Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy
Entry: RC Sensitive Sunglasses
Description: Eye wear proscribed by the Australian Government, designed to go black, preventing ‘inadvertent exposure’. Always keep your cool when viewing the Internet.
Lets to the Twist, in Pyrmont
Today Union square in Pyrmont was occupied camera crew, support personnel, and all their associated paraphernalia. Looked to be filming a TV commercial for KFC’s Twisters.
New job = No life
I have a new job 
I have no life 
Not much commentary posted her in recent weeks as I have a new job. Which is good because it pays the bills, but it leaves little time for much else at the moment.
Would have liked to post comments about interesting things in the new recently, like: EB Games submission of 46,000 signatures on a petition; SA political commentary law; and other things of interest. Not to mention photos I have taken, and some cartoons I’ve drawn.
So, people, me included, will just have to wait till I have more time.
Government to bar code kids to keep better stastics
As part of a new system implemented by the Federal Government, all school students will be bar coded. Students will be required to scan themselves when they site for tests to improve data tracking. And, as an added benefit, it will allow students to swipe to logon to computers, setting the correct Internet Filter setting automatically.
“Better record keeping, and keeping you children safe on the Internet, all in one!” the education spokesperson announced.
While this may be a little fanciful, I worry about information systems that this government wants to setup. The new “unique student identifier” looks like a Trojan Australia Card.
If the government starts tracking all your school results you will get stuck with them for life. I can see the USI being rolled over into your Taxfile number or some such thing when you get older.
When applying for a job in a government department, do you really want them quizzing you about why you failed maths in year 3?
Maybe this is a little extreme, but it is something you need to think about. Will those those indiscretions as a child catch you up (or at least your children) later in life?
- Students to get tracking numbers (SBS, 24 Feb 2010)
- Children to be given identity numbers (Phillip Coorey, SMH, 24 Feb 2010)
Nomadic Rug Trader
Had lunch in Pyrmont today and I was thinking about an establishment called the Nomadic Rug Trader. So what do they sell?
Nomadic Rugs I suppose.
And do these rugs travel in herds? Perhaps they need a shepard?
Which is where the Trader of Nomadic Rugs comes in.
conservatopia (definition)
conservatopia \ con·serv·a·to·pia \ noun:
An imagined place or state where nothing ever changes. A place that suffers of newmonia often wished they were.
newmonia (definition)
newmonia \ neu·moh·nee·uh \ noun:
A medical condition where suffers feel the need to complain about all the new things they encounter.
Kids relegated to purgatory at Broadway
In their infinite wisdom Centre Management at Broadway Shopping Centre have moved the kids area to level 3, next to Priceline. The furthest they can get it away from the shops without leaving the centre?
This is the second time in a year they have move the kids playground.
Is the reason for moving, that stores have complained about the kids area being to close to them? I would think it would be good the surrounding stores. Parents are stuck there for a length of time, with nothing else to look at.
The kids playground was in a convenient location. Easy to visit when you need to let them burn off extra energy. Now you have to drag kids along a series of escalators or wait for space on the one lift that goes to level 3.
I suppose kids don’t make many purchases in the shopping centre. So why not just stick them where they are neither seen nor heard?
It’s more likely that just want the space to put in more shops. Like the reason they moved the customer service desk somewhere not obvious.
And he waits
Standing firm at the curb, he looks toward the oncoming cars.
His stance enhanced by the jacket and sunglasses.
Fate is coming and he is waiting to embrace it.
Or, maybe the bus us just running late.
iiNet one, AFACT zero
This morning the twitterverse was abuzz with the news that iiNet had won the cast AFACT brought against them. It was found that ISPs are not responsible for what users use them for.
Nice to see you can’t punish ISPs for hearsay copyright infringement notices.
Now, can the same be applied to what users view? ie. why should ISPs be responsible for filtering Internet content?
A collection of interesting articles about the AFACT vs iiNet case.
- Sanity prevails: iiNet did not authorise its users’ infringements (Nic, EFA, 4 Feb 2010)
- iiNet wins video piracy trial (Renai LeMay, Delimiter, 4 Feb 2010)
- AFACT v iiNet: Statement in full from the losing party (NewTechnica, 4 Feb 2010)
A humorous interpretation of events after the ruling was announced. - Document: Judge’s summary of iiNet trial (Ben Grubb, ZDNet.com.au, 4 Feb 2010)
- Pirate Party Australia Welcomes Decision In IiNet Trial (Pirate Party, 4 Feb 2010)
- iiTrial: Telstra welcomes “legal clarity” (Renai LeMay, Delimiter, 4 Feb 2010)
- Mixed reaction to iiNet ruling (SBS, 4 Feb 2010)
- iiNet outcome an “application of common sense”: EFF (Tim Lohman, Computerworld, 4 Feb 2010)
- An attempt to cast a pall over internet usage (Robert Corr, 4 Feb 2010)
A summary of points the author thought were important in the 200 page judgement. - Piracy case to shake up global fight (Bronwyn Herbert and Tim Leslie, ABC News, 2 Feb 2010)
At the start sounds like it assumes that all users are pirates, but has some useful comments further down.
