I have heard about the court case in England where the publisher (or is it the author) of the 70's book "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" are suing the publisher (or author) of "The Da Vinci Code" for copying their ideas. Authors are following this case with interest, because it might define what it means to copy an idea. I have read neither book, but I believe that HBHG has the form of an academic study, whereas TDVC has the form of a fictional novel based on the same ideas as HBHG. Since neither are based on fact, is it legal to copy the ideas.
All this seems to be a messy battle over profits and far removed from the great ideas both books claim to be true. Truly, God is not mocked.
Is the following a fair comparison....
Thomas Keneally wrote "Schindler's Ark" and said he studied the story, spoke to as many witnesses as possible and made his novel as faithful to fact as possible. If the story had been documented in a book, would it be plagiarism to then base a book on it? Maybe that fact that the story is true (unlike HBHG) is a defence.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Using theology to teach English literature
I found high school English very interesting because of the range of books we studied and the ideas and ways of appreciating them. However, looking back, I think I did not appreciate the background and philosophy of the authors. What made Byron different to Keats or Shakespeare or T.S Eliot? What made Dickens different to Hardy or Thackeray?
We studied the form of each book or poem and what motivated each character and how they related to each other. But there was some context missing. Possibly the philosphical or theological motivation could supply this. Authors are to some extent creatures of their period (or some authors change their period), so it is interesting to relate humanists to Byron, the spirit of nature to Wordsworth, Christianity to T.S Eliot etc. I think I would have found this a fruitful way of studying English literature.
We studied the form of each book or poem and what motivated each character and how they related to each other. But there was some context missing. Possibly the philosphical or theological motivation could supply this. Authors are to some extent creatures of their period (or some authors change their period), so it is interesting to relate humanists to Byron, the spirit of nature to Wordsworth, Christianity to T.S Eliot etc. I think I would have found this a fruitful way of studying English literature.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
PC sound to iTunes and TotalRecorder
I use iTunes to playback audio and video podcasts, and I also use TotalRecorder to record from audio streaming. I found that I have to change a setting in the control panel depending on which I am using.
Select control panel/Sounds and audio devices/audio. I change the sound playback and recording: Avance AC97 audio when I am playing back on iTunes, and playback through TotalRecorder when I am using that. If I have TotalRecorder seleced and use iTunes, the sound is distorted and has echoes.
Select control panel/Sounds and audio devices/audio. I change the sound playback and recording: Avance AC97 audio when I am playing back on iTunes, and playback through TotalRecorder when I am using that. If I have TotalRecorder seleced and use iTunes, the sound is distorted and has echoes.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
commonwealth.tv
An interesting country in the Commonwealth Games parade is Tuvalu.
Area: 26 sq.km.
Highest point 5 metres
Income sources include: sale of stamps and coins, and leasing the internet domain name .tv
Flag: Union Jack in the upper hoist-side quadrant, with 9 stars representing a map of the islands (that is, the stars are not a constellation)
Area: 26 sq.km.
Highest point 5 metres
Income sources include: sale of stamps and coins, and leasing the internet domain name .tv
Flag: Union Jack in the upper hoist-side quadrant, with 9 stars representing a map of the islands (that is, the stars are not a constellation)
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
The business of privatisation of schools
Many people want to send their children to large private schools. IMHO, the private schools have responded by turning themselves into businesses first, schools second. I read about a school with a Board, a Chairman, and Chief Operating Officer, and oh, by the way, also a Principal. I know they have to manage themselves efficiently and transparently, but it seems a case of the financial tail wagging the educational dog.
Other evidence of the expanding school sector is the fact that their fees are rising faster than inflation. The rising demand would push this, as well as the increasing capex required to compete with other private schools. It is not enough to provide facilities for academic studies, and some sports fields. These days, parents expect all the potential of their children to be explored, such as music, leadership, arts, commerce and of course networking with the other students who may become their business peers in the future.
How is this for a financial analogy?.... The share price of a listed company represents the expected value of future income. In the same way, the (rising) school fees represent the expected value of future income and lifestyle opportunities which result from attending a private school.
Other evidence of the expanding school sector is the fact that their fees are rising faster than inflation. The rising demand would push this, as well as the increasing capex required to compete with other private schools. It is not enough to provide facilities for academic studies, and some sports fields. These days, parents expect all the potential of their children to be explored, such as music, leadership, arts, commerce and of course networking with the other students who may become their business peers in the future.
How is this for a financial analogy?.... The share price of a listed company represents the expected value of future income. In the same way, the (rising) school fees represent the expected value of future income and lifestyle opportunities which result from attending a private school.
Monday, February 27, 2006
CastPodder 4.0-2 vs iPodder 2.1-1
As I mentioned in my last post, I downloaded the Alan Kohler market report podcast using CastPodder 4.0-2 and it works fine.
Previously I had used the version of iPodder in the Ubuntu repository (2.1-1) and it did not work.
Onwards and upwards!
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Linux podcast aggegator: CastPodder, nee iPodder
The podcast aggregator in the Ubuntu repositories is iPodder 2.1. I installed this, but there seems to be a problem. Some of the files I download using this have a MIME type of text/html, even though the "enclosure" tag in the xml gives a MIME type of audio/mpeg. These files do not play, although the XMMS audio player is loaded, but it says immediately that the file is finished. I tried a few files, and the xml files which contain iTunes tags do not work, but the ones without iTunes tags download and the audio plays correctly (and the MIME type is correct).
I could not find this as a bug on line, but the latest version of iPodder is 2.1.9, so maybe this has changed in the latest version.
To test the theory that this is a bug in the program, I downloaded and installed CastPodder from
http://borgforge.net/frs/?group_id=6
using the method given in
http://www.psychocats.net/linux/installingsoftware.php
After this installation, I can start it with /usr/bin/CastPodder
CastPodder is the Linux fork of the iPodder project after copyright objections to the name iPodder
(Juice is the fork for Windows and Mac)
CastPodder works with a xml feed which contains iTunes tags. I'll try it with the Alan Kohler podcast tomorrow when a new episode is available.
I could not find this as a bug on line, but the latest version of iPodder is 2.1.9, so maybe this has changed in the latest version.
To test the theory that this is a bug in the program, I downloaded and installed CastPodder from
http://borgforge.net/frs/?group_id=6
using the method given in
http://www.psychocats.net/linux/installingsoftware.php
After this installation, I can start it with /usr/bin/CastPodder
CastPodder is the Linux fork of the iPodder project after copyright objections to the name iPodder
(Juice is the fork for Windows and Mac)
CastPodder works with a xml feed which contains iTunes tags. I'll try it with the Alan Kohler podcast tomorrow when a new episode is available.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Pope Leo XIII, marxism and modernism
An interesting figure in the development of the Church's relationships to modern philosophy is Pope Leo XII. He identified the flaws in Marxism, as well as the errors in the way workers were treated in his encyclcal Rerum Novarum. He also set up a school of Thomistic philosophy at the University of Louvain to discuss and study the issues brought up by modernism.
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pope0256.htm
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/pope0256.htm
Divine consolation
These are thought of C.S. Lewis after the death of his wife:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/questionofgod/transcript/grief.html
Note especially the last paragraph in the quote below:
Narrator: "A Grief Observed" is Lewis's description of the journey he took after Joy's death, a portrait of grief and a struggle with his own faith.
Lewis: Talk to me about the truth of religion and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively. But don't come talking to me about the consolation of religion or I shall suspect that you don't understand. The conclusion is not "So there's no God, after all" but "So this is what God is really like, the Cosmic Sadist. The spiteful imbecile?"
Peter Kreeft: He lashes out at God and he says, "How can you expect us to live this way?" Very much like Job. Very honestly, he doesn't just argue. He emotes, the whole of his being is there, in front of God, it's a deep trust in God that allows him to give vent to his distrust.
Lewis: From the rational point of view what grounds has Helen's death given me for doubting all that I believe? Should it, for a sane man, make quite such a difference as this? No. And it wouldn't for a man whose faith had been real faith. The case is too plain. If my house has collapsed at one blow it is because it was a house of cards. Indeed, it's likely enough that what I shall call, if it happens, a 'restoration of faith', will turn out to be only one more house of cards.
Something quite unexpected has happened, it came this morning early. Suddenly, at the very moment when, so far, I mourned Helen least, I remembered her best. Imagine a man in total darkness. He thinks he is in a cellar or dungeon. Then there comes a sound. He thinks it might be a sound from far off — waves or windblown trees or cattle half a mile away. And if so, it proves he's not in a cellar, but free, in the open air. Lord, are these your real terms? Can I meet Helen again only if I learn to love you so much I don't care whether I meet her or not? When I lay these questions before God I get no answer. But a rather special sort of "no answer." It is not the locked door. It is more like a silent gaze. As though he shook his head, like, "Peace, child, you don't understand." How wicked it would be, if we could, to call the dead back. She said, not to me, but to the chaplain, "I am at peace with God." She smiled. But not at me.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/questionofgod/transcript/grief.html
Note especially the last paragraph in the quote below:
Narrator: "A Grief Observed" is Lewis's description of the journey he took after Joy's death, a portrait of grief and a struggle with his own faith.
Lewis: Talk to me about the truth of religion and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively. But don't come talking to me about the consolation of religion or I shall suspect that you don't understand. The conclusion is not "So there's no God, after all" but "So this is what God is really like, the Cosmic Sadist. The spiteful imbecile?"
Peter Kreeft: He lashes out at God and he says, "How can you expect us to live this way?" Very much like Job. Very honestly, he doesn't just argue. He emotes, the whole of his being is there, in front of God, it's a deep trust in God that allows him to give vent to his distrust.
Lewis: From the rational point of view what grounds has Helen's death given me for doubting all that I believe? Should it, for a sane man, make quite such a difference as this? No. And it wouldn't for a man whose faith had been real faith. The case is too plain. If my house has collapsed at one blow it is because it was a house of cards. Indeed, it's likely enough that what I shall call, if it happens, a 'restoration of faith', will turn out to be only one more house of cards.
Something quite unexpected has happened, it came this morning early. Suddenly, at the very moment when, so far, I mourned Helen least, I remembered her best. Imagine a man in total darkness. He thinks he is in a cellar or dungeon. Then there comes a sound. He thinks it might be a sound from far off — waves or windblown trees or cattle half a mile away. And if so, it proves he's not in a cellar, but free, in the open air. Lord, are these your real terms? Can I meet Helen again only if I learn to love you so much I don't care whether I meet her or not? When I lay these questions before God I get no answer. But a rather special sort of "no answer." It is not the locked door. It is more like a silent gaze. As though he shook his head, like, "Peace, child, you don't understand." How wicked it would be, if we could, to call the dead back. She said, not to me, but to the chaplain, "I am at peace with God." She smiled. But not at me.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Using cash from the AWB for appeasement
Why is the question "is there any proof that ministers knew what the AWB was doing" by pouring millions into Saddam's pockets?
The real question should be "how is the government keeping us safe"?
We were told by the PM with breathless urgency at the time that Saddam Hussein had stockpiles of chemical weapons, and was within months of having nuclear weapons. The smoking gun could be a "mushroom cloud" with thousands, or millions of casualties. But now, we are told, no minister knew that the AWB was shovelling money Saddam's way to protect its contracts, even though the negotiations over the contracts were a major issue at the time. That would be like British ministers in 1939 saying they didn't know Hitler was going to invade Poland, because no-one sent them the memo.
Who have we got for a PM, John Winston Howard, or John Neville Chamberlain?
The real question should be "how is the government keeping us safe"?
We were told by the PM with breathless urgency at the time that Saddam Hussein had stockpiles of chemical weapons, and was within months of having nuclear weapons. The smoking gun could be a "mushroom cloud" with thousands, or millions of casualties. But now, we are told, no minister knew that the AWB was shovelling money Saddam's way to protect its contracts, even though the negotiations over the contracts were a major issue at the time. That would be like British ministers in 1939 saying they didn't know Hitler was going to invade Poland, because no-one sent them the memo.
Who have we got for a PM, John Winston Howard, or John Neville Chamberlain?
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Models of marriage
Same-sex unions are legal in some countries, and some people want the description "marriage" to be used.
Just a question: why are same sex marriages limited to only 2 people? What convention or law imposes this limit? There are pretty obvious reasons why marriage is limited to 2 people, a man and a woman, although there have been some well-known cases of open marriages involving 3 people, eg H.G.Wells (one man and 2 women) and Ayn Rand (one woman and 2 men). But for same-sex unions, there seems to be less reason for this restriction. Or is it the case that even the people who want same-sex marriage have an idea of what a real marriage is, but don't want to admit it?
Just a question: why are same sex marriages limited to only 2 people? What convention or law imposes this limit? There are pretty obvious reasons why marriage is limited to 2 people, a man and a woman, although there have been some well-known cases of open marriages involving 3 people, eg H.G.Wells (one man and 2 women) and Ayn Rand (one woman and 2 men). But for same-sex unions, there seems to be less reason for this restriction. Or is it the case that even the people who want same-sex marriage have an idea of what a real marriage is, but don't want to admit it?
Too much cricket is finally enough
For years now, there have been debates about how to compare cricket statistics from the past with now. The wise words are always said that this is impossible because players from yesteryear never played as many games as they do now. Bradman could never have scored 10,000 test runs.
Well, now we know, we have reached saturation point in cricket. There are so many games now that players have to be rested, lest they suffer mental and/or physical breakdown. Players even ask to be excused from international games. So cricket records will now reach a limit and the statisticians can go to work.
Well, now we know, we have reached saturation point in cricket. There are so many games now that players have to be rested, lest they suffer mental and/or physical breakdown. Players even ask to be excused from international games. So cricket records will now reach a limit and the statisticians can go to work.
Equal work for equal pay
The Australian Open tennis tournament is the sport du jour at the moment.
I have always wondered why the men play best of 5 sets at grand slam tournaments, but women still play best of 3. This is despite that fact that women have received equal prizemoney since the 70's and 80's (The Australian Open first offered equal prizemoney in 1984).
First of all, this means women's tennis can be very boring. How many women's finals at grand slam tournaments have been non-events, with 6-1, 6-1 walkovers finished in less than an hour, leaving large crowds with nothing to do but go home early and read books to the kids? The exciting 5 set marathons of men's tennis can never happen.
This has to change. There was a time at the Olympics that only men ran in long distance races, but now there are women's marathons, women's weightlifting, and woe betide any man who criticises women's rugby or boxing. Admittedly, Olympic swimming is still also behind the times. I believe that only women swim the 800m races and only men the 1,500m, but why? Come on gals try to keep up!!
I have always wondered why the men play best of 5 sets at grand slam tournaments, but women still play best of 3. This is despite that fact that women have received equal prizemoney since the 70's and 80's (The Australian Open first offered equal prizemoney in 1984).
First of all, this means women's tennis can be very boring. How many women's finals at grand slam tournaments have been non-events, with 6-1, 6-1 walkovers finished in less than an hour, leaving large crowds with nothing to do but go home early and read books to the kids? The exciting 5 set marathons of men's tennis can never happen.
This has to change. There was a time at the Olympics that only men ran in long distance races, but now there are women's marathons, women's weightlifting, and woe betide any man who criticises women's rugby or boxing. Admittedly, Olympic swimming is still also behind the times. I believe that only women swim the 800m races and only men the 1,500m, but why? Come on gals try to keep up!!
Saturday, January 21, 2006
What do you call German?
Can you please explain this to me:
The names for countries are similar, if slightly different in each language (eg England, Angleterre, Engeland etc)
However, the words for "german" seem to be completely different in each of the European languages, ie:
In german: deutsch, Deutschland
In dutch: duits, duitsland (of course dutch is close to low german)
In english: german, Germany
In french: allemand
In italian: tedesco, Germania
In russian: nemetz, germania
Why the difference? It must be something to do with the history of the formation of the German nation.
The names for countries are similar, if slightly different in each language (eg England, Angleterre, Engeland etc)
However, the words for "german" seem to be completely different in each of the European languages, ie:
In german: deutsch, Deutschland
In dutch: duits, duitsland (of course dutch is close to low german)
In english: german, Germany
In french: allemand
In italian: tedesco, Germania
In russian: nemetz, germania
Why the difference? It must be something to do with the history of the formation of the German nation.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
West frightened by the poor
The international community has just pledged $2.5 billion to fight
bird flu (Jan 19: "Cash flows as experts warn of bird flu's cost").
The wealthy west is terrified by the sight of sick children living on
poor farms in the third world.
Here's an idea: try to relieve poverty for pity's and morality's sake,
not just because we are afraid that the poor and sick will bring
crashing down the comfortable castle we in the west are living in.
bird flu (Jan 19: "Cash flows as experts warn of bird flu's cost").
The wealthy west is terrified by the sight of sick children living on
poor farms in the third world.
Here's an idea: try to relieve poverty for pity's and morality's sake,
not just because we are afraid that the poor and sick will bring
crashing down the comfortable castle we in the west are living in.
The high cost of losing our religion
Julia Baird (SMH 19th January - "The high cost of losing our
religion") laments that the enlightened activists and feminists of the
70's did not take the time to revolutionise the churches at the same
time as changing society.
Excuse me, but what I see now are magazines telling teenage girls what
to eat, wear and do in order to please their boyfriends. Prominent
businessmen and sportsmen marry blonde models rather than challenging
life partners. The lifestyles and life responsibilities of most women
haven't really changed much since the 70's. Symbols of passive women
as objects abound.
Maybe Julia Baird should spend more time re-energising feminism and
worrying about falling attendances at her church of feminism.
religion") laments that the enlightened activists and feminists of the
70's did not take the time to revolutionise the churches at the same
time as changing society.
Excuse me, but what I see now are magazines telling teenage girls what
to eat, wear and do in order to please their boyfriends. Prominent
businessmen and sportsmen marry blonde models rather than challenging
life partners. The lifestyles and life responsibilities of most women
haven't really changed much since the 70's. Symbols of passive women
as objects abound.
Maybe Julia Baird should spend more time re-energising feminism and
worrying about falling attendances at her church of feminism.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Install GnuCash
I installed GnuCash in Edubuntu, using the instructions in Ubuntu Help (note that I had to enable the universe repository:
How do I install an accounting application (GnuCash)?
1.Make sure the universe repository is enabled. (See How do I add Universe and Multiverse?)
2.Install the gnucash package with Synaptic (See How do I use Synaptic to install packages?)
Gnome Desktop Environment (universe) gnucash
3.Remove some unnecessary directories and files.
sudo rm -fr /usr/share/gnome/apps/Applications/
4.Start a new desktop configuration file in the /usr/share/applications directory.
sudo gedit /usr/share/applications/GnuCash.desktop
A blank file called GnuCash.desktop opens in gedit.
5.Add the following lines to the new file.
[Desktop Entry]
Name=GnuCash
Comment=GnuCash Personal Finance
Exec=gnucash
Icon=/usr/share/pixmaps/gnucash/gnucash-icon.png
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Application;Office;
/>
6.Save the file and close gedit. (See sample/GnuCash.desktop_gnucash for an example.)
7.To open GnuCash, choose Applications → Office → GnuCash.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Enter special language characters in Windows (c)
Select regional and language settings in the Control Panel and then languages and details.
As well as EN (Australia), add EN (United States) and select the US International keyboard.
With the US International keyboard, you can enter special languages characters for language which use only latin characters. This requires pressing 2 keys in sequence as follows:
Press this key Then press this key Resultant character
' (APOSTROPHE) C Ç
'(APOSTROPHE) e, y, u, i, o, a é, ý, ú, í, ó, á
"(QUOTATION MARK) e, u, i, o, a ë, ü, ï, ö, ä
`(ACCENT GRAVE) e, u, i, o è, ù, ì, ò
~(TILDE) o, n õ, ñ
^(CARET) e, u, i, o, a ê, û, î, ô, â
(ref: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306560&sd=tech)
This is more practical when you are using the same (US) keyboard for all these languages. On the other hand, if you selected French as the language, with a french keyboard, the layout os azerty instead of qwerty.
Now I have to work out how to select the Russian phonetic keyboard for Windows (c). Under Ubuntu linux, I was able to select the Russian phonetic keyboard, which tries to preserve the keys which are common between Latin and Russian keyboards (which the conventional Russian keyboard layout does not)
As well as EN (Australia), add EN (United States) and select the US International keyboard.
With the US International keyboard, you can enter special languages characters for language which use only latin characters. This requires pressing 2 keys in sequence as follows:
Press this key Then press this key Resultant character
' (APOSTROPHE) C Ç
'(APOSTROPHE) e, y, u, i, o, a é, ý, ú, í, ó, á
"(QUOTATION MARK) e, u, i, o, a ë, ü, ï, ö, ä
`(ACCENT GRAVE) e, u, i, o è, ù, ì, ò
~(TILDE) o, n õ, ñ
^(CARET) e, u, i, o, a ê, û, î, ô, â
(ref: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306560&sd=tech)
This is more practical when you are using the same (US) keyboard for all these languages. On the other hand, if you selected French as the language, with a french keyboard, the layout os azerty instead of qwerty.
Now I have to work out how to select the Russian phonetic keyboard for Windows (c). Under Ubuntu linux, I was able to select the Russian phonetic keyboard, which tries to preserve the keys which are common between Latin and Russian keyboards (which the conventional Russian keyboard layout does not)
Sunday, January 01, 2006
nature vs nurture
Attributing human behaviour to nature or nuture seems to be something which is hotly debated, on very little evidence.
An example is female characteristics. Many feminists would say these are learned from an early age and are not inherited. If this is the case, they are learned at a very early age, so it is impossible to prove this.
On the other hand, is there a "gay" gene? Some people say there is, so there is no such thing as indoctrination into a lifestyle. Again, has anyone seen any evidence of this?
Play .ram audio files from website
In order to play .ram files using Edubuntu, I installed RealPlayer10:
Download realplayer_10.0.6-0.0-i386.deb
cd ~/Desktop
sudo apt-get install libstdc++5 (infact I had already done this step when I installed the Flock browser)
sudo dpkg -i realplayer_10.0.6-0.0-i386.deb
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