State Election 2014, Philosophy and Interstate Training

[tcpip]

Well, as everyone knows we've had a change in government in Victoria, with no less than a card-carrying member (we don't really have cards) of the Socialist Left leading the Labor Party to a modest victory that included some really impressive grassroots campaigning. I worked myself pretty hard on the final week of the campaign (arguably too hard and completely exhausted myself on one day - I'm not twenty anymore). I have ventured some opinions and personal experiences of the campaign in a 'blog post on Isocracy.

Nevertheless the fallout and counting from the Victorian state election continues. The Greens have successfully replaced a progressive woman in the seat Melbourne with a progressive woman whilst their vote overall has declined and they have fallen short of knocking off a Tory MP in a nearby seat - and yet still many consider this to a "victory". As convener, I have reviewed the Victorian Secular Lobby election 2014 campaign, and am looking forward to seeing on what issues the new government can take a positive direction (e.g., chaplains, religious instruction in public schools, equal opportunity, and voluntary euthanasia). A couple of days ago had dinner with old comrade Bill Bowe of The Pollbludger who was visiting for said event, which included a visit to the Abbotsford Convent and of course a quick view of our old Kew Asylum.

Preparing myself for this Sunday's meeting of The Philosophy Forum where I take on the question of The Philosophy of Music, looking at definitions, history, technology, and aesthetics. Next week it also seems that I'll be visiting Sydney for a couple of days, specifically to Macquarie University's Australan Institute of Health Innovation to provide training to researchers on Linux command line, PBSPro job submission, Postgresql, and OpenMPI programming.

Comments

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that Labor is back in power in Vic, but I suppose most glad of the message it's giving the Coalition in general. Let's hope this carries through to federal level when the time comes.

Have you ever read Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks? Not exactly so much to do with philosophy of music, but really intriguing all the same.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Well, Abbott was absolutely toxic in Victoria and I suspect his threats ("we'll take away $3bn if you don't vote for the East-West link") probably swayed a few people. Now it looks like there's panic in the air for the LNP in Queensland, of all places.

I am a little familiar with Musicophilia, and the association between harmonics and neurology will be one of the things we look at on Sunday.

Wine and cheese

[delphipsmith]

OK, it is just cheddar, but it's $22 and comes in a can and I have it on good authority that it's truly amazing.

Sadly, I have been unable to come up with a way to get you the two bottles of Werewolf cabernet that have been lurking in my cupboard for a month. Once it got into the hands of your postal service it would be fine (Australia is so civilized), but the first leg would be tricky since apparently it's a federal offense for a private citizen to ship wine through the US Postal Service. Who knew? So sorry :(

Re: Wine and cheese

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Goodness, you would be an international drug smuggler according to the US Postal Service. In our part of the world posting alcohol all over the place is common and abetted by the postal system who sell special postal cartons for just a thing.

I'm impressed and yet oddly uneasy that the Washington State University has gotten into the cheese production and sales world. I'm kinda stuck in the old ideal that universities engage in pure research and publically release their results.