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.

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?

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 1^st 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".

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.

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.

Two Days After the Day of L Ron's Birthday

Watch:



It's a call to protest on the ides of March.

I think regardless of what I do I will head in to the city and see what will happen.

My only problem is that I don't have a mask.

Hopefully these protests will be as much of a success as the last ones which I couldn't go to because I was working.

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.