Once, back in primary school…

… my friends and I found ourselves in a blazing row over whether professional wrestling was real or fake.  The adherents insisted that the combat was actual (it looks convincing), whereas the sceptics (myself included) were adamant that it was all theatre (how could the wrestlers possibly survive the impacts?).  Of course, being boys, rather [...]

Statistics experts label ISP filtering trials unscientific

Earlier this year I added my $AUD0.02 to the debate around the Australian government’s ill-conceived, and, in fact, ludicrous plan to compulsorily censor the internet (under the Orwellian moniker of Cleanfeed).  My arguments against it were more ethical/ philosophical/ common sense, objecting that Cleanfeed:

was not needed
was not wanted
will not work
has no mandate
will be too [...]

Stan’s Law of Somewhat Largish Groups

Law
No matter who you are; no matter how much money you have, or how well read, or how well educated you are; and no matter where you go or what you do, in Somewhat Largish Groups you’ll always encounter at least one Dickhead that just wants to ruin it for everybody.
Corollary
If you’re in a Somewhat [...]

Random thoughts on rights and responsibilities

What’s all this talk of “human rights”?  No such thing.  “Right” to free speech?  “Right” to a fair trial?  “Right” to an uncensored Internet?  Even, in a universe seemingly ambivalent about our own existence, a “right” to live?  These rights do not exist.
We hold a human right to be a declaration of a pervasive, universal [...]

Saying NO to Internet censorship in Australia

Despite almost universal condemnation the Australian Government remains hell bent on pushing through its plan to censor the Internet.  The proposed Internet censor apparatus, appointed the neat Orwellian Newspeak term of “CLEANFEED”, will be mandatory for all citizens (or should that be subjects, since Australia is a constitutional monarchy?).
There will be no opt-out.
I understand that [...]

Proof of the Non-Existence of God in 6 Easy Steps?

0. There is no such thing as a purely selfless act.
1. Therefore all action is, at some level, “selfish”.
2. Therefore there are no good deeds or bad deeds, only action or inaction.
3. Therefore there is no morally right or wrong.
4. Therefore there cannot be a heaven or hell.
5. Ergo, God does not exist?