We need something like this in Australia:

Police incidents database is launched

The National Union of Journalists and the British Press Photographers Association have partnered to launch a website where photographers who feel they have been obstructed by the police can log a report of the incident.

http://www.londonfreelance.org/policing/

law makers

It seems that the world is full of stupid law makers who should have sense to make balanced and sensible laws that target the bad people and not the good. Also police who spend their time chasing the wrong targets.

According to these recent interpretations of the law, a curious teenage girl who embarks on an "Our Bodies, Ourselves" journey of vaginal self-discovery, and simply replaces a hand mirror with a digital camera, is a kiddie pornographer. The same goes for the boy who memorializes his raging boner or the post-pubescent girl who takes test shots of herself practicing the porn star poses she has studied online. Theoretically, this is true regardless of whether they share the pictures with anyone, and if they do share them, they could be additionally charged with peddling child porn.

Harassing James

One thing I have noticed in wandering around Sydney is that the security people take a dislike to James. If I wander off on my own, I am fine and allowed to take photos. But as soon as James arrives, a secrity guard will start asking questions and if possible try to make us go away. I take photos with lots of people, this only happens with James.

Example #1 - Taking Photos of a mine in the Hunter Valley

"security man doing his duty for the company" by yewenyi [?]

Example #2 - we were at the pier Wollomolloo. Mike was taking photos on the access road into the car park, I joined him. The security guard was watching us. When James arrived, we were asked to leave. They would not agree to us walking down the access road.

"Saturday Photo Walk #16" by yewenyi [?]

Example #3 - twice on Cockatoo Island, where I had previously taken photos, James was told not to. On one occasion there where about four members of the public taking photos, but they only asked James not to. When one of the others who was taking photos (a man with is wife and two young daughters) asked why James was being told this and not everyone else, the security person retreated. I wish I had captured it on video.

"Cockatoo Island" by yewenyi [?]

Example #4- I was not present at this one. The day before APEC became declared James had his film stolen by the police. (Well they never gave it back.)

IRA and the Triads

I was in Taiwan in the middle of 1999 reading the paper, probably one of the versions of the times. But I cannot remember. There was this article about the Taiwanese being annoyed by the face that the IRA was training the local triads to use cells. They were annoyed because the cells were hard to detect and mad policing harder.

time man of the year

Brian's selection of time's man of the year awards:

2007 - Vladimir Putin

scary...

Internet snooping

It seems that the plans to provide free public wifi have hit a legal hurdle, they need to know who you are.

Under the Telecommunications (Interception) Bill, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must supply user identifiable information such as IP and MAC addresses to law enforcement.