home :: freedom

Mon, 28 Apr 2008

It's mine, not yours!

Information wants to be free.

That is a fairly common saying 'round the 'Net.

And, as I've grown up with it repeated enough, it is something that I think - more and more - is an good way to function. Not just at a country level but organisationally and interpersonally too.

When you release more information, you gain more trust.

So it is somewhat amusing to me that a parlimentry enquiry, ostensibly into the use of the word fuck and cunt on TV notes:

Submissions become committee documents and are made public only after a decision by the Committee. Persons making submissions must not release them without the approval of the Committee. Submissions are covered by parliamentary privilege but the unauthorised release of them is not.

So, if I were to put my submission up on as a blog entry I'm breaking the law. Stupid.

There might be some good reasons to keep a submission confidential (off the top of my head, refers to minors by name; commerically sensitive) but if the submitting party wants to make it public there should be nothing that prevents that.

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Wed, 02 Nov 2005

A walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge

# metadata

I woke, not for the first time today, and there were people all around. Dressed up and talking. And drinking.

Ahh! I'd fallen asleep at a bar. Again. Fortunately that is enough off a clue for me to realise that I should go home. Getting home, is where this adventure starts.

I started off at Cruise Bar, which has a great view of the Opera House [1], [2], [3] and (somehow) staggered my way to the Ship Inn. Unable to flag down a cab in this area – lots of people going home around 23:00 – I resolved to get myself to North Sydney, where lots of cabs are.

For those of you unaware, Sydney Harbour Bridge now has security personnel stationed at all pedestrian entrances and across its length. At least six of them "patrol" the bridge.

By "patrol", I mean of course you'll be queried as to why you wish to cross the bridge. Mate [sic], you can't cross the bridge. You aren't allowed here. Mate, are you fucking deaf?. (on radio, to pals)Yeah the fucking wog is crossing, shall I intercept him and hold him?

Followed while crossing the bridge. In my case I had (at one stage 3 security personnel behind and adjacent to me and 3 policemen ahead of me). And abused (I was repeatedly cursed at, racially slurred against, by the people from IVS Security) during your walk over the bridge. It amazes me that they even had police waiting to talk to me. Fortunately I know that the best thing you can do when confronted by the police is not to say anything.

In this case there is nothing they could do -- since crossing the Harbour Bridge, and not responding to the security guards who harass you is not (yet) a crime. Today, 2 Nov 2005, though the Parliament of Australia is rushing through laws which might mean that I can be "detained" and held incommunicendo indefinitely.

These laws – part of the War on Freedom – would make the rest of this entry illegal.

I've been thinking about terrorism and Australia. How would you get access to restricted locations, determine sensitive areas and generally get information not available to the ordinary public? Become a security guard.

In Australia, things like this are not uncommon. (c.f. David Hooks killed by a security guard; a female security guard shooting someone, etc.). Worse is that security guards often enjoy a fairly close relationship with the Police. Meaning that if you join up, you also get to know some of the procedures that might be applied to deter you. Bottom line: every security guard is a potential terrorist.

Terrorists, like modern-day Politicians, seek to curtail the liberty of others for their own purposes. The best way to do this is by planting fear and doubt into the hearts and mind of the general populace. In America, this was done via the September 11 plane hi-jacking; in the UK, by exploding bombs on the mass-transit system there.

How, or where, should Australia be targetted? Australians are renowned world-travellers (I believe the figure is that 10% of Australians are outside the country at any one time), so attacking transportation isn't the way to go. You need to go after the life-style.

Large community events, like Melbourne Cup day, the various Grand Finals and, of course, Cricket would be the perfect targets. High visibility (the media are already at these venues!), high impact (you are talking 30,000+ people in these stadiums), for minimal cost (a stadium has few seating area – probably 6 to 8 attackers could bring down most stadiums).

Another good location would be to pick your local Westfield shopping centre / mall. Lots of people, lots of fear instilled. Plus we'd be rid of the stupid things.

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ॐ (aum) - what was, what is and what will be, wildfire's musings

Anand Kumria
wildfire@progsoc.org

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