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Diary of a B+ Grade Polymath ([personal profile] tcpip) wrote2005-07-26 06:48 pm

Work/SAGE stuff, More RuneQuest, ALP Elections, The Tory Agenda and Perth

Borderlands on Wednesday followed by a CCNA class at the somewhat distant Heidelburg NMIT campus. Early morning work meeting for Datalink on Thursday, followed by two extremely busy and challenging days on Friday and Monday which regrettably included a moronic customer screaming down the 'phone because he couldn't type his new password in properly (seriously!). Spent all day today working on my presentation to the SAGE-AU conference and will probably be doing that tomorrow as well. Speaking of said organisation, have received a book (The Real World Network Trouble Shooting Manual, 2005) to review.

Spent a sizeable part of Thurday with [livejournal.com profile] strangedave, [livejournal.com profile] doctor_k_ and [livejournal.com profile] caseopaya meandering around Melbourne. The summary of our adventures consisted of yum cha, chocolate, Satan and space aliens. A wonderful adventure and strangely appropriate with such people. Sunday's Unitarian service wa by former MHR, Peter Milton on "The dangers of the nuclear industry". It was quietly brilliant; consise, well researched and factual. Appropriately uranium sales to China have been criticised. Following this was a RuneQuest IV combat system playest with Peter, Andrei, Jay and Erica. The system works surprisingly well, and draws a nice distinction between big weapons (dodge these) and little ones (parry 'em). Afterwards Erica, Andrei and I played more RuneQuest (the main story) because you simply can't get enough ;-)

I've just sent a nomination off to become an ALP State Conference delegate, although I don't like my chances in the Melbourne Ports Federal Division. Meanwhile the branch stacking wars are heading to the courts following the ALP National Exec overturning Victorian state rules designed to prevent stacking (despite legal advice to the contrary) and a small mountain of evidence tabled at the Admin Committee regarding endemic stacking in the new safe Labor seat of Gorton. Applause to Labor Unity's Rosemary Barker who, in an act of rare principle in the ALP, acted against her own faction in providing the evidence.

Anyone notice that John Howard's plans for a single national industrial relations system were overwhelmingly rejected last Sunday by the Liberal Party's federal council? Could the lack of media interest in this extraodinary development indicate some mainstream media bias? Could you imagine the same thing happening to a Labor leader? (thanks [livejournal.com profile] greylock for alerting me to this). Whilst on-topic, Costello has said that all workers could lose the protection of unfair dismissal laws. Meanwhile, on a state level National leader Peter Ryan has claimed that a recommendation that same-sex couples could adopt is "mad", despite the best evidence stating there is no development differences.

Ahh, lets see... Media bias, class war and attacks on personal rights... What's missing from this Tory equation? Of course. The "you've got to keep 'em separated" department. An RMIT study shows that suburban sprawl will take over most undeveloped land in within a decade. Meanwhile the good folk at Prosper Australia have arranged a spot for me at the Uni of Melbourne's Centre for Public Policy forum on Equity in Sourcing Revenue symposium.

Heads up Perth people. I booked tickets today. I'll be in the Western Lands from September 6 to 15. Saturday the 10th and Sunday 11th sounds like especially good days to catch up.

[identity profile] feathersoul.livejournal.com 2005-07-26 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
explain to me about the Unitarian church? please? *not as clued up as i'd like to be*

also: cool! interesting person heading to perth! i know we've only just met, kinda (online that is), but you strike me as someone i'd like to meet in person (ulterior motive = steal your brain :P)

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-26 02:56 am (UTC)(link)

Unitarians = non-creedal organisation with origins in Judeo-Christianity. Proponents of religious freedom, rationalism and social justice. Not too fussy at all about which god you follow or whether you follow one at all. Practical actions count more.

You want to steal my brain? Eep! How about borrow it for a while.

[identity profile] feathersoul.livejournal.com 2005-07-26 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
thanks for the explanation in a nutshell. sounds interesting and nifty.

and, borrowing might work. i might forget to return it though :P

[identity profile] greylock.livejournal.com 2005-07-26 08:23 am (UTC)(link)
Unitarians = non-creedal organisation with origins in Judeo-Christianity. Proponents of religious freedom, rationalism and social justice. Not too fussy at all about which god you follow or whether you follow one at all. Practical actions count more.

I still don't get that. I always figured you for a dyed-in-the-wool athiest.

You want to steal my brain? Eep! How about borrow it for a while.

It worked for Spock's Brain.

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-26 04:11 pm (UTC)(link)

There's plenty of atheist unitarians (and even more agnostics and more than a handful of panthesists)...