How convenient for Senator Conroy; media is buying the Internet sky is falling story

Net blamed as 10,000 kids turn to crime screams an article in The Age on Sunday.
An unnamed Victorian Police source said it was so in that state and never mind that there was no evidence (nor could there be) supplied to support this claim, or that named sources did not think to mention this startling fact

If this dodgy claim had any veracity it should be reflected in similar crime statistics from other states.

This would be especially true of New South Wales, which has roughly the same percentage of children under 15 years as Victoria but accounts for around 33% of all Australian internet connections .

Those NSW figures for the first quarter 2008 clearly indicate that there is not an increasing horde of juveniles turning to crime.

Over the last five years the recorded rate of juvenile involvement in crime fell in six major categories, rose in two and remained stable in the other nine.

Offence Trend Average annual percentage change
DV related assault Up 5.1%
Break and enter non-dwelling Down -5.0%
Motor vehicle theft Down -7.1%
Steal from motor vehicle Down -4.2%
Steal from retail store Down -4.1%
Steal from dwelling Down -5.1%
Steal from person Down -10.8%
Malicious damage to property Up 5.7%

Ever since the Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, announced that he was proceeding with his national ISP filtering scheme, despite the obvious technical drawbacks and censorship overtones [Full report PDF], I have been waiting for the first media story ploughing the ground ahead of the ultra-conservative senator's next move.

I suspect that The Age article will be the first of many. Most pushing the spurious claim that Conroy's censorship is all about 'protecting' the children.

Liberty and Democracy: a rose by any other name is still a marginal political party

Last Friday the Australian Electoral Commission advertised the Liberty and Democracy Party's application for a name change to the Liberal Democratic Party, with the abbreviation Liberal Democrats (DLP). Objections to the change close on 1 September 2008.

This appears to be the party's second attempt to effect this name change.

Somehow the proposed new name doesn't quite match the party's eccentric website blurb.

The Government is comprised of politicians and public servants with no special insight or wisdom. Despite that, it constantly tells us what is best for us and how we should run our lives.

It tells us we should eat healthy foods, not smoke, wear a helmet when we ride a bicycle and not use marijuana. It tells us how to discipline our children, whether we can renovate our houses and who we are permitted to marry. It prevents us from owning a gun to protect our families in our own home and stops us from obtaining help to end our own lives even when we are in terminal pain. It forces us to vote even when we don't want to.

It ties up enterprising businesses in regulations and red tape that prevent them from investing, expanding and employing more people.

The LDP believes people should make their own choices and accept responsibility for the consequences. It believes governments have neither the expertise nor the right to tell people how to run their lives and should stick to things like protecting Australia from attack and safeguarding property rights. The LDP believes in legalising assisted suicide, the right of self defence and voluntary voting. It considers property owners (including hoteliers and restaurateurs), not the government, should decide whether smoking is allowed on their property and whether to remove trees on their land.

It believes the government has no business regulating victimless crimes such as adult consensual prostitution, adult pornography or risky behaviour that harms nobody else. It believes speed limits should be determined by what most motorists regard as safe, not what public servants deem to be acceptable.

Even when the choices that individuals make are unwise and could harm them, so long as nobody else is involuntarily adversely affected the LDP says, "It's your choice, not the government's."

Wonder what the response from the Liberals and Democrats will be this time around to an obvious attempt to bounce off two well-known political brands?

Alan's nostalgic music collection - be still my beating heart!

Found by Clarrie in his ceaseless roaming across the ether and sent on to me (with a smile) as a "must have" gift from Peters of Kensington.

You don’t need to break the law to get a peek at Alan Jones’ private record collection.

So says the online spiel for music to grow wrinkles by.

Think I'll pass, Alan.

Finally, some good solar news from Minister for the Environment Peter Garrett

Finally. Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, had something positive to tell us all about renewable energy yesterday. More Australians are going solar.

NATIONAL: The Clean Energy Council today welcomed the release of the rebate application figures that the federal government has received for the Solar Homes & Communities Plan, for the period just prior and since the recent federal budget.

The figures were announced on the day that the Hon. Peter Garrett, Environment Minister, spoke at the national ATRAA Conference and Exhibition, the annual event for the solar photovoltaic (PV) and small-scale renewable technologies.

Rob Jackson, GM Policy for the Clean Energy Council said: “We welcome the transparency from the government in providing this information, which will be critical in enabling the solar PV industry to plan for future demand and jobs growth.”

“Today’s release of the figures is especially timely as hundreds of representatives from the solar PV industry, including installers, distributors and dealers, are in Melbourne to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the industry nationally.”

“The rebate scheme, particularly in the last two years, has allowed the industry to build capacity and capability. However the industry is now ready to transition to a nationally consistent gross feed in tariff; this policy will deliver the long term certainty needed for investment and jobs growth.”

“These figures demonstrate that the Australian solar PV industry continues to move from strength to strength and we look forward to working with government to discuss the transitional rebate arrangements until the gross feed in tariff policy is in place.”

The Clean Energy Council also looks forward to participating in the upcoming roundtable discussions to deliver a framework to help households improve their energy efficiency, reduce their environmental impact and save on energy bills.

The Clean Energy Council Conference & Exhibition 2008 will commence on Monday 24 November and run until Wednesday 26 November 2008 at the acclaimed Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach, Queensland.

Conference detail here.

Howard supports Nelson. Who cares, replies electorate

Former prime minister and current bore John Howard recently spoke out in support of his successor as leader of the parliamentary Liberal Party, 'Little Brennie' Nelson.

"There is no harder job than being leader of an opposition, it's tough, it's unrelenting. You have my total goodwill, my total support," he said.

Who cares? replied the Australian electorate, which has Nelson's standing pegged at a meagre 14% and which rates him as trailing Rudd in all key areas in the last Newspoll.

I'm still wondering why Howard thinks that his opinion matters in the looming Lib leadership battle.
After all, his 'considered' opinions lost the Coalition the last federal election.

It really gets on my wick (and I blame the current Lib leadership for indulging him in this) that post-defeat John Howard has been offering a gratuitous running commentary on Australian politics, when he so clearly undertook to be "a very quiet ex-prime minister and would not be making a running commentary".

It's time the Libs realised there is nothing so ex as an ex-prime minister - the rest of the country certainly does.

Blogger SNAFU affecting us here at North Coast Voices

From: Blogger Employee

Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 17:45:25 -0700 (PDT)

Local: Sat, Aug 2 2008 10:45 am

Subject: Today's False Positives

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Hey folks,

As everyone is aware, we miscategorized some blogs as spam and have
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North Coast Voices apologizes to anyone who finds that Internet Explorer will either not open this blog or is closing it within seconds.

As you can see this situation is outside of our control.

It's not me McCain is after, it's you! says Obama

Yesterday's AEST 8.35 am email The Low Road from Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama, which uses a rather clever ploy concerning exactly who is the intended target of the latest McCain campaign advertisements.

A few hours ago John McCain, the same man who just months ago promised to run a "respectful campaign," said he is "proud" of his latest attack ad.

That's the one attacking your enthusiasm, comparing me to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, and making false claims about my energy plan.

Now, we're facing some serious challenges in this country -- our economy is struggling, energy costs are skyrocketing, and families don't have health care.

Given the seriousness of these issues, you'd think we'd be having a serious debate. But instead, John McCain is running an expensive, negative campaign against us. Each day brings a desperate new set of attacks.

And they're not just attacking me. They're attacking you.

They're mocking the desire of millions of Americans to step up and take ownership of the political process.

They're trying to convince you that your enthusiasm won't amount to anything -- that the people you persuade, the phone calls you make, the donations you give, the doors you knock on are all an illusion. They believe that in this election the same old smears and negative attacks will prevail again.

They're wrong.

And right now, we have a few hours left to prove them wrong in a very concrete way.

Make a donation of $5 or more before the July fundraising deadline at midnight tonight.

Show the strength of our movement for change.

Thank you,

Barack