The Triumvirate

I see why people are always raving about Melbourne's gorgeous laneways.

Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture: f/2.2
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 3200

With the hustle and bustle of working, combined with assignments, I find myself missing Japan. (And wanting a hug from Laura)

50mm 1/60 f/1.4 ISO 800

1/320, f/7.1, 50 mm, ISO 200

My good friend Andrew Bolt rarely gets a mention on this here blog. Well actually before The Triumvirate refresh he wasn't mentioned at all.

But the famous climate change denier has created an interesting effect on his own blog, by paying out Chief Justice Murray Gleeson.

Bolt loves to quote the term "unelected judges", especially when being a right wing nutbag, the idea of progressive judges interpreting the law must absolutely irk him. So he takes the opportunity like any controversial columnist, to dig his heels in.

But it does raise an interesting question.

Bolt argues that activist judges "create" new law, and that this is different to "interpreting" it.

Which in my opinion is total poppycock.

Honestly, if Bolt wants a situation where judges have no room to move, he should have a long time ago lobbied his bestest pals in the liberal party to re-write the books as black letter law. Because, to the credit of the current Government, most laws, especially those surrounding financial arrangements, recognise complex situations and take on a principled approach.

The truth of the matter is, Bolt wouldn't give two hoots if High Court Judges "create" new law (interpret the law) in regards to the tax system, but watch him get arked up if they impose on his conservative sensibilities.

The reason we have judges is because black letter law can never assume and predict the wild and varying set of facts that exist out there in the real world. And if "un-elected" judges interpret laws in a way that seems opposite to policy intent, guess what, the law is re-drafted. It's how the system works (albeit a lengthy process), and it's how laws are refined.

Discuss.

"Reflective" - 2006 - 0.1 sec, f/2.8, 50 mm, purple gelled off camera flash.

Once Apple was heralded as the thinkers, the progressives and the ones who really cared about the customer experience. But now they have started to head in the opposite direction. This is evidenced with such things as:

Forcing people to pay to use a song as a ring tone on the iphone even if they already have purchased the song; and

'Bricking' people's iphones with installed 3rd party apps.

Now the tables have turned. Microsoft, the king of backward thinking, with such gems as "Windows Genuine Advantage" and "BSOD" have come out with the Zune 2 and have blown me away.

Firstly the the first generation 30GB Zune—which 1.2 million people already purchased—is getting all the new Zune's features, where possible though firmware.

WTF? I've never heard of such generosity, and in the face of Apple's actions I'm thrilled and amazed to hear Microsoft being so progressive and for once looking after their customers above and beyond supposedly 'people centric' apple.

Secondly - the Zune software will now automatically import broadcast content recorded on Windows Media Center so consumers can sync them onto their Zune media player and watch them on the bus, in their car or wherever they want when they’re out and about.

JEBUS! I've never heard of such open awesomeness. This means i can record "the chaser" or even "Heroes" and Media centre will import it (Wirelessly!) no questions asked, with no random 3rd party converting programs.

Is this Microsoft turning a new leaf? Well not completely, as the Zune 2 will still wrap un copyrighted music in their own proprietary DRM if you wirelessly transfer a file to another Zune.

But still, it is a start.

I think one of my biggest problems lately has been my inability to differentiate the path my life can take, from the path taken by those around me.

I guess the people I see who are senior to me, are those who have chosen to stay where they are. Who I don't see, are those who have moved on, who are broadening themselves.

I think in realising this, I am beginning to feel more comfortable with where I am.

I have to thank Jimbo partly for this, as our short discussions have made me realise there are WAY more options out there than just sitting in the same place waiting to become partner in a decade and a half.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It's sensational to be back. Things have been a happening since I was last able to post. I’ve had and lost a Girlfriend, that terrible thing called distance saw to that. I’ve also finished Uni; graduated even, served 6 more months at the Delaware House of Pain, and grown up… kinda. I’ve now got a full time job, I am a wage slave, slave to the man, perpetuator of the Capitalist Régime and all kinds of other names that exist for people that have entered the workforce.
I’ve also manage to be sucked in to the evils of the internet in a somewhat greater way than ever before. Although I’d managed to avoid the purgatory that is myspace I have been seduced by the darkside and become part of the bookface collective. I’m trying to think of something that I can get on my soap box about for my first post, but can’t really think of anything. I will however have something soon!!!

Make love and listen to the music.

Theo