Vrrrooom!

I'd said that I wouldn't go for my motorcycle licence until I'd finished my PhD. Well, I decided it's close enough. I now have my open, unrestricted licence :D

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It seems I'm nothing but a litany of medical complaints lately. A couple of weeks back I did something to the muscles of my back, I have no idea what - playing Wii Tennis with Brett might have had something to do with it though :P - and it's been sore ever since. Yesterday Tanya, Sarah, and I went out to the Causeway Lake for a bbq and went for a paddle afterwards. In hindsight, having a go on the kayak was probably a mistake; I felt alright at the time but this morning I was worse. Nevertheless, I figured I'd pull through.

Back a step... I booked a Q-Ride course late last week. It was the last session of the year and I thought, if I don't do it now I'll have to wait until next year, and I was sure my back would be OK by today. Q-Ride is great. Instead of the standard 6-months as a Learner and then take a 30 minute test for your licence, Q-Ride lets you get your licence at any time after an approved instructor says you're ready - no tests, just professional training. Typically it's organised into 5-6-hour sessions that cover every skill the instructor has to sign off on, and that's what I did today.

So I rocked up in my car at the kart track at Bajool, about 35km south of Rocky just off the highway, tender but still confident. However, after a couple of laps around the track I was gritting my teeth in pain. I thought about pulling out and having another go next year, but soldiered on nevertheless. Actually after a while it wasn't so bad; I think my muscles simply reknitted themselves in a crouched over position on the bike :P But man, getting off and standing up was painful, and I'm feeling it still.

Anyway, the instructor put me on a 400cc V-twin - I hired one of their bikes rather than use my own, because I had no way of legally riding my own bike to the track (no Brett :( ), and if I used a >250cc bike I could get my unrestricted licence. The V-twin was great for the kart track, lots of torque down low in the rev range, pretty much just twist-and-go, never needed higher than 3rd gear. But it rattled terribly and strained in top gear on the highway, overall I prefer my much smoother 250cc inline-4.
There were a few embarrassing incidents - I ran out of fuel on the highway (it should have been refueled before the course :| ) - and generally I really didn't feel in good form, but at the end of the day the instructor passed me :)

So tomorrow morning I take my Q-Ride certificate to Queensland Transport and get my shiny new motorcycle licence! Then I can look on it and take comfort as I sit in agony in front of this computer finishing my thesis :P

(I should give a plug for Top Rider, the school I went through, and Shane/Dean in particular for great instruction!)

Writing God

This is how I've been feeling lately :D
I want to use that comic strip in my thesis instead of those pretentious quotes. Hey, no-one ever accused me of being high-brow :P
I wonder if Jorge Cham would let me... can't hurt asking!

Party politics

Warning! Long post!
Some context from an earlier conversation:

daleyl: Have you ever thought about how ridiculous the idea of democracy is combined with the two party preferred system? The people have the power of choice (between two slightly different choices)

Tanya: The real problem to my thinking is that each parlimentary member can't vote according to their electorate's wishes if it goes against the main party's wishes - if they do, they are severely punished

daleyl: Good point.

belly: yep!!!! That's why you have to vote for the party that you think would be better... Rather than the person in your electorate...

Tanya: I think that many people get into politics from a genuine desire to initiate change, but they get so consumed by the party politics and 'playing the game to get elected' that they forget what they initially set out to achieve

daleyl: I have deeply cynical views on the whole thing. It is a farce. Its a distraction.

belly: Tanya, you make a very good point...

Tanya: Unfortunately it's the only way to initiate change - what's the alternative?

daleyl: Its rolling machine, and like you said, once you get in you get caught up in it probably without knowing it.

belly: Though there are some people that do go against "their" party for their electorate.... I have seen one particular member threated with going to jail... but he stood up for what he believed in...

...

daleyl: But the only way we are ever going to effect change is if we get serious about waking people up from the material induced slumber that we all live in.

daleyl: Fucking revolution. Thats what I am about.

(couldn't leave that quote out :D)

I feel like playing the Devil's Advocate (though I should admit that I'm not at all qualified to do so :p). There are some real advantages to having a multi-party system, as opposed to a nonpartisan system in which parties are constitutionally disallowed. I suggest there is a benefit to the people, from compromising personal principles to follow the party line, and playing the game to be elected.

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Tyranny of the Majority
Parties are accused of "playing the game" to win elections for their own sake, and not for the sake of the people they're meant to be representing. Yet, deliberately playing the game just to win votes is arguably better for the people, and therefore for democracy, than is standing unwaveringly by one's personal principles.
The problem is the so-called "tyranny of the majority", a problem inherent in representative democracy. It occurs when an absolute majority of representatives can consistently block the interests of a (possibly vocal) minority. If representatives are elected based on how similar their personal principles are to the majority of the electorate, and if those representatives then consistently vote according to their principles, then the minority in the electorate will never have their voice heard in parliament.
Thankfully it doesn't happen that way. Both independents and especially party members compromise on their personal principles in order to win votes. It's a game in which every vote counts. The strategy is to compromise policies such that the number of votes gained from the targeted minority is greater than the number of votes lost from alienated core supporters.
This strategy should be applied when the minority has a much stronger conviction than the majority, such that a small change in policy yields maximum gain for minimum cost. This is the exact situation where the tyranny of the majority would otherwise oppress the minority. Playing the game for votes distorts the representation in parliament of vocal minorities, mitigating the tyranny of the majority, and this is arguably beneficial for democracy.
Consider some examples of vocal minorities versus largely indifferent majorities: environmental causes, opposition to war, and stem-cell research. Of course, it's not all rosy. There's the flip side of the coin, too: opposition to euthanasia and opposition to gay marriage (though that could swing both ways, so to speak ;) ), for example.
The point is that it may be beneficial to give more voice to those of strong conviction, and who are presumably familiar with an issue, than to those of weak conviction who are presumably not. Ironically, playing the game for votes furthers this goal, whereas standing firmly by principles does not. And if you can say anything for parties and independents, parties are better at the former and independents are better at the latter!

I think there is some virtue in compromising one's own principles, and even some virtue in compromising the principles of the majority of one's electorate - in certain cases, and guided by game-playing strategy. After all, the fundamental tenet of democracy is that no single person is infallible. Why should any representative necessarily believe that their personal principles are worth voting by in parliament when they may have compelling evidence to the contrary?

I should end by reiterating that I am mainly playing the Devil's Advocate here. I would hate to see politics dominated even more by the major parties! Nevertheless... if you've read this far anyway, what do ya reckon?

These boots ain't made for walking

Brett and Melanie invited me down to the beach for fish & chips with Blair, his son Connor, and his friend Lee. And of course, I got to ride :D
Bikes are convenient in some ways, and not in others. I was able to just pull up onto a wide dividing strip between a packed carpark and the road, whilst Brett had to circle in his car a few times to get a park. But it is unfortunate that the imperative of protecting one's skin with bulky motorcycle gear is somewhat in conflict with the limited storage space on a bike and the warm Queensland sunshine that one, after all, goes to the beach to enjoy.
The helmet I can lock to the bike; the gloves I can stow in my bag; the jacket I can leave in Brett's car; and the jeans I can put up with wearing.
The only problem is the boots. I've now come to realise, after walking up and down the entire length of the main street for fish & chips, that these boots definitely weren't made for walking. They're waterproof, for starters. That sounded like a good thing back in winter, but it also means they're sweatproof. And whilst I'm sure they do a good job of protecting my ankles from the road, they're not so good at actually, you know, bending. I have a friction-burn on the back of one ankle testifying to that.

But still, it's worth it :D

I think in future I'll get a pair of these and keep a pair of sandals in my bag, and everything will be just dandy :)

An Inconvenient Truth

Tanya, Sarah, and I went to see An Inconvenient Truth on the weekend. It was a bit odd, since it felt like preaching to the choir, but I wanted to see what was supposed to be a finely honed presentation. And I have to give credit to Al Gore; he's an excellent public speaker. Whatever you may think of the content, you have to concede that the presentation and film were superbly produced and presented.
So I enjoyed it for that aspect, since I'd already read about most of the content. But one social statistic in particular jumped out at me, and I thought it was more enlightening than all the statistics about natural phenomena:
In a random sample of scientific, peer-reviewed literature over the past 10 years on climate science, in which over 900 papers (968 from memory) were reviewed, 0% of papers doubted the existence global warming.
In contrast, in a review of the popular media - TV, newspapers, web, etc. - 53% of reports doubted the existence of global warming.
Most people don't understand climate science. I don't. That's fine. We don't understand nuclear physics or medicine either; but we trust those who do. That's what I like about this statistic. It encapsulates everything in the debate about global warming into one, easily understandable bit of information.
Scientists: 0%; Media: 53%. Who would you trust? The sad thing is, I suppose a lot of people would answer "Media" :(
Anyway, another reason I found that particular statistic interesting was the close parallel with the recent Evolution vs. Intelligent Design farce. The popular media persists in portraying controversy and uncertainty where, really, none exists. I guess controversy sells more adspace...

Please Look Twice

It would be remiss of me not to do my own private bit to educate people during Motorcycle Awareness Week. Perhaps you don't realise just how exposed we are on public roads.
So please, please, for the unabashed naked truth of the matter laid bare, go to
http://www.pleaselooktwice.com/
and watch the ads.
I'm sure you will find them quite revealing.
:D

Cleaning the bike

In the spirit of automotive maintenance seen in Brett and Melanie's blogs, I decided to clean my bike today. I hadn't done this before. I'd been putting it off, but yesterday I went out to buy all the supplies.

First, warm soapy water to clean the bike in general. Rinse off with hose, dry with chamois. Spray mechanical bits with WD-40, especially the front - it's meant to stop bug splatter from sticking to anything. You have to be careful to avoid getting any WD-40 on the chain though; apparently it's a little too good at penetrating the chain links and dissolving the grease lubricant inside.
After cleaning everything else, it's time to clean the chain. Kerosene and a toothbrush removes the grime and drives out any water splashed on the chain from cleaning. I really need to get a rear wheel stand though, to be able to rotate the wheel freely. I had to get up, move all the towels and buckets, and roll the bike backwards a bit each time I finished cleaning a section so that I could expose the next length of chain. Time consuming and tedious, but not too hard. I'm afraid I got a few oilstains on the concrete from having to move everything each time though. Ah well - rental property :P
Man that chain had a lot of gunk built up on it. Anyway, once clean, you take the bike for a quick spin to warm the chain up - apparently you should apply lube to a warm chain. Because I'm paranoid, I put on all my gear to to for a <5-minute ride around the back-streets. Felt a bit silly - and a bit hot! - but better safe than sorry.
So back home and time to lube the chain. The manual says to use only 30-50w motor oil as a lubricant. I couldn't find any though. I don't actually know what the numbers mean, and all the products on the shelf were labeled Xw-Y, not X-Yw. And there wasn't any X=30 Y=50 in any case. So I figured Castrol chain lube would be alright, despite what the manual said, because after all it's made for O-ring bike chains like mine.
So I repeat the work-a-bit,-roll-the-bike-a-bit routine, but at least this is easier and quicker than cleaning with the kero and toothbrush. The packaging says to apply the lube sparingly, so I trust it, but I always hate not knowing what someone means when they say "sparingly". I hope I used enough. The lube gets applied to the inside of the chain, and you take the bike for another quick spin to use centrifugal force to spread the lube all through the chain links. Repeat gearing-up-for-5-minute-ride. And then home and done!
Only, the brakes don't work so well now, even after I used them several times to get rid of any moisture on the discs. I wonder if I accidentally got some WD-40 on the discs or something... presumably lubricant on brake discs is not a good thing :D I'll leave it overnight, try another ride, and if it's still a problem I'll try cleaning with kerosene.

Overall though, I feel like I've taken another important step along the path to becoming a proper biker :D

Jabber + Forums = ?

Recently a group of friends took a step backwards to IRC for group chat, since Jabber wasn't acceptable for some reason (not entirely sure why, I was away at the time. Hmm, it was sort of like a coup actually :p ). Anyway, as I was just chatting to Brett about newsgroups, it got me thinking.

Newsgroups and IRC are relics of a bygone age of the Internet. They persist by sheer weight of inertia (also largely, and interestingly, to support filesharing).

Take IRC for example. Once the technology for synchronous chat, it has been all but eclipsed by proprietary instant messaging (IM) networks such as AIM and MSN. IRC, for all its archaic shortcomings, has some advantages over IM: it's open (in the sense that no single company controls the relay servers), and it supports persistent chat rooms (that a person can actively join, rather than having to passivley be invited).
Enter Jabber. Jabber is an open protocol for instant messaging, and has all the advantages of IM (registered usernames, public profiles, contact lists, slick user-friendly interfaces) along with all the advantages of IRC (open distributed network, persistent chat rooms). By merit, it should dominate both IM and IRC. Whether it can compete with giants like AOL and Microsoft remains to be seen, though at least it has Google's weight behind it.

Now, it occurred to me that IRC and IM are roughly analogous to newsgroups and forums. Newsgroups are an open, distributed network with the same archaic shortcomings as IRC: kludgy interfaces and lack of user presence. Forums are proprietary communities with the same modern conveniences as IM: registered usernames, public profiles, slick interfaces loaded with features.
Given the similarities between IRC:IM and newsgroups:forums, why not try a Jabber-style solution to the shortcomings of newsgroups and forums?

A Jabber-style forum network would have the following properties:

1. The protocol would be standard and the network would be open for any server to join.
2. A user would have an account on any server, and would be identified by their username and server domain, for example nick@cqu.edu.au . Usernames are unique within a domain, but can be reused on different domains (like email and Jabber). The server would also host the user's public profile (XML of course) including global avatar and global sig.
   
3. Individual forums would be hosted on specific servers. For example, bonsai-forum@geeklane.com . In general, users from any server could participate in any forum. Every forum would have its own configuration though, including moderators, banned users, posting and reading restrictions, etc. The forum server could optionally host a local profile, avatar, and sig that would replace the user's global settings, for that forum.
   
4. Users would log in to their server. They could then access remote forums through a gateway web interface or a local client, or their server could authenticate them with the remote forum's server to allow the use of custom forum interfaces.
5. I'm unsure if usenet-style flooding (propagation of messages from one server to another) could be used to increase robustness of the forum network, or if this would be incompatible with the strict post ordering expected from forums.
6. It should also be possible to migrate existing web forums to this network; it's just that initially users would have lots of different accounts (one from each forum) to access the network through.

Imagine an open network of interoperable forums. Use one account to post to all forums. Find your friends easily on other forums. Carry over your status from one forum to another (co-operating forums only, of course). Everything would be XML, allowing the user their choice of interfaces. The network would ideally interoperate with Jabber for instant-messaging.

I reckon it's a good idea. I doubt it'll ever happen though; too much inertia in current forums. And there are probably problems with the idea I haven't thought of :)

The Right Words

I twisted Brett's arm until he agreed to fish & chips at the beach for lunch today, for a "short" break from writing and a chance to ride my bike on a beautiful day - the first chance I've had to take it on a long run. So, Melanie and Tanya with Brett in his car, we set off to pick up Sarah for good food, good company, and - at least for me - good fun :D

Now, this was the first time Sarah and Tanya had seen me ride, so I was thankful enough not to do anything embarrassing. Especially so since Sarah's had some serious reservations about me learning to ride in the past, and I was never sure if I managed to win her 'round. So I was just happy that everything went smoothly :)
But the awesome, amazing part is that after lunch Sarah asked me if someone could sit on the seat behind the rider. I was slightly perplexed, but mostly obliviously happy all the same to talk about my baby (the bike, not Sarah). I explained that, to save money by registering the bike as a single-seat, the rear footpegs and pillion strap had been removed.
Then Sarah floored me by pointing to the seat and stating imperiously, "Well, you'll just have to make sure that when you buy a real bike, it can seat a passenger. I want to ride behind you!"
So... not only might I share with Sarah the enthralling wonder of riding, it also appears that the acquisition of my next bike is pre-approved! :D :D :D *melt*
*sigh* I love her so much! (Sarah, not the bike). <3

Things to do after the thesis

Things I want to do after I'm done with this thesis:

• Caving. I reckon the wrist will be up to it by now; the capricorn caves aren't that strenuous.
• Buy a hat. The birds chirping in the trees are making me nervous; it's only a matter of time before they start swooping me. If I make completing my thesis a prerequisite for buying a hat, then I have a large incentive: a race between thesis-writing and nest-building :D
• Get my motorcycle licence. I'll take a one-day Q-Ride course to get my licence as soon as I can. I want my licence so badly... Riding is so much fun!
• Horse-riding. Been on my list of things to do for ages, may as well add it to this one too :)
• Meet up with Dad. Maybe take him over to Great Keppel or something.
  

The justification for this post is the motivation it provides to finish my thesis :) (note that "get a job" wasn't on the list :D )

AOL Search Queries

Sorry for being such a hermit lately; I'm just concentrating on getting my thesis written.

I did take time out to play with AOL's search query database for a bit. It's probably old news to some of you, but this is the story:

A while back the US Government demanded databases of search results from the major search engines (they wanted to trawl through the data to determine the prevalence of searches for pornography and such, in an attempt to pass some online child protection legislation). Google in particular refused to turn over results citing trade secrets and privacy concerns. A lengthy legal battle ensued, in which in many people's eyes Google fought the good fight.
Anyway, that's just context.

Early this month, AOL's research division released to the public AOLs entire search records for a 3-month period. Not a leak; a deliberate release. Just hours afterwards, AOL admitted they screwed up and retracted the database, but not before people had made copies.

As a concession to privacy concerns, all usernames in the database are replaced by random numbers, but the interesting thing is that the random number is assigned on a per-user basis, so you can see an (anonymous) person's entire search history. You can search the database by keywords, user id, or the website that the search returned.

It's fascinating in a voyeuristic sort of way. Some of it is funny, some of it is sad, and some of it is just plain disturbing.
This example clearly shows the underestimated danger of steak and cheese to society.
Here are some funny examples courtesy of Something Awful.
And here's a pretty interesting writeup of the whole situation.

I think what makes the database fascinating is trying to reconstruct what's going through someone's mind as they enter these search queries. Bizarre stuff.

Crouching Tiger vs. Hero vs. House of Flying Daggers

I think it's because I finally got around to copying my chinese music from home to work, and I'm sitting here late at night and my mind is starting to wander away from my work and towards the music playing in the background, that I thought of this and felt like writing it.

I think most people would agree that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the Western success of which probably paved the way for Hero and House of Flying Daggers, is the best movie of the three. There are many reasons for this, but one in particular occurred to me as I was listening to the soundtracks just now.
Whilst all three are fantasies, Crouching Tiger's fantasies weave in and out of everyday reality, whereas Hero's and House of Flying Daggers' fantasies float in some inaccessible place above everyday reality. Crouching Tiger is more grounded, in story, sets, and music. I think that connection to the audience's experience makes its (comparatively) restrained fantasies all the more special in comparison.

Yeah, this blog post was brought to you by the power of procrastination. :) ... Hmm, I wonder what Jet Li's Fearless is going to be like.

Wrist

There's nothing more to be done about my wrist, at least for the immediate future. I had the MRI scans last Friday, and saw my specialist yesterday.

The x-rays had already shown that the styloid process on the end of the ulna had broken off. The MRI scans, capable of resolving soft tissue, showed that it was being held in place by fibrous tissue to heal the damage. He said that that was the best that could be expected, since the bone wouldn't mend itself. I found that surprising, but he's the expert. My GP was concerned that the fibrous tissue would eventually impede my wrist's freedom of movement, but again, the specialist is the expert. Apparently I'm to wait a few months to see how well it heals, since as it is there's no reason for surgery.

On the one hand (ha :p) that's good news since I may not have to pay anything more than the consultations and scans I've already had (which I'm happy to have paid, in order to understand). On the other hand it kind of sucks that there's no techno-magical fix that I can buy. Still, if it heals well on its own and I eventually regain full use of my left wrist, then all is well. Fingers crossed!

Ode to Beef Rendang

Ode to Beef Rendang

Oh fiery heat that lingers on my lips
And lights up all the tastebuds on my tongue
Those lesser flavours find themselves eclipsed
When with your splendid spice they are among

You simmered, slowly stewing in your pot
For hours, spices soaking into meat
Galangal, garlic, chilli, and shallot
Intensifying, grown-man-crying heat

Yet though I sweat and wipe my teary eyes
That cry over this dish from Asia's South
I realise your fiery guise belies
The tender texture melting in my mouth

The plate is clear, the final morsel gone
But in my mem'ry, Rendang lingers on.

Motorcycling - Practice

I've decided that riding a motorcycle counts as "normal, everyday use" of my wrist, which the doc said was ok, so I've been practicing again. It's so much fun. Flipping the weight and lean from one side to the other is effortless, and the rev range seems endless. Want to go faster, just twist the throttle more :)
Going faster is relatively easy though. The hardest technique to learn, so far, has been low-speed maneuvering: Slow, tight turns at walking pace. Balancing yourself and the bike is much more important, and it feels like the bike could drop at any moment. Additionally, the bike is moving slower than the engine idle will allow, so you have to hold the revs high and control speed entirely with the clutch. I find it quite exhausting.
I rode in traffic for the first time yesterday, which was fun. It was a tiny bit daunting, but Brett was behind me in his car, and all in all the traffic was pretty light. I didn't do anything embarrassing, so I count it as a roaring success!
I also bought myself a reflective vest to wear at night or in poor weather. I'm debating whether or not I'll wear it as a matter of course, at least while I'm learning. On the one hand, it makes me stand out clearly to other traffic, which may give me the leeway I need while I'm getting the hang of things. On the other hand, it really makes me stand out clearly. :) For now that is definitely a good thing though, so I think I'll wear it all the time.

And, I finally got around to taking a couple of photos of my bike:

"Done a Nick"

I should have studied to be an orthopedic surgeon. $140 for a 15 minute consultation to tell someone, "I've never seen an injury like this before. Get more scans done and come back to me."

So, 6 weeks ago I had the accident, and at the time thought I'd just sprained my wrist. They - you know who you are - told me I should go to the hospital or a doctor, but I shrugged it off. It didn't hurt specifically when I poked it, so I figured it couldn't be broken. Although it hurt, there was no swelling so I didn't think it could be too bad. However, a month later I still hadn't regained full use of my wrist, so I went to see my GP.
He sent me to get x-rays of the wrist, and when they came back he told me I'd dislocated my ulna, not sprained tendons as I had thought. If I had gone to see him immediately after the accident, he said, then it would have been simple to fix, but since it had been over a month at this point, he didn't know what was required and referred me to a specialist. Oops. I could hear "I told you so!" ringing in my ears already.
It took another week to find an orthopedic surgeon to see me, and I've just now returned from my appointment with him. Nothing is simple. It turns out that what my GP had thought was a dislocation might just be the way my bones are naturally. However, a bit of bone (the styloid process, to which a ligament attaches, so it's kind of important) has broken off the tip of the ulna at my wrist, and is somehow restricting the wrist's rotational freedom. He said he'd never seen it cause this problem before and didn't know what to do, so he's sent me off to get MRI scans done of both wrists (so that he knows what my wrist should look like), and may have to refer me to an orthopedic surgeon specialising in wrists and hands in Brisbane!

*sigh* This is going to be expensive. I have no private insurance, but I'd agreed with my GP that I would pursue the private health system. There was no way of knowing when, if ever, I would have my wrist seen to if I was on a public waiting list, since it would be regarded as low priority. I don't want to take the risk of progressive, potentially irreversible damage to my wrist while I languish in the public health system.
That leaves the private health system, which my GP (without knowing exactly what would be required) warned could cost me up to $2,000. With the cost of the x-ray, specialist and the MRI scan, I'm off to a good start towards that amount without even having any operation yet!
Still, it's something that, in my opinion, is not optional. It's definitely worth that amount to me to have a good wrist.

So, as Tanya proposed, to have "done a Nick" is to have sustained some avoidable (or perceived to have been avoidable) injury, often in conjunction with willful obstinance. :)

Roslyn Bay

On Sunday, before seeing the Lano & Woodley show at the Pilbeam Theatre, Sarah and I went adventuring in the rocky headlands around Roslyn Bay. Here are some photos!

Radio Paradise and Interpol

A little while back I came across a great internet radio station, called Radio Paradise. It plays a blend of classics and contemporary songs, just perfect for when I don't know what I want to listen to. It also has a discussion thread for every song that's played, which is very easy to waste time on.

Anyway, I heard Slow Hands, by Interpol, the other day, and was immediately caught by the repetitive groove. Since then I've been listening to Thomas's Interpol albums (particularly Antics), and loving the sound: the almost disdainful droning vocals over spare but unrelenting grooves. My new favourite band of the moment :)
And damn me if Carlos Dengler's image doesn't fit that coolly aloof sound. Sure, the guy looks like a poser, but he does look good doing it. Makes me wish I'd learnt to play so I could be a rock star too. Hmm, only four strings, can't be that hard... :P

ACT, Civil Unions, and the Federal Government

Ordinarily I refrain from using my blog (as popular as it is :P ) as a political soapbox, but I want to write about this. Last Friday, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) enacted legislation allowing civil unions (as distinct from marriages, and including same-sex partners), and on Tuesday the Federal Government intervened to overturn the law.

It started at the end of last year, when Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister of the ACT, announced the ACT government's intention of intruducing civil union legislation. The Attorney-General promised that the Federal Government would intervene unless the bill was ammended. The ACT government did so, and passed the bill on 11th May this year. However, on 6th June the Attorney-General and John Howard confirmed that they would move against the legislation. On 9th June the legislation came into effect, and on 13th June the Governor-General, at the instruction of the Federal Executive Council, overturned the ACT's legislation.
Today, the Federal Opposition joined with minor parties, and Liberal Senator Gary Humphries even crossed the floor, to challenge the Federal Government... but their motion ultimately failed.

From a moral standpoint, I am of course disappointed with my country's Federal Government. It's disgusting that same-sex marriages were legally banned in the first place, in 2004. It's one thing to move conservatively. It's another thing to move backwards.

From a political standpoint, I am even more frustrated. The Federal Government claims that it overturns the ACT's legislation because the ACT overstepped its legislative boundaries.
However, the Attorney General said "We have decided to defend the fundamental institution of marriage," and John Howard said "There is a special place in Australian society for the institution of marriage" and that he did not intend to let it "to be in any way undermined". Nevermind that the overturned legislation is concerned only with these newly introduced civil unions, not marriages.

That sounds a lot like morals, not politics, to me. I have to wonder whether the Federal Government would have intervened if the ACT's civil unions did not include same-sex partners. As Jon Stanhope said, "one has to pose the question is whether or not the real reason is that there is no place in John Howard's Australia for homosexuals."

Synergy

I knocked together this motivational poster to help explain the correct meaning of synergy, since apparently our new Dean doesn't get it :D

I seem to have a habit of copying Thom's blog posts lately...

Sonnet for Lei'ella

This I only just wrote. I decided to try my hand at a more serious sonnet, that stands on its own a bit better than the Ballad of Berard. My concern is that, as a serious attempt, it falls into melodrama. I think you have to be a lot cleverer than I am to avoid that trap. Ah well.

---


A quiet pall descends upon the page
As Varden holds Lei'ella centre-stage


---


Sonnet for Lei'ella

I watch your sanguine lips with shining eyes
And in my mind caresses trace their shape
But soft perfection cruelly belies
That through those parted lips your breath escapes

Your calluses are cool against my palm;
The hand that held the dagger now holds mine
I softly stroke your skin with outward calm
As finally our fingers intertwine

And though I hold you close with all my might -
Our bodies breast to breast and cheek to cheek
Our hearts together just for this one night -
I choke and cannot find the words to speak

Your breathing stills, your hand falls to the floor
And I can't feel your heartbeat anymore.

Ballad of Berard

This is a parody that you probably wouldn't get without reading Inverloch.

The following is all in iambic tetrametre. Not a proper ballad, but I didn't know that when I started.
Indent = leading non-stressed syllable omitted; ~ = extended syllable; - = two syllables in the space of one.

---

I offer some frivolity,
Hilarity: commence!
At my ingenuity
... Or at my expense!


---

Ballad of Berard

Once a mighty warrior,
Such strength and grace ne'er seen before
Quick of wit and learn'd of lore
And nonpareil a paramour

They say he came from Aydensfell
Where blood of Man once mixed with Elf
And now the sorcerous mages dwell
But Berard bid it all farewell

Berard! Berard! Lift your blade!
Crush your foe and take yon maid
Your brilliance warms us like the day
Your shadow leaves us in the shade!

He roamed the land on faithful steed
But no white prancing horse had he
Yet all who saw him were agreed
His ass was very fine indeed

His clothes conferred unfettered ease
His tartan kilt above the knee
When questioned did he mind the breeze:
"I like to leave my weapon free."

Our hero came to Stra~thwood
And fought for all 'twas right and good
But-a maiden veiled by cloak and hood
Did fill his thoughts as naught else could

Berard! Berard! Lift your blade!
Crush your foe and take yon maid
Your brilliance warms us like the day
Your shadow leaves us in the shade!

He courted her with gifts sublime
Swore "One day, Lei, I'll make you mine!"
But cruelly she his suit declined
Heartbroken, Berard turned to crime

Until he found her once again
With-another man, and so, insane
They fought clouded by loss and pain
And thus was mighty Berard slain

Berard! Berard! Rest your blade!
Rest e'ermore in wooded glade
Your brilliance warmed us like the day
Your memory leaves us in the shade!

Once a mighty warrior,
Such strength and grace ne'er seen before
Quick of wit and learn'd of lore
And nonpareil a paramour

Inverloch

Like Thomas, I thought I'd celebrate the release of Sarah's Inverloch. Of course, I think everyone who reads this blog already knows about it, but I reckon it's worth posting anyway. It's for sale in major bookstores like Barnes & Nobel and Borders, online from Amazon (where it was ranked 5000-something-th'd at one point!), and even in some Australian comic-book stores (not here in Rockhampton, sadly).

Anyway, I decided to post to my blog a couple of poems I'd written in the Seraph-Inn forum. I think they're decent, though it's hard to get objective opinions from that forum :P

Motorcycling - The accident

Well, I've had my first (and only, I hope ;) ) motorcycle accident, but it's not very dramatic.
Yesterday, I had fun rolling the bike up and down the driveway, just practicing finding friction point with the clutch and throttle. This morning Brett was going to take me to a vacant carpark and give me my first proper lesson, but before he arrived I decided to putter around the block a few times to get a feel for throttle control and balance. So I got suited up in all my safety gear, wheeled the bike down the driveway, and off I went.
Now, I must stress that I was very cautious. I stayed in first gear, went slowly, pulled over and waited the couple of times a car approached from behind, and even made a point of going counter-clockwise so it was all left-turns. And that all went fine. Balance and steering was easy, and although my throttle control was a bit jerky, I had it fairly smooth fairly soon.
It was the driveway at the very end that was my (quite literal) downfall. I was going too slowly to roll the bike up onto the driveway, and I approached from too shallow an angle. When the front tyre hit the lip of the driveway at that angle and speed, it turned back out towards the road, overbalancing the bike towards the driveway. I tried to hold the bike up but it was too heavy and my footing too awkward. The best I could do was let it down slowly and gently, resulting in some scratches on the rearview mirror and engine. *sniffle*
So I picked it back up, tried to roll it onto the driveway, and found out the wheels wouldn't turn because it was still in gear. Problem was, I couldn't figure out how to get it into neutral again! So all I could do was sit there helplessly until Brett got there, which thankfully wasn't long, and thankfully I think he forgot to take any photos :D
Now, I don't think I made any bad mistakes - just something small that I'll learn from. I'm not upset about that. The thing that really frustrates me is that I somehow managed to sprain my wrist while trying to hold the bike up as it inexorably toppled over, and I couldn't have my lesson with Brett after all!
And it hurts to move my wrist and I'm having to type this one-handed. And it's my left wrist and I'm left-handed. And all this just after my foot finally healed! Grrr!
Ah well, all I can do is be patient and make sure the wrist heals. I remember I've injured this wrist a few years back, too, so I'll have to be careful.

Motorcycling - The gear

I'm all set now! I have the gear and I have the bike. Now I just need to learn to ride it :D

Yesterday I bought all my protective gear:

• Helmet - plain white. A study in Auckland showed that motorcyclists with white helmets instead of black were 24% less likely to be involved in a multi-vehicle crash. I don't know why people rag on white anyway, I reckon it looks fine, and I can pretend to be a storm trooper :D
• Jacket - synthetic mesh for summer, with 2 additional removable layers for winter and rain. Unfortunately the only colour was black, but at least it has a silvery retroreflective layer built into it.
• Pants - kevlar reinforced jeans. No additional padding, but light enough to wear out and about. Interesting fact: normal denim jeans last 0.6 seconds sliding along the road.
• Gloves - lightweight vented leather, additional layers under palms and padding over knuckles.
• Boots - leather & synthetic motorcycle boots. Not that comfortable to walk around in, but should do their job.

Everything but the helmet I was able to get from Fairways Motorcycles, which is coincidentally where one of Sarah's relatives works. Even before I bumped into him there, though, I got excellent service. Much much better than Wurths, where I bought the helmet from a pushy, obnoxious woman. It's really hard to find white helmets though...

I had fun dressing up in it all last night :)

And today Brett and I went around to pick up the bike. It's mine! I can't wait to start riding now :D

Motorcycling - The bike

I'm about to buy a motorcycle!
For a long time, but particularly since I saw The Motorcycle Diaries, I've wanted to learn to ride a motorcycle. I kept on saying I would one day, but never quite got around to it. Well, I'm not sure what finally galvanised me, but about a week ago I got a learner's licence and started looking for bikes. I did heaps of research on the web and trawled through adverts. Here's what I've settled on: a Yamaha FZX250 Zeal.

The used bike market in Rockhampton is... sparse. There's almost nothing suitable for me, and by late last week I was resigned to buying a particular bike from the Sunshine Coast and having it transported up here to me. I tell you truly, I'd gotten quotes and I was just about to buy the Sunshine Coast bike when I had a final glance through the classifieds. I happened to notice a bike in "Park Avenue", which I must have previously assumed was a suburb around Brisbane. This time I thought, "Hold on, isn't that a suburb in Rockhampton?"
Sure enough it was, and it was almost exactly the sort of bike I was looking for! I was obviously meant to have this bike. Brett and I went to check it out today. Nice things about it:

• 250cc - more or less a requirement for learning, but the 4 cylinder engine should have enough power to be fun.
• Lightweight, low seat height, nimble - also good for learning.
• Naked - that is, no plastic fairings. Naked bikes are cheaper to insure and repair. Also, naked = sexy.
• Excellent condition, with low km's (14,200).
• Will hold its resale value well.

The only drawback is that it's an inline-4 engine. I would have preferred a v-twin, which produces torque at lower revs and would likely suit me better (and be cheaper to maintain). Still, that wasn't a deal-breaker, and the inline-4 should have sportier performance which may be fun :)

So now I just wait for the owner to get a safety certificate for the bike, which is required by law. In the mean time, I get to look for safety gear. I want high visibility gear that still looks stylish. That may be a bit of a challenge in a market that appears to think nothing goes better with black than more black...

I'm so excited! :D

Recycling

I like Penn & Teller's "Bullshit!" show - for the most part it's either entertaining or informative, and often both.
There was one episode that I found very surprising, as far as it went. In it, Penn & Teller argued that recycling wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and in many cases waste was better off going into landfill. Their arguments came from several directions, and the two that are relevant here are:
* The process of recycling involves chemicals that are damaging to the environment.
* Recycling is heavily subsidised by government: it is not economical to recycle anything except aluminium, so that money would be better put towards other (say, environmental) uses.

Anyway, while I was in New Zealand I had a chance to talk to my Uncle Robbie, who works as an accountant for Terranova, a private recycling company in Christchurch.
At least in Christchurch, it is economical to recycle all the household materials they collect - paper, plastic, glass, metals. The metals are the most profitable, but they make some profit on them all. In fact, the company is moving to become entirely independent of the local council - there's enough profit to make recycling worthwhile without any subsidies.
According to Robbie, it requires the right infrastructure. If it's done the wrong way - if brown glass contaminates green, for example - the materials become worthless. Apparently Christchurch has the right infrastructure, one of the best in the world. Robbie sounded very proud of his work with Terranova, and rightly so I think. It was very heartening to hear.

That still leaves Penn & Teller's claim that recycling produces chemical wastes that are damaging to the environment, but on the balance of things I think I disagree with them: recycling is a good thing.

Photos from New Zealand

I'm back from New Zealand now, and it's time to get back to work. But first, I've put together some photos from my trip. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this must be a novel.

So, without further ado:

New Zealand Road Trip
Wedding
Family

Nick in New Zealand

I'm writing this from Hanmer Springs, about 2 hours north-west of Christchurch, in a really nice little backpacker's lodge. There's a coin-operated computer in the lounge, warmed by a lovely wood fire. It's a bit chilly out, but not too bad. Just cold enough to appreciate coming in to the fire.

I missed the tilt train from Bundaberg to Brisbane, because I thought I'd booked tickets on a service that didn't actually exist. So Michelle and I caught a coach down overnight, which was awful, but at least we got there in time for the flight out. The rest of the trip was easy, and I arrived in Christchurch to meet the assembled Young family, a hoard that was somewhat overwhelming at first. I have heaps of young cousins I'd never met before - they're really cool :D
I love this family, and I'm ashamed I haven't kept in contact with them. They're so much like me sometimes it's scary :D

The first few days, until today, Wednesday, have been one family event after another. Everyone was here for the wedding on Saturday, which was really nice, and slowly left over the next few days. This morning, two of my cousins and I took off in a rental car for a little road trip.
Things have actually worked out incredibly conveniently. One of my uncles had won a 2-day car rental as a prize in a golf tournament (this family loves sports) and, having no use for it himself, offered it to me. As it turns out, the rental is a gigantic 4WD, fully insured (which would kill me as an under 25 driver otherwise), petrol paid for, and not due back until Friday at 5pm.

So we've spent the day in Hanmer Springs, a tiny town famous for its hot springs warmed by geothermal vents. After a fish & chips lunch, the girls soaked in the springs (without me thanks to my still healing foot), whilst I took the 4WD up a winding one-lane gravel road up the mountainside. I got some nice photos from that, I trust. The rest of the evening has been spent over a leisurely dinner and relaxing in the lounge here. (I've never stayed at a backpacker's lodge before, but I always imagined a sort of run-down, roudy place. This is clean and quiet, but very welcoming, it's great.)
Tomorrow we'll head north-east back to the coast, to spend the day in Kaikoura, where there are whales and seals and stuff. Should be cool. Before that though, we'll stop at the bridge over the ravine leading into Hanmer Springs, and I'll try bungee jumping. That's the plan. I trust my courage will hold - at any rate, now I've posted this I'll have to if I'm to keep any pride :)
We'll head back to Christchurch Thursday night, and on Friday - the last day of the rental - I'll probably go south-east in the oposite direction to Akaroa.

Doctor's Orders

Brett sent me a newspaper clipping. I don't know where it's from, so I can't credit it properly, but here's the text:

An eyeful a day keeps the doctor away
By JONATHAN HAYTER
Staring at women's breasts is good for men's health and makes them live longer, a new survey reveals. Researchers have discovered that a 10-minute ogle at women's breasts is as healthy as half-an-hour in the gym.
A five year study of 200 men found that those who enjoyed a longing look at busty beauties had lower blood pressure, less heart disease and slower pulse rates compared to those who did not get their daily eyeful.
Dr Karen Weatherby, who carried out the German study, wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine:
"Just 10 minutes of staring at the charms of a well endowed female is roughly equivalent to a 30-minute aerobics workout. Sexual excitement gets the heart pumping and improves blood circulation. There is no question that gazing at breasts makes men healthier. Our study indicates that engaging in this activity a few minutes daily cuts the risk of a stroke and heart attack in half. We believe that by doing so consistently, the average man can extend his life four to five years."

Now, I was intrigued by this - from a health point of view, of course! - and I did some simple calculations.
The good doctor suggests that consistent "exercise" could extend the average man's life by 5 years. Let's assume that "consistent" means daily 10-minute sessions (as performed in the study) from the age of 20 to 80 - for 60 years.

5 years is:
5 * 365 * 24 * 60 = 2628000 minutes.

"Consistent" exercise is:
60 * 365 * 10 = 219000 minutes.

2628000/219000 = 12

So, by my calculations, every 1 minute spent looking at boobs adds 12 minutes to your lifespan! *sigh* The things one has to do for one's health...

White Day

I recently learned about White Day. I guess it's even more of a commercial creation than Valentine's Day is now, but all the same I reckon it's a good idea. The more chocolate, the better say I!
Apparently in Japan, it's customary for women to give men chocolates on Valentine's Day, rather than the other way around as it is here. That in itself is an excellent way of doing things, in my humble opinion :D Anyway, then White Day is one month later on 14th of March, where men give chocolates back to women.
We did it backwards (which I guess only makes sense, being on the other side of the world): I gave chocolates to Sarah on Valentine's Day, and Sarah gave me chocolates today! These should see me through to Easter, with care. :D

Holy Crap! Lions!

Alright, Tanya's my best mate now, because she gave me a Holy Crap! Lions! lion (well, a small lion plush toy, anyway). I'm not sure what to call him. I'm trying to decide if "Holy Crap!" is a dignified name for so noble a creature...

New Camera

Brett's my best mate, because he's bringing me back a new camera from the US. I'm envious of the low prices and fast shipping Yankees get!

I'd been trying to decide between the Fuji S5200 and Panasonic FZ7, both compact long-zoom cameras. I'd been waiting on reviews for the new FZ7 before I chose, but when they came in I decided to go with the S5200. There are tradeoffs between the two that, in my opinion, make both cameras equally good choices.

The FZ7 has 6 megapixels over the S5200's 5 megapixels, but actual resolution tests put them pretty much on par with one another.
The FZ7 has 12x zoom over the S5200's 10x zoom. That would have been nice to have.
The FZ7 has optical image stabilisation (OIS), which would be very nice to have, especially for handheld zoomed shots.

The S5200 has better noise control than the FZ7. For a given amount of noise you can use one higher ISO sensitivity rating, thereby doubling shutter speed and somewhat mitigating the need for OIS. OIS still has the advantage in coping with camera shake though.
In my opinion, the noise that is present is nicer on the S5200 than the FZ7. The FZ7 appears to have more colour noise (pixels are the wrong colour), which gives a splotchy image (though it can look attractive, like it's painted). The S5200 appears to have more luminance noise (pixels are the wrong brightness), which looks more like traditional film grain. Personally I prefer the latter.
The S5200 has a fixed lens barrel with 55mm threading on it for conversion lenses and filters. That could be fun to play with.

In the end, the most deciding factor was that I could get the S5200 for $100 cheaper. I figure, I'll get this camera on the cheap, and if I really want then in future I can put that money towards a proper digital SLR.

Now I can't wait for Brett to get back! Uh, cause he's me mate and we miss him and stuff! :P