Monday, April 27, 2009

Prototype Holodeck

Startrek-esk holodecks may not be too far away.





Watch as the guy suspend dis-belief at about 0:47 and automatically try to balance on the wall. Then pisses himself laughing for being stilly on camera.

Channel 10 to axe The Simpsons


There are kids alive today that do not remember a time before the Simpsons was on TV. It will be a rude awakening then, when they turn on Channel 10 and find a "a chatty [news] presentation heavy on sport and with regular headline updates" replacing it.


In unrealated news, searches on The Pirate Bay and Mininova for "The Simpsons" rose 286% this week*.


*Like all good statistics, this figure may have been made up on the spot.

Friday, April 24, 2009

New Licences for the Smart(card) State

TechWIRED reports that Unisys will be supplying Queensland Transport with a new type of driver's licence, to replace the current laminated one.



The new licences will feature a smartcard that will save facial recognition information onto the chip, which can be used to compare the photo on the card, to the data on the chip, to the data on Queensland transport's servers... I think.



Hopefully it will be a contact-required smartcard, and not some RFID fraud-waiting-to-happen card.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Well, don't piss of the party

In a move that will surprise no-one, the state government is reaching for more power over local governments. In the proposed Local Government Bill 2009, it would appear that the local government minister (currently our girl Boyle) would have the power to fire councillors.



I would be very interested to see how the state government reacted if the federal government had the same power. Sod it, we don't even need state governments in my humble opinion, just federal and local.



I can't wait to see Circus-Mouse's response.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Stupidity Wars: Return of the Alchpop Tax

Well, I have to hand it to the government, just when you think they have finally moved on from a ridiculous piece of policy, they dredge it back up again, apply some spit and polish and chant "Hail! It is new and shiny!".



The reason for my "Stupidity War" title is simple. Instead of having people drinking measured pre-mixed drinks, with the number of "standard drinks" clearly printed on their sides, all an increased tax does is teach these drinkers to start buying bottles of spirits and mixers. Now really, take a step back and have a think. Which is worse, someone having a 6 pack of vodka cruisers and knowing how many drinks they have had by simple addition, or having someone get a bottle of vodka and some lemonade and try to figure out, while under the afluence of incohol how many drinks they have had based on the amount of booze missing from the bottle?


Ask any bottle shop attendant and they will tell you that sales of bottles of spirits have risen proportionally to the decrease of alchopops. I wonder how many backyard stills are coming online each week?



Just don't tell the government this, or they'll start taxing spirits as well, and if we're all real lucky, beer will be taxed too. If you want a revolt Chairman Rudd, continue down this road.... Heard of the Rum Rebellion? Yes I know it had nothing to do with rum.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

No Moar Tilting

No, you haven't just bumped the pinball machine.



Queensland Rail has canceled the tilt train service between Cairns and Brisbane. Not that anyone cares really, because it cost $310.20 to go from Cairns to Brisbane by train, whereas you can get plane tickets for about half that price.




***Update*** - Well it appears the Tilt Train is back up and running after all...

Friday, April 10, 2009

Be your own DJ

Here's a great little tool to get into the mood for Groovin The Moo








Click on some of the squares above to make a tune. Full credit goes to aM Laboratory for this.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The People's Broadband Network


Well, it has been a great week so far (and surprisingly that is not sarcasm), and things just got a little better...


Now by now you all should know that I don't trust any politicians as far as I could kick them (well actually now that I am a black-belt, that would be a good distance, but I digress). Chairman Rudd has just announced that instead of awarding the National People's Broadband Network to a consortium of companies, the government is going to build it themselves. I see good things and bad things in this:


The Good:

  • Will probably be built

  • Telstra doesn't get their grubby hands on it


The Bad:

  • Gross inefficiencies in construction, as with all government work

  • It will takes "up to 9 years) (so read that as at least 14), and will probably not survive the LNP getting into power.



From what I have gathered in the news articles I have read so far (1, 2) it would appear that instead of deploying FTTN to 98% of the population, they will be delivering 100mbit FTTH to 90% (capital cities) and covering the remaining population with 12mbit "wireless and satellite technologies".


I can't wait to see how the opposition will try to stop this... "Too expensive" "unproven technology" "it was Conroy's idea".. Actually that last one does have a certain ring to it...

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

In the words of a redhead

Well, looks like Julia Gillard has been saying to Steven Conroy "Just wait till Father gets home". Well he just got home and he's pissed.



Steven Conroy. You, are the weakest link.

Goodbye.




Thanks Whirlpool, I was feeling kinda down, but this has brightened my day. For some reason I always feel better on April the 1st...