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

[tcpip]

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 strangedave, doctor_k_ and 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 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.

Comments

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

The summary of our adventures consisted of yum cha, chocolate, Satan and space aliens. A wonderful adventure and strangely appropriate with such people.

The only bit that seemed a little out of character for me was the chocolate. I put that down to the influence of others.

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

Will miss your Perth visit entirely, being still in foreign climes. Oh well.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Curses! Oh well, there will be a next time for sure...

(Especially given my regained fondness for sf conventions)

[feathersoul.livejournal.com]

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)

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

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.

[lardarsegreg.livejournal.com]

Dude, what happened to you posting bite-sized chunks twice a week? You're filling a whole page again!

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Ahh, but you may notice it's six paragraphs, not nine ;-)

Yes, twice a week posting. Must find time on Saturdays to do that...

[slowlight.livejournal.com]

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?

The only place I've seen this is Crikey. Did you see it anywhere else? I'd love to know if it can be independently verified. Because if it's true, words cannot describe how depressing it is. Because now we've lost the Senate, it's left to the media to keep the bastards honest. And if this is an indication of how well they'll perform over the next three years, well, it's just shameful.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_fustian/]

The Australia on Sunday morning before the vote was framing it as a WA-based conspiracy of the far right to undermine the brave little battler's crusade against organised labour.

However, Aunty reported yesterday that the only vote which came close to the IR issue — a motion about Federalism from (presumably NCB stooge) WA Senator Matt Birney — "went down".

[kafechick.livejournal.com]

Hows's life at Borderlands these days? I haven't been to see Jacques et al for so long now they've probably forgotten who I am!!??

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Borderlands is doing OK. Increasingly influenced by the Augustine Centre it's moving in a more hippy-spiritual direction that's not too my liking - not due to the intent, but the lack of methodological rigour.

I doubt whether Jacques would forget you... He has a good memory!

[lefae.livejournal.com]

Yay! Hugs all round :D

Shall be grand to see you again, it's been far too long :P

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I can't remember when it was the last time I visited Perth. 1997?

[caseopaya.livejournal.com]

Do I get to see you again too??? :P

[bodgirl.livejournal.com]

*pats you on the head*

Always such a busy boy!

*hands you a spoon*

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

*looks at spoon*


So, shall I put the kettle on?

[http://users.livejournal.com/doctor_k_/]

You do realise doctor_k is some medical student in the US who hasn't touched her LJ since 2002. Bitch. All these non-doctors out there who beat me to the good versions of my name.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Curses!

Well of course I didn't realise that! ;-)

OK fixed now.

Seriously, sometimes I'm sure that I'm partially dyslexic...

Spotto?

[velvetclaw.livejournal.com]

So *was* it you at a Labour meeting re Branch stacking, that was featured on the 7.30 Report recently? Sitting towards the back, pictured shaking your head?

Re: Spotto?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Nope, I don't think so. Unless it was a report from the last state conference where I listened to everyone rant and point the finger about branch stacking...

Re: Spotto?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

More on the issue in today's paper;

http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2005/07/26/1122143849441.html
Labor Left accuses Right of stacking branch rules

The key criticisms, as pointed out by Pete Steedman at the last State Conference, is that genuine active members who do the hard slog for the Party both during the lead up in election time and elsewhere throughout the year, get pissed when a couple of Johnny-come-lately's and twenty people they've never seen before in the Party turn up and take over a branch.

When that becomes widespread over several branches, and over several divisions you end up with mass disillusionment. Leaving the victors with the lions share of the organisation, but no capacity to win government.

Hmmm... Sounds like what the Tories would want actually...

[jahbulon.livejournal.com]

Your New Scientist link is broken. I think this may be the one you were linking to.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you're right. I was cutting 'n' pasting from an old link.

Wasn't there an old web-adage that you do your very best never to change your urls?

I guess database design killed that :/

[delicious-irony.livejournal.com]

Yay!

Dinner some weekend night may be doable, if the Roster Cow (okay that's unfair. She's actually really nice) doesn't schedule me for on-call that week.

At the very least coffee and catch-up at the Moon or something! How busy will you be this time around?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

At this rate I'll be leaving SAGE to go to the Moon then on to MARS.

I'll try not to be busy at all ;-)

Federal Council

[erudito.livejournal.com]

I am not aware of anyone commenting about it. Even among my networks. (I didn't know until I read your post.) Which I put down to the fact that everyone knows that Liberal Federal Council has no power whatsoever.

Re: Federal Council

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Which I put down to the fact that everyone knows that Liberal Federal Council has no power whatsoever.

Good lord. Then who does have the power in the Liberal Party?

(If you say the businesses that donate to the Party, then that will make perfect sense to me).

Housing (quotes from article)

[erudito.livejournal.com]

The report recommends making the growth boundary a permanent fixture to halt sprawl, forcing developers to use sites more efficiently.
Leading to a huge rise in housing prices. Besides, developers will only reduce lot sizes if zoning permits allow them to.

We can't afford to wait another five years for the market to catch up while all this undeveloped land is being used up
I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. The dominant factor is zoning and related rules and regulations. Clearly, elementary economic literacy was not a requirement for authorship.

It would be nice if people considered the possibility that highly regulated markets (and, in Oz, it's hard to find a more regulated market that housing and related elements) might have consquences from, well, regulation. Particularly given their entire argument revolves around presuming regulations do have effects (but, apparently, only good ones).

Re: Housing (quotes from article)

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Leading to a huge rise in housing prices.

Land prices, you mean ;-)