Journalism, Unitarians, Gaming

[tcpip]

Padriac Murphy, one of the more conservative reporters at The Australian, had a go at Jenny Macklin. Is it because she's a member of the Socialist Left of the ALP? Is it because she's a woman? Or is it because she was visiting an aboriginal community? In any case, they were caught out lying. A little further down the scale of importance, The Age had the good sense to publish yet another of my letters; this time on the Palestine/Israel question. In full:

THE articles by Peter Slezak and Antony Loewenstein and that of Dvir Abramovich, although different in content, both indicate a way forward in the Palestinian region: a single, democratic, and secular state that can be a religious homeland for all who want such, without being a religious state for any. Whether Muslim, Christian or Jew, whether indigenous Semite or more recent migrants — all have common interests that far outweigh their differences. All are deserving of equal treatment under the law without ethnic or religious distinction, all are deserving of security of home and all are deserving of a just resolution to past conflicts.

The problems of the Palestinian region will not be solved while there are some who seek dominance for their religion or nationality over the rights of others.

In recent weeks the University of Melbourne/QUT journal Online Opinion has had a flurry of "porn is evil" type articles, such as "Common Misconceptions", "Rape in Brisbane" and The Digital Dark Age. The only dissenting article has been Romancing The Ban, itself somewhat problematic and Porn is no one religion. As is my want, I often find myself wading into such debates, trying to educate people on the difference between content expressions and consensual participation, or the lack thereof. I am sorely tempted to compose something that will put of common sense into the discussion.

Next Sunday at the Unitarian Church is an forum on housing afforability; the speakers include Tony Nicholson, the Executive Director of Brotherhood of St Laurence, Tony Keenan, Chief Executive Officer, of Hanover House and Geoff Forster of Prosper Australia. I note that the Adam Smith Club is also discussing the topic. Our event is cheaper, with better speakers and will probably offer better solutions as well :-) In a few weeks after that (May 4) I will be speaking on "A heretic of clarity: the Unitarianism of Stephen Fritchman".

Finished my draft chapter for Campaign Law on time. Now helping out on the societies and cultures section. Have moved the five hundred member RuneQuest rules list to one of my domains. Will need do a bit more work on my Polymancer article on advice of the editor. Played Legend of the Five Rings last Sunday, using the AD&D module Blood of the Yakuza. Found the material within that module a bit thin, so used the Random Fantasy Adventure Generator. The Portuguese have arrived in Japan with guns, and that's made things quite interesting.

Comments

[drjon.livejournal.com]

It was very interesting to read The Australian's denials of wrongdoing and their heated defence (which seemed to my eyes to be simply flinging poo at MediaWatch and Crikey) yesterday.

I wonder how long the Brownshirts at The Australian will keep it up?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I suspect they will for quite a while. However this haven't ended up look very good at all over this incident!

Maybe people are discovering the awful truth about The Australian?

oh lord ... this again?

[imajica-lj.livejournal.com]

and dude ... the wild thing? [smirk]

Re: oh lord ... this again?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I know, I know...

I just find it hard to fathom people who say that it's OK for women to have an abortion rights, but not ok to do the wild thing in front of a camera.

It's even harder when I often agree with specific criticisms and particular examples given... but then when they try to universalise the whole lot into one impossible blob...

Well...

[demonhellfish.livejournal.com]

I think you mean to say that it is your wont to find yourself wading into debates, though your current claim is parsable and conceivible.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

You know I did think that... And then didn't bother to check before posting.

My want and my wont!

[angel80.livejournal.com]

I saw a picture on the front page of Jenny stepping on to a 'luxury' houseboat. My thoughts on seeing the picture of the boat were "luxury???? what????" It looked pretty beaten up to me. But who knows what constitutes luxury to a reporter for the exalted Murdoch?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Do you remember the defamation case that maverick Scottish MP George Galloway brought against the Daily Telegraph?

The Telegraph claimed that Galloway was in the pay of Saddam Hussein, claiming it was in the public interest to publish its story regardless of whether it was true!

Such are the effects of "style over substance".

[angel80.livejournal.com]

It is called "professional standards". It is where you publish stories about flying pigs, just in case there is one somewhere that you'd otherwise have missed and could be accused of being 'unprofessional'.

[lardarsegreg.livejournal.com]

That roughly describes how retarded many of our newspaper journalists are...

Slight derail: This comment thread may be an interesting read for you. (Now with slightly less fucked up HTML)

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I don't know who Rick Astley is..

[lardarsegreg.livejournal.com]

I'll let someone else explain LJ's April Fools' joke to you, then...

But the coment I wanted you to see was this one: Yeah, now the joke would be that they're bringing back free accounts. This is a pretty lame april fool's but I guess it's what you're reduced to when you can't really joke about your policies because they're all already a joke.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Well, I just Wikied the name I'm still none the wiser why it's supposed to be funny.

The other comment is very appropriate. Suggesting they were going to bring back free accounts isn't just an April Fool's joke, but a cruel one, that says a lot more about the state of their actual policies.

[txxxpxx.livejournal.com]

Not related to this post at all but I have been informed of a need to prod you. *poke* *poke* *poke*

Reason? You want a reason?

Well, the reason is Gothcamp. E has mentioned that she wants to come but that you are retiscent.

If it's about feeling stuck with a group of people & feeling you have to socialise I can assure you that it is not olike that at all. You participate in as much, or as little as you want. We virtually get the whole town to ourselves when we book out The Star so there are plenty of personal space places to go.

There is however also a whole host of things to amuse if you want/can be bothered.

Some folks have been known to show up at the picnic, walk to the pub & not be seen again until dinner. Others have skipped dinner & turned up for Trivia. Some have skipped trivia to do the Ghost Tour. Most of the time tho people just go with the flow.

Walhalla is so quiet & relaxed you can't help but feel peaceful.

I've also been trying to convince severina 242 & M to come along. Perhaps, if the four of you chat, you might feel better about coming. Safety & fun in numbers & all that.

Not sure if you've friended gothcamp but if not, you may want to consider it. I post up stuff there about what has been organised. This year I will be doing a reading of the cemetery tour we're developing so that's something new & exciting.

Anyway, personally i hope you can come. It's fun, relaxed & very comfortable in a gorgeous surrounding.

*hugs*

:)

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

It just doesn't look very interesting to me.

I think I'd rather visit Tasmania or Fiordland..

[txxxpxx.livejournal.com]

What? Getting together with a group of friends, old & new, in a historical & picturesque valley, sharing food, drinks, laughs, peace & quiet, doesn't sound interesting?

I think if you went, you would see the charm of the place. And it's only one night, not one week.

There's heaps of activities planned, which you can participate in or not as you feel.

Anyway, think about it. I know E is keen to go & we'd be very keen to see you.

*hugs*

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Oh catching up with everyone sounds interesting. Walhalla itself looks ummm... Well compared to Fiordland...

http://updatecenter.britannica.com/eb/image?binaryId=59851&rendTypeId=4

Well, I'm coming along apparently, and it'll be great to see everyone and all..

[txxxpxx.livejournal.com]

Apples & oranges.

Personally I love how alive and accessible & obvious the history of the 1800's is in Walhalla. I can drive walk out of my front door in a busy & often dirty city and 2.5hours later I am transported light years. Still, I guess each to their own.

Very glad you are coming. I am sure you will have a great time, because of, or despite, the surrounding valley.

:)

PS, Dinner at ours real soon. Just trying to work around a house guest atm.

*hugs*