More “Stuff Christians Like” – they really are funny because they’re true.
Have you ever thought about how many different types of “flatbread” there are? Bread varieties that are essentially the same thing just used different ways by different cultures? Profound hey. One man’s Yiros is another man’s burrito. Here’s the list from Wikipedia.
The countdown is over. We voted this morning. Robyn told me afterwards that she’d voted for Family First. It was a funny joke. We laughed.
Here’s why I don’t vote for Family First…
I have no numbers to back this up. But I’m sure I could find them. I know that some people who are single issue voters on abortion will get angry when I say this. But voting for family first when you’re a nominally conservative voter who doesn’t like abortion is pretty much a vote for Labor – who (despite their name being similar to the act of giving birth) are the most likely party to legalise abortion in Australian states.
Obviously the preference system allows you to make this statement while still essentially voting for the LNP – but a real statement would be made by the number of people not preferentially voting at all – and ousting a government without having to rely on preferences at all.
It may be a principled move. It may make a statement. But it’s a phyrric victory only. So I won’t be making that move any time soon.
This is too late to change anyone’s mind anyway. But it’s my two cents worth.
Also, I think it’s slightly ironic that the Greens print out how to vote cards. They’re such a waste of paper. Perhaps we should change the legislation to allow each nominated candidate to place a “how to vote” card in the voting booth. That’s under 10 printouts per candidate per booth – rather than thousands.
I picked up a new breadmaker today from Cash Converters – it solves all my roasting problems by spinning right from the start. I roasted my first batch. I’m very excited. No more stirring by hand or spending ages waiting for a spin cycle to kick into gear.
I also used the new heat gun I picked up while garage sailing the other week.
I really only wrote this so that I could use that title. It would have been more appropriate had I written it tomorrow.
Why is it that I make one of the coolest posts I’ve made in days weeks months ever and the next day I spot something that would have been an absolutely perfect fit. I give you the beer blaster.
Actually, it’s probably good enough to warrant its own post. Here’s where you can get yours – and here it is in action.
There’s nothing like politics for dividing Christian unity. Jeremy Halcrow writes for the Sydney Anglican website. He’s a writer I’ve largely appreciated and benefited from. We happen to disagree on the Government’s Clean Feed. Here’s his post and long discussion thread on the Sydney Anglican website. Interesting read if you’re looking to sort through various Christian responses to the debate and trying to sort out an ethical approach to online content.
Here’s what Mr Halcrow had to say to me on another blog for daring to disagree with his position:
“Nathan, you don’t know what is the ACMA blacklist and neither does your extremist libertarian source you quote.
I’m not engaging with you any more for all I know your a Greens Party stooge or some other extremist libertarian group.
I don’t think you are discussing this in good faith.”
A Green Party stooge? Ouch. That’s hit a raw nerve. He follows with this little piece of irony (posted anonymously – but I’m pretty sure it’s him, it’s corroborated on the Sydney Anglican website at the bottom of the article)…
“You are wrong and I know you are wrong.
I am happy to say I have had an off-the record briefing with the Government.
I can’t say any more than that.
You are putting your faith in people who are out to spread mischief and misinformaton”
His information is as sensitive and secretive in nature as the Government blacklist he’s defending.
I did not respond in a loving manner.
Today was a busy day for me – what with elections being tomorrow and my job being what it is… you can check out what the candidates have promised North Queensland on our website.
I also played around with my “categories” – culling some, combining some and rearranging them into the following order… you can now also subscribe just to a category. It’s as easy as clicking on the RSS images below.
I posted a Pacman shirt from Glennz.com last week. This one is funnier. And it’s from BustedTees
Runners up in the almost shirt of the day category (which is generally weekly and completely arbitrary)… from the same site include the following.
This one poses the important questions
And this one is too rude for me to display – even though I think my mum would approve. And my wife would relate…
The title of this post is only appropriate because it contains a passing reference to a popular television show and the name of the guy who designed the stuff I’m posting. Dan Meth. Creator of the fantastic trilogy graphic has produced a series of pop culture graphics. Included below for your enjoyment, education and edification are images mapping the location of popular sitcoms, the location of New York based sitcoms and the layout of sitcom sets from popular series throughout history.
There’s a lot of debate still raging about the proposed clean feed. We all thought it was dead when Nick Xenophon decided he didn’t like it. But no. It’s alive and kicking. And costing money for anyone who dares link to the leaked blacklist.
Obviously there’s a fair bit of support from the Christian side of the fence for anything limiting people’s access to pornography – particularly child exploitation material. But these objections are, in my opinion, misguided. There’s also a fair bit of reasonable Christian objection to the proposal. Examples here from Craig and Seamus.
Here’s some reasons I think the policy is a bad idea…
Libertarians want the policy scrapped because they think people should have access to whatever material they believe is in their best interest. I don’t agree. And I don’t think you have to agree with that idea to oppose what is a stupid piece of policy that was only tabled in the first place to appease the Christian vote.
The debate at Craig’s blog continued into a second post – where I joined the fray.
From here on in I’m just reproducing what I said there.
Here’s what Conroy had to say about the issue from an ABC story on the matter of the blacklist and how it will be used… from the horse’s mouth so to speak.
“Senator Conroy: A whole range of people have said, ‘Hey let’s expand this’. That’s a debate that we will come to. What we’re trying to establish at the moment, we’re no further than establishing at the moment, whether it’s technically feasible. So in terms of what some of us senators want to claim should be included on the blacklist, I’m sure that when we get to the debates down the track, if it proves to be technically feasible, there’ll be a whole range of people with a whole range of demands about what should be on the blacklist. But what we’ve committed to do is practically implement what’s on the blacklist at the moment, if it is technically feasible.
Conroy is basically admitting that the technology will allow the Government to pretty much block whatever they see fit. It’s scary.
Hansard from this Senate estimates hearing (it’s a PDF) makes for interesting reading (at least when they’re talking about getting newsradio in Townsville and the Clean Feed).
Quotes like this one worry me:
“As I have said, whether we will consider other items will be determined by the live trial.”
It’s not simply restricted to illegal content – this trial is restricted to illegal content – the filter may be open to further suggestions once they know it works…
Having read the entire discussion in that Hansard report I’m still not convinced. I know they say that they’re only dealing with material in line with the current classifications system – but their statements are far too open ended when dealing with the future of the scheme and the way sites are added to the ACMA blacklist – which like it or not is a secret list controlled by the Government and will play a vital role in identifying blocked content.
Nobody is arguing that there aren’t good intentions behind the scheme – just that in its current form it is far too open for abuse in the future for my liking. It also won’t do anything to stop or deter those who use the internet for nasty means – because as has been argued time and time again – they don’t use standard http websites.
Why a Government controlled blacklist is a bad idea…
“alongside the questionable porn sites and other nasties are examples like this: Christian sites, the website of a tour operator and even a Queensland dentist.
Other Australian sites on the list are (“Tuckshop and Canteen Management Consultants”) and , animal carers MaroochyBoardingKennels.com.au.
Nice work ACMA. The list has been released by wikileaks.
“The dentist, Dr John Golbrani, was furious when contacted to inform him that his site, dentaldistinction.com.au, appeared on the blacklist.
“A Russian company broke into our website a couple of years back and they were putting pornographic listings on there … [but] we changed across to a different web provider and we haven’t had that problem since,” Golbrani said in a phone interview.
Some stats from American church surveys – 29% describe themselves as strongly associated with the Democrats while only 12% call themselves strong Republicans.
Want to make your own logically tasty Sudoku pizza? Here’s how.
Barack Obama is under fire from the Christian Right gun lobby for making air travel in the US more dangerous by repealing an act that allowed pilots to carry sidearms.
Guns are fun. Everyone knows that. Which is why I’ve collected this post full of novely gun items that you should all consider adding to your personal armoury.
Like this BBQ lighter…
“A fun way to start the grill, the Shoot and Cook Rifle BBQ lighter will help you light your grilling flames safely. This 14.5’’ lever action rifle replica features impressive miniature details that are sure to make it one of your favorite backyard grilling tools. Refillable, this butane lighter is child resistant for safety and features flame adjustment.”
Sounds fun. Buy it from the Bass Pro Shops…
Now, we all know I’m a bit OCD about flies. Nothing spoils Christmas lunch at the Campbells like a hoard of buzzing blowflies… well, now I can dispose of them safely and hygenically. Thanks to this:
Once the trigger has been activated, the capture tube will shoot out about 1 cm. At the same time there will be a strong vacuum created in the suction cylinder and capture tube. The fly doesn’t stand a chance against the suction, which is reinforced by the rapid projection of the capture tube. The fly is sucked into the capture tube up to the protective grating. The protective grating prevents the fly from getting into the internal mechanism.
If you’ve caught your flies and don’t have turtles to feed them to – perhaps you’ll need this butane lighter machine gun with a laser scope. It’s not a long bow to draw. It’s a machine gun lighter to burn…
“This great refillable butane lighter looks just like a Machine Gun. Pull back the hammer and watch the blue jet torch come out the front. This gun lighter is also a laser pointer with 5 different picture lenses including traditional point pinky hand indian skull hand and more!. Everyone will notice your amazing lighter/lazer pointer gun.”
Yeah, and chicks totally dig guys with machine gun flamethrowers. Buy yours here today. Or don’t, they’ll no doubt be here tomorrow.
And finally the coup de grace – if you can’t handle all these guns of awesomeness and rather conveniently want to shoot yourself – I give you… the backwards pistol. I’m sure it’s ergonomically sound.
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*Possibly not a real product.
