Yay!
I finally managed to get trackbacks working using a Greasemonkey script.
Now to start pinging everything and anything that I can.
Mwahahaha.
Sunday, 30 March 2008
Saturday, 29 March 2008
English
I need to learn English. Ever since German learning, I can't sentences in English writing. And now can't I sentences in German writing either. When I sentences write, I have to about what I want to say think more.
Thursday, 27 March 2008
Are They Getting Stupider?
I've stayed out of the PZ Myers getting kicked out of the Expelled screening while Richard Dawkins got in, but now I have more of an opinion rather then "Silly Creationists, you're acting like hypocrites".
Panda's Thumb reports that Uncommon Descent has added their own Argument from Ignorance to the whole thing.
Apparently you are not allowed to use identification which does not have your actual name on it.
This is actually assuming that Dawkins was actually registered at all. Or that he "sneaked" into a private screening.
Panda's Thumb once again shows us that the people who supposedly knows what is going on don't. Unless a public website that you can RSVP to is actually some ruse to get people to sign up to a movie that they might not be allowed to go to...
Now here is where I would like to point to many, many sites that point out that PZ was in the right but I fear that I will lose my train of thought, instead I'll let you read it from the pen (How can it hold a pen?) of a PZ Myers.
Now if you haven't bothered reading the UcD blog. I would say that the funniest part has to be:
Really?
So if I were to say go to his Wikipedia page and look at what is immediately on the screen will I find that his first name is Clinton?
Hmmm...
Did you know that he was born in Nairobi?
And that he holds the Charles Simonyi Chair for the Public Understanding of Science?
Not going to well at the moment...
What's this bolded text at the start of the article?
Clinton Richard Dawkins
Well I'll be, it is.
And the point of that rather pointless set of words that will grace the infinite internet until it blows up or I decide to delete it?
Well it's like complaining that someone used their legal first name by registering with their legal first name. I would have at least thought if there was such a problem with using your first name instead of the name you use more often there would be some law preventing you from using your actual name.
I wonder if J.E.B. Stuart ever had that problem?
Random Guy: "Uh, you're not on the list"
J.E.B. Stuart: "Yes I am, I'm right there" *points out name on list*
Random Guy: "No, that's for Jeb Stuart, the General. This says 'James Ewell Brown Stuart'"
J.E.B. Stuart: "I implore you, the name I pointed out is me"
Random Guy: "Please leave before I call the police"
It only gets stupider from here.
I could write one about L. Ron Hubbard (the "L" stands for "Lafayette")
Why is it that if it was supposedly a "private" screening that PZ Myers family, Dawkins and and assorted other group of people that were accompanying them were allowed in?
Must be a selective definition of "private" which probably means something along the lines of "Not public, as in people who appear in the movie they are trying to get in to can't enter but everyone and their dog can".
So in the end we come down to two possibilities:
1. Richard Dawkins and PZ Myers are scheming lying people who sneaked into a private screening of Expelled for mischievous purposes.
Or
2. The whole ID Movement is now in damage control because they royally screwed up and acted rather hypocritically considering their view that mainstream science supposedly censors their proponents but their actions at this one screening managed to get a story in The New York Times, and are trying to find a way to discredit the people involved who don't support their viewpoint.
I'll let you decide.
Panda's Thumb reports that Uncommon Descent has added their own Argument from Ignorance to the whole thing.
Apparently you are not allowed to use identification which does not have your actual name on it.
This is actually assuming that Dawkins was actually registered at all. Or that he "sneaked" into a private screening.
Panda's Thumb once again shows us that the people who supposedly knows what is going on don't. Unless a public website that you can RSVP to is actually some ruse to get people to sign up to a movie that they might not be allowed to go to...
Now here is where I would like to point to many, many sites that point out that PZ was in the right but I fear that I will lose my train of thought, instead I'll let you read it from the pen (How can it hold a pen?) of a PZ Myers.
Now if you haven't bothered reading the UcD blog. I would say that the funniest part has to be:
"Dawkins was fully aware he was sneaking into a private screening to which he wasn’t invited and attempted to hide his presence by using his legal first name in the registration."
Really?
So if I were to say go to his Wikipedia page and look at what is immediately on the screen will I find that his first name is Clinton?
Hmmm...
Did you know that he was born in Nairobi?
And that he holds the Charles Simonyi Chair for the Public Understanding of Science?
Not going to well at the moment...
What's this bolded text at the start of the article?
Clinton Richard Dawkins
Well I'll be, it is.
And the point of that rather pointless set of words that will grace the infinite internet until it blows up or I decide to delete it?
Well it's like complaining that someone used their legal first name by registering with their legal first name. I would have at least thought if there was such a problem with using your first name instead of the name you use more often there would be some law preventing you from using your actual name.
I wonder if J.E.B. Stuart ever had that problem?
Random Guy: "Uh, you're not on the list"
J.E.B. Stuart: "Yes I am, I'm right there" *points out name on list*
Random Guy: "No, that's for Jeb Stuart, the General. This says 'James Ewell Brown Stuart'"
J.E.B. Stuart: "I implore you, the name I pointed out is me"
Random Guy: "Please leave before I call the police"
It only gets stupider from here.
I could write one about L. Ron Hubbard (the "L" stands for "Lafayette")
Why is it that if it was supposedly a "private" screening that PZ Myers family, Dawkins and and assorted other group of people that were accompanying them were allowed in?
Must be a selective definition of "private" which probably means something along the lines of "Not public, as in people who appear in the movie they are trying to get in to can't enter but everyone and their dog can".
So in the end we come down to two possibilities:
1. Richard Dawkins and PZ Myers are scheming lying people who sneaked into a private screening of Expelled for mischievous purposes.
Or
2. The whole ID Movement is now in damage control because they royally screwed up and acted rather hypocritically considering their view that mainstream science supposedly censors their proponents but their actions at this one screening managed to get a story in The New York Times, and are trying to find a way to discredit the people involved who don't support their viewpoint.
I'll let you decide.
Sunday, 23 March 2008
It Makes You Wonder...
A 29 year old mentally disabled woman was tortured to death.
She was pregnant.
Her captors beat and abused her and they stole her money. The woman, Dorothy Dixon, faced this abuse from several captors, including a 12 year old boy, and the daughter of the woman who abused her the most, who was 15.
My own opinion at this time is that I wish that the captors could face the same treatment as they treated this poor woman, who has left behind a 1 year old boy.
Unfortunately that cannot happen because it is an abuse of the human rights of these sub human people.
Right now is Easter, the most important time in the whole of Christianity.
It is when Jesus died for our sins on the cross.
For those who know anything about me it is that I am agnostic, so this religious bent is perfectly fine for me.
At this time I really wonder if Jesus died for everyone's sins, including people like Michelle Riley.
In a way it saddens me to think that Jesus probably did.
He forgave people who sinned and helped those who needed to be helped. Unfortunately there is nothing there that talks about him forgiving a sadistic murderer.
I really wonder if he would have.
It is situations like this that make me wish that there is some form of afterlife, complete with punishments for those that do such evil like torture people who cannot defend themselves and steal their money, for they would have a welcome place in the pits of hell.
This is where using the Bible gives me contradicting ideas. Should I think of them in ways that they have shown how they would like to be treated, or should I think of them in ways that I would like to be treated? Or should I, like everyone who shows outrage over what happened in the US, try to turn the other cheek and forgive them?
She was pregnant.
Her captors beat and abused her and they stole her money. The woman, Dorothy Dixon, faced this abuse from several captors, including a 12 year old boy, and the daughter of the woman who abused her the most, who was 15.
My own opinion at this time is that I wish that the captors could face the same treatment as they treated this poor woman, who has left behind a 1 year old boy.
Unfortunately that cannot happen because it is an abuse of the human rights of these sub human people.
Right now is Easter, the most important time in the whole of Christianity.
It is when Jesus died for our sins on the cross.
For those who know anything about me it is that I am agnostic, so this religious bent is perfectly fine for me.
At this time I really wonder if Jesus died for everyone's sins, including people like Michelle Riley.
In a way it saddens me to think that Jesus probably did.
He forgave people who sinned and helped those who needed to be helped. Unfortunately there is nothing there that talks about him forgiving a sadistic murderer.
I really wonder if he would have.
It is situations like this that make me wish that there is some form of afterlife, complete with punishments for those that do such evil like torture people who cannot defend themselves and steal their money, for they would have a welcome place in the pits of hell.
This is where using the Bible gives me contradicting ideas. Should I think of them in ways that they have shown how they would like to be treated, or should I think of them in ways that I would like to be treated? Or should I, like everyone who shows outrage over what happened in the US, try to turn the other cheek and forgive them?
Saturday, 22 March 2008
I'm Learning About What Now?
Because I am usually late to internet related things I sometimes feel like I shouldn't write about things, but in this case I don't really care.
I found this.
Videos speak louder then links so I say watch this:
Apparently she is teaching us about words. Apparently.
Now if there was only an equivalent for Maths then I would be very happy.
I found this.
Videos speak louder then links so I say watch this:
Apparently she is teaching us about words. Apparently.
Now if there was only an equivalent for Maths then I would be very happy.
Thursday, 20 March 2008
Fun With The Government
Had to go to the Transport Department today to get my provisional drivers license renewed.
I knew that in October 2005 that they had changed the way the system worked but I didn't really know if I was affected. The reason why will be explained.
So I go into the branch and wait in a long queue, surprisingly for a government office all the tellers were open.
All five of them.
Anyway, get to the teller and I am told:
"You are aware that this is a renewal for a P1 drivers license?"
And she explains the thing to me she then asks:
"Do you know about the hazard perception test?"
My reply:
"I've heard about a hazard perception test, but I don't really know what it is about."
(To speed it up I will use B for Bureaucrat and W for Wildy)
B: Well you go and pay $25 and take a test to get your P2 license. You should have been told this when you got your license.
W: No?
B: I know it was a long time ago (It was about 2 years) so you probably might not remember.
W: Nah
B: Well you should have been given a book when you got your license.
W: Nah
B: I'll go get you one
She gets me a book
W: I would have thought that they (The Government) would have inundated me in mail
B: (Paraphrased) No you see they didn't really make that clear to the people who were affected.
W: Oh
And the relevant conversation ends.
So now after paying $40 to get my license renewed I'll now have to part with $25 more to pay for this perception test.
At least the book was free.
I knew that in October 2005 that they had changed the way the system worked but I didn't really know if I was affected. The reason why will be explained.
So I go into the branch and wait in a long queue, surprisingly for a government office all the tellers were open.
All five of them.
Anyway, get to the teller and I am told:
"You are aware that this is a renewal for a P1 drivers license?"
And she explains the thing to me she then asks:
"Do you know about the hazard perception test?"
My reply:
"I've heard about a hazard perception test, but I don't really know what it is about."
(To speed it up I will use B for Bureaucrat and W for Wildy)
B: Well you go and pay $25 and take a test to get your P2 license. You should have been told this when you got your license.
W: No?
B: I know it was a long time ago (It was about 2 years) so you probably might not remember.
W: Nah
B: Well you should have been given a book when you got your license.
W: Nah
B: I'll go get you one
She gets me a book
W: I would have thought that they (The Government) would have inundated me in mail
B: (Paraphrased) No you see they didn't really make that clear to the people who were affected.
W: Oh
And the relevant conversation ends.
So now after paying $40 to get my license renewed I'll now have to part with $25 more to pay for this perception test.
At least the book was free.
Saturday, 15 March 2008
Today in Adelaide
There was an Anonymous protest.
I was in the area at the time.
For the record I'm not saying that I wasn't not there on Waymouth St. not protesting Scientology.
But CoS did film the proceedings, not very subtly either. I'm sure that if they just stood outside doing it they would have had something much funnier to watch. Anonymous, although faceless, is very photogenic.
Even though I was in the area I didn't make the photo gallery on the Advertiser Website.
But I will be on Scieno-cam.
All that I will say about that is:
Obvious Camera is Obvious
And
Smile
You're on Scieno Camera
I wonder how the protests in other parts of the world are going/have been or will be?
I was in the area at the time.
For the record I'm not saying that I wasn't not there on Waymouth St. not protesting Scientology.
But CoS did film the proceedings, not very subtly either. I'm sure that if they just stood outside doing it they would have had something much funnier to watch. Anonymous, although faceless, is very photogenic.
Even though I was in the area I didn't make the photo gallery on the Advertiser Website.
But I will be on Scieno-cam.
All that I will say about that is:
Obvious Camera is Obvious
And
Smile
You're on Scieno Camera
I wonder how the protests in other parts of the world are going/have been or will be?
Friday, 14 March 2008
A Scientology Response to Anonymous
Well it looks like I am keeping somewhat up to date with things now. Found this through the Anon SA website.
Now that you have wasted 5 mins of your life watching that I hope you at least saw some of the things that I did.
Firstly they basically open their video on a quote mine. They don't actually cite the video in question so I can't check the facts properly but I feel quite safe in saying that they have edited the video to make Anonymous look worse then they actually are.
Secondly is that all that CoS have managed to do is (at least US wise) fall into the same trap that you see from other religious groups. They cite the US 1st Amendment.
Now I am not American. I base the next bit on what I have learned from Americans about this.
Somehow, it is quite possible to hold the opinion that you can freely practice your religion but somehow that annuls the bit that says that you have a right to say whatever the hell you want.
Australia is a little different. We have in our Constitution that the Commonwealth cannot prevent any religion from being followed (which is why the overturned legislation banning CoS in Australia was passed in the State Governments).
We have no protection of speech, but if CoS was to be stupid enough to sue someone protesting them they would have a new entry in Operation Foot Bullet. In trying to suppress free speech they would see themselves looking like gits and also ensuring that everyone in Australia would have a right to free speech.
If they won and the case went to the High Court and they won again there would be such an outcry that the government(s) (Either Federal or State) would end up passing legislation overturning a HCA ruling. If they lost in the HCA they would have set a precedent granting free speech, although it would be narrowed to say only organisations, it would be better then nothing at all.
Finally all they have done is shown what the label of "Anonymous" can do. It makes people feel quite safe, especially since CoS can't really do anything but whine. In a way they are crying "foul" because someone is basically following "Do unto others", that well known phrase in the Bible. If they can go around making phone calls and putting up posters accusing people of being a paedophile basically under the guise of "The Church of Scientology" (or some front group) then why cry when someone does the same to you?
If I were a "truther" I would be calling them "disinfo agents".
Now that you have wasted 5 mins of your life watching that I hope you at least saw some of the things that I did.
Firstly they basically open their video on a quote mine. They don't actually cite the video in question so I can't check the facts properly but I feel quite safe in saying that they have edited the video to make Anonymous look worse then they actually are.
Secondly is that all that CoS have managed to do is (at least US wise) fall into the same trap that you see from other religious groups. They cite the US 1st Amendment.
Now I am not American. I base the next bit on what I have learned from Americans about this.
Somehow, it is quite possible to hold the opinion that you can freely practice your religion but somehow that annuls the bit that says that you have a right to say whatever the hell you want.
Australia is a little different. We have in our Constitution that the Commonwealth cannot prevent any religion from being followed (which is why the overturned legislation banning CoS in Australia was passed in the State Governments).
We have no protection of speech, but if CoS was to be stupid enough to sue someone protesting them they would have a new entry in Operation Foot Bullet. In trying to suppress free speech they would see themselves looking like gits and also ensuring that everyone in Australia would have a right to free speech.
If they won and the case went to the High Court and they won again there would be such an outcry that the government(s) (Either Federal or State) would end up passing legislation overturning a HCA ruling. If they lost in the HCA they would have set a precedent granting free speech, although it would be narrowed to say only organisations, it would be better then nothing at all.
Finally all they have done is shown what the label of "Anonymous" can do. It makes people feel quite safe, especially since CoS can't really do anything but whine. In a way they are crying "foul" because someone is basically following "Do unto others", that well known phrase in the Bible. If they can go around making phone calls and putting up posters accusing people of being a paedophile basically under the guise of "The Church of Scientology" (or some front group) then why cry when someone does the same to you?
If I were a "truther" I would be calling them "disinfo agents".
Thursday, 13 March 2008
Australian Un-Chaser Activities Commission
So there is going to be a hearing after the Chaser's APEC stunt.
For those that forgot or wish to see it again:
Now I agree with that caller to that talk-back show. I think that they should rot in jail (or gaol, both are acceptable in Australian English).
Now the truth is that I think that these hearings are a joke. All the the government is trying to do (even though it is the Rudd Government now) is show face after their proudly toted security (which cost a ridiculous amount of money, did they ask for a refund?) failed miserably.
I know they technically broke the law but I don't think that they should go to gaol (see?). They really need a medal of some sort.
If you watched that video then you can rest assured, knowing that our RSL's are safe.
For those that forgot or wish to see it again:
Now I agree with that caller to that talk-back show. I think that they should rot in jail (or gaol, both are acceptable in Australian English).
Now the truth is that I think that these hearings are a joke. All the the government is trying to do (even though it is the Rudd Government now) is show face after their proudly toted security (which cost a ridiculous amount of money, did they ask for a refund?) failed miserably.
I know they technically broke the law but I don't think that they should go to gaol (see?). They really need a medal of some sort.
If you watched that video then you can rest assured, knowing that our RSL's are safe.
Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Gah
Bought the latest Triple J Hottest 100 compilation album.
Rip the tracks using Media Player (I'm crazy ok).
Sync to device.
"The server throws an exception".
Find out that Windows has decided to tell me that all mp3 files are incompatible with my mp3 player and that they are MPEG-2 files.
Plan B.
Open Realplayer.
Wait for it to s top responding and then start responding again 5 mins later (probably because the system is going "OHHH SHIT!!!! THERE ARE TWO MEDIA PLAYERS OPEN" since I am listening to music)
Add tracks to Realplayer
Transfer to device using Realplayer.
Success.
So you can clearly see which media player I now prefer for transferring songs to, unfortunately Realplayer doesn't put the songs in nice files on the player but just throws them on there, it still works but looks messy if I do anything WMP related.
Now I'm worrying that my MP3 player, which is just a big hard drive, won't accept being used as a hard drive for other files that I will need.
Rip the tracks using Media Player (I'm crazy ok).
Sync to device.
"The server throws an exception".
Find out that Windows has decided to tell me that all mp3 files are incompatible with my mp3 player and that they are MPEG-2 files.
Plan B.
Open Realplayer.
Wait for it to s top responding and then start responding again 5 mins later (probably because the system is going "OHHH SHIT!!!! THERE ARE TWO MEDIA PLAYERS OPEN" since I am listening to music)
Add tracks to Realplayer
Transfer to device using Realplayer.
Success.
So you can clearly see which media player I now prefer for transferring songs to, unfortunately Realplayer doesn't put the songs in nice files on the player but just throws them on there, it still works but looks messy if I do anything WMP related.
Now I'm worrying that my MP3 player, which is just a big hard drive, won't accept being used as a hard drive for other files that I will need.
Thursday, 6 March 2008
Two Days After the Day of L Ron's Birthday
Saturday, 1 March 2008
Filler Material
Considering that there is plenty to talk about I can't think of anything to say.
I could write about the Mafia, because they were in the news recently, or about other things happening in Italy, I could talk about that foster home thing on Jersey that is in the news lately, or bore you all on how I am going back to uni on Monday.
At this time all I can say is that I will post something better, but when I can actually think of something to write.
I could write about the Mafia, because they were in the news recently, or about other things happening in Italy, I could talk about that foster home thing on Jersey that is in the news lately, or bore you all on how I am going back to uni on Monday.
At this time all I can say is that I will post something better, but when I can actually think of something to write.
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