You've all seen the permanent link unit in the top right of this blag, (unless you syndicate). Well, no longer is it just about informing yourself. The time has come for action. Hit this link, which will take you to http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/SaveTheNet/442 . This is very important.
I've just done a mass email, so I can't be bothered to retype it here. You know the deal, and if you don't, try this fact sheet.
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Wednesday, 26 November 2008
EPA Carbon Regulation
The deadline for the EPA to decide on carbon dioxide regulation is Friday. I just gave them my opinion:
Be sure to give them yours too.
Dear EPA,
This is your chance to save the world, in a very real way.
Remember, don't give a license to pollute. Carbon permits and carbon trading are not real soloutions.
Implement a carbon tax; with no discount for industry or electricity generation (it would be senseless to enact the tax and then strip it back where it's needed most!)
Good luck in making the right decision,
Michael
Be sure to give them yours too.
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Hope my SDD exam is marked by a is a digital freedoms activist
This morning I sat for my final Physics examination. I'd only studied starting the afternoon before, which for a subject like physics really isn't enough. I was already a little out of form because I have wagged so many classes. I remember the last day of K-Dog (an awesome music teacher), when we all (about 12 of us) piled into his car and went on one final Maccas run. I was wagging physics, and it was on this day that the class covered laser diffraction in the form of a lab prac. Of course, that formed the basis for several further lessons ("You all remember the prac we did on laser diffraction? Well this is just like in the prac... oh right, you weren't here...").
I also managed to miss about three weeks of physics (I attended some classes, I just played solitare on my phone when I was there), the whole first half of the quantum physics section. Luckily on the morning of the exam I read through the quantum physics section of the textbook, because there was a lot of quantum physics material in the exam. I think I did quite well, all things considered.
Following this, after about an hour's break, I had another exam; this time on Software Development and Design. This is a poorly taught subject, and the course really needs to be scrapped, and be replaced with an industry developed course in my opinion (Oh, that's right, it's called a Cert IV).
I was reminded just by chance to check where it was held a few minutes before I headed off for it, and it's lucky I did, because it wasn't where I thought it would be (Thanks Kate!). By the time I was about halfway through, there was only about 4 or 5 people left in the whole exam room. I make a point of doing my best to manage my time in exams, which in my case means going as slowly as possible to try and fill the time. I filled 6 booklets (most people write the equivalent of between 2 and 4).
At the conclusion of the multiple choice, just as I begin the short answer section. I find myself violently writing an essay, page after page, about how software piracy laws result in a waste of effort by programmers and developers and restrict creativity, and they only exist because people have a malformed vision of ownership over intellectual property.
I am a fan of the open source movement. Somehow I don't think the syllabus/marking center will agree that intellectual property is a farce and reverse engineering is a God given right. I think they are more into following licensing agreements and the like. I snapped out of this, realised it was only a 2 mark question, and moved on.
I continued my slow, long handed, thorough question answering to the end of section II, the penultimate part of the final question in this section was a list of syntactical definitions in modified extended Backaus Naur format (EBNF).
Now the basis of this course is semantics. If there's a dot in the wrong spot, or you forget to capitalise a letter, or you use a new line when you shouldn't have, or you misspell a word, all hell breaks loose. That's just how programming is (with the exception of 5GL. How frustrating, then, when in an algorithm we're supposed to desk check, they have written "IFF" instead of "IF". Furthermore, they substitute "" for "". In a fit of rage, and perhaps not my best judgment, I scrawl across the paper in bright blue "Proofread your exams for Christ's sake. This is the H. S. Fucking C!", and fling the examination booklet to the ground.
Oops.
The exam supervisors seemed impressed with my passion, but somehow I don't think that's classified as in keeping with examination conditions. They said nothing till after the exam, which is probably good, because I would have just screamed at them and broken something had they intervened.
I don't want to let a post go by without a photo, and I've been wanting to try my new photobucket account; so here is a picture of the fine mesh the paper is made from. It kept me mesmerised during the exam.
Now, unfortunately, I need to study for my next and final exam tomorrow; engineering studies.
Peace be with you,
- M
I also managed to miss about three weeks of physics (I attended some classes, I just played solitare on my phone when I was there), the whole first half of the quantum physics section. Luckily on the morning of the exam I read through the quantum physics section of the textbook, because there was a lot of quantum physics material in the exam. I think I did quite well, all things considered.
Following this, after about an hour's break, I had another exam; this time on Software Development and Design. This is a poorly taught subject, and the course really needs to be scrapped, and be replaced with an industry developed course in my opinion (Oh, that's right, it's called a Cert IV).
I was reminded just by chance to check where it was held a few minutes before I headed off for it, and it's lucky I did, because it wasn't where I thought it would be (Thanks Kate!). By the time I was about halfway through, there was only about 4 or 5 people left in the whole exam room. I make a point of doing my best to manage my time in exams, which in my case means going as slowly as possible to try and fill the time. I filled 6 booklets (most people write the equivalent of between 2 and 4).
At the conclusion of the multiple choice, just as I begin the short answer section. I find myself violently writing an essay, page after page, about how software piracy laws result in a waste of effort by programmers and developers and restrict creativity, and they only exist because people have a malformed vision of ownership over intellectual property.
I am a fan of the open source movement. Somehow I don't think the syllabus/marking center will agree that intellectual property is a farce and reverse engineering is a God given right. I think they are more into following licensing agreements and the like. I snapped out of this, realised it was only a 2 mark question, and moved on.
I continued my slow, long handed, thorough question answering to the end of section II, the penultimate part of the final question in this section was a list of syntactical definitions in modified extended Backaus Naur format (EBNF).
Now the basis of this course is semantics. If there's a dot in the wrong spot, or you forget to capitalise a letter, or you use a new line when you shouldn't have, or you misspell a word, all hell breaks loose. That's just how programming is (with the exception of 5GL. How frustrating, then, when in an algorithm we're supposed to desk check, they have written "IFF" instead of "IF". Furthermore, they substitute "
Oops.
The exam supervisors seemed impressed with my passion, but somehow I don't think that's classified as in keeping with examination conditions. They said nothing till after the exam, which is probably good, because I would have just screamed at them and broken something had they intervened.
I don't want to let a post go by without a photo, and I've been wanting to try my new photobucket account; so here is a picture of the fine mesh the paper is made from. It kept me mesmerised during the exam.
Now, unfortunately, I need to study for my next and final exam tomorrow; engineering studies.
Peace be with you,
- M
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