Vale Alan Ratcliffe, More Unitarians, Completing Works, Gaming and the Usual Madness.

[tcpip]

Last Friday attended the funeral of Alan Ratcliffe, 101, at the Melbourne Unitarian Church. Just to give a sense of perspective Alan's school-teacher was the man who stopped the trains after the Kelly gang ripped up the lines. He bought his first Harley Davidson and Cheverolet in the mid-1920s and was still driving at the age of 91. An uncompromising socialist and atheist, he found no problem with being an active member of the Church for over fifty years. Nor did he ever waver in his support for voluntary euthanasia. The service, conducted by Peter Abrehart, was dignified and insightful. Some 150 people were in attendance.

Was expecting Andrew Chalmers at the Unitarians on Sunday on the topic of public versus proprietary science; for the second time he didn't show. Felt quite silly for having organised him as a speaker and once again, for having to conduct the service and give a presentation off-the-cuff. Managed to provide, on-the-fly, a presentation on the scientific method from inductivism, deductivism, and falsification, to research structures, scientific paradigms and 'anarchist science'. This Sunday coming I am on again as the presenter with the topic "Prospects for Liberal and Rationalist Islam".

Have completed, a website for motor vehicle apprenticeships, the T3 Program. Still has a couple of rough spots to iron out. On Tuesday completed CCNA 2 Prac Exam; engaging in a major catch-up for semester 3 in the following fortnight. Putting my foot down at Borderlands and have submitted network and web policies. They will comply to my benevolent network dictatorship ;-). Still going through the mountain of procedures that is my work at Naturelinks. Also, just have received confirmation that damien_wise and I are embarking on an IT publication.

Gaming over the last week has been HeroQuest and GURPS Australian Noir, both extremely enjoyable as was the films (Soylent Green and Westworld at the Astor afterwards). Mongoose Publishing almost overlooked my name as a playtester for the new upcoming edition of RuneQuest; a couple of terse emails has fixed that up. This weeked is Retrocon; come along and play. Still developing my Cyberpunk/Paranoia crossover; the systems seem to integrate very nicely. On topic, Valhalla Games is pushing the envelope when it comes to pricing.

Somalia the Libertarian bastion, falls. Livejournal bans displays of nipples (seriously, this place has gone to the dogs since Six Apart took over). The amazing survival story of Mike the Hamster

Comments

[greylock.livejournal.com]

Who knew Valhalla had re-opened?
In the hell-hole that is Balcatta even.

I must say, he seems remarkably bitter.
Moreso.

[strangedave.livejournal.com]

Tell me more of this "anarchist science".

I think Doug (of Valhalla) might be losing it in a big way. I'll certainly be surprised if the store reopens. Still, if he sells a couple of those things he can repay the money he owes Swancon...

Even the recent auctions of rarities from Greg Staffords personal collection, sold and optionally signed by him, only sometimes got close to those levels.

I'd be quite interested to hear you opinions on Liberal Islam, if you actually right them down.

I am quite amused by the prospect of Somalia as libertarian ideal. Good phone and internet service, you just have to put up with being killed or extorted by warlords and gangs every now and then! Very cyberpunk, the funny part is that some people actually think thats a good trade off, or at least are prepared to argue that with a straight face.

[cptjohnc.livejournal.com]

Ah, nipplegate. LJ Abuse defitely screwed this one, but most of the arguments against the LJ position, honestly, lack legal merit, I think. The biggest problem is that the legislation which protects breastfeeding (and defines it as 'not indecent exposure') protects just that -- breastfeeding. Not pictures of breastfeeding, not talking about breastfeeding, not talking about pictures of breastfeeding.

The limitation applies only to 'default icons' as I understand it, not all icons. this would equate it to a 'reasonable time, place or manner' restriction if this were government action. Of course, LJ is private (though clearly holding itself out as a public forum...) so strictly the constitutional standard (of the US - where LJ is based) wouldn't really apply. OTOH, LJ permits all sorts of sexually suggestive pictures (but not exposing nipples) as default icons.

I think the moms are morally and ethically right. I think LJ has the law in its corner, even if it is stupid. I think both need to grow up and deal with it all. LJ needs to admit they were wrong and stupid rather than trying to justify the flawed position. the moms need to realize this is not an affront to their motherhood or their ability to breastfeed. If this were the 'top-freedom' crowd, it might be different, but as a pure breastfeeding issue... there is no issue.

[mareth-redorb.livejournal.com]

Hey, Mik here, I realised where I recognised you from about five minutes after leaving the pub on Monday night :)