Matheson Russell
@mathesonrussell.bsky.social
Social & political philosophy | deliberative democracy | social epistemology | climate activist | music lover | him/his | sidekick to @drjinrussell @AucklandUni
This is awful
This is utterly sickening, particularly the charges under HDCA. Many, many things from the 2021-2023 period of my life in terms of police (in)action related to threats made to me now must be viewed thru this unholy prism.
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/jevon-mcs...
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/jevon-mcs...
Police bosses ignored sex complaints against top cop, charged woman for 'revenge' emails instead
Suppressions fall away to reveal the full story of the downfall of a deputy police boss.
www.nzherald.co.nz
November 11, 2025 at 6:33 AM
This is awful
Reposted by Matheson Russell
Solar’s price drop is astonishing: panels are now 98% cheaper than when I first analyzed them in 2004.
Today, building a fence with solar can be cheaper than using wood.
Today, building a fence with solar can be cheaper than using wood.
November 10, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Solar’s price drop is astonishing: panels are now 98% cheaper than when I first analyzed them in 2004.
Today, building a fence with solar can be cheaper than using wood.
Today, building a fence with solar can be cheaper than using wood.
Tbf the US has never been a reliable “supporter of democracy overseas”
One authoritarian defunds media critic of another authoritarian: “Mr. Orbán’s government had long accused Szabad Európa of bias. By halting its funding, the United States removed one of the few outlets that continued to scrutinize his administration.”
US no longer supports democracy overseas.
US no longer supports democracy overseas.
US cuts funding for Hungary’s Szabad Európa, one of its last independent outlets, days before Orbán’s WH visit as Trump ally Kari Lake slashes Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, steps watchdogs call “a gift to autocrats.”
November 9, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Tbf the US has never been a reliable “supporter of democracy overseas”
The Australian Electoral Commission. A model that works and is impartial. Let’s go!
This makes me proud to be Australian, I must admit.
This makes me proud to be Australian, I must admit.
November 9, 2025 at 6:38 PM
The Australian Electoral Commission. A model that works and is impartial. Let’s go!
This makes me proud to be Australian, I must admit.
This makes me proud to be Australian, I must admit.
Priceless
November 8, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Priceless
Every word is true
1. This is a thread on freedom, and how easy it is to lose.
Over the past 2,000 years in Europe, there have been few periods and places of freedom. For much of the time we lived under highly oppressive tyrannies of various kinds, whether small or grand, local or imperial, secular or religious.🧵
Over the past 2,000 years in Europe, there have been few periods and places of freedom. For much of the time we lived under highly oppressive tyrannies of various kinds, whether small or grand, local or imperial, secular or religious.🧵
November 7, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Every word is true
Quietly ripping out the guts of the supposedly bipartisan commitment to the Paris agreement
The Govt quietly announced a loosening of climate rules at 8pm last night:
- Decoupling the ETS from Paris
- Shifting ETS resets to every 2 years
- Delaying the public sector target by 25 years
- Removing CCC advice from *before* emission reductions plans:
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...
- Decoupling the ETS from Paris
- Shifting ETS resets to every 2 years
- Delaying the public sector target by 25 years
- Removing CCC advice from *before* emission reductions plans:
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...
Government quietly loosens climate rules
An announcement at 8pm on Tuesday saw the Government delinking the ETS from the Paris Agreement and extending another emissions deadline by 25 years.
www.thepost.co.nz
November 5, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Quietly ripping out the guts of the supposedly bipartisan commitment to the Paris agreement
Reposted by Matheson Russell
White Christian Nationalism
Add a dose of propaganda to your morning coffee.. This smells of Russian-like “special operation”
November 2, 2025 at 10:52 PM
White Christian Nationalism
NZ electricity reached 99.9% renewable on 25 October, I believe that is a record. And that's despite a tenth of geothermal capacity appearing to be out of action (maintenance?) since the start of October. Source: em6
November 1, 2025 at 12:10 AM
“Life, or the totality of ends, has a right against abstract right. For instance, by the theft of a loaf of bread a property is doubtless injured. Still, if the act was the means of prolonging life, it would be wrong to consider it an ordinary theft. If the man whose life is in danger were not …
October 30, 2025 at 8:35 PM
“Life, or the totality of ends, has a right against abstract right. For instance, by the theft of a loaf of bread a property is doubtless injured. Still, if the act was the means of prolonging life, it would be wrong to consider it an ordinary theft. If the man whose life is in danger were not …
Reposted by Matheson Russell
yesterday on RNZ I talked with Kathryn Ryan about cuts to NZ science funding and the risk of losing talent www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
here's some correspondence about the opposite problem: kiwi scientists who want to return home to work, but can't, given the bleak funding environment
#nzpol
here's some correspondence about the opposite problem: kiwi scientists who want to return home to work, but can't, given the bleak funding environment
#nzpol
October 30, 2025 at 9:33 AM
yesterday on RNZ I talked with Kathryn Ryan about cuts to NZ science funding and the risk of losing talent www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
here's some correspondence about the opposite problem: kiwi scientists who want to return home to work, but can't, given the bleak funding environment
#nzpol
here's some correspondence about the opposite problem: kiwi scientists who want to return home to work, but can't, given the bleak funding environment
#nzpol
Reposted by Matheson Russell
*stares morosely in New Zealander*
Philosophers have been awarded over $6.6 million for a variety of projects in the recent round of Discovery Grants.
Philosophers Among Recent Discovery Grant Winners - Daily Nous
The Australian Research Council has announced the winners of its latest round of Discovery Grants, and several philosophers are among them. . The principal investigators, co-investigators, and their p...
dailynous.com
October 29, 2025 at 10:50 PM
*stares morosely in New Zealander*
Reposted by Matheson Russell
This is what happened to my Grandfather in Frankfurt, Germany on 9th November 1938, commonly known as Kristallnacht.
In Portland, Oregon, masked ICE GOONS abducted and vanished US citizen Gonzalo Catalan last week. Tragically, his family remains unaware of his whereabouts and has not received any communication from him as of today.
October 29, 2025 at 4:13 AM
This is what happened to my Grandfather in Frankfurt, Germany on 9th November 1938, commonly known as Kristallnacht.
Powerful
October 25, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Powerful
Reposted by Matheson Russell
There’s no way to stop climate change without consuming less.
Global use of coal hit record high in 2024
Bleak report finds greenhouse gas emissions are still rising despite ‘exponential’ growth of renewables
www.theguardian.com
October 22, 2025 at 9:01 AM
There’s no way to stop climate change without consuming less.
I’ve felt this pull myself. My solution: post nothing.
Social media users adopt the toxic behaviors of ingroup members
An analysis of 7 million tweets from over 700,000 accounts finds that exposures to toxic behavior by ingroup members is the primary driver of contagious toxicity online academic.oup.com/jcmc/article...
An analysis of 7 million tweets from over 700,000 accounts finds that exposures to toxic behavior by ingroup members is the primary driver of contagious toxicity online academic.oup.com/jcmc/article...
October 22, 2025 at 6:50 PM
I’ve felt this pull myself. My solution: post nothing.
Prescient
Israel Agrees To Go Back To Killing Palestinians On Less Frequent Basis
Israel Agrees To Go Back To Killing Palestinians On Less Frequent Basis
CAIRO—As part of a historic ceasefire agreement with Hamas following two years of war, the Israeli government reportedly agreed Thursday to go back to killing Palestinians on a less frequent basis. “I...
theonion.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Prescient
Reposted by Matheson Russell
How to keep a hundred tabs open before browsers were invented.
October 16, 2025 at 9:09 PM
How to keep a hundred tabs open before browsers were invented.
There was a time when antifa WAS an organisation, in fact an alliance of military powers. It is celebrated in countless US films about WWII and has been a prominent part of US cultural identity for the past 80 years. But that’s in the past now, it seems
October 10, 2025 at 2:29 AM
There was a time when antifa WAS an organisation, in fact an alliance of military powers. It is celebrated in countless US films about WWII and has been a prominent part of US cultural identity for the past 80 years. But that’s in the past now, it seems
Reposted by Matheson Russell
“I’ll declare war on you if you don’t give me the peace prize” is an incredible bit
October 9, 2025 at 10:16 PM
“I’ll declare war on you if you don’t give me the peace prize” is an incredible bit
The criminalising of non-violent protest in the UK is a disgrace. A clear and absolutely indefensible denial of political rights that are basic for any democracy
What has Yvette Cooper’s proscription of Palestine Action done to this country?
Beyond absurd. It’s extreme authoritarianism. These police should be arresting rapists & crooks, not neglecting those duties to spend time arresting citizens standing against genocide.
It undermines police and the law.
Beyond absurd. It’s extreme authoritarianism. These police should be arresting rapists & crooks, not neglecting those duties to spend time arresting citizens standing against genocide.
It undermines police and the law.
September 30, 2025 at 6:03 AM
The criminalising of non-violent protest in the UK is a disgrace. A clear and absolutely indefensible denial of political rights that are basic for any democracy
September 28, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Reposted by Matheson Russell
Reposted by Matheson Russell
The Government's controversial voting law will result in a 411% increase in the number of votes being thrown out, according to the Electoral Commission.
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...
An ‘election changing’ 55,000 votes could be barred under controversial new law
The Government’s changes to voting laws will see a 400% increase in “disallowed” votes, the Electoral Commission says.
www.thepost.co.nz
September 26, 2025 at 12:23 AM
The Government's controversial voting law will result in a 411% increase in the number of votes being thrown out, according to the Electoral Commission.
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...
www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...