News from Planet Perth, Two elections, Religious Vilification

Wow, fourteen days since my last update. That's probably a record of sorts.

Perth was fine. First stop was caseopaya's family home in deepest darkest suburbia. Following day caught up with the good people at MARS, played a weird but workable combination of Monopoly and Game of Life and latter that evening a "How To Host a Murder" variant which was a lots of fun, which included aurickandrien and bridgetdrusilla, among many others. Kate R. makes a magnificant chocolate martini, no doubt about it. Very pleasing to see that an association that one was responsible for founding some 17 years ago is still going strong.

Gathering at the Oxford Hotel included delicious_irony, _fustian, darklion, lefae, and others. Afterwards caught up with Khat K., whom I hadn't seen for years and years at the Hyde Park, local punk-ish orientated pub, which still maintains the rage. To finish off the evening went to local club Sin, where I caught up with zey and radium_labs and met, I think, feathersoul. Bloody nightclubs, can't hear a thing sometimes. Caught sight of, but didn't get to talk to, karmashka_sarah.

SAGE-AU conference went smoothly, although some higher technical standards would have been appreciated. My paper (mostly non-technical) was reasonably well received, although an hour would have been better than the half-hour provided.

Other Perth events included a few days kicking around town catching up with old Perth-ites from many moons ago including Denny C., Bruce T., Richard B., Lorna W., and Jasper S. Went to the zoo to discover that a few years back most of the squirrels, which have been roaming free in the area for about 150 years, were accidently poisoned. Still managed to capture one young 'un on film so they're making a comeback. Hooray! Also had lunch with Jody A., an old high school friend whom I hadn't seen for twenty years.

Also managed to catch up briefly with excellent writer and gamer stephen_dedman and purchased his new book "Never Seen By Waking Eyes". Finished it last night. It's good. Damn good.

Elections in New Zealand and Germany both are marginal victories for the left, with strong showings by the "alternative" left parties (Greens, Maori Party in NZ, Greens, Left Party in Germany). Horse-trading for coalition partners commence, but I cannot imagine the Nationals or CDU getting a workable majority in either case, although it is possible as a "grand coalition" (Labor-National, SPD-CDU).

Sunday's service at the Unitarians was a debate between Mark Zirnsak, of the Uniting Church and Anne O'Rourke, of Liberty Victory on the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act which basically outlaws comments which may incite hatred, contempt, revulsion or severe ridicule (something I think a lot of religions and religious practises deserve). I gave the service with some rather choice comments from Unitarians in the past. I had strong comments to Dr. Zirnsak after the service for his support of the Act. Anne O'Rourke had much better and workable comments (including making defamation laws available to class action, rather to individuals alone).

( service readings )