AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS AIRPORT IPOD SEARCHES

In what could prove to be an administrative nightmare, it has been revealed that a number of governments are considering conducting searches of MP3 players as they pass through airports, in order to check for illegally-obtained music. The proposal, which suggests “criminal sanctions for infringement on a commercial sale” was discovered when an Australian Federal Government discussion paper was leaked to the press.

The office of Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith confirmed that they were part of negotiations for the international agreement but that they had not agreed or signed up to any aspect of it.

Internet Industry Association chief executive Peter Coroneos told News.com.au: “It talks about [sanctions for] commercial infringements. Does that mean one, 10, 20 or 1000 songs?”

Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn added: “Searching into people’s iPods is out of order. We don’t need to suffer draconian regimes to protect intellectual property. US music labels are keen for their government to sign up other countries to the zero-tolerance stance. It could be that people get sent to jail for being in possession of commercial-scale quantities of copied music”.

From the excellent CMU.

Good to see they are thinking of new ways to stop people being on blowing us to kingdom come instead of picking on music listeners. What music pirate is going to be dumb enough to bring in a hard drive full of pirate music? They are not that dumb; unlike those proposing this daft action.

Update: I have heard reports the US is considering this as well. I hope civil liberties groups fight this hard.

Joshua Hoffine, whose (Photoshop- assisted) work looks at childhood phobias. His site seems to be down but there’s a selection of it here.

Warning: Some might find the images unsettling. Not me, of course. Because I was always “Mommy’s special little soldier.”

the blog québécois

Check em’ out on their very own page. He has some good ones we would all be proud to call our mates.

Also check out Primetime Politics; a rather good politics of the right portal.

Climate Cops is yet another aspect of the fascistic like tendencies of the enviromental movement. This site encourages young children to report on their parents for “crimes against the fatherland enviroment”. Its rather creepy and reminds one of the rules for the Hitler Youth and other similar entities in communist regimes. I can imagine what a parent will say when confronted by their own little Climate Youth.

Politico:

“I’m trying to save the planet; I’m trying to save the planet,” she says impatiently when questioned. “I will not have this debate trivialized by their excuse for their failed policy.”

If this were a movie, you’d be hearing nothing now but the piteous wails of The Kid Who’s Too Young To Die.

Really, if the planet needed “saving,” Nancy Pelosi would be my 2,000,001th choice to do it. Right after my drunken uncle Herbert.

And I don’t even have a drunken uncle Herbert.

What will happen next?

The happy ending. Note the Russian officer midway down, a dead ringer for Leonid Brezhnev.

the blog québécois

Welcome to the July 28, 2008 edition of best of me symphony.

Kristy presents Our Life in Colorado: September posted at Our Life in Colorado.

Patrick A. Sizemore presents Verizon Wire-less One Customer posted at College Information for Smart Students, saying, “The perils of cell phone ownership.”

AdmirableIndia.com presents Trip to Ooty: Day 2: Part 2: Ketty valley view, Ooty; Tea Garden, Coonoor; Lamb?s Rock, Coonoor; Dolphin?s Nose, Coonoor; and Doddabetta Peak, Ooty, Highest peak of South India posted at AdmirableIndia.com.

Jim presents » Top 5 Online Banks: Savings or Checking Accounts on  Blueprint for Financial Prosperity posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

TherapyDoc presents The Denial of Aging posted at Everyone Needs Therapy.

Jacob Share presents ERAN Gives You Emotional First Aid in Israel posted at JobMob, saying, “Speaking to a complete stranger can have an amazing therapeutic effect. Whether you’re feeling depressed on your job search in Israel or just want someone to talk to, ERAN can help.”

Toni presents When was the last time you did something new with your spouse? posted at Wifely Steps.

Chief Family Officer presents How to Survive Going Back to Work (Again) posted at Chief Family Officer.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of best of me symphony using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: best of me symphony, blog carnival.

Finnish Metal, Motley Crue, Farmakon, and Man in the Moon

Some Finnish metal of all ilks and a return to form for Motley Crue.

Jenny McCartney spews a bunch fatuous bile about movies like Batman; with an extra added ignorant attack on video games. It seems she is upset about the rating systems; believing that parents do not have the brains to realise what is suitable for their children.

read more | digg story

She claims to have gotten hate mail from people who disagree with her point of view on video games (as have critics that panned Batman). This is a pathetic play to get sympathy for her inane point of view. So where is the proof of this? Or is this just another smear on video game and movie fans?

Gordon Brown is being openly undermined by Cabinet ministers who are now publicly questioning his future as Prime Minister.

Andrew says: Brown’ll be gone by Christmas methinks. Possibly even get the chop at their conference in September. Labour MPs are panicking big time and that is never a good thing.

read more | digg story

According to some of her supporters she is. I think she would be a good pick for the VP slot over say Huckaloon or Romney.

Logan Aube from Aurora, Ontario, is presently near or at the top in the CBC’s contest to replace the Hockey Night In Canada theme song. The cacaphonious entry (with professionally-done animation) on YouTube:

He is so far playing it commendably straight, as this quote from the National Post indicates:

My love for hockey is reflected quite well in this piece I feel. The intense percussion symbolizes the hard-hitting excitement of the sport, while the cat samples are used to demonstrate the feline qualities players must possess: speed, cunning, agility, and fearlessness. The other animal noises reflect the rich domestic history of the sport; I remember my grandfather who grew up on a farm used to freeze a rink in their field every year so that they could play the game, while the animals watched on.

The happy child was used to symbolize the child-like wonder many Canadians feel every time they turn on this great game. The climax of the piece brings it all together, bringing the excitement to its peak and then finishing it off with a buzzer. Goal!

However, the CBC is being gamed. Aube, a regular (under the handle “Lowgain”) on the Something Awful forums, put out a plea there and on Facebook for votes. It seems to be working.

the blog québécois

“Obama Addresses 200,000 in Berlin” — thus ran the AP headline the day after Barack Obama’s much-hyped speech in front of Berlin’s Siegessäule or “Victory Column.” This 200,000 figure has quickly become the standard estimate of the crowd for Obama’s speech in both the American and the German media: so standard indeed that it is for the most part

read more | digg story

More sycophantic twaddle in the DT; but PJM has got some realism for those suffering from Obamaitis.

Egads I agree with Simon Heffer.

His speech in Berlin on Thursday was atrocious in its cynicism – he didn’t even offer a German translation for his audience – and mindless in its content. America loves its rock stars and film stars, and now seems to want to have one for a head of state.

It is rather a shame that we might have to endure the consequences, too. In its posturing and complacency, Berlin could be to Mr Obama what the Sheffield rally of 1992 was to Neil Kinnock.

Obama uber Ales might not be the best thing to evoke in the mind of some American voters with a memory.

Well that was almost me yesterday in the Virgin Upper Class lounge in Heathrow. You see they have an oversensitive smoke censor in the loo. In the process of going to the loo I farted; as one does at times. In response there was a rather loud claxon informing me that I had violated a no smoking policy and that staff were informed/on their way. I was just leaving anyway and went to the information desk to inform them of my plight. They are probably still laughing.

Yet another example of health fascism in extremis.

for not coming up with a better book title than A Brief History Of Time. Hmph. What am I supposed to do with that?

A Brief History Of LEGO? Lame, even by my standards.

Curse you , Stephen Hawking.

the blog québécois

In an age when most Conservative MPs are anything but in their rhetoric Stephen Crabb MP makes a clear case why talking to the terrorist group Hamas is not a good idea. A piece well worth the read.

read more | digg story

Welcome to the July 24, 2008 edition of carnival of the vanities.

GrrlScientist presents Living the Thinking Life (The Evolution of an Atheist) posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “I was regularly lied to from the day I was born, although it took me awhile to realize it. What was this lie? I was told there was a god who both cared about me and wanted me to fear him, or else he would strike me dead with a Lightning Bolt from the Heavens. Because I was a small child who was inexperienced in the ways of the world, I believed this lie. At first.”

GrrlScientist presents Thoughts on Poverty in America posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “Our federal poverty threshold is identified using an antiquated model that ends up harming more than it helps.”

GrrlScientist presents DNA Reveals Tempo and Chronology of Speciation for Dendroica Warblers posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “a newly published SCIENCE paper reconstructs the molecular phylogeny of all birds and provides scientists with some amazing surprises!”

GrrlScientist presents Singing the Praises of Mr. Personality posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “Among wild animals that form pair-bonds, particularly birds, does personality play a role in their mate choices, as it does in humans? And if so, how?”

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Beat The Average Investor’s Returns With The Simplest Investment Portfolio posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “Thank you!”

debergerac78 presents How will the next President conduct terrorism surveillance? posted at The Business Ethics Blog, saying, “The thorny subject of whether we’re being protected or violated by our own goverment doesn’t seem to have any resolution in sight.”

Romeo Vitelli presents The Cenci Case posted at Providentia, saying, “One of the great tragedies of history”

Louise Manning presents Strength or weakness? posted at The Human Imprint.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Learning & the Brain: Resources for Educators posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution, saying, “here are some of the resources that inform my understanding of the brain: books, conferences, and websites.”

Aparna presents Nose hairs bothering you? Trim them using nose hair trimmers posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming.

Michael. presents 21: Inside the World of Card-Counting posted at Online Casino Blog.

DWSUWF presents John! - Remember that “Iraq stands up, we stand down” bit? posted at Divided We Stand United We Fall, saying, “The story out of Iraq this week works to McCain’s political advantage. Well… let me be more clear. It should work to McCain’s political advantage and could work to McCain’s political advantage, if only John McCain and his campaign could get out of their own way.”

Conan Stevens presents Modern Western Diet OR How To Eat Healthy (Really) posted at Conan Stevens Online, saying, “A look at the Western Diet from an Asian perspective by an ex-pat returning ‘home’ for a week”

AdmirableIndia.com presents Trip to Ooty: Day 2: Part 1: Ooty Lake - Boat House and Thread garden, Ooty posted at AdmirableIndia.com.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of the vanities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: carnival of the vanities, blog carnival.

Here

Despite the fact his advisors are already referring to him as the President; you still have a vote in November. Nice to see he has the socialist attitude toward democracy; a bloody nuisance.

I wonder if Federal Europe will be pressing Israel to rename Acre and rewriting our history books to teach kids about the Battle of 0.4047 Hectares in 1291. Winnie the Pooh books will have to be changed as well because Pooh will soon be living in the 40.47 Hectare Wood.

read more | digg story

dude, SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT ICP! you don’t understand their meaning or why they even throw faygo to the crowd. and that dvd that came out with the wraith wasn’t the only one. they had another one with violent j on it talking about their cds and why they do the things they do. AND YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND SHANGRI LA OR THE DARK CARNIVAL SO YOU HAVE NO FUCKING RIGHT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THEM!

WITH SINCEREST HATE,

WICKED CLOWN OF PUNKNESSS

AKA STICKYTHACLOWN

Who have all stated they have Obamaitis. I hope Republicans are keeping note who these nitwits are so that they are not invited to the Republican Convention. Do these nitwits think this will help relations should McCain win? Another sign that the Conservatives no longer have the nouse to win the next election.

And how can a so-called Conservative support a socialist like Obama? Have they actually bothered to read his website or listen to what he believes?

More on the pillock Tories frothing over Obama at ConHome.

It’s been done to death in more - and better - detail in a few places, but the BBC/Guardianista take on the Ofcom report into the Great Global Warming Swindle (go buy it!) is pretty amazing, even by the one-eyed standards to which they normally conform.

read more | digg story

A Palestinian man in a bulldozer ran amok in one of the most exclusive areas of central Jerusalem, wounding as many as 16 people as he rammed a bus and crushed cars in his path. The rampage in a JCB digger was the second such attack in Jerusalem this month, and ended in the same way, with a civilian and a policeman pulling their guns and shooting..

read more | digg story

One of the main points of contention on most blogs and discussions I have seen center around one issue. Pro-Palestinian writers claim that in 1948, Israel appropriated Palestinian lands and villages to create their own cities and agricultural communities. Pro-Israel writers offer good counterpoints but these are often insufficient…

read more | digg story

The creationists invariably speak of the eye in hushed tones. How, they demand to know, can such a sophisticated organ have gone through clumsy evolutionary stages in order to reach its current magnificence and versatility? The salamanders of Planet Earth appear to this layman to furnish a possibly devastating answer to that question.

read more | digg story

A TV tower in žižkov (can’t find the upper-case HTML code for that character), Czech Republic. The above humanoid/tapewormish sculpture(s) weren’t part of the original design; they were added later by a local artist, David Černý, for reasons best known to him.

More pictures here.

the blog québécois

An unsuspecting motorist gets hosed at the gas pump.

read more | digg story

I am bombarded by hate and threats by the Allah-fearing fanatics, simply because I speak the truth about Islam. If telling the truth about Islam is Islam bashing, then mea culpa.

read more | digg story

Trillions of words have been spoken about politics, but the language used by politicians is remarkably limited. Of course, politics generates new phrases all the time, from “libertarian paternalism� to “hug a hoodie� (actually the same thing, more or less).

read more | digg story