Category: Opinions

My uninformed ravings about anything that takes my fancy

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Drivers as a reflection of our society

I know by the end of this post I am going to sound like an old man talking about the good old days, but you know what I don’t care!

Now my scooter keeps up with the traffic (top speed over 120Km/h most limits in Australia peak at 100Km/h), the only people I “slow down” are the ones that want to travel well over the speed limit and then I will always be in the slower lane. However I tend to leave a good three second gap in front of me as stopping distance.

Today on the way to work on my scooter I experienced the most stupid dangerous piece of driving I have seen in a long time. I was undertaken (passed on the left hand side, remember we drive on the left here) while trying to negotiate a left hand sweeping turn onto a on-ramp. The road was wet from last nights rain and I was taking the corner a little easier than normal and was off to the right to give myself room as I turn into the apex on the left. Just as I start to turn in a large family sedan appears on my left hand side. Now this is a single lane on-ramp, the car had two wheels on the verge (actually a bicycle lane) and the other two in the lane. Luckily I had given myself enough room that I did not run into the side of the car (turn in) or end up across a traffic island (not enough turn) so I did survive to swear loudly at the person. It was also lucky that she did not slide out on the corner due to the wet greasy conditions and take me and my scooter out because I had nowhere to go to avoid that.

Now do you know what advantage this person got from this extremely risking driving maneuver? Well it was five car spots… behind me! Just after passing me the person pushed into the right lane (nearly collecting a small compact car, obviously did not mater car or bike), I stayed in the left and in the stop-go traffic I was taken ahead of them quite a way.

So this person risked MY life and limb (I was traveling about 65Km/h) on there drive to work to hopefully save themselves what 20 seconds at most. Even then due to the traffic that time was lost. Now this was not some 19 year old “lead foot”, this was a “lady” in her 40’s driving to work for the day.

This is not a comment on old/young, male/female drivers but more a comment in general.

When did we as individuals stop thinking about the effects our actions have on other people?

This in most graphically shown on our roads, behind the anonymity of our vehicles we are impatient, aggressive and dangerous.

  • People a buying cars that protect themselves to the detriment of the environment and other road users (yes SUV owners).
  • People fit devices on the front of the car to reduce repair costs after small accidents, these same devices are shown to kill pedestrians much more effectively and at lower speeds than a car without a “Bull-Bar” or “Nudge-Bar”.
  • Drivers will double park, use disabled parks or parent parks just to save 20 meters extra walk to the shop.
  • Parents the stop next to and sometimes across a school crossing because they don’t have the time to find a park and walk in with the kids.

What happened to the days when people would:

  • smile and wait for the old lady to cross the road
  • give the learner driver just a little more room
  • let the lady with the kids in the back have the park that you “spotted first”

OK so call me the old man pining for the good old days. To be honest I think the world is full of individuals now and because of that I am unsure how a society can survive.

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Terror Laws – Terrorfied

Our federal government is thinking of introducing new “Anti-Terror” Laws. Now there is a couple of laws in this that I think I understand and am very concerned about.

The first is “Preventative Detention”, under these changes a person may have controlled detention or movement if the Police or other agency believes this will prevent a Terrorism act. To get a Preventative Detention order they only have to get it ratified by a retired Judge or the like. The person can then be placed in home detention for up to 12 months! All without the ability to contest the detention in a court of law (Update the PM is now saying he may modify to allow this). In the initial draft the police could “Shoot-to-Kill” if the person tried to avoid detention, however it looks like the state governments have made him back down on this. These laws (according to leading lawyers) are a breach of our own Human Rights laws.

The second set of laws are around Sedition, making it a crime to vocalize support of Terrorists or Acts of Terror. I do not believe that any democracy would want to implement laws that restrict open debate and free speech. Also it appears that media outlets that “encourage” people to express these opinions, up to 7 years for the person, the journalist and the media editor.

What are we coming to?

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Detention

I am staggered by our government at this time. There is currently a investigation underway looking at the wrongfull detention by the immigration department under the governments current illegal immigrant detention policy.

It has come to light that over 220 people have been wrongfully detained at least twelve over 1 year and 2 people detained for over 5 years. Remember these are lawful permanent residents, and in some cases, full Australian Citizens. One famous case had a lady deported! another a mentally ill patient detained and denied treatement while detained.

I’m sorry what is that again! Australian citizens being detained for over 5 years by there own government because some immigration official thinks that they may be an illegal immigrant! I cannot see how this can be defended by any government anywhere, let alone a democracy.

But I want to take this to the next step, the Australian government has a policy of detaining all true refugees (the ones arriving by boats, the ones that have risked life, limb and family). They detain the ones that reach our shores in a prison in the middle of the desert, and the ones stopped before landfall within prisons on our small pacific neighbours. I cannot believe that any sane person can agree to this! They say they want to discourage the people smugglers, well then lock up the people smugglers!

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Floriade

Spring time is festival time in Canberra. The biggest of all is Floriade, and explosion of colour and smells.

This year’s theme is “Rock ‘n Roll”, so there is garden beds called:

  • Strawberry Fields
  • Fields of Gold
  • Mellow Yellow
  • Etc

You can see some of my photos from Floriade in the set.

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Because Ivette tagged me…

In bold the things that match me:

I miss somebody right now.
I don’t watch much TV these days.
I love olives.
I own lots of books.
I wear glasses or contact lenses. – but only for reading
I love to play videogames.
I’ve tried marijuana.
I’ve watched porn movies. – after all I am a man.
I have been in a threesome.
I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship.
I believe honesty is “usually” the best policy.
I curse sometimes.
I have changed a lot mentally over the last year.
I carry my knife/razor everywhere with me.
I’m TOTALLY smart. – a “know-it-all” is what they tell me.
I’ve never broken someone’s bones.
I have a secret that I am ashamed to reveal.
I hate the rain.
I’m paranoid at times.
I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free of cost, and scar-free.
I need money right now.
I love sushi.
I talk really, really fast.
I have fresh breath in the morning.
I have long hair.
I have lost money in Las Vegas.
I have at least one brother and/or one sister.
I was born in a country outside of the U.S.
I have worn fake hair/fingernails/eyelashes in the past.
I couldn’t survive without Caller I.D.
I like the way that I look. – mostly teeth could be straighter
I have lied to a good friend in the last 6 months.
I know how to corn row. But may have lost the knack.
I am usually pessimistic.
I have a lot of mood swings.
I think prostitution should be legalized.
I think Britney Spears is pretty.
I have slept with a Suitemate.
I have a hidden talent.
I’m always hyper no matter how much sugar I have.
I have a lot of friends.
I am currently single.
I have pecked someone of the same sex.
I enjoy talking on the phone.
I practically live in sweatpants or PJ pants.
I love to shop.
I would rather shop than eat.
I would classify myself as ghetto.
I’m bourgie and have worn a sweater tied around my shoulders.
I’m obsessed with my Xanga or Livejournal.
I don’t hate anyone.
I’m a pretty good dancer.
I don’t think Mike Tyson raped Desiree Washington.
I’m completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother.
I have a cell phone.
I believe in God. – tough one.
I watch MTV on a daily basis.
I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months.
I’ve rejected someone before.
I currently like someone. – I am married to her
I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life.
I want to have children in the future.
I have changed a diaper before.
I’ve called the cops on a friend before.
I am a member of the Tom Green fan club.
I’m not allergic to anything.
I have a lot to learn.
I have been with someone at least 10 years older or younger.
I am shy around the opposite sex.
I’m online 24/7, even as an away message.
I have at least 5 away messages saved.
I have tried alcohol or drugs before.
I have made a move on a friend’s significant other or crush in the past.
I own the “South Park” movie.
I have avoided assignments at work/school to be on Xanga or Livejournal.
When I was a kid I played “the birds and the bees” with a neighbor or chum.
I enjoy some country music.
I would die for my best friends.
I think that Pizza Hut has the best pizza.
I watch soap operas whenever I can.
I’m obsessive, and often a perfectionist.
I have used my sexuality to advance my career.
I love Michael Jackson, scandals and all.
I know all the words to Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story”.
Halloween is awesome because you get free candy.
I watch Spongebob Squarepants and I like it.
I have dated a close friend’s ex. – does my Brother’s ex count
I like surveys/memes.
I am happy at this moment.
I’m obsessed with guys.
I am bisexual.
Democrat. – not that we call them that here
Conservative Republican.
I am punk rockish.
I am preppy.
I go for older guys/girls, not younger.
I study for tests most of the time.
I tie my shoelaces differently from anyone I’ve ever met.
I can work on a car. – its hard as the computer slides around when we turn corners.
I love my job.
I am comfortable with who I am right now.

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White Australia??

Ok, over the last two days I am getting really worried about our society and where it is heading. Last night the current affairs show ACA had a guest. An associate professor in the Department of Public Law at Macquarie University, Andrew Fraser, was on to explain his views on immigration.

This all started with Andrew reading an article on how a Sudanese family had just become Australian Citizens and deciding to voice his opinion (which is not that of the University) in an email to his government representitive and the paper in question, the Sydney Morning Hearald.

This academic has said things like:

  • “an expanding black population is a sure-fire recipe for increases in crime, violence and a wide range of other social problems”
  • “these racial and ethnic conflicts are intractable”
  • “black Africans have been shown to have an average IQ of 70”

To support his first view he quotes a google search “black on white homocide”, that shows US of A crime figures. Now I am pretty sure that even if the link is good and accurate, the history of slavery and continued repression of the American black community is DIFFERENT from the history and current situation of the Sudanese (and other) immigrants in Australia. I have yet to find a link to his IQ information.

Ok now to state my view. I think this guy must be the worst academic in history. If you want to convince people you must have an argument and base that on facts! My understanding is that the research he quotes has been disproved or discredited, also no reasoning seems to exist other than we will loose our common identity.

I thought I would give this Canadian Born Academic a little history lesson. Australia was populated by Aboriginees prior to being discoverd by the Portoguese and the English. It was used as a dumping place for the worst of the criminals of England, Ireland and Scotland. After gold was discoverd, the European and Chinese people came in great numbers. Towns like Briadwood and Ballerat were build by European and Chinese people working, living and growing together. Long after this when Australia undertook it’s largest infrastructure project ever, the Snowy River Hydro plan, it was the Italians, Greeks and other displaced immigrants that made it happen.

The history, the culture the flavour of Australia is our acceptance of people, from anywhere, from any background, location, race and religion into our country. Has it been always smooth, no! Will it be always perfect no! But together Australians old and new work together and build a new identity better and stronger than the past.

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London Shaken

I am currently watching the news with some horror. In London a whole world away it seems there has been a large co-ordinated terrorist attack.

Now at this point I must say one thing, the English are just so different from their mainland neighbours. They seem so calm in the face of this compared to the Russians and Spanish that have gone through similar things recently. This is the real Brittish “Stiff upper lip”.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all people in London.

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Social Comment

After reading an entry on Tonya’s site, and having a chat with my good friend (pommie_al), I have decided to write up some things that have been nagging me for a while. Our continuing drive to growth, wealth creation, corporate and private greed is going to be the undoing off our society. However I am getting ahead of myself and I do want to express this argument logically.

Currently we see several issues that are effecting our society and I hope to engage in meaningful discussion about them over the next few posts. Now I understand that some of the stuff we will post will be controversial and we are going to be trying to “solve the worlds problems”.

OK I know that this is a little heavier than you usually see on my site, but things are starting to annoy me and I think it is about time I stood up and gave an opinion, or at least point to opinions I agree with.

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Australia Day

Well another year has passed and here in Australia we are just about to celebrate our great country.

Now before you get the wrong idea, I am not a raving patriot, I don’t believe we have the greatest country in the world, I don’t think we can’t improve and I don’t think we have nothing to learn from the world.

Australia day is a great holiday and as Australians we are encouraged to celebrate by doing whatever we want. That’s right anything we want, of course there are some parades, concerts and fireworks arranged by various levels of government, but most Australians will head to the Beach, Bush or BBQ.

So tomorrow I am planning to have a short bush walk and then have a BBQ in the evening. If I really want to torture myself I might go the the free concert by the lake, depends on what my friends have planned.

Enjoy your day whatever you decide to do!

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Why Firefox?

To assist a friend of mine and to restate the reasons why I recommend and only use Firefox, I will explain my position below.

Firefox is the a web browser from the same organisation that makes Mozilla. It is designed to provide basic browsing functionality with extendable plugin capabilities.

Firefox is:

  • Easy to use
  • Provides tabbed browsing
  • Is themable to change the look to match you preferences
  • Is more standard complient that IE, allowing for a richer web.
  • and most importantly, more secure!

The last point is what I want to focus on here, as over the last 2 months or so I have had to rebuild/recover computers that belong to a couple of friends of mine. Both of these machines were so ridden with virus’s and spyware that they were basically unusable, one was rebooting everytime it went on the internet and the other was slower than a slug running anything. I spent more than 2 days on each computer removing software that had been unintentionally installed by these people. Now before you say it, these are not dumb people, they are cautious, read and understand most of the prompts Windows gives them, they do not click on attachments unless they are from people they know, generally your average user.

Due to the lack of security in IE and Outlook Express however these people are fighting a loosing battle, incorrect displays of filetypes, automatic running of code from a remote server, popup adds all just confuse the hell out of everyone.

Now Firefox like all software is NOT PERFECT, however it has been designed with the modern corrupt and insecure Internet in mind. It will not autorun code, it insists on saving executables so your virus scanner has a chance of checking it. It does not support Active-X controls that can run with all your permissions on your local machine.

References:
C-NET Review and award.

The Age says:

The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) has warned users to stop using Microsoft Internet Explorer after a bug which Microsoft had previously claimed to have fixed has resurfaced.

The US Cert Warning says:

There are a number of significant vulnerabilities in technologies relating to the IE domain/zone security model, local file system (Local Machine Zone) trust, the Dynamic HTML (DHTML) document object model (in particular, proprietary DHTML features), the HTML Help system, MIME type determination, the graphical user interface (GUI), and ActiveX. These technologies are implemented in operating system libraries that are used by IE and many other programs to provide web browser functionality. IE is integrated into Windows to such an extent that vulnerabilities in IE frequently provide an attacker significant access to the operating system.

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Spyware

Ok it is now one of the biggest problems in desktop systems. According to Dell and The Financial Express approx 90% of all [Desktop] computers are infected by spyware.

A new site GetNetWise gives some basic pointers on how to avoid and remove spyware.

My basic advice:

  • Install a personal firewall that detects outgoing connections (ZoneAlarm, Norton Security, etc)
  • Install and run a virus scanner – any one is fine
  • Avoid using Internet Explorer and Outlook whereever possible
  • Turn off all services you don’t require, sharing, IIS etc.
  • Get and run a good spyware removal tool (Adaware, Spybot, etc) – DON’T get a spyware tool from an embedded webpage add! Most of these are fake and will install Spyware.
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Election Day

It is Federal Election day in Australia! We get to chose if we retain John Howard and his Liberal Party (Conservatives) in government or put in place the Labour Party (Socialists) in.

The campaign has been run on “Trust” being the keyword, but both major parties have a different take on this word. The Liberals ask us if we “Trust” Labour with the economy, and the Labour party ask’s us if we should “Trust” the party that took us into war on “incomplete/incorrect” evidence.

I will update you later today on how it all goes.

Update: Well we have voted, including my Father in law doing an interstate vote. I can tell you now he and I are at total opposite ends of the political spectrum.

Update(2): The votes are in and enough have been counted for a result. Our conservative government has been returned with a larger majority than before. I must say I am not impressed.

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Interesting marketing

Ok so we have all seen lollies with interesting facts on the wrappers, even toilet paper with stuff to read. Well the other day I saw something that just blew me away.

Now you are warned, I am going to be talking about feminine hygiene products.

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