Posts by Thomas Beagle

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  • Muse: Reel Life: Pliéing Turkey,

    How about giving this article a little spell check and edit? Here's some words to search for: confortable, teeling, remian and serriously

    There's also something missing at the start of the para that begins "reminds me".

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2007 • 50 posts Report

  • Up Front: Say When,

    I don't mind getting older and I kind of like the grey hair.

    But I admit took out my earrings recently because... well,, it just wasn't working any more. :)

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2007 • 50 posts Report

  • Regulate What?,

    Good summary of some of the problems.

    One of the things that disturbs me most about the announced review, was that there was no mention of freedom of expression and freedom of the press. They could have at least done a hand-wave about "balancing off freedom and responsibility" but couldn't even manage that.

    I also note that there are currently no bodies that regulate political posters, pamphleteers, book publishers, and public ranters.

    The Internet enables more people to post more opinions about more topics. Personally I think this is wonderful for our democracy and is something that we should be protecting, not hindering.

    Note re suppression: the Law Commission has recommended (and the government has indicated that they accept) that ISPs will be responsible for blocking information hosted on their servers that breaches suppression orders. This is not as easy as it sounds, when you consider that many ISPs are just hosting servers that they have no control over - apart from being able to disconnect them.

    Even worse, the ISPs will be in the position of having to decide whether a particular piece of information is in breach of an order or not. In other words, we're trying to turn the ISPs into judge, jury and executioner, just like the failed s92a of the Copyright Act.

    Read more here: http://techliberty.org.nz/government-to-turn-isps-into-censors/

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2007 • 50 posts Report

  • Up Front: Staying Civil,

    "I support this idea in theory. In practice, I don't see it having a shit's show of actually happening."

    Oh. Reality.

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2007 • 50 posts Report

  • Up Front: Staying Civil,

    "You would still have some people who have a choice, and some people who don't. And the difference would be their sexual orientation. "

    Yep, that's why I think the next step is to get the government out of the marriage business. Civil unions for all, leave "marriage" to the church.

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2007 • 50 posts Report

  • Up Front: Staying Civil,

    I like making words up.

    "We got civilly uned."

    "This is my CUP (civil union partner)." (Additional vomit points if you then say something about "my cup runneth over" and snigger.)

    But, I admit I often just refer to her as my wife because it's easier and I can't be bothered explaining.

    BTW, I note a weird attitude in your post that implies that you think marriages are superior to civil unions. I'd argue that it's exactly the opposite - civil unions are clearly superior because they're available to more people.

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2007 • 50 posts Report

  • Hard News: The Internet in New Zealand,

    Stephen - I'm working on an article about the Independent Reference Group.

    Yes, you are correct that the members are basically picked by the DIA. Personally I'm still astounded that Steve O'Brien, the manager of the Censorship Compliance Unit, is on the oversight group that is meant to be overseeing him!

    In the latest change to the Code of Practice the role of the IRG changed a little bit. They will now be able to see the list of sites that are added/removed each month. This is an important concession by the DIA and, while I'm still not very happy about their independence, is at least a start to providing some form of oversight.

    Finally - http://stopthefilter.org.nz

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2007 • 50 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: Universal?,

    A good parody needs to be at least slightly plausible.

    Now waiting for the other shoe to drop.

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2007 • 50 posts Report

  • Up Front: Because You Should Know,

    Zippy - the DIA's refusal:

    The release of the filtering list (particularly in an electronic format) would facilitate access to images of child sexual buse images. I am therefore withholding this information in terms of section 6(c) of the Official Information Act (where the release of this information is likely to prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences, and the right to a fair trial).

    From here.

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2007 • 50 posts Report

  • Up Front: Because You Should Know,

    Anyone billed separately for local and international traffic?

    Someone suggested to me that it might be possible to forward all of your traffic through the DIA filter server.

    Easy way to make it all local and save money! :)

    New Zealand • Since Nov 2007 • 50 posts Report

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