People's Republic of Australia

[360BLT]

So I've always enjoyed the relative freedom of living in Australia. I always thought I lived in a reasonably progressive society. Sure, there are some redneck elements here and there, but policy-wise, we were pretty on-it for a while.

Lately, however, it seems like we are going further and further backwards.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009 ... 772467.htm

Is anyone else in the modern, western world dealing with assholes-in-government to this degree?



Also, petrol is getting pricey, so now I've had to start using my legs like a sucker.

[whiskeyonesix]

Not that I'm condoning viewing obscene material on the internet, but shouldn't people be free to choose what they view online? If they get caught its their prison sentence...

I'd rather some pervert get his or her thrills from the internet, rather than going out and looking for kids to abuse.


As an aside, is there any other country in the world that would do this?

[360BLT]

The scary part is the 'list' which is not available to for public scrutiny so you'll never know what is actually on there. The report mentions things such as 'nudism', 'gross content' and 'extremist views' which is pretty open to abuse by the people in control of this 'list'.

Just put the $125 million (!) towards police actually tracking down and arresting kiddie fiddlers and whatever. And maybe an ad campaign on how to stop your kids from viewing rude and lude content. Rather than this false sense of security, quick fix BS

rant. over.

I'll get back to my pornography and youtube videos featuring 'gross content' now while i still can.

[whiskeyonesix]

Well, thats just it isnt it? Its deciding whats extreme enough - and who does the deciding....
In the 80s we had video nasties, now we have the internet. In another 20 years when the internet folds up on itself like some massive digital black hole ( presumably when everyone has succesfully added everyone else in the world to their friend list on facebook .....) we'll have something else!

[OapEM]

Sorry to hear that mate! Your internet is gonna end up like China's!
I don't know much on the subject, but surely this could be gotten around by using a remote IP address?

[jtbo]

That is what modern world is about, we have had such list based banning for year, or maybe two already, can't remember when it started, but that is not even worse, how about law that permits companies to read their workers private messages? We have that.

And if world goverment is going to happen (which probably is) then world police will have right to check your living quarters whenever they wish, because of terrorism/climate/antisocialism or what ever excuse they come up with. EU, UN, USA and Russia are currently pushing that quite hard to make it happen.

They even have new world money made already, which will replace dollars.

Good thing in Australia is that at least it tries to stay out from that mess, cencorship of Internet is indeed bad, but there are even worse things going on at the moment, world has gone mad in very short time.

In Australia it should be still possible to try to get people involved and get more power to party that has not so control minded views, I would believe that your liberal party could be least harmful to be given more power to, I don't believe that we even have such party here, different forms of socialist democrats or socialists and some greenies, those are running this country to be one giant jail instead of free world this once reached for.

[nvdw]

Oh yes. Today it's child pornography, tomorrow it's the blog of someone calling out to take a big, steamy leak in Mr Conroy's cup of morning joe.

You know, it all starts with something people can relate to. "That naughty old teacher, sure he's watching child obscenities, let's cut him off his daily web supplies of nasty pictures." In the meantime, those who produce and consume those pictures on an almost unimaginable scale will still continue to do so. I've read an article in a magazine years ago which seemed to indicate that these people actually invented some sort of torrents before the hoi polloi started to use it to drain the latest Harry Potter film off The Pirate Bay days before it was about to launch.

Of course it's a stupid idea and of course everyone with an above average knowledge of proxy servers can work his or her way around Mr Conroy's state-supplied nanny filter. But 99% of the people don't know a thing about proxies, or do not care. And when they do start to care, a huge number of less obscure web content has been added to the ban list. That one blog for people discussing global warming perhaps, or a certain forum where people come together to post a bunch of pictures of THOSE NASTY POLLUTING BLOODY VOLVOS WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN KICKED TO THE BREAKERS YONKS AGO TO MAKE WAY FOR NEW HYUNDAIS.

[jtbo]

Soylent green, The Island, Equilibrium. Watch all those movies, then think how much in 10 years world have followed direction that leads into such horrors that we see in movies, it gives me shivers.

Every year we see new implementations of control and methods that keep people turning wheels of production.

Threats like enviromental disaster, terrorism, crimes, all are drummed out loud with big headlines, papers keep telling all the time how we must act now, no time to think, do not think, act.

If you stop thinking this bit more, then why it is that with all technology we still work so much? Again last 20 years have given common man the wealth which only very rich ancesters could have and that is something some think is bad, so new restrictions are thrown in to keep common man in his role.

I don't know, it is perhaps bit crazy, but something seem to be hugely driving those in power to act globally like others, very very stupidly.

[ty360volvo]

hey what grup set is on the Peugeot ? it looks nice