Archive - Article

One method of judging a crackpot belief is assuming it is true, how much of an impression does it make on the intellectual discipline it is attempting to correct? That is for it to be true; does it then require revision of every other hard won tenet of the field?

I am pleased to announce the beginning of yet another '#politicaldebate shared experience' namely, 'The Henderson Kids' Club.

Unregistered users of mIRC will probably be aware that the more recent updates are far less permissive towards freeloaders these days, and now often requires you to close and restart several times before it will allow you past the nag screen. So I have had a look at the alternatives.

Ok, my first posting this year...

As you all know, I broke my leg, and in the time I was unable to access the site via my main computer spam flourished like weeds. I deleted the spam and fake registrations as I got the chance, and updated various scripts, but the problem was never quite under control again. So for the moment I have disabled user self-registration so that will end that problem for good. In the meantime if anyone wants a new account on the site, just contact me in the channel and I'll do it manually.

[code]Session Start: Mon Apr 11 20:35:18 2011
Session Ident: Silas

[20:35] Hi
[20:35] Hey
[20:35] What's going on.
[20:35] With astor and you guys?
[20:36] Just trying to join #melbourne, I knew astor back in the Scientology raid days, but apparently he doesn't want to see me now?!?
[20:36] Yes - he's just banned a whole lot of dudes, mad with power.
[20:36] Really? Why'd he ban them??
[20:36] He won't say.

#1 The Broken Sword - Poul Anderson, January 1-2
#2 A Spectre is Haunting Texas - Fritz Leiber, January 3-8
#3 Jirel of Joiry - C.L. Moore, January 9-10
#4 Word for World is Forest - Ursula K. Le Guin, January 10-11
#5 Rocannon's World and Planet of Exile - Ursula K. Le Guin, January 12-14
#6 City of Illusions - Ursula K. Le Guin, January 14-15
#7 Latro in the Mist - Gene Wolfe, January 15-17
#8 Soldier of Sidon - Gene Wolfe, January 17-18
#9 Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin, January 19-22
#10 The Winter Queen - Boris Akunin, January 22-24

The term 'public transport' is generally defined as trains, buses, trams, or ferries, where 1. the vehicle is large, carrying many people, 2, it runs according to a schedule that the passengers must comply with, and 3. is usually state owned and operated. But this received definition seems to exclude passenger aircraft, such as when QANTAS was owned by the state, it fit all three of those criteria, yet was not generally regarded as being public transport. Similarly long distance coaches, taxis, nor privatised implementations of the above are not usually thought of as public transport. Why public transport should be defined in this way really only suits the unions for those modes of transport and the central planning lobbies that advocate for expansion of such services.

The recent assassination of popular Mexican gubernatorial candidate Rodolfo Torre has proven once a lot more that the northeast Mexican state of Tamaulipas is not only a flash point in Mexico's drug war, but of great concern in the ongoing battle for U.S. border security. It was reported by Reuters that Torre – an opposition candidate representing the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) – was slain along with four of his aides in the border town of Valle Hermoso. The responsible group of 16 hooded gunmen is believed to represent the notorious Los Zetas gang.

The matter of PrometheanStardust's ban was referred to me by Tigger_ as the highest arbitrator of #politicaldebate. Though I prefer not to intervene in disputes pertaining to channel administration, I do not take my responsibilities as channel owner lightly. It is with regret that I must exercise my authority to settle this drawn-out and ugly dispute.

I hereby present my views on the disciplinary action taken by SoleilMoonFrye against PrometheanStardust:

1. Channel operators have a responsibility to safeguard the free communication of ideas and opinions in #politicaldebate.