Well, that wasn’t a lot of fun.

The migration to a larger server certainly didn’t go smoothly. During the process half our readers were sent to the old server and half to the new.

Those who found themselves on the old server didn’t have access to our articles that were published during the migration.

For the benefit of those who went to the old server – and now that we’re all in the same place – here’s what you missed.

Not including media releases, these articles were published in your ‘absence’:

Corporate Propaganda and The Death of Brian Thompson: A Response by Dr John Smith:

In the wake of the murder of United Health CEO Brian Thompson, the New York Times (NYT) has come forth with a remarkable piece of propaganda designed to garner sympathy for Mr Thompson and his family. I, for one, find it very difficult to muster sympathy, good will and empathy for this ghoul who made billions of dollars in profit every year by denying health insurance claims.

Ding Dong, Australia’s Misinformation-Disinformation Bill is Dead by Dr Binoy Kampmark:

Regulating speech at law is much like regulating breath. At what point is an intake of air deemed inappropriate to the body and worthy of rationing? When will exhalation be allowed? The very idea that speech requires ordering and control is the first step to preventing its exercise. Death, in this case to freedom of thought and political expression, is bound to follow.

Sustainable Productivity: Australians’ Role in Change by Denis Hay:

Australia faces an urgent challenge: improving productivity while protecting the environment and supporting social equity. Traditional approaches have often prioritized economic growth at the expense of sustainability, exacerbating inequality and ecological harm.

Political Futures: Strategic Interpretations with a Populist Frame by Denis Bright:

In the wake of the current ascendancy of MAGA politics, the federal LNP’s culture wars against diversity offer populist icing on the cruel agendas of neoliberalism as an appendage of the US Global Alliance. This is for consumption in regional Australia and the most disadvantaged outer metro electorates where preferences from minor far-right parties persist in electing LNP federal representatives.

The legal decision on the Murdoch media – what does it mean for us? by Noel Wauchope:

The 93-year-old Rupert Murdoch sought to change the existing “irrevocable trust” which is to govern the arrangements of his media empire, after his death. The issue was that the trust should be in “the best interests” of the Murdoch children.

The ABC goes to Hungary: the culture war battle between “Christianity” and “woke” is a con by Lucy Hamilton:

Some of the most dangerous people in the world right now are those normalising and sanitising fascistic politics. It was not just in the banal media discussion that preceded Donald Trump’s re-election; it can also be found at the ABC, including on Radio National lifestyle programming. One of the tropes to look for is the placing the concept “woke” in counterpoint to “traditional” and “Christian” values.

“When Labor Run Out Of Money, They Come After Yours…” by Rossleigh:

One of the attacks that the Coalition have levelled at Labor in the past few years is the hip pocket one of “When Labor run out of money, they come after yours.”

Finding the Unmentionable: Amnesty International, Israel and Genocide by Dr Binoy Kampmark:

It was bound to happen. With continuing operations in Gaza, and increasingly violent activities being conducted against Palestinians in the occupied territories, human rights organisations are making increasingly severe assessments of Israel’s warring cause. While the world awaits the findings of the International Court of Justice on whether Israel’s campaign, as argued by South Africa, amounts to genocide, Amnesty International has already reached its conclusions.

Climate Change: Why Your Voice Matters More Than Ever by Denis Hay:

Australia faces a critical juncture in addressing the climate crisis. Despite public calls for action, corporate interests continue to dominate climate policies, stalling the nation’s transition to renewable energy. For Gen Z and Millennials, this fight is personal – their future depends on the decisions made today.

Australia’s coming Dutton-deluge of nuclear propaganda by Noel Wauchope:

There’s something dramatically splendid about King Louis XV of France’s famous statement in 1757 – “After me, the deluge”, interpreted to mean that he knew his reign would leave France in a terrible mess, but meanwhile, let’s enjoy the wealth and fun.

Well, I’m not sure that the predicted election win in Australia for the Liberal-National Coalition will result in wealth and fun, but I think that its aftermath will be a mess.

The Perils of Political Capture by Sue Barrett:

In a free market, businesses that fail to adapt to changing circumstances and innovation typically collapse, making way for new ideas and technologies. But when it comes to the fossil fuel industry, the normal rules don’t apply. Instead of evolving, these companies cling to outdated business models, relying on political patronage to keep themselves alive – even as renewable energy proves its viability and urgency in the face of the climate crisis.

The Mythologies of Musk by James Moore:

The ironies and hypocrisies unfolding with this taxpayer-funded billionaire are almost too great to categorize and enumerate.

Why Labor and LNP Are Failing Aussie Citizens by Denis Hay:

Australia’s two-party system often presents Labor and LNP, the Liberal-National Coalition as ideological opposites. Yet, both parties frequently converge on economic policy, foreign relations, and corporate influence, prioritising elite interests over citizens.

Foiling Rupert Murdoch: Project Harmony Misfires by Dr Binoy Kampmark:

The case that began on September 17 concerning the control of the Murdoch family trust has been decided. It saw a dicey attempt by the one of the most ruthless newspaper and media moguls in history to limit influence and control of his publishing and broadcasting empire after his death. The relevant parties? The children, of course.

Destructive despotic power by Bert Hetebry:

Nothing much changes. “Despotism creates circumstances of its own undermining. The information gets worse, the sycophants get greater in number, the corrective mechanisms become fewer and the mistakes become more consequential” is how Stephen Kotkin described the weakness of despots in a recent essay.

Grok2 Nukes Peter Dutton by Steve Davies:

“Does Australia need nuclear power, solar or wind power given the fact that the Australian Liberal Party produces so much fermentable bullshit?”

 

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During the migration to the new server we encountered another problem: Images don’t always appear on our homepage. This is a coincidence only, and was unrelated to the migration. The theme (template) we use for The AIMN – and have used since 2014 – is no longer supported by its creator and is being replaced.

In a nutshell, if something goes wrong they no longer will be able to fix it. Whilst we have our own developer to do repair work, she has not had any success.

Our only option is to have the site rebuilt with the updated version of our current theme. This is costly and time-consuming, so won’t happen overnight.

Until then we will continue to have problems with the pictures on the homepage unless our developer can find a magic wand.

Again we ask: Bear with us.