oil explorationLast weekend Greenpeace undertook some demonstration at sea in maritime waters north of NZ. The offshore seismic work was performed by Petrobras, the Brazilian national oil company. Such actions are illegal under common (maritime) and NZ statutory law, as well as UN conventions. Despite these laws, Greenpeace was able to sabotage disrupt exploration activity for a few days until the police was About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-71794733942353936812011-04-12T19:58:00.002+09:002011-04-12T19:59:31.916+09:00Gulf of Mexico oil spills - debatable impactAccording to the experts it is still too early to determine the impact of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. See this report by the NY Times. ------------------------------------AuthorAndrew SheldonResource Rent TaxApplied Critical Thinking | www.SheldonThinks.com About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-65651787337740714232011-04-12T12:13:00.003+09:002011-04-12T12:26:32.570+09:00Labor right for once - regulation of gamblersI don't know who in the Australian Labor Party (ALP) came up with the idea to regulate gamblers, but I'm pleased. Unfortunately for them, I had the same idea about 20 years ago, and they should of as well. This is the problem with democracy....decision making is just too slow. This problem has been around for a long time....but successive governments have done nothing.Really the gaming industry About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-53368468038298012222011-04-04T04:42:00.003+09:002011-04-04T04:52:15.268+09:00NZ government drug policy is a joke - synthetic drugsThe NZ government has taken the unusual step of legalising a swag of synthetic drugs. This is despite the lack of evidence supporting their safe use. I would suggest that there is a failure in government to recognise that:1. Government approval is tantamount to government endorsement of drug-taking2. Government approval implies that these drugs are safe when the evidence suggests otherwise The About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-90235548797853936302011-04-03T07:56:00.003+09:002011-04-03T08:09:08.768+09:00Understanding Julian Assange and WikileaksSixty Minutes has prepared a 26minute interview with Julian Assange. You can see the YouTube footage below. This was a good interview, with no inherent bias, and very fair questions. The interview allayed my concerns that Julian Assange is motivated by dubious values. He identifies as a 'libertarian', which is superficially a healthy disposition, but ultimately it would be desirable about his About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-6394371608918465372011-04-01T04:59:00.003+09:002011-04-01T05:16:40.254+09:00How much honesty reporting is there?One of the biggest problems in the modern world is our media as a defender of our interests. This ought to raise people's concerns because we should naturally expect the media to act in its own interests. What does this mean? Well, different things to different 'interests':1. Owners: They tend to have long term interests, so they are inclined to want to diminish competition by embracing About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-24070790586691851802011-03-09T07:58:00.003+09:002011-03-09T08:06:13.319+09:00Revisionist interpretation of human natureWant to hear a new 'scientific understanding' of the world....a new type of humanism. Well, turn your attention to Mr Brooks in the New York Times, but more importantly, sort the responses by readers to his article, and you will attain a new hope for mankind. The answer is near, but you will not find it on the front page because that is dominated by politically-correct journalists or liberals whoAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-85195593456209394752011-03-08T12:34:00.003+09:002011-03-08T12:59:21.561+09:00USA and Australia - our shared legacy of ignoranceWhy is the Australian government donating $3mil to build a WWII veterans memorial in Washington. This strikes me as gross waste of money. Is the purpose of the memorial intended to remain Americans that we were there as well; that we are a great '2nd lieutenant', best mates. If the purpose of a memorial is a reminder, then let it be a reminder of something important, like the causes of the war. About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-59639165396483456422011-03-07T06:46:00.003+09:002011-03-07T07:01:44.715+09:00Free floating currencies - a burden?Julia Gillard has come out in sympathy for those struggling Australians who she acknowledges are 'doing it hard' because of the strong AUD. We must acknowledge a number of things:1. These 'strugglers' or 'straglers' if you prefer are benefiting from a strong economy in terms of strong capital inflows, strong business investment, strong domestic sales & confidence; most particularly compared to About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-53826559543193644742011-03-07T05:29:00.002+09:002011-03-07T05:32:35.523+09:00Julian Assange - Australian of the year?The question is whether Julian Assange is a worthy candidate. There are reasons to question or pour scorn upon his actions:1. Assange has most certainly advanced the cause of accountability through 'unregulated' disclosure2. Assange has also exposed people to harmful impacts to serve his collectivist goalsJulian Assange is not an intellectual. He is motivated by ideals to be sure, and until he About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-81007821156736542112011-03-07T05:00:00.004+09:002011-03-07T05:13:49.348+09:00Do Australians really want a nanny state?Currently in politics, Australia is offered a false alternative. It is a choice between fascism or social democracy on 'a back foot' (Liberal-National) or 'full steam ahead' (under Labour-Democrats-Greens). The reality is that they are essentially the same problem - no idea, or no intellectual, no rationality. They are functioning at an archeo-rational (primitive animalistic correlation level of About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-82840572594465540142011-03-04T05:38:00.003+09:002011-03-04T05:45:54.235+09:00Australia's finest doing what they do bestHere is just another example of the shortcomings of democracy....as if there weren't enough. I ask you - is this the way laws should be enacted? Is this the way moral agents exercising moral judgements, custodians of our justice system should behave? I would expect shonky salesmen and backyard drug dealers to behave in this fashion. But these people occupy the highest positions in your country. About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-66126159959328916892011-02-24T08:21:00.004+09:002011-02-24T08:31:33.012+09:00The evils of businessHere is a prognosis for the evils of business in society.....and here is a partial antidote from me. Sorry, but a full treatise on this issue is only justified by a litany of books which are currently under preparation. Incidentally, they will all be released around the same time. I find this article punctuated by a litany of misconceptions....let me elaborate.1. Meritocratic: He considers About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-86367218283913901652011-02-24T05:32:00.004+09:002011-02-24T06:09:56.005+09:00Tyranny in Cuba highlights despotism in the WestFrom Cuba, the Miami Herald has the story of a uneducated, unskilled mother who is leading the anti-government protesters seeking the overthrow of the Cuban government. In Cuba, the tyranny of government is far more apparent than in the West. We are raised with this misconception in Western countries that we are free. The reality is that we have certain political rights which mean nothing if the About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-84614200095193583352011-02-23T10:50:00.004+09:002011-02-23T11:05:54.992+09:00The movie trailer for 'Atlas Shrugged' by Ayn RandI must admit that having waited 20 years for the day a movie would be made based on the book 'Atlas Shrugged' by Ayn Rand, I would have to say, its a bit disappointing. It has nothing to do with the scope of the movie; I was disappointed by the acting and believability. I don't find the characters convincing at all; nor the dialogue. I think the movie ought to have been given a contemporary About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-19895457865696201952011-02-22T05:54:00.004+09:002011-02-22T06:39:42.129+09:00Spammers on animal rights issueAnimal rights advocates are big on moralising. They can be as self-righteous as religious zealots. Well, many of them are religious zealots, so that should come as no surprise, as they come from the same fundamental roots - subjectivism. Nothing wrong with moralising so long as you preserve a high level of integrity. Frankly ideas for these people are less important than the 'raw emotion' if you About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-39936268169680453552011-02-21T10:50:00.006+09:002011-02-21T11:32:17.447+09:00Wrongful incarceration in the USA - how many more?Incarceration is a senseless act. The only justification for incarcerating people is to protect members of the community. The role of prison is to rehabilitate people. If people are irredeemable, it is because:1. Our understanding of psychology has not progressed to a state where people are healthy. This is not surprising given that psychology is only 100 years old, people still accept a lot of About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-71185964163201804142011-02-21T06:22:00.002+09:002011-02-21T06:26:10.448+09:00Student detained for loathsome Facebook postsIn the United States, a student has been apprehended for posting vague messages of loathing society....the police responded. It does strike one as political correctness. Preventing him going to that school is a decision the student ought to make - not the principal. He has not done anything wrong. He vented anger at the world. Who wouldn't when the world we live in is pretty poor. He deserves a About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-66702215486279495382011-02-11T04:44:00.005+09:002011-02-11T04:59:19.883+09:00Abolishing the Fed is not the first step, its the lastNotwithstanding the intelligence and truth of what these guys say, they seem inclined to blow smoke up people. The notion that the voter is intelligent is more intelligent than Ben Bernacke strikes me as a poor explanation. The reality is that the current need to recapitalise economies is because:1. The mistakes made years ago which voters and other vested interests did not object to2. The ease About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-70448300762256021402011-02-09T07:38:00.004+09:002011-02-09T07:47:45.926+09:00Natural selection in the modern worldThis is a great video skit. Not entirely accurate because it would convey to you that the idiots will inherit the Earth by virtue of the faster procreation. The reality is that its not a physical dilemma as much as a psychological one. i.e. Mr Mediocrity is not an idiot, so much as not focused, or evasive to the long-term conceptual demands of life. Instead he is satisfied with repressing About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-79051734954040277252011-02-08T05:56:00.003+09:002011-02-08T06:14:15.818+09:00Police road vigilance kills NZ teenagerThis is an interesting story from the NZ Herald. A 17yo teenager, Fenn McCoach, want killed driving to school on NZ roads – distracted as he collided with a truck. The question is – what caused the distraction. There is no question in my mind that the driver was distracted by a police patrol car. This is the 'psychological war' upon speeding drivers. Not just speeding drivers, but drivers who About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-51903430702411565902011-02-01T05:35:00.003+09:002011-02-01T05:55:01.147+09:00Police culture in NZ under attackIsn't telephone technology wonderful. We all have this wonderful instrument to preserve accountability - the I-witness account derived from cellphone video footage. The NZ Herald has received footage of a police officer breaching the nation's laws which prohibit use of a cellphone whilst driving. Apparently, the police officers are partially exempt if the call is 'work related'. I guess we will About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-70465321123825402492011-01-29T19:10:00.004+09:002011-01-29T19:19:07.781+09:00Israel and Lebanon were once alliesIf you ever were unsure about who is the enemy in the Middle East, and wanted a good summary of how matters have come to pass, this is the video for you. This speech is very good. There are some errors. She blames Arab governments for mounting a great deal of propaganda against Israel. I would suggest that it was the liberals in the West whom are to be blamed for this folly. It ought to be as About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-14198349446623205782011-01-29T04:11:00.003+09:002011-01-29T04:27:12.609+09:00Middle East instability good for commoditiesThe West has long championed democracy. They want it for the West, and they want it for the Arab world. Careful what you wish for. The reality is that the Arab world is not ready for any form of moral political regime which will serve them. Anything they hatch will be a coercive system. There is the very real threat that any revolution in the Middle East will simply turn into a civil war, from About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-14414275660282805922011-01-25T03:37:00.005+09:002011-01-25T04:46:31.726+09:00Is the next Chinese leader Evil?What might we come to expect from China's new government? Apparently they have already selected the next appointee - Xi Jinping, China’s current vice president. This leaves us wondering what type of China can we expect.In this post I want to use some NY Times media article as the basis for my moral criticism of this new appointee. We might also ask why is the media so reluctant to engage in moralAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-90956220696391184422011-01-24T07:43:00.004+09:002011-01-24T13:01:21.189+09:00Caution - democracy can kill youMany would argue that democracy has served us well. They would argue that democracy has delivered hundreds of years of peace to many countries. I however question that assertion. I would instead argue that its folly to think as much because...contradictions do not exist...except in the minds of individuals. The problem with democracy is that, like fascism and any other form of collectivist power,About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-27648229186059793782011-01-24T06:30:00.006+09:002011-01-24T13:04:41.710+09:00India's democracy is corrupt - change the system!An Indian man was killed by local government official after he used the very powerful Right to Information provisions in the law to challenge their right to exploit his land for limestone. The man was shot in a drive-by killing after writing a letter to the local newspaper. Death is a potential risk where corruption is involved. "India may be the world’s largest democracy, but it remains dogged About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-88522363272152573572011-01-24T05:59:00.002+09:002011-01-24T06:02:14.273+09:00The philosophy of lawyers needs rewritingReading this article “Iraq inquiry: we have every right to know why we went to war” by Michael Mansfield, QC in the Sunday Times, it is immediately apparent how naive lawyers are, and how much they need a conceptual grasp of law – call it ‘a philosophy of law’ This is just some of the damage caused by statutory law. Michael Mansfield wrote ‘Memoirs of a Radical Lawyer’, published by Bloomsbury About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-58625534668182098512011-01-24T04:30:00.003+09:002011-01-24T04:42:16.368+09:00India a leader in putting laws to songPeople really are not aware of India's role in reforming global democracy. This place is a hot-house of injustice simply because its more unstable than most other democracies. We have witnessed the capacity of democracy to whether all types of storms. So far in India, we have seen judicial activism compel governments to reform. This has resulted in the judiciary taking a more active role in law About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-30527922184179523942011-01-23T03:59:00.003+09:002011-01-23T04:11:05.698+09:00The path to global discontentWe might wonder what are the chances of a civil war or unrest in the West world. I believe there are strong prospects for it. The problem grasping the risk is that people repress what makes them anxious. Of course we can look at the escalation in medication for anxiety, depression and other mental conditions; we can look at the number of injustices, murders (actually on the decrease) and civil About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-22310706765627550212011-01-23T03:21:00.003+09:002011-01-23T03:59:09.951+09:00Socialism a winner in most civil uprisingsWestern governments around the world are in for a surprise. They think that the events in Tunisia are confined, if not to Tunisia, then to the Arab world. This is the democracy that the Arab world right? The problem is two issues:1. Democracy has not been so appealing in the Western world2. Democracy would merely be a form of moral or political relativism for Tunisia since we ought not be happy About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-30652717541756576282011-01-19T07:01:00.003+09:002011-01-19T07:09:33.881+09:00Its not guns stupid!It is not just politicians who are missing the bigger picture, it is the moral relativists, who think the attempted assassination of Senator Giffords was just a madman running around with a gun he should not have. The reality is that there are people who are sensitive about their rights, and there are among those, some who are morally ambivalent about how to express their rights...or to recoup About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-92155817396001743922011-01-19T05:54:00.002+09:002011-01-19T06:06:40.270+09:00"Taxation Without Representation" in questionThe principle of "Taxation Without Representation" has been a popular notion in US political history. The problem with this concept is that it is a misconception. Firstly the idea that we have, or could possibility have representation without engaging in some personal contractual relationship with the government, and without having the right to suspend that support is nonsense. Therefore, I do About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-7862955751820125542011-01-19T05:19:00.003+09:002011-01-19T05:52:24.074+09:00US Congress evades justification for assassinationThe US Congress is engaging in political game-play by engaging in empty symbolism and painting the notion that Loughner was mentally ill. I have not seen any evidence to suggest that he was mentally ill. On the contrary, he strikes me as a person who was 'morally ambivalent' and 'disempowered' by a political system which gave him no real or effective participation, and more importantly, a system About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-6944589854889948392011-01-17T19:20:00.002+09:002011-01-17T19:23:20.677+09:00What I think of NZ tax systemRead here what I think about the NZ tax system. The NZ government is currently revising its tax policy. Feel free to render your parliamentary submissions here.There is a blatant contradiction in the legislation. There are numerous flaws which need to be addressed:1. "Voluntary compliance" is a contradiction in terms. The tax system is not voluntary. It is enforced at the point of a gun. In fact About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-25260334698251685482011-01-17T18:50:00.002+09:002011-01-17T18:53:08.886+09:00Building submission in NZI decided to make a submission to the NZ government on the NZ Building Code. You can also make a submission at the following site.The Building Code which curtails the capacity of people to perform handyman work on their homes and facilities, is the greatest obstacle to competition in the marketplace. Notwithstanding the very real safety concerns, anyone performing work is levied with 'punitive' About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-42474738899497633282011-01-17T14:53:00.003+09:002011-01-17T15:21:06.500+09:00Julian Assange morally inept and thus dangerousOne of the reasons why I am against Julian Assange is that he is morally inept. That is not to say that I do not appreciate his campaign to achieve greater accountability from government; indeed everyone ought to be accountable, including himself. The problem though is that in his latest release of information, he is targeting taxpayers. His disclosure is flawed for two reasons:1. The old problemAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-68069770419472709092011-01-17T13:58:00.004+09:002011-01-17T14:22:19.291+09:00At least murder counts for something - Part 2The problem with this article is that it fails to identify the cause of the problem. This is ultimately why society just packs up and moves on....because it has no answer. It instead finds problems it can solve. This is ultimately why society is repressed and distracted by materialism. Both 'solutions' are intended to distract you from the real problems besetting society. In part 1 of this post IAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-31579063073542019222011-01-17T12:36:00.005+09:002011-01-17T13:58:39.327+09:00At least murder counts for something - Part 1When I read the following excerpt from a NY Times editorial I thought I was going to get some insightful commentary...“Of the many truths in President Obama’s powerful Tucson speech, none was more indisputable than his statement that no one can know what is in a killer’s mind. So why have we spent so much time debating exactly that?The answer is classic American denial. It was easier to endlesslyAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-85466066997743449002011-01-11T04:03:00.004+09:002011-01-11T04:16:07.782+09:00NZ tycoons selfish? Who cares?This story really conveys how screwed up people's ethics are. We have a NZ failed tycoon living it up on the Gold Coast on anywhere between $1000 and $6700 per week. We have the wife proclaiming that she is not selfish; that she feels for the investors who lost money, that she cares about her family, etc.Who cares? What matters to people is that a company which managed people's wealth lost most About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-40275911093597771122011-01-10T05:03:00.004+09:002011-01-10T06:08:10.637+09:00Decline in global moralityI am expecting global politics to descend into a terrible state of affairs in coming years, and far from adopting the right policies, we can expect the decline in morality to justify a swag of oppressive policies. I will refer to just two issues in the media - one in Britain and the other in the USA. It would be fair to say that it is not that morality has declined in the last year, but rather About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-8846663365433118472011-01-09T12:56:00.003+09:002011-01-09T14:31:06.349+09:00Capitalism vs mixed economyLiberals and socialists alike convey a great deal of ignorance about economics, psychology and philosophy, and by implication they fall into some substantial rationalisations. I will analyse the following video to highlight their follies....everyone of them. If I miss something...be sure to email me. I never leave them an inch. The author argues that difficult economic times leads people to About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-77046972218798647002011-01-09T07:31:00.006+09:002011-01-09T08:38:32.623+09:00The myth of sweat shopsIf you read the HeraldSun, you will hear a beat up of 'sweat shops' being run in Melbourne, as opposed to China. Such stories are always a perversion of the truth. Here are the reasons why?1. Chinese sweat shops are the result of the inevitable collapse of socialism, that created a Chinese under-valuing of labour that had global structural implications. Because of the restrictions on the movementAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-88786964364614916362011-01-07T16:30:00.005+09:002011-01-07T17:14:30.067+09:00Gerry Harvey quickly going from worse to despicableAccording to the SMH, Gerry Harvey is ambivalent about whether he ought to comment on the GST tax issue. The problem is he is weigh out of his depth. He needs to stop talking, start listening and thinking. When he realises that he has handled his internet strategy poorly, he ought to apologise to shareholders for costing them wealth. He might argue he did his best, but then for a few character About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-88497841305061369022011-01-06T07:13:00.002+09:002011-01-06T07:39:08.206+09:00Paul Hogan fights backThe saga of the Australian Tax Office persecution of Paul Hogan and other ‘high profile’ people continues. For a number of years the Australian government has been persecuting Paul Hogan as a means of keeping you, the taxpayer compliant. It is ‘psychological warfare’ of sorts. Like the 'shock and awe' psychological warfare doctrine that the US government adopted in Iraq. That's right, you are at About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-33760158043839537802011-01-06T04:30:00.004+09:002011-01-06T04:51:23.812+09:00Lost graves a reminder of WWII holocaustWorkers who were digging up soil at an Austrian hospital have discovered a mass grave of 220 psychiatric patients interned at the hospital, but who were otherwise murdered by the Nazis in WWII. The discovery serves as a reminder to everyone of the immorality of collectivists, and not simply fascists. The same type of crimes were perpetrated by socialists and religious/mystic leaders. It matters About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-5069135747815725612011-01-04T08:55:00.004+09:002011-01-04T09:00:24.619+09:00Miami state government to cut judicial spendingIt ought to concern everyone that the Miami state government is looking to cut spending on the judiciary. Read some of the flawed commentary:"They must be joking, who is buying this line of reasoning? The lawyer that wrote and maybe a few lawyers and judges".A reply to this was:"Right -- we don't need no civil court system. Let's just beat each other over the head when we have disagreements -- orAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-21008137823632682772011-01-01T04:10:00.004+09:002011-01-01T04:37:58.209+09:00Extortion in San Diego - govt vs govtHere is a case which highlights the inherent corruption and inefficiency of Western democracy. I am reminded of the Filipinos fighting for a parliamentary style democracy. A little research will show that parliamentary democracy is just as bad. This case, reported in the San Diego Tribune, draws attention to a law suit by the San Diego Police Association against the City government. The problem About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-74943591719128612010-12-31T04:06:00.003+09:002010-12-31T05:07:42.171+09:00Critical remarks on awardsIts interesting what the latest awards in New Zealand have thrown up in terms of notable people.The winner of the Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business was William Gallagher, who has developed his family-owned company from a "10-man" operation into a global enterprise employing over 1000 people. Impressive as this might appear, it strikes me as a fairly About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-28096148500334396072010-12-28T05:39:00.002+09:002010-12-28T06:01:06.440+09:00New speed cameras for NZSpeed cameras are without a doubt one of the most insidious devices invented. Why? Well, they persecute people for invalid reasons. Consider the facts:1. Driver safety is contextual. The idea that you can place a camera on a road and click when people breach some arbitrary speed limit and declare that to be 'unsafe driving' is just fantasy. If people are to be perniciously persecuted for driving About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-25973097419822439152010-12-25T14:57:00.003+09:002010-12-25T15:37:04.987+09:00Liberals and the anti-nuclear movementHere is another crappy movie by the liberals who brought you 'The Inconvenient Truth' and all that Michael Moore nonsense. Countdown to Zero is a nonsense. Watch the trailer and save your money. The notion that nuclear war can be averted by destroying nuclear weapons is fantasiful. Nuclear weapons have protected us from nuclear war for years. The solution to nuclear war is:1. Preventing About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-66712352523195332112010-12-16T08:35:00.003+09:002010-12-16T08:39:15.077+09:00The connectivity of FacebookA Facebook intern has developed this map of relationships based on the social networking software. As impressive as this visualisation is, it might be more meaningful if it was based on the actual intensity of 'relationships' between people. After all, I get all manner of people wanting to connect with me, and if you are indifferent or easily engaged, then the notion of connectedness becomes lessAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-2802327158288693682010-12-15T17:41:00.004+09:002010-12-15T18:02:13.029+09:00Intellectual views of Julian Assange, WikiLeaksAs much as I appreciate the efforts of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in exposing global governments to greater accountability and transparency, one has to acknowledge that he is no intellectual giant. Intellectually, he is a misguided anarchist at best. The problem with him on these issues is that he advocates small, accountable government, but can offer no intellectual basis for his views. About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-76999398906103603902010-12-15T08:19:00.004+09:002010-12-15T08:31:43.953+09:00Poorly executed privatisation of NSW power assetsAnother abysmal power industry privatisation has occurred under the Australian Labor government - this time its a state Labor government, by arguably the most corrupt political party in the Western world. One suspects there will be millions of dollars flowing into Swiss bank accounts next year - a nice Xmas bonus for some. Aside from selling these assets too cheap, there are other failings in theAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-78711828644705674812010-12-12T10:42:00.004+09:002010-12-12T11:15:09.965+09:00Evasion - The nature of political persecutionThere is no question that government is capable of deceitful acts in order to stay in power. But actually a great deal of government legislation has no such harmful intent, merely the short term, desperate pragmatism which actually does not help the situation, but rather betrays the best interests of people. Here are some examples:1. Speeding fines: People are dying in car accidents. The About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-54883712216653944972010-12-11T03:33:00.003+09:002010-12-11T03:39:03.734+09:00Sign petition to support WikiLeaksThere is a petition available where people can support WikiLeaks. Reading this article I am inclined to think that WikiLeaks is not acting with the greatest clarity of respect for human rights, but they are playing an important role in their promotion of human right violations, and I suspect they are getting better at it. Maybe they are hearing some of the criticism - unlike the US and other About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-68346230867737309192010-12-09T06:19:00.003+09:002010-12-09T06:34:29.562+09:00US government arrogance "a threat to lives"Unsurprisingly the US government has emerged as a 'threat to lives'. The reasons are very clear. The US government has shown itself to be a brash and arrogant critic of some important values:1. Accountability2. Personal expression3. Citizen's interestsThe notion of government protecting whistleblowers has been dealt a serious blow when a government hunts down and even threatens to assassinate youAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-34607923135391279722010-12-09T06:10:00.003+09:002010-12-09T06:19:18.352+09:00Possible CIA link for Assange's alleged victimsThis is an interesting development to follow. Information is being released about the two women who have accused Julian Assange of rape. There is the possibility of CIA links. Read the Miami Herald for more information.------------------------------------AuthorAndrew SheldonResource Rent TaxApplied Critical Thinking | www.SheldonThinks.comAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-62071641939308518712010-12-09T05:52:00.002+09:002010-12-09T06:00:30.754+09:00Rudd over-rated by diplomatsAccording to the NZ Herald a WikiLeaks cable stated:"Rudd ... undoubtedly believes that with his intellect, his six years as a diplomat in the 1980s and his five years as shadow foreign minister, he has the background and the ability to direct Australia's foreign policy".This strikes me as irrelevant. The guy imposes huge taxes on industries because they make profits after 15 years of low prices.About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-66922826530074033242010-12-08T12:44:00.003+09:002010-12-08T13:19:54.322+09:00Dubious sex claims against WikiLeaks' Julian AssangeThe arrest warrants issued by Swedish authorities should not be recognised, and Britain should refuse extradiction for the following reasons:1. The quality of the allegations of sexual harrassment2. The expectation that Sweden will use the warrants as a means of delivering Assange to the US authorities.When you look at the allegations of sexual harrassment, they have no merit. By that I mean theyAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-77988114134955041282010-12-08T06:36:00.003+09:002010-12-08T06:45:56.625+09:00Reinhart move on Fairfax a move for 'fair' speechThis is a very interesting development. We have a Labor government, and several media groups with a propensity to suck up to government in order to retain ratings. You can't very well maintain relevance unless you court the favour of politicians. Politics dominates everything, not to mention 30% of GDP and more if there was a new mining tax. Enter Gina Reinhart, the daughter of long-retired iron About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-63778489324166408722010-12-07T13:02:00.004+09:002010-12-07T13:18:49.765+09:00The Information War - WWIII?This might go down as one of the shortest wars in history, or acts of terrorism if you like. The problem of course is that some internet cowboys are going to fail to capture the hearts and minds of the public. The problem is that they possess uncompelling values or principles. The WikiLeaks website is now hosted by the Swiss Pirate Party. Its vice president Pascal Gloor said: "There is a whole About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-49798679774021547372010-12-07T02:54:00.006+09:002010-12-07T04:04:33.741+09:00NZ is officially a police stateWelcome to the Fascist States of America, Australia, Britain, Canada and now New Zealand. Australia, NZ and Canada have yet to experience a terrorist threat, so one might wonder why we need laws which allow the government to 'snoop' into people's emails and hard disks. On this note, we have to appreciate that the terrorists have one. Why? We have become one of them. They might well be envious About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-51306109746156641492010-12-06T16:02:00.002+09:002010-12-06T17:31:34.916+09:00WikiLeaks takes an intellectual dive - so does my heroismNot surprising, WikiLeaks founder had a short rein as my hero. The reason is that his crusade to topple governments and hopefully bring about higher standards of accountability and disclosure fell apart on philosophical grounds. It seems that Julian Assange is as unprincipled as his counterparts in the government. The reason I say this is because he is displaying poor judgement as to what About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-15316279021169597572010-12-03T08:18:00.003+09:002010-12-03T08:25:03.311+09:00WikiLeaks founder - defender of freedomJulian Assange is the founder of WikiLeaks. The dissident was interviewed by TED TV. The man is considered a hero to those who attended the event. I personally consider him an influential political figure. The problem I have is that, whilst he displays the strength of character and resolve to get things done, he is unlikely to exhibit the personal integrity to achieve any significant change. I doAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-45669133831042045142010-12-03T04:47:00.007+09:002010-12-03T08:00:14.650+09:00Assange - founder of WikiLeaks - a national heroThe ascension and current persecution of Julian Assange reads like a plagiarised script of one of Ayn Rand's novels about the persecution of the individualist by the state. I am by no means a nationalist, but I am both surprised and proud to know that Julian Assange came from Australia. I would harbour this "criminal" anytime. You might ask why. There are a number of reasons: 1. The dubious About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-81826684813773208202010-12-02T06:19:00.003+09:002010-12-02T06:23:11.826+09:00Attitudes to homosexuality in the US militaryI write so much about sexuality issues people might question mine. Openly straight, but you might wonder because I put out the laundry, clean the dishes, and I have some pretty gay-looking photos. Anyway, I am fascinated by a great many issues, and sexuality is one of them. I have some controversial ideas, but reading about a survey in the US military about attitudes to homosexuality, I am About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-25609283174026433832010-11-30T13:16:00.003+09:002010-11-30T13:33:36.965+09:00The end of political correctness or Wikileaks?Wondering where the free world is these days. Fortunately there is an organisation called Wikileaks which is fighting to preserve some public sector accountability. If disclosure was not forthcoming, clearly greater public confidence would be retained by the public in government. I say 'release it all'....all the information. Let's see heads role. More importantly, let's see how utterly About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-43701189158722494022010-11-26T07:06:00.003+09:002010-11-26T07:16:55.506+09:00Misconduct or political extortion?Reading the latest news about ASIC's investigation into the affairs of Andrew Forrest, the CEO of Fortescue Metal's, one is inclined to think something very shady is going on here. We have two former executives of Andrew Forrest making statements about false disclosure, and then backing out from those positions. This is very suspicious for a number of reasons:1. Andrew Forrest is enemy number 1 About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-18950505838184678472010-11-26T06:40:00.003+09:002010-11-26T06:56:30.720+09:00Banking executive accuses bankers of arroganceYou might think you are in a dream......but a banking executive in Australia has labelled his brethren as 'arrogant' and 'lacking empathy'. One has to acknowledge his honesty....except its long overdue. Where has this guy been for the last 15-odd years? Better late than never? But does a banking executive suddenly find a moral conscience? The banks have extorted huge wealth from consumers over About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-10938514996405612622010-11-26T04:19:00.002+09:002010-11-26T04:41:59.633+09:00Business tycoon recommends new taxWere we not raised to believe that capitalists loath taxes and like cutting them to maximise profits. The current tax debate in Australia shows how things have changed. Stranger than fiction; Gerry Harvey, the tycoon behind the Harvey Norman retail chain in Australia wants to see more taxes....not upon himself, but levied upon others. He does not argue for less taxes, but rather more. I wonder About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-89959546885508875972010-11-24T07:51:00.003+09:002010-11-24T08:26:40.564+09:00The nature of public sector incompetencePublic sector incompetence reaches new depths in NZ. I have already written about some suspicions I have with about the way senior executives were appointed to Pike River Coal. Those issues have yet to be raised, and they probably will in future. There have been a number of issues which have emerged;1. Regulation: The cancellation of spot mine inspections as opposed to regular appointments where About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-91746616165639809832010-11-21T04:34:00.005+09:002010-11-21T05:00:34.417+09:00Considerate mayor spares taxpayers debtLiving in a society where politicians first instinct is to precipitate financial crises by facilitating the mass expansion of debt or printing money; and then their 2nd instinct is to do more of the same, and then to blame the market or CEOs for reacting to the policies they adopted.So it is refreshing when a politician does more than offer tax cuts which merely keep up with 'bracket creep', or About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-71982750530516404452010-11-11T07:20:00.004+09:002010-11-11T07:39:51.884+09:00Shareholders unfairly penalised by governmentsAccording to the SMH, Qantas and a 11 other airlines are being fined in Europe after a succession of fines elsewhere, for engaging in cartel-like trade practices in respect of their freight divisions. These activities have resulted in Qantas paying fines of $12mil to the European Commission, $61mil in the USA and $20mil to the ACCC in Australia. This is a lot of money for a corporation to pay forAbout Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15769358.post-87143402253295692362010-11-11T04:14:00.004+09:002010-11-11T04:29:15.662+09:00Credit for the strong Australian economyAustralian politicians have descended into 'economic relativism'. Treasurer Wayne Swan is taking the credit for a relatively strong economy, and Joe Hockey, from the Opposition, wants to claim a share for John Howard....and perhaps Peter Costello. The problem with this revisionism is that its less than accurate. One does not thank a slave master for relaxing the reins. Even then we would have to About Andrew Sheldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15469120006156639030noreply@blogger.com