Summer reissue: Are we missing the rise of the far right? Marc Daalder speaks to the angry middle-aged men who want to see nationalism rise in New Zealand. This post was first published 2 February 2019. Hundreds of Kiwis have pledged to march today against an obscure UN migration pact today under the guise of … Read more
Marc Daalder goes inside Wellycon, New Zealand’s largest board game convention to find out why the genre is having a renaissance. Snakes and Ladders sucks. At least, that’s according to BoardGameGeek.com, the near-definitive database for a hobby that has exploded in popularity in recent years. On BGG, as it’s known – or, affectionately/cringingly, “The Geek” … Read more
Attendees at the country’s largest and longest-running pop culture convention have complained about the presence of merchandise featuring sexualized underage anime characters. Life-size body pillows featuring underage characters, mystery merchandise bags containing panty shots of underage characters, and “Hentai clothing” were among the stock for sale at the recent Armageddon Expo in Wellington. Armageddon founder … Read more
Despite unequivocal statements from French authorities that they believe the Notre Dame fire was accidental, far-right personalities are claiming it was arson. Marc Daalder explains why. It didn’t take long. Within hours of the news breaking of a devastating fire at the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, far-right leaders were leaping on it, using dog … Read more
Taylor shouldn’t be left to rot in a Syrian jail, argues Marc Daalder – not because we’re bleeding hearts, but because it’s our obligation to charge him here. In mid-2014, Mark Taylor left his home, wife, and children behind in Indonesia and boarded a plane to Turkey. Now, he is languishing in a Kurdish military … Read more
Are we missing the rise of the far right? Marc Daalder speaks to the angry middle-aged men who want to see nationalism rise in New Zealand. Hundreds of Kiwis have pledged to march today against an obscure UN migration pact today under the guise of a brand-new organisation calling itself NZ Sovereignty. The central issue emphasised … Read more
Buildings in Wellington that once housed almost 150 people have lain empty for five years, even as an intensifying housing crisis has rendered 40,000 Kiwis homeless – including hundreds of Wellingtonians. How did it happen? Marc Daalder explains. In 1959, as construction of The Terrace Flats in Wellington neared completion, the building’s architect died. His … Read more