Posted by Leefe on 24 February 2010 – 10:25 pm
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?
Posted by Leefe on 4 February 2010 – 11:31 pm
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.
Posted by Leefe on 20 January 2010 – 10:56 pm
Cadbury, my favourite brand of chocolate, is being devoured by Kraft.
For a deal worth £11.5 billion ($20.28 billion), or 860 pence a share, most of the articles I have seen talk about the worry of having to make ‘making significant cost savings’, ie job losses. And while I sampathise with the people that may loose their jobs, I worry about the state of my favourite chocolate.
When Kraft takeover Cadbury wil they change the mix of the chocolate? Cadbury is an iconic brand of chocolate would you mess with the recipe?
No being a fan of Kraft cheese. And noticing the recent Vegemite iSnack 2.0 debarcle. I am a little worried.
Althought I see they also own Toblerone. So, maybe they can still make decent chocolate. I wil have to wait and see.
More worrying is the rumors mentioned of a counter offer by Hershey. If that maker of crap compount chocolate takes over Cadbury, I can really see the quality going down the tubes,
Posted by Leefe on 30 December 2009 – 3:07 pm
Filed under Baby, News
Tagged as bank, Japan, News, procreate
Japan’s largest banking group says ‘Go home and procreate’.
Taking the government directive to boost the population seriously, management at Mitsubishi UFJ sent staff an email telling them to go home at 5:10pm rather than the usual 7pm. The idea being this would leave them with more energy at the end of the day, and more time to pursue extra circular activities at home.
It is worth noting though that bank branches close to the public at 3pm. What do all the staff do for the next 4 hours?
Posted by Leefe on 6 June 2009 – 6:10 pm
SBS reports that Melbourne has been declared ‘swine flu capital of the world‘. With 874 reported cases of H1N1, Melbourne has twice the prevelance of Mexico.
That is a swine flue cases at 1 to 9,139 in Victoria, and at 1 to 21,860 in Mexico.
Of course, there are 109,955,400 people in Mexico and only 5,205,200 people in Victoria. And Australia only has 4.5% of the cases in the world.
Posted by Leefe on 5 July 2008 – 8:12 pm
It seems Kyoto is planning to take drastic measures to reduce greenhouse gasses. Close all the convenience stores (combini to the Japanese).
Well, not quite that drastic. Japan Today reports that Kyoto is encouraging convenience stores to close early, so as to reduce their carbon foot print.
But would they still be convenient if only open 7am to 11pm?
And what about all the other 24 institutions, like Pachinko parlours? I can’t see them closing early.
Posted by digg on 6 September 2007 – 11:48 am
THOUSANDS more toys are being pulled from Australian shelves as an international investigation delves deeper into China’s disgraced manufacturing industry. In a recorded statement, Mattel’s Australian marketing director, Julie Kearns, said the company had been testing toys since the paint scandal broke. See service.mattel.com (SMH, 6 Sept 2007)
read more | digg story
Posted by digg on 1 September 2007 – 2:38 pm
Filed under Baby, News
Tagged as child, dad, father, News
“IT’S FATHER’S DAY tomorrow and, while fathers of all ages deserve praise and acclamation, we should raise a special cheer for the nation’s more recent dads.” A humorous list of 30 changes in their lives new fathers may recognise. (SMH, 1 Sept 2007)
read more | digg story
Posted by Leefe on 2 August 2007 – 11:56 pm
Dora is recalled from exploring. Sesame Street is no longer giggling. Barney is facing extinction.
Mattel is recalling 83 models of Fisher-Price toys. In Australian the product recall is estimated at 43,000 and in the USA at nearly 1,000,000.
An article from Associated Press, appearing in many publications, indicates that there were quality control errors in a number of toy manufactured in China. Reports attribute the product recall to the level of lead in paint on the toys.
The reports advise that parents should remove the toys from their children and check against the list of recalled products. And that Australian consumers need to contact Mattel Australia directly for refunds or exchange, on 1800 674 753 (M-F 9-5) or www.service.mattel.com
Disclaimer: This is an opinion piece, if you want more details go read the articles below.
References
- Fisher-Price toys recalled in Australia (SMH, 2 Aug 2007)
- Fisher-Price recalls almost 1 million toys (SMH, 2 Aug 2007)
- Australian list of recalled toys (SMH, 2 Aug 2007)
- US list of toys included in recall (SMH, 2 Aug 2007)
- Fisher-Price to Recall Nearly 1M Toys (WashingtonPost, 2 Aug 2007)
- Fisher-Price To Recall 967,000 Toys Worldwide Because Of Lead In Paint (NBC11, 2Aug 2007)
I could keep posting links, but they are all excerpts of the same story by Anne D’Innocenzio and Natasha T. Metzler of the Associated Press
Blogs
- Lead Paint on Fisher-Price Toys, Worldwide Recall (Pajamadeen, 1 Aug 2007)
- Fisher Price Toys Recalled in Australia (Babystyle blog, 2 Aug 2007)
- Fisher-Price recalls nearly 1 million toys for lead paint contamination (MomSquark, 2 Aug 2007)
- Dora the Explorer Explores the Wonderful World of Lead Paint (TortsProf Blog, 2 Aug 2007)
The list could go on. There were around 15,000 blog posts listed on Technorati when last I checked. Technarati Fisher-Price posts
Posted by Leefe on 6 June 2007 – 6:23 pm
Filed under Email, News, Search
Tagged as Email, fake, News
As it happens there is a man selling Sydney Rock Oysters laced with Viagra. His idea was to produce a super aphrodisiac. Perhaps a smart marketing move, unfortunately the same can’t be said about his Internet usage.
He has been trying to promote the idea through a website. And when an email from Google arrived saying saying it was the “fastest growing internet story since 9/11” he went straight to the media.
A story in the Sydney Morning Herald details how the wool was putted over his eyes.
My favourite quote from the story is:
“Obviously, I’m not dumb, if I’d knew there was anything wrong with it at that point I’d have gone ’shit I’m not going to put that on national television on Sunday night’.”
No, he is obviously just gullible and didn’t think to check the email authenticity.
