Mai Me Arai » Misc

Important!

Ben — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:06:38 +0000

To those of you who don’t have the Priority Inbox in your Gmail yet, I need to tell you something: I have . . . → Read More: Important!

Seeing Everything New

Ben — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:56:05 +0000

Everything seems much closer

After visiting the optometrist he suggest I get glasses because I am far sighted. While my vision is not that bad, I get headaches after looking at anything close for extended periods such as a monitor.

It was interesting during my vision test when he had me hold a card with some text on it and look at it and tell him how it felt as he lowered some lenses in front my eyes. I believe my response was “ahhh, it feels as if my eyes are relaxing”. It was quite a unique sensation for me.

I have to pick up my new glasses sometime this week and I’ll admit that wearing them will be a completely new experience to me. Luckily I don’t need to wear them all the time.

The Epic Weekend – Part 2

Ben — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:08:44 +0000

In Part 1 of my epic weekend I discussed Saturday, but Sunday was much more involved because we spent the day at the zoo.

I’ll admit I grudgingly dragged myself from bed early on Sunday so that we could get to the zoo when it opened. We’re talking me waking up on Sunday the same time I do during the week – not good! Surprisingly we got to the zoo at the planned time and I continued to develop my fine glow of sunburn from Saturday.

We’d taken the twins to the zoo back when they were little but they couldn’t remember it because they slept most of the time we were there so it was pretty new for them, while being completely new for their younger sister. Madeleine was our reason for visiting the zoo as it was her 8th Birthday on the 31st of August (I got her the complete collection of Roald Dahl books which disappointed her because she wanted ModNation Racers and I am apparently the uncle who buys games).

All in all the day went really well. We saw a Koala actually moving (which was a first for me), a Pygmy Hippo with it’s mother (so cute!), one of the baby Thai elephants running around like a crazy thing after getting washed, and I took plenty of photo’s all around (which I’ll upload just as soon as I sort through them). The kids were incredibly well behaved too, though they’re pretty well behaved compared to other kids I’ve seen.

I got in trouble a few times for rushing everyone along because I wanted to make sure I got home for my 7pm raid and despite getting home at about 7:15pm I was lucky enough that the guys had saved me a spot and waited. I spent the last part of my weekend raiding with friends and couldn’t have been more pleased.

Next weekend should be a lot quieter, which pleases me.

The Epic Weekend – Part 1

Ben — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:59:53 +0000

I knew going into last weekend that it would be a busy one. Saturday morning I we were straight off to watch my nephew play soccer in the grand final. It was a tense game with neither team scoring and even after an extra 5 minutes each way they still couldn’t break each others defences so it went to penalty shoot-outs. Watching this from the sideline I felt for the poor kids on both sides, thinking of the pressure they’d be under, but mostly I was worried that my nephew might be called upon to take a shot. Thankfully it didn’t come to that.

I was filming the game for my brother and his wife but it was so hard to concentrate on filming that half of the video is probably going to feature the sky or my feet because I’d constantly forgot to point the camera at where the ball was. When our goal keeper blocked the kick that won them the game the family/spectators on our side exploded into elated cheers. It’s weird, I don’t recall hearing the family and friends of the opposition at all during the game.

After that it was off to have a barbie at my brothers place for lunch, which made me feel drowsy so I went home and had a nap. Upon waking I discovered that I had gotten sunburnt watching the soccer – and no one else had :(

Oui continued Friday’s raid and managed to get up to the Lich King, insisting on asking me lore questions, but didn’t manage to kill him.

Google Adsense

Ben — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:31:44 +0000

Those of you who still visit my blog, something I try to do myself occasionally, will have noticed there is a new advertisement on the right. Those of you who deign to read my musings via an rss reader (which is my preferred way of keeping up with sites) will also have noticed ads. After a comment from Michael I have reduced the frequency they appear on my rss feed by 50% (ie every second post) but I haven’t’ figured out how to put it back to displaying the full posts.

Google Adsense is sort of cool in that they will pay me when people (a lot of people) click on ads on my site/rss-feed, but I admit I feel a bit dirty about it.

NBN

Ben — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 02:26:36 +0000

When I first heard about the National Broadband Network I was excited, and who wouldn’t be with 100Mb (which is magically turned into 1Gb) access for all? Then the details started to filter down and over time my excitement has diminished to the point where now I personally think the NBN is a mistake, at least in its current form.

While the technology is exciting the price tag decidedly is not at approximately $5000 per household, and that is only the estimated price to build it (half of which is tax-payer funded). As with any government project we can expect the cost to increase, despite Stephen Conroy’s assertion that rollouts in Tasmania have been completed 5% under budget. On that note, why is it always Tasmania that sees new telecommunications technology rolled out to first?

After construction is complete, which won’t be for at least 10 years, we are expected to pay companies leasing the bandwidth from the NBN to use it. iiNet have already said that the approximate price will be $160 a month, which is a massive increase compared to what the majority of people pay now. So we’re put into huge national debt to build the NBN and then, once complete, are expected to incur personal debt to be able to make use of our investment.

One point concerning the NBN I take particular note with is that they plan to sell it after 10 years of operation. I completely oppose this and am amazed that this idea would even be entertained after the disaster that privatising Telstra has turned out to be. If we’re going to pay so much to build it we should at least get to keep it!

Claims that the NBN would help to decentralise the population are interesting, however while dreaming about our new superfast internet connections the most basic networking fact is always forgotten: network speed is always limited by the slowest connection. With the majority of content hosted overseas the international pipes will be completely saturated even with our ridiculous download limits that Australian ISP’s are in love with. Nothing is being said about increasing international bandwidth which leads me to believe that nothing is being done because if there was now is the time they’d be shouting it from the rooftops.

The Liberal Plan is not really a plan at all. It’s more a case of keep doing what we’re doing now because realistically, what is in that plan that we’re not already doing?

I welcome comments and discussion.

Q & A Dominates

Ben — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:45:45 +0000

I really love Q & A on the ABC so was surprised to see a special Q & A on last night after Dick Smith’s documentary about resource waste/management and population control. As usual they had a loudmouth on the panel, this time in the form of John Elliot, who with his tiny world view blathered over others who actually had some idea of what they were talking about.

The entire show seemed to be a battle between capitalism and everyone else. Capitalism demands growth, it doesn’t require it, and we cannot sustain the growth capitalism wants without wiping the planet out and killing ourselves. I think the issue is that the coming disaster being referred to is not going to be in our lifetimes so it’s easy for capitalists, who are focused mainly on money, to act like it’s not a problem or worse – that it’s someone else’s problem.

It was nice to see the debate steer away from immigration for once, I just hope that last night wasn’t the beginning and the end of the discussion. The politicians were in particularly good form last night with very little point scoring occuring, giving me hope that there are solutions coming that we can all strive for.

Life and Everything

Ben — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 04:20:53 +0000

I got myself a job finally and it’s turned out quite nice. The company is sort of small and deals with software consulting, my role being support. The trip to work is about as long as I had feared but hasn’t turned out to be the nightmare I had imagined. Having an hour each way back would be nice though.

How incredbile is it that I’m yet to meet the company dick-head? Everyone seems so friendly while being focused focused on the job and they don’t micromanage at all, which I love. I don’t know what will come of the fact that they’re all a bunch of piss-pots though. The company products are varied and I will post about them another time.

My internet connection has returned to normal (after harrassing AAPT) and I’m resubbed to WoW but I’ve barely had a moment in the past two weeks to even log on because last weekend I went and did a course with Learn to Trade so that I can trade on the foreign exchange. I’m not really trading at the moment, just practising on a demo account for when I feel confident enough to use my real money. I’m doing this to hopefully free myself from the shackles of regular Sydney life, namely so that I can accelerate any plans andbreak the shackles of slavery I am forced to endure.

Oui is pining for WoW too, reducing himself to logging into my account because he misses it so much. He is really miserable because of his job so I told him that if he really hates it so much just quit and find something else. He’d rather find something else and then quit though.

We’re planning to go to Melbourne and hang with guildies and friends for Blizzcon and are booking the tickets tonight courtesy of Oui’s recalcitrance to spending money. I’m really looking forward to it especially as it’s been years since we’ve seen some of them (the others we’ve never actually met). It will actually be Oui’s birthday while we’re down there and since we already bought a Wii that has killed my idea for what to get him. I’ll have to be creative.

Playing Both Sides

Ben — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:36:40 +0000

Since I sent an email about the proposed internet filter to the local Labor rep it’s only fair to do the same to Liberal:

Hi Pat,

With the announcement of a federal election I am contacting you regarding the one policy that I am concerned about (for now) – the proposed internet filter.

I have been following this issue since it was brought to my attention and am perplexed that the internet filter persists. It replaces an abolished system which put the onus on families/users to install filtering software on their own pc’s (should they wish to), providing no more secure ‘protection’ than it’s predecessor. The arrogance with which Stephen Conroy has and continues to pursue the internet filter while throwing Australian tax-payer dollars to the wind, for something at least 50% of Australians do not want, is astounding and suggests that there is more to it than meets the eye.

A much better system would be for the government to establish their own ISP which those who desire a filtered internet can sign up, but I presume the only reason this is not being done is because the objective is actually to get a foot in the door for total internet information control for all Australians.

Understand that International internet access in Australia is already woeful and adding the bottleneck of a filter will only make it worse, the cost being no particular benefit to at least 50% of Australians (not to mention that it is mandatory). The fact the the more people learn of the filter the less they want it should be telling.

Please let me know your thoughts and ideas as to how you, as my representative, will work towards abolishing the proposed internet filter.

Regards

Ben Harris

Getting in Touch

Ben — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:07:33 +0000

I was handed a pamphlet regarding my national member at the train station this morning which had his email address on it, and some really tacky/corny photos of him with Julia Gillard meeting ‘the people’ (in hardhats!), so fired this off to him:

Hi Nick,

I received a small leaflet concerning your work in the Macarthur region, which is unusual considering that to my knowledge an election hasn’t been called, and wanted to touch base with you to find out more about you and your policies.

Truthfully, there is just one policy that I am concerned about (for now) – the proposed internet filter.

I have been following this issue since it was brought to my attention and am perplexed that the internet filter persists. It replaces an abolished system which put the onus on families/users to install filtering software on their own pc’s (should they wish to), providing no more secure ‘protection’ than it’s predecessor.

The arrogance with which Stephen Conroy has and continues to pursue the internet filter while throwing Australian tax-payer dollars to the wind, for something at least 50% of Australians do not want, is astounding and suggests that there is more to it than meets the eye.

Understand that International internet access in Australia is already woeful and adding the bottleneck of a filter will only make it worse, the cost being no particular benefit to at least 50% of Australians (not to mention that it is mandatory). The fact that the more people learn of the filter the less they want it should be telling.

Please let me know your thoughts and ideas as to how you, as my representative, will work towards abolishing the proposed internet filter.

Regards

Ben Harris

I don’t expect anything, but you never know.