Mike's Blog

Rabbit-Proof Fence - 2002

Netflix
IMDb
the book - Amazon

A excellent, true and sad film based on a book about aboriginal children who were taken from their mothers as part of Australian policy until 1970. This is the story of three little girls who were taken from their mother , escaped and walked 2000 km back home. It's hard to imagine that this was official government policy until recently in what was termed a 'civilized country'. While discrimination exists and has existed well past the 'end of slavery' and the atrocities against Native Americans, we in the US at least did not have laws which were official government policy enforcing discrimination. I had no idea official discrimation was being practiced as late as this in a country such as Australia.

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THE STOLEN GENERATIONS
Some Questions and Answers

What are the Stolen Generations?
The Stolen Generations is the name generally given to Aboriginal people – mainly those with some non-Aboriginal ancestry – who were removed from their families as children and sent to institutions or adopted into non-Aboriginal families as a result of government policies now recognised as misguided and destructive.

Why "Stolen"?
Because in the vast majority of cases, agents of government used compulsion, duress or undue pressure to remove these children from their mothers and communities. Sometimes the police would simply remove the child by force. Sometimes subterfuge was used. Sometimes the mother would be persuaded to sign a document of which she had little understanding, and certainly no concept that she was allowing her child to be entirely separated from her for many years.

Why "Generations"?
Because authorities began removing Aboriginal children early in the nineteenth century, and the practice went on into the 1970s.

How many children were taken?
The best estimates are between 45 000 and 55 000 children, mainly between 1910 and 1970.
...(more).

Lots more information available with a simple Google search.

Secretary - 2002

Netflix
IMDb

Slate
Sadomasochism doesn't get much more life-affirming than it does in Secretary (Lions Gate), in which a disturbed young woman (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a self-mutilator, finds happiness in a master/slave relationship with her employer (James Spader). The movie is a romantic fairy tale of deliverance, a Pretty Woman (1990) for the bondage set.
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Another movie arrives and I dont' know why I rented it. Good in a odd sort of way. I especially liked the snyopsis of the movie in Slate. "...a Pretty Woman for the bondage set...". Excellent performance by Maggie Gyllenhaal.

just heard on NPR

I was lisenting to NPR "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" and heard the following - "Do you want to be a Jehovah's Witness? --- Me? I never saw the accident"

Arthur C. Clark - Fountains of Paradise pub. 1979

Slashdot | Space Elevators Going Up

Space Elevators Going Up
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MikShapi writes "CBC is running a new piece on the Space Elevator. Nothing dramatically new, as we're all still waiting for one of the many Carbon Nanotube research centers to announce they reached the famous 100GPa red line from page 10 of the NIAC Phase 2 Report, thus obtaining 'unobtainium' [pun intended], the material necessary to build the Elevator. The report predicts this will happen during the course of the next two years or so. It's then that the fun really starts - A REAL all-out space race, open to everyone with will and a national budget, winner probably getting to own space [read last paragraph]. In the meanwhile, we can all spread the word, discuss, debate and brainstorm every nook and cranny of the program here on Slashdot, and give Edwards a shoulder by giving the program every bit of mass-exposure we can."

Good post in Slashdot about the current state of the Space Elevator. It's getting really close. Rather than the 300 year estimate, it's now in the 15-50 year range. Amazon link Fountains of Paradise (longer review)

If you're itching to amend the Constitution, why not pass the Equal Rights Amendment...

projo.com | Providence, R.I. | Subterranean Homepage News Why not pass the Equal Rights Amendment? If you're itching to amend the Constitution, why not pass the Equal Rights Amendment -- the one that says men and women are equal? Here's the entire text of it, as written in 1923 by Alice Paul and introduced into every session of Congress since:

Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this Article.

Section 3. This Amendment shall take effect two years after thedate of ratification.

Isn't that in the Constitution already? No, although 72 percent of Americans surveyed in 2001 think it is.

...

This post via Dan Gillmore. I guess I would have to count myself in the group of the 72% would thought it had passed. To date only 35 of the required 38 states have ratified the admendment since it was passed by Congress in 1972.

All this huffing and puffing about an amendment to ban gay marriage is beyond absurd. It is complete and absolute BULLSHIT (most polite word I can think of to post in a public blog, modify to suit your feeling) to detract from any real issues in an election year.

The more that the anti-gay marriage bill is spouted and spun the more evident that Shrub has already gotten 100% of what he wants from it. It doesn't need a single vote in Congress.

Dr. T and the Women -2000

Netflix
IMDb
Richard Gere, Helen Hunt, Farrah Fawcett, Laura Dern, Shelley Long, Tara Reid, Kate Hudson, Liv Tyler, Robert Hays, Matt Malloy, Andy Richter, Janine Turner.

Well made movie (directed by Robert Altman). Set in Dallas and portrays a certain class of women there quite well. The movie does have some funny parts to it. Farrah Fawcett is perfect in the role of the a middle aged woman who cracks up. Fits her perfectly. hmm, wonder why? I can't imagine this movie playing outside of the US and if it does it's not going to get very good reviews. Too much of the US/Texas/Dallas stuff, rich doctor, rich women that won't play well. Silly ending which geographically makes no sense but it is a comedy.

The $5 Solution

EFF: A Better Way Forward: Voluntary Collective Licensing of Music File Sharing

A Better Way Forward:
Voluntary Collective Licensing of Music File Sharing
"Let the Music Play" White Paper

Download PDF (51k)

The current battles surrounding peer-to-peer file sharing are a losing proposition for everyone. The record labels continue to face lackluster sales, while the tens of millions of American file sharers -- American music fans -- are made to feel like criminals. Every day the collateral damage mounts -- privacy at risk, innovation stymied, economic growth suppressed, and a few unlucky individuals singled out for legal action by the recording industry. And the litigation campaign against music fans has not put a penny into the pockets of artists.

We need a better way forward.
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The Precedent: Broadcast Radio

It has been done before.

Voluntarily creating collecting societies like ASCAP, BMI and SESAC was how songwriters brought broadcast radio in from the copyright cold in the first half of the twentieth century.

Songwriters originally viewed radio exactly the way the music industry today views KaZaA users -- as pirates. After trying to sue radio out of existence, the songwriters ultimately got together to form ASCAP (and later BMI and SESAC). Radio stations interested in broadcasting music stepped up, paid a fee, and in return got to play whatever music they liked, using whatever equipment worked best. Today, the performing-rights societies ASCAP and BMI collect money and pay out millions annually to their artists. Even though these collecting societies get a fair bit of criticism, there's no question that the system that has evolved for radio is preferable to one based on trying to sue radio out of existence one broadcaster at a time.
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This doesn't really fit into the sue the customer into submission policies of the RIAA and it's been proven to work. It's simple, straght forward and everyone would seem to benefit, including the RIAA. (via BoingBoing)

BoingBoing - Matchstick Rockets

BoingBoing Matchstick rockets are made by combining a paper match, a straight-pin, a paperclip and a little tinfoil, transforming these ordinary household items into a streaking, flaming jet of hot gases and eye-blinding fun! Link (Thanks, Bas!)

I hadn't thought about this fun little activity in years. Cool!

American Splendor - 2003

Netflix
IMDb
Different sort of movie. A true story of the comic book series American Splendor. Harvey Pekar wrote an autobiographical comic books series and also appeared on Letterman a number of times. The movie chronicles his life. The real Harvey Pekar also appears. Harvey worked as a civil service file clerk for 30 years. There is also a Havey Pekar web site.

Silicon Valley - Dan Gillmor's eJournal - Bidding on 'Absolutely Nothing' at eBay

Silicon Valley - Dan Gillmor's eJournal - Bidding on 'Absolutely Nothing' at eBay Via Dave Farber's mail list, here's news of an eBay auction for, yes, "Absolutely Nothing" -- and there have been nine (!) bids. Here's the description:

"You are bidding on an auction who's sole purpose is to offer nothing. Bidders will recieve absolutely nothing upon winning this auction, save the usual emails alerting them that they have won and instructions for payment. Despite this auction being for nothing, winning bidders are still expected to pay. Buyers who do not submit payment in a timely fashion will get negative feedback. It is requested that winning bidders submit payment along with an email explanation for actually bidding money on nothing. Happy Bidding."

Not much surprises me anymore, but this is an exception.

a la Seinfeld...