'Grafton Goss' bites the dust as Facebook responds to community concern

Snapshot taken 8 June 2011
Click on image to enlarge

Before going to bed on 3 June 2011 a Clarence Valley resident sent an email to Mark Zuckerberg (see below). I’m told that a Facebook Inc computer had read this email shortly after midnight and by 5am AEST on 4 June 2011 the Grafton gossip page had become unavailable and was no longer cached by Google.

Facebook’s online complaint facility is rarely capable of reacting swiftly, so it was good to see the company respond to a personal email in this manner.

To date the gossip page is unreachable and hopefully it will remain so.

From: [redacted]
Sent: Friday, 3 June 2011 9:55 PM
To: 'MZuckerberg@fb.com'
Cc: 'SSandberg@fb.com'; 'legal@fb.com'; 'press@fb.com'; 'abuse@fb.com'

Subject: COMPLAINT TO CEO: Offensive content, sexually graphic language, defamation of students/minors at Facebook webpage "Grafton Goss"

Chief Executive Officer
Facebook Incorporated
1601 South California Avenue
Palo Alto CA 94304
USA

3 June 2011

Dear Sir,

Re: Offensive, sexually graphic and defamatory Facebook webpage titled “Grafton Goss” - Account ID 100002421426059

This letter is a formal complaint about the existence of a Facebook webpage titled “Grafton Goss” and its offensive, sexually graphic and defamatory content which can be found at [redacted] and [redacted].

I request that you personally inspect this webpage and come to a decision concerning this page in relation to breach of the company’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities and other terms of use.

Further, I request removal of the webpage in question as in multiple posts it compromises the privacy of high school students and minors.

For your information I supply a snapshot of the last few entries on the “Grafton Goss” wall, which mirror the content and tone of the majority entries made by the anonymous creator of this page.

Additionally, I attach a link to an Australian media report concerning Facebook and “Grafton Goss”:
http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/story/2011/05/25/site-spews-vile-goss/.

I make this approach to Facebook in the first instance in preference to contacting the Australian Federal Police.

In anticipation and appreciation of your assistance with this matter.

Yours faithfully,


[redacted]

*********

Community Action Grants application round open to local clubs, community & environmental groups until 1 August 2011

From a Dr. Mike Kelly MP media release:

Community groups around Australia can now apply for small grants to help fund local environmental and sustainable agriculture projects.
Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Dr Mike Kelly, today announced that $5 million will be available through the 2011-12 Community Action Grants round.

“Community Action Grants are helping rural, urban and Indigenous community groups around Australia take action to conserve and protect their local environment and natural resources,” Dr Kelly said.

“Grants of between $5,000 and $20,000 are available to help local community groups undertake activities such as planting trees, revegetating landscapes, rehabilitating dunes, removing weeds, controlling pests, holding field days, recording traditional ecological knowledge and improving sustainable land management practices.”

Since Community Action Grants were announced in 2009, 877 projects have received funding worth more than $15 million (GST exclusive).

“We have listened to feedback from the community and this year eligibility has been broadened to include all local community groups that deliver environmental and sustainable agriculture projects,” Dr Kelly said.

“Eligible community groups may include rotary clubs, surf clubs and scout groups, in addition to Indigenous, Landcare, Coastcare and other local community groups.

“The Australian Government is committed to supporting local community and volunteer groups which play a vital role in restoring the landscape.”

Community Action Grants are part of the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country initiative.

Funding allows volunteers and local community groups to contribute to the Caring for our Country priority areas of protecting biodiversity and natural icons, coastal environments and critical aquatic habitats, and using sustainable farm practices.

Applications for the 2011-12 Community Action Grants will close Monday 1 August 2011.

More information on Caring for our Country and Community Action Grants, including how to apply, is available at www.nrm.gov.au or by calling 1800 552 008.

Jury Duty: I shouldn't laugh, but........

Twenty-eight real or fanciful excuses and attitudes found on Teh Netz for getting out of jury duty:

1. I am unable to speak and understand English – I’m a cat.

2. I’m a dog – the vet says so.

3. If I was meant by God to judge I would be presiding over my own courtroom.

4. I committed a felony, I just wasn't caught.

5. I’ll have to bring my seeing-eye wombat.

6. My budgie is sick, dying, dead.

7. I'm psychic and so I already know the outcome of the trial.

8. My entourage needs me.

9. I have a very important Warcraft quest to finish and my guild is depending on me.

10. My people do not recognise your Earth laws.

11. I fart uncontrollably.

12. I’m a racist.

13. My voices tell me I shouldn’t.

14. It has been my experience that all cops lie.

15. I can't leave home due to the impending holocaust.

16. My bladder causes me to pee quite often. I will not serve unless you can guarantee I can pee every 30 minutes.

17. Please excuse me from jury duty so I can attend a party.

18. I can only communicate telepathically.

19. I shouldn't have to serve because I am too obese.

20. My wife just called. She's in the hospital.

21. I have no faith in the justice system.

22. I'm too busy practicing law to be a juror.

23. I'm a writer. By nature we're shiftless, unreliable, and we make stuff up for a living.

24. Yes, I know the defendant, and the prosecutor, and the bailiff. I know ALL of you!

25. Can I be impartial? As long as impartial means any fool can see the man is guilty.

26. Dress horribly inappropriate for your age/gender.

27. I'm with you, Judge, I'm twittering the whole thing!

28. What was that, Your Honor? I'm busy updating my blog.

Berlin released from custody

The Daily Examiner article In the Courts, 8 June 2011 on Page 9:

MACLEAN identity John X Berlin has been released from custody.
Berlin, who was refused bail when he appeared in court last month, was granted conditional bail when he appeared in court in Grafton on Monday.
His conditions were that; he not have any contact with any media organisation; he was not to go on the internet; he was not to represent, in any way, to any other person that he has been, at any time, a serving police officer, and; he not advertise or publish in any way for sale or purchase of police memorabilia.
Berlin was in court facing two charges of using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend, one count of using a false instrument with intent to pervert the course of justice and one count of using fabricated evidence to mislead a judicial tribunal. He is to appear in court again on those charges on August 23.

Apparently that "toxic tax" was not so toxic after all for Mr. Rabbit in 2009

Something changed over the last three years..........

Australian Oppostion Leader Tony Abbott in 2009:



Abbott in 2011:

Potted History: Australia 1966 - 'very well and cunningly devised'

Correspondence between W.C. "Billy" Wentworth MP and Minister for External Affairs Paul Hasluck concerning censorship in July 1966 - four years after Australia's involvement in Viet Nam began and one year after Prime Minister Menzies formally committed Australian troops at battalion strength to the Viet Nam War.
[Digital images from the Australian National Archives,Communism - Control of Communist Propaganda in Australia - Vietnam War]

Click on images to enlarge

The finger points squarely at Tony Abbott

 

It’s come to a sad pass in this country that undertaking scientific research on climate change within a university setting sees academics threatened and harassed:

“SYDNEY, June 4, 2011 (AFP) - - Climate researchers at one of Australia's top universities have been rushed to a secure location after receiving death threats, an official said Saturday, as debate rages about plans for a carbon pollution tax.
The Australian National University (ANU) scientists had to be shifted following mounting abuse, with threats they would be attacked in the street if they didn't stop their research, said ANU vice-chancellor Dick Young.
Young said the menacing emails and phone calls had intensified in recent weeks amid heated public debate over Prime Minister Julia Gillard's plans to introduce a tax on carbon emissions aimed at reducing pollution.
"Obviously climate research is an emotive issue at the present time," Young told ABC television.
"These are issues where we should have a logical public debate and it's completely intolerable that people be subjected to this sort of abuse and to threats like this."
Young said the threats had rattled the academics, who were "really not equipped to be treated in this way."
"The whole scientific process is one of open debate and discussion, but the concept that you would be threatened for your scientific views and work is something that is completely foreign to them," he said.
"I think it is totally outrageous and the vast majority of Australians would think it is totally unacceptable for anybody in society to be subjected to this sort of behaviour."

This is the bitter crop that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s rabblerousing and demonising has raised up.
If someone gets hurt I will be pointing my finger squarely in his direction.

Insert from Google Images

Onya, Janelle - give 'im heaps!

From ABC Radio Australia News 7th June 2011:

"An Australian Federal Labor MP pushing for a freeze on live cattle exports to Indonesia has rejected a compromise solution put forward by Meat and Livestock Australia.

The morality of exporting live cattle has been hotly debated in Australia since ABC's Four Corners program aired footage of cattle being mistreated in Indonesian abattoirs.

Meat and Livestock Australia says cattle could be sent to 25 slaughterhouses in Indonesia that meet world animal health guidelines.

But MP Janelle Saffin says she does not trust Meat and Livestock Australia to effectively police the abattoirs and the proposal does not go far enough.

"At this stage we can't be assured how the cattle are going to be treated and until we know that the ban, or the halting, is the best solution," she said."

Update 8th June: Temporary six-month live export ban

''In light of the evidence presented to us, we have resolved to put a total suspension in place,'' Ms Gillard said. ''This suspension will remain until we can make sure cattle from Australia are treated properly at every step of the supply chain.
We will be working closely with Indonesia, and with the industry, to make sure we can bring about major change to the way cattle are handled in these slaughter houses.''

News Ltd finds proof that 290 Australians oppose a carbon tax and the media runs wild

Click on image to enlarge

On 1 & 2 June 2011 Galaxy Research telephone polled 500 voters out of an estimated 14.08 million registered Australian voters and, found that 290 of these opposed a carbon tax.

Now Galaxy asserts that its results have been weighted and projected to reflect the population of Australia, but I think it's possibly stretching credulity to give so high a percentage.

Nevertheless, this poll produced a flurry in the media with headlines such as:

Three-quarters of Australians expect to be worse off under carbon tax - Courier Mail
Julia Gillard feels the heat over carbon tax backlash as voters call for new election - News.com.au
Majority against carbon tax: poll - The Northern Star
Aussies want 'election before tax' - Nine News
Most Australians against carbon tax: poll - AFP
Abbott says poll needed on carbon tax - Nine News

Hear Us, Julia!

Talk is cheap and hindsight easy when it comes from Meat & Livestock Australia on June 6 2011:

“I would like to apologise to the Australian livestock industry and the broader community for the hurt and anger caused by the recent footage of horrendous acts of cruelty to our cattle in Indonesia.
“No section of our community was more distressed than those of us whose life’s work is the caring and raising of livestock.
“I can assure you that if this disgusting cruelty had been witnessed by any Australian industry representatives before now, action would have immediately been triggered to bring it to a halt.
“This issue has made it clear that we must only allow our cattle to reach those facilities where we can be absolutely confident they will be handled in line with internationally accepted welfare practices...."

The only animal welfare solution that is guaranteed to be 100% effective is a total ban on live export.
Find out how to stop this live trade here at Ban Live Export.

A Bloody Business video on demand*
* Warning this ABC Four Corners video contains graphic images