OnPoint by Keith Ng

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OnPoint: H4x0rs and You

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  • Paul Williams, in reply to SteveH,

    People have noted that certain simplified models of aerodynamics don’t work for bumblebees (and indeed many other insects).

    <threadjack>And why is there no bumblebees in Australia, clearly they can't fly very far...</threadjack>

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • FletcherB, in reply to Paul Williams,

    <threadjack>And why is there no bumblebees in Australia, clearly they can’t fly very far…</threadjack>

    I spent my first 11 years of life in Australia… before I came to NZ I had assumed that big fluffy bumble bees were just a children’s story-book fantasy… I consulted with my mother (40+ at the time) and she had assumed the same… We were quite shocked to see them in real life…

    Also surprised to find hedgehogs in NZ.... we knew they were real, but the early settlers didnt bring them to Aus...

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report Reply

  • SteveH, in reply to Paul Williams,

    <threadjack>And why is there no bumblebees in Australia, clearly they can’t fly very far…</threadjack>

    Actually one of the reasons Australia wants to keep bumblebees out is that they can out compete native solitary bees because they can fly a lot further. Bumblebees can forage up to 4km from their nest compared to as little a few hundred metres for some native species.

    There actually are bumblebees in Australia - they were accidentally introduced to Tasmania in the 1990s. They are widespread there. So far they haven't become established on the mainland.

    Bumblebees were deliberately introduced in New Zealand around 1900 specifically to pollinate red clover.

    Since Sep 2009 • 444 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to SteveH,

    FletcherB, there's no hedgehogs in Oz? In ten years, I'd not noticed their absence. Funnily, I once gifted a copy of Hedgehog Howdedo to a friend's son. I wonder what they made of it?

    SteveH, thanks for this. The Public Address community is a remarkable source of diverse information... information even contradicting what I assumed!

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • john Drinnan, in reply to Sacha,

    Is he starting a blog?

    Auckland • Since Oct 2010 • 31 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to john Drinnan,

    becoming a 'broadcaster' :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • FletcherB, in reply to john Drinnan,

    FletcherB, there’s no hedgehogs in Oz?

    Certainly not in suburban Melbourne... elsewhere, I couldn't be 100% sure, but I cant see them not migrating over the whole eastern time-zone and S.A. by now if they were introduced 150-200 years ago to one part of it.. The big red dry bit in the middle, might stop them migrating east/west if some loony didn't put a pair in their car on purpose?

    Anyway, they've got the echidna, which looks a bit like one on steroids!

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    American journalism professor Jay Rosen:

    You don't have to go to J-school to go into journalism. Period. That is the way it should be. A free, unregulated press demands it.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Amidst a piece that conveniently blames public servants for resisting several years of ideological slashing not seen since the 1990s, Jane Clifton observes:

    This writer naturally accepts tips from all-comers with a glad cry but very few leakers fit the profile of the noble whistle-blower. Most have an agenda of self-interest that always needs to be borne in mind when documentation embarrassing to a politician falls off the back of a truck – which it does with great frequency. And this is a worry. Public servants are increasingly putting their own political and employment interests ahead of their legal obligation to keep their work confidential and to observe political neutrality.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sacha,

    Amidst a piece that conveniently blames public servants for resisting several years of ideological slashing not seen since the 1990s, Jane Clifton observes:

    I think the gist of Jane Clifton’s column is that she senses the barbarians tearing down the gates. Just wait till Anonymous have their turn...

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov,

    A responsible article on some hackers replete with an elucidation for the uninitiated:

    but no, they won’t teach you how to steal credit card data.

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Sacha,

    And this is a worry. Public servants are increasingly putting their own political and employment interests ahead of their legal obligation to keep their work confidential and to observe political neutrality.

    I'd really like it if Clifton elaborated on this point somewhat, particularly the "increasingly" element of the comment. As it stands it is a general and fairly gratuitous smear of tens of thousands of public servants.

    I follow parliament reasonably closely, I'd argue this is a government comprising Minister's who're not big on detail. Parata, Key and Bennett particularly but let's not forget Collins or Nick Smith's indiscretions.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Paul Williams,

    She's slyly conflating their group interests with party politics. Hardly good faith journalism.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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