tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89330625128352612842024-03-14T02:16:22.997+11:00Incessant ramblings of the quietly insaneSkepticism, Science and Australian politics; current affairs and commentary on scientific discovery, politics and the future. Informative and inventive civic news and ideas from a skeptical perspective.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-7878844665451219912012-09-12T22:59:00.001+10:002012-09-13T22:44:53.350+10:00Turning on the Raspberry Pi for the first time<br />
Previous sections of this story:<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-can-you-do-with-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/so-what-did-i-do-with-my-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">So... What did I do with my Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/installing-operating-system-on.html" target="_blank">Installing an operating system on a Raspberry Pi</a></li>
</ol>
</div>
<br />
So - you've <a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">bought your Raspberry Pi</a> and <a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/installing-operating-system-on.html" target="_blank">installed an operating system on it</a>.<br />
<br />
Now to switch it on, all you need to do it plug it in. The RPi doesn't have an on-and-off switch, as such. You just plug in the micro-USB cable and it switches on.<br />
<br />
If you're using an HDMI connection to a TV (or other HDMI monitor), make sure you've got it plugged in before you start it up. If Raspbian doesn't detect a connection on the HDMI port, it "fails-over" to the Composite Video port. Once that has happened, it's difficult, if not impossible to get the RPi to switch back over to the HDMI port, for video, without completely restarting it.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Configuration</h3>
Make sure you've got your keyboard plugged into one of the USB connections in your RPi, because... the first time you see it boot up (assuming you <a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/installing-operating-system-on.html" target="_blank">installed Raspbian</a>) you will see this screen.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TRf2JblktKE/UFBqtD_lrEI/AAAAAAAAEhw/W2ofmaQYUN0/s1600/20120806_214655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TRf2JblktKE/UFBqtD_lrEI/AAAAAAAAEhw/W2ofmaQYUN0/s320/20120806_214655.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is the "raspi-config" screen.<br />
<br />
On first boot-up, I used the "expand_rootfs" option - so that the whole of my SD card was available to the root partition. You will probably want to do this too, especially if you have a card bigger than the minimum required 2Gb.<br />
<br />
I also enabled the SSH server, using this tool. I found this invaluable later on. It was much simpler to SSH into my RPi from my other computers on our home network, than it was to keep it plugged into our main television. I now have the RPi set-up so that I can SSH in from my Android Phone, using <a href="http://appview.mobilesecurity.com/app/80628/PaderSyncSSH-Trial" target="_blank">PaderSyncSSH</a>. I tried a few different SSH clients - but this was the only one that really worked (easy control key commands, intuitive SSH interface etc.). It costs - but you get a 30-day trial... I'll have to work out if it's worth paying for in another couple of weeks time - but considering I've used it every day since downloading, I'm leaning towards "yes".<br />
<br />
You'll want to reset the default "pi" password. You don't HAVE to do this now - but please DO do it before plugging the RPi into a network and exposing it to the Internet. The default password for the "pi" user is the same for every basic install of Raspbian - and therefore represents a security risk if not changed.<br />
<br />
You can come back to this screen any time with the command:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
raspi-config</blockquote>
<br />
When you're finished... select "Finish".<br />
<br />
<h3>
First Prompt</h3>
Log in, using the default "pi" user, and either the default password - "raspberry" - or whatever you changed it to, above.<br />
<br />
So then you're presented with your first:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
pi@raspberrypi ~ $</blockquote>
</blockquote>
At this point, the world is your oyster.<br />
<br />
I'm still getting around to installing a light-weight web-server - just for the hell of it.<br />
<br />
You can do... whatever you want really.<br />
<br />
<h3>
XWindows</h3>
As one of the first trials, I ran:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
startx</blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-esy6d7FIPdk/UFB1WVXM3rI/AAAAAAAAEiA/wmmvT739CLA/s1600/2012-08-24+20.24.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-esy6d7FIPdk/UFB1WVXM3rI/AAAAAAAAEiA/wmmvT739CLA/s200/2012-08-24+20.24.27.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
to see the XWindows GUI up and running. I discovered a lot of really great pre-installed games. I say they were really great because they were perfect for getting my daughter engaged in the process. I found "scratch" a great tool for introducing the basic concepts of programming.<br />
<br />
I plugged the RPi into our home router, opened up a browser... and it just worked. We had internet... what else could you ask for?<br />
<br />
From here, it's all up to you.<br />
<br />
But now, your Raspberry Pi is lying on a table, strung between its power source, the television and the home router... blinking away happily - but looking a little fragile - and you ask "shouldn't she have a home?"<br />
<br />
<h2>
Continue: "<a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/buying-house-for-my-new-lover.html" target="_blank">Buying a house for my new lover</a>" >></h2>
<br />
All sections of this story:<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-can-you-do-with-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/so-what-did-i-do-with-my-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">So... What did I do with my Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/installing-operating-system-on.html" target="_blank">Installing an operating system on a Raspberry Pi</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-on-raspberry-pi-for-first-time.html" target="_blank">Turning on the Raspberry Pi for the first time</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/buying-house-for-my-new-lover.html" target="_blank">Buying a house for my new lover</a></li>
<li>... the story continues?</li>
</ol>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-26186913367537989582012-09-12T22:59:00.000+10:002012-09-13T22:44:10.017+10:00Buying a house for my new lover<br />
Previous sections of this story:<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-can-you-do-with-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/so-what-did-i-do-with-my-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">So... What did I do with my Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/installing-operating-system-on.html" target="_blank">Installing an operating system on a Raspberry Pi</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-on-raspberry-pi-for-first-time.html" target="_blank">Turning on the Raspberry Pi for the first time</a></li>
</ol>
</div>
<br />
I've been spending enough time with my Raspberry Pi, my wife has stated to make jokes about along the lines of "When I worried about you 'finding someone else' I didn't think it was going to take the form of a new computer".<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We call her "Debbie".</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And the issue was further complicated, today, when I bought Debbie a house to live in. Considering we don't yet own our own house... I can understand my wife's sense of jealousy... but considering it only cost me $5, I don't think she should feel *that* bad.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I shopped around for a while and considered a number of different options.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HDIb4k9d-gc/UFB8mJ-F7ZI/AAAAAAAAEiQ/Njy9LqeOl28/s1600/raspberry-pi-lego-case-1_1_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HDIb4k9d-gc/UFB8mJ-F7ZI/AAAAAAAAEiQ/Njy9LqeOl28/s200/raspberry-pi-lego-case-1_1_1.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div>
My first favourite idea was that of <a href="http://www.thedailybrick.co.uk/lego-sets/custom/lego-custom-raspberry-pi-case.html" target="_blank">the lego box</a>. In fact I'm still determined to build it - I just haven't had the time to track down the right parts in my old big bag of lego blocks. And then there's <a href="http://blog.stuart.shelton.me/archives/918" target="_blank">this guy's LEGO plans</a> which are a little more involved and serious - but look kind of cool.</div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
Cheap Plastic is Cool</h3>
<div>
But then I found this:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.ip-adelt.de/shop/raspberry-pi-gehause.html" target="_blank">The Raspberry Pi - Gehäuse</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The review I found that convinced me to get it was from a blog called "<a href="http://raspberrypipod.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/rpi-case-review-ip-adelt-enclosure-beta.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi Pod</a>". It's a good read, if you're interested in getting one of the same - and it contains great instructions for dealing with the German website.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LHGy0HGH_Ro/UFCBixRbu0I/AAAAAAAAEio/q2R1e2r9XpQ/s1600/2012-09-12+11.00.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LHGy0HGH_Ro/UFCBixRbu0I/AAAAAAAAEio/q2R1e2r9XpQ/s200/2012-09-12+11.00.45.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div>
In a strange twist of fate, it turns out the case is made in the town that the father of someone I work with was born in... but that's beside the point...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
At first, the delivery cost seems to count it out, as an option. While the case itself is a cheap 2,95 Euros, the delivery was (a comparatively ridiculous) 4,95 Euros. But then I got to thinking... in the end, I bought 10 of them, for a combined cost (including all delivery and transaction costs) of $48.70. So ostensibly they cost $4.87 each. I know enough people who want cases for their RPis that I've already passed 6 of them on for $5 each. It's not a money making concern - but it was a neat way to get the case I wanted for $5 myself.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The rest I'm going to knock off on eBay for, say maybe, $6 each. If I'm lucky, I'll come out even on the whole deal, and can count the case as having been free - which would be nice.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So - Debbie's new house came in the post today... and it was REALLY easy to put together. There's <a href="http://www.ip-adelt.de/index.php?id=142" target="_blank">a good assembly video on the IP Adelt website</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0hFkU9GprCE/UFCA0D_ZXtI/AAAAAAAAEig/7Iczqhvzpog/s1600/2012-09-12+11.01.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0hFkU9GprCE/UFCA0D_ZXtI/AAAAAAAAEig/7Iczqhvzpog/s200/2012-09-12+11.01.13.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">for some reason...<br />
I really enjoyed the fact <br />
that it was a addressed<br />
to "Herr Nicholas Gledhill"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
It's actually not that easy to put her in *after* you've put the box together... but then I still didn't manage to ruin it - and the snug fit is actually one of its great qualities.<br />
<br />
<i>N.B. You will need to take the SD card out of its slot (and, obviously, unplug anything else from the Pi) in order to fit it in. It takes a little bit of squeezing, and bending of the walls to make it all happen. But if you work from getting the SD card end in first, and then concentrate on getting the USB ports into position - it should all be fine.</i><br />
<br />
The port holes line up perfectly... I couldn't have hoped for better, for $5 - and Debbie says she likes her new home quite a lot.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
She wants me to visit as often as possible... but my wife is suspicious. I think she knows there's something going on...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
All sections of this story:<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-can-you-do-with-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/so-what-did-i-do-with-my-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">So... What did I do with my Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/installing-operating-system-on.html" target="_blank">Installing an operating system on a Raspberry Pi</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-on-raspberry-pi-for-first-time.html" target="_blank">Turning on the Raspberry Pi for the first time</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/buying-house-for-my-new-lover.html" target="_blank">Buying a house for my new lover</a></li>
<li>... the story continues?</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oqx8fKfNv00/UFCCUXme5rI/AAAAAAAAEiw/Vn76mjA1H8M/s1600/2012-09-12+11.02.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oqx8fKfNv00/UFCCUXme5rI/AAAAAAAAEiw/Vn76mjA1H8M/s320/2012-09-12+11.02.38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-21MLi-2oPl4/UFCCb8blvVI/AAAAAAAAEi4/fni1f4fm3eo/s1600/2012-09-12+12.27.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-21MLi-2oPl4/UFCCb8blvVI/AAAAAAAAEi4/fni1f4fm3eo/s320/2012-09-12+12.27.40.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OLqyNs3CJyU/UFCCkss3WdI/AAAAAAAAEjE/nJnbJdg0xqA/s1600/2012-09-12+20.12.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OLqyNs3CJyU/UFCCkss3WdI/AAAAAAAAEjE/nJnbJdg0xqA/s320/2012-09-12+20.12.44.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-7402105211054980332012-09-04T23:55:00.002+10:002012-09-12T23:01:16.060+10:00Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0alt-sinqmo/UEC_VLFhrPI/AAAAAAAAEPs/7wxG48gyfxg/s1600/IMG_20120824_120847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0alt-sinqmo/UEC_VLFhrPI/AAAAAAAAEPs/7wxG48gyfxg/s200/IMG_20120824_120847.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raspberry Pi, newly born</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So <a href="http://au.element14.com/" target="_blank">Element14</a> recently released the Raspberry Pi.<br />
<br />
Here's mine, from the day I got it:<br />
<br />
<h2>
What is the Raspberry Pi?</h2>
Well, it's a <a href="http://www.element14.com/community/docs/DOC-43230" target="_blank">fully functional</a> 700Mhz computer. That costs only $38. That's right, $38. If you're already interested enough to go buy one, you can order it from here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://export.farnell.com/rp/order/?COM=raspberrypi-group" target="_blank">The Raspberry Pi page on Element14's website</a><br />
<br />
But if you don't immediately "get" what's so exciting about a <a href="http://www.element14.com/community/docs/DOC-43230" target="_blank">fully functioning</a> computer for $38, then you're probably asking most common question I get, when I try to tell people about it...<br />
<br />
<h2>
Continue: "<a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-can-you-do-with-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?</a>" >></h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<br />
All sections of this story:<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-can-you-do-with-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/so-what-did-i-do-with-my-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">So... What did I do with my Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/installing-operating-system-on.html" target="_blank">Installing an operating system on a Raspberry Pi</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-on-raspberry-pi-for-first-time.html" target="_blank">Turning on the Raspberry Pi for the first time</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/buying-house-for-my-new-lover.html" target="_blank">Buying a house for my new lover</a></li>
<li>... the story continues?</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-78674234938892156772012-09-04T23:55:00.001+10:002012-09-13T22:52:29.599+10:00What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?Previous sections of this story:<br />
<div>
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy</a></li>
</ol>
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wzaN7USpWYg/UESxFIw9LlI/AAAAAAAAEYY/-jTe_Mzlf6s/s1600/raspi_blue_white.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="154" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wzaN7USpWYg/UESxFIw9LlI/AAAAAAAAEYY/-jTe_Mzlf6s/s200/raspi_blue_white.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The RPi ports and chips detailed</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Well, originally, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi</a> (when I first heard about it anyway) was posited as a way to "get kids back into programming" - the idea being that, because it came with a C compiler and a Python programming option, as part of its standard operating system (the "<a href="http://www.raspbian.org/" target="_blank">Raspian</a>" version of <a href="http://www.debian.org/" target="_blank">Debian</a>), that people would be "forced" to think about the machine from a simple perspective, and get back to basics.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It was seen as the next wave in the hobbyist-do-it-yourself "kit" computer movement. Back to "the good-old-days of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_II_series" target="_blank">Apple II</a>" when you bought the board and built the case for it, yourself...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But I think it's a lot more than that - and far more interesting, in its own way.<br />
<br />
It really is a fully-functioning computer. 700Mhz single-core might sound like a slow machine, now... but those of us who are old enough remember when that was faster than the state-of-the-art top level machine you would have bought for more than few thousand dollars.<br />
<br />
For years I've been asking "<a href="http://www.oup.com/uk/orc/bin/9780199286416/01student/interactive/lipsey_extra_ch03/page_01.htm" target="_blank">why can't we keep producing the same chip for longer, and make it so cheap that anyone can get one</a>" - instead of just ramping up to the next "generation" of chips, and continuing to pay top-dollar for them... and the answer is... we have! And the Raspberry Pi is one of the results.<br />
<br />
Once you've got a Linux distribution up and running - the sky's the limit. You can do anything you would do with a "normal" computer. In fact, in pretty much all respects... this IS a normal computer... it just costs $38.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Continue: "<a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/so-what-did-i-do-with-my-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">So... What did I do with my Raspberry Pi?</a>"</h2>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<br />
All sections of this story:<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-can-you-do-with-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/so-what-did-i-do-with-my-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">So... What did I do with my Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/installing-operating-system-on.html" target="_blank">Installing an operating system on a Raspberry Pi</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-on-raspberry-pi-for-first-time.html" target="_blank">Turning on the Raspberry Pi for the first time</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/buying-house-for-my-new-lover.html" target="_blank">Buying a house for my new lover</a></li>
<li>... the story continues?</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-67313979069175904132012-09-04T23:55:00.000+10:002012-09-13T22:47:34.235+10:00So... What did I do with my Raspberry Pi?Previous sections of this story:<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-can-you-do-with-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4UPg0V8YNTc/UESx_MdO2PI/AAAAAAAAEYg/ahr1A3zWGgs/s1600/openlogo-50.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4UPg0V8YNTc/UESx_MdO2PI/AAAAAAAAEYg/ahr1A3zWGgs/s200/openlogo-50.png" width="163" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Linux - Debian</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After looking around for a while, and talking to one of my colleagues, who got their Raspberry Pi (hereafter, sometimes, referred to as "RPi") shortly before I did... I discovered that there was <a href="http://www.raspbian.org/" target="_blank">a "standard" install of Linux that had been packaged up, specifically for the RPi</a>.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The community of RPi enthusiasts had got together, already, to package up <a href="http://www.raspbian.org/RaspbianImages" target="_blank">a "disk image" just for users such as me</a> (non-experts in either hardware, Linux or the relationship between the two) - thus making the whole thing a lot simpler.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Other things you will need</h3>
<div>
There are a few extra things you will need, to make your <a href="http://www.gizmodo.com.au/tags/raspberry-pi/" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi</a> usable. They include:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>a keyboard</li>
<li>a mouse</li>
<li>an SD card</li>
<li>something as a monitor</li>
<li>a power source</li>
</ul>
<h3>
The "budget" effect</h3>
</div>
<div>
Having bought a computer for $38, you might find that other things suddenly start looking a lot more expensive. Suddenly, having to spend an extra $10 on your set-up feels like a very large % of the overall cost...</div>
<h4>
The SD Card</h4>
<div>
The SD Card you need is essentially the computer's "hard disk". It's where all the data the RPi will use to start-up is kept. There are fancy ways of starting-up with an SD card and then "switching over" to other sources - which I don't quite understand yet... but there's no escaping the need for an SD card to begin with.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Originally, I managed to source a 2Gb SD card for $7. I was told that I could find one for $4 in the <a href="http://www.capitolsquare.com.au/" target="_blank">Capitol Shopping Centre</a> - but I must have walked into the wrong stores as I couldn't find any cheaper than the $7 I spent. It was a <a href="http://www.au.sandisk.com/" target="_blank">SanDisk</a> - apparently a good brand, and fast - which can make some difference.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
However, after loading the standard "<a href="http://www.raspbian.org/" target="_blank">Raspbian</a>" image and then downloading a few packages, I found it wasn't large enough. After a couple of days I "bit the bullet" and bought another SD Card - an 8Gb <a href="http://www.au.sandisk.com/" target="_blank">SanDisk</a> Card for $15.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have ended up using the original 2Gb card as my daughter's Raspberry Pi set-up. As I will describe in more details later - the basic Raspbian set-up includes some quite interesting games, easily accessible from the GUI - which were really good for getting my daughter interested in this new toy I had brought home.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So - in my mind, I ignore the cost of the 2Gb Card, and see the total set-up and having cost $38 for the main hardware and $15 for the data storage.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
The Keyboard and Mouse</h4>
<div>
The keyboard I used was a "roll-up" keyboard that we had lying around from years ago... by vague recollection it cost $10 at the time - but I like to think of it as a free addition to the infrastructure. Until now I have simply used a mouse from one of the other desktop computers in the house - another "free" addition.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
The Monitor</h4>
<div>
So, now we come to the "monitor". It turns out that the Raspberry Pi has 2 monitor interface options:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>HDMI</li>
<li>RCA</li>
</ol>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j6OHUt2br0s/UESpZbg8WNI/AAAAAAAAEYM/taAXaxqBqhE/s1600/Disk_smith_vz200_with_ram_expansion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j6OHUt2br0s/UESpZbg8WNI/AAAAAAAAEYM/taAXaxqBqhE/s200/Disk_smith_vz200_with_ram_expansion.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">The VZ-200 - with RAM extension</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
HDMI covers most modern, flatscreen monitors - and RCA covers most old TVs and "composite" monitor options. But lots of cheap VGA monitors are therefore excluded. It reminded me slightly of my old <a href="http://www.vz200.org/news.php" target="_blank">VZ-200</a> (the first ever computer I owned), that plugged directly into a TV via an RF connection.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After thinking about it for a while, I realised, the only HDMI cable in the house was plugged into the back of our wall-mounted flatscreen TV - and was going to be difficult to remove. So, that made the TV pretty much my only option for a monitor, for now. I have a monitor, in my desktop set-up, that accepts HDMI, but I would need to buy a new HDMI cable in order to make it work - and the another $18, minimum, from china town.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And, as I've spoken about already, all these extra costs seem quite high, in the new world of the Raspberry Pi.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So - I settled for the TV, as a starting point. The TV in question was a present, from my brother-in-law... so I'm still counting that as a "zero-cost" to the project as a whole.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you're happy logging into a machine via SSH, I'll describe, in a later post, how you don't really need a monitor once your RPi is up and running.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
The Power Source</h4>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_N3ckR6gTs/UEk3zZaAchI/AAAAAAAAEb0/fwM9HNRuq8E/s1600/images+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_N3ckR6gTs/UEk3zZaAchI/AAAAAAAAEb0/fwM9HNRuq8E/s200/images+%25281%2529.jpg" width="176" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">micro-usb plug</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, the RPi will run off any steady 5V source, using a standard micro-usb connection. Any standard USB cable will do. Most standard phone chargers will do. Myself, I plugged it into the USB port of the monitor of my desktop computer.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Apparently, there are ways to use AA battery packs to run it off - but there are some wrinkles regarding making sure the voltage doesn't drop below 5V. And, unfortunately, money seems to buy quality. Finding a low cost battery solution that supplies a steady 5V seems less than simple. I will update, here, should I find any further info.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Continue: "<a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/installing-operating-system-on.html" target="_blank">Installing an operating system on a Raspberry Pi</a>" >></h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<br />
All sections of this story:<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-can-you-do-with-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/so-what-did-i-do-with-my-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">So... What did I do with my Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/installing-operating-system-on.html" target="_blank">Installing an operating system on a Raspberry Pi</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-on-raspberry-pi-for-first-time.html" target="_blank">Turning on the Raspberry Pi for the first time</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/buying-house-for-my-new-lover.html" target="_blank">Buying a house for my new lover</a></li>
<li>... the story continues?</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-50380359653372726452012-09-04T23:54:00.001+10:002012-09-13T22:49:06.455+10:00Installing an operating system on a Raspberry PiPrevious sections of this story:<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-can-you-do-with-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/so-what-did-i-do-with-my-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">So... What did I do with my Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
</ol>
</div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3UVrP9xSD-s/UEYGXPK2PJI/AAAAAAAAEZA/XmpnVBOotXM/s1600/raspberry-pi-580-75.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3UVrP9xSD-s/UEYGXPK2PJI/AAAAAAAAEZA/XmpnVBOotXM/s200/raspberry-pi-580-75.jpg" width="200" /></a>So, in order to get the RPi up and running - you need to put an operating system onto your new SD Card.<br />
<br />
In order to do this you need some way or writing to an SD card. Myself, I originally tried to use the SD Card slot in my MacBook Pro Laptop. I had been warned, by a colleague who had already set-up his RPi, that he had experienced trouble with his Mac Card Slot - so I was a little quick to give up on that option, when I had difficulty, and borrowed a friends USB SD Card writer.<br />
<br />
Over the next weekend, without access to to the USB hardware, I discovered that the card slot in my laptop appeared to work just fine. Same brand of disk - only difference? the size... so that issue is, as yet, unresolved. Does the Mac card slot have trouble with some SD cards? I'm not sure.<br />
<br />
Either way... once you have a reliable way of reading/writing from/to an SD card... the installation is fairly easy.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Hl1Io9PQnY/UEYGvLvWHiI/AAAAAAAAEZI/30uRKa-bpn0/s1600/289034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Hl1Io9PQnY/UEYGvLvWHiI/AAAAAAAAEZI/30uRKa-bpn0/s200/289034.jpg" width="200" /></a>Other options I never tried</h2>
<br />
For other options, see the <a href="http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi Downloads page</a>. Apparently you can buy a preloaded card from RS Components, element14 or <a href="http://thepihut.com/" target="_blank">The Pi Hut's Raspberry Pi Store</a>. But I can't vouch for these options.<br />
<br />
Lots of other options for, apparently, easier ways to get installations can be found on the <a href="http://elinux.org/RPi_Easy_SD_Card_Setup" target="_blank">RPi Easy SD Card Set-up page</a>. This page is also good it your are not, as I was, using a Mac to set this up.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tKqANxOX8Mw/UEYHMymOnxI/AAAAAAAAEZQ/59GtlHYer1o/s1600/5455009_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tKqANxOX8Mw/UEYHMymOnxI/AAAAAAAAEZQ/59GtlHYer1o/s200/5455009_orig.jpg" width="155" /></a></div>
<h2>
What I DID do</h2>
<br />
I downloaded <a href="http://downloads.raspberrypi.org/images/raspbian/2012-08-16-wheezy-raspbian/2012-08-16-wheezy-raspbian.zip" target="_blank">the Raspbian "wheezy" distribution</a>.<br />
<br />
Start with your SD card NOT plugged in.<br />
<br />
Assuming your download is in a directory "~/Downloads/" - called "2012-08-16-wheezy-raspbian.zip" - extract the image using the command:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
unzip ~/Downloads/2012-08-16-wheezy-raspbian.zip</blockquote>
<br />
<div>
Now - run this command... trust me, it'll make sense in a sec:</div>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
df -h</blockquote>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4C3cHVtq8jE/UEYH5lIjt4I/AAAAAAAAEZY/pkekmkwXcrI/s1600/adafruit-raspberry-pi-educational-linux-distro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4C3cHVtq8jE/UEYH5lIjt4I/AAAAAAAAEZY/pkekmkwXcrI/s200/adafruit-raspberry-pi-educational-linux-distro.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
NOW - plug in your SD card (connect your USB card reader, etc.). Run the same command as above again, "df -h", and record the name of the device that <b>wasn't there before</b>. It will look something like:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
/dev/disk3s1</blockquote>
<br />
Now you need to unmount the disk - replacing the reference, below, with the name of the device you recorded in the previous step:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
sudo diskutil unmount /dev/disk3s1</blockquote>
<br />
You now need to work out the raw device name for the entire disk.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>use the device name you recorded above - for e.g. "disk3s1"</li>
<li>omit the final "s1" and replace "disk" with "rdisk" - so "disk3s1" becomes "rdisk3"</li>
<ol>
<li><i>N.B.: this is very important: you will lose all data on some other device on your computer if you get the wrong device name</i></li>
</ol>
</ol>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
Use the "raw disk" name you worked out, above - for e.g. "rdisk3"... run the following command:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
sudo dd bs=1m if=~/Downloads/debian6-19-04-2012/debian6-19-04-2012.img of=/dev/rdisk3</blockquote>
<br />
<i>N.B. if the above command reports an error (dd: bs: illegal numeric value), please change bs=1M to bs=1m - this is, apparently, an odd Mac quirk - i.e. the "standard" command uses "bs=1m" but Mac implementation of the "dd" command usually require "bs=1M".</i><br />
<br />
This will take a few minutes to run. If you want feedback on what's going on, type "ctrl-T".<br />
<br />
Eject the card, using:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
sudo diskutil eject /dev/rdisk3</blockquote>
<br />
<div>
And that was it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Then you plug it into the, convenient, SD card slot in your new Raspberry Pi - and switch it on.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are a few little set-up quirks to consider, built into the configuration of Raspbian - but we'll cover those in...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h2>
Continue: "<a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-on-raspberry-pi-for-first-time.html" target="_blank">Turning on the Raspberry Pi for the first time</a>" >></h2>
</div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
All sections of this story:<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/raspberry-pi-element14s-latest-geek-toy.html" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi - Element14's latest geek toy</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-can-you-do-with-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">What can you DO with a Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/so-what-did-i-do-with-my-raspberry-pi.html" target="_blank">So... What did I do with my Raspberry Pi?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/installing-operating-system-on.html" target="_blank">Installing an operating system on a Raspberry Pi</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/turning-on-raspberry-pi-for-first-time.html" target="_blank">Turning on the Raspberry Pi for the first time</a></li>
<li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2012/09/buying-house-for-my-new-lover.html" target="_blank">Buying a house for my new lover</a></li>
<li>... the story continues?</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-9335895655282217062011-03-10T11:51:00.011+11:002011-05-10T23:34:06.272+10:00Stop Gillard's Carbon Tax!Having discovered, last week, that the Gillard government was SO impressed by <a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html">my previous post on the best way forward for the ETS and the Carbon Tax</a>, that they <span style="font-weight: bold;">decided to implement my plan</span> - I was also interested in this offering from the ABC, on the issue, and thought I'd like to promote it here:<br /><br /><h1><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/03/10/3159818.htm">Radio network leads anti-tax uprising</a></h1>Basically, <span style="font-weight: bold;"> pricing carbon is a good idea</span>, and the Gillard government's plan is actually the best idea out there<span style="font-style: italic;"> (even if I positied it first :-))</span>.<br /><br />Let's get over this "OMG it's a new tax!" scare campaign - admit that something needs to be done on the issue - and realise that a staged release of an ETS (via a direct pricing charge on industry) <span style="font-weight: bold;">is the best way forward</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ditFY5uGGoo/Tck-kZ8iCGI/AAAAAAAABBo/bzXY2ue1RaM/s1600/julia-gillard.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ditFY5uGGoo/Tck-kZ8iCGI/AAAAAAAABBo/bzXY2ue1RaM/s400/julia-gillard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605080006400280674" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The funny thing is - I actually think this Stop Gillard's Carbon Tax campaign might just run out of media interest and momentum in time for Labor to release their details... oh... hold on, maybe that's the plan! ;-p<br /><br />The details should be interresting. And, I suspect, might contain A LOT of compensation for all of the Aussie Battlers that Tony Abbott is currently trying to worry, whith his great scare campaign.<br /><br />Let's forget about the "broken promises", anything that was previously said or promised, etc. etc. etc. Both sides have changed their minds. Both sides have contradicted themselves and no one can really defend themsleves on that level (except maybe the Greens).<br /><br />Let's just talk about what the best solution is... here and now, for all of us. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Forget the past promises and try to work out where we would and should be going from here.</span><br /><br />If you're not convinced by the efficacy and sense of the Gillard government's plan - please post here and tell me why. I'd be happy to have the debate.<br /><br />The only thing I would ask is that you read <a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html">my original post</a> first - and refute the points raised there, rather than raising another non-specific anti-tax argument off the bat.<br /><br />Let the debate begin!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-3268121839368798802011-01-04T15:29:00.011+11:002011-05-10T23:37:53.390+10:00PowerBalance IS a scam... told you!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DoFVMIDn3JI/Tck_cNF53-I/AAAAAAAABBw/wV3xTxTvivM/s1600/powerBalance.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 181px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DoFVMIDn3JI/Tck_cNF53-I/AAAAAAAABBw/wV3xTxTvivM/s200/powerBalance.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605080965022605282" border="0" /></a>PowerBalance - <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5723577/">according to gizmodo</a> - has admitted that their wristband WAS a scam.<br /><br />Now this wouldn't necessarily be quite as funny to me - except that I JUST had an anonymous commenter berating me, and this blog, the other day, for deriding his favourite cure.<br /><br />See:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2010/10/power-balance-meets-new-accc-powers.html">my original post </a>- and make sure you check out <a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2010/10/power-balance-meets-new-accc-powers.html?showComment=1292229156697#c1635077002804052763">the comments</a><br /></li><li><a href="http://gizmodo.com/5723577/">the gizmodo article</a></li></ul><br />If the original commenter on <a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2010/10/power-balance-meets-new-accc-powers.html">my previous post </a>would like to let us know how he feels, I'd be quite interested... honestly - the piss will not be taken... I'd really like to know how you feel about the situation.<br /><br />Now we need a new target for those new powers of the ACCC... any ideas? Who's next?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Editor's follow-up:</span><br /><br />Here's an interesting video - a quick outline of how the scam is perpetrated by "demonstration":<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><object height="238" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B9_6St8XDms?fs=1&hl=en_GB"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B9_6St8XDms?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="237" width="400"></embed></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-85636151454835697612010-11-22T09:45:00.005+11:002011-05-10T23:45:57.674+10:00Babies and Cross-Promotion<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lzvu9jy_q5o/TclBiYxIoVI/AAAAAAAABCA/0lL_pHYO5gQ/s1600/bandname.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 153px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lzvu9jy_q5o/TclBiYxIoVI/AAAAAAAABCA/0lL_pHYO5gQ/s200/bandname.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605083270259188050" /></a>Besides having a new baby - my other excuse for not posting is: working on a new band name generator.<br /><br />So - as a shameless piece of cross-proomotion... and because I don't have time to post on any of the other (more impotant) issues I've been wanting to write about...<br /><br />Here's "<a href="http://creativearts.heroku.com/banda">Banda</a>", the band name generator:<br /><br /><a href="http://creativearts.heroku.com/banda">http://creativearts.heroku.com/banda</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">From The Blurb</span></span><br /><br /><blockquote><p>Banda is a band name generator.</p> <p>It uses a database of common English words to randomly generate a new band name for you - every time you click "<a href="http://creativearts.heroku.com/banda">get a new one</a>".</p> <p>It also allows you to vote on your favourite band names - and to post any band name you really like to facebook, twitter... etc.</p> <p>Banda - it's like Panda... with a 'B'!</p></blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-19356841848476704072010-10-14T14:04:00.010+11:002011-05-10T23:52:47.131+10:00God Would Have Chosen Random Selection (or The Peter Principle Goes to Church)New research, out in February - shows that the best process for selecting which people to promote, out of a group, is a random one.<br /><br />It shows that one of 2 random processes, either:<br /><ul><li>selecting people completely at random, or;</li><li>selecting (at random) either the best of the worst candidate</li></ul>produce more efficient outcomes, for any organisation, than any of the other strategies tested.<br /><br />It is not lost, on the researchers, how counter-intuitive this is.<br /><br />This research has now won one of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ig_Nobel_Prize">IG Nobel Prizes </a>- the spoof prizes based on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobel_Prize">Nobel Prizes</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r2DnYD1vpyc/TclCwznLt3I/AAAAAAAABCI/Pgd2zeJ2S44/s1600/god.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 143px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r2DnYD1vpyc/TclCwznLt3I/AAAAAAAABCI/Pgd2zeJ2S44/s200/god.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605084617495000946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >The Point?</span><br /><br />The missing realisation here is... it's a big one for the theists. Yes, that's right, the theists!<br /><br />Because... it shows, without a doubt, that, if God exists - assuming that she is perfect, and therefore chooses the most mathmatically efficient process for any given outcome - she most certainly <span style="font-weight: bold;">would </span>have have chosen "random selection" as her preferred method for the development of her pet project (i.e. us).<br /><br />[<span style="font-style: italic;">N.B. We will ignore, for the sake of argument, the fact that the theory of Evolution does not actually propose "random selection" as the selection method of choice - it proposes that individuals are "chosen" by <span style="font-weight: bold;">survival of the fittest</span> from a pool of <span style="font-weight: bold;">randomly mutated options</span>... but who said Evolution was perfect? Not the evolutionists, certainly... but God on the other hand... well</span>...]<br /><br />Achem... anyway. My point is a simple one.<br /><br />No matter which way you look at it - the Creationists are barking up the wrong tree... even if God has <span style="font-weight: bold;">designed </span>it all - random selection is still the most efficient method of promotion... and so... it doesn't need a hands-on designer... any "intervention" that he/she/it performed was doomed to be less efficient than just letting it develop randomly... all God needed to do was push the "Go" button and sit back and watch her creation improve itself via the most efficient method...<br /><br />Randomness.<br /><br />Oh... but hold on! If you don't NEED a designer to find the best / most efficient solution then... oh dear...<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Ed Note:</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Any implication that I may, or may not, have just ruined the Intelligent Designer's argument was completely unintentional - and was achieved purely through a random process of pulling ideas out of my head until something worked...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Quite efficient, I find.</span><br /><br /><br /><br />REFERENCE: "<a href="http://arxiv.org/abs/0907.0455">The Peter Principle Revisited: A Computational Study,</a>" Alessandro Pluchino, Andrea Rapisarda, and Cesare Garofalo, Physica A, vol. 389, no. 3, February 2010, pp. 467-72.<br /><br />Extract:<br /><blockquote>In the late sixties the Canadian psychologist Laurence J. Peter advanced an apparently paradoxical principle, named since then after him, which can be summarized as follows: {\it 'Every new member in a hierarchical organization climbs the hierarchy until he/she reaches his/her level of maximum incompetence'}. Despite its apparent unreasonableness, such a principle would realistically act in any organization where the mechanism of promotion rewards the best members and where the mechanism at their new level in the hierarchical structure does not depend on the competence they had at the previous level, usually because the tasks of the levels are very different to each other. Here we show, by means of agent based simulations, that if the latter two features actually hold in a given model of an organization with a hierarchical structure, then not only is the Peter principle unavoidable, but also it yields in turn a significant reduction of the global efficiency of the organization. Within a game theory-like approach, we explore different promotion strategies and we find, counterintuitively, that in order to avoid such an effect the best ways for improving the efficiency of a given organization are either to promote each time an agent at random or to promote randomly the best and the worst members in terms of competence. </blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-54465078756361941802010-10-13T22:58:00.009+11:002011-01-05T10:08:48.677+11:00Power Balance meets new ACCC powers - bring it on!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbkRuotczaU/TLWiblHaGwI/AAAAAAAAA48/xoH0hVtAVwA/s1600/FL-powerbalance-lead-size.ashx.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 136px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbkRuotczaU/TLWiblHaGwI/AAAAAAAAA48/xoH0hVtAVwA/s200/FL-powerbalance-lead-size.ashx.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527502712370502402" border="0" /></a><br />Back in April, the ACCC was given some powers that I had thought were a good idea, for some time...<br /><br />See the <a href="http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/articles/articles-legal/australian-consumer-law-accc-1364.html">article here</a> for more details.<br /><br />But now, Christopher Zinn believes he's found the perfect candidate for testing the new laws.<br /><br />The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Power Balance bracelet</span> has been called a "blatant con" by the Australian consumer watchdog, Choice (<a href="http://www.choice.com.au/Reviews-and-Tests/Food-and-Health/Diet-and-exercise/Exercise-equipment/Power%20Balance%20quick%20review/page/Introduction.aspx">read report</a>).<br /><br />So, watch this space, for more exciting updates. Could it be we're entering an age, finally, where consumers can hold manufacturers properly accountable for their claims?<br /><br />Here's hoping.<br /><br />What other products do you think would be best for testing under the new laws? List them here in the comments - and I'll send a list of the best ideas on to the ACCC.<br /><br /><br />More references:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.theage.com.au/sport/power-band-the-latest-snake-oil-20101006-167tf.html">The Age - Latest Snake Oil</a></li><li><a href="http://twitpic.com/2sd0p8/full">Sydney Morning Herald - $2 Shop Scam</a></li></ul><br />[Ed Note: for follow up, see <a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2011/01/powerbalance-is-scam-told-you.html">post here</a>]Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-30545861283376950342010-09-30T12:01:00.064+10:002011-05-10T23:58:25.854+10:00Pricing Carbon, Taxes and the ETS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yeINkWo0mJo/TclEVj_evuI/AAAAAAAABCQ/xBVevVUwok8/s1600/julia.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 127px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yeINkWo0mJo/TclEVj_evuI/AAAAAAAABCQ/xBVevVUwok8/s200/julia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605086348468731618" border="0" /></a>OK - so I haven't posted for a VERY long time...<br /><br />I HAVE been busy, <a href="http://closingtime2010.blogspot.com/">producing a theatre show</a> - but, excuses aside - here we go, finally:<br /><br />For years I have been saying I wanted to write a post in defence of the ETS. Many people - many intelligent and knowledgeable people - have asked me why the Australian Government (and this goes back to the days of PM Howard here) supports an ETS over a carbon tax.<br /><br />I actually think an ETS is a good idea. I think it's the only practical idea, in the long-term. I think it's the only effective idea, given the practicalities of government and I think it's the most efficient solution economically speaking. I'm THAT convinced.<br /><br />But, as we all know, the Rudd government did an AWFUL job of explaining themselves.<br /><br />We can excuse the Howard government for not explaining it properly, because, if you probed far enough, the truth was, they didn't want to do anything about the problem. They just proposed the ETS as their <span style="font-style: italic;">preferred </span>option ... "if we have to choose something I guess we'd prefer an ETS".<br /><br />But Rudd - that's where it really failed. He really wanted to do something (didn't he?).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mT38s8R_JPE/TclEbHlQ-fI/AAAAAAAABCY/vLdKvfT3Rwg/s1600/tony.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 112px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mT38s8R_JPE/TclEbHlQ-fI/AAAAAAAABCY/vLdKvfT3Rwg/s200/tony.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605086443921799666" /></a>In 2007/08 we had the Rudd-Slide - and I thought I'd missed my opportunity to explain why it was good idea, because it would just happen. Then in 2009 I thought I missed my chance to explain why it was a good idea because Copenhagen was going to ignite interest in the issue... then in 2010... well that’s when I should have got around to it - because it was damn clear the government wasn't going to explain their own policies to anyone.<br /><br />So here we are, at the end of 2010 - and STILL no one is clearly explaining why an ETS would be a good idea. So I'm going to try, in my own little way, to do just that...<br /><br />Before I try to lay it all out though... I must pre-empt the end of the story. Another idea has occurred to me, which I believe nullifies the only good argument I've ever heard <span style="font-style: italic;">against </span>the ETS (that of the difficulty of getting people to report clearly in the lead-up years). But you'll have to read to the end, to follow the argument.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >The Argument</span><br /><br />Any possible solution for the problem of Global Warming (I'm taking <span style="font-style: italic;">that </span>problem as a given, by the way... if you need to discuss <span style="font-style: italic;">that </span>topic first, this probably isn't going to be a very useful discussion for you) should be judged on 3 basic measures:<br /><br /><ol><li>Effectiveness: It's ability to reduce carbon emissions</li><li>Efficiency: It's cost to the overall economy</li><li>Practicality: It's likelihood of succeeding in the given political system</li></ol>In a broad sense there are 3 basic models put forward:<br /><ol><li>Direct legislation to limit carbon emissions</li><li>A carbon tax</li><li>An ETS</li></ol><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Effectiveness</span><br /><br />So basically, the question is - how <span style="font-style: italic;">effectively</span> does your plan reduce carbon emissions? How well does each given plan reach the particular goal of desired carbon output? And the answers are as follows:<br /><ol><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Direct legislation</span>: quite effective, actually, but sometimes unknown or unpredictable (can go over the top and damage the industries involved more than necessary - but that's not what we're discussing at this point)</li><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Carbon Tax</span>: completely unknown - depending on the level of the tax, it can completely kill the industries involved, have no effect on emissions or, if you get the value <span style="font-style: italic;">just right</span> (and I <span style="font-style: italic;">mean</span> "just right"), reduce emissions the amount you want.</li><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">ETS</span>: This is where the ETS really shines - you set the amount of maximum carbon output for the economy as a whole, and the market makes it happen by setting the right price for carbon. No more, no less - you get exactly the amount you said you wanted (ignoring illegal output, which applies to all 3 plans anyway).</li><br /></ol><br />For a really clear summary of the mechanisms involved, from some industry experts, listen to ABC Radio National - Australia Talks episode on carbon pricing. [I will add a link to the specific section I'm talking about, when I get time to edit the file]<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/rn/australiatalks/stories/2010/3019099.htm">The whole talk </a>is quite interesting, in fact, and includes parts near the beginning where an expert from an energy production company actually makes an argument for putting a price on carbon! Who would've thought?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Efficiency</span><br /><br />Here, the question is - how efficiently does the given plan reduce carbon emissions (to the desired amount)? How much does it cost, in total, for the economy to adjust to the changes and find a new equilibrium? And the answers are as follows:<br /><br /><ol><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Direct legislation</span>: There is some disagreement about this - but in essence the argument against it being efficient comes down to one idea: Government and Independent Bodies can't predict far enough in advance how best to reduce emissions. Don't legislate how it should be done... create incentives and let the cut-and-thrust of commerce and innovation work it out. Direct legislation seems, by all reports, the least efficient option.<br /></li><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Carbon Tax</span>: While a Carbon Tax is not the least efficient, it does seem to have one particular inefficiency. It allows the worst polluters (often the polluters with the highest profit margins) to keep paying to pollute. A carbon tax then, also, has the greatest financial impact on the (often lower-level) polluters who don't have the same high-margins. [N.B. While some people complain about an ETS that it allows the worst polluters to quickly make money on the cap-and-trade market by making reductions that were easy to make and should have been done already... <span style="font-style: italic;">this is exactly why it's more efficient than a carbon tax</span> - it gets the attention of those who can most easily (for "easily", read "efficiently") reduce their carbon output.]</li><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">ETS</span>: By all reports, an ETS IS the most efficient way to reduce emissions across the whole economy. A similar scheme (to the one proposed for Australia) was introduced to reduce SO2 emissions in the US, in 1990. It was reasonably effective - and when the efficiency (total cost per reduction in emissions) is calculated it stands clearly above previous attempts to do similar things via other methods. For a more detailed summary of this program and the findings / lessons: <a href="http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/bn/eco/EmissionsTrading.htm#_Toc240944120">http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/bn/eco/EmissionsTrading.htm#_Toc240944120</a></li><br /></ol><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Practicality</span><br /><br />And finally, the last question is - how practical is the given plan? How likely is it to succeed (in the long-term) given the changeable nature of politics and the personalities and pressures involved? And the answers are as follows:<br /><br /><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Direct legislation</span>: The problem for direct legislation, in the political arena, is that it's too easy to make a general argument that "that's not fair on me because X" - and it's too hard to balance out the differences for everyone involved. The moment you make a concession for one part of the economy, another will jump up and make a reasonable (sounding) argument for their own part of the economy. The only "fair" solution is one in which each area of the economy takes a chunk of the responsibility based on a range of sliding parameters. And politicians will never be able to wade through the sea of barriers that individual interest groups will put in their way (even if those politicians didn't have any self-interest involved, which of course they do).<br /></li><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Carbon Tax</span>: A carbon tax, by comparison, is simple and much more likely to get through, <span style="font-style: italic;">in the first place</span>. But what about after that? What about in 5 years time, when, by some miracle, the politicians managed to set exactly the right tax level, and have reduced our emissions to 90% of 1990 levels, but now the emissions are creeping up again, because innovation means it's much cheaper to produce carbon, and carbon producers can afford to pay more tax to do so... You've got the remember, it's the total carbon output, not the total cost, or revenue we're interested in here... who's going to guarantee that the next government would make the argument to <span style="font-style: italic;">increase </span>the tax by the required amount to keep us on track to a sustainable level of output? No one, that's who... we'd be in the same boat, all over again - right back where we started... fighting the same fights.<br /></li><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">ETS</span>: In comparison, an ETS is a self-regulating system. Set-it-and-forget-it. Well, not quite, I hear you say... you still need to make the political argument to reduce the emission levels... Ah yes! But saying, to the voting populace, "we need to reduce emissions further, let's set the dial on emissions a little lower" is a MUCH easier political position than "let's increase taxes again". You tell me which you think is going to be more sustainable... Besides which, you could set-in a program of clearly defined year-by-year reductions, right now - and they are much less likely to need adjustment than tax levels... because when we set the level on an ETS we're saying exactly how much carbon we are going to allow, not guessing how much carbon a particular tax level will generate.</li></ol><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >The Only Problem</span><br /><br />The problem, with an ETS, that I have seen examples of, is this: how do you work out how many permits to create in the first place?<br /><br />This problem was faced by the introduction of an ETS in Europe. And they failed to avoid it.<br /><br />They asked people to report how much carbon they produced... and of course, they over reported, so that there would be too many permits - and permits would therefore be cheaper.<br /><br />Conversely, a carbon tax has the opposite problem. It asks people to report - and they under report, in order to avoid tax.<br /><br />And that's what brought me to the solution:<br /><br />A carbon tax can be introduced much faster and more easily than an ETS... a carbon tax encourages under-reporting... an ETS encourages over-reporting.<br /><br />So:<br /><ol><li>Introduce a carbon tax - <span style="font-style: italic;">in the next budget</span><ul><li>A small introductory one, with indications that it will rise over the next 3 years.</li></ul></li><li>Ask people to report their emissions, as they would need to, in order to calculate a tax<ul><li>Obviously some form of auditing would need to check-up on people's self-reporting - as is the case for any form of tax or trading system.</li></ul></li><li>BUT - and here's the important bit - make it very clear that there WILL be an ETS introduced at the end of that 3 year period</li></ol>And, so what? Where does that leave you?<br /><br />Well, it leaves you with companies, across Australia who all have a vested interest in reducing the reporting of their emissions, over the next 3 years, in order to avoid tax - but who are also clearly aware that any attempt to do so will mean not enough permits to go around and much more expensive permits, in 3 years time.<br /><br />You have 3 year to prepare for the introduction of an ETS. The tax level can be adjusted in the s2n and 3rd years, as its effect becomes clearer over time.<br /><br />You might still get some under reporting... and you might even get some over-reporting in the last year, on the calculation that paying a bit of extra tax, in the last year is worth getting more permits into the system eventually... but on balance I think most people will recognise that the most efficient way to report is honestly.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Thus, in my opinion, reducing one of the only major difficulties with the initiation of an ETS.</span><br /><br />Until then, let's hope we can get SOME price on carbon soon - so that it starts getting factored in to future growth and planning.<br /><br />It's sad to reflect that, after all this time... this blog post is still as relevant today as when I first started writing it in my head... more than 5 years ago...<br /><br />Can we move on now?<br /><br /><br /><br />Other References:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.mygreenaudit.com/arguments-in-favour-of-an-emissions-trading-scheme/">http://www.mygreenaudit.com/arguments-in-favour-of-an-emissions-trading-scheme/</a><br /></li></ul>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-54700712132019458932010-05-05T20:15:00.010+10:002011-05-11T00:00:12.721+10:00How bad was the government's insulation scheme, really?Some months ago, I read a piece in Crikey which analysed the numbers on the insulation scheme - and how much they increased risk for the people who had used it.<br /><br />I found the numbers fascinating. Basically, they show that <span style="font-weight: bold;">the risk of fire from insulation, per insulation, was actually reduced by the introduction of the scheme</span>, and the extra regulation and safety measures it brought in.<br /><br />I won't rehash all the details here. You can look them up in <a href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollytics/2010/02/24/did-the-insulation-program-actually-reduce-fire-risk/comment-page-1/">the original Crikey article</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TLsbmiTbZdg/TclE33IYWLI/AAAAAAAABCg/B3hzdgjoJCU/s1600/midnightoil.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TLsbmiTbZdg/TclE33IYWLI/AAAAAAAABCg/B3hzdgjoJCU/s200/midnightoil.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5605086937721886898" /></a>But I did want to say that it's not entirely unbelievable. The insulation scheme actually <span style="font-weight: bold;">introduced safety regulations to an industry that previously had absolutely none</span> - so however much the opposition wants to claim that the safety measures "didn't go far enough"... at least they went somewhere.<br /><br />What I am seriously disappointed by is: if these figures and analysis have any basis in reality, then the government has completely failed to explain this to anyone, and has, apparently, <span style="font-weight: bold;">simply walked away from the issue because it was a "hot potato".</span> These figures don't make what the government did "alright", they just make exactly what wrong they did a different issue. If the government has walked away from a policy that was, in essence, working - and avoided the hard job of explaining this to the populace, because... well, I don't know... because they thought we were too stupid to understand, then... IMHO <span style="font-weight: bold;">that's even worse</span>!<br /><br />I wanted to try to bring attention to this matter again. As the election grows nearer, more and more references are going to be dragged up by the opposition in reference to this matter... but the real issue isn't that the government stuffed up their policy - it's that the government <span style="font-weight: bold;">completely failed to explain how their policy, and implantation of it, was actually working</span>.<br /><br />Let's understand, and complain about, the real issue here.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-67117683976289203732010-04-23T10:33:00.007+10:002010-04-23T10:42:50.814+10:00James Randi, Psychics and HomeopoathyAfter some rights issues (as mentioned on the <a href="http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/960-randi-at-ted.html">James Randi Education Foundation web site</a>), TED have finally released a video, filmed last year, of <a href="http://www.ted.com/speakers/james_randi.html">James Randi</a>'s take down of phychic fraud and homeopathy.<br /><br />For those of you who know <a href="http://www.ted.com/speakers/james_randi.html">Randi</a>... it's all been said before - but he does it so well - with so much passion, and such fun:<br /><br /><!--copy and paste--><object height="326" width="446"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/JamesRandi_2007-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/JamesRandi-2007.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=835&introDuration=16500&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=2000&adKeys=talk=james_randi;year=2007;theme=master_storytellers;theme=unconventional_explanations;theme=new_on_ted_com;event=TED2007;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;"><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="#ffffff" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/JamesRandi_2007-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/JamesRandi-2007.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=835&introDuration=16500&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=2000&adKeys=talk=james_randi;year=2007;theme=master_storytellers;theme=unconventional_explanations;theme=new_on_ted_com;event=TED2007;" height="326" width="446"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Thanks Randi!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-71349712971434461212010-04-19T22:31:00.002+10:002010-04-19T22:38:30.442+10:00Homeopathy wins!I had to share this one...<br /><br />I love the fact that one of the oldest Double-Blind Randomised Controlled Tests ever recorded was performed on homeopathy... but I won't take the credit for the research... let <a href="http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=4750">Joseph Albietz tell you all about it</a>.<br /><br />Oh, it failed the test by the way... but it won in another way. Homeopathy is <span style="font-weight: bold;">possibly the <span style="font-style: italic;">first</span> theory to ever be disproved</span> by the implementation of the Double-Blind Randomised Controlled Test.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-10135343801161482522010-04-15T22:09:00.006+10:002010-04-19T22:40:30.461+10:00Irreducible Complexity<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbkRuotczaU/S8cYoZaCR9I/AAAAAAAAA1o/7Yv-2nPdmGE/s1600/924mousetrap.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 136px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbkRuotczaU/S8cYoZaCR9I/AAAAAAAAA1o/7Yv-2nPdmGE/s200/924mousetrap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460360155503937490" border="0" /></a>For those of my friends (a couple at least) who believe that the Intelligent Design proponents might "have a point" - I would like to take a moment to post this piece... it's from The SGU 5x5 (The Skeptics Guide To The Universe, 5 by 5).<br /><br />I found it one of the best, succinct, refutations of the "Irreducible Complexity" argument that is often put forward by people who support the idea of Intelligent Design.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/z1FznWlVTr8&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/z1FznWlVTr8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="172" width="212"></embed></object><br /><br />On the same subject, essentially - I also found this, shorter, piece on Teleology (the generic argument behind Intelligent Design), its history and the reasons for being skeptical of its implementation.<br /><br />Basically, it efficiently outlines the argument against the idea behind Intelligent Design.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pljaoJKSIgA&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pljaoJKSIgA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="172" width="212"></embed></object><br /><br />Nice work from the SGU team.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-25042335249202979592010-04-15T20:33:00.008+10:002010-04-19T22:46:43.023+10:00So, "what's the harm?" you might ask<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbkRuotczaU/S8b0_IKaN-I/AAAAAAAAA1Q/WtiN2F-YPJo/s1600/220px-Bayer_Heroin_bottle.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 220px; height: 322px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mbkRuotczaU/S8b0_IKaN-I/AAAAAAAAA1Q/WtiN2F-YPJo/s400/220px-Bayer_Heroin_bottle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460320963593385954" border="0" /></a>I really quite like this...<br /><br />I found an interesting web site, today - dedicated to answering the question: "What's The Harm?"<br /><br />It's a soft argument, often used by people of, what I would call, a non-skeptical nature... to refute the general argument that any false claim (by proponents of drugs that don't work or procedures that do little good) should be tracked down and advertised as non-scientific and unproven.<br /><br />"What's the harm?" they say. By this, presumably, they mean "if it doesn't do any harm, then there's no problem with allowing people to keep <span style="font-style: italic;">believing</span> it works, whether it does or not".<br /><br />Now, besides the fact that I would disagree with this basic argument, on principal (more about that some other time, maybe)... even accepting the argument as a valid moral position - the truth of the matter is that many ineffective drugs, non-scientific procedures and false claims <span style="font-style: italic;">do</span> do harm. I have heard many such examples over the years, usually while watching interesting talks from well known skeptics such as James Randi and Simon Singh (<a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2010/04/simon-singh-wins-libel-case.html">who won his libel case today</a> - yay!).<br /><br />The problem is, I always forget the details, and can't draw them up from my memory banks in a convincing enough way, when presented with the need to do so in argument...<br /><br />And here's the answer: a web site devoted to recording, documenting and measuring the harm done by fallacious claims and bad (or non-existent) science.<br /><a href="http://whatstheharm.net/"><br />What's The Harm</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbkRuotczaU/S8b1EJXHLPI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/LackHFJ72Pg/s1600/220px-BayerHeroin.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 220px; height: 293px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_mbkRuotczaU/S8b1EJXHLPI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/LackHFJ72Pg/s400/220px-BayerHeroin.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460321049814445298" border="0" /></a>So bookmark it... and the next time someone says to you "but what's the harm" pull out your smartphone (no product bias here, thanks), load up <a href="http://whatstheharm.net/">this page</a> - follow the link to the topic of the hour, and read out a few examples...<br /><br />If the person you're talking with doesn't become violent with rage over what a smartypants you are, you might just have managed to make a well deserved point...<br /><br />Have a quick browse through some of the topics covered. I found it quite interesting to see how much detail, and how many examples they've managed to collect.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-60872699462700927602010-04-15T20:11:00.008+10:002010-04-23T10:30:35.962+10:00Simon Singh wins libel case<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbkRuotczaU/S8bz_JK8ChI/AAAAAAAAA1I/qCuDg3AfuuM/s1600/225px-Simon_Singh_TAM_London_2009.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 169px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mbkRuotczaU/S8bz_JK8ChI/AAAAAAAAA1I/qCuDg3AfuuM/s400/225px-Simon_Singh_TAM_London_2009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460319864352410130" border="0" /></a>The British Chiropractic Association, today, <a href="http://www.elyplace.com/index.aspx?p=1&articleId=208">dropped its libel case</a> against Simon Singh, the science writer.<br /><br />In what must be a great relief to many active and outspoken skeptics, across the UK, and around the world - the court of appeal in the UK overturned the previous judgment, that Singh's piece was "not comment"... that he would need to prove the objective truth of what he wrote.<br /><br />Interestingly, the previous judgment basically said "you need to <span style="font-style: italic;">prove</span> that Chiropractic doesn't work, or we can sue you for saying it"... which of course would lead to all sorts of possible libel cases regarding people speaking our against unproven claims.<br /><br />Imagine if pharmaceutical companies could say "'this product cures cancer' - and we can claim it does, on the bottle AND you can't print a word saying it doesn't, until you can prove that it doesn't". The onus of proof would then be on the consumer, or the skeptic, to prove the non-efficacy of a product before anyone would be allowed to say it didn't work.<br /><br />Anyway, the point is, the decision was overturned - and the BCA have dropped their case.<br /><br />As Rebecca Watson from Skepchick <a href="http://skepchick.org/blog/2010/04/breaking-simon-singh-has-won/">points out</a>, though, Simon Singh may have a hell of time recouping his costs - and he may still have made some significant financial sacrifices in order to see this case through, and not simply settle "out of court".<br /><br />More links on the story:<br /><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7544666/Simon-Singh-wins-key-battle-in-alternative-medicine-libel-case.html">Telegraph UK</a><br /><a href="http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article7098157.ece">Times Online</a><br /><br /><br />[Ed: Latest update. This from "The Millenium Project" - <a href="http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/history/2010/04april.htm#17singh">Simon Singh again</a>]Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-20965443343832153292010-04-15T19:33:00.003+10:002010-04-19T22:55:56.997+10:00Sarah Mahew - grab on to what is trueI was quite excited (and, kind of touched) by this video:<br /><br /><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YewnVH_JQEQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YewnVH_JQEQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="167" width="320"></embed></object><br /><br />But, I am confused as to what "Nokia Responsiveness" is.<br /><br />I'm happy to see the inclusion of this story here - but what exactly is the point of Nokia Responsiveness and its attempt at civic "conversation starting"? Can anyone enlighten me?<br /><br />But - actually, just replay the video... and listen to that inspiring question at the end... "do we have the courage to let go of our beliefs in order to grab on to what is true?"Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-64075113508285141682010-03-01T22:59:00.007+11:002010-03-04T12:45:47.258+11:00Conroy already filtering his own siteWould I sound paranoid if I said Stephen Conroy's website is deliberately concealing users' searches for "ISP Filtering"?<br /><br />Well the evidence is on <a href="http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/">the page itself</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>//Customise the tag-cloud to display what shows up<br /> if (unique[i] == "ISP Filtering")<br /> {<br /> continue;<br /> }</blockquote>Basically, this piece of code simply says "if the value in the List you are displaying is 'ISP Filtering' leave it out". It's there in plain code, in the HTML of the page you download from his site. However many searches anyone makes on "ISP Filetering" it will never be displayed in the list of users' searches - therefore giving a false impression of what people are actually searching for.<br /><br />It claims to give you information on what users are interested in then specifically alters that information for, what can only been assumed to be, Senator Conroy's own purposes.<br /><br />It is also a very blunt solution that obviously wouldn't catch values such as "Web Filtering" or "ISP Censorship". Not only is it surprising behaviour - it's also an ineffective, amateurish and clumsy solution to a problem (that he shouldn't have been trying to solve in the first place).<br /><br />The worst thing about this is - if Senator Conroy doesn't understand what the difference between this and properly removing the results (on the server side) is, then he is an embarrassment to his portfolio and doesn't deserve the role... if he does understand the difference and can't be bothered fixing it "properly" (so you and I can't simply see it ourselves) then he simply doesn't think this is an embarrassing thing to do.<br /><br />I think the former is more likely - but either way - he just doesn't get it.<br /><br />More details - <a href="http://www.news.com.au/technology/conroys-website-removes-references-to-filter/story-e6frfro0-1225834474153">news.com.au article on the subject</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-71312981371394082062009-05-13T21:12:00.016+10:002009-05-14T14:29:48.919+10:00Budget '09 RoundupEvery year my best friend (who shall be, from here on, referred to as "C4") and I get together for a special event. One year, as there was no television at my house, he drove a television over to my house, in the car, especially.<br /><br />No it's not the State Origin, or the World Cup (der, obviously - that's on every 4 years... isn't it?).<br /><br />It's the budget. That's right, we get together... to watch... the budget.<br /><br />As the major and most publicly anticipated political event of each year - we both find an embarrassed nerdy pleasure in making the time to watch it.<br /><br />The main frustration in previous years has been wanting to comment in the middle of the speech - and rewind in order to catch details. This year (along with the beer, wine and cashews) I came to the party armed with note-pad and pen, so I could jot down points of interest without interrupting the flow of the speech. I needn't have bothered, however, as, low and behold, this year C4 brought his DVD recording system to the party so we could pause, discuss and rewind - what a revelation! Someone should tell someone... I don't know... maybe, sports fans, or something, might like this kind of thing too.<br /><br />Every year I am inspired to write a roundup. So this year...<br /><br />On top of this, however - C4 was kind enough to point out the discrepancy between the name of my blog and the regularity with which it's updated... perhaps my "ramblings" have not been quite as "incessant" as I would have hoped...<br /><br />What better time to pick up the pace with my posts again!<br /><br />So now, for the roundup:<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >The Roundup</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Initial Thoughts</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br />So - once you get past the contemporary need for a "catch phrase" or a sound bite:<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"and tonight's budget is brought to you by the expression 'Nation Building for Recovery'"</span><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />the first issue with this budget is the fact that it was billed as a "tough budget". In his opening preamble, Wayne Swan says that "economic leadership is about making the tough decisions, no matter what the political consequences might be".<br /><br />That may be so - but if it is, then this budget does </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >nothing</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> to prove Labor's commitment to economic leadership. Quite the opposite - they have obviously made some less "tough" decisions </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >in order </span><span style="font-size:100%;">to minimise the political consequences in their most contested constituencies, and other "tough" decisions have been made </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >precisely because</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> there were no political consequences to speak of.<br /><br />Yes of course - expecting politicians not to be political is like [insert drole comparison of two oxymoronic concepts here]. But still, to claim the actual decisions within this budget as anything approaching "tough" is simply taking the piss. Wayne Swan claimed that "We couldn't raise the pension without hard choices elsewhere" - but apparently... he has.<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Pension Payments</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Increase in withdrawal rate</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Increase in qualifying age</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Decrease in super concessions (some temporary)<br /></span></li></ul><span style="font-size:100%;">for pensioners; all of these things are savings. But they could hardly be defined as "tough" or "hard choices". All of them are outweighed by increased payments to singles and couples.<br /><br />Now, don't get me wrong. I support all of these measures. All of them seem fair and right. Or, at least, more fair than the previous system. But none of them should be defined as "tough".<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Paid Maternity Leave</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />All this talk brings me to one of major problems in this budget - the plans for paid maternity leave.<br /><br />Let's look at some of the big numbers:<br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-size:100%;">$22 billion - Infrastructure</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">$4.7 billion towards a $43 billion PPP Broadband Network</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">$5.3 billion - Tertiary Education</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:100%;">Amongst all of this, the government has made one of their "tough" decisions regarding paid maternity leave and postponed it for 18 months.<br /><br />Now the TOTAL spend over 5 years for the introduction of a Paid Parental Leave system is $731 million - and yet the government sees the need to postpone this until </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >after the next election</span><span style="font-size:100%;">.<br /><br />The savings are minimal, and yet the potential cultural benefit so great.<br /><br />Lets make this clear - we are in a club of 2 (along with the US) as the ONLY OECD countries who have no paid maternity leave. If they were worried about the effect on job security, in a time of economic downturn - they could have found a little extra ($731 million isn't much compared to the rest of the budget) to compensate (small?) businesses for some of the extra costs involved in back-filling staff.<br /><br />The last thing we want to encourage people to do right now, is to hold off on having more children - and yet that's what this decision does. It's a small price for a great gain - and there's no reason, in my mind, to hold a carrot to the electorate and say "vote for me again - or you might not get paid maternity". In fact I find that insulting.<br /><br />Does the Rudd government believe in it as a policy or not? Not enough to introduce it - apparently.<br /><br />You could imagine that this might push some of the Labor faithful towards voting Green... and amazingly enough, this shift is borne out in the latest poles - where Labor have lost 5 or 6 points, and the majority of them have been picked up by the Greens.<br /><br />"But wait", I hear you cry, "didn't you say the problem was the budget isn't tough enough? Isn't that at least a small saving for tough times?"<br /><br />And this brings me to to my comment for the budget as a whole.<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Big Problem</span><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />The problem with this budget is not the fact that it isn't a tough budget.<br /><br />The problem for this budget is that it was <span style="font-weight: bold;">sold</span> as a tough budget.<br /><br />In trying to come up with some good "tough" measures that the government could have introduced at this budget - I came up with nothing.<br /><br />The problem is, anything broad-based enough, tough enough and big enough in total value, to actually be defined as "tough" is, at the same time, dangerously deflationary. And deflation isn't a game we want to risk getting into in this climate.<br /><br />The truth of the matter is, we missed the opportunity to save as much money as we should have, under the last government. They gave it all back in tax cuts, which were an inflationary measure in boom times. Now we're stuck trying to avoid deflationary cuts in bad times.<br /><br />It's much like the frustration with the first Swan budget.<br /><br />There wasn't actually enough difference between the Rudd government's position and the Howard government's. While still in boom times, the Rudd government handed back most of the boom time money in personal tax cuts (only slightly less tax cuts than the Liberals wanted to introduce - but let's take a moment to imagine how much worse the current budget would look if we <span style="font-style: italic;">had</span> introduced the Liberals tax cuts).<br /><br />So... the problem isn't that this budget isn't tough enough - on the contrary... we need to admit that, what we don't need right now is a tough budget. We need to support spending in key areas - in order to avoid deflationary pressures. And we need to (which this budget does) plan to pull back on that accelerator once things are looking good again.<br /><br />I actually support much of what this budget puts in motion.<br /><br />After a period of short-term injections, we now need some medium-term plans to increase productivity and support jobs.<br /><br />There's money for Health and Education and some areas of Social Security (interestingly not Unemployment or Single Parents).<br /><br />But - in holding off on introducing the Paid Maternity Leave measures until after the next election, the Rudd government has snubbed its nose at its heart-land voters. The argument, presumably, is "well, who else are they going to vote for?".<br /><br />The Greens? Well, again, Labor may be hoping that all those votes will come back to them in preferences. And they may well be correct.<br /><br />But - after years of barracking for Kevin Rudd, in response to this (and his last) budget - my current hope for the next election is that we can find dense enough collections of "Left swinging" voters to make a real splash for the Greens.<br /><br />For some reason (call me naive), I still believe the Greens will push through policies that represent their core constituencies, and not just the people who might be swayed at election time.<br /><br />This wasn't an "election budget" - that's coming next time. Rudd will have to do a lot more "voter pleasing" next year. This was his opportunity to introduce some real and valuable "Labor style" policies - and, from my perspective, he missed it. I understand that you need to stay in power - but if you don't take the opportunity to introduce some strong policies when the opportunity is there, what's the point in being in power at all?<br /><br />Unless of course, he thinks this <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> an election budget? Just how much does he predict we might be heading for a double dissolution...? Hmmmm...<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">References:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.budget.gov.au/2009-10/content/speech/html/speech.htm">Transcript of the 2009-10 Federal Budget, second reading</a></span></li></ul>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-23423252030920043912008-12-08T21:07:00.003+11:002008-12-09T23:04:53.785+11:00Phony Pope Mobile FinedIt's been a little while since I posted on offbeat news... well, it's been a little while since I posted on anything. I will be back to the political affairs soon - but in the mean time.<br /><br />A protest Popemobile, built by Sydney activists as a protest against the Pope's visit in July, was issued with a Defect Notice and put off the road. It's driver, Ian Bryce was booked and fined for "having a roof ornament likely to distract motorists".<br /><br /><div><span>Details of its adventures, <a href="http://www.worldtruthday.org/photoalbum/photos.htm">photos</a>, and a video, are linked from the website <a href="http://www.worldtruthday.org/">worldTRUTHday.org</a><a href="http://www.worldtruthday.org/">.</a> </span></div><br />On top of this, in related news, we now learn that <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/youth-day-100m-over-budget/2008/11/26/1227491594599.html">the Government's bill for World Youth Day has come in at more than $100 million over-budget</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-79813711015664648372008-07-15T23:36:00.005+10:002008-07-16T00:20:26.014+10:00World Youth Day - No New Powers, Just Old OnesI am more than pleased to report that the new laws, allowing police to detain people or fine them $5,500 for annoying or inconveniencing World Youth Day attendees... for the obvious reason that they could be misused to infringe on people's rights.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/15/2304138.htm">http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/15/2304138.htm</a><br /><br />I may have <a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2008/07/world-youth-day-new-powers.html">joked about making the laws less unfair by expanding them</a> - but in the end, in all seriousness, sense has prevailed.<br /><br />Unfortunately it took an appeal to the Full Bench of the Federal Court to realise this outcome - and all the associated costs and fuss that comes with such an appeal... but at least it happened.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-59347273450951480392008-07-08T15:08:00.005+10:002008-07-08T15:18:47.357+10:00Under-funding Public Broadcasters - the problems and pitfallsIn my recent post on <a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2008/05/abc-funding-scary-statistics.html">under-funding the ABC</a>, I outlined how much the ABC has had its budget cut over the last decade or so... and <a href="http://quietly-insane.blogspot.com/2008/05/kevin-rudd-on-funding-for-abc.html">Kevin Rudd's official reply on the matter</a>.<br /><br />I have since contacted the minister in question (Senator Conroy) to remind him of the promises made before the election.<br /><br />But today, Crikey! released their assessment of some of the symptoms of under-funding that are beginning to show themselves.<br /><br />I can't say it much better than them... so here's the link:<br /><a href="http://www.crikey.com.au/Media-Arts-and-Sports/20080708-The-ABC-outsourcing-r-us.html"><br />The ABC: outsourcings "R" us</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8933062512835261284.post-48172239655575828952008-07-01T22:08:00.004+10:002008-07-01T23:01:26.911+10:00World Youth Day - New PowersNew powers, effective today, have been introduced to allow police to perform partial strip searches at hundreds of Sydney sites - and to allow police to arrest and fine people for "causing annoyance" to World Youth Day participants.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/06/30/1214677946009.html">The SHM report</a>.<br /><br />Critics say that the new laws have the potential to make a crime of wearing a T-shirt with a message on it, undertaking a <i>Chaser</i>-style stunt, handing out condoms at protests, riding a skateboard or even playing music.<br /><br />I say - these laws haven't gone far enough!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Yes</span>, they are prejudiced against people who aren't participants of World Youth Day.<br /><br />But the answer isn't to restrict the laws - or repeal them. The solution is to broaden them.<br /><br />Let's remove the prejudice from these laws by extending their powers to everyone.<br /><br />World Youth Day causes me great annoyance. Why not fine everyone of the participants for every WYD t-shirt they wear.<br /><br />All participants of WYD should be strip searched upon leaving any of the "declared areas". People leaving them should be subject to vehicle and baggage searches that require them to remove jackets, gloves, shoes and headwear if requested. And reasonable force should be allowed to make sure they stay inside their "declared areas" if, for any reason, they do not permit the search.<br /><br />Kristina Keneally is reported as saying "bag checks are a sensible safety precaution which any young person who is going to a major event in Australia … would expect". So, the participants should be expecting them.<br /><br />The president of the NSW Council of Civil Liberties, Cameron Murphy, said the broad meaning of "causes annoyance" had the potential to encompass any activity.<br /><br />Great! So, basically, if extended to pro-WYD behavior as well as anti-WYD... it would cover any religious singing, all speeches and sermons performed as a part of WYD... and most especially, anything carrying the motto "For the time of your eternal life"!<br /><br />Bring it on. Let's fine every last one of them for all the really annoying things they're going to subject us to.<br /><br />Don't shun the idea - use it.<br /><br />Bring on the new laws... just get rid of the prejudice in them, and we can all join in the game.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18070856686009226772noreply@blogger.com1