tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71159352024-03-14T21:55:35.461+11:00Dikkii's DiatribeDikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.comBlogger312125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-27240503500184579982014-11-28T22:53:00.000+11:002014-11-28T23:09:53.659+11:007 observations about voting for the upper house in Victoria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/0xs1TUGwqiE/hqdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/0xs1TUGwqiE/hqdefault.jpg" height="150" width="200"></a></div>
Just a quick bunch of notes about preferencing in the Legislative Council (upper house) for the Victorian state election which takes place tomorrow.<br>
<br>
I've done a quick look at the preferencing (at least for Eastern Metropolitan, which is the region I live in), and as always it's quite interesting. As always, I like to have a look at voting properly, because the group voting tickets (that is, what happens when you “vote” above the line) are really a lottery.<br>
<br>
Obviously, folks, I recommend that you vote below the line, and do it properly. I've made a string of observations around this, and I'll discuss these below.<br>
<br>
This time around, I am trying to get a better idea of preferencing by the different parties. This will interest me. The preferencing of each party is available at the <a href="http://www.vec.vic.gov.au/CandidatesAndParties/GroupVotingTicketSummary.html">Victorian Electoral Commission’s website</a> and it is well worth a look.<br>
<br>
I look at preferencing in one way: <br>
<a name="more"></a><br>
<h3>
Observation 1: If a party preferences one party over another, it's because they see their policies as preferable.</h3>
That's right, folks. The Sex Party might have righteous policies in regards to censorship and drug legalisation, but they preference the Liberal Democrats, a party of ultra-libertarian lunatics that would gladly have us revert to the Wild West.<br>
<br>
This means, folks, that they prefer their policies.<br>
<br>
Now, I know that a few of you are going to say “preference deal” and “convenience” and other frankly bullshit excuses for why preference deals turn out the way that they do. But you need to get over this. Preferring nazis over moderates (which one party got pinged rather badly for at the last federal election), sends out all the wrong messages and will direct votes to such lunatics over more reasonable entities.<br>
<br>
Even the Libs think that Rise Up Australia are a bunch of kooky nutbars, based upon their preference flows.<br>
<br>
But you can't just look at this. Oh no.<br>
<br>
<h3>
Observation 2: Some parties split their preferences in weird and unusual ways.</h3>
The DLP is a good example of this. If you vote 1 above the line, your 9th, 10th and 11 preferences will go to the Libs, but it won't be until your 30th and 31st preferences that you see the rest of the Liberal candidates.<br>
<br>
They do the same with the PUP, evidently because they dislike certain candidates intensely, rather than party platforms.<br>
<br>
<h3>
Observation 3: Parties standing for the upper house have policies that no one ever reads.</h3>
Folks, look at a list of the parties standing this year for Eastern Metropolitan. Do you even know who the Australian Country Alliance are, or what it is that they want?<br>
<br>
Did you even know that they are not above statements that assert that freeing up the sensitive Winton Wetlands is for kite-flying, or beach umbrellas? When really, they would rather like duck hunting at Winton to start up again?<br>
<br>
Mind you, they at least have a lengthy policy statement. And whilst it smacks of redneckery, there is stuff in there that is reasonably good as well, such as better rural rail networks.<br>
<br>
But you wouldn't know that, would you? Oh no. Read up – it's good for you.<br>
<br>
But read this first...<br>
<br>
<h3>
Observation 4: When you vote below the line, its optional preferential.</h3>
This is interesting. In the Victorian upper house, you can number the boxes below the line up to 5, and then stop!<br>
<br>
This means that if you only want to vote for the first couple of groups – or even only 1 group in the case of the major parties – you don't have to vote any more than one to five.<br>
<br>
This is kinda cool. I have two issues with this, though:<br>
<br>
<h3>
Observation 5: If you vote boxes 1 to 5, and your vote gets through 5 rounds, it then ceases to influence the political process.</h3>
There is nowhere to go once your five preferences have been exhausted. This is a good reason for numbering more than five boxes. <br>
<br>
But another reason is this:<br>
<br>
<h3>
Observation 6: Numbering all boxes enables you to put someone last.</h3>
That's right. I would very much like to put Rise Up Australia stone, motherless, last. Because they're scary theocratic lunatics, that's why. If I were to only number boxes 1 to 5, I couldn't do this.<br>
<br>
<h3>
Observation 7: It's good to do your research.</h3>
This is where how I like to do things. I start with parties that I'd like to put last, or near the end of the ballot paper.<br>
<br>
This year, that will be the following parties:<br>
<br>
<ul>
<li>Rise Up Australia – Evangelical protestant fundamentalists with a paranoid flavour </li>
<li>Shooters and Fishers – Gun nuts</li>
<li>Family First – Evangelical protestant fundamentalists without quite so much paranoia</li>
<li>Australian Christians – Traditionalist protestant fundamentalists who are related to Fred Nile's Christian Democratic Party</li>
<li>Democratic Labour Party – Catholic fundamentalists, if you can have such a thing. Generally regarded as more moderate than RUA, FF and AC but still a little loony. Take abortion for instance.</li>
</ul>
<br>
I then add parties that may be part of the Liberal Democrats circlejerk. The LDP are a bunch of ultra-free market libertarians. They like to game the system with false front parties to farm preferences – this year, it appears to be the Voluntary Euthanasia Party (Victoria) which has suspiciously close preference flows, and only came into existence this year.<br>
<br>
Lastly, I'm looking at the Australian Country Alliance. They seem to have positioned themselves as a softer Shooters and Fishers, but sadly their preferencing of the theocrats has not gone unnoticed.<br>
<br>
Next is the majors and Palmer United.<br>
<br>
Now, just because the preferencing of Richard Dalla-Riva of the Libs by the religious parties is awfully high compared to the other Liberal candidates, (he's not their number 1 candidate, Mary Wooldridge is), I'm putting him at the back of the queue. This is alarm-bell territory.<br>
<br>
Finally, the minors that I like, which will go near the start - In this case, numbers 1-10. The list is short this year - in no particular order:<br>
<br>
<ul>
<li>Australian Greens</li>
<li>People Power Victoria/No Smart Meters</li>
<li>Australian Cyclists Party</li>
<li>Animal Justice Party</li>
</ul>
<br>
Ordinarily, I'd classify the PPV/NSM ticket as a single issue party, but they appear to be interested in broader power and fuel issues as well. Such as fracking.<br>
<br>
Happy voting, all.Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-62310037204189623912014-04-16T06:30:00.000+10:002014-04-16T06:30:00.583+10:00At risk of being labelled an Islamophobe...<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Z1lP16zCafOXT8NEx0XLUZFdNe5MR9pj4FOEe7lwslKN1alxYSJYJX1-8ln8KLHoAFKRhgzdZZ5hOmr5KUZ9fp9PugBrmJWa7kXPe3G8a5tT1TSvxyWHADhqMdVdiOji01HBNw/s1600/islamophobia-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Z1lP16zCafOXT8NEx0XLUZFdNe5MR9pj4FOEe7lwslKN1alxYSJYJX1-8ln8KLHoAFKRhgzdZZ5hOmr5KUZ9fp9PugBrmJWa7kXPe3G8a5tT1TSvxyWHADhqMdVdiOji01HBNw/s1600/islamophobia-11.jpg" height="128" width="200" /></a></div>
I find it interesting that there is, seemingly, this complete oblivion in the atheist community about when statements
made about religious practitioners are unfair generalisations.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
We had <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/has-richard-dawkins-finally-dug-hole.html">a look at Richard Dawkins</a> a
little while ago. In his case, I concluded that whilst he’s been
hanging out with the wrong crowd he is in all likelihood, not evil.
But he does appear to have made some new friends who are not quite
right. Unsavoury, even.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
At the time, I compared Dawkins to
Sam Harris, who is prone to gaffs, except in Harris’ case, it just
seems to be his own case of peculiar logic. I also consider Harris
to be largely benign, although Harris lost a lot of his own cred when
he <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/the-lay-scientist/2013/may/03/atheism-dawkins">tied himself in knots over racial profiling</a>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
Where Dawkins and Harris have it
most wrong though, is on the subject of Islamophobia. They're not
the only ones: I know of quite a few in the atheist community who
think that Islamophobia does not exist.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/02/ed-husic-swearing-in-quran">Of course it does.</a></div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
It's also a worrying trend that I'm
seeing in that normal rational people are now pre-emptively saying stuff like, 'I'll probably be labelled an Islamophobe for that.' </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
To which I would ordinarily say, 'Wake up to yourself!' but instead, I'm writing this blog post.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
The most concerning part of this is that it is clear that there are ordinary, rational, intelligent, bright human beings who just don't get it: You don't generalise, full stop. That's what this post is about.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
Last time, one of my complaints about Dawkins, was that he appeared to be saying that religious bigotry is OK, because religious groups are not a 'race'. I'm not going to go back over the straws that he clutched at in that exchange. (I say this as an unashamed Dawkins fan who has enjoyed his books to date.)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
Certain commentators often hide behind arguments such as this, which I'm now referring to as "the Dawkins technicality". But it's far clearer that, unlike Dawkins, these commentators do it quite deliberately.<br />
<br />
This time around, though, I'm interested in looking past Dawkins to the true lunatics. Like Pat Condell.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
Pat Condell is a colourful character, who Dawkins is on record as
endorsing. This sort of thing is becoming a worry, because Dawkins
previous missteps have also included endorsing Geert Wilders, the bleach-blond
Dutch politician who is definitely on the shoddy side.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
One hopes that Dawkins doesn’t now
latch onto other European right-wingers, now that the right-wing
revival is in full swing across Europe. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
Condell has been <a href="http://freethoughtblogs.com/carrier/archives/4831">repeatedly exposed as a racist</a>, including by a plethora of pro-science and pro-freethinking
bloggers, and really what would you expect? His <i>modus operandi</i> (which Wilders and a growing number of others also use) is to say statements that ostensibly target muslims, but are
really both a smokescreen and a dogwhistle for statements where he
really means to say “brown people”.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
There are two reasons why someone might wish to hide behind a less racial term than "brown people":</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
</div>
<ol>
<li>You get to use the Dawkins technicality to defuse any concerns about bigotry and no one (least of all our completely ineffectual media) will call you on this; and</li>
<li>You reach an audience of bigots, racists, ultra-nationalists and neo-nazis for whom the the term "muslim" actually means "brown people".</li>
</ol>
In addition, Condell does not appear
to be in any hurry to distance himself from entities like UKIP and
Wilders – on the contrary, he seems to embrace them. This should set off alarm bells across not just the atheist community, but everywhere as well.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
But what I find interesting about
Condell, is that his star appears to be rising across the atheist community, due
in no small way to his series of YouTube videos that he does to trot
out his mix of hackneyed atheist cliches and muslim-bashing, as well as memes featuring allegedly witty quotes of his.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
But Dikkii, some of you are
wondering, don’t atheists bash muslims and everyone else who is
religious all the time? And don't they think they're witty to boot?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
It is worth at this point having a
look at the contents of his bashing. PZ Myers probably did it best when he
<a href="http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2013/09/23/feminism-is-not-an-excuse-for-your-racism-pat-condell/">took him apart in this post</a>, although <a href="http://freethoughtblogs.com/godlessness/2013/11/19/dear-pat-condell-why-this-homo-islamic-masochist-rejects-your-anti-muslim-crusade/">Alex Gabriel’s post</a> is also extremely good. Gabriel, by the way, did <a href="http://www.alexgabriel.co.uk/post/57563528777/yes-richard-dawkins-your-statements-on-islam-are">another wonderful number on Condell here</a>.<br />
<br />
In case you didn't notice from the superb job that Myers and Gabriel did: You don't get your point across with unfair generalisations.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
Condell should not only have no cred at all: The atheist community, which these days tends to include agnostics such as myself, should be trying to drive him back to the hole that he emerged from.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
Condell's kind of generalisation is
not at all good. Myers and Gabriel have probably spelled it out the best, but simply put its this:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
Not every muslim is responsible for the really heinous shit that the vast minority do.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
OK, so how do we recognise what is responsible and meaningful debate, and what is plain, ordinary bigotry?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
Let's use this rather choice snippet of intellectual dialogue from teh interwebs as an example:</div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/interUNFAO">@interUNFAO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii">@dikkii</a> If I'm a Bigot Because Muslims stick their Dick into underage children, then I am a Bigot. <a href="https://twitter.com/AtheistFi">@AtheistFi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ADHDlifecoach">@ADHDlifecoach</a> FU<br />
— walabytrack (@walabytrack) <a href="https://twitter.com/walabytrack/statuses/455651862255923200">April 14, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
At least this fellow is under no delusions as to whether he is a bigot. And it most likely is a he. Although he has gone out on a limb with the generalisation. Can you see where it is?<br />
<br />
I like to use a variation on the Steinem test. Gloria Steinem’s test, you might recall, is an easy way to determine if something that someone has said is sexist. You just look to see if they’d say the same thing about a male.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
In this case, I look to see if someone is unlikely to have swapped "muslims" for someone else, and <a href="https://twitter.com/walabytrack">@walabytrack</a> is a good example. Presumably, the comments of @walabytrack relates to the fact that some (again, not all) muslim males thinking that it’s acceptable to marry and then have sex with children.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
This is somewhat controversial – and probably should be as controversial as the well-documented cases of Roman catholic priests (and other clergy) thinking that it’s OK to sexually abuse children.<br />
<br />
So let's call him out on this. After wondering aloud whether he'd apply this line of thinking to catholics as well, we got this in response:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii">@dikkii</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/interUNFAO">@interUNFAO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AtheistFi">@AtheistFi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ADHDlifecoach">@ADHDlifecoach</a> Not hard to Work that out Einstein.Priests hide it! Muzrats are open about it! You turned on?<br />
— walabytrack (@walabytrack) <a href="https://twitter.com/walabytrack/statuses/455653529588211712">April 14, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
You can see that where our friend above appears to enjoy defaming an entire
religion as kiddie-fiddlers, if you call him out on this, he appears
to express some reservations about turning on catholics, instead going for the rather more specific "priests" instead.<br />
<br />
The media do this a lot. You can see it elsewhere too: <a href="http://www.alabamas13.com/story/25079566/mobile-man-accused-of-shooting-mother-claims-jesus-told-me-to">White, Christian guys</a> who go on shooting sprees in the States are never called "terrorists". You can almost hear the baited breath as reporters race to type "Islam" into their search engines at the next shooting, exhaling only when nothing or <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-17/navy-yard-shooter-called-buddhist-with-anger-fueled-past.html">something different</a> comes up.<br />
<br />
Leaving aside the issue of whether or not a fascination with kiddie sex might be projection (I don't, for the record, support anything that Freud had to say about anything) or whether the "Walaby (sic) Track" really does run through Malmsbury, it's obvious in some cases that we might just have a 24 carat, A-grade Islamophobe. One who may even stash guns in his four wheel drive just in case of the great unhinging.<br />
<br />
To sum up: Looking like an Islamophobe is avoidable. But generalise unfairly and you will get caught and probably made an example of somewhere.</div>
Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-14982004180932373152013-12-10T16:14:00.002+11:002013-12-10T16:14:42.836+11:00Meeting notes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://warriorfitness.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/confused.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://warriorfitness.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/confused.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Here's a list of some of the words and phrases that were used by participants in the meeting that I was just in:<br />
<br />
metrics<br />
dashboard<br />
super-regional<br />
bottom line<br />
audience<br />
drill-down<br />
dedicated resource<br />
back to the economics<br />
engagement<br />
<a name='more'></a>saving the world<br />
core deliverables<br />
mapping<br />
bespoke<br />
existing in their own bubble<br />
aggregating data<br />
bandwidth<br />
dirty laundry<br />
KPIs<br />
tracking systematically<br />
craft the reports<br />
analytics<br />
big data<br />
actionable<br />
back to the drawing board<br />
agile<br />
find value<br />
phase 1 approach<br />
best of breed<br />
package something up<br />
the buildDikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-58847732244772163832013-09-04T17:14:00.001+10:002013-09-05T10:33:11.394+10:00Voting below the line - 2013 edition<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5azjSyoQAT6Jubpo6cK2gOJfXxWvPd0rsHOn8sKklQ76TPXofG85XzH7eJtOL3-UKgdt7WW6psjB7L8khJg9eD6g0yOTzYUetFBViIME38XRPwUKAgeH-ACYqb6_CQ2yI9KLwZA/s1600/Senate,_Parliament_House,_Canberra.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507153344745783026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5azjSyoQAT6Jubpo6cK2gOJfXxWvPd0rsHOn8sKklQ76TPXofG85XzH7eJtOL3-UKgdt7WW6psjB7L8khJg9eD6g0yOTzYUetFBViIME38XRPwUKAgeH-ACYqb6_CQ2yI9KLwZA/s200/Senate,_Parliament_House,_Canberra.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a>I don't think I need to remind you, folks, why it is a good idea to vote below the line for the Senate. Very simply put, it is TOTALLY UNLIKELY that the party that you want to vote for first will have preferenced the same way that you want to preference.<br />
<br />
Theoretically, this should mean that Australians should vote below the line more often than not, but as we have discovered on numerous occasions, Australians couldn't give a rats arse about voting properly.<br />
<br />
In my Senate post from the last election, I did a bit of a guide in how to vote below the line for Senate candidates. I have to update this now, because obviously it's out of date. And do bear in mind that this refers, primarily, to the Senate ballot paper for Victoria, but you could, potentially, use the same line of thinking for the other states as well.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Also, in the last election, I showed how you could use the excellent work of <a href="http://www.belowtheline.org.au/">belowtheline.org.au</a> to make yourself a customised how-to-vote card to ensure that your vote counts. This is even more important, since I am looking at what the ballot paper will look like in Victoria, and there appear to be <b>97 goddamn candidates</b>.<br />
<br />
(Another site to look at this year is <a href="http://www.senate.io/">senate.io</a> which is doing something similar to belowtheline.org.au. There is another but its name has escaped me.)<br />
<br />
The Senate is the house of review in Australia. Each state elects 12 senators, and the NT and ACT get two each. Of these, 6 from each state and 1 from each territory come up for election each election.<br />
<br />
As a result, voting for the Senate can confuse your average punter senseless.<br />
<br />
At some stage in the past, some bright spark said, "Hey, let's make it easier for voters and allow them to vote for one bunch of candidates."<br />
<br />
Naturally, this has led to possibly the silliest scenario in Australia where you only need to number one box when voting in the Senate, oblivious to what your vote will do if you don't get your first preference. <br />
<br />
It is up to the party that you vote for as to where your preferences go, if you vote above the line. <a href="http://aec.gov.au/election/vic/gvt.htm">This is where you can find out</a> how they have directed their preferences.<br />
<br />
Pretty much everyone in this election (not just the major parties) have made preferences that I am grossly uncomfortable with. So I will be voting below the line.<br />
<br />
And, just like last time, I will be generating my own how-to-vote card, utilising the tools at belowtheline.org.au or senate.io. I'm using <b>senate.io</b> today.<br />
<br />
You select your state to get started from the tabs at the top of the page. I'm in Victoria.<br />
<br />
This takes you to a page where you can see each party's group ticket. I don't want to look at these, so I'm going straight to generating mine from scratch.<br />
<br />
Now you now will find yourself looking at a list of the different groups. Don't be too dismayed that you can't see the candidates - you'll get a chance to play with these shortly.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Drag and drop</span> the groups into the order that you'd like. I'm going to talk about the basic order that I would like to use, so while you're having a play, allow me to get started. To assist you at this point, there's a great <a href="http://www.crikey.com.au/?p=375585">list of links to information about each party on this post from Crikey</a>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The lunatics, theocrats, insubstantials, threats to democracy, candidate space occupiers and WikiLeaks</h3>
It helps me to start off by considering who I definitely <span style="color: #cc0000; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">DO NOT</span> want in the Senate first and dragging them down to the bottom.<br />
<br />
Into this group go the kooks, nutbars and theocrats. I certainly won't be considering these.<br />
<br />
I'm dragging the following down to the bottom part of the ballot paper. This year, I have most shame reserved for who I think is the most dangerous party to hit Australia in recent years, a party that makes Family First look almost moderate in comparison: Rise Up Australia. I will also make a point of ensuring that Danny Nalliah gets place number 97, but I'll show you how to do that later.<br />
<br />
<b>Absolute bottom </b><br />
<ul>
<li>Rise Up Australia - kooks, nutbars AND theocrats. Ultra-extreme ECP fundies.</li>
</ul>
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Very bottom (dangerous nutters)</h4>
<ul>
<li>Citizens Electoral Council - extreme right-wing conspiracy theorists</li>
<li>Shooters and Fishers - gun nuts</li>
<li>Socialist Equality- extreme left-wing (Trotskyist) nutjobs</li>
<li>One Nation - considerably right of centre racists</li>
<li>Stable Population Party - more serious racism under the guise of resource control</li>
</ul>
<br />
No Socialist Alliance, this year. Damn. Also, thankfully, we don't have Australia First (neo-Nazis) or Australian Protectionist Party (extreme Islamophobes) on ours.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Nearly bottom (theocrats)</h4>
<ul>
<li>Family First - ECP fundies</li>
<li>Democratic Labor Party - catholic fundies</li>
<li>Australian Christians - I'm not sure who these guys are, but someone told me that they are traditionalist protestant fundies, just like the Christian Democrats, however they're targetted at a younger generation. Because the Christian Dems have no yoof-pulling power, apparently. So that's why they're here.</li>
</ul>
<br />
No Christian Democrats this year. But they'd be here if they were.<br />
<br />
<h4>
</h4>
<b>The LDP circle-jerk </b><br />
This year, there have been attempts
to manipulate the whole democratic process from the Liberal Democrats,
who are extreme free market libertarians. Thanks to their faffing
around with preferences, we have no group voting ticket at all from them
(or their different fronts) and we know that they set up three additional groups of front
candidates which must be identified and of course, publicly shamed.<br />
<br />
Here's where they will reside:<br />
<ul>
<li>Liberal Democrats</li>
<li>Australian Republicans</li>
<li>Smokers Rights</li>
<li>Stop the Greens</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Almost nearly bottom (not quite so dangerous kooks, but kooks nonetheless)</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Joseph Toscano ticket - large-A Anarchists</li>
<li>Bob Nicholls ticket - no idea what they're about, but a Eureka flag is never good news.</li>
<li>No Carbon Tax Climate Sceptics - anti-science climate denialists. Also, these guys have very heavily preferenced the religionistas.</li>
<li>Australian Voice Party - illegal immigrants and food security, struggling small business, crime out of control. Call the waaaaambulance! </li>
</ul>
<br />
OK, that is pretty superficial of me to focus on Bob's Eureka flag, but his platform is pretty light for information - blah blah tax reduction, blah blah consultation, blah blah Australian made.<br />
<br />
<b>Insubstantial single issue parties</b><br />
I do like some single issue parties, but sometimes their platforms are a waste of everyone's time.<br />
<br />
So into this bunch go the following:<br />
<ul>
<li>Bank Reform Party - There to fix the banks, supposedly. Their website is light-on for detail. Have done a preference deal with the Australian Motoring Enthusiasts.</li>
<li>Australian Motoring Enthusiasts - Their description in Google contains the words "family values" which is missing from their website. That's enough alarm bells for me.</li>
<li>Bullet Train for Australia - BTFA are honest enough to say in big letters that they will ABSTAIN on voting on other issues outright. That's a waste of everyone's time and I'm a supporter of high speed rail in Australia.</li>
<li>Country Alliance - I genuinely think that country communities are good and all, but can't in good conscience defend more handouts to rural Australia. And that's what I'm worried these guys are after.</li>
<li>Fishing and Lifestyle Party - platform contains precious little on "lifestyle", but lots on trade protectionism, aquaculture, border protection, and fishing the Great Barrier Reef. No.</li>
<li>Building Australia - purports to represent the building industry but very little policy detail on its website. Mostly stuff about selling the ABC and reducing pollies' superannuation. No idea what this has to do with building.</li>
<li>Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) - A lot of detail but only related to marijuana legalisation. Some of the other parties do this sort of thing better with a bigger policy platform.</li>
<li>Animal Justice Party - these guys have a "manifesto". Eeek. I think the Greens have this area covered a little better. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
<b>What to do about Wikileaks Party</b><br />
Their candidates have been pulling out, they botched their preferences and in a nutshell, they just don't have their shit together. I'm putting them down here, because frankly, they have disappointed everyone, shafted a few people, and their number 1 candidate in Victoria is trapped in an embassy in London.<br />
<br />
Preferencing these guys above the majors is a waste of a preference.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Other independents</h4>
<ul>
<li>Lynn Gunter</li>
<li>Darrell Scott Morrison</li>
</ul>
<br />
Sorry, folks. You independents might be great, but it's very difficult to find any information out about you guys.<br />
<br />
And after this, I put the majors. That's over half the order already sorted out which makes the job immensely easier.<br />
<br />
<h3>
The majors, Palmer and Katter</h3>
Before all these, before the lunatics go the majors. This forms two functions: It pretty much prevents my ballot paper going any further, and, well, frankly, the majors don't have much separating them. I still can't decide in which order I'm going to place the ALP and the Lib/Nats, so I'll leave them as they are, but they always seem to go in the middle.<br />
<br />
I will be tampering with the Coalition's ticket. They always put the Nationals' candidate down the list in the number 4 position. I will be putting him ahead of the Liberals, because frankly, the Libs are a little scarier than the Nats at the moment. And that's saying something.<br />
<br />
Still not sure where I am going to place Palmer United and Katter's Australian Party. They may go before the majors, after the majors. Or even in between.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Preferred candidates</h3>
Above the majors go the ones that I do agree with, that I would like to see in the Senate. Let's talk about these now, because I rather like some of these.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Desired (the ones who go up the top)</h4>
<ul>
<li>Australian Greens - campaigners on green and social justice issues</li>
<li>Secular Party of Australia - fighting for separation of church and state</li>
<li>Australian Democrats - still their to keep the bastards honest, although not so influential these days</li>
<li>Pirate Party - possibly the killer package this election. Great platform that targets privacy, civil liberties, justice and intellectual property overreach. Also, their transparency on preferencing was first class.</li>
</ul>
<br />
I've provisionally put the Secular Party up the top, but I could change my mind on this. <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/08/interesting-things-about-preferential.html">I blogged about the all-important first preference spot here</a> during the last election.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Interesting (almost up the top - I found their platforms intriguing)</h4>
<ul>
<li>Senator Online - undertake to put all votes for internet approval if elected. Interesting, but I suspect that this might be gamed if they are elected.</li>
<li>Australian Sex Party - civil libertarians who impressed greatly during
the last election. They have been tarnished during this election by
some frankly disgusting preferencing (like One Nation above the Greens)
but were very lucky that WikiLeaks stole the bad media that they could
have generated. </li>
<li>Stop CSG - looks single issue, but their platform extends further into health, sustainability and education. I liked them</li>
<li>Drug Law Reform - whilst they're a single issue party, this is important enough of an issue to be up near the top of my preferences. The other parties will not touch this issue.</li>
<li>Australian Independents - policy is to put electorates first over party and personal concerns. I like this.</li>
</ul>
<br />
I'm curious about these guys, so I'm putting them up there to see how they go.<br />
<br />
Now once you've got all these in order, change the view (up the top, near the PDF print out button but on the right-hand side) to "ballot view".<br />
<br />
You can stuff around with the order of candidates some more, here - for example, I might order Labor from the bottom up, randomise the kooks a little. I've already told you that I'm planning on moving the Nats' candidate in front of the Libs' ones. You just click on the up and down arrows next to candidates underneath the number box next to the candidate's name that you want to move.<br />
<br />
Why do I do this? Because I'm a complete bastard, that's why. Someone has to count this paper.<br />
<br />
But in addition, I want to ensure that Rise Up Australia's number one pick, who is also number one on the ballot paper, is firmly ensconced in last position on mine.<br />
<br />
I can see the names in order now, but before going off to a polling station, hit the "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Download PDF</span>" button and marvel at the results. Remember to print.<br />
<br />
This is just brilliant.<br />
<br />
Enjoy the election, folks.Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-21954619183501014492013-08-20T15:04:00.003+10:002013-08-20T15:04:40.007+10:00A quick post on slurs and preferencing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Dfh_EUqBE5C0CX6Ce86q8CfVux5msNkDrgFOJ4g2S0dyJu7cByHw75obu37xATNA8iduJkAkMvIedkCcXd4uT8N6wMNwS2PEQsPpKDpIiH94vWl8yuCWKZKjgvGVEZBrJ-V58A/s1600/HTVC_DLH_Page1_Web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Dfh_EUqBE5C0CX6Ce86q8CfVux5msNkDrgFOJ4g2S0dyJu7cByHw75obu37xATNA8iduJkAkMvIedkCcXd4uT8N6wMNwS2PEQsPpKDpIiH94vWl8yuCWKZKjgvGVEZBrJ-V58A/s1600/HTVC_DLH_Page1_Web.jpg" width="92" /></a></div>
I’m not planning on doing an ornate series of posts for this election like I was for <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com.au/search/label/election%202010">the last election</a>. If I have to say anything, I probably will say that my opinion on the fibre to the node is the main one in a series of issues that will possibly sway me towards preferencing the ALP over the Libs.<br />
<br />
The election is still a couple of weeks away, though.<br />
<br />
Ok. That out of the way, it’s worth getting in a post about hardened, rusted-on political party members. I’m not a member of a political party and because I also consider myself a swinging voter, I think that I’m way more objective than most.<br />
<br />
I had this discussion with someone on Twitter who is honest enough to post his party membership upfront in his Twitter bio. He’s a Labor man.
But I thought this was a rather interesting tweet when he posted it:
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
La Trobe and Chisholm - 2 seats where the greens have so far refused to preference progressive women over conservative men. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ausvotes&src=hash">#ausvotes</a><br />
— James Raynes (@jimmyraynes) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimmyraynes/statuses/369626730475954176">August 20, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Now, I know that the Greens haven’t released their how to vote cards. I know, because I’ve been trying to get one for Jagajaga, and if Jagajaga isn’t ready, then it’s almost certain that La Trobe and Chisholm ones aren’t ready yet, either. And why would they have been printed? The AEC only announced the candidates on the weekend. It’s Tuesday. <br />
<br />
There was some to-ing and fro-ing on Twitter, part of which had him trying to put this up as evidence for his claim that the Greens have refused to preference “progressive women”.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtnsvegUVEGd4bgdUDxcY37Os1ffCL-U4bXcwYrUhVVjiZLt4Tq-XozUYd45_aqzVL-AmHFlgkuPj1a98mEnFz0DjnOeKWu4HbNIFpqxi-8EMe_LQLqqlxd8jdTZRa9z_ON6xWw/s1600/BSEx5HzCYAEhxE5.jpg+large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtnsvegUVEGd4bgdUDxcY37Os1ffCL-U4bXcwYrUhVVjiZLt4Tq-XozUYd45_aqzVL-AmHFlgkuPj1a98mEnFz0DjnOeKWu4HbNIFpqxi-8EMe_LQLqqlxd8jdTZRa9z_ON6xWw/s1600/BSEx5HzCYAEhxE5.jpg+large.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
It’s not a how-to-vote card, which are actually defined in the <a href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/cea1918233/s4.html"><i>Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918</i></a>. But, more importantly, it does not support the claim that the Greens have refused to preference “progressive women” in the seats of La Trobe and Chisholm. Remember, just because the correct how-to-vote cards haven’t been printed yet, this doesn’t mean that the party hasn’t already decided their preferences for these two seats. And chances are, they WILL preference the ALP.<br />
<br />
The second claim relates to the “progressive” part of “progressive women”. I’m not really going to address this, apart from mischievously pointing out that the ALP is regarded by some as a centre-right party these days, and so “progressive” would be a little wrong in this context.<br />
<br />
Related to this is the fact that in <a href="http://aec.gov.au/election/vic/latrobe.htm">La Trobe</a> the other parties standing are not even vaguely progressive. There is a candidate from the Secular Party standing in <a href="http://aec.gov.au/election/vic/chisholm.htm">Chisholm</a>, but I’m not sure I’d classify candidates from a centrist party as “progressive”. So it’s clear that, in this case, the complainant has cherry-picked electorates with female ALP candidates and no other candidates from progressive parties. Or even progressive independents. The fact that the other candidates (vaguely conservative except for the Secular Party) are all men only makes the cherry-picking more pronounced.<br />
<br />
Also, “progressive women” versus “conservative men” suggests an invalid dichotomy. Where would a conservative female, for example, fit in? Might this also be cis-normative?<br />
<br />
But it's the decision by the tweeter to bring gender into this disturbs me, and here’s why.<br />
<br />
One of the things that really annoyed me during Julia Gillard’s stint as PM, was that there was a lot of sexism in Australia. The list of sexist incidents is too numerous to mention and culminated in that almighty speech to parliament where the then-PM said, famously:<br />
<blockquote>
<i>I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man.</i></blockquote>
Gillard was quite right to mention this about the Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott.<br />
<br />
However, we also saw that some Gillard supporters had something of a hair trigger when it came to sexism, and I wasn’t altogether convinced that on a couple of occasions, we weren’t seeing sexism used as a slur. Or a nuclear-grade damage-control mechanism.<br />
<br />
An obvious example was the sitcom that went on the ABC of life at the Lodge. “There’s no way they’d do this [satirise the PM and spouse at home] if the Prime Minister was male,” went the appeal to the Steinem test which was so frequently iterated at that time.<br />
<br />
The problem with invoking Steinem, however, is that it is a rock-solid test for sexism. And unfortunately, it’s all too easy to take it apart by mentioning, “Well, actually, in the 80s, we had <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gillies_Report">The Gillies Report</a>. We had <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dingo_Principle">The Dingo Principle</a>. We had <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_You%27re_Standing_In_It">Australia, You’re Standing In It</a> and we had <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Green_was_my_Cactus">How Green Was My Cactus</a>. All of which featured parodies of Bob and the late Hazel Hawke as centrepieces. Leitmotifs, even.”<br />
<br />
I don’t need to mention that Bob Hawke is male. Or maybe I did.<br />
<br />
Sexism, or misogyny is (or should be) a highly damaging accusation. There is no doubt that we’ve seen highly sexist behaviour and mostly from members of the Liberal Party, but should it be used to smear?<br />
<br />
It’s obvious that in the tweet above, despite the lack of evidence, a slur has been cast against the Greens designed to hurt them. Designed to brand them as neither seriously pro-women nor progressive.<br />
<br />
I must admit, I don’t usually like the term, “playing the gender card,” as it’s usually said by people who don’t want to be labelled as sexists, but in this case, I’m thinking that the tweet was incredibly disingenuous. Being technically correct is not a defence.<br />
<br />
Again, I’m sure that I don’t need to harp on the fact that electorates appear to have been cherry-picked. I could very easily say, for example, that the Greens candidate for Warringah has “refused to preference progressive women over conservative men” and this might be technically correct. However, this ignores the existence of conservative women and the fact there appears to be NO progressive women to be found amongst the current batch of candidates for <a href="http://aec.gov.au/election/nsw/warringah.htm">Warringah</a>.<br />
<br />
Lastly, I’d be happy to accept (with no judgement) a criticism that the Greens had preferenced conservative men over progressive women, if there was evidence for this on a how-to-vote card.<br />
<br />
So. Was the tweet disingenuous?
Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-71399825630185760982013-08-10T18:31:00.001+10:002013-08-12T17:56:04.007+10:00Has Richard Dawkins finally dug a hole that's too deep?<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://news.siobhansquire.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Richard-Dawkins-face-to-face-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://news.siobhansquire.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Richard-Dawkins-face-to-face-2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I would have thought that Richard Dawkins had learned something from Sam Harris' mistakes over the past decade. It would appear not.<br />
<br />
Harris' continuing mistake is that he simply fails to understand what is wrong about profiling specific targeted groups of human beings, doing his best to say that he's not crossing any lines by lowballing with straw men containing “racial” or “ethnic”. And each time he does, there is a collective slap across the globe as faces are buried into palms. And, like that oil leak that BP couldn't put out in the Gulf of Mexico, he keeps spewing this crap out.<br />
<br />
Instead of learning from this, Dawkins has been re-iterating the same tired old arguments as Harris that causes people to think that he's using atheism as a Trojan horse for racism.<br />
<br />
Now, I have to say that I'm quite a fan of Dawkins. I rather liked the Selfish Gene, and even though I had issues with certain parts of The God Delusion, I still thought it was excellent. But what I find frustrating is that Dawkins doesn't appear to understand where the line has been crossed.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I don't think that Dawkins is a racist. However, I do think that he has a problem, and the events of the past couple of days should be setting off alarm bells. And, unlike Dawkins, Harris seems to get away with it, if only because he seems to have a touch of the Sheldon Coopers to him.<br />
<br />
Dawkins has been in the news in the last couple of days, having lost what appears to be his rationality in a series of posts where it appears that he's happy to resort to the odd logical fallacy to make his point. Which appears to be this:<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>You (muslims) are intellectually inferior to those of us who went through Trinity College, Cambridge. So ner ner ni nerr nerr.</b><br />
<br />
And after he'd dug a nice hole for himself on Twitter, he kept digging.<br />
<br />
Check this out:<br />
<br />
Dawkins conflates correlation with causation here:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
All the world's Muslims have fewer Nobel Prizes than Trinity College, Cambridge. They did great things in the Middle Ages, though.<br />
— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins/statuses/365473573768400896">August 8, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Then this.
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
You can attack someone for his opinion. But for simply stating an intriguing fact? Who would guess that a single Cambridge College . . .<br />
— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardDawkins/statuses/365478220067389441">August 8, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<br />
Fine, but the 'intriguing fact' is that I'm not aware of him ever comparing the number of Nobel Prizes from Trinity College to anyone else before now. He was called on this and had the chance to compare it to people from, I dunno, Australia (or anywhere else) and he didn't.<br />
<br />
Everyone piled in. Even atheists who hold Dawkins up as some kind of, um, something, disowned him.<br />
<br />
He kept going. It was not long before tried his ludicrous straw man about Islam not being a race, which you knew was coming. And, given that a lot of these arguments have been so completely pwned in Harris' case, perhaps it was understandable that something of a tsunami of criticism washed over the internet.<br />
<br />
But <a href="http://www.richarddawkins.net/foundation_articles/2013/8/9/calm-reflections-after-a-storm-in-a-teacup">Dawkins has responded on his RDFRS</a> website, noting that, in his humble opinion, it is a 'storm in a teacup'. Here, Dawkins acts as if nothing is wrong and continues to lance straw men as if nothing is out of place. Here is his FAQ:<br />
<br />
<h3>
You’re a racist (actually usually written as “Your a racist”)</h3>
Dawkins response is to point out that Islam is not a race. This is a straw man, and makes it look like Dawkins is trying to get off the bigotry charge on a technicality. It's worth pointing out the following to this, but I'll make it clear from the offset that I am not accusing Dawkins of the following:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>If you wanted less brown people in the UK and most muslims were brown, and quite a lot of brown people were Muslims, it quickly becomes a no brainer to seize upon the lowest common denominator.</li>
<li>It's very easy to then resort to this defence if even only one white person was a muslim.</li>
</ol>
<br />
Charges of racism are not clear, given the information three questions below.<br />
<br />
He could use this response with “ethnic group” in place of “race”. Sam Harris did. But at the end we, as a human race, are narrowing down the number of things we can use to discriminate <i>en masse</i> against other groups of human beings. Dawkins appears to be arguing for retention of any of these methods of categorisation.<br />
<br />
Note that Dawkins draws attention to the misspelled “your” - an implied ad-hominem attack on the intelligence of the poster of such a remark.<br />
<br />
Lastly, Dawkins point about how one can convert or deconvert to or from a religion must be viewed as irrelevant, given the points above.<br />
<br />
<h3>
But aren’t Jews a race?</h3>
Dawkins says no, thereby implying that anti-Jewish sentiment is fine and dandy for all to have fun with. He then goes on to make the astonishing comparison about how many Jews have won Nobel Prizes.<br />
<br />
So why Muslims? Why Jews? <br />
<br />
Why not Indians or Chinese who are predominantly not Islamic nor Jewish? He's already compared Trinity College to the US, Britain, Germany and France.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Race is not a biological concept at all but a socially constructed one. In the sociological sense you can convert to a race because race is a social construction.</h3>
Even though the term “race” is used technically incorrectly, everyone knows what it means through its common or everyday usage. Dawkins dismissed this argument, but was wrong to do so. <br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
Very simply, although sociologists have gone about this in a clumsy way, the end result is the same: We all know that by grouping people under arbitrary headings and assuming the same thing of each and every one of them, we're doing the same thing as if we were doing it based on race, gender or anything else. <br />
<br />
Dawkins once again advanced a straw man, that the dictionary definition of race is supreme and that he will be following this. The common usage of race where it applies to muslims in this context is more a marker for the types of arbitrary categorisation that sees strict dictionary racism as taboo, but other categorisations considered to be quite alright.<br />
<br />
Ironically, “common” usage is one of the excuses that Dawkins gives for dismissing this. This, in itself, is telling.<br />
<br />
<h3>
OK, maybe you aren’t strictly a racist, but most Muslims have brown skins so you are in effect a racist</h3>
Dawkins handles this semi-correctly, pointing out the large number of brown people who are Hindus or Sikhs.<br />
<br />
But this response is irrelevant. In this context, again, despite peoples' incorrect usage of it, we're talking about another group of people, with different customs and different naming protocols, etc.<br />
<br />
Dawkins is wrong to dismiss the 'brown people' aspect of this so readily. People who “Islam” as a screen for some atrocious racism is widely documented and I consider it to be irresponsible for Dawkins to not even acknowledge its existence. It doesn't help when he's noted as having endorsed views of the likes of Pat Condell and Geert Wilders in the past.<br />
<br />
Wilders, in particular, has latched onto the alleged “Islamisation of Europe” and, no coincidence has toned down references to Arabs, Africans and others accordingly. <br />
<br />
It's this point where Dawkins should be making a statement that disowns Wilders and the like using Islam as the stalking horse for immigration generally. But he doesn't do that.<br />
<br />
<h3>
OK, you aren’t a racist at all, but you are a bigot, giving needless hurt and offence</h3>
Dawkins defends himself on “undeniable fact” grounds. This is where he appears to be relying on readers conflating correlation and causation. Again, why not quote the “undeniable fact” about the fact that China, a country with nearly 1.5 billion people has less Nobel Prizes than Denmark, a country with a little over 5.5 million people.<br />
<br />
The thing with “undeniable facts” is that they can still be cherry-picked, which is precisely what Dawkins is guilty of here. It's a little wrong to be promoting your use of “undeniable facts”, when one is clearly disregarding certain others.<br />
<br />
Dawkins is not at all convincing here, and he knows it.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Well, quoting an undeniable fact may not be bigotry in itself but you left an offensive, though unstated, implication dangling on the end of the fact</h3>
Dawkins response is this:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>You may be reading in an implication that I didn’t intend.</i></blockquote>
<br />
Obviously, this is total bullshit. Dawkins goes on to try to say that this is about education standards in Islamic countries, but given the overriding poverty in Islamic countries (and the fact that he hasn't, for example, also compared Nobel Prizes awarded to sub-saharan Africa) is more likely to be the cause of this, you have to also call him out on specious reasoning.<br />
<br />
Someone else called him for not comparing the number of US Nobel laureates where the US is riddled with creationism and homeschooling. He was caught with his pants down on this.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Cambridge University, like other First World Institutions, has economic advantages denied to those countries where most Muslims live.</h3>
I really should read ahead. Dawkins doesn't even try to address this one. Maybe he has spotted the poverty in his arguments.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Trinity College is a Christian foundation. Its full name is “the College of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity”.</h3>
Dawkins makes up something about Christianity having moved on since the college was founded in 1546. As he knows only full well, it hasn't in a lot of respects and may, in actual fact, have de-evolved in areas such as abortion, tolerance of homosexuals and creationism. This answer moves well past disingenuous and is very, very close to dishonest.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Muslim scholars gave you algebra and alchemy</h3>
He acknowledges a golden age here. He understandably thinks taking ownership of alchemy is risible, but even he would acknowledge that the study of chemistry wouldn't have arisen in a vacuum.<br />
<br />
He asks, where did this golden age go? It's quite staggering that, as a British citizen, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonialism">he doesn't know the answer to this</a>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
How many Nobel Prizes has Richard Dawkins won?</h3>
Dawkins again:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>This is getting silly, it really has the scent of desperation but it was tweeted remarkably often. I am one person, Muslims are 1.6 billion.</i></blockquote>
<br />
Actually, I would consider this to be clean bowled. The “scent of desperation”, if there is one, is the one that Professor Dawkins is smelling oozing out his own orifices.<br />
<br />
<h3>
How many Nobel Prizes have been won by atheists?</h3>
Dawkins expresses interest in the answer to this, but is unable to provide one himself. The rest of the answer veers off into irrelevance.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Henry Kissinger won a Nobel Prize. That just shows how worthless they are.</h3>
Dawkins gets into special pleading about the Peace Prize being different. You can't just change the rules as you go along.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Your (sic) a dick.<br />
I’m an athiest (sic) but you make me ashamed to be an athiest (sic).<br />
Your (sic) a disgusting piece of shit</h3>
It's beneath all of us to feed the trolls. It's also beneath Dawkins to put these in.<br />
<br />
Yes, they're idiotic, but this is precisely Dawkins' point in including them: I'm pretty much convinced that this is an ad-hom designed by the author to make the reader think that critics of Dawkins must all, surely, be stupid.<br />
<br />
What Dawkins needs to do to have any credibility back, is to realise that he's putting precisely the wrong idea out there. And he needs to do this publicly.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
One of my tweeps remarked that he's like a technically gifted musician who doesn't "feel" the music. I think that this is unduly harsh and may be more applicable to Sam Harris, but it's up to Dawkins to fix this perception, before he starts to lose his audience.<br />
<br /></div>
Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-61470787361488515522013-05-05T22:15:00.000+10:002013-07-08T16:37:20.596+10:00Fun with libertarians<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZTDZiXUA3m42In-SsZ6OKXyr8u867P3_kc-yrG2Q5sIDvg5M9tDROXTyPg9Kci8YNFz8E69qFUgYfxj95LbshToaIYOkIljCNbCPfnPX0s4xQYmr2UNJJzbpR4_mExkv750K/s1600/Blocked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZTDZiXUA3m42In-SsZ6OKXyr8u867P3_kc-yrG2Q5sIDvg5M9tDROXTyPg9Kci8YNFz8E69qFUgYfxj95LbshToaIYOkIljCNbCPfnPX0s4xQYmr2UNJJzbpR4_mExkv750K/s200/Blocked.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I should start a webpage where people bait libertarians. I'll call it Loonbook. They're pretty easy, really. A lot of them paint themselves as moderates or centrists, but there's nothing moderate or centrist about them.<br />
<br />
Pretty much without exception, they're all raving, ultra-paranoid, grasping right-wingers who see tax as theft and government spending as absolutely necessary if it's on them. And the moment that you suggest that government does something, you're a "statist" and as bad as the rest of them.<br />
<br />
But you know, for the most part, libertarians do mostly the right thing, in standing up for people's rights. Strangely, though, where people are too weak to assert their own rights, libertarians are only too keen to ride slipshod over them. Get a load of this fine fellow: <br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Name Nazi New Zealand statists, doing what statists do best, outlawing harmless behavior. SMH <a href="http://t.co/rPHB0Jzchu" title="http://holykaw.alltop.com/new-zealand-updates-banned-baby-name-list?tu2=1">holykaw.alltop.com/new-zealand-up…</a><br />
— Chuck Baggett (@ChuckBaggett) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChuckBaggett/status/330850017508216833">May 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>OK. I had <a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/banned-babies-names-list-updated-in-new-zealand-1.1380350">read about this</a> earlier in the week, and shot off a response.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/chuckbaggett">chuckbaggett</a> Like naming a child "Anal" is harmless. What kind of fantasy land are you in?<br />
— Dikkii (@dikkii) <a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii/status/330851218266148864">May 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>The reason that we need the state to intervene on this and other issues, is that parents can't be trusted to not be cruel to their kids. Imagine that the NZ authorities had allowed the name "Anal" to be registered. What next?<br />
<br />
Kid's going to get bullied, heckled and all sorts of things at school so badly that he (or she) will probably commit suicide before he (or she) graduates.<br />
<br />
The kid is in no position to consent or approve their parents' selection of a name. Hence one of the reasons why we need a name-vetting process.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii">dikkii</a> "I can confirm... several people named Anal, including Anal Exceus. Anal Singh, and Anal Shah." <a href="http://t.co/DrToatKn3Y" title="http://www.vastpublicindifference.com/2008/08/urban-legend-names.html">vastpublicindifference.com/2008/08/urban-…</a><br />
— Chuck Baggett (@ChuckBaggett) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChuckBaggett/status/330855229128048641">May 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>So it's a normal subcontinental name is it? So what? It's still not harmless, which was this guy's original claim.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/chuckbaggett">chuckbaggett</a> Right. And that's harmless in an English-speaking country (NZ) how?Remember your original claim was harmlessness.<br />
— Dikkii (@dikkii) <a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii/status/330856773940551680">May 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>I followed that up with this: <br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/chuckbaggett">chuckbaggett</a> ... Incidentally, none of the Anal's you named were in NZ.<br />
— Dikkii (@dikkii) <a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii/status/330857370097971201">May 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>So imagine my surprise when our libertarian friend tweeted this (Edit: to be fair, he's since deleted it, but I still have the text, and <a href="https://twitter.com/ChuckBaggett/status/330859938073153538">the permalink</a> for the record):<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii">dikkii</a> How long should a person be put in prison for naming their child something you disapprove of? Or do your favor the death penalty?<br />
— Chuck Baggett (@ChuckBaggett) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChuckBaggett/status/330859938073153538">May 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>This is a popular red herring with libertarians. Apparently, the government just wants to lock you up. And the bigger the government is, the more people they want to lock away. So you better watch out! <br />
<br />
With my stupidmeter off the scale and me carrying on several other conversations on Twitter, I dashed these off, and then jumped into the shower<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/chuckbaggett">chuckbaggett</a> The names are just banned. As in "refused to be registered". What is this nonsense about people being jailed?<br />
— Dikkii (@dikkii) <a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii/status/330860485299806208">May 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/chuckbaggett">chuckbaggett</a> Are you even reading the articles that you're linking to?<br />
— Dikkii (@dikkii) <a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii/status/330861322675822592">May 5, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>By the time I got out of the shower I was blocked, once again. <br />
<br />
<em>Edit, 3 July 2013: I pulled this post in June 2013 after I received a request from </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ChuckBaggett"><em>@ChuckBaggett</em></a><em> himself. I thought that we had an understanding. Obviously, if you're reading this, it should be clear that we do not, at least, not any more:</em><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4O9rto385j2sC6tcR1oivexPEm6G5IDG0dTm5iHFd5LKgIV-YY-H7eLTc7pN2l0VQ7x2vFm-qPkaUsjx-rAQAFjD5C74EmX6bIyn81ady7sGAJFQgAv9ph2OnWVixj5FcSF48Q/s526/cb.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="102" oya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4O9rto385j2sC6tcR1oivexPEm6G5IDG0dTm5iHFd5LKgIV-YY-H7eLTc7pN2l0VQ7x2vFm-qPkaUsjx-rAQAFjD5C74EmX6bIyn81ady7sGAJFQgAv9ph2OnWVixj5FcSF48Q/s320/cb.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>And Chuck, just so you fully understand, if you are reading this: Blocking people on Twitter only stops people from following you. It does not stop you being retweeted into their timeline, nor does it them from being retweeted into yours. It also doesn't stop them reading your subtweets. And, just so it's crystal clear: Blocking on Twitter is NOT considered to be playing nice.</i></div>
Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-44514597713371980962013-04-21T20:55:00.000+10:002013-04-22T13:37:36.519+10:0013 things that you can do to improve your privacy online<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.truste.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/privacy-card-3x2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://www.truste.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/privacy-card-3x2.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
I was asked by a mate of mine recently, 'Dikkii. Why don't you do a blog post about all the privacy stuff that you have done with your browser?'<br />
<br />
Personally, this mate of mine is pretty switched on, internet-wise (I cracked a pun!) so I was a bit taken aback that he genuinely wanted to know about why he should get his web-surfing privacy under control. I thought that he might already have this sorted out.<br />
<br />
The reality of it all is, that these days, it's a game with moving goal posts. To keep up with the companies mining your browsing habits really needs one to be on one's toes. But it's so difficult. Consider these:<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><ul>
<li>Cleaning cookies, cache, history, and other browser profile settings is often recommended, but <a href="https://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/node/6730">this page here</a> tells you why it doesn't work. Plus, you have to remember to get in there and clear stuff on a frequent basis.</li>
<li>'Opt-out' cookies were invented to be like a reverse tracking cookie, but again, <a href="https://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/node/6730">the page I referred you to earlier</a> tells you why this is a bad idea.</li>
<li>For similar reasons, TACO add-ons/extensions (Targeted Advertising Cookie Opt-Out) seem to be useless these days. Tacos were invented to take out some of the practical issues in using opt-out cookies, but it seems that they're pretty useless now.</li>
</ul>
<br />
But you have to be sensible as well. For example, do you use a free service? OK. If you do, how is it paid for? We all know that Facebook is ostensibly free to its users, but how does it continue to remain in business? Does it involve invasions of your privacy? Of course it does.<br />
<br />
Finally, consider what happens with your personal data. In Australia, we have a very good Privacy Act. But of course, Google is not an Australian company and where they conduct business with you and where they hold your data is certainly not Australia. At least, that is how they would consider it.<br />
<br />
Here is a list of what I did with my browsers (I use Firefox primarily, but I also use Chromium - the open source version of Google Chrome), but also, a couple of other things as well. Apologies to Internet Explorer, Opera and Safari users.<br />
<br />
<h3>
1. Enable Do Not Track</h3>
The 'Do Not Track' feature is an admirable function that is sneered at by more and more cynical users. Basically, this feature tells the website that you're visiting to not track you. Politely - it's done by way of an HTTP header, but has to be set to opt-out if you don't want to be tracked by a website.<br />
<br />
The reason that it's sneered at, though, is that many websites simply ignore it. Plus, after Microsoft said that they were going to set the value to opt-out by default in Internet Explorer 10, many websites openly revolted and said outright that they would ignore it.<br />
<br />
Still, some websites are honourable.<br />
<br />
To set this in Firefox, go into Preferences, select the Privacy tab and then enable the top option, 'Tell websites I do not want to be tracked'.<br />
<br />
In Chromium/Chrome, go to Settings and click on 'Show advanced settings...' and in the 'Privacy' section, enable 'Send a ‘Do Not Track’ request with your browsing traffic'.<br />
<br />
<h3>
2. Install Adblock Plus add-on/extension</h3>
I first knew there was a problem when she rang me and said, 'I have a virus on my computer.'<br />
<br />
I asked her, 'Did you install Avast?'<br />
<br />
She told me, 'No. I couldn't work out how to do it.'<br />
<br />
I put the phone down and swore, saying all sorts of uncharitable things about her. Then I realised that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't as silly as I had made her out to be.<br />
<br />
And it turned out that I <b>did</b> owe her an apology. Have a look at this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqUF-txzIDpcr2BXjL4NN4mtB-Yg7NqEaj39R8ESHqYH9_EPhAjhVxFdYSrcNwAmmf2JkqIwSvo_i4iGxwv19_hrXmUuAjIHJdOORnASRKsMdNO9OfvZ5jeHPCGscC2iKKRMjVA/s1600/ABP+before.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqUF-txzIDpcr2BXjL4NN4mtB-Yg7NqEaj39R8ESHqYH9_EPhAjhVxFdYSrcNwAmmf2JkqIwSvo_i4iGxwv19_hrXmUuAjIHJdOORnASRKsMdNO9OfvZ5jeHPCGscC2iKKRMjVA/s400/ABP+before.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
If you look closely, you'll see that there is a great big red 'Start Download' button on the right, which is not the correct one. There is, below the box that button is in, the word 'Ads' writ very small. Scarcely noticeable. Probably deliberately so.<br />
<br />
So you need to install Adblock Plus. Adblock Plus will remove most advertising from the webpages that you look at, together with any associated tracking that might have been attached.<br />
<br />
For all your add-ons/extensions, do the following:<br />
<br />
Firefox: Select Add-ons and then search in the 'Search all add-ons' up in the top right.<br />
<br />
Chromium/Chrome: Select Tools then Extensions. Then select 'Get more extensions' down the bottom. Another tab will open up at the Chrome web store but your search (top left) will specifically search extensions only.<br />
<br />
At both, search for Adblock Plus, and install both Adblock Plus itself, as well as the Element Hiding Helper for Adblock Plus (Firefox) or Adblock+ Element Hiding Helper (Chromium/Chrome).<br />
<br />
Don't install Adblock - it's the old program what ABP was forked from. Also, don't bother with the Filter Uploader for Adblock Plus (Firefox only) unless you plan on modifying your filter frequently and wish to share.<br />
<br />
You may want to install the Adblock Plus Pop-up Addon and the Customizations for Adblock Plus but these are only available in Firefox.<br />
<br />
Also, follow the directions here (Firefox or Chromium/Chrome) at step 1, so that you have a subscription to both EasyPrivacy + EasyList in addition to Fanboy's List.<br />
<br />
Here's what the offending page should now look like:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsP8Sn9U_Oha4bslSW8bUBUyM3YQ055ixKkOHGiFb6fzVI2meWPrtgyv76q86TRj6CjPiGfaHUhuZotQd7ixJFN8byUHgV_tdF9tsKMwfDC3Ugl6KdcA-zoZZf_fYtyzuBbwYijg/s1600/ABP+after.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsP8Sn9U_Oha4bslSW8bUBUyM3YQ055ixKkOHGiFb6fzVI2meWPrtgyv76q86TRj6CjPiGfaHUhuZotQd7ixJFN8byUHgV_tdF9tsKMwfDC3Ugl6KdcA-zoZZf_fYtyzuBbwYijg/s400/ABP+after.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Nice and clean? You better believe it! Now there can be no confusion as to which 'Download' button to click on.<br />
<br />
If there's one complaint I have about Adblock Plus, it's the 'Acceptable Ad' feature. I would prefer that a whitelist only feature was there instead. If you want to, there are forks of Adblock Plus that come without the Acceptable Ad feature that might be worth checking out.<br />
<br />
<h3>
3. Install BetterPrivacy add-on (Firefox only)</h3>
Thanks to Flash being embedded in Chromium/Chrome, you won't be able to use this one with it. I have no idea what removes Flash cookies from Chromium/Chrome at all (<i>Edit: Click&Clean, apparently</i>), but in Firefox, the removal of Flash cookies (Local Shared Objects, or LSOs) is deadly easy with this thing.<br />
<br />
We'll deal with cookies themselves later on, but Flash cookies are also pretty evil things. BetterPrivacy will, by default, remove your Flash Cookies on exit. Here's what is says when you close Firefox at the end of a session:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Lz7iRpU8lJjEittUusRt__0ikAxsx4JfpIsPA8EvmTe9vOv3VapWIiImBO7GHAkjapDdlnyQgubG0XLXYPN-yHP6sahbp7zqeqe32asC8IiQVDpi8EZ-jKZrVYjTudWbjm3cng/s1600/BetterPrivacy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Lz7iRpU8lJjEittUusRt__0ikAxsx4JfpIsPA8EvmTe9vOv3VapWIiImBO7GHAkjapDdlnyQgubG0XLXYPN-yHP6sahbp7zqeqe32asC8IiQVDpi8EZ-jKZrVYjTudWbjm3cng/s400/BetterPrivacy.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Firefox: Select Add-ons and then search in the 'Search all add-ons' up in the top right for BetterPrivacy.<br />
<br />
You may need to configure it. I suggest setting it up to remove Flash cookies on Firefox exit.<br />
<br />
(<i>Edit: Click&Clean is available in the Chrome Store for Chromium/Chrome users, however it only supports manual removal of Flash cookies at this stage.</i>)<br />
<br />
<h3>
4. Install DoNotTrackMe add-on/extension</h3>
This one is another very popular add-on/extension. There are a number of these types of thing but basically, DoNotTrackMe prevents tracking cookies being set.<br />
<br />
There is, however, exceptions made for cookies that if they were to be removed, might interfere with functions on a page. Hypothetically. I dislike this feature, as, although a page might need the Brightcove or Omniture tracking cookie to enable the comments section, for example, it's rare that I'm going to want to make (or even read) the comments.<br />
<br />
Firefox: Select Add-ons and then search in the 'Search all add-ons' up in the top right for DoNotTrackMe.<br />
<br />
Chromium/Chrome: Select Tools then Extensions. Then select 'Get more extensions' down the bottom. Search field up the top left for DoNotTrackMe.<br />
<br />
Once you have it installed, you can get wonderful information like this about all pages that you visit:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0asAHNuo-mtkT4GS8dKLawwZlR88I-onMlDwumD7pYR-ji07V6EL5GjwTMIseA8z_pXp2PtFdJBZlUB8PQ82RQu2XrSxo_cOas8gDMoennuKuR3wudJbiqW3mQpBkaKcUtGEXA/s1600/DNTM+window.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0asAHNuo-mtkT4GS8dKLawwZlR88I-onMlDwumD7pYR-ji07V6EL5GjwTMIseA8z_pXp2PtFdJBZlUB8PQ82RQu2XrSxo_cOas8gDMoennuKuR3wudJbiqW3mQpBkaKcUtGEXA/s400/DNTM+window.png" width="286" /></a></div>
<br />
Ghostery is another good one, however the issue of how it works (via blacklisting) may put users off. But if you're not put off by that, it works very well. I'm also hearing good things about one called Disconnect.<br />
<br />
On the subject of Ghostery, apparently it works well with another add-on, called Collusion. I'm yet to try this combination out, but it does sound interesting.<br />
<br />
<h3>
5. Install Priv3 and ShareMeNot add-on/extension</h3>
I also use the Priv3 (Firefox only) and ShareMeNot add-ons which both work differently, apparently. Priv3 allows you to stay logged in to social networks (Facebook, Google+, Twitter and LinkedIn are supported) but not be tracked by any 'Like', '+1' or 'Follow' buttons that appear on certain websites. Yes folks, even if you do not click on these, you're still being tracked.<br />
<br />
ShareMeNot does something similar, but works differently, apparently.<br />
<br />
Priv3 is available for Firefox only through Add-ons. <a href="http://sharemenot.cs.washington.edu/">ShareMeNot is available for both Firefox and Chromium/Chrome here</a>.<br />
<br />
The next lot of edits come from an excellent page from the EFF - <i><a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/04/4-simple-changes-protect-your-privacy-online">4 Simple Changes to Stop Online Tracking</a></i>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
6. Change cookie settings</h3>
If you haven't done so already, you should set it so that you are not accepting third party cookies. Third party cookies can be set merely by clicking a tracker's ad or visiting a tracker's website, such as Facebook or Google. The ability to block third party trackers works differently from browser to browser - Firefox's block feature prevents both setting and reading of third party cookies, but Chromium/Chrome, Internet Explorer and Safari only prevent cookies from being set.<br />
<br />
Firefox: Preferences, then Privacy tab (thank you to the EFF for the annotised screendumps):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/images_insert/Firefox-privacy-tab.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/images_insert/Firefox-privacy-tab.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Chromium/Chrome: Settings menu, then Settings, and scroll to the bottom and click "Show Advanced Settings." Under Privacy, click Content Settings:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/images_insert/chrome_cookies.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/images_insert/chrome_cookies.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
You're done! Now on to shutting off referers.<br />
<br />
<h3>
7. Turn off referers</h3>
Referers (sic) are HTTP headers which contain the address of the webpage that linked to the resource being requested. It means that the page you land on can look up the page you clicked through from. This creates privacy concerns.<br />
<br />
To do this in Firefox, you have to get your hands dirty in the registry. Enter "about:config" into the address bar of your browser. You <b>will</b> be careful.<br />
<br />
After negotiating the warning screen with the correct answer, scroll down until you find the network.http.sendRefererHeader item. Right click on it and change the value to 0 (zero):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/images_insert/turn_off_referers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/images_insert/turn_off_referers.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
It's slightly different in Chromium/Chrome. You need to install the extension Referer Control and then, after installing, scroll down and locate the text "default referer for all other sites" and click on Block:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/images_insert/chrome_referer_block.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="35" src="https://www.eff.org/sites/default/files/images_insert/chrome_referer_block.png" width="400" /></a></div>
It's that easy.<br />
<br />
<h3>
8. Install HTTPS-Everywhere</h3>
HTTPS-Everywhere provides encryption over HTTPS with websites, making your browsing more secure. This plugin is provided by the <a href="https://www.eff.org/"><b>EFF</b></a> in conjunction with the <a href="https://www.torproject.org/"><b>Tor Project</b></a>, but is not available in the Firefox add-on repositories, nor in the Chrome Store.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere">Click here to add HTTPS-Everywhere to Firefox or Chromium/Chrome</a>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
9. Install MaskMe add-on/extension</h3>
From Abine, the makers of DoNotTrackMe comes MaskMe. MaskMe is a rather awesome tool that will automatically generate a one-off email address whenever you sign up for something online. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d1p4fa0g2cgyhv.cloudfront.net/images/web-v2/maskme/screenshots/maskme_ss1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://d1p4fa0g2cgyhv.cloudfront.net/images/web-v2/maskme/screenshots/maskme_ss1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Why is this important? Your personal details are often matched by advertisers online using your email address which is pretty unique. The random email address used by MaskMe redirects to your proper one. And periodically, you can log into MaskMe and remove the ones that you have no need for emails from anymore.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.abine.com/maskme/">MaskMe is available for both Firefox and Chromium/Chrome here</a>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
10. Install NoScript add-on for Firefox and NotScripts extension in Chromium/Chrome</h3>
Blocking Javascript, Java and Flash from running is popular with some. There are additional advantages to running these plug-ins, too - they make pages load faster in your browser as well.<br />
<br />
NoScript is a popular Firefox add-on that also provides anti-XSS and anti-Clickjacking functionality and works on a whitelist basis which is perhaps a little severe for some. But once you get used to it, it really is quite powerful.<br />
<br />
NoScript is available from a search in Firefox add-ons.<br />
<br />
But what about Chromium/Chrome users? Up until recently, this functionality wasn't available, but someone managed to make this work. Thus NotScripts was born. NotScripts is also available for Opera and offers both a whitelist or a blacklist-based service.<br />
<br />
The NotScripts extension is available from the Chrome store.<br />
<br />
<h3>
11. Use a secure cloud storage service like SpiderOak</h3>
A couple of years ago, I remember the interwebs freaking out when Dropbox added a clause to their terms of service that asserted a right over works that users uploaded:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>By submitting your stuff to the Services, you grant us (and those we work with to provide the Services) worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable rights to use, copy, distribute, prepare derivative works (such as translations or format conversions) of, perform, or publicly display that stuff to the extent we think it necessary for the Service.</i></blockquote>
I remember complaining to someone about this, but was informed that "they have to do this to operate in the US," despite the fact that Canonical operates their Ubuntu One service in the US quite fine without such a clause.<br />
<br />
Dropbox have improved their terms of service since this. It now reads like this:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>By using our Services you provide us with information, files, and folders that you submit to Dropbox (together, “your stuff”). You retain full ownership to your stuff. We don’t claim any ownership to any of it. These Terms do not grant us any rights to your stuff or intellectual property except for the limited rights that are needed to run the Services, as explained below.</i></blockquote>
This is a bit better. But it's nowhere near as good as SpiderOak. SpiderOak uses encryption in both the cloud, and at the client end that means that even SpiderOak employees can't access users' information. And it is available for Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux, as well as the major phone OSes. Too awesome!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://spideroak.com/download/referral/659e6fa47e625712f2f50726720f4bf8">You can download SpiderOak here</a>. <br />
<br />
(<b><u>Disclosure:</u></b> If you click on this link, you get an extra gigabyte of storage data, and so do I)<br />
<br />
<h3>
12. Use DuckDuckGo or Blekko as your search engine</h3>
Whenever you use a commercial search engine, it's not just their paid advertising that shows up in the results that you have to look out for. Google, for example, make quite a bit out of sending your IP address off in a way that's not dissimilar to the story that <a href="http://donttrack.us/">this website from DuckDuckGo</a> tells.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, it doesn't have to be this way. Why not use a different search engine?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://duckduckgo.com/">DuckDuckGo</a> promises full anonymity. No personal information stored at all.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blekko.com/">Blekko</a> promises to erase their logs within 48 hours, but also provide the innovative slashtag search functionality that they're known for.<br />
<br />
Give them a go.<br />
<br />
<h3>
13. Consider using 'Porn Mode' for sensitive browsing</h3>
This suggestion generally gets greeted with some childish giggling or even the odd snide remark. Nevertheless, porn mode, or 'Private Browsing' as it may be more grown up to refer to it as, is an incredibly useful addition to your privacy arsenal. I simply won't go near Facebook without it.<br />
<br />
The sad thing is, that by suggesting that people might be irrationally part of the 'tinfoil hat brigade' by utilising these functions, it's probably more correct to say that most users of services like Facebook or other places where you're encouraged to provide a great deal of detail about yourself are maybe not valuing their own privacy enough.<br />
<br />
But porn mode is exceptionally easy to use and it can be used for many purposes. Social media and porn are merely two.<br />
<br />
Firefox: Select New Private Window.<br />
<br />
Chromium/Chrome: Select New Incognito Window.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Enjoy some privacy</h3>
So there you go. 13 things you can do to improve your privacy online.<br />
<br />
But don't rest on your laurels. Keep reading up, because this whole game is really about where the next privacy breach will come from. Please check out these websites for more information:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/node/6730"><i>Tracking the Trackers: Self-Help Tools</i>.</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://donttrack.us/"><i>Google tracks you. We don't. An illustrated guide.</i>.</a> <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/04/4-simple-changes-protect-your-privacy-online"><i>4 Simple Changes to Stop Online Tracking</i>.</a><br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://fixtracking.com/">Fix Tracking!</a></i>Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-14487768796414039102013-04-10T23:04:00.001+10:002013-04-10T23:17:42.963+10:00Blocked again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6Rd4tz3FRS3Xlh7i-FNmjm7r4bBg-3Na0gcZFxN4u99F2MGRc7WRa6Cg4pvfD-gj290koBlVsz7c8Yt8oiayITMCUlqUl7C72K0yZfRaZhQCOiksi4UxGxz8A6DcOAfdHxEo/s1600/accessdenied-main_Full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix6Rd4tz3FRS3Xlh7i-FNmjm7r4bBg-3Na0gcZFxN4u99F2MGRc7WRa6Cg4pvfD-gj290koBlVsz7c8Yt8oiayITMCUlqUl7C72K0yZfRaZhQCOiksi4UxGxz8A6DcOAfdHxEo/s200/accessdenied-main_Full.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I've only been blocked on Twitter once before, that I know of. That was by <a href="https://twitter.com/helenrazer">Helen Razer</a> and to this day, I have no idea why. I only know that I was blocked, because I went to follow her one day and found that I could not.<br />
<br />
But I thought I'd regale you with this tale of more blockage. This time, it came about in a record quick exchange with some tetchy Belgians who run an online magazine that goes by the name of Side-Line Magazine.<br />
<br />
Specifically, it was <a href="http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=49406_0_2_0_C">this article</a> that suggests reasons why you can't re-sell electronic media files once you've bought them. It reads as a defence of DRM, because the reasons given is that once you have the file, you <i>might</i> copy it before you re-sell it. Just "might", mind you - we're not all pirates.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>This, of course, means that you should not be able to re-sell CDs, which are totally able to be re-sold. Why not? Because, and here's the word "might" again, you <i>might</i> copy the files on the CD before you re-sell it.<br />
<br />
Now the act of re-selling files is not necessarily illegal. However act of copying is, and so I pointed out in a tweet that there was a baby and bathwater issue, and an inconsistent one at that in a tweet. I also may have expressed some dissatisfaction with the notion that we all need to be protected from our inherently evil nature:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A crap argument which assumes piracy and accidentally, further rules out resale of CDs: <a href="http://t.co/b7t9yde9pS" title="http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=49406_0_2_0_C">side-line.com/news_comments.…</a> via @<a href="https://twitter.com/sidelinemag">sidelinemag</a><br />
— Dikkii (@dikkii) <a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii/status/321900160907108355">April 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Almost immediately, I got this back:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii">dikkii</a> No, you are wrong. That's also why there are laws and prisons. Because we can assume people do not always do what is correct...<br />
— Side-Line Magazine (@sidelinemag) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidelinemag/status/321900556748730368">April 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
I'm quite curious who <a href="http://www.side-line.com/">Side-Line Magazine</a> are, now. Ostensibly, they're notionally a magazine about industrial and darkwave European music, which I still find interesting. It's not unheard of for record companies to shill for themselves with magazines, although whilst I'm not suggesting that Side-Line Magazine are a record company shill, a small part of me won't deny the possibility. And very few ordinary people (i.e. not industry types or the odd musician) take the approach that the precautionary principle must prevail in the battle against wholesale privacy. DRM is the precautionary principle with brute force - it's there to stop people copying files. But DRM stops a number of other things, as well. Things like resale of goods that you've paid for.<br />
<br />
This is where the baby gets thrown out with the filthy suds. It's inconsistent to not apply this to <b>media</b> containing the same electronic files. We're now seeing licensing tightening up in software land to prevent electronic files and media being re-sold - witness the extraordinary lengths that Microsoft is going to with Windows 8 and Office 2013. But files are still easily copyable from CDs, and if you were to suggest tomorrow that people could not re-sell these particular items, there would be a resulting minor state of martial law.<br />
<br />
So I pointed this out to them:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/sidelinemag">sidelinemag</a> Rubbish. You've assumed that people ALWAYS do what's wrong. Plus you've implied that resale of CDs is also wrong.</p>— Dikkii (@dikkii) <a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii/status/321900931904069633">April 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
to which I got the following response:
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii">dikkii</a> didn't imply that at all. You imply they ALWAYS do the correct thing.</p>— Side-Line Magazine (@sidelinemag) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidelinemag/status/321901172472549376">April 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
which is, of course, a load of rubbish. Remember, the illegal act is copying. You prove someone is guilty first - you don't just assume that they're going to break the law:
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/sidelinemag">sidelinemag</a> No I didn't, but I do have the presumption of innocence on my side.</p>— Dikkii (@dikkii) <a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii/status/321901361849585664">April 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Of course, I also had to point out to them their inconsistency on the ease of copying files from CDs:
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/sidelinemag">sidelinemag</a> And you did.What was that about copying the files before the resale?</p>— Dikkii (@dikkii) <a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii/status/321901585611513858">April 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I wasn't expecting this in response:
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii">dikkii</a> then leave the door of your house open all day long when you are away. Laws are there to protect. Not to assume like you do.</p>— Side-Line Magazine (@sidelinemag) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidelinemag/status/321901539318972416">April 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p>@<a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii">dikkii</a> sorry, but you don't seem to grasp why there are laws in the first place. So this discussion leads nowhere.</p>— Side-Line Magazine (@sidelinemag) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidelinemag/status/321901812993097728">April 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
"Leads nowhere". Well, of course it does. They've assumed that users are always guilty. Then they've effectively ignored the issue of file storage media outright, denied the presumption of innocence and to top it all off, gone off on some bizarre victim-blaming rant where laws and preventative mechanisms are conflated and people are now responsible for having their own homes burgled.<br />
<br />
I think that I might have crossed the line, though, because the next thing I tweeted was this, in a fit of anger...
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/sidelinemag">sidelinemag</a> Probably not. I hope that you don't tell rape victims who wear short skirts that they were asking for it.<br />
— Dikkii (@dikkii) <a href="https://twitter.com/dikkii/status/321902871652225024">April 10, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
...and that saw me blocked for only the second time that I'm aware of. What do you think?Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-13804151004238834442013-01-08T15:42:00.001+11:002013-02-06T09:13:02.876+11:00Alternate method - Linux, Calibre, e-books (epub) and DRM<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1GCjPBiyMRG9JBjozvjo2vLNbtB1gdKufPcgLn7HQFw7uicHufLeaWDmZf1Z6e6DmfuOx18WmJSmViBXUo20UKg0rk3QdS3_3sDnEmdgA93nLP-sApCgNJkTlY_oWhkAgDWNvw/s1600/EPUB_logo.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1GCjPBiyMRG9JBjozvjo2vLNbtB1gdKufPcgLn7HQFw7uicHufLeaWDmZf1Z6e6DmfuOx18WmJSmViBXUo20UKg0rk3QdS3_3sDnEmdgA93nLP-sApCgNJkTlY_oWhkAgDWNvw/s200/EPUB_logo.svg.png" width="145" /></a><br />
You may already have read <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/how-to-get-round-drm-issues-with-e.html">my previous post</a>, where I examined the utterly ludicrous situation that Linux users are placed in if they want to buy, download and finally read an ebook on their ebook reader.<br />
<br />
You may recall me mentioning that I had given you <b>the long version</b>. This post will cover off on the slightly less long version – this is the Calibre plugins version.<br />
<br />
Same as before, note that for this exercise, I'm using Linux Mint 14 (Nadia) XFCE. Also, I'm assuming that the ebook that you purchased was DRM protected by Adobe's Digital Editions software and is in the .epub format. Most lending libraries use the .epub format for their ebooks, so if you plan on using a library, this will help. Sadly, if you have a Kindle, this will not help you. Apologies, however you may notice later on in this that we will be downloading a plugin for Kindle users. We'll pretty much leave it at that and go no further with that or any other plugins in this post.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Once again, please note that this process cracks DRM off .epub files. Linux users, there are no other ways to use files that you have paid for without removing the DRM, but this process can also potentially be misused. Misuse can be extremely illegal. Please, for the love of FSM, don't misuse this or the other process, because repeated misuse will mean that publishers and retailers will make things twice as difficult for us in the long run as they continue to rubber-glove both us, the consumers and most of the authors who provide them with content.<br />
<br />
That out of the way, let's get started.<br />
<br />
<h3>
1.-11. Steps 1. to 11.</h3>
If you haven't already done so, follow steps 1 to 11 in <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/how-to-get-round-drm-issues-with-e.html">my previous post</a>.<br />
<br />
We'll deviate slightly in step 12 onwards.<br />
<br />
<h3>
12. Download Tools v5.5.3</h3>
These can be downloaded from <a href="http://www.datafilehost.com/download-d40a175f.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Right click on the “Download” button on the LEFT and select “save as” and don't click the frankly fraudulent advertising link that says “Download Now” on the right. I had to have this one pointed out to me, as it doesn't show to me – I use ABP in Firefox and don't see much advertising anymore.<br />
<br />
It's worth checking in <a href="https://apprenticealf.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/drm-removal-tools-for-ebooks/">with this page</a> of Apprentice Alf's. He will generally have a link to the most up to date box of tricks in this collection.<br />
<br />
<h3>
13. Install plugin(s) in Calibre</h3>
See that .zip file that you just downloaded? It's got the plugins in it.<br />
<br />
Extract the contents of the .zip file into a new folder – I recommend that you create a folder within the folder that you created to house the Python scripts from step 6.<br />
<br />
Open Calibre up.<br />
<br />
Click on Preferences. If you can't find Preferences, click on the right-arrows at the right hand end of the top row of icons. You'll find it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOU7svoryQIDwcwL4iGY66h7c_aUYyIOBdLgBgHNDISF6mFtpPF1QaC95CIXUebNT7SLIc-px-v3OAh7fzaU06GMTOn7b9_y-j-X_JV-Q7v-AQrI1hkHqEnpPPQNB-Ouly6wQtBA/s1600/Calibre+preferences.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOU7svoryQIDwcwL4iGY66h7c_aUYyIOBdLgBgHNDISF6mFtpPF1QaC95CIXUebNT7SLIc-px-v3OAh7fzaU06GMTOn7b9_y-j-X_JV-Q7v-AQrI1hkHqEnpPPQNB-Ouly6wQtBA/s320/Calibre+preferences.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The Calibre preferences screen will open in a new window. Scroll down to the bottom left and select Plugins. The plugins screen should open up.<br />
<br />
From the bottom, select “Load plugin from file”.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIlNGhsKeBN9xGl-pRTS720Y6zLtvAutCNnJXd6TIAbZJDa9eN7mrHaGoUkq8xIUvqT0K7dHxlfSlJ3QBKQ_8Nm6e7IiCtTN1vvpbXKSuIHC6Njq1it7YBNi7iaJFXi37dXlXkw/s1600/Calibre+plugins.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIlNGhsKeBN9xGl-pRTS720Y6zLtvAutCNnJXd6TIAbZJDa9eN7mrHaGoUkq8xIUvqT0K7dHxlfSlJ3QBKQ_8Nm6e7IiCtTN1vvpbXKSuIHC6Njq1it7YBNi7iaJFXi37dXlXkw/s320/Calibre+plugins.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Navigate to the folder that contains the freshly extracted files that were in the .zip file that you downloaded. There should be a folder there titled “Calibre_Plugins”. Go into that and select the <b>ineptepub_v02.0_plugin.zip</b> file that is in that folder. While you're here, you could do this for each of the .zip files in that folder – installation is similar, but we will not cover these today.<br />
<br />
When you're finished, click on “Apply” on the top left, and “Close” in the Preferences window. Finally, close Calibre and restart it. And then, you should exit once again.<br />
<br />
The plugins will not be useful yet. In this post, I'm going to cover off on ensuring that the Ineptepub one works, but we have a couple of things left to do first.<br />
<br />
<h3>
14. Run ineptkey.pyw (Python script)</h3>
The set that you downloaded in Step 6 included two Python scripts should be run in Wine. This process only needs one of these. Open a terminal and navigate your way into the folder that contains your Python scripts.<br />
<br />
Start with the ineptkey script. Copy and paste this into your terminal:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">playonlinux ineptkey.pyw</span></blockquote>
<br />
You'll see a few things happen, and even a couple of errors. Hopefully, though, none of these should be fatal. If all goes well, you should be met by this message:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLG8_4HE908FacKPtRNQigYD2S4mKwF3tascxMih-HjWSamVse9SGwWETWF0k882W4IGtQm5LvS1MZjtu3cjf8Lhmcimuv9otD4XSrB5KBbbIbHi5wsi-SdAY1sOq2W88pIwLRFg/s1600/ADEPT+Key.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLG8_4HE908FacKPtRNQigYD2S4mKwF3tascxMih-HjWSamVse9SGwWETWF0k882W4IGtQm5LvS1MZjtu3cjf8Lhmcimuv9otD4XSrB5KBbbIbHi5wsi-SdAY1sOq2W88pIwLRFg/s1600/ADEPT+Key.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Woo hoo!<br />
<br />
But where's the key? Go into your virtual ADE drive, in the drive_c/Python26 folder and you should be able to find a file named "adeptkey.der". Copy and past this into both the folder where you kept Python, PyCrypto and the Python scripts, and also into your .config/calibre<strike>/plugins</strike> folder in your home folder. It is absolutely necessary that it goes into the last one.<br />
<br />
<strong>Edit (21/01/2012): Reader Arc has pointed out that the adeptkey.der file needs to go into ~/.config/calibre, not the /plugins folder that is within that. I did both and didn't notice.</strong><br />
<br />
At this point you should also go into your My Digital Editions folder, locate the .epub file that you just "decrypted" with Digital Editions in step 11 and copy it. Go back to your Books folder and create two new folders in that. I call one "Dirty" and one "Clean". Paste the .epub file that you copied into the Dirty folder.<br />
<br />
<h3>
15. Add file to your Calibre library</h3>
To ensure that the file is appropriately cleaned, you should do this from the command line as follows.<br />
<br />
Open a terminal, navigate to your Dirty folder and type:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">calibredb add filename.epub</span></blockquote>
<br />
Where "filename.epub" is the filename of your ebook. If you are successful, you should see this message in the terminal:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Inept Epub DeDRM v0.2.0: Encryption successfully removed.</span></blockquote>
<br />
(You may also see an error if you loaded the Ignoble plugin, but that's OK)<br />
<br />
When you open Calibre, your new, clean file will be smiling back at you, as if to say, “Download me on to your ebook reader!”.<br />
<br />
And that is that. Happy reading!<br />
<br />Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-89888963520185477112013-01-04T22:50:00.001+11:002014-06-12T18:10:52.999+10:00How to get round DRM issues with e-books in Linux (epub)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1GCjPBiyMRG9JBjozvjo2vLNbtB1gdKufPcgLn7HQFw7uicHufLeaWDmZf1Z6e6DmfuOx18WmJSmViBXUo20UKg0rk3QdS3_3sDnEmdgA93nLP-sApCgNJkTlY_oWhkAgDWNvw/s1600/EPUB_logo.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1GCjPBiyMRG9JBjozvjo2vLNbtB1gdKufPcgLn7HQFw7uicHufLeaWDmZf1Z6e6DmfuOx18WmJSmViBXUo20UKg0rk3QdS3_3sDnEmdgA93nLP-sApCgNJkTlY_oWhkAgDWNvw/s200/EPUB_logo.svg.png" height="200" width="145" /></a></div>
What a hassle this post was. You'd think that in this 21st century world that we live in, there would be less issues with using any kind of media. Sadly, no. Ebooks are still possibly the number one reason why I can find myself in the situation where I am likely to throw my computer across the room.<br />
<br />
Downloading ebooks and using them via Linux is a diabolically difficult, stupid and possibly legally dangerous situation. You'd be forgiven for thinking that the reason is merely the reality that desktop Linux users are the one percenters and that the system is biased towards Windows and OSX users, but it's actually more insidious than that – copyright has sabotaged any kind of simplicity here.<br />
<br />
This is a joke. Only in the land of intellectual property law (and possibly high end encryption) does one find that the world is actually getting more complicated, rather than simpler.<br />
<br />
I've just spent the best part of the last couple of days attempting to try to load my computer with the usual fixes to ensure that my computer can have the DRM cracked off it, which is necessary for using Linux with DRM-protected ebooks. It's a time-consuming and wasteful job, and it's made worse by the fact that I totally fluked it the last couple of times and then didn't write the steps down. Oh sure, there are plenty of web pages out there that have the steps, but no one seems to have the order right.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Thus, there was a great deal of foul language as I faced error after error and glitch after glitch. In the end, it's still a time consuming job, but just getting each of these wretched steps done was an effort in itself. This time, I'm writing the little catches down, at least for me, if no one else.<br />
<br />
So please allow me to show you the right way to go about ensuring that you're in a position to get your freshly purchased ebook in a fit state to read if you are using a Linux PC.<br />
<br />
Note that for this exercise, I'm using Linux Mint 14 (Nadia) XFCE. Also, I'm assuming that the ebook that you purchased was DRM protected by Adobe's Digital Editions software and is in the .epub format. Most lending libraries use the .epub format for their ebooks, so if you plan on using a library, this will help. Bad luck if you've got a Kindle: none of this will help you.<br />
<br />
Note also that this cracks DRM off files. This is necessary for fair use, such as in this instance, but can also potentially be misused. Misuse is very much illegal. Don't misuse this - just imagine what kind of moronic lengths publishers will go to next if they aren't getting paid. Goodness knows, most of their authors aren't getting anything.<br />
<br />
Also note that this is just one method, possibly even the long method. I may blog in the future about Calibre plugins which are, in my opinion, way easier. But this is well and truly worth knowing.<br />
<br />
<strong>Edit (21/01/2012): The method using Calibre plugins <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/alternate-method-linux-calibre-e-books.html">may be found here</a>.</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<br />
<h3>
1. Install Calibre</h3>
Calibre is still the best ebook library manager, and you will need it for this. Make sure you get this installed – if you haven't done so yet, copy and paste this into your terminal:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get install calibre</span></blockquote>
<br />
<h3>
2. Install Wine with a useful front end</h3>
Wine is a hateful program which has been solely designed to give me a nervous breakdown. I've hated it ever since I started using Linux. Nevertheless, there are easier ways to use this thing than liaising with the program directly. Like a good front end. So the first thing to do is ensure that you have a decent front end on it. I prefer PlayOnLinux, myself. I'm using version 4.1.1 of that but I think that this is one of the rare times that this could be unimportant. Of course, I say this now...<br />
<br />
I'm going to assume that you're using PlayOnLinux all the way through this, but you could be using a variety of front ends, like Winetricks or something else. Or not.<br />
<br />
If you're not using a front end, ensure that you are using nothing after Wine 1.3, because this will simply not work, otherwise. PlayOnLinux will allow you to select versions, but we'll get to that later.<br />
<br />
To install Play On Linux and Winetricks, enter this into your terminal:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get install playonlinux winetricks</span></blockquote>
<br />
If you haven't already got Wine installed, this will install it for you, however for users of Linux Mint 14 (or any recent version of other distros) you will end up with Wine 1.4 by default.<br />
<br />
Again, we'll look into version 1.3 of Wine a little later on.<br />
<br />
<h3>
3. Download the Windows version of Adobe Digital Editions 1.7</h3>
Folks, I cannot impress enough on you that you need to use specific versions of the applications that I am mentioning in this post. Get this wrong, and you end up like me, stuffing around looking for glitches that aren't there, installing patches that aren't needed and generally getting very ornery.<br />
<br />
Adobe have moved on to version 2.0, now. It doesn't seem to like Wine much. Goodness knows that Adobe doesn't really care for Linux users terribly much, either. So do a search on Google for where you can download version 1.7, or click on the link below, which is one that I found.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.adobe.com/support/digitaleditions/ts/documents/kb403051/digitaleditions1x7x1.exe">Click here to download Adobe Digital Editions 1.7 for Windows</a><br />
<br />
Right-click on the "Free download" link and save it somewhere where you can get to it when you need it. Your Downloads folder is quite fine. If you use the link above, note that it comes with the usual sponsored links and toolbars which you will have to de-select upon installation.<br />
<br />
<h3>
4. Install Adobe Digital Editions 1.7 in Wine</h3>
Again, I'm using PlayOnLinux, and you might like to do something else, but here it is, step by bleeding step.<br />
<br />
(a) Start up PlayOnLinux.<br />
(b) Click on the big, friendly <b>+</b> button with "Install" written underneath it.<br />
(c) You will see the PlayOnLinux install menu. Move your eyes all the way down to the bottom left corner and click on "Install a non-listed program"<br />
(d) You are now in the manual installation wizard. Click "Next"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvcfdn7WceTVrhITy3omKdmr2Tu-2gHZ9_UZManSb2Cn_tKmfQ3xUJrDld4eKBmp98PbLTIornJPUWKI4RmKg1IgKEA1VlEpwNYbyP49FKad_U5s_0j7bOgyLLzVzhK0Cz2e0VQ/s1600/Welcome+Playonlinux+install.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvcfdn7WceTVrhITy3omKdmr2Tu-2gHZ9_UZManSb2Cn_tKmfQ3xUJrDld4eKBmp98PbLTIornJPUWKI4RmKg1IgKEA1VlEpwNYbyP49FKad_U5s_0j7bOgyLLzVzhK0Cz2e0VQ/s320/Welcome+Playonlinux+install.png" height="258" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
(e) Select the "Install the program in a new virtual drive" and click "Next"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wuU5VFhBQ-UCUdv3xhDFeVrPPqHcN6XoQXKB1nIFe4fCFpQGJLqLTQL9gjO23VkqVufqr71hMK1pxmqF2VkHLpqaDemZDdbgphJ_CqL6rT2YhDnHIx2M0T26zzXa34Kv9AQ87g/s1600/Play+on+linux+select+Drive.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wuU5VFhBQ-UCUdv3xhDFeVrPPqHcN6XoQXKB1nIFe4fCFpQGJLqLTQL9gjO23VkqVufqr71hMK1pxmqF2VkHLpqaDemZDdbgphJ_CqL6rT2YhDnHIx2M0T26zzXa34Kv9AQ87g/s320/Play+on+linux+select+Drive.png" height="258" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
(f) Give your new drive a name. Something that you will remember that is easy not to misspell - I used "ADE" for Adobe Digital Editions. Click "Next"<br />
<br />
(g) IMPORTANT: Remember how I said to use Wine 1.3, not 1.4 or later? Here's where you ensure that your new virtual drive is running on that. Select "Use another version of Wine" and click "Next"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0Gbvsg_e716fraIJr_nKRZ81LwG0wG05K-Gy97z0udNrMhJ5yN2Etbn3rOlY7ZePtOj-jQdGmF0j1Vs-mGwwc6BetMTEUjysDIy-1DCMKAX0XLnF5J9lxegP8sM-QGewMMjPTg/s1600/Playonlinux+Wine+version.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0Gbvsg_e716fraIJr_nKRZ81LwG0wG05K-Gy97z0udNrMhJ5yN2Etbn3rOlY7ZePtOj-jQdGmF0j1Vs-mGwwc6BetMTEUjysDIy-1DCMKAX0XLnF5J9lxegP8sM-QGewMMjPTg/s320/Playonlinux+Wine+version.png" height="258" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
(h) If you don't have version 1.3 available to you here, select "System" and speed through with the "Next" button. I'll cover off on an additional method for changing versions of Wine later.<br />
<br />
(i) Wait for the virtual drive to be created - you shouldn't need to click on "Next" this time. You'll see some Wine dialogues pop up along the way. Browse for your Adobe Digital Editions 1.7 install file to run and then click "Next".<br />
<br />
(j) Another Wine pop up will ask you to accept the terms and conditions of the download and install. Click "Next" within the dialogue. The next screen is a sponsored toolbar, and you'll need to wait until it loads fully or you will get delayed. Deselect everything and select "Install".<br />
<br />
(k) It will have another bite at the cherry for installing the toolbar. Click "Cancel" only to the small pop up that appears next. If the small pop up doesn't appear, you've accidentally selected something on the previous screen. Never mind.<br />
<br />
(l) Click "Next", then click "Install", then "Close". You should then be prompted with the licence agreement for Adobe Digital Editions. Click "I Agree". Adobe Digital Editions should then set itself up. You should be able to navigate your way through this bit, but read each bit carefully.<br />
<br />
<strong>Edit (21/01/2012): Reader Arc has pointed out that if you deselect "make start menu item", PlayOnLinux has a cow. Don't deselect that. It doesn't reaqlly matter anyway, because Wine doesn't have a Start menu. (Neither does Windows 8, either, for that matter!)</strong><br />
<br />
(m) Close Digital Editions and then click "Close". PlayOnLinux will then finish installation. This may take some time, and is one of the annoying things that occupied my time. When it finishes, ensure that you select "digitaleditions.exe" and click "Next". Things get painful if you don't.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs94DfgX3KPgEAIT2V2c2YknZKOCn6qcPek4kkygHoljVJGVRUd3WS9mj386LZhmUo1MMZpanP6yov-KLJDaAsxEiiDuW6fzCqNqYK0AFvCuxVeq2-pmmmjUsox9heaV5Y0gR2LQ/s1600/Playonlinux+shortcut.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs94DfgX3KPgEAIT2V2c2YknZKOCn6qcPek4kkygHoljVJGVRUd3WS9mj386LZhmUo1MMZpanP6yov-KLJDaAsxEiiDuW6fzCqNqYK0AFvCuxVeq2-pmmmjUsox9heaV5Y0gR2LQ/s320/Playonlinux+shortcut.png" height="258" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
(n) Name it something. I strongly suggest "Adobe Digital Editions 1.7". Click "Next"<br />
<br />
(o) Select "I don't want to make another shortcut" and click "Next". You're done.<br />
<br />
<h3>
5. Alternate step - Change versions of Wine</h3>
Remember in (h) in the previous step, I mentioned that if you didn't have the opportunity to switch your ADE virtual drive to Wine 1.3, we'd discuss what you could do later? Well, here we are.<br />
<br />
(a) In your main PlayOnLinux screen, click on the cog button Configure.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOfzNqnsqPTYiRue2fiyF8cX0vFYfVTLgEKpeVc-kup6dZYhfltIEp3_WhxkAStrwUCBFfKGZFVOX4TsYSZ6mIr2EgM-6x3zEL2LgW1QD3Q5tJDNpiEAep0HQlB_XmRqvDLXsqA/s1600/Playonlinux+main+screen.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOfzNqnsqPTYiRue2fiyF8cX0vFYfVTLgEKpeVc-kup6dZYhfltIEp3_WhxkAStrwUCBFfKGZFVOX4TsYSZ6mIr2EgM-6x3zEL2LgW1QD3Q5tJDNpiEAep0HQlB_XmRqvDLXsqA/s320/Playonlinux+main+screen.png" height="293" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
(b) Over on the left, ensure that your ADE drive (or whatever you named your virtual drive) is selected, and then click on the <b>+</b> button nest to Wine version (in the General tab):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lAZAaSUUFnaVRmydfyyCAUEkuP_8FqNNwgzVFBSvqSXVLqaHxebdeDyQ3-FNBi3Ect9cLfffkm1VKwXRGZdecacHR9A4Kh0VfgAc1vw6K5cj_RHC2WQ3739elsG83MxlVPNaJA/s1600/Playonlinux+config.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lAZAaSUUFnaVRmydfyyCAUEkuP_8FqNNwgzVFBSvqSXVLqaHxebdeDyQ3-FNBi3Ect9cLfffkm1VKwXRGZdecacHR9A4Kh0VfgAc1vw6K5cj_RHC2WQ3739elsG83MxlVPNaJA/s320/Playonlinux+config.png" height="189" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
(c) Another screen will pop up. Select an option (1.3.37 is recommended) from the Available Wine versions, and click on the <b>></b> button. An installer will take you through the steps. And then you'll be done.<br />
<br />
Click on the x-boxes at the top of each screen when you're done until you are back at the PlayOnLinux configuration screen. Select your newly installed version of Wine (1.3.37) and then close out of that screen.<br />
<br />
It's now time to install Python.<br />
<br />
<h3>
6. Download the Python stuff</h3>
More correctly, you need Python 2.6 (for Windows), PyCrypto 2.1 (for Windows) and two Python scripts that are in the following set:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.epubee.com/download/Removing-ePub-drm-use-python-script.rar">Click here to download these.</a><br />
<br />
Right click and save into your Downloads folder, and then open it up and extract the contents into a nice, new, clearly labelled folder that you are going to remember. We'll come to these in the next few steps.<br />
<br />
<h3>
7. Install Python 2.6 in Wine</h3>
Follow the same steps as in step 4 to install Python in Wine from PlayOnLinux, but do the following:<br />
<ul>
<li>Ensure that "Install a program in a new virtual drive" is selected;</li>
<li>Type "ADE" (or the name of your virtual drive) exactly with NO TYPOS;</li>
<li>IMPORTANT: Select 1.3.37 as your version of Wine to run;</li>
<li>Select the <b>python-2.6.2.msi</b> file from wherever it was that you unzipped the files from Step 6 into;</li>
<li>Select the defaults for everything through the Wine screens;</li>
<li>Select "python.exe" to make a shortcut and name it "Python 2.6"; and</li>
<li>Finish by not making another shortcut.</li>
</ul>
OK. On to the harder stuff.<br />
<br />
<h3>
8. Run PyCrypto in your new virtual Wine drive</h3>
Click on Configure in your PlayOnLinux main screen. Ensure that your ADE drive is selected and then go into the Miscellaneous tab. Select "Run a .exe file in this virtual drive":<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
Select the <b>pycrypto-2.1.0.win32-py2.6.exe </b>file from wherever it was that you unzipped the files from Step 6 into, click "Next" to everything, and you're done!<br />
<br />
<h3>
9. Set file associations</h3>
This has to be done eventually, so you may as well do it now.<br />
<br />
From the PlayOnLinux main screen, go up to Settings and select "File Associations" from the drop down menu:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwitzrDAWuS8yJRrtDbdDHj7jJ_K1OtfJzsg95jTkkxKq1xXgykEmCtwQxFYr0wf5QSpFLoIXzOcLsRbB7bvczmw4xdOMcgig4R_bFHpuLEzh-Yc_Dy0CS8oKwGdBo9RHCRdrsA/s1600/Playonlinux+file+assocs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwitzrDAWuS8yJRrtDbdDHj7jJ_K1OtfJzsg95jTkkxKq1xXgykEmCtwQxFYr0wf5QSpFLoIXzOcLsRbB7bvczmw4xdOMcgig4R_bFHpuLEzh-Yc_Dy0CS8oKwGdBo9RHCRdrsA/s320/Playonlinux+file+assocs.png" height="293" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
You'll be met by a new screen, the Settings screen and you should be in the File Associations tab. Select "New" down on the bottom left and enter ".pyw" as the file extension before clicking "OK".<br />
<br />
You will see .pyw appear in a list. Select .pyw and then, from the drop down menu that appears at the bottom, select Python. And then hit "Apply". You're done.<br />
<br />
You'll need to restart PlayOnLinux. so do that and then exit again. It's time for the fun part.<br />
<br />
<h3>
10. Buy a DRM-protected ebook</h3>
I used Angus & Robertson online for this, but presuming that your online bookstore sells in the .epub format, you will need something from their stock to test this out on.<br />
<br />
Note, I haven't included Barnes & Noble who use a different type of DRM encryption - I may cover theirs in a future post.<br />
<br />
After you've selected your ebook and "purchased" it, you should be presented with an .acsm link. Right-click and select "Save as" - I find the .acsm file just that easier to work with once downloaded.<br />
<br />
<h3>
11. Download file to Adobe Digital Editions</h3>
Easy step this - open Digital Editions from PlayOnLinux and drag and drop your .acsm file into it. Digital editions will do the rest, as well as saving a copy of the "decrypted" file in a folder in your home folder, called My Digital Editions.<br />
<br />
Simple? It's now time to run the Python scripts.<br />
<br />
<h3>
12. Run the Python scripts</h3>
The set that you downloaded in Step 6 included two Python scripts that now should be run in Wine. Open a terminal and navigate your way into the folder that contains your Python scripts.<br />
<br />
Start with the ineptkey script. Copy and paste this into your terminal:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">playonlinux ineptkey.pyw</span></blockquote>
<br />
You'll see a few things happen, and even a couple of errors. Hopefully, though, none of these should be fatal. If all goes well, you should be met by this message:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLG8_4HE908FacKPtRNQigYD2S4mKwF3tascxMih-HjWSamVse9SGwWETWF0k882W4IGtQm5LvS1MZjtu3cjf8Lhmcimuv9otD4XSrB5KBbbIbHi5wsi-SdAY1sOq2W88pIwLRFg/s1600/ADEPT+Key.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLG8_4HE908FacKPtRNQigYD2S4mKwF3tascxMih-HjWSamVse9SGwWETWF0k882W4IGtQm5LvS1MZjtu3cjf8Lhmcimuv9otD4XSrB5KBbbIbHi5wsi-SdAY1sOq2W88pIwLRFg/s1600/ADEPT+Key.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Woo hoo!<br />
<br />
But where's the key? Go into your virtual ADE drive, in the drive_c/Python26 folder and you should be able to find a file named "adeptkey.der". Copy and past this into both the folder where you kept Python, PyCrypto and the Python scripts, and also into your .config/calibre<strike>/plugins</strike> folder in your home folder. It may come in handy for the other method that I may discuss in a separate post.<br />
<br />
<strong>Edit (21/01/2012): Reader Arc has pointed out that the adeptkey.der file needs to go into ~/.config/calibre, not the /plugins folder that is within that. I did both and didn't notice.</strong><br />
<br />
Now, the ineptepub script. It may be spelled "aineptepub.pyw" or "ineptepub.pyw" but either way, it's the script that will administer the <i>coup de grace</i> to your DRM-protected file.<br />
<br />
Before you do that, go into your My Digital Editions folder, locate the .epub file that you just "decrypted" with digital editions and copy it. Go back to your Books folder and create two new folders in that. I call one "Dirty" and one "Clean". Paste the .epub file that you copied into the Dirty folder.<br />
<br />
You now should start a new terminal session, again, ensuring that you've navigated to the folder containing the Python scripts, and enter this:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">playonlinux aineptepub.pyw</span></blockquote>
<br />
You should be met with a window with three fields. Your adeptkey.der file should already be in the first field, as it's in the same folder as you are. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzRFa2vZv212V_qMPolX7mNLIJZGB6_jIgEauv0omuFKROHpFQoZGiuNZT4G6jFJHDHPCfYDD1LZnRS0MmEf_diqr7VRrcUE_MjhIC4FbhgqYqoLoF9jSCHdiaWt6xbS5xEXl8Q/s1600/Ineptepub+decrypter.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzRFa2vZv212V_qMPolX7mNLIJZGB6_jIgEauv0omuFKROHpFQoZGiuNZT4G6jFJHDHPCfYDD1LZnRS0MmEf_diqr7VRrcUE_MjhIC4FbhgqYqoLoF9jSCHdiaWt6xbS5xEXl8Q/s1600/Ineptepub+decrypter.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Browse to your Dirty folder for the second field (Input path), and to the Clean folder for the third field (Output path) and click on Decrypt whole directory. You can do this with a whole bunch of ebooks that Digital Editions has left for you.<br />
<br />
<i>Voila!</i> Mission accomplished, and only one more thing left to do.<br />
<br />
<h3>
13. Add file to your Calibre library</h3>
You can do this a number of ways. You can add a file using the buttons in Calibre. You can drag or drop the file, or you can do it from the command line as follows. <br />
<br />
Open a terminal, navigate to your Clean folder and type:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">calibredb add filename.epub</span></blockquote>
<br />
You are now free to move the file on to your e-reader in Calibre.<br />
<br />
Happy? Good, I'm exhausted. Happy reading.Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-53474075697468498602012-12-27T22:28:00.000+11:002013-12-31T14:31:27.417+11:0015 things to do after installing Linux Mint 14 (Nadia) XFCE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSzPQ2N_pW9EhGIeYu7fHfNJYj7El3513cAHZV4Nv9zdTjR3x32kwwY4y3CHJCkiQkMzrSBkzlXDGS4of-x2hZtXTF22i3Na14hp7ZJuJgwPqvSpxEPmhfyTzI_11b0H5zTTcVA/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSzPQ2N_pW9EhGIeYu7fHfNJYj7El3513cAHZV4Nv9zdTjR3x32kwwY4y3CHJCkiQkMzrSBkzlXDGS4of-x2hZtXTF22i3Na14hp7ZJuJgwPqvSpxEPmhfyTzI_11b0H5zTTcVA/s200/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<em><strong>Edit 30/12/2013: <a href="http://dikkiisdesktop.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/12-things-to-do-after-installing-linux-mint-16-petra-xfce/" title="Linux Mint 16 (Petra) XFCE">12 things to do after installing Linux Mint 16 (Petra) XFCE is now available here</a>.</strong></em><br />
<br />
When I did <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/16-things-to-do-after-installing-linux.html">the last one of these after installing Maya</a>, I got way more traffic to that post than pretty much most of this blog any time ever.<br />
<br />
For those of you who are visiting for the first time, I don't actually normally blog about tech stuff. I blog about politics, religion, consumer affairs, pretty much stuff that is totally un-tech.<br />
<br />
But I've just installed Linux Mint 14 (Nadia) XFCE on my little old Eee PC, so enjoy my guide to the first 15 things to do after installation. Please excuse the liberal copying and pasting from the previous version.<br />
<br />
This time, for fun, I did an update to my father's netbook as well. Things went swimmingly for both and I'm pretty happy with how things turned out.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<h3>
1. Change software sources</h3>
The first thing that you're going to want to set up your software sources. Like a lot of Australians, I have a download limit, however, my ISP quarantines some stuff in a 'free zone' which doesn't add to your limit. Wouldn't it be great if your ISP housed stuff like updates to your OS in this area?<br />
<br />
It just so happens that a lot of ISPs do provide this type of arrangement, usually for some (but not all) Linux and BSD distros. Like most Linux distros, Linux Mint allows for this very eventuality. Simply go to the Menu, run your mouse up to Settings and select 'Software Sources'.<br />
<br />
The main feature of this, is that you can select the software server closest to you for fast updating, or in the case of a cheapskate like me, cheap updating. In the dropdown menu next to “download from” in the Linux Mint Software tab, I recommend that you select your ISP.<br />
<br />
I also like to select the tickbox for backported packages, which is left blank by default, as well as selecting any unticked repositories in the Other Software tab, except for the bottom one (file:///etc).<br />
<br />
Once I've done this, I hit close. It should automatically update and tell you that you need to run an update.<br />
<br />
<h3>
2. Run an update</h3>
You can access your update manager from the Menu, under the 'System' submenu.<br />
<br />
Install all updates and continue on. This time around, I was having issues with my father's cable (!) broadband which wasn't playing ball. So it took a little while - I had to let it run over night.<br />
<br />
<h3>
3. Sync Firefox, move files back</h3>
Same thing if you use Chromium/Chrome or another browser, you'll be looking to have your bookmarks and stuff back. We'll deal with installation of Chromium/Chrome later, but get Firefox sorted now. You should already be using Firefox Sync, which is available in your Firefox preferences.<br />
<br />
I don't know why I didn't, but I would save time immeasurably if I set up Firefox Sync on my mobile phone. Stuffing around with the sync key caused a bit of grief.<br />
<br />
Your old files should be moved back at this point as well. This would include your old emails which you might move back if you insist on using an email client. I don't use one of these. I'm happy enough to go through my browser.<br />
<br />
<h3>
4. Install Ubuntu One</h3>
I keep my emergency files in my Ubuntu One cloud account. Why don't I use Dropbox? I use that too – I use as much free cloud space as I can get my hands on.<br />
<br />
You can either use the Software Manager, or run this from the terminal:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get install ubuntuone-control-panel-qt</span></blockquote>
You can run this from Settings in the menu. Get this set up now. It will take you through the steps. But it won't install the indicator in the tray. Use these commands in the terminal to get these up and running:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo add-apt-repository ppa:rye/ubuntuone-extras</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install indicator-ubuntuone</span></blockquote>
Log out and log back in again. You should see a cloud-shaped indicator in the tray.<br />
<br />
<h3>
6. Amend Medibuntu repositories</h3>
The Medibuntu repos should already be installed in Linux Mint. However, it will be for the main server. In Australia, it should speed things along a little to change this to the New Caledonia server. It should be a piece of cake to go into Software Sources and amend the Medibuntu repo to “http://nc.packages.medibuntu...”<br />
<br />
Exit software sources and then type:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get update</span></blockquote>
into a terminal. The other Medibuntu server locations are available from Medibuntu's website.<br />
<br />
<h3>
7. Firewall and antivirus</h3>
You need these. Don't let anyone convince you that Linux is completely safe. UFW is already installed but needs to be switched on. You can access UFW under Firewall Configuration in System.<br />
<br />
ClamTK is a good viruschecker. Install this from the Software Manager, or type this into a terminal:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get install clamtk</span></blockquote>
It's worth doing a scan after this. And frequently afterwards, of course.<br />
<br />
<h3>
8. Dropbox</h3>
Don't even try to install this from the software manager. It will tell you that it's the wrong version and insist on a new one. Go to Dropbox' website and download the .deb file instead. It's available here:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/install">https://www.dropbox.com/install</a><br />
<br />
You should be right to go from here. <br />
<br />
<h3>
9. Install and configure XScreenSaver</h3>
Once upon a time, XScreensaver was installed as standard. No more. For some stupid reason, they've gone with GNOME Screensaver instead. Naturally, one's blood may be boiling at this idiocy, but help is at hand.<br />
<br />
First we have to remove GNOME Screensaver. Paste this into your terminal, first:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get remove gnome-screensaver</span></blockquote>
Then, we need to install XScreensaver. I'm also going to do my usual thing of installing Electric Sheep and fitting it to work in XScreensaver as well. Paste this into your terminal:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get install xscreensaver xfishtank xdaliclock xscreensaver-gl xscreensaver-gl-extra xscreensaver-data-extra xscreensaver-screensaver-bsod electricsheep</span></blockquote>
And then you will need to follow the <a href="http://www.webupd8.org/2011/11/how-to-get-electric-sheep-to-work-with.html">steps contained here</a> to install Electric Sheep in XScreenSaver.<br />
<br />
<h3>
10. Enable MintMenu</h3>
This is very easy. It turns out that the fully functioning MintMenu that is available in the MATE version of Linux Mint is also available in the XFCE version. And it's already installed. So, let's get it operational.<br />
<br />
Right-click on the bottom panel, or if you like, the taskbar. You should get, under 'Panel' in the first menu, an option for Add New Items. Select this and then select the Xfapplet option. Click on Add down the bottom and then Close.<br />
<br />
You'll see a new Xfapplet icon appear at the far right end of the panel. Right click on this and select Properties. You will then get a window with only one option – MintMenu. Select this and OK. You'll see that it's ready to go. Right click on the Panel again and select Panel Preferences from the Panel menu. You will need to select the Xfapplet one (Items tab) and move it up to the top to get it to change ends.<br />
<br />
Lastly, select Applications Menu and remove before hitting Close. Well done – you now have the MintMenu enabled.<br />
<br />
<h3>
11. Install Faenza icon pack</h3>
I was largely unimpressed with the fonts that came as standard in the last version of Mint XFCE. I'm a bit happier with them now, although fonts in Linux Mint are still not as smooth as they could be. <br />
<br />
This time, I'm not thrilled with the default icons. So I'm resorting to the rather spiffy, yet still pretty conservative Faenza icon set. Strangely, a few of the apps use Faenza within them, already.<br />
<br />
Plug this into your terminal:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get install mate-icon-theme-faenza</span></blockquote>
You can select the new icons from the Appearance option of what is now labelled your 'Control Centre' in your MintMenu.<br />
<br />
<h3>
12. Chromium/Chrome</h3>
Chromium is available in the Software Manager, and is worth installing. Chromium is the open source base for Google Chrome and has most of the functionality that Chrome has. I use Chromium in place of Firefox when I'm in a screaming hurry, however, I've never really warmed to it as my browser of choice.<br />
<br />
You can also install Chromium from the command line in the terminal:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get install chromium-browser</span></blockquote>
If you want, you can install Google Chrome from Google's website. There is a .deb package and everything for easy installation. I don't really know why anyone would bother, though. Having said that, I did read once that this guy installed Chrome to get the more colourful Chrome icon, rather than the 'bluescale' of the Chromium icon. To each their own, I suppose.<br />
<br />
<h3>
13. Make changes</h3>
Since last time, I've noticed that there have been a few changes made. The number of media players has been drastically reduced. Banshee has been left in, but Rhythmbox and VLC have been taken out.<br />
<br />
Whilst I don't really like Banshee, I'm going to try to like it. But I will install VLC, since I use it in a 'surgical strike' capacity with random music and video files. Just not all the time. I'll deal with that in the next section.<br />
<br />
Another odd change is the one where they've go rid of Brasero and replaced with Xfburn. It's probably very good, but I don't need a burner in a PC which doesn't have an optical drive.<br />
<br />
Lastly, I'm kinda over Hotot as a Twitter client. So, I'm not gong to be installing that. Instead, I'm going to install Turpial.<br />
<br />
So. Just like last time, I'm going to install:<br />
<br />
Gparted: Partition editor;<br />
Vuze: Torrent client;<br />
Skype: VoIP client;<br />
Musescore: Music notation editor;<br />
Calibre: E-book library manager;<br />
Clementine: My music player of choice;<br />
<br />
I found myself using Abiword and Gnumeric less and less this time around, so I'm giving them a miss. Plus, I ran out of time to play with Bristol (analogue synthesiser emulator) so I'm putting that on as well.<br />
<br />
Plugging this shopping list in looks like this:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get install calibre clementine gparted skype vuze vlc turpial monobristol musescore fluid-soundfont-gm fluidsynth timidity fluid-soundfont-gs pmidi</span></blockquote>
<br />
<h3>
14. Install codecs</h3>
You should have most of these by now. But you need more.<br />
<br />
Run this in the terminal:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">sudo apt-get install libxine1-ffmpeg gxine mencoder mpeg2dec vorbis-tools id3v2 mpg321 mpg123 libflac++6 ffmpeg totem-mozilla icedax tagtool easytag id3tool lame nautilus-script-audio-convert libmad0 libjpeg-progs flac faac faad sox ffmpeg2theora libmpeg2-4 uudeview flac libmpeg3-1 mpeg3-utils mpegdemux liba52-0.7.4-dev gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-fluendo-mp3 gstreamer0.10-gnonlin gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-schroedinger gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer-dbus-media-service gstreamer-tools</span></blockquote>
<br />
<h3>
15. Add new users</h3>
<strike>Adding new users is still not supported out of the box, at least in proper GUI form.</strike><br />
<strike><br /></strike>
<strike>So we still have to resort to the terminal for this one. Let's say I'm creating a profile for someone who we'll call 'barry'. Enter this in a terminal:</strike><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><strike>sudo adduser barry</strike></span></blockquote>
<strike>It will prompt you for this user's password and then, it should be good to go. Enter through the other fields, and you should be good to go.</strike><br />
<br />
Can't believe I missed this. Users and Groups has been added from MATE and it's excellent. Users and Groups can be found under Administration in the MintMenu.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4yQ55Jegpz6M9z4UdcRm5qrygcIbFx7vJjcIDuheHORjy4qHfiehv-dBm1pRPZDo1EGR9NNibuNAMGG7hj8zAZKnofRZr2KvZU-GGPWWfGM-HiCKJ5rDcfP0xadLtWHFP07YDg/s1600/Screenshot+-+271212+-+22:25:16.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4yQ55Jegpz6M9z4UdcRm5qrygcIbFx7vJjcIDuheHORjy4qHfiehv-dBm1pRPZDo1EGR9NNibuNAMGG7hj8zAZKnofRZr2KvZU-GGPWWfGM-HiCKJ5rDcfP0xadLtWHFP07YDg/s320/Screenshot+-+271212+-+22:25:16.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Before I go, also check out the new MDM features as well. Logins look so much better under this and the default is wanting.Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-70227883233462682252012-12-10T14:22:00.002+11:002012-12-11T09:19:11.085+11:00Fixing the news<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4Ayc6zjLDYciqTpS4pwjYrwNfm-BMEwgCYfsj9-3krR6u44V5mrH1rrTcR86VqB9b2m5F3TKpfCf0Sx6UItlIMbmX-avcqUGxG3aiccLd5Jj2jPZtlKupTz0IBYKTlpQesXgw/s1600/news_pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V4Ayc6zjLDYciqTpS4pwjYrwNfm-BMEwgCYfsj9-3krR6u44V5mrH1rrTcR86VqB9b2m5F3TKpfCf0Sx6UItlIMbmX-avcqUGxG3aiccLd5Jj2jPZtlKupTz0IBYKTlpQesXgw/s200/news_pic.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_958215771"></span><span id="goog_958215772"></span>It's been a little while since the Finkelstein report came out, and we've since seen the Leveson report come out in the UK. We've also seen the response to Leveson by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron.<br />
<br />
The same thing is pretty much happening here with Finkelstein. Thanks to <a href="http://afr.com/p/opinion/finkelstein_report_threatens_to_KuZ3KVqlRRBvxyUm4iEzbK">articles like this</a>, the hysterical reaction pretty much ensures that any government that wants to enforce standards on the news media will be considered to be recklessly trampling free speech beneath satanic jackboots in an Orwellian orgy of dictatorial facsism by the time that media is finished with them.<br />
<br />
I don't support this at all. Leaving aside regulation for a moment, no one seems to have twigged that the problem is with news itself. In short, we don't really get it any more. We get something that looks like news, but is quite slanted and biased and, as I alluded to in my <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/on-why-media-should-embrace-more.html" title="Part 1">previous</a> <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com.au/2011/07/on-why-media-should-embrace-more_28.html" title="Part 2">posts</a>, we now are getting some pretty second-rate product that we, as consumers, don't really deserve.<br />
<br />
In other words, the market is not providing and therefore, there is market failure. Which, in other industries, means that it's time to regulate.<br />
<br />
So, I thought I'd have a good think about this. What is is that we would like a news service to provide us with? What is it that we, as consumers, think of when we think of news?<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Here's a few things that I'd like to see. But first, what kind of principles should a news service aim for?<br />
<br />
<h3>
<u>Principles</u></h3>
<h3>
1. Newsworthiness</h3>
The news should strive to include coverage of events considered newsworthy. That is, relevant, in the public interest and noteworthy. The criterion of 'topical’ is cited as necessary occasionally, but this applies a filter that might normally prevent coverage of otherwise newsworthy events. Representatives of News Limited have been frequently quoted as responding to the question of, ‘is it in the public interest?’ with the answer, ‘if it sells, then obviously the public are interested, and therefore, it was in the public interest.’ This response is, of course, utter bollocks and Media Watch have been quite right to rake them over the coals for this bald-faced equivocation.<br />
<br />
<h3>
2. Fairness</h3>
This principle refers to reporting all angles of a story without fear or favour. That is, reporting everything fairly. But not to be confused with...<br />
<br />
<h3>
3. Objectivity</h3>
Where the fairness principle is reporting different sides of the same story, the objectivity principle refers to reporting as if one was a bystander. That is, the fairness principle reports the different sides of the participants. The objectivity principle would ideally, report what actually happened. And the objective report of a news event should be given greater precedence over the viewpoints of the participants or interested parties.<br />
<br />
<h3>
4. News purity</h3>
This principle sticks to what is classically referred to as ‘news’. While it is arguable that opinion, cartoons and other stuff has always formed part of a news package, this set of principles seeks to stick to the main content of a news package - the news itself.<br />
<br />
But it's not really enough that one pontificates some ideals, which are probably going to be seen by some as pretty bland motherhood statements. Let's look at how these could be implemented.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<u>Ideas for implementation</u></h3>
<h3>
1. Neutral Point of View (NPOV) as per Wikipedia NPOV guidelines.</h3>
In striving for the fairness objective, trying to report without fear or favour requires some kind of NPOV policy. Wikipedia already has one of these, so why re-invent the wheel? Use theirs.<br />
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<h3>
2. Scientific POV trumps NPOV</h3>
The unfortunate side-effect of NPOV is that kooky fringe arguments end up with prominence that does not reflect the level of seriousness that they deserve. For example, just because there might be controversy over the theory of gravitational attraction, this does not necessarily mean that gravity doesn’t exist, let alone that people can fly.<br />
<br />
<h3>
3. Only news to be labelled as news: Lose the Cs.</h3>
We’ve all cursed after seeing the Oz crossing the line between editorial and news. I completely lost count last year about how many times Media Watch pinged them for editorialising in news articles. But it’s also not enough that opinion articles themselves are placed in such close proximity to news articles. Ideally, opinion should not only be explicitly labelled as not being news, but should be removed to separate, or at least separately branded websites to avoid any confusion. But that wouldn’t be all: Crosswords, comment, classified advertising, comics, correspondence to the editor, celebrity gossip and celestial-flavoured woo would be removed to separately branded websites. Only news itself, would be allowed to be called news.<br />
<br />
<h3>
4. Presumption of innocence.</h3>
This is the fairness objective at its most strongest. The insistence on naming suspects by the media presently can only be defended where the implied presumption that the suspect is, in fact, guilty. However, this is not the normal defence used, and we saw in the last year instances such as the tales of Dominique Strauss-Khan and Casey Anthony where the media pretty much ensured that, in the court of public opinion at least, the defendants were guilty. Normally, (if not using the lemming-like “we’ve always done that") the defence cited is the precautionary principle - which would be OK, except that where offenders are charged with violent crimes (and where, presumably, the precautionary principle is an effective argument) the suspects are locked up and requests for bail are generally refused, anyway. In other words, all reasons for publishing the names of suspects presumed innocent are overwhelmingly weak. There are other areas where the presumption of innocence could be made more obvious, but there’s one example.<br />
<br />
<h3>
5. No gratuitous celebrity news.</h3>
An exemption to this rule exists if it can be shown that if an event involving a celebrity would ordinarily be covered if it involved Johnny Nobody. What does this mean? Very simply, it means that if one was to cover a report involving a celebrity, there would need to be something very newsworthy happening to justify this. Imagine no more stories involving Kim Kardashian? How awesome would that be?<br />
<br />
<h3>
6. No invasions of personal privacy.</h3>
"Personal privacy" should be extended to spouses, family members, mistresses/lovers, holidays on remote Barbadian beaches, sexuality or rumours who would be hereby, off-limits. Johnny Nobody exemption applies.<br />
I was struck by the recent media coverage involving snaps of Lara Bingle in her home at Bondi where it was suggested that this sort of thing would not receive coverage if there wasn’t ‘demand’ for it. Bollocks. Demand or not, no one has a gun to anyone’s head enforcing satisfaction of this demand. ‘But people are buying.’ People won’t buy if no one is selling. This sort of rubbish needs to be kept from contaminating the news. If people really want to buy this stuff, they’ll go out and get New Idea or something anyway. (Funnily enough, I’d like to see a situation where invasions of personal privacy are banned outright. I don’t think that this or number 4 should be restricted just to what is contained within ‘news’)<br />
<br />
<h3>
7. No weasel words.</h3>
I consider this to be a difficult one to enforce. I admit, myself, that most of the time that where weasel words are embedded, I don’t tend to notice them and quite often need someone to point these out to me. What we don’t need are stories where courts ‘failed to find the defendant guilty’ which is clearly very biased, as opposed to simply (and neutrally) finding them not guilty.<br />
<br />
<h3>
8. The Steinem test to apply.</h3>
Gloria Steinem, if not famous for anything else (cue flamage!) was famous for her test where something would be considered sexist if a statement was applied to women, but wouldn’ t ever be used for men. The Steinem test is also an incredibly useful test that doubles as a bullshit detector when people try to play the sexism card as a sword, which gets done occasionally. If you think about it, the Steinem test is really just another variation of the Johnny Nobody exemption.<br />
<br />
<h3>
9. Modified Steinem test for racial (or similar) politics.</h3>
This is one I have long endorsed, however it comes with complications that are not present in the sexism version. Take the word ‘n!gger’ for instance. You would rightly never let a white person use it. A veritable Pandora’s box of controversy erupts, however, when discussing whether black people should use it. Words like ‘empowerment’ or ‘intent’ are thrown around, but let’s be honest: When you’re forced to defend something by using what amounts to double standards, in this case special pleading on, gulp, racial grounds, surely it’s better that no one gets to use the term at all?<br />
<br />
<h3>
10. Breaches of 5 and 6 are allowable upon specific evidence of hypocrisy.</h3>
The Rush Limbaugh coke exemption, as I call it, must be limited to a specific relevant event - no broad exemption to general misbehaviour. What I mean by this, is that just because a shock jock gets off on criticising single mothers, this doesn’t allow the press to go after them for unpaid parking fines. On the other hand, shock jocks who call for tightening laws on drug users deserve everything they get if someone finds evidence that they were habitual cocaine users.<br />
<br />
<h3>
11. No recycling of press releases.</h3>
News providers are not public relations outlets, and clever media staff have been manipulating news outlets for years to get free advertising, as well as some amazingly uncritical reporting. The state of financial and sports reporting in Australia is lamentably poor in this regard. If a foreign correspondent paraphrased press releases as copy in the same way as financial and sports reporters, they would be strongly censured. So why allow a practice that is frowned upon elsewhere to proliferate in financial and sports journalism circles, however? By all means use press releases as a possible sources for stories, but again, stories should just report the facts.<br />
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<h3>
12. All of the above to be legally enforceable.</h3>
The accounting profession is a highly regulated one. And they report stuff. Their reporting of matters financial are governed by legally enforceable standards, set by the Australian Accounting Standards Board, or AASB. Again, they report stuff. What makes the honorable profession of accounting all that much different to the (presently) slightly disreputable profession of journalism? Not a lot. In fact, if you relaxed all accounting standards, the first people who would complain would be financial journalists, who reply on all matter of financial reporting to do their jobs. All hell would break loose if financial analysts could not be sure of the accuracy or comparability of financial information that they were using. And just like in accounting, journalists, editorial staff and consumers would benefit from a best practice framework that such a body of enforceable standards would assist in providing.<br />
<br />
And that is that. Thoughts, anyone?Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-4036383655246313372012-09-02T15:02:00.001+10:002013-12-31T14:32:04.851+11:0016 Things to do after installing Linux Mint 13 (Maya) XFCE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSzPQ2N_pW9EhGIeYu7fHfNJYj7El3513cAHZV4Nv9zdTjR3x32kwwY4y3CHJCkiQkMzrSBkzlXDGS4of-x2hZtXTF22i3Na14hp7ZJuJgwPqvSpxEPmhfyTzI_11b0H5zTTcVA/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSzPQ2N_pW9EhGIeYu7fHfNJYj7El3513cAHZV4Nv9zdTjR3x32kwwY4y3CHJCkiQkMzrSBkzlXDGS4of-x2hZtXTF22i3Na14hp7ZJuJgwPqvSpxEPmhfyTzI_11b0H5zTTcVA/s200/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<em><strong>Edit 30/12/2013: <a href="http://dikkiisdesktop.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/12-things-to-do-after-installing-linux-mint-16-petra-xfce/" title="Linux Mint 16 (Petra) XFCE">12 things to do after installing Linux Mint 16 (Petra) XFCE is now available here</a>.</strong></em><br />
<br />
You may have just installed Linux Mint 13 (Maya) XFCE. What next?<br />
<br />
This is a list of stuff I did to get my Eee PC into a state that I can use after installing Mint XFCE. It might not necessarily work for you, but hey. It's a kind of sequel of sorts to a post I did earlier today, and again, it's unlikely to appeal to anyone except Linux converts.<br />
<br />
One of the things that has struck me about Mint XFCE since I installed it on this machine is its sheer reliability. XFCE has been around for a little while, now. While some have regarded it as a bit of a poor man's GNOME, it doesn't have the baggage that GNOME is presently dragging around.<br />
<br />
So here are 16 things I did after installing Linux Mint 13 (Maya) XFCE on my Eee PC.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<h3>
1. Change software sources </h3>
Now, the first thing that you're going to want to set up your software sources. Like a lot of Australians, I have a download limit, however, my ISP quarantines some stuff in a 'free zone' which doesn't add to your limit. Wouldn't it be great if your ISP housed stuff like updates to your OS in this area? <br />
<br />
It just so happens that a lot of ISPs do provide this type of arrangement, usually for some (but not all) Linux and BSD distros. Like most Linux distros, Linux Mint allows for this very eventuality. Simply go to the Menu, run your mouse up to Settings and select 'Software Sources'. <br />
<br />
The main feature of this, is that you can select the software server closest to you for fast updating, or in the case of a cheapskate like me, cheap updating. In the dropdown menu next to “download from” in the LinuxMint Software tab, I recommend that you select your ISP. <br />
<br />
I also like to select the tickbox for backported packages, which is left blank by default, as well as selecting any unticked repositories in the Other Software tab, except for the bottom one (file:///etc). <br />
<br />
Once I've done this, I hit close. It should automatically update and tell you that you need to run an update. <br />
<br />
<h3>
2. Run an update </h3>
You can access your update manager from the Menu, under the 'System' submenu. <br />
<br />
Install all updates and continue on. I had three hundred and something, and am currently working on mobile (3G) broadband, so this took me a little while. I let it run over dinner. <br />
<br />
<h3>
3. Sync Firefox, move files back </h3>
Same thing if you use Chromium/Chrome or another browser, you'll be looking to have your bookmarks and stuff back. We'll deal with installation of Chromium/Chrome later, but get Firefox sorted now. You should already be using Firefox Sync, which is available in your Firefox preferences.<br />
<br />
Your old files should be moved back at this point as well. This would include your old emails which you might move back if you insist on using an email client. I don't use one of these. I'm happy enough to go through my browser. <br />
<br />
<h3>
4. Install Ubuntu One </h3>
I keep my emergency files in my Ubuntu One cloud account. Why don't I use Dropbox? I use that too – I use as much free cloud space as I can get my hands on. <br />
<br />
You can either use the Software Manager, or run this from the terminal: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
sudo apt-get install ubuntuone-installer </blockquote>
<br />
You can run this from Settings in the menu. Get this set up now. It will take you through the steps. But it won't install the indicator in the tray. Use these commands in the terminal to get these up and running: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:rye/ubuntuone-extras </div>
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install indicator-ubuntuone</span> </blockquote>
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Log out and log back in again. You should see a cloud-shaped indicator in the tray. <br />
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<h3>
5. Install Xubuntu Restricted Extras </h3>
Ubuntu Restricted Extras is a popular set of non-free extras you can install. You can find these in the Software Manager, however, we're running the XFCE version of Linux Mint, so look for the one named 'Xubuntu Restricted Extras'. Alternatively, run this from the terminal: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
sudo apt-get install xubuntu-restricted-extras </blockquote>
<br />
Whilst there is already quite a few non-free stuff installed, this just adds to the set. <br />
<br />
<h3>
6. Amend Medibuntu repositories </h3>
The Medibuntu repos should already be installed in Linux Mint. However, it will be for the main server. In Australia, it should speed things along a little to change this to the New Caledonia server. It should be a piece of cake to go into Software Sources and amend the Medibuntu repo to “http://nc.packages.medibuntu...” <br />
<br />
Exit software sources and then type: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
sudo apt-get update </blockquote>
<br />
into a terminal. The other Medibuntu server locations are available from Medibuntu's website. <br />
<br />
<h3>
7. Firewall and antivirus </h3>
You need these. Don't let anyone convince you that Linux is completely safe. UFW is already installed but needs to be switched on. You can access UFW under Firewall Configuration in System. <br />
<br />
ClamTK is a good viruschecker. Install this from the Software Manager, or type this into a terminal: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
sudo apt-get install clamtk </blockquote>
<br />
Not long after I installed this, I did a scan and picked up three suspect files from a shared Dropbox. See what I mean? <br />
<br />
<h3>
8. Dropbox </h3>
Don't even try to install this from the software manager. It will tell you that it's the wrong version and insist on a new one. Go to Dropbox' website and download the .deb file instead. It's available here:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/install">https://www.dropbox.com/install</a><br />
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You should be right from here. <br />
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<h3>
9. Configure XScreenSaver </h3>
Thankfully, this is installed as standard. But half the stuff is missing. So let's go get it. Paste this into your terminal: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
sudo apt-get install xscreensaver-gl xscreensaver-gl-extra xscreensaver-data-extra xscreensaver-screensaver-bsod electricsheep </div>
</blockquote>
<br />
And then you will need to <a href="http://www.webupd8.org/2011/11/how-to-get-electric-sheep-to-work-with.html">follow the steps contained here</a> to install Electric Sheep in XScreenSaver. <br />
<br />
<h3>
10. Enable MintMenu </h3>
This is very easy. It turns out that the fully functioning MintMenu that is available in the MATE version of Linux Mint is also available in the XFCE version. And it's already installed. So, let's get it operational. <br />
<br />
Right-click on the bottom panel, or if you like, the taskbar. You should get, under 'Panel' in the first menu, an option for Add New Items. Select this and then select the Xfapplet option. Click on Add down the bottom and then Close. <br />
<br />
You'll see a new Xfapplet icon appear at the far right end of the panel. Right click on this and select Properties. You will then get a window with only one option – MintMenu. Select this and OK. You'll see that it's ready to go. Right click on the Panel again and select Panel Preferences from the Panel menu. You will need to select the Xfapplet one (Items tab) and move it up to the top to get it to change ends. <br />
<br />
Lastly, select Applications Menu and remove before hitting Close. Well done – you now have the MintMenu enabled. <br />
<br />
<h3>
11. Play with the fonts </h3>
Linux Mint 13 XFCE has this disconcerting fuzziness around the fonts. This can be fixed, but you will have to change fonts. I changed mine to Droid Sans and enabled 'Slight' from the hinting menu as well as 'RGB' from the sub-pixel order menu. The Fonts tab is found in the Appearance section of what is now labelled 'Control Panel' in the MintMenu. <br />
<br />
<h3>
12. Chromium/Chrome </h3>
Chromium is available in the Software Manager, and is worth installing. Chromium is the open source base for Google Chrome and has most of the functionality that Chrome has. I use Chromium in place of Firefox when I'm in a screaming hurry, however, I've never really warmed to it as my browser of choice. <br />
<br />
You can also install Chromium from the command line in the terminal: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
sudo apt-get install chromium-browser </div>
</blockquote>
<br />
If you want, you can install Google Chrome from Google's website. There is a .deb package and everything for easy installation. I don't really know why anyone would bother, though. Having said that, I did read once that this guy installed Chrome to get the more colourful Chrome icon, rather than the 'bluescale' of the Chromium icon. To each their own, I suppose. <br />
<br />
<h3>
13. Get rid of some stuff </h3>
It's probably worth getting rid of some programs that you'll never use here. For example, my Eee PC doesn't have an optical drive, so I can easily get rid of Brasero. It might be an rather nifty burner, but I'm simply never going to use it. <br />
<br />
I use this opportunity to get rid of half the media players that I'm never going to use, as well. I'm keeping Rhythmbox, but throwing Banshee, for example.<br />
<br />
<h3>
14. Install some stuff </h3>
Now that you have MintMenu up and running, you can do some neat stuff when installing new programs. You simply can't do without a partition editor, and Gparted is a rather good one. <br />
<br />
Try this: Click on the menu button, do a search in the search field for 'Gparted' and then, above the search field on the right, click on the 'Install package Gparted'. You should be able to follow the remaining bits from here. I've gone ahead and installed Vuze and Skype (in addition to Gparted) this way as well. <br />
<br />
Something different, anyway. <br />
<br />
Here's some stuff for me. I do like the LibreOffice suite, but I generally prefer Abiword and Gnumeric for their lightness, especially on this Eee PC. So let's install those. <br />
<br />
I'm also going to install a few other programs, too. I like to use a music notation editor called Musescore. It's pretty darn good, although I do need to have my Eee PC plugged into a larger monitor to use it effectively. I’m also going to install a few extra soundfonts, as the default ones are pretty basic. <br />
<br />
Calibre is absolutely necessary to manage your ebooks as well. <br />
<br />
Although I like the default music players in Linux Mint, I cannot do without Clementine. I use different music players for different things – just like when I use Chromium for quick browsing, I use VLC for quick listens, but Clementine is my Firefox. <br />
<br />
Hotot is my Twitter client of choice, these days. Hotot also supports Identi.ca as well. I used to quite like Gwibber, but successive updates have stripped functionality out of it. <br />
<br />
I'm fooling around with a few analogue synth emulators at the moment. This one is called Bristol. I've used it a few times and it's great fun. It comes with a GUI called MonoBristol which I've never tried before, so I'll install that and see what cooks. <br />
<br />
If this was my desktop, there would be a stack of other stuff I'd install, but I'll stop there. <br />
<br />
Here it is for plugging this shopping list straight into the terminal: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
sudo apt-get install abiword gnumeric calibre clementine hotot monobristol musescore fluid-soundfont-gm fluidsynth timidity fluid-soundfont-gs pmidi </div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<h3>
15. Install codecs </h3>
You should have most of these by now. But you need more. <br />
<br />
Run this in the terminal: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
sudo apt-get install libxine1-ffmpeg gxine mencoder mpeg2dec vorbis-tools id3v2 mpg321 mpg123 libflac++6 ffmpeg totem-mozilla icedax tagtool easytag id3tool lame nautilus-script-audio-convert libmad0 libjpeg-progs flac faac faad sox ffmpeg2theora libmpeg2-4 uudeview flac libmpeg3-1 mpeg3-utils mpegdemux liba52-0.7.4-dev gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-fluendo-mp3 gstreamer0.10-gnonlin gstreamer0.10-sdl gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-schroedinger gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer-dbus-media-service gstreamer-tools </blockquote>
<br />
<h3>
16. Add new users </h3>
In what appears to be one of the sillier moves, adding new users is not supported out of the box, at least in proper GUI form. <br />
<br />
So we have to resort to the terminal for this one. Let's say I'm creating a profile for someone who we'll call 'barry'. Enter this in a terminal: <br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">
sudo adduser barry </blockquote>
<br />
It will prompt you for this user's password and then, it should be good to go. Enter through the other fields, and you should be good to go.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29pm8RJ3_aoXGrlD5tK9TcuBS3aaYMgeVXs6DX7OTPFUY5JrxxpiUWKoYzcxK9gnueLjDE1SDyTuIMobliBHTGU1N7XkpuWsOje5tzcfaGhI80cL9T5HrIwLuuf63sOIn4CcXJQ/s1600/Workspace+1_001.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29pm8RJ3_aoXGrlD5tK9TcuBS3aaYMgeVXs6DX7OTPFUY5JrxxpiUWKoYzcxK9gnueLjDE1SDyTuIMobliBHTGU1N7XkpuWsOje5tzcfaGhI80cL9T5HrIwLuuf63sOIn4CcXJQ/s400/Workspace+1_001.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
And that should have you up and running with a reasonably good setup. Enjoy. Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-82559462784761136062012-09-02T11:00:00.000+10:002012-09-02T11:00:02.237+10:00Linux Mint 13 XFCE. Why?<style type="text/css">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKJntL9QbOOnGmjb-HFev1QLq_DFY8xHDF_sL_uiPiyEOSlKI-xPCuTBG1dAoyMaCCBqTcK7KvpTfLxHNxiKz0PIillRbVZsfU3dRwFCJC-7xq3TktlS1ZoM7uSj9dXSxg5s-hw/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKJntL9QbOOnGmjb-HFev1QLq_DFY8xHDF_sL_uiPiyEOSlKI-xPCuTBG1dAoyMaCCBqTcK7KvpTfLxHNxiKz0PIillRbVZsfU3dRwFCJC-7xq3TktlS1ZoM7uSj9dXSxg5s-hw/s200/thumbnail.aspx.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
This post is not going to
provide any searing insight or anything like that. It's merely a
documentary record, for me, if not necessarily anyone else. It's
probably only going to appeal to the Linux curios, a diverse group
who I can truthfully (and happily) say have completely different
ideas about what an operating system should be. So consider yourself
warned.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I've just installed <a href="http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=2088">LinuxMint 13 (Maya) XFCE</a> onto my aging Eee PC. I have the <a href="http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_PC/Eee_PC_1008HA_Seashell/">Eee PC 1008HA Seashell</a>, which is the model (together with the 1008HA) that started
ASUS on the path to be a bit more adventurous in their design.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
The PC has aged pretty
well, although the single core Intel Atom processor and the 1GB of
DDR2 RAM hasn't. But after sitting back and watching the bloatware
that Ubuntu became with <a href="http://releases.ubuntu.com/precise/">Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin)</a>, I needed
to investigate other options.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I should point out that
Ubuntu 12.04 runs fine on my desktop. That's not the issue here. My
desktop is a machine that runs rings around most other PCs. It ought
to be able to run Ubuntu in its sleep. In fact, it does that too.
However, it's just too big and bulky for my little Eee.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So I tried something
different. After the success that I had with Linux Mint 12 on my
father's little eMachines netbook, I thought I'd try with this on
this PC. But where I'd installed <a href="http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_lisa_whatsnew.php">the version of Linux Mint that came with the shortlived GNOME shell extensions (MGSE)</a> – which seems to
have formed the basis for Linux Mint’s wildly popular <a href="http://cinnamon.linuxmint.com/">Cinnamon</a>
desktop, I went the opposite direction for my Eee PC and installed
<a href="http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1937">Linux Mint 12 (Lisa) LXDE</a>.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Mint with <a href="http://www.lxde.org/">LXDE</a> went like a
dream, but I was unhappy with the look of it. I tried a number of
things to improve this, but I had no luck and started looking around
for something else.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I have largely ignored
Linux Mint MATE to date. <a href="http://mate-desktop.org/">MATE</a> is, of course a fork of GNOME 2, but
as with all forks, requires a little bit of time first to get the
initial kinks ironed out. I might be interested in Mint MATE down the
track, but I’m really willing to go there just yet.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
It was around this time
that one of my tweeps said something about XFCE that intrigued me –
it was something along the lines of, “XFCE is improving. You
wouldn't recognise it now.”</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Those of you with long
memories may recall that on my previous Eee PC, which was a 900, I
did install a <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com.au/2008/06/installing-eeexubuntu-on-your-eee-pc.html">cut down version of Xubuntu</a> that was designed for Eee
PCs, more specifically, the 700/701 /2G/4G/4G Surf models that
started the whole netbook phenomena. These all have solid state
drives and not very big ones at that. So this version of Xubuntu was
pretty darn light.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I didn't use <a href="http://xubuntu.org/">Xubuntu</a> very
long on that machine – after <a href="http://www.geteasypeasy.com/">Easy Peasy Linux</a> came along which used
<a href="http://www.gnome.org/">GNOME</a> and an early version of a <a href="http://unity.ubuntu.com/about/">Unity</a>-like interface, I dropped it
like a hot cake. I considered then, as I sort of do now, that XFCE,
the desktop environment that Xubuntu uses, was an intermediate
technology – a sort of GNOME-lite for those who lacked access to a
lighter GNOME environment.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Easy Peasy lacked frequent
updates. It was also clear that Easy Peasy was simply serving up
Ubuntu's 'Netbook Edition' with some minor alterations in its few
updates. So I switched my Eee PC over to Ubuntu Netbook Edition.
Which became Ubuntu, when Canonical realised that having their
product fragmented into desktop and netbook versions was costly.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Canonical promised to keep
Ubuntu within the spirit of the netbook edition, but it really was
only a matter of time before you were going to call bullshit on this.
Microsoft are going to make the same mistake with Windows 8 and you
know that, even though Windows Vista was a monumental fuckup which
you'd think Microsoft would have learned from, the expectation from
software companies that design operating systems, is for the hardware
to keep up with the software. I'll go so far as to say that software
companies who say that they are designing sleeker and more efficient
OSs for lower-specced hardware are lying out their arses.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
So after I cracked and had
then gotten over Mint LXDE, I had a bit of a rethink. I had had a
look at the <a href="http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1604">Linux Mint (Debian Edition)</a> that was running XFCE and was
rather intrigued by this, however I still wanted access to the Ubuntu
repositories. I also have this nagging voice questioning why there's
even a Debian version of Linux Mint anyway – if I want Debian, and
I might, some time in the future, surely I'd go straight to <a href="http://www.debian.org/">Debian</a>
and run theirs, rather than Linux Mint's version of Debian?</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
But in the end I installed
<a href="https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PrecisePangolin/ReleaseNotes/Xubuntu">Xubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin)</a> which, as the name suggests, is
a derivative of Ubuntu using XFCE in place of Unity/GNOME.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Yes, folks, I was blown
away. XFCE has improved a million miles from where it was
previously. Xubuntu has improved a billion times on what it was,
also. I was happy enough with this, so I happily went about my
business. If there is only one criticism I have of Xubuntu, it's
that it's starting to get bloaty.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I'm informed that this is
common to all derivatives of Ubuntu, with the exception of <a href="http://lubuntu.net/">Lubuntu</a>,
but I was off LXDE and not really intending on going back.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
But then Linux Mint
released their XFCE version of Linux Mint 13.</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
It was at this point that
I did the Mint MATE versus Mint XFCE umming and ahhring. Do I take a
chance on MATE, or do I stick with what is gathering respect as a
rather nice desktop environment in a much lighter setting than
Xubuntu?</div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In the end, I decided to
go with Mint XFCE. In the next post, I'll try to record what I think
are must haves and what I did to get mine running to my satisfaction.</div>
Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-29728748561894313902011-08-31T14:06:00.002+10:002011-08-31T14:09:30.206+10:00Credit where credit's due<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiJYW4JzKvIt3IMapuyWmqoTbaushL2BV0mPAOjqY6EKik-G2FWCvGlq2IgmYgWDpyaQwdfqTXdso5YgdIRP6jPb3CMN38WVLJ-x9WDcmhqb9KuwfIbMlfTnXB4C4Vcmojc3_kw/s1600/clipboard018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiJYW4JzKvIt3IMapuyWmqoTbaushL2BV0mPAOjqY6EKik-G2FWCvGlq2IgmYgWDpyaQwdfqTXdso5YgdIRP6jPb3CMN38WVLJ-x9WDcmhqb9KuwfIbMlfTnXB4C4Vcmojc3_kw/s200/clipboard018.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Bolt">Andrew Bolt</a> (Hun/Tele/Advertiser) had a blog post pulled on Monday. Mainly due to the fact that his post could have been interpreted as muckraking by making a big song and dance about a fraudulent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Milne">Glenn Milne</a> article in The Oz. An interesting part is that some are suggesting that Bolt might have posted <b>after</b> Milne’s column was pulled. Not only that, but News left the post online for a considerable amount of time after Milne's article was removed.<br />
<br />
Milne, of course, is best known for attempting to blue Stephen Mayne one year on stage at the Walkley Awards. I had absolutely no need to mention that, but I'm hedging my bets in case Bolt is correct about his post being '<i>fair, accurate and in the public interest</i>'.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/column_how_gillard_tried_to_kill_a_story/">Today, in his column</a>, he’s got me in stitches by squealing “censorship”. The problem with Bolt’s brand of satire, is that it’s often lost on his audience, who see his character’s flagrant racism and bullying as being the real deal. And this is where the problem starts.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m aware that Bolt’s blog is a bit of a testing ground for his wilder humour. What goes out there gets tested amongst the comments from the fruitcakes that dominate his readership and the eventually worked on a little harder. Eventually, Bolt creams off the stuff that’s silly enough to outrage and amuse, yet the stuff that’s too ‘out there’ gets forgotten about. What’s left gets written up as ‘proper’ copy in his columns in News’ south eastern newspapers.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a name='more'></a><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes folks, newspapers still persist with the notion that if it goes online and doesn’t make it into the printed copy, it doesn’t need to have the same rigour applied to it.<br />
<br />
News are a bit naughty posting Bolt's brand of satire as serious comment. Although I have no evidence to make any claims whatsoever and completely disagree with any sort of generalising, their audience is widely considered by some to be totally illiterate throwbacks who are gullible enough believe anything shovelled in the direction of their snouts. If this is true, News probably ought to move Bolt's column to the humour section.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Bolt had a bit of a holiday yesterday. Rather a lot of people pointed out that allowing Bolt’s post of yesterday to continue while Milne’s article was withdrawn was inconsistent and finally, News acted on Bolt’s article. Bolt himself tried this gag in the post about not believing one crucial issue – that Gillard had never lived in the house in question, but it was clear that it was never going to top the howler of tarring the PM in the first place.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Bolt put on a spectacular show of “principles” by refusing to write anything which I found hilarious. But eventually, he posted again. I am going to go out on a limb to point out that this is the funniest article that he has ever written. How much work went in to ensuring that the inconsistencies weren’t so obvious? Granted, the ludicrous appeals to free speech is ground that he’s worked before, but nowhere else has his work been as complete as it is here.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Check some of these out.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He comes out firing, <b><i>livid</i></b> he is, with the opening sentence:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The Prime Minister overstepped the line when she called the chairman and CEO of News Limited, John Hartigan.</i></div></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">‘Overstepped the line’. That’s gold, that is.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Almost immediately after, he’s peppering gag after gag, with:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><blockquote><ul><li><i>...attempt at censorship...</i></li>
<li><i>...sinister overtones...</i></li>
<li><i>...threats of inquiries and forced sales...</i></li>
</ul></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">All of these are from the second sentence. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You can almost hear the violins in the distance as he moans:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Yesterday morning I was considering resigning as a News Limited columnist.</i></div></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Laugh? I nearly threw up!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Throughout this column, Bolt feigns annoyance with his employer, the supposed company he loves, and he actually pulls the, <i>'fair, accurate and in the public interest’</i> line out, showing that he’s neither prepared to tolerate his employer’s own freedom of speech, nor that of the commenters on his blog, with the odd complaint making it through the net. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The sentence that makes this the most complete column that Bolt’s aggrieved conservative has posted, though, is this:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><i>As I made clear, the issue was not that Gillard had done anything improper.</i></div></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As I clutched at my desk with one hand and my swollen abdominals with the other, I managed to pull myself back on to my chair after flipping backwards and falling to the floor, helpless in a kind of hysterical fug where I’m sure that I saw colours flying past me. I wiped away tears from my sopping face, amazed that one could laugh so hard.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A serious columnist/blogger, after all, wouldn’t have posted anything at all, if that was truly the issue. Bolt has surpassed himself and I don’t believe he’ll ever post anything quite so outrageous ever again.</div>Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-74461655134535694352011-07-28T17:36:00.000+10:002011-07-28T17:36:33.094+10:00On why the media should embrace more regulation. Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeJrFb5zCNufrKsoG4EQ7XMQNBRSOxkupomJYZx3zhAvpi8NLxun8sDEZir4bip16CQMjz-HU0W9AWEuai6RMqcpyiT6w9SMLzoT_vFeOsRE4djaQYPTo9lwV67G_vEv7USg13A/s1600/EmperorsNewClothes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXeJrFb5zCNufrKsoG4EQ7XMQNBRSOxkupomJYZx3zhAvpi8NLxun8sDEZir4bip16CQMjz-HU0W9AWEuai6RMqcpyiT6w9SMLzoT_vFeOsRE4djaQYPTo9lwV67G_vEv7USg13A/s200/EmperorsNewClothes.jpg" width="178" /></a></div> In <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2011/07/on-why-media-should-embrace-more.html">our first part</a>, we heavily criticised <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_corp">News Corp</a></b> for just being a <b>bad</b> news organisation. By that, I mean that as a news organisation, they are bad. <b>Incredibly bad</b>. (I didn’t mean that they just produce bad news, oh heavens to Betsy, no) <br />
<br />
It should be pointed out, though, once again, that I was only singling out News as the worst of <b>what appears to be a very bad bunch</b>. I listed a whole bunch of crimes committed by the media in part 1, some of which were also committed by other media sources as well.<br />
<br />
A really good example of disgraceful media practice that is committed across the board, is the <b>tendency of the financial media to regurgitate</b> media releases from companies, without any sort of objective research. <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/"><b>Media Watch</b></a> appears to have strangely left financial journalists alone to date, but will pursue other journalists who regurgitate press releases.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Another is celebrity stories – I once tuned to the Seven News one Sunday night to find that after the first news item, the rest was<b> utter drivel</b> about celebrities. Until the sport part of the news, that is. I actually think that there’s a market for a news agency to set up a news program with the slogan, “No celebrity stories!” It would just about have me in a heartbeat.<br />
<br />
So I think that I can say that I’ve covered the non-News media, now. Can I move on? Can I get away with <b>answering my own rhetorical questions</b>? Can I even get away with asking them and not looking like a dickhead?<br />
<br />
On to regulation. We’re seeing a <b>strangely quick grab</b> by the government for regulation as we speak at getting media privacy laws on to the agenda. This is suspicious, actually, because the government seems to have had something ready to go. And funnily enough, the rhetoric is being ramped up by the government on this as we speak, although the smell of other items on the agenda is starting to waft through – check out Stephen Conroy’s <a href="http://australianpoliticstv.org/2011/07/19/stephen-conroy-media-bias-and-the-carbon-tax-aftermath/">rant of a week ago against the bias of News Corp</a>, in particular, <a href="http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sarrahlemarquand/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/two_wrongs_wont_make_a_right/">News Corp's own shrill coverage</a>.<br />
<br />
But privacy is an issue. I maintain that with some decently drafted privacy rules, we’ll see less stupid <i><b>‘Celebrity buys carton of milk!’</b></i> stories, less <b>Milly Dowler</b> infringements and less<b> barefaced disregard</b> to the presumption of innocence.<br />
<br />
Bias is a completely different topic. <br />
<br />
I did discuss this only briefly in the first part. It should be noted that where News publications seem to be getting so far out to the right that they are probably around Fiji at the moment, there is bias in the stables of the ABC, SBS and Fairfax. The <b>Fairfax double act</b> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age"><b>The Age</b></a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald"><b>Sydney Morning Herald</b></a> as well as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Broadcasting_Service"><b>SBS</b></a> would rightly be categorised as centre-left and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation"><b>ABC</b></a> is very much centre-right, these days. Some would say, well at least these are close to centrist, although I maintain that it would be<b> better if they actually were</b> centrist. I think that getting the politics balanced is another step in the right direction.<br />
<br />
But these agencies seem to be batting a lone game. Yes, there are very minor publications that play way out in left field, such as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Left_Weekly"><b>Green-Left Weekly</b></a>, but no one pays any attention to these seriously. Yet where we know that the Green-Left Weekly is an amazingly unbalanced piece of claptrap, News has done a wonderful job of marketing papers like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daily_Telegraph_%28Australia%29"><b>Tele</b></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Australian"><b>the Oz</b></a> as “mainstream”.<br />
<br />
Folks, <b>the Oz is much further to the right than the Green-Left Weekly is to the left</b>. People need to wake up to themselves: These are not the mainstream even less than the GLW is not the mainstream.<br />
<br />
Some of you are probably wondering why I categorise the ABC as “centre-right”. Way back in the late nineties or early noughties, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_howard"><b>John Howard</b></a>, the then Prime Minister, bemoaned the left-leaning national broadcaster, with the immortal line about how it needed <b>right-wing versions of Phillip Adams</b> there to balance out the supposed left bias. I agreed with some of the sentiment of this, but where Howard was advocating voices on the right to balance the voices on the left, I disagreed with adding the rightist voices and questioned the need to have <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Adams">Phillip Adams</a></b> at all.<br />
<br />
Disregarding the utter boringness of Adams, would it not have been <b>better to eliminate</b> the leftist (and rightist) voices and replace them all, left or right, with centrist ones?<br />
<br />
Howard’s idea won, and significant efforts were made to balance out the supposed left-lean of the national broadcaster. But where the majority of the left-leaning voices were only situated marginally left of centre, Adams notwithstanding, voices on the right now seem to come from the <b>mostly lunar right</b>.<br />
<br />
I will never forget the morning I woke up and flicked on <b><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/">Insiders</a></b> to find Barrie Cassidy sharing the studio with <b>Andrew Bolt</b> (who isn’t as funny outside of print), <b>Gerard Henderson</b> and <b>Janet Albrechtsen</b>. It was that point that I realised that as far as the ABC went, the <b>rooster had been put in charge of the henhouse</b>.<br />
<br />
It seems to be hammered home whenever I tune into <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/tv/channels/abcnews24.htm"><b>ABC News Breakfast</b></a> and see people reading the news headlines like <b>Tim Wilson</b> of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institute_of_Public_Affairs"><b>Institute of Public Affairs</b></a>, a seriously right-wing bunch of fruitcakes with an ultra-libertarian bent, or that guy who used to be the <b>mayor of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Stonnington">Stonnington Council</a></b>. You know, the bloke who comes across as a <b>caffeine and Asperger’s-driven boy scout</b> who knows the Liberal Party’s policy book line by line.<br />
<br />
Of course, I'm now just bagging the ABC. How about the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_network"><b>Nine Network</b></a>, known by some as the "propaganda arm of the Liberal Party"? Radio stations like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2GB"><b>2GB</b></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3AW"><b>3AW</b></a>?<br />
<br />
Recently, John Howard was dismissive of accusations of bias in News' papers. '<b>Suck it up</b>,' he's reported to have said, having been greatly critical of the ABC during his time as Prime Minister, yet he was given an enormous free kick his whole career from channel Nine, as well as from people like <b>Alan Jones</b> on 2GB. Hypocrisy is huge.<br />
<br />
It’s fair to say that bias is a <b>major problem</b>, just like privacy.<br />
<br />
It’s clearly a <b>lost cause</b> expecting that market forces will take care of this, so <b>it’s time to regulate</b>, as the late <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate_Dogg"><b>Nate Dogg</b></a> said to his homey <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_G"><b>Warren G</b></a>.<br />
<br />
So what kind of regulation should we be looking at? Just the word ‘regulation’ itself is going to get the media all <b>frothy with disapproval</b>, but it’s fair to say that the media have had more than enough time to show us that they can do their jobs properly. They have obviously failed to do this.<br />
<br />
I propose that the best place to start is to look at the regulation which applies in the most similar profession to journalism: <b>Accountancy</b>.<br />
<br />
No, you are reading this correctly. Just like in journalism, the accounting profession reports. Journalists report news. <b>Accountants report financial news.</b> I don’t think that it’s too difficult to argue that financial reporting is any less important than any other type of reporting, yet <b>no one argues for ‘freedom of the accounting profession’.</b><br />
<br />
Just like journalists, accountants report to a <b>variety of end users</b>. Management, directors, shareholders, regulators, auditors, financial journalists, etc. Financial journalists, eh? How much fun would it be to be a financial journalist if accounting was unregulated?<br />
<br />
Accountants are regulated by a number of enforceable rules. There are rules on reporting contained in the <b>Corporations Act</b>. There are rules on reporting contained in <b>ASX listing rules</b>. But the best fit for journalists would be a layer of regulation that accountants are subject to in the form of accounting standards, issued by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AASB"><b>Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB)</b></a>. Standards issued by the AASB are fully enforceable. The AASB issues the standards, however enforcement is undertaken by the corporate regulator in Australia, the <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Securities_and_Investments_Commission">Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)</a></b>. <br />
<br />
It’s worth keeping the example of accountancy in the back of one’s mind. Worth it, because the more you compare journalists to accountants, the more that you see that <b>what passes for regulation in the media is almost completely idiotic</b>. The newspapers like to say that they’re regulated by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Press_Council"><b>Australian Press Council</b></a>. This would be like an accountant saying that they’re regulated by their professional association – which would, of course, be <b>ludicrous</b>.<br />
<br />
At least with news that is broadcast, there is a broadcast regulator, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Communications_and_Media_Authority"><b>Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)</b></a>, however ACMA does not have any say over what is news, and what isn’t.<br />
<br />
Self-regulation works in some industries. Usually, these are industries that are closed shops, where the industry is regulated by an entity that also acts as a licensing authority. Yet the media is not a closed shop and it would be <b>a joke</b> to rely on self-regulation any longer.<br />
<br />
I think I’m going to have to go to a part 3. Stay tuned.Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-72122410806844461932011-07-22T13:55:00.000+10:002011-07-22T13:55:18.314+10:00On why the media should embrace more regulation. Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtmLuo8VoP4kHqfDqBl3QgCc-Di_MZOAJmTjZKI9se2ktCtNfH7qvesANMe2BMJ4jZNCme88WjvzHjNLU9F4MXE4AJc4NO9f_cLxtAgwOqqLkEWTDSp0CrhmBaRZKhQZ1tdTHWg/s1600/wbnnQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtmLuo8VoP4kHqfDqBl3QgCc-Di_MZOAJmTjZKI9se2ktCtNfH7qvesANMe2BMJ4jZNCme88WjvzHjNLU9F4MXE4AJc4NO9f_cLxtAgwOqqLkEWTDSp0CrhmBaRZKhQZ1tdTHWg/s200/wbnnQ.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Over the last few weeks we’ve seen some rather interesting stuff in the media involving the media. We’ve seen all hell break loose in the UK with what appears to be becoming known as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackgate">‘Hackgate’</a>. We’ve seen the <i>Herald-Sun</i> <a href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2011/07/16/did-the-herald-sun-publish-a-call-to-assassinate-julia-gillard/">publish a call to assassinate the Prime Minister</a>. We’ve also seen the media circuses around the cases of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominique_Strauss-Kahn_sexual_assault_case">Dominique Strauss-Khan</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Anthony_murder_trial">Casey Anthony</a> where the media essentially judged these folks guilty before their cases had even been heard. In Anthony’s case, they then screamed hysterically about the jury being wrong, even publishing questionable articles where jurors allegedly disclosed <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/os-casey-anthony-verdict-20110704,0,1425780.story?page=2">a preference for going home</a> rather than finding someone guilty.<br />
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I think I'll avoid the issue about <b>concentrated media ownership</b> – it’s probably outside the realm of what I want to blog about here, but what I will add is the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s3272258.htm">sheer, unmitigated bias</a> that passes for journalism in anything that comes out of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_corporation">News Corporation</a>. Although, it's fair to say that <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s3272275.htm">2UE are probably much worse</a>.<br />
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And we’ve seen the spectacle of a majority-owned media <a href="http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=1149611">not publishing stuff</a> in one area that is newsworthy that relates to the owner in another jurisdiction. Yes folks, I'm going to give News <b>a flogging</b> in this post.<br />
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I’m not intending to <b>only</b> bag News in this post, as I am aware that other media outlets have also sinned, and <b>sinned in quite a big way</b> as it happens, but the <b>sheer drivel</b> that News publishes is so incredibly worthy of bagging it isn’t funny. I will point out that I did find it funny, once, but as one of my old schoolmates once pointed out to me, there’s a point when dumping in the shoes of the maths teacher ceases to be funny and starts to be smelly. I’ll further qualify this by acknowledging that I continue to acclaim the <b>Andrew Bolt </b>character by his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Bolt">eponymous author</a> to be one of the funniest satirical creations in any newspaper anywhere.<br />
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To put that another way, I will attempt to bag other media outlets in this post, but News is <b>such a disgrace</b> that I’m not even certain that I’ll get around to it. But the two of you who will object, I’ll point out that I’ve bagged the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation">ABC</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Broadcasting_Service">SBS</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairfax_Media">Fairfax</a> plenty of times before. So there.<br />
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News is just <b>so extremely bad</b> an operator, that we as consumers really should be asking about our consumer rights. And by ‘bad’, I’m not even certain if I mean ‘incompetent’, either. I think I might possibly even mean bad as in <b>‘malevolent’</b>. It's quite hard to get my thoughts on this down in type, but it looks like in some papers, News are filling up pages with stuff that is totally not newsworthy, like celebrity puff pieces and in others, its painfully one-sided commentary and opinion. <br />
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Don't get me started on the <b>disgraceful exhibition</b> that is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_news">Fox News</a>.<br />
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<b>But what actually is 'news'?</b><br />
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The term ‘news’ has a particular connotation in the minds of most people. We want to be informed and we want to be informed as objectively as possible. News (the company) has been <b>repeatedly pinged for bias</b> by <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/">Media Watch</a> this year – particularly the <i>Daily Telegraph</i>, with editions of <i>the Australian</i> singled out for complaint repeatedly on the odious subject of <b>editorialising in news items</b>.<br />
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Mere mention of Media Watch is enough to start a News fanboi <b>frothing</b> away. 'It's biased!' they scream, as they segue into a rant about how Media Watch never pings ABC, SBS or Fairfax. The suggestion is clear that Media Watch has an anti-News slant. I will point out that based upon current history, it's <b>more likely</b> that News are just <b>generally incompetent</b> and deserving of the <b>rich spoonfuls of creamy pwnage</b> that Media Watch regularly metes out on News.<br />
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Ever notice that <b>News fanbois</b> ask you about why you're not criticising these three particular organisations, but they <b>never ask</b> you about the myriad of other news organisations which exist? News fanbois (and fanboiettes) are even more obnoxious and annoying than the type we normally associate with this tag. But where the other type at least seem to be aware of the <b>obvious discolouration</b> that only highly concentrated powdered drink flavourings laced with house or garden-variety poison leaves on their lips. Even when smugly regurgitating signature <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kool-aid">Kool-Aid</a> flavours such as, '<b>new interface paradigm</b>’, ‘<b>retina display</b>’ and ‘<b>headphone jacks</b> are totally consistent with an <b>end-to-end wireless solution</b>’ while vainly attempting to defend <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.">Apple’s </a>mystifying tendency to demand that you pay extra, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryanair">Ryanair-style</a>, for stuff that should come as standard (or more worryingly, defending their willingness, nay, <b>aggressive zeal</b> to part with that much extra cash). News fanbois have absolutely no idea, nor would they seem to care that the sweet refreshment that they’re imbibing is a somewhat disconcerting poo-brown colour. With an odour to match. Yummy!<br />
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And it's not just Media Watch, either. Check out <a href="http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/07/21/taking-up-the-whittaker-challenge-examining-the-daily-teles-gst-coverage/"><b>the comprehensive smackdown that Crikey puts on the Tele</b></a> here over what is, and I don't think I'm exaggerating, a vicious and unobjective series of articles criticising the new tax package.<br />
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I used to bag the <i>Herald-Sun</i> repeatedly, but compared to other papers in the News stable like the Tele and the Oz, the Hun comes out miles in front. This really says nothing at all about the Hun’s reputation, although I will point out that it has been consistent. The Oz, on the other hand, has moved out <b>so far to the right</b> that even some of my conservative friends get a sick feeling reading it. Oddly, this mostly appears to affect those who self-identify as significantly to the right. Some, who identify as ‘centre-right’, amazingly still see the Oz as <b>fair and balanced</b>. It seems like a slightly unusual manifestation of an alternate form of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning-Krueger_effect">Dunning-Krueger</a>, perhaps, if you can substitute moderate/extreme in to replace the incompetent/expert continuity.<br />
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But I have digressed as I’m prone to do. I haven’t even raised the small issue of the Oz editorialising about the supposed need to <a href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2010/09/09/the-australian-announces-that-it-wants-to-destroy-the-greens/"><b>destroy the Greens</b></a>, as they did.<br />
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See, there is a pattern emerging which can only be described as a tradition of <b>unspeakably bad journalism</b> from News. Once again, it’s possible that I’m using ‘bad’ in its ‘wicked’ connotation compared to the other variety, but the issue is largely identical, anyway. And at the end of the day, if News are being bad as defined by the evil aspect, then this is <b>bad objectively</b>. Some may disagree, but with about two thirds to three quarters of Australian print media provided by News Corp, it is <b>way wrong</b> of News to be allowing this ultimately dodgy copy through. I am aware of certain voices questioning the public outpouring of ‘hysteria’ about News, but in this case, this time; I think that <b>the criticism is completely justified</b>.<br />
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This is almost a <b>textbook example of market failure</b> here, and the normal action in fixing market failure is to legislate or regulate.<br />
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In the cases I'm discussing here, it isn’t even years of bad behaviour. Most of this has only happened very, very recently. It might even be excusable, if I had needed to scramble for examples over a couple of decades. Sadly though, this is clearly <b>routine misbehaviour</b>. And although most of this may be legal misbehaviour, Blind Freddy would be questioning the average News editor’s ability to live with themselves. <br />
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What's that, there's still a News trouser-wearer who has read this far? I am impressed at your stamina and I thank you for sticking with me. But I do notice you wondering why I am bagging News when just about <b>every news agency was crossing all matter of lines</b> when the Strauss-Khan and Anthony stories came up.<br />
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On top of this is the small issue that the same firm of private investigators hired by the <i>News of the World</i> to engage in nefarious activity is the same firm that was hired by non-News newspapers such as the <i>Mirror</i> and the <i>Daily Mail</i>. I expect that we'll see some <b>interesting revelations</b> here before the end of the month.<br />
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Well, when I originally wrote that part, I was going to stick it to the media generally, but more importantly, would you think that News should be allowed to do the <b>sensationalism</b> that everyone else was doing just because everyone else was doing it? Unfortunately, a lot of people do, but this is a very difficult position to justify. The circus that enveloped the Strauss-Khan court case was a million miles removed from what might have happened in Strauss-Khan's native France.<br />
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In France, the media are subject to some <b>pretty serious privacy legislation</b>. These laws prevent the media from getting the kind of sensationalism out that the US media did and what we think is ordinarily fair game, but in France, this would be a serious breach of one's presumption of innocence.<br />
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In the American media (and ours too, I might add), we then saw all manner of commentary, some of which was <b>horribly racist</b>, being thrown around commenting on the unwillingness of the French media to get involved. <b>Racial stereotypes of randy Frenchmen</b> abounded. Again, it wasn't just News who were doing this, but does this make it OK that the rest of the media were doing it?<br />
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This story is pivotal to this post. The day before yesterday, we saw our Prime Minister, Julia Gillard discussing changes to the law that would <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/national/push-for-tougher-privacy-laws-20110720-1hp06.html?from=smh_sb">enshrine a right to privacy</a>. It was probably more suggested by malfeasance in Hackgate than anything else – particularly the <b>disgusting tale of phone hacking</b> present in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Milly_Dowler">Milly Dowler</a> case – but it would be nice if we were to consider things like our supposed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presumption_of_innocence">presumptions of innocence</a> in any new privacy rules. Already, the media is taking up arms against such a move, pointing out that there is no evidence that what went on in Britain has ever happened here.<br />
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Of course, the moment that you mention restricting the actions of the media, the hacks start<b> bleating</b> about 'freedom of the press'. If you think about any kind of pro-privacy legislation in this context, this argument really quite hard to argue against. Although, as I have repeatedly blogged about, whether it's free will, free speech, free media or free market economics, people are <b>routinely dishonest</b> about the word 'free' and woefully inconsistent in their usage of it.<br />
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Yet, I would really like to go one step further in all of this. Well, maybe not one step, but an entirely new regime, actually. Funnily enough, I think that this is a <b>heck of a lot easier</b> to argue for than arguing for the odd privacy provision. I'll get to that later.<br />
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Basically, I’m arguing that what news outlets are allowed to do or not, or how they are allowed to report or the practices they are allowed to use, or not, should be governed by a set of guidelines in a much clearer format than what they are currently. There should be a central, overriding duty of 'newsworthiness'. Would this take out the gratuitous celebrity articles littered throughout? Maybe, maybe not, but at the end of it all, we should have something a little better than what we have now.<br />
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I notice that this post is getting <b>kinda long</b>, so my apologies. I will conclude this sometime in the next few days.<br />
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A note to me, just so I don’t forget: If I find time to complete this, I may still need to write about the following things:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Gratuitous bagging of the non-News media so that our News fans who read this don’t feel so personally slighted at willingly reading such tripe;</li>
<li>Why an overarching set of regulated standards is easier to get on the agenda than a couple of piecemeal changes specifically addressing privacy;</li>
<li>The lameness of the Press Council of Australia and the utter fraud that is self-regulation;</li>
<li>What you as a consumer can do to improve things;</li>
<li>What can be done about market failure in the media; </li>
<li>Why journalism has less in common with other written communication and more than just a passing resemblance to accounting; and</li>
<li>It would be fun to examine concentrated media ownership in Australia, but would this be just too huge a steaming pile to take on?</li>
</ul>Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-29728145360226721812011-01-11T14:10:00.005+11:002011-04-11T13:29:28.446+10:00Here we go again...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gNzs8si-R0fTWhMjB9TqJ11Wk22q6q6XKfQ2lvsAk3lxOgzNLObmxQ9PYGDdStJzE_6iBhIplJxUMRMf4xSFDjnwSiKBnvTj8jpo-ZEgm95Ns3huh4WnVBLz0myNNzJo44Pnnw/s1600/censorship+black+and+white.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561123926481825682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6gNzs8si-R0fTWhMjB9TqJ11Wk22q6q6XKfQ2lvsAk3lxOgzNLObmxQ9PYGDdStJzE_6iBhIplJxUMRMf4xSFDjnwSiKBnvTj8jpo-ZEgm95Ns3huh4WnVBLz0myNNzJo44Pnnw/s200/censorship+black+and+white.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 150px;" /></a><br />
Hope that you’re all having a great new year, folks.<br />
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Like a festering wound, this one has been annoying me for a bit, but I thought I’d put this out there and see who bites. With <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikileaks"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wikileaks</span></a> now relegated to the pages in the middle of the newspaper (at least where it doesn't relate to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Julian Assange's</span></a> extradition problems), I thought I’d come back to a subject that I really don’t understand at all: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Freedom of Speech</span></a>.<br />
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Yes folks, Freedom of Speech.<br />
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One of the things that I find interesting about this topic is the sheer unmitigated drivel that people utter whenever this topic comes up. Me included. But I live in the forlorn hope that someone will find something to correct me on this. So far, it has been a stretch.<br />
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Wikileaks has been quite interesting on this matter. It has been said by a number of people that those attacking Wikileaks are attacking free speech, but I want to look a little further into this. Granted, I do love the leaking of top secret communications – especially when it makes people look like idiots – and I especially love it that government and media in the US who attack Wikileaks are traditionally proponents of this particular concept to an insane degree and thus look grossly hypocritical at the moment. But I also love the hypocrisy of those who defend Wikileaks on freedom of speech grounds.<br />
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Ask any American which freedoms they prize above all others, and I think that you’ll probably find that they rather like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution"><span style="font-weight: bold;">bit in their constitution</span></a> that deals with freedom of speech. This is rather good, I agree.<br />
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Here in Australia, we have no constitutional right to freedom of speech. We do, apparently have some ‘implied rights’ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Capital_Television_Pty_Ltd_v_Commonwealth">buried within our constitution</a> that allows us to comment on matters political, but by and large, there is no explicit right to free speech.<br />
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But what is ‘free speech’?<br />
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I take the view that free speech is, gulp, ‘free’. That is, it should come unencumbered and unrestricted, with no penalties, legal or otherwise, on one’s usage. That is all.<br />
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At this point, someone usually will point out to me that, ‘Well no, Dikkii. With freedom of speech comes responsibilities.’<br />
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Unfortunately, this now places tacit restrictions on ‘free speech’. In a world where words should frankly mean what they ought to mean, this statement is, unfortunately, 24 carat bullshit. If we wanted speech to come with one or more restrictions (which responsibilities are), then we would call it ‘restricted speech’, not ‘free speech’.<br />
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It also begs the questions, where is this list of ‘responsibilities’, and who in the name of Frigga is the person who came up with this list? If it even exists at all?<br />
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How do I get on the panel that gets to change or amend this list of 'responsibilities'?<br />
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Is the English language the poorer for people stuffing around with it like this?<br />
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There are other bits of special pleading that people will come out with which effectively says, ‘Dikkii, it isn’t really ‘free’. We just use the term to sell a particular package of speech guidelines that we like and use of the word ‘restricted’ is not clever marketing.’<br />
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Well, no one will use those exact words, but you get the idea.<br />
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My favourite item of special pleading also comes from the States and involves that old chestnut, ‘Free speech doesn’t mean that you can yell <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shouting_fire_in_a_crowded_theater">fire in a crowded theatre</a>!’<br />
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Well, yes it does, actually. Placing yet another restriction on freedom of speech, we gradually move further and further away from the dictionary definition of what ‘free’ means. In its purest form, and <a href="http://oxforddictionaries.com/view/entry/m_en_gb0314890#m_en_gb0314890">I’m using the Oxford here</a>, the adjective ‘free’ means:<br />
<blockquote style="font-style: italic;">“...able to act or be done as one wishes; not under the control of another.”</blockquote><br />
I’m sorry, but a restriction, whether it be crowded theatres or anything else, has been imposed by someone, and therefore not only can one not act (in this case, speak) as one wishes, someone has imposed a control. And the English language is indeed the poorer for this.<br />
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It gets worse, too.<br />
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Some of my old school buddies are fond of getting nice and condescending with the lovely old cliché, ‘I may not agree with what you’re saying, but I’ll fight for your right to say it.’<br />
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It’s nice in theory to say that you’ll fight for someone’s right to say anything they like, but frankly, I think they’re lying out of their arses, because here are some things that they will never fight for. Not only that, but these are just some reasons why freedom of speech is completely unachievable, either in my lifetime or anyone else’s:<br />
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<ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contracts"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contracts</span></a>. Where you go to get something enforced on a contract of sale, and the person who sold you something said, ‘Nah, I was just saying stuff’, is it possible that anyone would fight for this? Doubtful.</li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The news</span></a>. The meedja are awfully fond of attempting the free speech line, although they would never in a million years try the line that, ‘No, the Prime Minister didn’t really have sex on a crowded bus in front of kiddies. We made that up because it was tremendously funny, and you believed us like the gullible twats you are!’</li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_group_pressure">Peer group pressure</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taboo">cultural taboos</a>.</span> When was the last time in any jurisdiction did anyone try to sue a group for imposing their groupthink on them? It’s unthinkable. There are certain things that you cannot say because you will be ostracised – freedom of speech means that nothing is off the table, even jokes about terrorists of particular ethnic persuasions rooting kiddies. This has a different flavour to it - although we don't think of social punishments the same way that we think of legal or illegal punishments (such as physical ones), social taboos (restrictions) and ostracism (punishment and deterrent) is still a major barrier to free speech.</li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Section 52 of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_Practices_Act_1974">Trade Practices Act</a></span>. This is my personal favourite. Anyone who would fight for this to be repealed (“A corporation shall not, in trade or commerce, engage in conduct that is misleading or deceptive or is likely to mislead or deceive.” At subsection (1)) is not fit to walk the earth.</li>
</ul><br />
Just once, I’d love to have a conversation that started with, ‘Dikkii, you know that I may not agree with what you’re saying, but I’ll fight for your right to say it,’ and finished with, ‘Well, at risk of calling you a liar, Dikkii, I was out in front of Parliament House the other day, protesting for, not just section 52, but the entire Trade Practices Act to be repealed.’<br />
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At least this prick would be being truthful.<br />
<br />
And you know, having seen the damage that verbal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullying"><span style="font-weight: bold;">bullying</span></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harassment"><span style="font-weight: bold;">harassment</span></a> causes, I don’t think that there would be many takers for having these particular laws done away with, either.<br />
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If we go to jurisdictions where that highly marketable term ‘free speech’ is enshrined in law, we can see that the restrictions start to mount up. Which makes the term highly loaded at best, and downright dishonest at worst.<br />
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In the UK, for instance, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Chiropractic_Association"><span style="font-weight: bold;">British Chiropractic Association's</span></a> <a href="http://www.elyplace.com/index.aspx?p=1&articleId=208">infamous libel lawsuit </a>against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Singh"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Simon Singh</span></a> was a disgraceful attempt to stifle free speech. However, in Britain - which is a signatory to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Convention_on_Human_Rights"><span style="font-weight: bold;">European Convention on Human Rights</span></a> and thus has freedom of expression, apparently - the case went through two courts and not one judge (there were three on the bench for the appeal) saw fit to throw the case out on those grounds. We can add libel laws to the list.<br />
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I should be reasonably obvious by now that free speech is completely unachievable.<br />
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And don't get me wrong, I object wholeheartedly to someone resorting to the courts to silence someone. It doesn't seem to occur to anyone though, that the Singh libel case might have been a symptom of a far more further reaching problem, although it's outside the scope of this post to address it.<br />
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The fact is though, that whether the issue is alleged libel/slander, bullying, breaching contractual terms, publishing government secrets or a decision that dinner with friends is the perfect time to let them all know about that taste that you have built up for the kind of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santorum_%28sexual_neologism%29" style="font-weight: bold;">santorum</a> that only their mothers can produce, you cannot call speech 'free' unless you allow the whole lot.<br />
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I have been watching the US news with interest at the moment. The assassination attempt on a US Congresswoman on the weekend brought this theme back. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_palin" style="font-weight: bold;">Sarah Palin</a> has been roundly <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/world/tactics-backfire-palin-caught-in-her-own-crosshairs-20110111-19msf.html">criticised for drawing rifle crosshairs on a map</a> and using trigger happy metaphors when her lunatic Tea Party supporters are frankly incapable of differentiating between fact and fiction.<br />
<br />
Palin has also <a href="http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/100071454/how-low-can-wikileaks-go-julian-assange%E2%80%99s-sick-attempt-to-exploit-the-arizona-shootings/">called for Julian Assange's assassination</a>, too. By rights she should have been charged with incitement to murder over this, but...<br />
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I never thought that I’d ever defend the lamentable Palin, but if the USA was totally serious about freedom of speech, she wouldn’t have a case to answer. And I wonder about how many in the media are now certifiable hypocrites on this matter?<br />
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Having said that, criticising critics of Palin runs into the same problem, but under free speech - such criticism is fine. So is criticising those who criticise critics of Palin.<br />
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Why can't people just be honest and say that what they'd really like is restricted speech?Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-88963786521862808152010-12-17T17:05:00.015+11:002011-04-11T13:31:37.617+10:00My Christmas mix tape<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_eFbMNxfZjC_imZ3NF_OvhqFyR7eA64IvIFLRq3MJX4h2Dywz999p-4TdgKbBcezcR5zex5rjH8gchDV1WQkeyzZOt42xzs3BmuDVosn9iYUTuXPBuasRdiZQQGEp9eoavUzVg/s1600/war-on-christmas.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_eFbMNxfZjC_imZ3NF_OvhqFyR7eA64IvIFLRq3MJX4h2Dywz999p-4TdgKbBcezcR5zex5rjH8gchDV1WQkeyzZOt42xzs3BmuDVosn9iYUTuXPBuasRdiZQQGEp9eoavUzVg/s200/war-on-christmas.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553897637979235890" border="0" /></a><br />
Hi folks. I hope that you're all enjoying the time of year that's upon us.<br />
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You know, originally, Christmas time was a bunch of different pagan festivals, most notably <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuletide">Yuletide</a>, that got co-opted by Christians keen to embrace stuff that future audiences would love.<br />
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These days I acknowledge that Christmas has morphed into a secular display of undignified commercialism and gluttony. Naturally, of course, I love this.<br />
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But there is a more serious side to the season. I talk about the unmitigated drivel that pours from speakers all over shopping centres at this time of year. There's only so much "Jingle Bells" or We Wish You a Merry Christmas" that I can take. And if it's not those pepped up and insanely cheerful American odes to capitalism, it's those thoroughly unfathomable one hit wonders Slade and Wizzard. Or those horrid efforts from Cliff Richard or George Michael.<br />
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Yes folks, Christmas songs blow dog.<br />
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But I'm not naturally a pessimist, so I said to myself, "Dikkii," I said. That's what I call myself. Which is not that weird, although the talking to myself thing could be regarded as potentially dodgy.<br />
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"Dikkii," I said, forgetting completely that I'd already called myself that, "Surely it's possible to create a mix tape of songs which don't suck?"<br />
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So I did. And here it is, for your enjoyment.<br />
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<h3>1. "Troika" - Sky</h3><br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_%28band%29"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sky</span></a> were an interesting project of legendary classical guitarist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_%28guitarist%29"><span style="font-weight: bold;">John Williams</span></a>. Williams was intrigued by prog rock and wondered if you could do classical music in a rock style. Their biggest hit was a rather awesome cover of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgbgUrp1a70">JS Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor"</a> but this one is a cover of the fourth movement from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prokofiev"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Prokofiev's</span></a> <span style="font-style: italic;">Lieutenant Kije Suite</span>. It sorta rocks.<br />
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<h3>2. "Fairytale of New York" - The Pogues</h3><br />
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Oh <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pogues"><span style="font-weight: bold;">the Pogues</span></a>. Or "drunkenest band ever" as one of my mates describes them. This song is possibly my favourite Christmas song and tells the tale of a bickering couple whose hopes and dreams in New York are crushed by alcoholism and drug problems. Originally written by banjoist Jem Finer and vocalist Shane MacGowan to be sung by MacGowan and bassplayer Caitlin O'Riordan, O'Riordan had left the band when they recorded this, so the Pogues gave the female part to the late <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirsty_McColl"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kirsty MacColl</span></a> instead. The addition of strings gives it some added oomph.<br />
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<h3>3. “The bells of St Mary’s” – Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans</h3><br />
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A track of <span style="font-style: italic;">A Christmas Gift for You</span> aka <span style="font-style: italic;">Phil Spector’s Christmas Album</span>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Spector"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spector</span></a> is best known for his over the top production work, and while he’s probably better known these days for bizarre wigs and homicide, his “wall of sound” production technique was monstrously groundbreaking stuff in the sixties. The Blue Jeans featured Darlene Love who also got a Guernsey on <span style="font-style: italic;">Christmas Gift</span>, but ultimately, this is a tad better than the lameness that pervaded most of the Blue Jeans’ (and, let’s be honsest here, Spector’s) work. “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah” anyone?<br />
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<h3>4. “In Dulci Jubilo” – Mike Oldfield</h3><br />
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<a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Oldfield">Oldfield</a> played everything other than the recorder on this. Which is interesting, considering that the recorder part is the most distinctive. It’s worth noticing that, as a multi-instrumentalist who sees himself as primarily a guitarist, Oldfield goes completely nuts on the guitar parts on this. Strangely enough, though, it seems to work. If you can say anything about Oldfield, he does know quite a bit about proper contextualising of his arrangements.<br />
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<h3>5. “Little Drummer Boy (Up the Khyber)” – the Hoodoo Gurus</h3><br />
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This is an old b-side of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodoo_Gurus"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hoodoo Gurus</span></a> and is possibly the greatest rendition of what is one of the most boring and turgid Christmas carols ever. The Hoodoo Gurus infuse what is basically a surf guitar instrumental with a sitar melody line – or, more likely, a guitar effected to sound like a sitar. And it rocks.<br />
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<h3>6. “Ukrainian Bell Carol” – M. Leontovych</h3><br />
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A frankly scary piece of Christmas that frightens kiddies with the bell parts and the minor key, not to mention the ¾ timing that takes off like a bat out of hell and switches back and forth between ¾ and 6/8 later in the tune. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leontovych_Mykola"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Leontovych</span></a> intended this to be sung a capella, but <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xO_53m7foE&feature=related">this arrangement</a> (which features the Vienna Boys Choir) is quite good.<br />
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<h3>7. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” – Darlene Love</h3><br />
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Another of the high points of <span style="font-style: italic;">A Christmas Gift For You</span>. This one has been covered to death but, I actually love the sadness in it as Love sings of how much Christmas blows now that her lover has gone. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darlene_Love"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Love</span></a> was pretty much a backbone of Spector’s empire, as part of the Blue Jeans, the Crystals and working on records featuring the Ronettes. The production is subdued by Spector’s standards, which is not saying much, but possibly one of the reasons that this is a little less lame than most Spector material.<br />
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<h3>8. “I believe in Father Christmas” – Greg Lake</h3><br />
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“They sold me a dream of Christmas/they sold me a silent night/they sold me a fairy story/till I believed in the Israelite”. Although this gets a guernsey on a lot of Christmas compilations, there’s a cynicism from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Lake"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lake</span></a> in the lyrics that’s directed at a lot of targets: Religion, commercialism and the loss of childhood innocence. The main theme from Prokofiev’s Troika makes a reappearance throughout.<br />
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<h3>9. “For unto us a Child is Born” – G. F. Handel</h3><br />
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“Hallelujah Chorus” was a little obvious so I went for this one, also from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Handel"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Handel’s</span></a> <span style="font-style: italic;">Messiah</span>. Actually, <span style="font-style: italic;">Messiah</span> is not really just about the birth of Christ, it’s about His whole life, but it gets played a lot at Christmas. This one has a lovely build through the verses until they get to the chorus which, depending on the version that you have of it, is mixed altogether way too loud considering how soft the soft bits are mixed. And the chorus is actually bitching and kinda catchy. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Jennens"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Charles Jennens</span></a> was the uncredited lyricist. And this arrangement features the London Symphony Orchestra.<br />
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<h3>10. “Merry Xmas (War is Over)” – John Lennon</h3><br />
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You all know this one, so I won’t bother explaining it, except that although it’s also pretty obvious so why did I include it? Maybe I was feeling nostalgic around it being 30 years since <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lennon</span></a> was assassinated. I don’t know.<br />
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<h3>11. “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” – P. I. Tchaikovsky</h3><br />
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Look, it’s Christmassy, but it’s also just that little bit creepy. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Nutcracker</span> is almost totally devoid of plot, and I really don’t understand ballet at all, but I love the music and I do wonder what drugs <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tchaikovsky</span></a> was smoking when he wrote this. But it’s a triumph, nonetheless. The fairy-like celesta used throughout is something quite extraordinary.<br />
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<h3>12. “What Child is This?” – Reverend Horton Heat</h3><br />
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The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverend_Horton_Heat"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Reverend Horton Heat</span></a> is a rockabilly band from Texas, but this is a wicked surf guitar instrumental version of a famous tune, better known to fans of Mr Whippy everywhere as “Greensleeves”. It’s quite well done. Apologies for the sound quality - the studio version is much better, but you'll get the idea.<br />
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<h3>13. “Christmas with the Devil” – Spinal Tap</h3><br />
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A fictitious band, I guess, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_Tap_%28band%29">Spinal Tap</a> had already made a name for themselves on <span style="font-style: italic;">Saturday Night Live</span> by the time their mockumentary flick <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Spinal_Tap"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">This is Spinal Tap</span></a> came along. This was originally aired on <span style="font-style: italic;">SNL</span> and apparently resulted in lots of mail from irate Christians. And why not: “There’s a demon in my belly/and a gremlin in my brain/There’s someone up the chimney hole/and Satan is his name.” Hilarious and naturally, it goes all the way to 11.<br />
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<h3>14. “A Christmas Duel” – The Hives featuring Cyndi Lauper</h3><br />
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“I bought no gift this year/and I slept with your sister/I should have thought twice/before I kissed her.” Rather a hilarious yet rollicking singalong uniting one of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_hives">noughties most important rock acts</a> with the legendary <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyndi_Lauper">Lauper</a>. The lyrics are rather amusing, but appear to have some form of closure as the warring parties “Spend, spend spend this Chris, Christmas together.”<br />
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<h3>15. “Christmas” – The Who</h3><br />
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This is from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_who"><span style="font-weight: bold;">the Who’s</span></a> somewhat polarising concept album, <span style="font-style: italic;">Tommy</span>. And as you would expect, it’s about our deaf, dumb and blind hero, but set back when he was a young child. But it’s a savage attack on religion, as Tommy’s parents wonder “How can he be saved?/From the eternal grave?”. Keith Moon’s frenetic drumming shows exactly why Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend touring as “the Who” minus the late Moon and the late John Entwistle is utterly fraudulent.<br />
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<h3>16. “Christmas card from a Hooker in Minneapolis” – Tom Waits</h3><br />
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From <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Waits"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Waits’</span></a> <span style="font-style: italic;">Blue Valentine</span> album, this song tells the tale of a hooker talking about her new life on the straight and narrow, before revealing the truth at the end. From Waits’ early period, before he decided to expand his instrumentation beyond the piano and strings stuff that he’d done beforehand. Sublime.<br />
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<h3>17. “Red Water (Christmas Mourning)” – Type O Negative</h3><br />
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You can just imagine <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_o_negative"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Type O Negative</span></a>, goth metal exponents, giggling hysterically at the thought of doing a Christmas tune. This is a little ponderous, but it sorta works. Mind you, it wouldn’t if it didn’t have the snippets of “Ukrainian bell carol” and “God bless ye merry gentlemen” contained within.<br />
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<h3>18. “White wine in the sun” – Kate Miller-Heidke</h3><br />
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It’s a cover of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Minchin"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tim Minchin</span></a> tune, a comedian/singer who has become a bit of a <span style="font-style: italic;">cause celebre</span> and pin-up boy for atheist performers in recent years. He does write a good tune – this is about the Australian Christmas experience and is clearly dedicated to Minchin’s ”infant daughter” and it’s covered well by the almost slightly unhinged <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Miller-Heidke"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Miller-Heidke</span></a> who manages not to lose the pathos throughout.<br />
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Well I hope that you enjoyed this. Have a great holiday season, wherever you are and remember to drive safely and under the limit.Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-30522113465552600142010-08-25T17:48:00.013+10:002011-04-11T13:32:15.060+10:00Post election post<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRWAug4tZqYM0Tq0pLHl-B6e9IIqAkELA5CeA2hkxBFMtx1AjVcQthV-VRiYz4VhfnML7Zo2Ieq-KDoaKP4WeTBL-4N6lEF9nsV-43GP-LzLaygl7yZtNBlIAc3A01zQSj_Ktcg/s1600/an-energy-efficient-washing-machine.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRWAug4tZqYM0Tq0pLHl-B6e9IIqAkELA5CeA2hkxBFMtx1AjVcQthV-VRiYz4VhfnML7Zo2Ieq-KDoaKP4WeTBL-4N6lEF9nsV-43GP-LzLaygl7yZtNBlIAc3A01zQSj_Ktcg/s200/an-energy-efficient-washing-machine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509296622839589426" border="0" /></a><br />
<p>You have to love parliamentary democracy. Even better, you have to love the comments on <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/special-reports/andrew-wilkie-ahead-in-denison-slams-independents-party-of-three/story-fn5ko0pw-1225909790498">this article in the Herald-Sun</a> that proves my <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/07/keeping-your-member-local.html">point that I made several weeks ago</a> about Australians: We all know bugger all about our own system.<br />
</p><p>The article itself begs some pretty powerful questions.<br />
</p><p>Firstly, how illiterate actually is the Herald-Sun's readership?<br />
</p><p>Secondly, is our system actually broken?<br />
</p><a name='more'></a><p>There is a subtext in a lot of this that suggests that the electorate is not happy unless one of the major parties has an absolute majority. It possibly should be borne in mind that of the parties in what we term <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_%28Australia%29">the Coalition</a> (now 4 parties and counting), none of them has had a majority in the lower house in their own right individually for many years.<br />
</p><p>Are there people actually freaking out now that we have a hung parliament? Clearly there are and it goes to the nub of what I indicated in <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/07/keeping-your-member-local.html">my first post</a> in this series: You don't vote for the government. You vote for your local member. It is then, really, up to them as to who governs.<br />
</p><p>The fact that there is going to have to be deals done as to whom ends up getting power is largely irrelevant to the Australian people, much as they might hate it. I'd really love to say, "If you don't like this, then move somewhere else," but I loathe that phrase as it suggests that people should not even attempt to make a difference. It basically says that trying to make a difference is "un-Australian".<br />
</p><p>Let's look at some of the events of the last couple of years:<br />
</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">1. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Abbott">Tony Abbott</a> becomes Opposition Leader. Not a squeak from the media. No one writes outraged comments to the Herald-Sun saying, "I didn't vote for him." <span style="font-weight: normal;">Compare this to:</span><br />
</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Gillard">Julia Gillard</a> becomes Prime Minister. Media goes crazy. Cue deluge of irate writers to the tabloids about how she wasn't elected by the Australian people.</span><br />
</p><p>The fact is that we don't elect our leaders. End of discussion. Hence my disgust at Australians who seem to be happy with one and not the other.<br />
</p><p>But it's actually more than that: We actually have no say in which parties form our government ends up being. This is pretty important.<br />
</p><p>We now have a hung parliament. Both major parties could end up doing a deal with, at last count, four independents, one member of <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Greens">the Greens</a> and just to throw a spanner in the works, a member of the Nationals who points out that the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Party_of_Western_Australia">WA branch</a> is not actually a part of the Coalition. In fact, they're another party altogether.<br />
</p><p>Personally, I love this. I think that this is how the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_parliamentary_system">Westminster parliamentary system</a> is supposed to work.<br />
</p><p>So did you blindly vote for a party member on the basis of who you would have liked to govern?<br />
</p><p>Not I. I voted according to whom best to represent my electorate. This is how our system is structured, and this is how things are intended to happen. Mind you, I should point out that going into the election, I didn't really have a clear preference for which party should run the country.<br />
</p><p>So how do we resolve this? Does it need resolving? Should partisan party politics always be the basis for governments in Australia?<br />
</p><p>Let's look at some of the other issues.<br />
</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Three independents clearly are going to be instrumental in getting a potential future government across the line. Cue more irate texting, commenting on blogs, letters etc.</span><br />
</p><p>These independents were elected by their constituents. If their constituents wanted a member of the major parties in office, they would have voted for them. They didn't, they voted for independents.<br />
</p><p>After election night, Tony Abbott carried on like a bit of a tool. In a moment of frustration, he pretty much told the independents to side with him. The message was clear: The <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Labor_Party">Labor Party</a> don't have a majority, therefore, we (the Coalition) are the rightful rulers.<br />
</p><p>The only problem with this was that the view of the electorate is far from convincing on this – Abbott's crew was also not granted a majority.<br />
</p><p>The fact is, that the independents can do whatever they like. They're independent. If they side with the ALP, then good on them. If they side with the Coalition, then good on them as well. It's probably now important to mention that <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Crook_%28politician%29">Tony Crook</a>, the new member for <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_O%27Connor">O'Connor</a> has indicated that he will sit on the crossbenches, despite the fact that his party has 'National Party' in its name.<br />
</p><p>This may now mean that there are six crossbenchers. What happens if three of them side with the ALP and three of them side with the Coalition, assuming that the majors get 72 seats apiece – not counting Crook as part of the Coalition count?<br />
</p><p>The Herald-Sun readership appears to think that, "Oh we didn't elect the independents. Why should they have this much clout?"<br />
</p><p>The reality is that if we had never had a two party environment in our parliament, this would probably not be an issue. If more independents were elected, I personally think that Australians would have a much better idea about how Westminster works.<br />
</p><p>You see, this is essentially it. You vote for your member on the basis of who should represent your electorate. Should you consider the "bigger picture"? Absolutely, but consider this:<br />
</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. The voters of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_Bennelong">Bennelong</a> didn't elect previous member <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxine_McKew">Maxine McKew</a> for a second term. McKew almost does a 'Kernot' by dumping on the party campaign on national TV. It turns out that the reason she was dumped by Bennelong was because she was never there.</span><br />
</p><p>That's right. McKew was <strong>only</strong> interested in the bigger picture. McKew completely forgot her primary responsibility, which was to represent Bennelong to the federal parliament. How could McKew be expected to do this if she never even bothered to turn up in her actual electorate? Talk about taking your electorate for granted.<br />
</p><p>Fortunately, McKew was punished for her arrogance when her electorate turned on her. Which, by the way, was the only seat that Labor lost in New South Wales.<br />
</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Bandt">Adam Bandt</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">, the new Greens member for </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_Melbourne">Melbourne</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">, has indicated that he will support Labor. Yet more outrage.</span><br />
</p><p>I almost feel sorry for the voters in the electorate of Melbourne who voted for Brandt on the strength of his non-affiliation with the major parties. But Bandt can do whatever he likes now that he is in parliament. He probably won't be re-elected by the voters in Melbourne. And you know, if he keeps up this act and doesn't learn when to keep his mouth shut, he might find himself disaffiliated by his own party, although I expect that he might find preselection tougher next time round if the Greens don't disaffiliate him.<br />
</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Fact: If voting informal was a vote for a political party, then the 'Informal Party' would have been the fifth highest polling party on primary votes.</span><br />
</p><p>This is a nationwide stat. It probably beats the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_Werriwa">Werriwa</a> by-election after <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Latham">Mark Latham</a> vacated parliament which was the previous record-holding election for informal votes cast, although I couldn't say for certain. And because it's a nationwide stat, the informal vote count in some electorates is probably enormously high – I know that in this election, Werriwa recorded a 10.59% informal vote as at 22 August.<br />
</p><p>Compulsory voter registration is the core reason for this. You can bang on and on about voter apathy, disengagement, jadedness or whathaveyou but really, compulsory voter registration needs to be seriously looked at. How many trees went into the paper voted on? How much petrol was burnt by voters coming and going from polling booths for this little wasted exercise? How many person hours could the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Productivity_Commission">Productivity Commission</a> add on for this?<br />
</p><p>I do get grumpy about this topic. And when I do, I get a chorus of the same old lame excuses about why compulsory voter registration is a great idea.<br />
</p><p>"It's your civic duty," says one. Congratulations, Einstein – you've just justified <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscription">conscription</a>.<br />
</p><p>"You can't opt-out of paying taxes," says another. Apart from indirectly linking tax evaders with people who don't vote, this person has also managed to suggest that some people manage to magically avoid roads, schools and a defence force that's there for them. Which still has to be paid for.<br />
</p><p>"You have a moral obligation to vote," says yet another. That's great, I say. How does removing the legal requirement impact this? No answer was what I got, but the correct answer is, "It doesn't. You would still have a moral obligation to vote regardless." It's only the very lazy who would cough up this tired 'reason'.<br />
</p><p>"Our forefathers fought and died for the right to vote." This is one of the silliest ones I've heard yet. A legal imperative to vote is not a goddamn right, it's a legal requirement. A right is something you can opt-out of, it is not an obligation, despite what another correspondent thinks <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/08/interesting-things-about-preferential.html">may or may not be in the Magna Carta</a>. In any event, here's a few other things our and other forefathers fought and died for: The <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inquisition">Inquisition</a>, Jerusalem in the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades">Crusades</a>, ruling <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_roses">royal families</a>, the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Civil_War">right to keep slaves</a>, a <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Stool">golden stool</a>,<a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Jenkins%27_Ear"> someone's ear</a>, the list goes on and on. It's probably fair to say that voting is one of the less idiotic reasons for a battle.<br />
</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Oakeshott">Rob Oakeshott</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">, independent member for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_Lyne">Lyne</a> has the nerve to suggest that the ALP and the Coalition begin discussions about forming a coalition. Much mirth and ridicule ensues from the press gallery. Voters who know nothing about the Australian parliamentary system start muttering the words 'dictatorship', 'communism' and 'no one voted for that'.</span><br />
</p><p>This has got to be the a high water mark in press idiocy. For one thing, Oakeshott is right when he says that this is a good idea. What if a party got the magical 76 seat count in the House and then lost that majority in a by-election? This has worked in other democracies - I can think of Norway and Israel being two - and would merely require parliamentarians to work together to sort their problems out.</p><p>Which is precisely the job that we pay them to do! We don't elect governments, really, as I mentioned before. We elect local members to do that for us.<br />
</p><p>So how does our newly elected House of Representatives stack up?</p><p>Currently, it appears that the ALP and the Coalition have 71 almost certain seats each. I say 'almost certain' because I'm going by <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/">Antony Green's excellent coverage on the ABC's website</a>, and he still has three seats in doubt.</p><p>The Coalition actually consists of four parties - the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Party_of_Australia">Liberal Party</a>, the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Party_of_Australia">National Party</a>, the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_National_Party_of_Queensland">Liberal National Party of Queensland</a> and the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_Liberal_Party">Country Liberal Party</a>.</p><p>Green has not subtracted Tony Crook of the WA Nationals and newly elected member for <span style="font-weight: bold;">O'Connor</span>, who believes that the Nationals of the rest of Australia doesn't include the WA Nationals. So really, that's 70 seats to the Coalition.</p><p>The members for <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_Kennedy">Kennedy</a>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Lyne</span>, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_New_England">New England</a> and <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_denison">Denison</a> are independents, and the member for <span style="font-weight: bold;">Melbourne</span> is a member of the Australian Greens. The members for Kennedy, Lyne and New England are ex-National Party members who are completely unpredictable (especially the certifiable <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Katter">Bob Katter</a>) and may end up not siding with either the ALP or the Coalition. Adam Bandt appears to think that he'll side with Labor, which just leaves <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Wilkie"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Andrew Wilkie</span></a>, newly elected independent for Denison.</p><p>Wilkie is an ex-Greens member and former spy who was shafted by the Coalition when they were in power, however he has no love for the Labor Party either.</p><p>There are three seats that still appear to be in doubt - <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_Brisbane">Brisbane</a>, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_Hasluck">Hasluck</a> and <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_of_Corangamite">Corangamite</a>.<br />
</p><p>Where this goes is really anyone's guess. In any event, I expect any government that forms to not last very long before the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor-General_of_Australia">Governor-General</a> tells all involved to call fresh elections.</p><p>Ironically, in sorting this out, this could make our much loved Governor-General, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quentin_Bryce">Ms Quentin Bryce</a>, a very disliked individual indeed.<br />
</p>Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-81289409896886698522010-08-20T12:49:00.002+10:002010-08-20T13:05:12.705+10:00Obligatory election summary postAs I'm prone to do, here is my Jagajaga-centric summary of election posts. It may provide you with a guide to assisting you with voting in this election. Or it might not. Learn some stuff, like:<br /><a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/07/keeping-your-member-local.html"><br /></a><ul><li><a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/07/keeping-your-member-local.html">Why don't Julia or Tony's name appear on my ballot paper?</a></li><li><a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-is-donkey-vote-keeping-your-member.html">What actually is a "donkey vote"?</a></li><li><a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/08/why-am-i-even-bothering-keeping-your.html">Why should voters bother researching their candidates?</a></li><li><a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/08/interesting-things-about-preferential.html">Is there anything interesting I should know about preferential voting?</a></li><li><a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-to-vote-cards-keeping-your-member.html">Why should I completely disregard how-to-vote cards?</a></li><li><a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-to-vote-below-line-easily-election.html">How can I vote below the line for the Senate easily?</a></li></ul><br />Or alternatively, you could just go to my <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/search/label/election%202010">Election 2010 tag page</a>.<br /><br />Happy voting!Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-88474102783911073602010-08-20T00:36:00.016+10:002013-08-18T17:01:41.602+10:00How to vote below the line easily (Election post number 9)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5azjSyoQAT6Jubpo6cK2gOJfXxWvPd0rsHOn8sKklQ76TPXofG85XzH7eJtOL3-UKgdt7WW6psjB7L8khJg9eD6g0yOTzYUetFBViIME38XRPwUKAgeH-ACYqb6_CQ2yI9KLwZA/s1600/Senate,_Parliament_House,_Canberra.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507153344745783026" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5azjSyoQAT6Jubpo6cK2gOJfXxWvPd0rsHOn8sKklQ76TPXofG85XzH7eJtOL3-UKgdt7WW6psjB7L8khJg9eD6g0yOTzYUetFBViIME38XRPwUKAgeH-ACYqb6_CQ2yI9KLwZA/s200/Senate,_Parliament_House,_Canberra.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
And now it is time to look at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Senate"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Senate</span></a>.<br />
<br />
I've found <strike>this great webpage</strike>,<b> [link removed, see below]</b> by the way, which helps you put together your own how-to-vote card for the Senate. But more on this in a moment.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Edit 18/08/2013:</i> <a href="http://senate.io/">Vote below the line has moved here</a>. Also, I think it's worth noting that this stuff relates to the 2010 election. I'll try to do an updated one for the 2013 election, if I get time.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><i>Edit 18/08/2013: </i>Well, it appears that someone else has moved onto the <a href="http://belowtheline.org.au/">belowtheline.org.au</a> website and are offering the same thing as last election. Boy, does my face look red.</b><br />
<br />
The Senate is the house of review in Australia. Each state elects 12 senators, and the NT and ACT get two each. Of these, 6 from each state and 1 from each territory come up for election each election.<br />
<br />
As a result, voting for the Senate can confuse your average punter senseless.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
At some stage in the past, some bright spark said, "Hey, let's make it easier for voters and allow them to vote for one bunch of candidates."<br />
<br />
Naturally, this has led to possibly the silliest scenario in Australia where you only need to number one box when voting in the Senate, oblivious to what your vote will do if you don't get your first preference. And it discriminates against the ungrouped independents, because they don't get to be regarded as one of these groups.<br />
<br />
It is up to the party that you vote for as to where your preferences go. <a href="http://www.aec.gov.au/election/downloads.htm#gvt">This is where you can find out</a> how they have directed their preferences.<br />
<br />
But you can still vote below the line. Using this method, you can determine your preference for each of the candidates for the Senate. In my state of Victoria, there are 60 candidates, which means that I will have to number 60 boxes. This sounds a bit full on, but you sorta have to do this - I notice that <a href="http://www.aec.gov.au/election/files/e2010-gvt-vic.pdf">looking at the one for Victoria</a>, the major parties have made preferences that I am grossly uncomfortable with.<br />
<br />
<strike>Belowtheline.org.au</strike><b> [link removed, see note above]</b> is a wonderful website that you can use to assist with this tedious and error-prone task. I'm going to generate <span style="font-weight: bold;">my own how-to-vote card</span> for the Senate now, just to show you how easy this site is to use.<br />
<br />
You select your state to get started.<br />
<br />
This takes you to a page where you can see each party's group ticket. I don't want to look at these, so I'm going straight to generating mine from scratch.<br />
<br />
Now you now will find yourself looking at a list of the different groups. Don't be too dismayed that you can't see the candidates - you'll get a chance to play with these shortly.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Drag and drop</span> the groups into the order that you'd like. I'm going to talk about the basic order that I would like to use, so while you're having a play, allow me to get started. To assist you at this point, there's a great list of links to information about each party on this page<b> [link removed, will try to find some updated info somewhere]</b>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Post-majors</h3>
<br />
It helps me to start off by considering who I definitely <span style="color: #cc0000; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">DO NOT</span> want in the Senate first and dragging them down to the bottom.<br />
<br />
Into this group go the kooks, nutbars and theocrats. I certainly won't be considering these.<br />
<br />
I'm dragging the following down to the bottom part of the ballot paper:<br />
<br />
<h4>
Very bottom (dangerous nutters)</h4>
<ul>
<li>Citizens Electoral Council - extreme right-wing conspiracy theorists</li>
<li>Shooters and Fishers - gun nuts</li>
<li>Socialist Alliance - extreme left-wing nutjobs</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h4>
Nearly bottom (theocrats)</h4>
<ul>
<li>Family First - ECP fundies</li>
<li>Democratic Labor Party - catholic fundies</li>
<li>Christian Democrats - traditionalist protestant fundies</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h4>
Almost nearly bottom (not quite so dangerous kooks, but kooks nonetheless)</h4>
<ul>
<li>Joseph Toscano ticket - large-A Anarchists</li>
<li>One Nation - considerably right of centre racists</li>
<li>The Climate Sceptics - anti-science global warming deniers</li>
<li>Liberal Democrats - extreme free-marketeers</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h4>
Other independents</h4>
<ul>
<li>Grant Beale</li>
<li>Glenn Shea</li>
</ul>
<br />
Sorry, folks. You independents might be great, but it's very difficult to find any information out about you guys.<br />
<br />
And after this, I put the majors. Wow - that's half the order already sorted out. Not bad, huh?<br />
<br />
<h3>
The majors</h3>
<br />
After all these, above the lunatics go the majors. This forms two functions: It pretty much prevents my ballot paper going any further, and, well, frankly, the majors don't have much separating them. I still can't decide in which order I'm going to place the ALP and the Lib/Nats, so I'll leave them as they are, but they always seem to go in the middle.<br />
<br />
I will be doing something slightly different with a certain Labor senator, though. See if you can guess who he is - you'll see that there are pretty cool things to voting below the line.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Pre-majors</h3>
<br />
Above the majors go the ones that I do agree with, that I would like to see in the Senate. Let's talk about these now, because I rather like some of these.<br />
<br />
They can be separated into two categories: Desired, interesting and a category that I haven't noticed before - industry representatives.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Desired (the ones who go up the top)</h4>
<ul>
<li>Australian Greens - campaigners on green and social justice issues</li>
<li>Secular Party of Australia - fighting for separation of church and state</li>
<li>Stephen Mayne ticket - seasoned shareholder activists and corporate transparency campaigners</li>
<li>Australian Sex Party - civil libertarians who have impressed lots throughout the campaign</li>
<li>Australian Democrats - still their to keep the bastards honest, although not so influential these days<br />
</li>
</ul>
<br />
I've provisionally put the Secular Party up the top, but I could change my mind on this. <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/08/interesting-things-about-preferential.html">I blogged about the all-important first preference spot here</a>.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Interesting (almost up the top - I found their platforms intriguing)</h4>
<ul>
<li>Senator on-line - undertake to put all votes for internet approval if elected. Interesting.</li>
<li>Socialist equality party - moderate left of centre bunch</li>
</ul>
<br />
I'm curious about these guys, so I'm putting them up there to see how they go.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Industry groups (I have a soft spot for those who believe in their industries, up to a point)</h4>
<ul>
<li>Carer's Alliance - represent those who care for the disabled and the disabled themselves</li>
<li>Building Australia - represent the building industry, curiously both employers and union groups.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Now once you've got all these in order, hit the "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Next</span>" button to continue.<br />
<br />
You'll now see a list of all candidates, in order of how they appear on the ballot paper. You can continue if you like the order, but I'm going to do one more thing:<br />
<h4>
Move Stephen Conroy to after all the rest of the majors</h4>
This guy is an embarrassment and is not fit to hold office. On top of this, if Conroy is not elected and Labor get in, they will not be able to claim a mandate on internet filtering. This is another really cool thing you can do when voting below the line.<br />
<br />
After this, I'm going to stuff around with the order of candidates some more - for example, I might order Labor from the bottom up, randomise the kooks a little. Why do I do this?<br />
<br />
Because I'm a complete bastard, that's why. Someone has to count this paper.<br />
<br />
Now, I just have to click on "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Create ticket</span>".<br />
<br />
I can see the names in order, but if I want something a little easier to read, hit the "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Download PDF</span>" button and marvel at the results.<br />
<br />
This is just brilliant.<br />
<br />
Enjoy the election, folks.Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-75695468980542696632010-08-17T00:32:00.020+10:002011-04-11T13:33:16.789+10:00How-to-vote cards (Keeping your member "local" part the last)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKlPPEHlki6k_ZN-rG8Vtu0eWIXnQW4NZXHGi_wJjK9JEdVp_AEeAsGSP6x_UIrVYi_6oKbqJpS4Sr_JuGw3H3A6e_cHriowHOUKFtBdc5Oeib2urI43erF2VRVRIL8ZWMNj9iQ/s1600/SS-2010.08.18-01.31.56.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 123px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKlPPEHlki6k_ZN-rG8Vtu0eWIXnQW4NZXHGi_wJjK9JEdVp_AEeAsGSP6x_UIrVYi_6oKbqJpS4Sr_JuGw3H3A6e_cHriowHOUKFtBdc5Oeib2urI43erF2VRVRIL8ZWMNj9iQ/s200/SS-2010.08.18-01.31.56.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506402094172002994" border="0" /></a><br />
<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">I have been amazed by some things this election. I was rendered speechless when I heard that <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_first">Family First</a>, the not-yet-militant Christian extremists, had been attempting to do a preference deal in the Senate with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_sex_party"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Australian Sex Party</span></a>. Laugh? I nearly spontaneously combusted!<br />
<br />
I still hear staunch <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Party_of_Australia"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Liberal</span></a> voters who claim that economic management will be better off with them than the ALP. That would be worth voting for, if it wasn't for the fact that the current bunch of Libs have promised spending out of control and the leadership sees economics as a tedious footnote to political administration.<br />
<br />
More hilarious still, is the fact that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Labor_Party"><span style="font-weight: bold;">ALP</span></a> really don't get how they got it right on economic management during the global financial crisis, whether by fluke or design. Why not make this an election issue? It's a guaranteed vote winner, although it might be evidence that the ALP isn't really interested in economics either. I would think it amazing if the ALP felt that voters were turned off by stuff as mundane as economics.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
One of my first year economics lecturers, by the way, said that politics is merely applied economics. He was, of course 100% right. He then went on to crack a joke about the professor of the Animal Husbandry Department who was caught doing exactly that, which had us lewd first years rolling in the aisles. Those were the days. He now pops up on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_News_Breakfast"><span style="font-weight: bold;">ABC Breakfast News</span></a> occasionally to read the newspaper headlines.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most amazing thing about voters in Australia is their inability to think for themselves. Voting has become a popularity contest in Australia, where if you like a political party, or even just a political leader, people just blindly follow <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How-to-vote_card"><span style="font-weight: bold;">how-to-vote cards</span></a>. I've already blogged at length about this, but the number of people who's opinions and thought processes that I respect who seem so blasé about the whole thing is really annoying.<br />
<br />
So this last part of my series looks at how much impact that these have. And why you should pay absolutely no interest to them whatsoever.<br />
<br />
It has been said by some that we have an electoral process similar to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Electoral_College"><span style="font-weight: bold;">US electoral college</span></a>. You elect your local candidate according to who you'd like to see in power. Someone suggested to me that the local member should really not give two shits about their local electorate, because they are there for "the greater good" of this nation. Now this is all well and good, except that in the US electoral college, they pack up and go home as soon as a president is chosen. They don't stick their neck into voting on legislation and can't put forward private member bills. Nor do they do this for a full electoral term.<br />
<br />
So how important are these?<br />
<br />
Obviously, they're pretty important. Unlike <a href="http://australianretailers.com.au/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">tobacco companies</span></a>, political parties have no pretence about why the pretty pictures, slogans, branding and colours are displayed so prominently: If they didn't work, then the question should be asked, why bother spending the money?<br />
<br />
So with that in mind, let's look a little closer at them. And a final look at <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jagajaga</span> in the process, going into the election.<br />
<br />
How-to-vote cards are designed to captivate one's attention, focussing on the party putting them out and relegating the local candidate to "incidental". It's even worse in the Senate, where by voting above the line, one doesn't even need to see the names of the candidates being put forward.<br />
<br />
Parties and candidates do deals to get up the preference ladder on each others' how-to-vote cards. It is here that I will focus today, because some of these deals simply should not be being done.<br />
<br />
Let's look at Jagajaga.<br />
<br />
<h3>Joe Sgarlata, Family First</h3><br />
Family First have not put their how-to-vote cards online. I'm tipping that theirs reads 1 Sgarlata, 2 Bauch, 3 Macklin, 4 Kearney, 5 Harris.<br />
<br />
So I'll regale you with this rather informative video that Family First put out. It looks all rather good, until they poke in a gobsmackingly scurrilous lie about heroin injecting rooms:<br />
<br />
<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_1figCRVIwQ?fs=1&hl=en_GB&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_1figCRVIwQ?fs=1&hl=en_GB&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />
<br />
Family First: 0 stars.<br />
<br />
<h3>Jenny Macklin, Australian Labor Party</h3><br />
Big picture of Julia Gillard on Macklin's how-to-vote card and right up the top, too. Disappointingly, Macklin has gone for Family First over the Liberal Party.<br />
<br />
This is something that I hate about preference deals. While it may be expeditious to do a preference deal with wingnuts like Family First, you're effectively saying that the policies of wackos are preferable to those of the relatively more balanced Liberal Party:<br />
<br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9ZB0glMZ0OVhzp_PkqeyLCb_PLTR1yxcYAj6kWXq68ZF_g8JQYJZHp6w5vGe3MGsu-6lZcgvJNmxXDRJx3UrLhNozO_2YPTl6EGrqSDpbWaIIEHSShXhpPjb5H8U1U_4wmcm1w/s1600/macklin+2010+htv.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9ZB0glMZ0OVhzp_PkqeyLCb_PLTR1yxcYAj6kWXq68ZF_g8JQYJZHp6w5vGe3MGsu-6lZcgvJNmxXDRJx3UrLhNozO_2YPTl6EGrqSDpbWaIIEHSShXhpPjb5H8U1U_4wmcm1w/s400/macklin+2010+htv.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506395189607209170" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
Disappointed.<br />
<br />
<h3>Joh Bauch, Liberal Party</h3><br />
Bauch has preferenced Family First second. He is a <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">DISGRACE!!!</span>:<br />
<br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWB9PzzF_ufvxkPMUVwkRbX4I5HU-Abs0xPcw_LtbV0nercgTap6c4sCe6tnzQrjp1kq69OmoJU4crr97nzo_oXvLYHgxNVxd5uslVtIZJt5q1JVWLr4Jpobel6PJYC1OoagG_w/s1600/bauch+2010+htv.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMWB9PzzF_ufvxkPMUVwkRbX4I5HU-Abs0xPcw_LtbV0nercgTap6c4sCe6tnzQrjp1kq69OmoJU4crr97nzo_oXvLYHgxNVxd5uslVtIZJt5q1JVWLr4Jpobel6PJYC1OoagG_w/s400/bauch+2010+htv.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506396336452689730" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
Disgusted.<br />
<br />
<h3>Chris Kearney, Australian Greens</h3><br />
The Greens also haven't uploaded their how-to-vote cards. They might surprise Macklin with 1 Kearney, 2 Harris, 3 Macklin, 4 Bauch, 5 Sgarlata. Although I doubt it. The Greens and the ALP sew up preferences tighter than Bornwyn Bishop's hair.<br />
<br />
So I'm putting a video in for them, too. The Greens advertising has been pretty boring, but on Gruen Nation, a contestant in The Pitch did this:<br />
<br />
<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/O4jI1atQwp4?fs=1&hl=en_GB&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/O4jI1atQwp4?fs=1&hl=en_GB&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />
<br />
Much better than their advertising. A classic, in fact: 5 stars.<br />
<br />
<h3>Peter Harris, Secular Party</h3><br />
Harris has almost gone for the reverse donkey vote. No real surprises:<br />
<br />
<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXF2d94XS84jmu2LC2RGr36QODyphFsOpTRfQf-ZnnF90JesSB8ZHm-ND6O7yQJDRygE6OOwcLBjm4BRpC1zkoGBNPTwTKKVPM7ywE1dnRwfTNz7_ehzb5Kf6RF_Ib2Ffu6UKoQ/s1600/harris+2010+htv.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXF2d94XS84jmu2LC2RGr36QODyphFsOpTRfQf-ZnnF90JesSB8ZHm-ND6O7yQJDRygE6OOwcLBjm4BRpC1zkoGBNPTwTKKVPM7ywE1dnRwfTNz7_ehzb5Kf6RF_Ib2Ffu6UKoQ/s400/harris+2010+htv.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506400965562607122" border="0" /></a><br />
<br />
Expected outcome.<br />
<br />
Well that's it from me on Jagajaga. Enjoy your electioneering, think before you vote and tune into my next post which will be on the Senate.<br />
</div>Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7115935.post-77950972630963771052010-08-15T23:47:00.011+10:002011-04-11T13:34:35.176+10:00Interesting things about preferential voting (Keeping your member "local" part seven)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6xHbSiX8jcylNU-j3i8jcslgfIbQWzj8tcAxOfoGIzRU-0h2iN7wPakxo8vJVjt82UJkUoH_s_Q6nSc3eFrifAhXaR1DaKT50L1J9FEbV5aezsABoDhRUTNK1K5X12XymtdGAw/s1600/5.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 119px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6xHbSiX8jcylNU-j3i8jcslgfIbQWzj8tcAxOfoGIzRU-0h2iN7wPakxo8vJVjt82UJkUoH_s_Q6nSc3eFrifAhXaR1DaKT50L1J9FEbV5aezsABoDhRUTNK1K5X12XymtdGAw/s200/5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505663246111482946" border="0" /></a><br />
This is where I almost finish up with my investigation of preferential voting using my case study of the seat of <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagajaga">Jagajaga</a>. I will look at the Senate soon, I promise.<br />
<br />
I learned a lot after my last post. For starters, I learned that votes in a safe seat aren't quite so much wasted as what I thought. As it happens, party coffers are guaranteed funding from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Electoral_Commission"><span style="font-weight: bold;">AEC</span></a> on the basis of primary votes, so, although this is going to go mainly the way of incumbent parties, there is a chance for you, the voter, to ensure that even if your first preference is going to be discarded, you may get to have the taxpayer contribute part of the gravy train that is electoral funding towards a smaller party. This is a valuable piece of information.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
I also was reminded, courtesy of commenter Peter that we don't really have <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsory_voting">compulsory voting</a> in Australia. This observation I made, incidentally, prompted some rather wild comments on the Twittersphere, emails to me and other media suggesting in some small part that I might have lost my mind. I don't really shy away from it, although I admit to some hyperbole: The fact is that, unlike what one correspondent suggested, non-compulsory electoral enrolment (thanks Peter for <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/08/why-am-i-even-bothering-keeping-your.html#comment-7540879257084692796">your correction</a>) would not and never would (and has no valid link to the suggestion that it might) nullify one's moral obligation to vote - this wasn't you Peter, by the way, this was another correspondent. I don't really understand why this connection might be made.<br />
<br />
I learned that apparently, moral obligations get enshrined in law eventually. This will, of course, be fabulous news to an ethics panel that I have some involvement with, although I certainly will understand if they feel more lukewarm than I about this suggestion.<br />
<br />
And from another correspondent, I learned that what most of us understand as rights aren't that at all, unless they're enshrined in law and have some set responsibilities attached to them. There's apparently a statement in the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Carta">Magna Carta</a> that supports this, although I was unable to find it. Curiously, I did find a statement in the Magna Carta that specifically limits discussion around rights (the <a href="http://www.britannia.com/history/docs/magna2.html">translation I looked at also used the terms "liberties"</a>) to the ones contained in the document itself, leaving the question about whether others might exist elsewhere somewhat open.<br />
<br />
I also learned that a right, using the now slightly questionable definition of "anything that one can freely do" doesn't exist at all if it is not in existence in Australia. I have a feeling that this might be news to the majority of western democracies where one can freely not vote or not enrol to vote if they choose, but I don't appear to have any say in this.<br />
<br />
I learned that people don't really comment on blogs anymore. They like Twitter and Facebook too much. I learned that people comment about blog posts on Twitter without actually reading them. And I learned that Google's Chrome browser does weird things to my post truncation facility which normally works a treat in Firefox and IE.<br />
<br />
So. On to this post itself.<br />
<br />
I finally received some correspondence from <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Macklin">Jenny Macklin MP</a>, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Jagajaga in answer to <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/07/keeping-your-member-local.html">my query of a few weeks ago</a>. This came in two somewhat unusual pieces of correspondence.<br />
<br />
The first one appears to answer my query. It was a four page glossy delivered to my letterbox confirming that, amongst other things, Macklin:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Consults regularly with groups such as playgroups and friends of Lennister Farm;</li>
<li>Speaks to locals about environmental sustainability;</li>
<li>Is a Queen's Guide with Eltham Guides group. As Macklin grew up in Wangaratta, I suspect that Eltham Guides' claim to her Queen's Guide award may be somewhat tenuous, but at least she's getting out there;</li>
<li>Has supported the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre at the Austin Hospital;</li>
<li>Supports Eltham Lacrosse Club; and </li>
<li>Supports Diamond Valley Prostate Cancer Support Group.</li>
</ul>This was pretty good stuff I thought, and almost looked as though her office had cooked it up in response to my email.<br />
<br />
But there was more. In the mail addressed to me the following Monday was a number of photocopied web pages confirming stuff that Macklin had had a hand in within the electorate. I won't go into these - most of these appeared to relate more to government initiatives and her role as the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.<br />
<br />
Apart from the fact that the generic response was more relevant to my original question than the photocopies, I wonder a little why Macklin's office felt the need to look me up on the electoral roll and post single-sided printouts of webpages rather than just emailing me back with a series of links, but this is pretty minor.<br />
<br />
I also finally got a response to <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/07/keeping-your-member-local-part-three.html">the query I sent to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Joh Bauch</span></a>, Liberal Candidate for Jagajaga:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="font-style: italic;">Hi Dikkii,<br />
<br />
Many thanks for contacting me and my apologies for the delay in replying. In regard to your questions about my contribution in Jagajaga over the last 3 years. I currently, do not live in Jagajaga, however, I do have friends in the electorate and am familiar with the area as I visit my friend regularly every few weeks.<br />
<br />
However, in the current electorate that I live, I am involved with Neighbourhood Watch. I am also interested in local business traders and have set up a part time business assisting local traders with promotion and marketing.<br />
<br />
I live at home with my elderly parents and my father has had some health issues over the past few years so this has impacted on my abilities to do more in the community.<br />
<br />
I am attaching my official biography for your perusal. I hope this answers your questions satisfactorily.<br />
<br />
regards<br />
Joh Bauch </blockquote><br />
<br />
Which pretty much confirms <a href="http://dikkiisdiatribe.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-is-donkey-vote-keeping-your-member.html">my suspicions about Bauch</a>. The bio, incidentally, wasn't attached, but I didn't really need it.<br />
<br />
But anyway, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preferential_voting"><span style="font-weight: bold;">preferential voting</span></a>. We vote our candidates in order of preference. After each round of counting, the person with the least number of primary preferences gets eliminated and the votes they've received go off to the other candidates via the secondary preferences on the ballot papers. The process is then repeated until one of the candidates is able to claim a majority.<br />
<br />
But after the first round, an interesting thing happens: Anyone whose second or subsequent preference was for a candidate that was eliminated in the first round or later then finds that this preference may be disregarded as the vote counters go down their preference list, disregarding subsequent preferences for previously eliminated candidates along the way.<br />
<br />
Let's look at a fictitious electorate, which we'll call Smallville. Yes, I know it's unoriginal, but humour me.<br />
<br />
Let's say that you have an electorate which has five candidates, and a ballot paper is submitted that has vote 1 for candidate A, vote 2 for candidate B and so on until you get to candidate E who gets vote 5. If candidate A makes it through round 1 (where candidate D gets eliminated), but gets eliminated in round three, and candidate B gets eliminated in round 2 what happens to the vote?<br />
<br />
The ballot paper counts as a vote for candidate A in rounds 1 and 2. In round three, candidate A gets eliminated, so the vote counters look at the ballot paper. Candidate B has been eliminated in round two, so the vote counters go straight past the second preference to the third which is for candidate C. Suddenly, your paper in the electorate of Smallville has gone to its third preference, bypassing the second preference outright.<br />
<br />
This is a pretty important thing. Those of you who, like me, like to put the little guys first before the big guns of the major parties might like to consider this, because it could mean that your ballot paper isn't worth quite what you think going in to be counted.<br />
<br />
It does mean that your first preference becomes more important.<br />
<br />
So have a bit of a think about this before casting your vote.Dikkiihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.com1