Diary of a Reprobate

Conroy is a Cretin.

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 09:15:17 GMT

The Australian Government has announced it intends to introduce legislation that will make ISP-level filtering mandatory for all refused classification material hosted overseas.

The Government intends to amend the Broadcasting Services Act in August 2010 to enforce the filter, and expects the filter to be operational within a further twelve months.

ISP-level filtering will be mandatory on all RC (refused classification) content hosted overseas, with grants also being made available to those Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that wish to offer further filtering of X18+ sites.

The results of the Government Filtering Trial have also been released.

"In addition to the blacklist, filtering a wider range and volume of material to provide some level of protection to children using the internet [was tested].

Content on the inappropriate for children test list included:
Gambling
Adult
Lingerie/Swimsuit
Drug-advocacy
Nudism
Gross-content
Profanity
Racism/Hate
Sex
Terrorism/Crime"

Swimsuits!?!

Let's just hope the Senate send this one back to the bin where it belongs.

My regular conspiracy theorist.

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:39:23 GMT

Working for a local petrol station these last couple of years has brought me into contact with some diverse people. From former school friends, to a.c.g. alumni to tradies and taxi drivers.

I don't remember how the conversations started but for about the last 6-12 months I've been briefly chatting each night with a delivery driver who I've come to think of as our local Conspiracy Theorist.

Most of the stuff he goes on about I look at with a grain of salt, though I admit to an interest in cryptids and some of our discussions over the existence of a race of giants have been interesting.

He's a bible literalist and is often annoyed when I point out things like there being no archaeological evidence for King Solomon or that if you hold that the Old Testament teachings against homosexuality as true then why is it ok to wear a polycotton shirt?

He's an avowed 9/11 sceptic. Not saying that there weren't planes flown into the buildings, but that there was far more of a conspiracy behind what brought down the buildings than the public has been told. For the most part I just nod and say nothing.

He was also the person who told me about Chemtrails.

This week he dropped off some copies of a few movies for me to watch: Fall of the Republic, The Obama Deception, The Fluoride Deception and Expelled - No Intelligence Allowed. It was this last one that got us into one of our most animated discussions yet. Normally I'll just nod and offer an occasional opinion, like with the giants - mainly because I don't know enough about what he's on about. But this time he found one of my pet annoyances - Intelligent Design Theory. Having followed the debacle of having Intelligent Design proffered as some sort of science and an alternative to Evolution I knew quite a bit of the usual guff trotted out and I think he was surprised at me asking for far more evidence and shooting down what he did provide than normal. IDT is an opinion and there is no means to either prove or disprove this opinion, rendering it a joke science at best. Von Daniken has more science than this stuff. Further discussions will prove interesting.

The last note on this list of fruitcakes is he has apparently applied to run for a Senate seat with the Christian Democrats. At the time I'd forgotten that that was the name of Fred Nile's party. I know he won't be getting a vote from me if he stands.

The Bible and its liberal bias

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:45:36 GMT

The Conservapedia people, who I stumbled across a couple of months ago, are continuing their fight against all things lefty and liberal. Especially stuff about that long haired, hippy socialist Jesus.

The Conservative Bible Project lists 10 guidelines to help bring the bible into a conservative translation including:

1. Framework against Liberal Bias: providing a strong framework that enables a thought-for-thought translation without corruption by liberal bias

7. Express Free Market Parables: explaining the numerous economic parables with their full free-market meaning

8. Exclude Later-Inserted Inauthentic Passages: excluding the interpolated passages that liberals commonly put their own spin on, such as the adulteress story [for the viewers at home that's the "he who is without sin may cast the first stone" story].

I'm going to stop here as it's making my head hurt.

The history of Chap-hop

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:15:12 GMT

Brilliant!

Something for my author friends

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:32:06 GMT

Ever wondered about how your publisher is going to promote your new book?

This little article from the New Yorker helps you know what's coming.

Dragon*Con attempts world record "Thriller"

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:37:44 GMT

http://blogs.ajc.com/inside-access/2009/09/08/dragoncon-thriller-dancers-might-break-world-record/

Warms my nerdy little heart.

The stupid! It hurts so much!

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:45:12 GMT

I've been an occasional editor of Wikipedia for a few years now and I've seen some comments in its discussion forums that make usenet seem intelligent.

But none of that prepared me for the Conservapedia.

The stupid is so bad it burns.

Changes to inner Melbourne

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:08:13 GMT

I love Melbourne. I've lived here all my life and since I was very young I would venture into the city and explore the laneways and alleys that litter the otherwise gridlike CBD.

On Sunday night I went for a wander around the old GPO. The vast construction that is going on with both Myer and David Jones in Little Bourke Street is intriguing. The open walls from the street show the plaster ceilings have been kept in place. I remember from working at DJs in the 90s that the upper floors of the Little Bourke Street side of the former Buckly & Nunn shop were blocked off and vacant. Popular belief was that this was due to asbestos in the building but I don't know if that's true. It does look like the DJs and Myer buildings may be working together, though that seems unlikely.

I was also disappointed to discover one of Melbourne's oldest bibliophile institutions had closed down. McGill's Bookshop, the only place I ever knew that stocked international newspapers, magazines of just about every variety, and a decent reference selection of books, had closed just shy of its 150th anniversary.

Makes me feel that a little piece of Melbourne's culture has been lost.

Energy drinks now directly marketed to Gamers

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:32:09 GMT

For years Gamers and nerdery type people have been high consumers of caffeinated beverages and in more recent years energy drinks like Red Bull, V, etc. Marketing of late with names like "Bad Boy", "Rock Star", and "Mother" (done in a heavy metal band style label) seemed to be aimed more towards the party crowd.

A US company has now decided that the market is big enough that they can market directly to gamers. So what did they call their drink?

Mana Potions

For Warcrack players the world over.

Continuum-Edition tour of Old Melbourne Gaol

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:54:20 GMT

A private Continuum-Edition tour has been arranged of the award winning Old Melbourne Gaol, led by con-goer and sometime Victorian-era Executioner Extraordinaire, Heath Miller.

This is a unique opportunity to explore the imposing interior of the Old Melbourne Gaol at night, when it would normally be left to the restless souls inside. The performance is a creative blend of theatre and historical storytelling, bringing the forbidden secrets of the Gaol to life by candlelight.

Duration: 90 minutes
When: Thursday 13th August, 8.00pm sharp (Otherwise known as The Night Before the Convention)
Where: Russell Street, between Victoria and La Trobe Streets.
Cost: $20 per person (not recommended for under-12s)
To reserve your spot on the tour please email gaoltour@continuum.org.au
Places on this tour are strictly limited. First in best-haunted.

More information on the Old Melbourne Gaol.

Daleks get a makeover for new Doctor Who

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:48:19 GMT

I think the new look will be a hit with the male demographic at least.

:-)

Happy birthday Nikola Tesla

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:34:07 GMT

The changing face of online journalism

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:17:29 GMT

A friend of mine sent me this image. It's sad because it's true.

Decking and costuming.

Sat, 30 May 2009 14:29:46 GMT

This last week I've spent a few days helping my step-father put down a deck. I've discovered just how unfit I've become (not that I was Charles Atlas to begin with). My lower back still twinges and I should get myself off the to the doctor. Probably need to see a physio.

Thursday I began the fabric part of my costume. I laid out and cut the red fabric. The helmet is done all bar the chin chain, which I need to pick up. I have a belt buckle, though I need to find a place that sells white belt leather. I remember there used to be a place in Richmond that sold it (and rather cheaper that Lefflers). I can't even recall the name of the place. Buttons I have, rank pips I have for stars though I'm still hunting for crowns. Got one watching on Ebay but the bugger went onto "Holiday hold" so I can't buy them until he gets back. My not-so-inner pedant says the crowns need to be Queens Crowns not Kings Crowns (which seem to be easier to find unsurprisingly).

The mechanical hand is moving from nebulous to actual. I've acquired a wetsuit glove for the hand and intend to build onto it. This should still give me enough movement of the actual hand yet still make the joins look like they're connected via an India Rubber seal or something. We've done some small experiments for finger joints using plastic tubing but I need to make a trip to Clarke Rubber and have a chat with someone there about what might be available.

Lots of things in early stages but getting there.

Getting back on the costume horse

Tue, 05 May 2009 18:22:44 GMT

Having been inspired to pick up a needle and thread again after several years of neglecting all but the replacing of buttons, I thought I's start a post here and hopefully over the next few months I will add assorted pictures of the progress of the costume.

For those who may be unaware Continuum this year is themed "Galaxies by Gaslight" so I'm wanting to try something along those lines.

After a long and protracted percolation on what sort of outfit I could wear that would be of interest to me but also fit my build and still be practical I eventually decided on the concept of steampunk Major General Stanley (of Pirates of Penzance fame).

At this stage the idea is starting out with these pieces:

McCall's Costume patter M4745 as the base for the outfit.

Thankfully our Beloved Prime Minister's stimulous package allowed me to have a splurge at Spotlight and buy some red wool. It's not as heavy as I'd like but then wool bought from retailers in Australia rarely is. I'm planning on lining it in wool and the too layers plus interfacing should get it to sit quite nicely.

I had picked up a collection fo General Service buttons via Ebay last eyar which also included to belt hooks for the tunic.

I bought myself a white pith helmet from Mitchell's Adventure in the city. I'd been looking at similar one's online last year before the dollar plummited but I didn't want to spend the money on something I had no guarentee would fit. Being of the fuller brain than many (my story and I'm sticking to it) buying hats can often be a pain. I've acquired a spike and a helmet plate via Ebay and have a chap in Oakleigh who is making me the chin chain. It still needs the hooks for the chain and I may send off an order to Thinredline and get a couple of metal pieces needed. Still debating the puggaree. We'll see.

Shoes I can use my own and trousers will be made. The only other thing is a white belt.

The steampunk aspect of it, since so far it sounds like cobbled together pseudo-Victoriana, will be the intention of making an artificial looking left hand. Currently I'm thinking of a base of a plain black wetsuit glove and then thin plastic tubing create the finger sections and paint them appropriate metallic finish. Some sort of plate for the back of the hand. If I get time I will try and extend the hand to a forearm and hand but I'll see how time goes.

I can at least start on the jacket now.

Real pirates

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:29:25 GMT

Dear ARIA,

These guys are pirates. Script kiddies who download your music are bootleggers.

Maybe you'll also stop with the fucking annoying ads comparing downloading to purse snatching. Though I'd love to see something in court where the claims of vast amounts of sums lost to downloaders are dismissed your own marketing compares it to petty theft.

Cheers

Me.

Claiming your text books claimable on Tax?

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:30:02 GMT

I know I'll be looking at this one carefully.

A Victorian student has successfully claimed education-related expenses as a tax deduction, after a court decision that could open the door for thousands of student-assistance recipients nationwide.

Full story here.

Long overdue update

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:08:29 GMT

It's been some two months since I wrote anything here so I thought I should let you know I'm still alive.

Uni has settled into classes and courses. The text book issue was resolved. It turns out that both lists were incorrect and the class had no texts assigned as the Bookshop person had said. Our lecturer thought it would be cheaper for us if she just uploaded the various extracts online for us to view. After some discussion in the first couple of tutorials the overwhelming preference was to pay the copyright fee for printing and get them collated into a student reader. I know I vastly prefer having printed reading material than reading it online. Apart from being more practical it doesn't make your screen go funny when you write on it with a highlighter.

I've renewed some acquaintances from last year though most of the people I was friends with from last year are not doing the same classes as me this semester. Have to organise to catch up with Sarah for lunch at some point. The horrible cow went to Italy over the summer and did a course on Italian art. So very jealous.

The classes themselves are interesting. Though the Nazi Germany one is certainly more of a brain struggle. Mainly because there's a lot more being added to it than the usual tropes of "here's what the Nazis did and they were bad M'Kay". And so far its mostly been the origins. I know bits of this but the actually history is far more complex than I've given it credit for.

cold_echo will be pleased to know that the glass cabinet has finally been given a home in the hallway and it is now out of the lounge.

I discovered a tobacconist in Frankston, Cignall Specialist Tobacconist who must be one of the few remaining places in Melbourne that deal with pipe smokers. For those who may be unaware I have had the occasional smoke on the clay pipe I acquired for re-enacting. I then moved on to using a long stemmed Ropp Cherrywood that I believe used to belong to my uncle. I might only smoke once a month or so but I do find it rather relaxing. Anyway the vulcanite stem on the Ropp broke and the clay one had snapped both during the house move. Since finding pipe suppliers is harder than finding stems I gave them a ring to see if they could help. I headed down a few days later and came away with a replacement stem for the Ropp that I was able to fit in with a little bit of sanding, two types of tobacco and a pipe lighter. I'm not going to be paying off any of his kids school fees with what I will buy but I had possibly one of the best customer service experiences I've had in years.

Uncle Kev's incentivasation payment arrived and I've had a little splurge on Ebay, though mostly replacing VHS with DVDs, paid some bills and put some aside to get the windscreen replaced. But after today I'm glad I had the money in the bank. My watch is an old Seiko given to me as my 13th birthday present. It's a damn good watch but it was in dire need of a service. I took it into the service centre today and they said they'd need to send it off to Seiko, but it was going to cost me $120. I just about died. Yes I know it's a good quality watch and as such parts might cost a little bit more but for a clean and re-oil I wouldn't have thought it would be even half that. Ouch!

I'm also hoping to use Kev's cheque to pay for some wool fabric for the costume I want to make for Continuum. If anyone knows of any good suppliers for jacket wool in red please point me their direction. I am so out of touch with costuming suppliers it's not funny.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:29:33 GMT

Now THIS is multiculturalism.

Todd Wong is 5th Generation Canadian, but people still ask him if he's Chinese. As a teenager he started introducing Chinese New Year celebrations to friends. When at university in the 90's he was asked to help with the organisation of the annual Robbie Burns night (which falls on the 25th of January each year). Realising that Chinese New Year was only 2 days after it that year he combined the two and thus was born Gung Haggis Fat Choy and Toddish McWong.

Do you think if we make it "Gung Haggis Fat Choy, mate" we could combine Australia Day into it? I mean the tradition meat pie has about as much actual meat as your average haggis.

Love the outfit though :-)

Dear gods noooooooo!

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:16:00 GMT

I'd been hearing about a proposed "prequel" for Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I the current rumour is that the director, McG, wants Will Smith for the role of Nemo.

To me Smith was one of the reasons Wild Wild West sucked so bad. He had to jiggy up the West. That and the complete lack of chemistry between him and Kline.

The man CAN act - Enemy of the State I think is one of his best films. But his Fresh Prince thing just annoys the crap out of me.

I can see the rapping mermaids for the music video already. Probably played by the Pussycat Dolls.

*cries*

Windows 7

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:11:04 GMT

I read in the paper (yes actual dead tree edition) last night that Windows 7 was due to be released. Though it seems Microsoft has underestimated the interest in ~~ripping to shreds~~ reviewing the newest operating system for Windoze.

[Disclaimer. I use a PC. I've never been much of a one for religious cults so I haven't joined the born-again Mac users]

The thing I'm trying to puzzle out is the name.

I remember 3.1

After that came Windows 95. Then 98, 2000, ME (the bastard child no-one talks about), XP and now Vista.

So which of these were 4,5 and 6?

Although it's probably closer to random-marketing-wank in picking the number I'm curious

Periodic Table of Awesoments

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 06:19:32 GMT

Pundit Kitchen can be educational

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:17:51 GMT

LOLcats, Failblog, Engrishfunny and a few others are sites which post pictures with captions.

Occasionally you learn something. Like the Ukranian Army doesn't allow women to serve in the active military. So their reservist women usually end up in support roles.

Though it's possible they're Belarus Police women.

Interesting uniforms though.

Garden Blitz

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:53:45 GMT

This morning my Mother, Brother and Step-Dad came over and together we attacked the garden. Two lawn mowers, two petrol line trimmers and a hedge trimmer means everything except the tops of the hedge have been done. Just needed a higher ladder to get to the top of the hedge and trim the top off it.

The many hands make light work adage is true.

Valé Majel Barrett-Roddenberry

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:08:16 GMT

Back in my youth I was a big Trek fan. Joined Austrek, turned up to movie premiers in uniform, ran a Star Trek convention. Then I moved on to other things. I still liked Trek, it just wasn't my focus any more.

So it's a sad day today. There have been quite a few losses this week for me. Several online friends have died and though I only ever met Majel once, she was another who I knew a little something about.

After a long fight with leukaemia, she has passed away.

The one link between all of the various Star Trek franchises. You will be missed.