Second Life Banned in Australia? Not So Fast...
Second Life Banned in Australia? Not So Fast...
June 29, 2009
As GamePolitics reported last week, the Australian government is moving to block online access to games containing content which would exceed the country's MA-15+ rating. The proposed filtering scheme would affect online retailers selling such games as well as games played online such as MMOs.
In last week's coverage we noted speculation that such a ban could affect games like World of Warcraft and Second Life. At least one site is now reporting that Second Life has, indeed, been banned. The Inquisitr, invoking Nazi (!) imagery, writes:
It was confirmed by Australian Minister for Censorship that online games such as Second Life is banned in the country. There was confirmation from Censorship Minister Stephen “Goebbels” Conroy...
It is surprising because this policy has always been known to everyone. When Conroy was asked, he didn’t give direct answer. The more Australian government confirms the issue, the more totalitarian the policy is becoming if compared to China.
But Wagner James Au, who tracks SL happenings on New World Notes, writes that rumors of SL's Australian demise are greatly exaggerated:
Over the last 24 hours I've been peppered with links... which seem to suggest the Australian government is imminently planning to block access to Second Life from that country... I'm far from an expert on Australian jurisprudence, but near as I can tell, any relation with this news to Second Life is highly tenuous and conjectural at best...
Nothing in the [Inquisitr] editorial actually confirms [a ban], and the very second sentence compares the government administrator involved to Joseph Goebbels, which is such a ham-fisted violation of Godwin's Law*, the only thing it really confirms is the author's own penchant for dubious hyperbole...
It's likely there are several layers of parliamentary, bureaucratic, and technical implementation before any of this impacts Australian access to Second Life (if it ever does.)...
* Godwin's Law: As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1.
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Posted 11/07/09 at 03:34pm
ZippyDSMlee: ggrrrrr......vista lost one of my hard drives and I had a heart attack thinking I lost 1TB of data....
ZippyDSMlee: ggrrrrr......vista lost one of my hard drives and I had a heart attack thinking I lost 1TB of data....
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:58am
JDKJ: Which could be explained by both (a) and (b).
JDKJ: Which could be explained by both (a) and (b).
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:56am
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: You forgot C) the fact that, for some reason, every time he did something that would suggest he shouldn't be in the military, let alone an officer, higher ups ignored it or let it slide.
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: You forgot C) the fact that, for some reason, every time he did something that would suggest he shouldn't be in the military, let alone an officer, higher ups ignored it or let it slide.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:51am
JDKJ: Part of the problem is, I believe, that (a) the Army had a lot of time and money already invested in him and which they were unwilling to simply write-off and (b) an increasing need for the type of skills and services he provided.
JDKJ: Part of the problem is, I believe, that (a) the Army had a lot of time and money already invested in him and which they were unwilling to simply write-off and (b) an increasing need for the type of skills and services he provided.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:48am
JDKJ: And that even if he was begging not to get cut loose, he was apparently a real good candidate for being cut loose, anyway.
JDKJ: And that even if he was begging not to get cut loose, he was apparently a real good candidate for being cut loose, anyway.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:11am
JDKJ: @chada: And while Kennedy once noted that there's usually more than enough blame for everyone to get a slice, the possibility that the Army was unwilling to cut loose someone who was asking to get cut loose could be a factor.
JDKJ: @chada: And while Kennedy once noted that there's usually more than enough blame for everyone to get a slice, the possibility that the Army was unwilling to cut loose someone who was asking to get cut loose could be a factor.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:07am
ZippyDSMlee: *noms on his feet*..nomnomnomnom*droooll* ...wuuutttttt uuu looking at?
ZippyDSMlee: *noms on his feet*..nomnomnomnom*droooll* ...wuuutttttt uuu looking at?
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:05am
JDKJ: I'm no psychologist, but I'm told that crazy people have a tendency to do crazy things.
JDKJ: I'm no psychologist, but I'm told that crazy people have a tendency to do crazy things.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:03am
chadachada321: Whoops, was out of the convo for awhile. I do wonder what type of ammo he used etc, but the real issue is WHY he did it, not HOW
chadachada321: Whoops, was out of the convo for awhile. I do wonder what type of ammo he used etc, but the real issue is WHY he did it, not HOW
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:56am
JDKJ: But if it turns out that they actually did, they'll have Hell to pay.
JDKJ: But if it turns out that they actually did, they'll have Hell to pay.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:45am
JDKJ: And I'd tend to rule out the possibilty of FN Herstal supplying restricted ammunition to someone merely because they're ordering it from a military base.
JDKJ: And I'd tend to rule out the possibilty of FN Herstal supplying restricted ammunition to someone merely because they're ordering it from a military base.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:37am
JDKJ: I know you don't leave your gated community and get around much in dark alleys, so you may be surprised to learn that there's this thing called "the black market" where, if you've got enough money, ain't too much of anything which can't be bought.
JDKJ: I know you don't leave your gated community and get around much in dark alleys, so you may be surprised to learn that there's this thing called "the black market" where, if you've got enough money, ain't too much of anything which can't be bought.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:36am
Austin_Lewis: Or, maybe he or someone else at the base ordered the SS190 from FN Herstal.
Austin_Lewis: Or, maybe he or someone else at the base ordered the SS190 from FN Herstal.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:32am
Austin_Lewis: the hands of private owners. They run about 300 dollars minimum for a box of 50, and boxes of AP 5.7 are extremely scarce, mainly residing in the hands of Class III stores or individuals who for one reason or another got a demo box of it.
Austin_Lewis: the hands of private owners. They run about 300 dollars minimum for a box of 50, and boxes of AP 5.7 are extremely scarce, mainly residing in the hands of Class III stores or individuals who for one reason or another got a demo box of it.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:30am
Austin_Lewis: There are other firearms that fire the 5.7. However, I too would like to know where he got the ammo and what kind was used. Maybe Hasan, planning not to live through this, went out and bought one the boxes of SS190 that are floating around in
Austin_Lewis: There are other firearms that fire the 5.7. However, I too would like to know where he got the ammo and what kind was used. Maybe Hasan, planning not to live through this, went out and bought one the boxes of SS190 that are floating around in
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:44am
JDKJ: And it isn't yet clear what type of ammunition Hasan used. It's strange that he purchased a gun but didn't purchase ammunition for it at the same place and time. Especially because the calibre required is peculiar to the actual gun.
JDKJ: And it isn't yet clear what type of ammunition Hasan used. It's strange that he purchased a gun but didn't purchase ammunition for it at the same place and time. Especially because the calibre required is peculiar to the actual gun.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:40am
JDKJ: We can sit here all day and debate the relative merits. However, I think the events of recent days suggest that an FN Five-Seven ain't exactly the same as that Daisy BB gun you got for Christmas when you were a kid.
JDKJ: We can sit here all day and debate the relative merits. However, I think the events of recent days suggest that an FN Five-Seven ain't exactly the same as that Daisy BB gun you got for Christmas when you were a kid.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:38am
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: tumbling can be quite dangerous. However, the rounds that commonly tumbled were variants of the SS90. Civilian ammo tends to tumble far less commonly.
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: tumbling can be quite dangerous. However, the rounds that commonly tumbled were variants of the SS90. Civilian ammo tends to tumble far less commonly.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:33am
JDKJ: I understand that while they don't have much expansion effect, they tend to "yaw" on impact. Yaw can be almost just as damaging as mushrooming.
JDKJ: I understand that while they don't have much expansion effect, they tend to "yaw" on impact. Yaw can be almost just as damaging as mushrooming.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:30am
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: Except when one considers the lack of expansion for the 5.7, it basically ends up leaving a far smaller hole.
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: Except when one considers the lack of expansion for the 5.7, it basically ends up leaving a far smaller hole.
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Comments
Heh heh it got godwinned already with the nickname "Goebbels"
Well Austrailian people are Screwed up like those darn Nazis(Godwined it before everyone got on here)
Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights
You can't really Godwin discussion for a story that's already been Godwin'd and called out on it in the actual story.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
I'll wait until the next German article to godwin it
Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights
Sorry, that's a tad bit extreme there. I know of no-one in my circle of acquaintances (and as a teacher I see a lot of people across the full socio-economic spread.. as spread as you can get in this town) who have thought that this censorship is a good idea.
The only people I've heard supporting it (via media or reports) are extremely narrow minded religious based groups; the type that likes to shove their view down everyones throat, the ones who can't let other people live something different without becoming incensed that they might actually be happy.
Now, Stephen Conroy, yeah he would fit the Godwin rule quite aptly, frankly he's going a long way to pissing off a lot of people.
Can someone explain to me why Godwin's Law is necessarily a bad thing? As I see it, the Nazi's were obviously extreme in their ideology, so it's easy to compare a viewpoint you disagree with to them, so it's bound to happen in any discussion anyway, surely?
The reason for Godwin's Law is that people who can't debate will degrade to the point that if they can't win the debate with logic then they just call their opponent a Nazi. It's like debating Glen Beck; it doesn't matter if your logic is superior or if you bring up valid points once he gets flustered he will call you a Nazi (or UnAmerican etc) this is because he can't admit he is wrong or let alone that you have valid counter points.
So the internet Community has Godwin's Law basically its a way to point out that someone sucks at debating because they can't come up with any thing other than the Nazis. (which frankly you can always use Stalin if you want another monster government organization or China or Korea its not like there's a shortage of psycho evil people in the world)
Have you ever watched Glen Beck? Or do you just watch what other people say about him or web sites that watch fox news to tell you what its about so you dont have too?
Then how about Bill O'reilly? Would that be a better example?
Lou Dobbs is a pretty good example of someone that ignores facts and can't admit when he's wrong...
I think all major media heads currently on TV are stupid, conservative or liberal.
-If an apple a day keeps the doctor away....what happens when a doctor eats an apple?-
Wow, I was able to predict this response without even scrolling down. Keep the laughs coming DrKefka.
As someone who immerses himself inside the crazy bubble of your conservative "Leaders", (It's a wonder I haven't lost my mind, yet) I can, with 100% certainty, tell you that Beck would do exactly what SirDarkat Describes. In fact, thats exactly what Rush "Fat Drugged up Moron" Limbaugh would do, exactly what Sean "Let's Ignore Logic" Hannity would do, exactly what Glen "Let's incite Violence" Beck would do, and exactly what Bill "I swear I'm fair and balanced!" O'reilly would do..
In fact, "YOU ARE UNAMERICAN!!!" is the de-facto talking point for most Conservatives, when debating anything upon which they don't actually have any logical arguments.. Hell, who am I kidding, they don't really have any logical arguments, anyways..
I've actually *read* Godwin's book and must conclude that these days his name is mostly abused by people who want to ridicule anyone comparing current developments to those of Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s.
Not that I consider his "law" to be more than an observation - it just fits too well into his philosophy and political beliefs (Ayn Rand anyone?).
But most people who use "Godwin's law" as an "argument" just don't give a damn.
ZAR
Yes, I have watched Glenn Beck, and while I certainly can't fault the man's passion, he does go over the top quite a bit. He runs to the extreme ends of his arguments and loves to make the "oh my God if we give an inch it'll be the downfall of civilization!" argument (aka, the slippery slope).
Most people forget, he only has been at Fox News for a couple of months but guess where he was before then? CNN with his own show, and all he talked about how George W Bush was ruining America. So it was okay to do that but when he doesn't like what he sees with Obama, well he is just a Conservative troll huh?