Dear worldwatcher,

Ah memories...

I remember growing up in the country. We had chooks,
ducks, neighbours had cows - it was a different life-style
and one that I can look back on with pride and nostalgia.
My brothers still live in the country, as do my nephews
and nieces. The best I am able to do is visit them
regularly. But who knows what the future holds - perhaps
when my husband and I retire - we'll opt for the country
life.

Dear Poirot,

Thanks for the other book titles. I shall look into them.

Isn't it great that this discussion has now taken a
turn to a better direction.

Hi Lexi,

Yes I agree!

worldwatcher,

Your Devon experience sounds wonderful. I think you already "get" what Tom is on about, so I hope you track down the book - which I might add is not deep philosophy, more of a timely take on our modern predicament and a reminder that our "mind forg'd manacles" are largely societal and self-imposed. He knits amongst his own commentary snippets from many philosophers to enhance his meaning.

Constance,

I hope that you can get back to your music and general creativity sooner rather than later. I like to draw and paint, but haven't indulged much of late, although my daughter, who is quite creative, has come up with a great double exposure thingy with her camera - and I'm rather inspired to do something with that. But, of course, creativity isn't just art - it's cooking and sewing and growing things, making things, etc.

runner,

Hitchens didn't give the executive order to invade Iraq - George W. did.

The point I was making was that just because a Christian president felt he was doing God's bidding by invading Iraq, I don't hold other Christians responsible for those deeds.

Shockadelic,
At first I thought your "face-recognition software database" was some kind of gee up.
"Firstly, 10% of scans that don't closely match the typical features of the full original database would be removed" Are you scanning all 16,000,000 of us Australian born's. The 10%, there goes people with down syndrome, facial deformities, Aboriginal features, black people and a few othersm born in Australia.
"then the database recalculated until half the original scans are deleted." Got rid of around 8,000,000. Who has gone from the data base Australians of Orientals extraction, Arab likewise, Jew likewise a few others, what are we left with native born white Anglo Saxons. For anyone else its "Wah-wah-wah-waaah (that's game show noise for “you lose”. Yes, a button on the counter will make that noise). I'm a bit concerned about this 'Wah-wah-wah-waaah' In the first instance we are only making a noise and deleting some photos not people. I assume naturally you will be keeping the names and addresses of the 60% of the population that were either born overseas or deleted from the database, this could be most useful for future "purification" of the race. People might start to fear the big black van with the siren going 'Wah-wah-wah-waaah' pulling up, outside their house. "We want Abdul, Mohammed, Wong!......time for 'facial recognition'..... papers, show papers, NOW!"

Belly,

"csteele took to me as an unknown poster, I responded with my name he/she did not."

csteele did not request that you provide your details. His comments regarding general anonymity on the net were to highlight that it's more likely someone will display uncommon bravado in such a setting, whereas in real life they'd probably be more circumspect with their rantings - because they'd be likely to encounter censure from their fellows.

As usual, you took his comments "personally' and proceeded to trumpet you name and region...csteele didn't ask you to reveal anything (unlike your constant requests for his details).

Were you talking out of your hat when you posted this in June?:

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=5216#141159

<<It's more likely someone will display uncommon bravado in such a setting, whereas in real life they'd probably be more circumspect with their rantings - because they'd be likely to encounter censure from their fellows.>>

Ur… you mean this sort of “censure” ?
Yep. I can see why that sort of "censure" might keep people in check!

http://www.theweek.co.uk/people-news/islam-film-row/49052/iran-reissues-fatwa-salman-rushdie-film-protests-spread

Tony Lavis, “your physiognomical hypotheses”

I said it's a quick short cut.
I'm taking about *probabilistic* outcomes.

Forget hours asking a million questions, strapped to a lie detector.
Scan face, 10 seconds. Next!

No, it won't tell you their religion, politics, sexuality, exact ancestry, education, wealth, intelligence.
But you can *presume*, if these people are identifiably similar to Australians, these elements would roughly correspond to our own demographics.

Paul1405 “Are you scanning all 16,000,000 of us Australian born's.”

No, random requests for voluntary submissions.

“there goes people with down syndrome, facial deformities,”

You actually want to *select* people with genetic deformities?

One option, if you doubt a family member's approval, would be a "family-composite" scan, all members morphed together.

“Aboriginal features”

Aborigines aren't foreigners and aren't related to any.

“Orientals, Arab, Jew, what are we left with native born white Anglo Saxons"

Many "Jews" look totally Euro.

And why would that be all that's left, Monsieur?
Is that because "white Anglo Saxons” is what “Australians” really are?
Because your fantasy of “multi-Australia” is an exaggerated distortion?

Nobody would match 100%. That's why I said 50% and up.
There's a *lot* of non-Anglo-Saxon ethnicities that would match at least 50%.

This program could be used anywhere in the world.
Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Peru.
It would not show an “Anglo-Saxon” bias there, would it?
It would reflect the reality of *those* nations.

Would they be “Nazis” too?
Or just community-minded people with pride in themselves and a concern for their survival.

“I'm a bit concerned about this 'Wah-wah-wah-waaah'”

That's called a sense of humour. Australians have one.

“I assume naturally you will be keeping the names and addresses”

A record of who has been scanned is necessary, so people don't get entered *twice*.

But I already clarified their names are not linked to the images and they don't even know if their image was included in the final dataset.

“this could be most useful for future "purification" of the race.”

If you weren't me.
You asked for *my* opinion, not the fantasy bogeyman you've invented.

Newsflash: the gov already has records of everyone!