I can haz a quick reference to the Twittersphere!
Still here ;-)
I haven't been arrested for my previous post - clearly Echelon doesn't dig deep enough or the wheels of policing bureaucracy are slow to move at this time of year.
At the end of this annus horribilus, and as we edge towards the eve of a new (but same agenda) world order, I felt it relevant to share this quote. It sums up my feeling on what 2009 will bring.
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
~John F. Kennedy
Happy pagan solstice festivities to all!
At the end of this annus horribilus, and as we edge towards the eve of a new (but same agenda) world order, I felt it relevant to share this quote. It sums up my feeling on what 2009 will bring.
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
~John F. Kennedy
Happy pagan solstice festivities to all!
Is this my last post before the police take me away?
PUBLIC WARNING!!!
Reading this post may put you at risk of breaking the law in Australia or other nanny-state nations. Following some the the links in the post will certainly do so!
I am posting this report and the links because I think the law has gone too far and I am putting out the challenge for charges to be laid against me.
2008 is likely to be remembered for many things, but censorship is the one area that has taken the spotlight, as the Australian Government, policing agencies, the courts of law and all forms of media have attempted to create an increasingly black and white view in a very grey world.
There is a fine line between right and wrong. Often that line gets crossed through humour, silliness, accident or just plain ignorance. But does that mean that the full weight of the law should come down upon you?
We have seen the problem caused by Bill Henson's artistic perspectives (viewed via Google) and the topic has arisen through the public debate surrounding Stephen Conroy's proposal for an Internet filter, which most industry experts consider to be infeasible and a waste of effort - see www.nocleanfeeed.com.
More recently we see that the Courts are now jumping in with questionable rulings on what constitutes child abuse, and specifically that which is deemed to be child pornography.
Mark Pesce writes about two such cases on the ABC blog "Unleashed" and Greg Barnes also has a say over on OnlineOpinion.
The first is regarding the Simpsons cartoon characters represented in sexual acts. The second concerns a judgement against a man who redistributed a video online of a child being swung around in the air - deemed to be child abuse.
By the way, if you want to risk police attention, you will find many of these cartoon "porn" pics by doing a simple search on Google (e.g. Bart sex or Simpsons Sex). The suspect video is apprently freely available on the internet and in my research I've determined that it is probably this one on Youtube.
Judge for yourselves ... am I now a criminal for having viewed this material and linking to them on my blog? Are you?
Reading this post may put you at risk of breaking the law in Australia or other nanny-state nations. Following some the the links in the post will certainly do so!
I am posting this report and the links because I think the law has gone too far and I am putting out the challenge for charges to be laid against me.
2008 is likely to be remembered for many things, but censorship is the one area that has taken the spotlight, as the Australian Government, policing agencies, the courts of law and all forms of media have attempted to create an increasingly black and white view in a very grey world.
There is a fine line between right and wrong. Often that line gets crossed through humour, silliness, accident or just plain ignorance. But does that mean that the full weight of the law should come down upon you?
We have seen the problem caused by Bill Henson's artistic perspectives (viewed via Google) and the topic has arisen through the public debate surrounding Stephen Conroy's proposal for an Internet filter, which most industry experts consider to be infeasible and a waste of effort - see www.nocleanfeeed.com.
More recently we see that the Courts are now jumping in with questionable rulings on what constitutes child abuse, and specifically that which is deemed to be child pornography.
Mark Pesce writes about two such cases on the ABC blog "Unleashed" and Greg Barnes also has a say over on OnlineOpinion.
The first is regarding the Simpsons cartoon characters represented in sexual acts. The second concerns a judgement against a man who redistributed a video online of a child being swung around in the air - deemed to be child abuse.
By the way, if you want to risk police attention, you will find many of these cartoon "porn" pics by doing a simple search on Google (e.g. Bart sex or Simpsons Sex). The suspect video is apprently freely available on the internet and in my research I've determined that it is probably this one on Youtube.
Judge for yourselves ... am I now a criminal for having viewed this material and linking to them on my blog? Are you?
The Billion Dollar Messiah
An obscene amount of dollars was raised and spent to "elect" the leader of the world's most "free" country. And all during a time of massive financial crisis that is likely to lead to the downfall of the greatest empire since Rome.
It is simply beyond irony.
It is simply beyond irony.
Enhance your social networking experiences
Here's how one social networking futurist sees the tools developing into a sleeker service for all. As long as privacy is maintained, I'm all for a more personalised and friendlier experience.
Also check out this review of Power.com because taking control of your many online profiles, psuedonyms, blogs and networking tools may give you greater security and peace of mind and prevent your identity being hijacked as happened to Aussie billionaire James Packer recently.
Also check out this review of Power.com because taking control of your many online profiles, psuedonyms, blogs and networking tools may give you greater security and peace of mind and prevent your identity being hijacked as happened to Aussie billionaire James Packer recently.
Get Up! Campaign to Save the Net
Imagine a government proposing an internet censorship system that went further than any other democracy - one that made the internet up to 87% slower, more expensive, accidentally blocked up to one in 12 legitimate sites, and missed the vast majority of inappropriate content.
This is not China, Saudi Arabia or Iran - this is the vision of Senator Stephen Conroy for Australia. Testing has already begun. The community must now move to stop this plan. Click here to save the net:
www.getup.org.au/campaign/
The system that Senator Conroy wants is a mandatory filter of all internet traffic, with the government of the day able to add any unwanted site to a secret blacklist. Already, the wrangling has begun for the inclusion of material relating to anorexia, euthanasia and gambling. It isn't difficult to see the scheme is open to abuse.
Even when it comes to preventing child p-rnography, the filter will not prevent peer-to-peer sharing and is very simple to sidestep. The protection of our children is vitally important - that's why we can't afford to waste funds on this deeply flawed system. We should be concentrating on solutions that are more effective and won't undermine our digital economy or our democratic freedoms.
This must rank as one of the most ill-thought decisions of the Rudd Government's first year in power. We need to act now to tell big brother the mandatory internet filter is incompatible with the principles of a modern democracy and modern economy:
www.getup.org.au/campaign/
Our government should be doing all in its power to take Australia into the 21st century economy, and to protect our children. This proposed internet censorship does neither. Take action to save the net today.
Thanks for being a part of the solution,
The GetUp team
PS - The proposed scheme will pass all internet traffic through a government filter - it's like asking Australia Post to filter every letter sent in Australia. Click here to save the net.
Tools to beat Internet Censorship
Here are a few resources to assist anyone wishing to challenge, undermine and even usurp the Australian Government's intention to censor the Internet through the application of a national filter.
Tell them to take a flying leap and send Stephen Conroy a one-fingered message of defiance:
An overview is provided here:
http://www.masternewmedia.org/privacy_security/bypass-internet-censorship/bypass-internet-filters-anonymous-browsing-guide-20071118.htm
and here:
http://citizenlab.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1319
plus this one:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071015-citizen-lab-releases-guide-to-circumventing-internet-censors.html
Some web-based tools are offered here:
http://proxify.com/alt.shtml
http://www.peacefire.org/circumventor/
http://www.stupidcensorship.com
Other software is provided here:
http://psiphon.ca/
http://www.internetfreedom.org/
http://www.jmarshall.com/tools/cgiproxy/
http://rajeshrana.net/2008/02/12/7-best-tools-to-circumvent-internet-censorship-%E2%80%93-an-alternatives-to-ultra-surf/
Good Luck! ;-)
Usurp Internet Censorship
Enough is enough!!!
I am looking for ways to avoid, undermine and even usurp the Australian Government's Internet censorship strategy.
Any ideas, please leave your comments!
More info here:
http://nocleanfeed.com/
http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,24569656-5014239,00.html
And show your objections here:
http://petitions.takingitglobal.org/oznetcensorship
I am looking for ways to avoid, undermine and even usurp the Australian Government's Internet censorship strategy.
Any ideas, please leave your comments!
More info here:
http://nocleanfeed.com/
http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,24569656-5014239,00.html
And show your objections here:
http://petitions.takingitglobal.org/oznetcensorship
An eye for an eye
“An eye for an eye would make the whole world blind.”
Mahatma Ghandi
The three convicted Bali Bombers have been murdered by a vicious, third world legal system at the behest of ignorant and depraved public opinion.
This is a sad and disappointing day for anyone who holds justice high above and disparate from vengeance; for those who foresee the deep and dark ramifications of gifting martyrdom.
And all the while war criminals like Tony Blair and George W. Bush, who are ultimately responsible for the documented deaths of more than 100,000 (potentially closer to 500,000), continue to walk the Earth as free men.
Mahatma Ghandi
The three convicted Bali Bombers have been murdered by a vicious, third world legal system at the behest of ignorant and depraved public opinion.
This is a sad and disappointing day for anyone who holds justice high above and disparate from vengeance; for those who foresee the deep and dark ramifications of gifting martyrdom.
And all the while war criminals like Tony Blair and George W. Bush, who are ultimately responsible for the documented deaths of more than 100,000 (potentially closer to 500,000), continue to walk the Earth as free men.
Difference Between the Obama and McCain Tax Plans
North American Patriot: The Real True Honest Fair and Balanced Difference Between the Obama and McCain Tax Plans
Its not so much the difference in tax policy that is astounding ... its the fact that they actually include people who earn more than $2,870,000 per annum.
Who actually earns that kind of money and doesn't have a full time tax accountant to reduce their liability to zero through dodgy tax minimisation and avoidance schemes??
LOL
Its not so much the difference in tax policy that is astounding ... its the fact that they actually include people who earn more than $2,870,000 per annum.
Who actually earns that kind of money and doesn't have a full time tax accountant to reduce their liability to zero through dodgy tax minimisation and avoidance schemes??
LOL
Death Penalty Caveat
An article on the death penalty and interesting commentary from readers led me to state:
The death penalty is final - what happens when we get the verdict wrong? How many innocent lives can we justify as the means to the end?
The only way I would accept the existence of capital punishment is if juries, prosecutors and judges were also given the death penalty if it was found that they'd convicted (and thus murdered) the wrong person.
With that caveat I doubt anyone would be game to take the chance.
The death penalty is final - what happens when we get the verdict wrong? How many innocent lives can we justify as the means to the end?
The only way I would accept the existence of capital punishment is if juries, prosecutors and judges were also given the death penalty if it was found that they'd convicted (and thus murdered) the wrong person.
With that caveat I doubt anyone would be game to take the chance.
What Lies Beyond the Activism?
Featured in The West Australian, Saturday 4 October 2008 pg14. This is the unedited version - italicised areas differ from the printed version.
Taking the opposing view of a high profile group, such as Pride WA, is always fraught with danger. And if, as the devil's advocate, you happen to be an out (and proud) activist for human rights, questioning the validity of Mardi Gras' poorer and impotent WA cousin is likely to inspire a gay fatwa.
Religion and ice-breaker aside, this debate is about whether the Pride Parade still offers any significant purpose in a modern society that has largely redeemed itself of a torrid, but relatively short-lived, history of fear and hatred towards non-heterosexual citizens.
During the last few decades of activism, lobbying, community consultation and legislative debate, Pride was one of a handful of necessary tools used to highlight the cause of homosexuals (bisexuals and trans-folk were forgotten for many years) and sway public opinion. To this end the successive committees achieved their purpose and the battle was won.
Today, just a few years after the first parade in 1990, we have sexual and gender equality exceeding other states and beyond what most countries could hope to achieve in a similar time frame.
Even the current Premier, who vehemently opposed the 2002 legislation that transformed our state, is unwilling to water down this advancement. What is done is done; we now move forward as a progressive and respectful society.
This year Pride has donned the tag-line of "re-invention". And it is timely that it do so, just as a teenager must eventually lose the unruliness and loutish nature of its youthful exuberance in favour of a more cultured, mature and civil interaction with a diverse society.
The question for Pride, once famed for attracting a six figure audience to witness political parody, is what lies beyond the activism?
Sydney's internationally famous Mardi Gras has grown up from its protest roots to become a unique tourist drawcard that injects millions of dollars into the economy. Perth, due to its isolation and population, is incapable of achieving the same.
The Parade is waning, the after-party has retired to a nightclub, and Northbridge Fairday attendance has dropped significantly. Homophobic crimes are no more concerning than racial or religious inspired ones and the majority of our GLBT youth enjoy the company of their straight friends across venues without question.
Pride is in the sunset of its years. It deserves our respect and thanks, not our lifeline.
The new web is mobile!
Further to my previous post about the "new web" comes a story that proves I'm a bit behind the times!
http://www.watoday.com.au/technology/google-takes-aim-at-apples-iphone-20080915-4gnz.html
http://www.watoday.com.au/technology/google-takes-aim-at-apples-iphone-20080915-4gnz.html
The new web is on its way
In answer to a question on LinkedIn about the future of Google ("As the "Google-age" continues to unfold, what do you think their next move is in changing the universe?"), I provided the following answer on May 17 2007:
http://tinyurl.com/5u8wca
Google have since released their Chrome browser. Just one step closer ;-)
Worthwhile reading this too:
http://etech.eweek.com/content/web_technology/just_browsing.html
Clearly Google has one agenda - to strip Microsoft of their monopoly over day-to-day applications like the internet browser, email and office suite.
Imagine the day when you turn on your PC/laptop, PDA or mobile phone and simply connect to iGoogle through your Google (Firefox?) browser. From there you have ready access to your entire collection of files (no longer reliant on your own hard drive) for work and leisure. You edit, store, send, print from Google's powerful suite of tools and not once do you utilise a single Microsoft application (except perhaps for the operating system), let alone any other vendor's product. Google provides all for free (and a few non intrusive adverts). Bring it on!! ;-)
http://tinyurl.com/5u8wca
Google have since released their Chrome browser. Just one step closer ;-)
Worthwhile reading this too:
http://etech.eweek.com/content/web_technology/just_browsing.html
A Google Conspiracy?
I don't really have an opinion about the hypothesis presented by this video, except to say that it is plausible and thus should concern us all. However, as a great user of all that is Google, I know what they know about me ... I can't say the same for my own government!
Where to Invade Next?
I was wandering through Planet Books in Mt Lawley (highly recommended for topical, political and thought-provoking material) and noted a book titled "Where to Invade Next?" by Stephen Elliot. On the back cover was the following quote:
Inside the book is listed the top countries (along with explanations) on the USA's hit list ... and yes, Venezuela is there along with the usual suspects of Iran, Sudan and North Korea ;-)
More detail at http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781932416930-0
"About ten days after 9/11, I went through the Pentagon and I saw Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz. I went downstairs just to say hello to some of the people on the Joint Staff who used to work for me, and one of the generals called me in. He said, "Sir, you've got to come in and talk to me a second." I said, "Well, you're too busy." He said, "No, no." He says, "We've made the decision we're going to war with Iraq." This was on or about the twentieth of September...
"So I came back to see him a few weeks later, and by that time we were bombing in Afghanistan. I said, "Are we still going to war with Iraq?" And he said, "Oh, it's worse than that." He reached over on his desk. He picked up a piece of paper. And he said, "I just got this down from upstairs" (meaning the Secretary of Defense's office) "today." And he said, "This is a memo that describes how we're going to take out seven countries in five years."
— General Wesley Clark, February 27, 2007
Inside the book is listed the top countries (along with explanations) on the USA's hit list ... and yes, Venezuela is there along with the usual suspects of Iran, Sudan and North Korea ;-)
More detail at http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781932416930-0
America's growing enemy
Keep an eye on Venezuela.
According to reports like this and this, Chavez is being too much like a Robin Hood for the US and international bank boys to just stand by and do nothing.
He has already taken back the oil & gas fields, now they plan to ramp up production and hit foreign companies with a 50% tax on excess oil profits.
He also plans to nationalise the cement industry as well as the Argentinian controlled steelmaker and even take measures to ensure that the people of Venezuela have enough food for the future - no way!
And in the back of his mind is still the plan to introduce a Tobin styled tax on financial transactions.
How will they stop him? Rumours of impropriety? Another coup? Acts of terrorism? Assasination? Here's a start.
But there is also the growing concern about who should be the local sherrif of this region of the world. Perhaps The South American Defense Council?
At least that might explain why Venezuela and Brazil are spending big on arms. (Does anyone know why Greece is at the top of the list of big spenders?)
But despite all this, Chavez does appear to have some interesting friends ...
Belarus
China
Iran
Maybe it is a case of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"?
And if that isn't enough to make you at least question the US stance on Venezuela, try reading the works of Eva Golinger, namely The Chavez Code and Bush vs Chavez - Washington's War on Venezuela or start by reading this review.
Of course, you are also welcome to ignore this and simply take the view that Venezuela deserves everything it gets for its socialist, anti-American, communist-loving, anti-semitic, Simpsons-hating philosphy.
According to reports like this and this, Chavez is being too much like a Robin Hood for the US and international bank boys to just stand by and do nothing.
He has already taken back the oil & gas fields, now they plan to ramp up production and hit foreign companies with a 50% tax on excess oil profits.
He also plans to nationalise the cement industry as well as the Argentinian controlled steelmaker and even take measures to ensure that the people of Venezuela have enough food for the future - no way!
And in the back of his mind is still the plan to introduce a Tobin styled tax on financial transactions.
How will they stop him? Rumours of impropriety? Another coup? Acts of terrorism? Assasination? Here's a start.
But there is also the growing concern about who should be the local sherrif of this region of the world. Perhaps The South American Defense Council?
At least that might explain why Venezuela and Brazil are spending big on arms. (Does anyone know why Greece is at the top of the list of big spenders?)
But despite all this, Chavez does appear to have some interesting friends ...
Belarus
China
Iran
Maybe it is a case of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"?
And if that isn't enough to make you at least question the US stance on Venezuela, try reading the works of Eva Golinger, namely The Chavez Code and Bush vs Chavez - Washington's War on Venezuela or start by reading this review.
Of course, you are also welcome to ignore this and simply take the view that Venezuela deserves everything it gets for its socialist, anti-American, communist-loving, anti-semitic, Simpsons-hating philosphy.
The Other War
Whatever happened to the other war ... you know, the one started by Ronald Reagan, and continued by successive US governments .. the other war against a faceless enemy that was designed to bring fear into the hearts and minds of every Joe and Jane Citizen ... the War on Drugs! ???
Now we know that the USA has used the "War on Drugs" to great effect in achieving its goals in Central and South America. So what would happen if the USA ran up against a rebellious state telling the local sherriff to nick off?
Well, one side would naturally have to make claims of a worsening trafficking problem to highlight the ineffectiveness of the insubordinate regime:
Cocaine Finds a New Latin American Home.
Take particular note of the "tracked" routes (see image below) used by traffickers ... one could easily be led to think that the Dominican Republic is one VERY tripped out place with all the drugs going there, but not seeming to leave! Not to mention that the drugs don't even seem to originate in Columbia anymore either.
Apparently the White House knows where the drugs come from (Venezuela) and knows where they arrive (Dominican Republic) but somehow loses track of them after that!
However, it is also quite evident by these "tracks" that the drugs are not going through any of the usual Central American countries anymore, which must, of course, be due to the incredible success of the long-standing partnership with the US Drug Enforcement Agency ;-)
Of course there's always the other, less popular or politically convenient, side of the story, which boldly claims that Venezuela Boosts Drug Seizures, Arrests Triple.
Now, they can't be both right, can they?
Given the USA's track record on propaganda, I'd bet my Aussie dollar along with a few thousand overinflated Bolivar against the dirty greenback anyday!
Now we know that the USA has used the "War on Drugs" to great effect in achieving its goals in Central and South America. So what would happen if the USA ran up against a rebellious state telling the local sherriff to nick off?
Well, one side would naturally have to make claims of a worsening trafficking problem to highlight the ineffectiveness of the insubordinate regime:
Cocaine Finds a New Latin American Home.
Take particular note of the "tracked" routes (see image below) used by traffickers ... one could easily be led to think that the Dominican Republic is one VERY tripped out place with all the drugs going there, but not seeming to leave! Not to mention that the drugs don't even seem to originate in Columbia anymore either.
Apparently the White House knows where the drugs come from (Venezuela) and knows where they arrive (Dominican Republic) but somehow loses track of them after that!
However, it is also quite evident by these "tracks" that the drugs are not going through any of the usual Central American countries anymore, which must, of course, be due to the incredible success of the long-standing partnership with the US Drug Enforcement Agency ;-)
Of course there's always the other, less popular or politically convenient, side of the story, which boldly claims that Venezuela Boosts Drug Seizures, Arrests Triple.
Now, they can't be both right, can they?
Given the USA's track record on propaganda, I'd bet my Aussie dollar along with a few thousand overinflated Bolivar against the dirty greenback anyday!
See the light!
Thanks to my very good friend Adam for these two gems this week:
A fundamentalist preacher was taking a walk one day and happened upon a young girl who was playing with something in a cardboard box. When he got closer he could see that in the box was a litter of newborn kittens.
"What kind of kittens are those?" asked the preacher.
"Why, they're Christian kittens," replied the little girl.
The preacher walked on, pleased to see that the little girl had Jesus foremost in her heart.
A week later, the preacher was walking down the same street and saw the little girl again playing with the kittens.
"And how are your little Christian kittens doing today?" asked the man of God.
"Oh, they aren't Christian kittens, they're Atheist kittens," replied the girl.
"But...but... I thought you said last week that they were Christian kittens," sputtered the flabbergasted preacher.
"Oh, they were. But now their eyes are open."
A fundamentalist preacher was taking a walk one day and happened upon a young girl who was playing with something in a cardboard box. When he got closer he could see that in the box was a litter of newborn kittens.
"What kind of kittens are those?" asked the preacher.
"Why, they're Christian kittens," replied the little girl.
The preacher walked on, pleased to see that the little girl had Jesus foremost in her heart.
A week later, the preacher was walking down the same street and saw the little girl again playing with the kittens.
"And how are your little Christian kittens doing today?" asked the man of God.
"Oh, they aren't Christian kittens, they're Atheist kittens," replied the girl.
"But...but... I thought you said last week that they were Christian kittens," sputtered the flabbergasted preacher.
"Oh, they were. But now their eyes are open."
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