:: Jan’s Writing Place ::

Wait, it is ‘10. The tenth year of the third millenium. I’ve been meaning to put a New Year post, but just hadn’t gotten around to it. I had the editor open updating my post about the Internet Censorship to add a new strategy link and decided I may as well do it now. The blank window was sitting there just begging for black lines and curves, so here you go.

2009 - What an amazing year. BIG change. It even ended with a surgery, the first time I’ve had to be in a hospital in over 15 years. I won’t go into detail, but so far so good. Nothing major.

I like to go back to my daily diary [pocket calendar for those of you in the US, not a journal] and see what pops out. It’s a good memory jogger. If you don’t like these year in review thingies, stop reading now.

Blogging
I had great intentions, really I did. And I had fun when I did it. Unfortunately my energy and interest waned. Oh well. It’s still here.

Writing
Big changes here. Finished a first draft of another novel. Then my plans to revise/edit stopped dead cold. It’s still there, waiting for attention. It’s a fun story, too, with the familiar characters from Lost Anchors, but a new central character. One day.

I also started a new project that I had been researching. It was a whim, last minute thing, to do NaNoWriMo again. That lasted about a week. I did get about 60 pages written and am falling in love with the main character, Gentry Philomon. The premise is: Gentry emerges from liquistasis 15 years later, a cure having been found for his leukemia. It’s a different world. The Internet is shut down. There is a new coalition of quasi-states with church/secular government. The pope is a nutter who channels God to vids that are sent worldwide each week. Writing is eliminated from everyday life — no more words, no more literacy, unless you’re in the top of the top power structure. In the beginning of the book, Gentry is coming to grips with this change. He’s a writer of Australian Military history, so what’s a boy to do when he now lives in a World Without Words? [That’s the title at the moment.]

And last but not least, the writing team has broken up for good. Let’s just say it was for personal reasons, not creative or writing ones.

Work
One of the biggest changes in 2009 was my return to education/teaching. I was invited in July to give it a go for the Australian Computer Society, tutoring an online class in Business, Legal and Ethical Issues for computing professionals. It’s a blast! I’ve had two classes with students from all over Australia as well as one in Cairo, Egypt and one in Shiraz, Iran. If any of you are interested, you can find more information about the program at: http://www.acs.org.au/cpeprogram/

I also tutored one section of Professionalism in ICT for recently graduated Masters students from other countries who intend to stay in Australia. The subject covers many of the same topics in my CP course, with some coaching about resume development and adjusting to the Australian/western culture workplace. Because English is a second or third language for these students, it is a challenging process.

I’ll be teaching in both of these programs in 2010 as well, starting in a few weeks.

VIEW Club
One of my social networks is the Berwick Evening VIEW Club. It’s a group of ladies who get together at least once a month for dinner, plus a range of other activities throughout the year. I’m the publicity officer, meaning I send notices to the local newspapers and try to maintain the website(s). This year we had some real breakthroughs on the publicity front, with several short articles in the paper and many meeting annoucements resulting new folks coming to join. Our weekend away this year was to Warburton, a small town in the Yarra Valley, the source of the Yarra River that runs through Melbourne. It was the wettest day of the year, with floods in the area the day after we left. What happened in Warburton, stays in Warburton.

We also did the 2nd annual Trivia night, raising just under $1000 for support of another Learning for Life Student for 2 years. We now have two, both supported by these trivia nights.

We also participated in two People in the Park events with the City of Casey to introduce people to VIEW.

One of the most fun events was a ‘chocolate day’ at a member’s home. We each brought chocolate ’stuff’, including cocktails, and watched Chocolat together.

Art
I resolved at the beginning 2009 to join the Berwick Artists Society and did just that. I love the monthly demonstrations by practicing artists to see how they create a painting. I’ve showed a few of my pieces [there’s a blog post about this]. There are many more activities to get involved in, such as ‘paint outs’ [outdoor painting trips] to showing in the bi-annual shows in the local library. Now that I have one framed picture that I’m quite proud of, I may show it this year. I haven’t don’t much creation, though. Hmmm… this is a theme. I’ve been consuming things this year rather than creating in both my art and writing. Must mean I need to recharge.

Bits and Pieces

Lots of fun this year: Australian Open, many films, Windmill Theatre performance of Les Miserables.

Our Strategic Conversation group has pretty much stopped, which is sad. I enjoyed meeting with those people every few months.

I’ve attended all the Web Design SIG meetings of Melbourne PC User Group and even given some talks for them.

I’ve returned to the Casey PC SIG after a long hiatus, also given a few talks for them as well. I was welcomed back warmly. Many of the same people and some new faces as well.

Continued my participation in AUSTRAC Privacy Panel, Australian Privacy Foundation Board and Treasurer. I’ve been serving on a privacy panel for AGIMO on AGOSP. Yeah, we’re acronym crazy down here.

Favourite new TV shows: Mad Men, Flash Forward

Started using Skype, both for chat with our ACS tutors and friends, and as a phone system for calling the US. For $4/mo, I can have unlimited calls to the US.

Visited a friend’s alpaca farm open day.

Two Sunday lunches at the Baxter Pub with Dixieland Jazz

Christmas Eve with friends from South Africa, Christmas Day with friends in Hastings.

Best for last…
This was a year of virtual reunions. On my birthday, I got word that a person I had been searching for futilely for over 15 years had been found. It was one of the best ever birthday presents I can remember. I won’t mention names, but I will say the contact has continued over the ensuing months and I’m quite happy about that.

2009 was an excellent year with a few hiccups to balance out the good. Here’s to an equally fulfilling 2010 to all of us!
*clink* *toast*

This is from a crime writers’ list:

It is bad enough when government agencies intrude into our privacy, but even worse when we discover the extent of private enterprise to do the same. It is especially bad when they get huffy and tell us they aren’t doing anything wrong, but object when someone takes a look at their personal information.

The CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt, explains his position in the attached link. He is the man who banned CNet for a year when they published some information that they had gleaned from, yes, Google.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12/07/schmidt_on_privacy/

After reading the article, it’s no wonder the people from Google Australia have been so unhelpful in their approach when the privacy community have tried to engage them. I think it’s said a fish rots from the head, in Google’s case, the CEO’s attitude and probable approach to the policies within the company.

I find it interesting that Schmidt quotes the Patriot Act as a reason for data being accessed, but doesn’t seem to consider laws in other jurisdictions that would require them to STOP doing some of what they are doing otherwise. Of course, [and remember, I’m American and Australian] being that he’s American, he probably doesn’t give a toss about the laws of any other countries other than maybe China because of the $$ [or yuan] he might lose if he doesn’t play by their rule(s).

That first issue of lawful release versus unlawful release relates to other concepts: Privacy by Design and Surveillance by Design. The stakeholders aren’t part of the analysis, or should I say, the range of stakeholders, only those with the power position to call the shots, either by virtue of the ‘law’ or ‘dictator’ or ‘commercial interest’. If you’re the ’subject’ of the law/dictator/business, your interests are virtually, if not totally, ignored, or at least ‘rationalised’ out of the debate, even in supposed democracies, which are really oligarchies today. We are just so much chattel for their gain, either of more power or more money.

I believe our work will continue to be cut out for us in 2010 and beyond.

That’s enough deep thought for my week, particularly on a Sunday morning after Christmas!

But to leave you with a smile, check out this related video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrontojPWEE

[UPDATE 7 January: strategy approach link:
http://insidethemindoftim.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/how-to-defeat-labors-internet-censorship-a-liberal-hacks-perspective/ How To Defeat Labor’s Internet Censorship — excellent advice]

[UPDATE: more links to information and action websites below]

The Australian government is on its way to mandating a nation-wide internet filter to block items that are termed Refused Classification (RC). In other words: materials that are censored for the public to see. At the time of the last election, the Australian Labor Party [which now holds government] was scathing of their predecessors doing the same thing. At the time, I was on the board of Electronic Frontiers Australia and gave a speech on the steps of the State Libary on a bull-horn. That speech is still available at: http://www.efa.org.au/Campaigns/may28/melb/jw.html

However, the ALP also presented a policy that was quite similar just before they took office in 2007, and is now found to be very misleading. Most of us read it to be mandatory that ISPs provide a filter, but that people could opt out. Even the spokesperson then, who is Minister now, made that statement on the ABC. Turns out he lied. Or he was telling porkies because he didn’t realise what he was saying.

The premise is that they want to “protect children”. But as most thinking and knowledgeable IT people have said until they are blue in the face: this approach will not achieve that objective.

The government spent a bit of money getting a rigged test done and the report of that faux test was released this week. A storm of angry protest has been unleashed as a result.

I have written the following to one of our Victorian senators with whom I disagree most often and who is part of the balance of power in the Senate. I don’t hold out too much hope of dissuading the silliness of the current minister, Stephen Conroy, but perhaps enough outrage will have some effect. Here is my letter to Senator Stephen Fielding of the Family First party. I’ve given up on our MP, Jason Woods, who is an ex-cop and thinks everyone is guilty of something.

If you would like to get involved, here are some places to connect:
No Clean Feed
Tear down the Great Firewall from GetUp!
and
This protest site: http://stephen-conroy.com/news.php

NEW:
Stop Internet Censorship - No Mandatory Filter. Queensland based, with really good action information http://www.stopinternetcensorship.org/
The Gift of Censorship (Protesting Australian Internet Censorship) http://www.thegiftofcensorship.com/
Libertus - A terrific analysis of the whole situation http://libertus.net/

Now for my letter:

Senator Fielding,

You and I are going to agree to disagree on many things. But I have to write to you and at least state my case about the unsupported compulsory internet filter [see all polls in the major newspapers — no polls have been so certain].

1. I work in the IT industry and teach in the IT industry. I hang out with people in the IT industry. NO one that I know of, save a few who are appeasers to ‘get a better deal’ are in support of this flawed system being proposed.

2. If your intention is to “protect children”, this won’t do it. Short of shutting down facebook, chatrooms, usenet, instant messaging, and all other sorts of interactive social networks, there is no way to achieve the stated objective. And we both know none of those things are going to happen. The traded loss of benefits are too great.

3. Those who wish to access the “blocked” information will easily access it via other means. It will take about 5 seconds.

4. The way to solve this dilemma is to require the government to make the following changes to the policy and therefore in the legislation:

- if there is insistence to require ISPs to provide a filter, make it opt-out at least, preferably opt-in. That way those who have children in their homes, schools, and other public places can have their false sense of protection. This was the ALP policy before the election, not this extended censorship program. We did NOT vote for this.
- reinstate the free filtering service to the DESKTOP that was discontinued when the Rudd government came into office. The mind boggles why such a low-cost and workable solution was defunded.
- put the money that would have gone into the filter system MANAGEMENT, which would be substantial, into education and enforcement against those who are really damaging children: anti-bullying programs, counselling, and police; or better yet, into hospitals, education, and other direct social services. How about youth programs to get kids OFF the computer and into the world, learning to interact with each other constructively?

There are many links to discussions about better ways to go about the achievement of your goals and reasons for why the current position is not going to do anything but waste money and bring out a protest movement. One of the best is Senator Kate Lundy’s blog if you have the time to read it. My thoughts on the Filter | Kate Lundy

I wish you the best at this holiday season, and pray that your conscience and God’s guidance will bring some sanity to this debate rather than the polarising positions and heel-digging that is currently underway in Senator Conroy’s head.

Jan Whitaker

Finished Apocalypse 2012. Shocker of a book. Is something going to happen to bring on either the arrival of a “new age” or the end of life as we know it?

Started a sci-fi:Crescent City Rhapsody, by Kathleen Ann Goonan. Do any of you know this author’s work? So far in my reading, there are two main characters, both on the run. The first is a woman who is shot to death in New Orleans, but is brought back to life through nano-rejuvination. Marie is on the run while her renewal takes place and is out for revenge on her killers. Oh, and she’s from a family of voudoun priestesses. The other character, Zeb, is a hands-on scientist who is also on the run. His reason is a bit more important for the world: an electro-magnetic pulse has put out all satellites that has caused The Silence. Zeb is the only one in the world with the data from space that points the finger to say who and why. I can’t wait to see how these two connect, which I’m sure they will, and how their issues interweave.

The structure of the book isn’t in chapters, rather in character sections titled with musical terms that might relate to a rhapsody, like Extended Riff In Past and Future Minor, followed by a sub-title of place or person and year. I flipped ahead to see later section names and found that the story covers over 25 years, the Silence beginning in 2012 and the last chapter ending in 2039.

When I opened to the first page and saw the 2012, I went, “Wow!” I’d just finished the book scaring the bejesus out of me with the predictions about 2012 in the real world. Is this what is going to happen? We lose our satellites? Goonan wrote this book in 2000. Why did she pick 2012 for the beginning of the end in this book? Spooky.

A couple weeks ago we had a cold snap. A rush of low pressure and cold swept through the area resulting in this:

Of course two weeks later it was 29.9C (85.8F).