coffee.geek.nz

i like coffee -- alot. I like fairtrade (or similar) and i like rich choclatey beans. No sugar.

New Zealand has a .geek 2nd level domain names. I think is this awesome.

hence i have coffee.geek.nz

HURRAH!! software to remain NOT-PATENTABLE in New zealand's new Patents bill
.

http://www.nzcs.org.nz/news/blog.php?/archives/97-.html

Despite what appears to be a big-budget lobbying effort by the pro-patent fraternity, Hon Simon Power announced today that he wouldn't be modifying the proposed Patents Bill hence software will be unpatentable once the Bill passes into law.

Team One Beep won the Imagine Cup 2010 in New Zealand and traveled to Poland for the world finals.

Team One Beep is made up of fourth year undergraduates. Vinny Jeet, Steve Ward, Kayo Lakadia and Chanyeol Yoo, Their idea is to send streams of data across the readily available FM/AM frequencies to impoverished communities.

After many days of judging, they came THIRD.

Big massive congratulations to the team. Looking forward to seeing this idea deployed to the children of the world.

Cross posted to OLPC Aotearoa

Thoughts on today's "un-conference"

It came outta the blue this conference. The topic is Open Government. There was another Open Government un-conference in Wellington last year. The organisers of today's event seem to have announced their event without any conversation of any kind with the previous organisers, nor with those already working hard on open government in New Zealand.

All was not lost - quite a few of those who give sweat and blood to the open government mission were able to come today.

But I am struck by the contrast between the groups. The biggest filter of who attends is the day of the week. The first open government un-conference in Wellington was on a Saturday and Sunday. Those that came were those who really do give a damn. They were all willing go give up their weekend to attend, which immediately tells you they care beyond a pay check.

The attendees today, may also really care about the subject, but they also need to have the ability to spend a monday at an open government barcamp. It immediately removes those who work in other fields, and/or cannot get permission from employers. It is a different crowd. It attracts those looking for funded work, which is all okay with me, but it excludes many those who build on open government data because they see a problem that needs solving, and not for their own monetary gain.

If a New Zealand soccer player did some of those wuzzy fall down theatrics so popular in men's worldcup soccer they would get no respect ever again from this rugby nation

"Section 92a" got alot of attention, due to bad wording that meant an ISP would need to disconnect customers accused of copyright infringement, unless the ISP was really sure the customer was not infringing copyright (and if the ISP was wrong, the ISP themselves were liable). S92A was defeated, and the new replacement before parliament includes due process and the right to contest allegations.

but somehow "Section 92C" survives, and is current New Zealand law. 92C applies to web content, and unlike 92A, doesn't have the word "repeated" in there. One strike, you're gone.

http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1994/0143/latest/DLM1704699.ht...
Brace yourself for some legalese - here's the legislation.

Internet service provider liability for storing infringing material
....
(3) A court, in determining whether, for the purposes of subsection (2), an Internet service provider knows or has reason to believe that material infringes copyright in a work, must take account of all relevant matters, including whether the Internet service provider has received a notice of infringement in relation to the infringement.
4) An Internet service provider who deletes a user’s material or prevents access to it because the Internet service provider knows or has reason to believe that it infringes copyright in a work must, as soon as possible, give notice to the user that the material has been deleted or access to it prevented.

New Zealand has some good labeling laws. Food needs to have the ingredients on it (though they can cheat and say "flavour" which can mean anything) as well as the nutrition label so you know what's in it, and for things like salt, you know how much.

There are also country of origin laws, so you we know what's made in NZ, what's made in China, what's made in Finland etc (though it gets murky when things are made in several countries but assembled here).

This doesn't help much if you're buying things online. There's no opportunity to read the ingredients list of the country of origin when browsing an online store.

I have allergies an ingredient that can commonly appear in any food, is almost tasteless, and food manufacturers change the recipes without notice. That ingredient is MSG aka Flavour Enhancer (621). So buying food online is difficult. Foods as basic as "crushed garlic" can have this added. It can also appear in sweet foods like apple pies.

I'd really like to see ingredients (and maybe nutrition info too) added to online sites. I don't know how to bring that about. The idea of making it law is one way, but that's very heavy handed. Would that be feasible?

It would need to be kept up to date too, because many foods that I've bought frequently over the years have changed their recipes from time to time. For example, bluebird chips had no MSG, then they did, then they didn't.... Likewise "No frills" brand of canned goods have MSG occasionally, randomly, as if they change supplier constantly.

Australian is a grand nation, with many great moments in their history, and many shameful moments. Just like New Zealand. We however should stay seperate.

New Zealand has lead the way in many things I am proud of. Our treaty of Waitangi, now considered a founding document, sets us apart from Australia. The relationship between "The Crown" and maori forms of government has grown into somethign healthy and strong. There's work to be done, and there's some awful history still to be acknowledged, but we're doing better than Australia and i'm proud of this.

We have a nuclear free policy, both for power supply and weapons. This is dispite being tiny, and perhaps vulnerable as we don't have much millitary force (or budget). We lose many of our best military staff to Australia, due to our spending. I'm okay with that if it means more money for healthcare or education.

We have a voice sepearate to the USA. In our history we have often told them no, without any military might to enforce it. This includes trivial things like protocols for digital television we've chosen protocols and frequencies that work well in almost any terrain - while AU has followed the USA. Sadly our small purchasing power and mains frequency voltage means we're stuck with whatever AU chooses, but at least it was said. This also includes big things, like telling the USA they cannot being their vessels into our harbours, and that their invasion of Iraq is wrong.

okay intarwebs - solve this for me.

Callum finds he needs to go into Ladies' bathrooms -- why? because that's where the baby changing table is kept in progressive New Zealand. The first country to give women the vote and we keep the baby stuff in the women-only zone at restaurants.

Not only does he need to go into the ladies where the change table is -- he sometimes has to go in to find out if possibly that's where the change table is hidden in this particular mall or restaurant. Only to discover he's in a ladies toilet where there is no baby changing table.

That's okay for now (but still uncomfortable), as he's holding a baby, but as she gets older, 1 year, 2, 3, 6... which bathroom should he be going into? Should he take her into the men's? or should he go with her into the ladies? bear in mind that as she gets older he'll be potentially waiting just outside the stall.

as a side note: It's also common for a foldup change table to be in the accessible/wheelchair stall - taking up all the moving space.

Homeopathy (that's just water in a bottle, not to be confused with herbal medicine) gets a second chance in the UK -- more interviews with fans of homeopathy are coming, to be collated alongside science and medical conclusions.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2010/mar/12/mps-and-evidence-for-...

Personally, I just want people to know that it's water, just water, and NOTHING ELSE in homeopathy. It's sold in pharmacies in New Zealand alongside the herbals, and people dont' realise that they're buying incredibly expensive water that has been shaken to magically give it some kinda memory.

People are welcome to make an informed choice to treat their ailments with magic water. The problem is the homeopathy industry not displaying prominently that their products are only water.

I'm willing to be challenged on this one, as I have only the basic details, but here's something that doesn't sound right going on in this tale.

Red Cross goes into Haiti following a massive earthquake - puts out the plea saying "send infant formula, we need it"

Across the Lactivist communities, (mostly) western white middle class women bloggers cry foul. Formula is evil, they need breastmilk, not formula. Don't send formula! boycott any charity sending formula!

and they're mostly right - the World Health Organisation STRONGLY advocates breastfeed exclusively because most of the world does not have access to a clean later supply. Haiti included

but - something feels wrong here. The Red Cross are there, on the ground, and they say that infant formula is what they need. It doesn't take much imagination to work out scenarios where formula is necessary. The mother being dead or missing comes to mind first.

Likewise, an island in Samoa recently asked for supplies, such as infant formula, to help them through the next cyclone.

I also ponder how much breastfeeding is a privilege. You need to be nearby a hungry child in order to successfully breastfeed, or have access to refrigeration, a breastpump, and sterilisation equipment. How many people in developing and impoverished nations have this access?

Today saw the biggest leak so far of ACTA info. Michael Geist has details on Internet and Civil Enforcement Chapters With Country Positions
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/4829/125/
(discovered via boing boing)

Nathan Torkington has a summary of New Zealand's standpoint on various issues within the leaked document:
http://nathan.torkington.com/blog/2010/03/01/nz-acta-negotiation

NZ's Ministry of Economic Development has asked the public for ACTA advice

Tech Liberty NZ asks "Why do NZ citizens have to find out the NZ position in ACTA negotiations from leaked documents?"

When i get some non-work non-baby time, i'll write a real blog post on it, promise :)

Meanwhile here's the press release calling for submissions:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1003/S00028.htm

Submissions sought on Anti-Counterfeit Trade Deal
Tuesday, 2 March 2010, 2:50 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Government

Minister calls for submissions on Anti-Counterfeiting Trade
Agreement

Commerce Minister Simon Power is calling for submissions on a
range of intellectual property proposals in the digital arena to help
develop the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).
This is the third round of public consultations on ACTA, and New

ACTA is that inglorious treaty New Zealand is negotiating with the USA, that has been deemed a "National Security" secret, and involves stopping fake Prada handbags, as well as taking away our rights online.

Recent ACTA leaks include this juicy piece of shitting on ISPs:

ISPs to be liable under civil law for content uploaded and/or downloaded
by subscribers, unless they agree to terminate service to "repeat offenders".

This is sometimes called "Safe Harbour", meaning a set of actions an ISP must do to be safe from liability -- It's also the same smelly stuff that was in Section 92A of New Zealand's Copyright act. We managed to stop Section92A, but ACTA is the same thing dressed up as a treaty.

"Repeat Offenders" could mean only those convicted in a fair trial -- but even then, I am greatly opposed to ever laying the blame for copyright infringement on an ISP. Other than being unfair, it is another cost they'll need to pass onto all customers. It sounds very much like once again requiring ISPs to judge the merits of an accusation against one of their customers, with the implication that ISPs are required to spy on their users in order to gather evidence to verify or disprove accusations against their customers.

I say: If you break copyright law, you are the blame, and you should face the consequences. We all need to stop aiming legislation at the ISPs. The ISPs should never be liable for the actions of others.

ACTA resembles a poonami for the Internet. I just learned that word; ask a parent if you don't know what it means ;-)

should I be finding out the signs in Baby Sign, to teach Casey - or should i just use New Zealand Sign Language?

Does Baby sign vary from place to place, or is it somebody's trademark? My cursory look at a book in the bookstore didn't really explain much - the signs I saw appear simplified NZSL, but may be based on American SL for all i know.

I'd love for Casey to know NZSL from a young age - but my husband doesn't sign, so i'm gonna need to get my sister and mother to visit much more often (hint! hint!)

Please comment if you've done either - Babysign or NZSL (or other SL) for your hearing baby in a hearing household - I'm curious to know things like what age they start to work out the more complex two handed signs.

and now, a gratuitous Casey photo:

New Zealand's Ministry of Economic Development have released from documents on the ongoing ACTA negotations.
http://news.business.govt.nz/news/strategic/article/9761

Smarter people than me have read these, and found nothing new revealed.

The last round of negotiations was in Mexico - the next round of talks is right here in New Zealand.

quick recap:

ACTA (anti counterfeiting trade agreement) is a treaty currently being negotiated by the world's weathiest countries, including New Zealand. It is officially about things like stopping the fake prada handbags trade - but there's also been leaked documents showing that big media have been asked for their wishlist such as 3 strikes internet disconnection that we protested so loudly against in NZ's s92a of the Copyright act.

It would be disastrous to have stopped such New Zealand laws that give out punishment (internet termination) without trial or appeal, like the s92a did, only to have it implemented anyway via a treaty that our parliament ratifies. Now is the time to make noise.

This need to stop fake prada is so important, it's been classed as "National Security", so none of us lowly citizens are allowed to know what's actually being negotiated. This also is not standard practice for treaty negotiations to be secret.

All Official information act requests, in several countries, have been unsuccessful in finding out what they're putting into this treaty - cos, you know, national security.

The next talks are in Wellington in April - standby for more info later on citizen action.

i was late to work today (food poisoning all night, not fun), so it was me that answered the phone at 9am.

background info: plunket is new zealand's non-government community support service for babies/infants.

them> I'm calling from plunket. we have a weekly mothers group starting up at [2 blocks from my house], for mothers with babies the same age as your Casey
me> I'm working fulltime right now, would it be at a time i'm likely to get there?
them> oh, no, it's in the middle of the afternoon. oh well, i can still add you to the mailing list.
me> well, my husband is a fulltime father, is he welcome at this group?
them> oh yes, it's for parents, even though i said mothers. we should change the name. infact i'm changing it right now. it's a parents group, not a mothers groups.

heh.

i've wanted one of these for ages -- a portable espresso machine that kinda looks like a bicyle pump.

add hotwater, tamp the coffee in, pump up the pressure, and then pull the shot

they're finally available in New Zealand
handpresso.co.nz

Many of the world's cities have suburbs that are predominantly (and proudly) populated by gay or lesbian couples and their families.
e.g.
Melbourne : Northcote
Sydney : Darlinghurst
San Francisco: Castro

Are there any such suburbs in New Zealand cities?

New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs has a "filter" that is intended to block access to pedophilic content.

It's currently optional -- meaning your ISP can choose to use it. I'm on cable and every single cable provider has opted in, so it's barely optional at all unless I switch to inferior more expensive DSL technology... but that's irrelevant as I have no doubt the end game is to make it compulsory.

What's the problem then?

1) This makes it trivial for future governments, or even public servants with a crusade, to start blocking / tracking other things. The Australian version is already blocking abortion info, and even a dentist's website.

2) it's trivial to circumvent for those that spend the time

I'm already needing to circumvent this filter - i need to connect to servers directly, not via a filter, in order to do my job. Also, at times the filter is unreliable and I can't connect.

Here's a simplified version of how these things work

Picture one: a normal internet connection, your computer talks to servers that contain the website you want to view. Website normally appear on port 80 (hence the :80 in the picture)

Picture two: The DIA filter in the way. Because websites are normally on port 80, your isp just redirects all port 80 traffic from your computer to a "transparent proxy" which then implements the filter.

as pointed out by Creative Freedom, NZFACT^[1] have finally admitted Section92a^[2] of the copyright act means "guilt by accusation"

NZFACT were quoted on stuff.co.nz:

[NZFACT] envisaged ISPs would act on infringement notices generated automatically by copyright holders, who would identify infringers by tracking traffic on file-sharing sites."

So, someone automatically generates an accusation, and ISPs were expected act on them. That's accusation, swiftly followed by punishment explained.

Why would ISPs do that? becuase the original S92a made the ISP themselves liable if they didn't disconnect the accused, thanks to some vagues wording of "reasonable circumstances" (the whole section 92 is entitled "ISP Liabilty").

[1] NZ front of USA based lobbyists for extreme copyright laws.
[2] The Guilt by Accusation Internet Termination clause in New Zealand copyright law that was thankfully stopped by the blackout protestors and our new National government.

WellyNZTesters have issued a Call For Papers for the education miniconf we're running at the LCA2010 conference on mid January next year
http://laptop.org.nz/content/miniconf

If you want to come visit us in New Zealand, and can't afford it right now, you may be eligible for funding to pay for the trip http://www.lca2010.org.nz/media/news/89

We're testing the full activity bundle for the upcoming Peru deployment
http://laptop.org.nz/test-request

An Auckland group has started!

Some kind folks in Sydney are rounding up unused dust-gathering XOs from the LCA2007 giveaway, to ship to Wellington.

We've got a school server running.

If you haven't heard David Lange's address to the Oxford Union, then here's your chance.
http://www.publicaddress.net/assets/sm/2424/79/DavidLangeOxfordUnionDeba...

It cames from an era where New Zealand was still debating nuclear weapons, and the debate was influential, and delivered by our Prime Minister.

David Lange eventually resigned over whether New Zealand should allow US nuclear powered war ships into our waters (amongst other issues).

David Lange died in 2005.

Transcript can be found at http://publicaddress.net/default,1578.sm#post

the goings on in Wellington, that i've heard of recently:

Tim McNarama is rallying a Sahana New Zealand cluster. Their online presence is at Launchpad.net. They've had hackfest and strategic planning meetings - there's been lots of great designs including distributed models (borrowing from laconca) and New Zealand customisations.

Don Christie, and the New Zealand Open Source Society have launched the Public Sector Remix, a desktop operating system specialising in government / public sector.

Tabitha Roder continues to lead a group of OLPC testers who meet every Saturday at the Southern Cross.

Nigel McNie, and the rest of the mahara team released 1.2.0beta1.

Who have i missed out? Who's doing Open Source mighty deeds in Wellington?

I wanted more info on how provocation partial defence is used in New Zealand - it was used to horrible (and failed) effect on the Clayton Weatherston trial, but is it used appropriately elsewhere?
My initial reaction was that murdering cannot be justified by any sort of provocation, but i didn't know of enough cases where this was used to be sure of my opinion. Perhaps it is used for legitimate reasons.

Here's some research carried out by the NZ Law Commission [pdf]

In order to assess the way in which the defence of provocation is currently operating – that is, how often it is relied on, by whom and in which circumstances - we collected data from all of the homicide files held by the Crown prosecutors in Auckland and Wellington concerning trials that occurred between 2001 and 2005 (inclusive).

There were a total of 87 cases in this sample. 6 were retrials, so the original case was excluded and only the retrial taken into account.

As you will know, there is a lot of anger at the Government's decision to cut funding to night classes by 80% - a cut which will effectively mean the end to affordable, life-long learning in local high schools around NZ after the end of this year.

We have been fighting these cuts and thank everyone who has signed the petition, sent a postcard, written a letter or email and even visited their local MP to discuss the issue.

We are now marching to Parliament to show the Government the strength of feeling against the cuts and again ask for your support.

Please join us this Tuesday 4 August. The march will leave Wellington High School at 2.15pm, aiming to arrive at Parliament by 3pm.

The route will be from Gate 4 on Taranaki Street (by the pedestrian crossing next to the school gym - please assemble around the gym outside area), then down Taranaki Street, along Dixon Street to Victoria Street, then down Manners Street to Willis Street and along Lambton Quay to Parliament. If you can't be at the start, just join us along the way or meet us at Parliament.

Please spread the word - we need to show the Government that this is a short-sighted decision that will have an impact on all communities around New Zealand.

Please feel free to contact me if you need any further information - and apologies if this email has already been sent to you.

Regards
Robyn

Robyn Hambleton
Coordinator
Wellington High School ACE Centre
Ph: 385 8919
www.cecwellington.ac.nz www.stopnightclasscuts.org.nz