War crimes, Open Sauce, The Box Meme, Fabians and Adelaide beckons...

[tcpip]

What he said...

"I couldn't justify on its own a military invasion of Iraq to change the regime."

"Its possession of chemical and biological weapons and its pursuit of a nuclear capability poses a real and unacceptable threat to the stability and security of our world,"

"The Australian Government knows that Iraq has chemical and biological weapons and that Iraq wants to develop nuclear weapons."

"We believe that so far from our action in Iraq increasing the terrorist threat it will, by stopping the spread of chemical and biological weapons, make it less likely that a devastating terrorist attack will be carried out against Australia."

"We did not distort that intelligence, I did not manipulate."

That's why we need a Royal Commission...

Eight articles in The Age today.



http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2004/03/01/1078117364883.html
PM's Iraq claims 'not supported'

http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2004/03/01/1078117364061.html
Hard to explain ONA changing advice

http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2004/03/01/1078117364090.html
Advice not 'sexed up', but ignored: Beazley

http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2004/03/01/1078117364064.html
Doubt cast on Howard's reasons for Iraq war

http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2004/03/01/1078117364084.html
Report backs Age revelations

http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2004/03/01/1078117364093.html
Tough questions remain unanswered

http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2004/03/01/1078117364087.html
Weaknesses to be found from the start to the end

http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2004/03/01/1078117361592.html
Why we now need a full inquiry



One of my favourite hobbies - and occassional profession - is cooking. I've had great fortune recently in my op-shop searches on this matter. Recent discoveries include that classic invention The Swift Whip (good enough to be on display at the Wellington Museum), a Moulinette and a 16 volume Time-Life Recipes of the World. Needless to say, I've been making full use of said items.

I am considering combining the current project that I have with the language translation programme with Peter and Cromwell with a cooking programme. A google-like interface, plug a few keywords (e.g., "French" "Chicken" "Onion" "Garlic") and it will return a stack of recipes for you.

I even have a name for the programme. "Open Sauce". ;-)

Whilst on-topic with the translation programme, although I have found plenty of academic papers on problems relating to the subject, do you think I can find any source code? Fourty years research on the topic and the best I can find is a failed English-Russian programme that translated "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" to "The vodka is strong, but the meat is rotten".

Memeage...

From usekh, via lederhosen..


So, say you were meeting a new person--blind date, new friend, who knows. And you wanted them to have some idea of what kind of person you are, and who you are. But you can't actually tell them in so many words. Instead, you have to give them a box, with a dozen things in it for them to look at/read/listen to/taste/whatever. What would you put in the box? And a copy of your journal or a link to your LJ would be the same thing as just telling them directly, yourself, so that's not allowed.



1. Two birth certicates, same place, same date, different names. One without a surname.
2. A copy of Francios Truffaut's 400 Blows
3. A copy of Sandanista! by The Clash
4. A copy of Rolemaster Companion VI
5. A copy of Neon-Komputadador
6. A copy of my PhD, A Social Theory of the Internet
7. A copy of The Beacon, magazine of the Melbourne Unitarian Church.
8. A black beret.
7. A bicycle.
9. A passport.
10. A parrot (named 'Poly').
11. A spirit-level (it's also a metaphor).
12. Some shit and a stick to stir it with.


Slowlight reveals on why going to ANU may not be such a good thing.

Whilst searching for historical standards for measurement (for my thesis) I discovered this little link on collective nouns for animals.

Interesting event coming up: The Australian Fabian Society Autumn Lectures
'And the Truth Shall Set You Free: Public and Community Television and Radio and the Public Interest'.


Mondays 22 and 29 March and 5 April. 6pm for 6:30pm to 8:30pm, at the Assembly Hall, 156 Collins Street, Melbourne (Next to Georges). Speakers ABC Chairman Donald McDonald, ABC historian Ken Inglis, media studies teacher and 'Age' columnist Catharine Lumby, Film, Television and Radio School Director Malcolm Long; Swinburne Institute Research Fellow Jock Given; 3RRR station manager Kath Letch, ALP Communications and Community Relationships Shadow Minister Lindsay Tanner, MHR (ALP Shadow Minister for Communications), outspoken cultural affairs commentator Tony Moore and writer Guy Rundle. Chaired by Phillip Adams, June Factor and Terry Laidler. 'Early Bird' Advance Saver Booking Season Ticket $40, or $25 concession for Australian Fabian Society and Friends of the ABC members, community radio subscribers, students and Health Card holders. Door Price season tickets $45 or $30 concession, single entry admissions $15, or $10 concession.


Off to Adelaide next week, for a week. My ol chum Paula has a role in a play and I need the week to finish editing my thesis. Wow. It's like, almost done.

Now what do I do?

Comments

[lederhosen.livejournal.com]

My parents got out of ANU a few years back. I don't think they've ever regretted jumping...

[caseopaya.livejournal.com]

Interesting event coming up: The Australian Fabian Society Autumn Lectures
'And the Truth Shall Set You Free: Public and Community Television and Radio and the Public Interest'.

Sounds very interseting actually.

As for your thesis - you knew you would get it done eventually. I'm sure you will find something else to do next as well... write another book perhaps?? More "Open Sauce" programmes? ;)

[splodgenoodles.livejournal.com]

Thankyou for the link to collective nouns.

They left out crows.

Apparently, it is a murder of crows.




BTW, my own take on this is that if Howard says okay to a further commission, it's only because he knows he can work it to his advantage somehow....

I guess it's a side issue, but I know that we sent over a huge proportion of our armed forces in order to be (I think) about 1% or less of the total force. I'm curious as to what proportion of our armed forces went to Iraq, when compared to the US and UK. Er, I probably should go and look it up. Pardon me.

Good luck with the last week of thesisising.

[ktwhoopi.livejournal.com]

Now what do I do?

sell your thesis on ebay and retire on the royalties??



;)

Adelaide?

[morrigan77.livejournal.com]

Well, if you are wanting no distractions you chose the right town, wrong time! Womadelaide and fringe festival are currently in swing and actually some decent shows to check out:
http://www.adelaidefestival.com.au
... or you could cook me dinner? I am feeling largely uninspired in the kitchen lately.

BTW What play is 'chum' performing in? Also I like the idea of your item 11!! :)

[angel80.livejournal.com]

One of our IT guys sent around an email yesterday about a 'swarm of viruses'. I thought he should've said 'a plague'. Actually they are worms and worms are not on the list. Do you know of any? How about 'a wriggle' or 'a squirm' (the latter has a good sound to it).

I am going to have to steal that meme sometime

[chocolatepickle.livejournal.com]

Open Sauce hahahaha

oh come on! I can't be the only one simple enough to find that funny! :P