Word is out about the Australian Net Porn filter and how it is easily cracked. So $84 million made us fools...not the first time either.
http://svextra.com/blogs/gmsv/2007/08/a_cracking_good_time.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/28/2017058.htm
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Net porn filter
I wonder how many of you have heard of this filter that the Federal Government has released? Did you know that they are looking into filtering from the ISP level, rather than individual pcs? What do you think this means for internet use and how our Government sees us as a society? Below is a link about a 16 year old who cracked one of the first versions of one of the filters. Its a funny story.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22304224-2,00.html
It also made me realise that there seems to be some kind of misunderstanding of what the internet is. I get the impression from reading comments made about internet porn by reactionaries, such as those in the above article, that the internet is as accessible as walking down the street. The second thing I get is that children must always be looking for porn and that as soon as they can they will look up porn.
When I was a teenager and I wanted to see porn, I asked someone and soon enough, there it was - presented in magazine format. I never looked for it again. Do these people in charge really think that we are breeding a generation of porn addicts by allowing children to use the internet? What ages are they targeting? Who are the most "at risk"? Are these the children that probably should be supervised in their internet use? Does the government think that informed adults cannot make decisions for their own children using existing technologies that they purchase themselves? Surely they must realise that those parents who do not make informed decisions are those that have more pressing and urgent situations on their hands, like poverty and cannot afford a computer, let alone the internet and their children often get into way more trouble and is more at crisis than a child who deliberately looks up porn on the internet.
In my own browsing experience, porn can only be found if you are actually looking for it. The accidental stumble across porn is ridiculous. I keep getting the impression that porn on the internet is everywhere and that children will be attacked by it. In life we keep sex behind doors, but we show the imagery and concept everywhere, particularly in advertising. There seems to me to be a strange corruption of protection here. I do not know what the answer is, or even what the question is, but I do know if ISPs get filtered, I am leaving this country and moving to a country which has more respect for its citizens.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22304224-2,00.html
It also made me realise that there seems to be some kind of misunderstanding of what the internet is. I get the impression from reading comments made about internet porn by reactionaries, such as those in the above article, that the internet is as accessible as walking down the street. The second thing I get is that children must always be looking for porn and that as soon as they can they will look up porn.
When I was a teenager and I wanted to see porn, I asked someone and soon enough, there it was - presented in magazine format. I never looked for it again. Do these people in charge really think that we are breeding a generation of porn addicts by allowing children to use the internet? What ages are they targeting? Who are the most "at risk"? Are these the children that probably should be supervised in their internet use? Does the government think that informed adults cannot make decisions for their own children using existing technologies that they purchase themselves? Surely they must realise that those parents who do not make informed decisions are those that have more pressing and urgent situations on their hands, like poverty and cannot afford a computer, let alone the internet and their children often get into way more trouble and is more at crisis than a child who deliberately looks up porn on the internet.
In my own browsing experience, porn can only be found if you are actually looking for it. The accidental stumble across porn is ridiculous. I keep getting the impression that porn on the internet is everywhere and that children will be attacked by it. In life we keep sex behind doors, but we show the imagery and concept everywhere, particularly in advertising. There seems to me to be a strange corruption of protection here. I do not know what the answer is, or even what the question is, but I do know if ISPs get filtered, I am leaving this country and moving to a country which has more respect for its citizens.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Easily confused...
I had morning tea at JCPML the other day to view the fruits of my labour after my stint of work experience there in February. The resulting publication did not have much of my hours of toil in it, but I was shown it eagerly which surprised me a little. It seems that my status and reputation within JCPML has increased since February with at least one person. The sense of joy and familiarity this person shared with me during morning tea was a little surprising and I have been trying to figure out what made the change. I haven't lost any sleep, however I do have various wild and high brow theories, but I am not so brave to air them here. Regardless, I thought it interesting. The second thing I found interesting is that there seems to be a general disregard for academia as a future career. I have noticed that I am hesitant to say that is my goal; not wanting to be struck down by the tall poppy thing we love so much here. But it makes me wonder; why is it bad to profess a want to strive for a career in active learning and teaching? If it means I have to do a big ladida PhD, then that is what I need to do. Perhaps it is the notion that in order to be eligible to write a PhD, you must have an original idea that will contribute to the contemporary thought of a particular subject. ie: you must have some kind of smarts and think you are smart. I don't know. What is wrong with thinking that you are smart? I am getting more and more stressed out about what I should do next year and all I think I want to do is more study at Monash, but I have people telling me that I should take time off from study, work in my field, get some experience... I wonder if they realise how old I am and that I have had enough work experience to be able to have fitted in the concept of void years. I know it is not in my current field of choice, but FOR FUCK, it is not going to be much different from working any other job: in essence all you do is get up, perform a task, go home, get drunk, fall asleep. There is only one person who has encouraged me to do further study and that is the person who is marking my current study. There are a couple of people in my life who encourage me to do whatever it is that I want, supporting any choice I make and as for the rest of those who have an opinion (apparently there are quite a few people who feel entitled to have an opinion in my future career choices, including the staff of JCPML), they range from mocking my life choices altogether, to telling me I am reaching too high.
Yesterday I saw someone from my distant past - my uni past. I met this guy when I was about 19 and he was a friend of a friend of a friend, but someone in the group you know. Now I had no relationship with him except for the knowing him part, so do not misunderstand. Seeing him yesterday was stressful because it reminded me that TIME PASSES. This guy was used to do SAS style training, often doing hikes with fully laden, fifty thousand kg backpacks etc in order to strengthen himself, mentally and physically. He was good looking, thin and stringy, but tough. He was also completely mental. And I am talking true blue crazy, wherein now he is on the pension for the rest of his life. Anyway, he was in Boffins yesterday ordering a book. I had not seen him for over 10 years, probably more like 14 years. He now looks like a lumberjack with weird sideburns and a grisly complexion. He has put on a massive amount of weight and has a huge pot belly. Time passes and tings change and seeing him yesterday was definitely not what I needed to see. I was talking to him, watching his face, seeing his oldness and then started freaking out about my own face, my own oldness and my own changes. When he knew me I had long black hair and was in my full neo goth/grunge phase which in those days was nothing like the punk babies/emo stuff we have now (but which I appreciate). I was scruffy and barefoot. Ah, those were the days. The book he ordered yesterday? SAS mental strength training.
The other thing that happened yesterday was that I was yelled at by a customer over the phone. I had to do a little stern talking back at him, because I refuse to deal with people who are yelling at me. He is a non stop talker as well, which I experienced when I called him to tell him the CD he ordered had arrived. He rang because he is blaming us for the product not loading onto his computer. I had to say many things such as, "if you do not stop shouting at me I cannot help you", and "If you continue to shout at me I will hang up". It was really really stressful and put me in a really really bad mood, and on top of all the other things going on in my life right now, I did not need a non-stop shouting crazy man upsetting me. The interesting thing about this story is that the boss was away when it happened and I did not see him again until I got back from lunch, by which stage everyone else had told him about the incident and he had written on the papers (emails - cos he had written an email to us after our phone conversation and most of the conversations were emails) which I had gathered together for him for the person who has been dealing with him to get to call the software company. He talked about it to the other customer service people while I was standing there, but I was not included (which I did not mind cos I wanted to have nothing to do with the solution). However, it did not occur to me until last night that he did not ask me if I was OK. I remember asking the other customer service girls if they told him about the shouty shouty call and they said yes. If I were the manager I would have found out if I was OK. I don't mean to dictate responsibilities, but I was quite distressed about it. Perhaps I have again gone and given the idea that I am the toughest chick there ever was and nothing can hurt me. I do not need his sympathy, but I could have done with the courtesy.
It's Saturday and I am not moving house or looking for a new place to live, but I have realised, with all this shite going down, that I hate this city and I hate being here. However, I apparently can not move interstate because I have two jobs and one of them is a library trainee job that will last until November. My brother is coming for Christmas and we will all be together for the first time at Christmas for years so I cannot leave in November. I have applied to work at the National Library as part of my attempt to find a job in my field for next year and so, if I decide on that, we will be moving in February to Canberra, so what is the point of moving anywhere else until then? Any suggestions on how I can fix my life, I would appreciate it. Apparently the wine and tv is not making me suspend anything enough.
Yesterday I saw someone from my distant past - my uni past. I met this guy when I was about 19 and he was a friend of a friend of a friend, but someone in the group you know. Now I had no relationship with him except for the knowing him part, so do not misunderstand. Seeing him yesterday was stressful because it reminded me that TIME PASSES. This guy was used to do SAS style training, often doing hikes with fully laden, fifty thousand kg backpacks etc in order to strengthen himself, mentally and physically. He was good looking, thin and stringy, but tough. He was also completely mental. And I am talking true blue crazy, wherein now he is on the pension for the rest of his life. Anyway, he was in Boffins yesterday ordering a book. I had not seen him for over 10 years, probably more like 14 years. He now looks like a lumberjack with weird sideburns and a grisly complexion. He has put on a massive amount of weight and has a huge pot belly. Time passes and tings change and seeing him yesterday was definitely not what I needed to see. I was talking to him, watching his face, seeing his oldness and then started freaking out about my own face, my own oldness and my own changes. When he knew me I had long black hair and was in my full neo goth/grunge phase which in those days was nothing like the punk babies/emo stuff we have now (but which I appreciate). I was scruffy and barefoot. Ah, those were the days. The book he ordered yesterday? SAS mental strength training.
The other thing that happened yesterday was that I was yelled at by a customer over the phone. I had to do a little stern talking back at him, because I refuse to deal with people who are yelling at me. He is a non stop talker as well, which I experienced when I called him to tell him the CD he ordered had arrived. He rang because he is blaming us for the product not loading onto his computer. I had to say many things such as, "if you do not stop shouting at me I cannot help you", and "If you continue to shout at me I will hang up". It was really really stressful and put me in a really really bad mood, and on top of all the other things going on in my life right now, I did not need a non-stop shouting crazy man upsetting me. The interesting thing about this story is that the boss was away when it happened and I did not see him again until I got back from lunch, by which stage everyone else had told him about the incident and he had written on the papers (emails - cos he had written an email to us after our phone conversation and most of the conversations were emails) which I had gathered together for him for the person who has been dealing with him to get to call the software company. He talked about it to the other customer service people while I was standing there, but I was not included (which I did not mind cos I wanted to have nothing to do with the solution). However, it did not occur to me until last night that he did not ask me if I was OK. I remember asking the other customer service girls if they told him about the shouty shouty call and they said yes. If I were the manager I would have found out if I was OK. I don't mean to dictate responsibilities, but I was quite distressed about it. Perhaps I have again gone and given the idea that I am the toughest chick there ever was and nothing can hurt me. I do not need his sympathy, but I could have done with the courtesy.
It's Saturday and I am not moving house or looking for a new place to live, but I have realised, with all this shite going down, that I hate this city and I hate being here. However, I apparently can not move interstate because I have two jobs and one of them is a library trainee job that will last until November. My brother is coming for Christmas and we will all be together for the first time at Christmas for years so I cannot leave in November. I have applied to work at the National Library as part of my attempt to find a job in my field for next year and so, if I decide on that, we will be moving in February to Canberra, so what is the point of moving anywhere else until then? Any suggestions on how I can fix my life, I would appreciate it. Apparently the wine and tv is not making me suspend anything enough.
Friday, August 24, 2007
The Curve Ball
I wonder what else this phenomenon is called? I am remembering such things as, "knocks you on the head" and, well, that is it. These things do not really accurately describe...oh i thought of another..."when the bottom drops out"...what happens, how you actually feel, when your "WORLD IS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN". See, I knew I would get the major cliche at some point. These words are not enough to describe the surprise and the violence and the sheer terror of change when it comes suddenly. In fact, change, as a word is not big enough. Change has so many applications in the English language and the word does not even look like it deserves a hearing. AND its only one syllable. Yet, this also means that there are now more possibilities than there were before. My mind races with what might be possible. But the idea of change draws me down, makes me feel small and strange. Yesterday, I had no future other than the certainty of knowing what time I was going to wake up tomorrow and where I would be going that day. Now the universe is demanding I do something different. All I want to do is know what time I will wake up and what I need to do that day.
The lunar eclipse on the 28th August effects geminis profoundly. Change is the theme. Surprising change is punch line. This change will happen in the house of profession and reputation will be effected. According to my sources, Mercury is very angry this month. Being that it is the ruling planet of gemini, this does not bode well. I have yet to be effected by this eclipse, but it can happen before and after the date. I know someone who has been effected though. A gemini who lost his job and was told he was not doing it very well. He was set up and they told lies to get rid of him. Nice surprise huh?
I'm waiting.
The lunar eclipse on the 28th August effects geminis profoundly. Change is the theme. Surprising change is punch line. This change will happen in the house of profession and reputation will be effected. According to my sources, Mercury is very angry this month. Being that it is the ruling planet of gemini, this does not bode well. I have yet to be effected by this eclipse, but it can happen before and after the date. I know someone who has been effected though. A gemini who lost his job and was told he was not doing it very well. He was set up and they told lies to get rid of him. Nice surprise huh?
I'm waiting.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Sicko
I went and watched a film yesterday and then got two films out of the video shop, so yesterday I lost myself in someone else's vision.
Sicko.
Michael Moore films make me mad. Firstly, because that is how he weaves his influence: by generating an emotional response from his audience. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I feel a bit (maybe a lot) manipulated. He is a very good storyteller, but I feel like I am being shouted at. This ties in with the second thing that makes me mad, particularly in this film: I do not know where archival footage ends and the made up visuals begin or if it is a re-enactment or what it is that I am actually seeing. If you take away this fiction you are left with narrator's voice that is full of tone and sarcasm, which I am sure I do not always get. The last thing that makes me mad is of course the message and the implications of this in Australia. Why don't we have free health care for everyone? Why is it that the Federal Government can waltz into Tasmania and take over a hospital and essentially make everyone think that the Tasmanian goverment is shite and all States are shite because they do not run the health care system well enough and conveniently forget that the States rely on federal dollars for everything they do. Are we in surplus as a nation? Then why are the States in crisis?
Marie Antionette
I have mixed feelings about this film. I think that Sofia has a very large crush on Kirsten. I notice that Sofia has this real skill at making beautiful shots happen in odd ways - I am not sure if that is the cinematographer or not, but I see shots in this film that I have seen in Lost in Translation and the other film about the sisters that I cannot remember right now. There is also this sense that I have gotten in all of these films that I am seeing something beautiful, but not being allowed to see anything substantial about these people, but then this surface they offer is all they have. The music was generally good, except for one scene where I thought it was particularly strange and off putting. I cannot remember the song title, but its a Frank Sinatra. I have a huge complaint though and I am not sure if this happened in the cinema, but the sound was fucked up. Too soft, then too loud. I can understand using sound for emphasis and to further the story, but it did not and I hate having loudness suddenly blasted at me cos I had to turn it up in a too quiet bit. I find that Sofia's films generate a very elusive and airy feeling in me: I am fascinate but feel like I am seeing only the surface without any hints at what is underneath.
Shortbus
This film shows how complicated relationships are and even shows a suicide attempt, but it is not overwhelming or over-demanding. I enjoyed this film and loved the animation in it. It has a rating of R and a warning: high level sex scenes/actual sexual activity. Its stories of people and I enjoyed it.
A post script about Perth and how angry I get here and why. Yesterday I was wandering about, catching buses and trains to get to Leederville to watch the film. I walked out of the dvd store to see my bus drive past (I did not know the timetable), so I went to the bottlo and then went and sat at the bus stop. I waited there for an HOUR for the next bus which then dropped me off within 200 metres of my door about 6 minutes up the road. This is why everyone drives cars here. Secondly, about two weeks ago I went to a city cafe for my Sunday coffee and I was feeling a bit ragged so I asked for: a strong, soy cappuccino. Guess how much this cost me? $4.50. and it was shite. FOR FUCK PLEASE.
Sicko.
Michael Moore films make me mad. Firstly, because that is how he weaves his influence: by generating an emotional response from his audience. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I feel a bit (maybe a lot) manipulated. He is a very good storyteller, but I feel like I am being shouted at. This ties in with the second thing that makes me mad, particularly in this film: I do not know where archival footage ends and the made up visuals begin or if it is a re-enactment or what it is that I am actually seeing. If you take away this fiction you are left with narrator's voice that is full of tone and sarcasm, which I am sure I do not always get. The last thing that makes me mad is of course the message and the implications of this in Australia. Why don't we have free health care for everyone? Why is it that the Federal Government can waltz into Tasmania and take over a hospital and essentially make everyone think that the Tasmanian goverment is shite and all States are shite because they do not run the health care system well enough and conveniently forget that the States rely on federal dollars for everything they do. Are we in surplus as a nation? Then why are the States in crisis?
Marie Antionette
I have mixed feelings about this film. I think that Sofia has a very large crush on Kirsten. I notice that Sofia has this real skill at making beautiful shots happen in odd ways - I am not sure if that is the cinematographer or not, but I see shots in this film that I have seen in Lost in Translation and the other film about the sisters that I cannot remember right now. There is also this sense that I have gotten in all of these films that I am seeing something beautiful, but not being allowed to see anything substantial about these people, but then this surface they offer is all they have. The music was generally good, except for one scene where I thought it was particularly strange and off putting. I cannot remember the song title, but its a Frank Sinatra. I have a huge complaint though and I am not sure if this happened in the cinema, but the sound was fucked up. Too soft, then too loud. I can understand using sound for emphasis and to further the story, but it did not and I hate having loudness suddenly blasted at me cos I had to turn it up in a too quiet bit. I find that Sofia's films generate a very elusive and airy feeling in me: I am fascinate but feel like I am seeing only the surface without any hints at what is underneath.
Shortbus
This film shows how complicated relationships are and even shows a suicide attempt, but it is not overwhelming or over-demanding. I enjoyed this film and loved the animation in it. It has a rating of R and a warning: high level sex scenes/actual sexual activity. Its stories of people and I enjoyed it.
A post script about Perth and how angry I get here and why. Yesterday I was wandering about, catching buses and trains to get to Leederville to watch the film. I walked out of the dvd store to see my bus drive past (I did not know the timetable), so I went to the bottlo and then went and sat at the bus stop. I waited there for an HOUR for the next bus which then dropped me off within 200 metres of my door about 6 minutes up the road. This is why everyone drives cars here. Secondly, about two weeks ago I went to a city cafe for my Sunday coffee and I was feeling a bit ragged so I asked for: a strong, soy cappuccino. Guess how much this cost me? $4.50. and it was shite. FOR FUCK PLEASE.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Are you FOR REAL?
I cannot help but be over excited about the Angus & Roberston SCANDAL that has hit the news. Most of my reading public is either still chained to and/or finally free of that company that once told my boss to fire me cos they didn't like me. If you have not seen the letter(s), then check this out.
http://blogs.smh.com.au/entertainment/archives/undercover/014948.html?page=fullpage
Oh GOD I believe in karma. Its not strange that a company who hires psychopaths and incompetents, and who also believe that fair pay for fair work for minimum wage earners is a ludicrous idea would be so forward as to make demands to small distributors! I remember when we couldnt get books sent to us because Angus & Robertson wouldn't pay their bills! Remember when we did not get any backlist titles for months because the SAP installation did not work and they had to turn off the ordering system? Remember CLAIRE? Who decided that she did not like Flynn and essentially fired him by forcing him to leave the company cos she gave him no shifts? And she decided this before even really meeting him? Remember that she got promoted? Remember they fired an entire store because they did not want to organise jobs for us in other stores even though some of us had been with the company for years? Remember they wanted to fire me for breaking company policy about ordering a company banned book? This company made me go through HELL and treated most everyone I love like dirt. Thank you Michael at TOWER for doing this! Its incredible!
http://blogs.smh.com.au/entertainment/archives/undercover/014948.html?page=fullpage
Oh GOD I believe in karma. Its not strange that a company who hires psychopaths and incompetents, and who also believe that fair pay for fair work for minimum wage earners is a ludicrous idea would be so forward as to make demands to small distributors! I remember when we couldnt get books sent to us because Angus & Robertson wouldn't pay their bills! Remember when we did not get any backlist titles for months because the SAP installation did not work and they had to turn off the ordering system? Remember CLAIRE? Who decided that she did not like Flynn and essentially fired him by forcing him to leave the company cos she gave him no shifts? And she decided this before even really meeting him? Remember that she got promoted? Remember they fired an entire store because they did not want to organise jobs for us in other stores even though some of us had been with the company for years? Remember they wanted to fire me for breaking company policy about ordering a company banned book? This company made me go through HELL and treated most everyone I love like dirt. Thank you Michael at TOWER for doing this! Its incredible!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Announcement
I am returning for a holiday to Melbourne on the 22nd November. I know, I know, everyone is super excited and their lives are going to stop and then be impossibly enriched by my prodigal like return. I know.
There will be a party on the 23rd. Invitations to come at a more appropriate time.
I have a headache and I feel like I am dropping into that place where we all go just before we go to sleep at night.
My keyboard is sticky.
God, I need a drink.
There will be a party on the 23rd. Invitations to come at a more appropriate time.
I have a headache and I feel like I am dropping into that place where we all go just before we go to sleep at night.
My keyboard is sticky.
God, I need a drink.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
I am tired
I am too tired to write, too tired to think and too tired to go to bed. I have study to do and I have a 12, 000 word essay to write. The essay is not due till November, but I have to have an outline handed in by Friday. I need some ideas please! The following are the best I can do right now in my tired tired tired world.
This essay is about more stuff than you can imagine you want to read. In fact no one will ever probably read it and this was a gargantuan waste of three months of my life. I wanted to do another article, but they usually top out at 5000-6000 words, so I am already aiming far too high, but a word count is a word count and I will be linking two different, but related topics together.
This essay is about how smart I am and how well I can think of cool words and put them in sentences that then barely make sense, but that does not matter because they look cool. I will also not completely understand my topics and quite often or not go off on sidebars and tangents which are hysterical and more often than not completely off topic or wrong, just to fill up the word limit and to try and over correct for my complete ignorance. I will name drop by providing an email source from a recognised academic even if all they told me was to nick off.
Meh.
This essay is about more stuff than you can imagine you want to read. In fact no one will ever probably read it and this was a gargantuan waste of three months of my life. I wanted to do another article, but they usually top out at 5000-6000 words, so I am already aiming far too high, but a word count is a word count and I will be linking two different, but related topics together.
This essay is about how smart I am and how well I can think of cool words and put them in sentences that then barely make sense, but that does not matter because they look cool. I will also not completely understand my topics and quite often or not go off on sidebars and tangents which are hysterical and more often than not completely off topic or wrong, just to fill up the word limit and to try and over correct for my complete ignorance. I will name drop by providing an email source from a recognised academic even if all they told me was to nick off.
Meh.
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