Thoughts - IT & Design

I don't know if it's deliberate or what, but when will the IT industry realise that if you want people to buy a product, stop making it look like a computer.

Case in point - when digital camera's first appeared, none of them looked like a camera - and surprise, surprise - hardly any sold.

Fast forward to today and the advance of HTPCs. Locally, Harvey Norman made a move into them 18 months ago and failed. Why? Because they were selling them as HP towers!!! You've got to be joking aren't you. WAKE UP EVERYBODY. If you want people to use a computer as a consumer electronics device, make them look like one (so it integrates into your AV equipment).

Imagine spending truckloads on Receivers, Tuners, etc and then be forced to wack a ruddy ugly PC tower on the floor. When will we learn??? We have to take the technology fear away from what people are experiencing. Make it easy, make it familiar - and you'll see them in droves...

Thoughts - IT's Obsession With Reinvention

I'm a strong believer in Open Software - it is clearly leading the path in innovation in IT. Yet, when will the industry wake up to making things simple.

I was considering MythTV recently (rather than waiting for the Packer's and Murdock's to stop trying to bury Digital TV and allow a decent PVR/DVR recorder into the country) but got no further than the Hardware heading in the doco. What a load of shite. There are thousands and thousands of entries, comments, forums and doco regarding the topic, but do you think I can find an idiot sheet I can use to minimise the pain? Nup.

Instead, I'm expected to reinvent a process that (probably) hundreds have tried and struggled with (many talk of 33 hours installation dramas). Yet, given a specific specification, I dare say it would almost take no more than 1-2 hours in reality.

And we see this everywhere - Wiki's, CMS, etc - truckloads of documentation but none of it useful if you just want to get in and install it.

Wake Up People - We'd have SOOO much more leverage if we simplified these installs for mug punters...

Pixie Garden - Tax Reform Enquiry

We've had plenty of tax inquiries over the years - they usually run for months and still fail to achieve anything.

Yet, we're to believe, that we can review and compare the tax systems in other major economies in just 5 weeks?

Yep, the Pixies are alive and have green thumbs this week...

Wots On? - PM Barracking for Hanson Voters?

Okay, what's the deal? Today we've had Howard proclaiming that "Hanson's supporters weren't racist" - you'd think we were heading into an election. So why is he sucking back up to the Hansonite's? Is he weary of the conservative vote splitting (which is why he plundered their policies in 1999/2000). Does he feel under threat again?

I wonder, after the RU486 vote, if Family First aren't digging in the screws (for being screwed - they did, after all, hand the VSU vote to him on a platter). It was interesting to hear that Family First would be entering candidates in ALL 78 seats in the coming Queensland Election. Yep, it's Hanson all over again.

Thoughts - What's Going on in Iraq?

Robert Risk, on Lateline tonite, made an interesting observation about the looming civil strife in Iraq. He argued that the we need to "question the narrative" currently coming out of Iraq and question "is it real?" or at least, to think about things more broadly.

So who is pulling the strings? Robert seemed to be arguing that the Coalition Forces are driving the insurgency. That it is they who are paying the death squads in an effort to encourage a Civil War. But why? Then it dawned on me - pull out.

If Iraq was to fall into civil conflict, it may infact give the Americans a reason to leave. Why stay and stand in the way?

Prediction - Nuclear Weapons in OZ (Followup)

Out of the blue, we're suddenly talking about Nuclear Power again in this country with this recent comment by Little Johnny. In it, Howard argues "I am of the view that we certainly should not turn our face against it as Mr Beazley has done. I can't understand why he did that".

Well sorry John, but we have a swaythe of free, non-polluting energy sources waiting/demanding to be tapped. Wind, Wave, Solar, Themal - you name it we got truckloads of it - but you just don't seem interested.

Why? Well, I still think it's because we're gunning to be a world player - Little Johnny (and the Liberals) want us hitting above our weight.

Of course, that can only take us in one direction - by becoming a Nuclear Power and if we have our own generating capacity, then we can enrich the output to make our own weapons.

Would you trust them to set up JUST a domestic power use nuclear facility? Not bloody likely mate...

Prediction - Nuclear Weapons in OZ (Followup)

Out of the blue, we're suddenly talking about Nuclear Power again in this country with this recent comment by Little Johnny. In it, Howard argues "I am of the view that we certainly should not turn our face against it as Mr Beazley has done. I can't understand why he did that".

Well sorry John, but we have a swaythe of free, non-polluting energy sources waiting/demanding to be tapped. Wind, Wave, Solar, Themal - you name it we got truckloads of it - but you just don't seem interested.

Why? Well, I still think it's because we're gunning to be a world player - Little Johnny (and the Liberals) want us hitting above our weight.

Of course, that can only take us in one direction - by becoming a Nuclear Power and if we have our own generating capacity, then we can enrich the output to make our own weapons.

Would you trust them to set up JUST a domestic power use nuclear facility? Not bloody likely mate...

Thoughts - The Most Powerful (and Dangerous) Union in OZ

...is clearly the AMA.

Just think what power this beast has:

1. Ability to limit supply of doctors to ensure the demand cycle is never met, thus ensuring spiralling health care costs.
2. Ability to dampen training doctor numbers for the same reason.
3. They battle ANY attempt to remove their power in making clinical decisions (that nurses make (usually better) every day).
4. They've actively pushed/encouraged the extension of the standard Medicine degree to become a pre-med + Medicine approach - thus increasing the time lag in producing doctors and then ensuring they want to be paid heaps to cover their HECS debt.
5. They lambasted the State Govt when it proposed a swag of bonded placed for Qld doctors - they'd have no debt but would be compelled to practice in Qld for 4 years. What a dreadful suggestion???
6. Happily turn a blind eye to the pharmaceutic company kick backs they receive DAILY.
   

This control over the supply of doctors has to end - so come on Johnny, lets see you union bust the worst union in the country - the AMA.

Thoughts - Why the Cruiseship Terminal IS Vapourware...

To me it's becoming clearer that this whole thing is a crock of shite. Why? Well, I think it comes down to some simple arguments:

1. Katrina

With 1200+ units/houses to be constructed, that's a damned lot of permanent residents to stick out in a disaster waiting to happen. Not that it will necessarily stop councils desire to make it happen, but the reality of Hurricane Katrina will surely put a bite in the tail for any poor sod who wants to take out insurance.


2. Infrastructure & Population

So, just imagine 1200+ cars and perhaps 2400+ residents all rushing down Sir Leslie Thiess Drive to go about their business. Then add to that a night at the Crocs. Sorry, but it ain't gonna happen! There just isn't a significant enough of a drain out of this area to warrant the population. I do, however, think it might be a way of pressuring higher governments to fund the Port Access Road, thus freeing up the existing rail corridor and a new bridge across Ross Creek (at the end of the Strand) - in 10-15 years time!!! None of this will happen overnite, and at the rate state and federal goverment fund anything in regional Australia, it will probaly take longer.

3. Security

Presumably we want to park American warships in the new berth. Two problems (as pointed out recently by a letter to the editor). Firstly, imagine the outcry from residents when they have to live up next to a (potentially as they never tell us) Nuclear Reactor? Secondly, can you imagine the security cordon placed around the Amercians in the current climate. Surely residents movement MUST be hampered with blockades, etc in place for the duration of the visit...???

4. Pollution

Dust has again come under fire from the Port - yet we want to build a massive housing development within the main airflow corridor? Are we mad? Then there's the noise and light pollution that will spill onto the new neighbours.

Sorry folks - but this is a pipe dream. Question is, if this is the distraction, what's the main fare?

Prediction: The Demise of The Nationals

You've got to hand it to Little Johnny Howard. One of his lasting effigies must surely be forever moving Australian politics into the (strictly) 2 party system. Under his tenure, he has surely seen off the likes of:

• The Democrats (thanks to the GST debacle)
• One Nation (by stealing their policies)
• Family First (thanks to VSU & anti-abortion support)

And now, of course, we have his latest victim - The Nationals.

Despite the Nationals facing a perfect opportunity to shore up support in the Bush, they are quickly imploding on themselves as they battle to split the party into two. There's the "wish we were more like the Liberals" Nationals and the "wish we were more like Barnaby" Nationals. It's almost very similar to what happened to the Democrats with a few nutters thinking that they could actually do more than hold the balance of power (I've always thought that Meg et al had been brainwashed by Liberal hacks telling them - come into the mainstream and make a real difference!!!).

Sorry folks, the minute you jumped into bed with the Coalition and backed the GST - this after it was not raised in the general election and had previously been ruled out by Howard ("we will never introduce a GST"). What happened to "keeping the bastards honest"? What, by letting pull the biggest rug over our eyes in history?

And now we're seeing the same with the Nats - Barnaby is trying to maintain the Nationals Agrarian Socialist policies going (AWB single desk, Bush Infrastructure, etc) while the other half is rushing to sign up with the Liberals. Personally I like the notion of an Agraian Socialist policy - I think it's been an important part of our egalatarianism in that no matter where you lived in the country, you could access core essential services - and at the same price as folks in the city. Yet the Libs (and Labour for that matter) have been pulling that notion to pieces to the point where soon, living in rural and regional Australia will be prohibitively expensive (perhaps another prediction for another time).

So good luck to the Nationals as they try to stem the demise of smaller parties in Australia. Their demise will be our loss and it will further entrench the two party system in the country and thus further focus power within the hands of the minority - and as we all now know - you've got a grease a palm to succeed in business and, thanks to Johnny, there'll be fewer palms to grease...

Thoughts - Time for IT Workers to Revolt?

For long as I can recall, folks working in IT have been pressed, cajoled, forced even into dumbing down their science for the poor plebs around us. And for much of this time, I've actively pushed back against the luddites (including those within) who insist we speak in dulcit tones so as to appease the poor gentle working minds of those to whom we work.

Bollocks I say!!!

How many Electricians or Builders "dumb down" their explainations of what needs to be done in their fields? How many anacronisms do accountants, electrical engineers or even teachers use EVERY day without question. But when someone in the IT industry says "you're going to need an 80Gb HDD to do the job" - eyes glaze over and people start with whine about nutty IT people.

I could understand 20 years ago when everything was new - but unless you've been living in a cave since 1980, every day of your live is surrounded by IT - so there is simply no excuse.

So people, lets stop living in the dark ages - either embrace technology (and live with the terminology) or shut the f... up and lets us get on and do our jobs...

Thoughts - Legislating from the Pulpit

It has been interesting watching the recent debate over RU486 and how it highlights how the merger of religion into politics is a bad move.

It also showed an interesting "contradiction" of sorts. For many years, the right has complained of Judges "legislating from the bench" yet in the current Abortion debate, we're seeing "Legislating from the Pulpit" as Tony Abbott used his position as Minister for Health to effectively put a new ban on abortion by blocking access to RU486 (and thus the subsequent uproar and vote overturning his decision in BOTH houses of parliament).

Problem is, Tony's implied rewriting of the laws around Abortion are much more insidious. You see, here we have an individual, backed by right wing evangelicals, making implicit rulings on what we, as individuals can or can't do. There's no legal basis for it (as a judge would do by interpreting the law), Tony just says "nah, I'm sticking to my belief and that means no RU486".

It's akin to Pharmacists denying women access to the pill or contraceptives because it goes against their faith. Look I have no problem with your faith, just stop imposing your beliefs on me.

Thoughts - Religion & Politics

I was rather annoyed this morning to hear Gerard Henderson (from the Sydney Institute) on Radion National's AM program arguing that it was shameful how the RU486 debate had become sectarian - mainly anti-catholic and that, because Abbot was exposuing a religious view he shouldn't be villified.

Well, I'm sorry, but if you're going to bring your religious moral values into a political debate - which is what many were doing by making it a debate about Abortion - then you have to expect to be dealt with in the rumble and tumble of politics.

How you can expect to make personal religious claims on an issue and then expect to be somehow treated with kit gloves because you're expressing a religious view is staggering.

No, if you don't want to wear criticism then don't bring your views into the political arena...

Thoughts - Ethics and Ideology...

It has been stunning to watch the crass double standards our conservative pollies have been expousing in recent weeks. In light of the scandalous AWB payments to Saddam, we've had a barrage of business leaders and conservative politician's arguing that the trade is more important than the ethics of all this. Basically, it's the done thing in the middle-east, so why the bigr hallaballoo?

Well HELLO!!! Didn't we go to war over this? Not just because of Saddam and Iraq (and his devious WMD), but because he wasn't toeing the UN line. And why wasn't he? Because he was all cashed up because we'd been paying him kick backs (so why would he toe the line).

If the business sector had shown any sceric of ethical behaviour and the government backed its rhetoric with enforcement - perhaps the UN would have been more effective and Saddam could've been swept from power without ANY need for substantial violence and death (certainly not 2 years of the stuff).

How can these people not see that they are completely two faced about this is incredulous to me...

Suggestion - Relocate Our Capital Cities

The headline in todays Courier Mail reported something along the line of "20 years of water problems". Why? Well, most would argue it was a lack of planning. I would agree - but not for more dams in the South East - no the REAL problem is overpopulation in the South East and a lack of planning to force/redirect/encourage the mexicans into other parts of the state.

But frankly, this is NEVER going to happen because whilst the capital remains in Brisbane, the vast majority of people will want to move there. So why does the Capital have to be Brisbane? Perhaps the solution is to move it elsewhere in the state.

As much as we harp on about it, North Queensland statehood just isn't going to happen (a) because the majority in Queensland (those in the SE) know it would kill their futures and b) the remaining states don't want to unsettle the balance of power in the Federal Parliament (where NSW and VIC have the seat of power by the balls). So, if that's not possible, why not move the capital?

My suggestion - put it on a 25/50 year rotation. Why? Well, moving the capital will come with some costs and time to plan things - so if it's on a fixed arrangement, then planning becomes simpler. It also means that Brisbane wouldn't loose it forever - you'd get it back eventually. But by that time, it will have had the necessary affect - namely to encourage development and population growth away from the South East.

So, what things do we need to do to plan for moving the capital? How would we plan to "upgrade a city" to accommodate future growth - sustainably? I think it's an excellent challenge.

And my preference for the new State Capital? Charters Towers!!! Why? Well, if we leave it coastal we'd never get anyone to agree (e.g. the usual Townsville vs Cairns rivalary). Charters Towers has historical importance (it was "The World" in a previous life). It has ample room for growth - has plentiful water (Burdekin River) and yet is still close enough to the coast to be accessible.

So what do we need?

• Improved Airport (perhaps even an International Airport one day)
• Improved Rail Services (high speed links to surrounds)
• New Road Networks
• New Subdivisions
• New High Rise Development
• What Else?
  

Just imagine - Macrossan could become the "upmarket" riverside suburb of the new Capital?

Prediction - End of Medicare

As mentioned in a previous post, we're seeing the gradual dismantling of the medicare safety net but the government - yet another case of boiling the frog. If they came out and said "that's it, we're killing off medicare", it wouldn't happen because they'd be toss out quick smart - so they're taking it apart a piece at a time. How's that possible? Well:

1. 80% Coverage Clause

This change that provides 80% coverage (regardless of the scheduled fee) means that, before long, we will have $200 consults. How's that possible? Well, people are "comfortable" paying $40 per consult now. So, if the government will stump up with 80% ($160), then all the poor punter has to cough up is $40. Now, is the government is going to bankroll $160 consults??? Not bloody likely mate. No, well before that happens (lets say $80), the government will say "this is too expensive" and start to roll it all back (and put the cost back onto punters).

2. 30% Private Insurance Rebate

As per the above, this is gouging the health budget because, year after year, the punters are slogged with > than inflation increases (7-8% each year for 3-4 years!).

All of these moves are against the original tenets of medicare - namely to contain cost increases of these essential services. By imposing a scheduled fee, doctors are effectively forced into being competative or else pass on the costs to the punter - which would be political suicide.

So, now they simply bankrupt the system and wait for it to collapse.

How long have we got???

Prediction - FTA - Backdoor Abolition of PBS

In a New Years heart warmer, Mark Vaile has mooted that the government is considering dropping Labor's anti-evergreening clause, which was aimed at protecting access to cheaper generic drugs.

In an astonishing load of BS, the drug companies have argued that removing the cause would not result in increased prices.

I'm sorry, if removing the clause will NOT result in increased prices then surely leaving it in will have no impact either - so please, humour us on this one.

But no, I suspect this is the start of the gradual undermining of the PBS (as predicted by many) - expect it to be "no more" within 5-10 years!!! We're already seeing an undermining of Medicare (thanks to recent Private Medical Insurance rises that will mean our 30% contribution increases) as well as the government's 80% coverage shite (which means doctors will just start charging to the $40 per person limit (+80% paid for by us). Within 2-3 years it will be unsustainable...

Prediction - The Demise of Family First...

Like Meg Lees and The Democrats before them, Johnny has pulled the rug out from under Mr Fielding and Family First - and the poor fool doesn't even know it. Whilst his actions (which is most likely in support of the Government to pull the rug on RU486) might get backing from the Religous Right, his "Family Impact" strategy will now be bunkem as a weapon against the government as Universities start to slash on-campus facilities in reaction to the new Bill.

Surely we had to see it coming? So well laid up by the government. Putting RU486 up on a media platform - scaring the begeesus out of the anti-abortionist in his party, probably working them into a fever pitch (look at the US problems with this - forget about killing thousands in the Iraqi War (including your own people) - as long as Mr Bush says he'll fight Roe, then we'll back him).

So what a great three card trick? Use RU486 as a rouse to stir up his support base, then land the VSU stuff on his lap - it's either VSU or the unborn kids - take your choice.

So, those "family" folk who originally supported them on their "non-religous footing", Howard has simply outed them on their position on Abortion (thus turning them into a future political basket case), he gets to water down RU486 for a few more years (and don't be mistaken, it'll become legal at some stage - but it'll get Abbott & Costello happy for a bit) and tops it all off with the VSU legislation.

So in just 6 months, Howard has effectively managed to wipe Unions from the Australian political landscape...

Oh, are we in deep poo in this country or what ... ???

PS - Await the announcement over Xmas for Johnnie to retire - he must be like a pig in mud right now.

Reap What You Sow - Racial Violence in Sydney

Following the riots in Sydney this weekend, even Mr Howard is concerned.

Sorry Johnny, but you reap what you sow...

Years of expousing hate and fear by our national leadship and their rampant hype of nationalism has surely had some effect. It all started with Hansonite politics when Howard first came into office - his failure to neuter Hanson opened the door on intolerence in this country and Howard has been cajolling it ever since for his own end (Tampa, Iraq, Terror Laws, etc).

Problem is, where will it all end? Must be a sure bet that the communities targetted by the mob on Sunday will likely react...??? The genie is out of the bottle and it will take something special (like real leadership) to put it back in.

Update 16/12/2005: Even Laurie Oakes is coming around that we've all been duped...

Orwellian Speak - "Outrageous/Outlandish Claims"

In recent months I've notice ruling governments the world over lambasting a rash of "outrageous/outlandish" claims against them (for example):

• Downer refuting allegations of DFAT's involvement in the AWB scandal in Iraqi Wheatgate - "Wheat kickback claims outrageous: Downer"
• Rumsfeld's reaction to claims Bush wanted to dump on Al-Jazeera - "We are not going to dignify something so outlandish with a response," a White House official told CNN.

So, is this a new double-speak? It sounds like a denial yet it completely lacks one! So, it's a great way of defusing an issue by appearing to refute the claim yet does nothing of the sort. Anyone can claim something is outrageous or outlandish, but that doesn't mean it's not true. The language we should be looking for is "we completely refute this claim" or "this claim is not true".

So, all Joe Public hears is the "outrageous/outlandish claim" and a few more soundbites thus crushing any chance for the truth to be told.