Category Archives: Quotidian

Why we are stuck with junk science for political solutions

Andrew L. Urban On learning about the extension to Sydney’s lockdown until the end of July, my mind broiled with one big question: how come? A day later, while browsing the various news sources I frequent, news of Victoria’s latest … Continue reading

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Truth on social media – Geoffrey Robertson is keen

Andrew L. Urban It’s a wonderful idea as espoused by high profile human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson on Sharri (Sky News, Sunday, 4 July, 2021): comments on social media (eg facebook) should be assessed by a select, independent and authoritative … Continue reading

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Availability entrepreneurs ruin everything

Andrew L. Urban An availability cascade is a self-reinforcing process of collective belief formation that triggers a self-perpetuating chain reaction: the more attention a danger gets, the more worried people become, leading to more news coverage and greater alarm. Because slowly increasing … Continue reading

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Stream of consciousness & a mysterious rejection

One of the advantages of the digital age is the ability of newspaper readers to interact with the medium and the journalist by way of moderated comments. I do this a lot. But the other day, a comment was mysteriously … Continue reading

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Journalist takes VicPol to court

Andrew L. Urban. It’s the ‘man bites dog’ story of our times: Rebel News journalist Avi Yemeni is taking Victoria Police to the High Court (no less) as agents of the State of Victoria, for unlawful arrest. “Police claim they … Continue reading

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Covid ordeal by incompetence in science

Andrew L. Urban Stop testing for Covid immediately, says experienced UK virus specialist researcher and consultant Dr Mike Yeadon. In a 32 minute expose, he explains the folly of how the UK (and other countries) have effectively misdiagnosed the nature … Continue reading

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Odds & Sods at Old Year’s End 2020

Sometimes a paragraph is enough … * Lessons learnt in the pandemic: start by improving reporting to the public; give us age breakdowns, comparisons (with flu etc) severity and morbidity details, put it all in context. The number of cases … Continue reading

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Georgia on Joe’s mind

Andrew L. Urban.  The January 5 runoff election for the last two vacant seats in the US Senate is a do or die affair for both Democrats and Republicans, as the result will determine which party has the majority in … Continue reading

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Escape from the Constitution

Andrew L. Urban Now that the Constitution has been breached with impunity by several Premiers with decisions that play well to their panic stricken voters in the Time of Covid, we should be prepared for more such vote catching breaches. … Continue reading

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Virus makes democracy sick

Andrew L. Urban Panic by our Governments has squandered Australia’s good fortune (and natural isolation) of being so lightly touched by Covid19. Panic and weasel politics. Politics that corrupted good government by politicians succumbing to the temptation of feeding fear … Continue reading

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