Apple? F!ck Apple.

I've almost always hated Apple. Even when i was at uni studying computer science i detested much about the company and its products

what really clinched it for me though was iTunes

Charging the same price for a song as i'd always paid for a song might have been ok except for the fact that for that price i'd always previously received a solid object - a record or a CD

Yes i know- it's capitalism - if you have a lead in a market milk it for everything you can

Everything I hated about Microsoft goes double for Apple

fuck em

I'll stick with anyone else, even the detestable Microsoft and the frighteningly monstrous Google if it means i never have to endure anything about Apple

the worst thing about Apple?

The people that own them. Frankly, if you instantaneously zapped out of existence all owners of an iPhone you'd pretty much take out every low life on the planet - a few innocents would also meet their demise but that's their fault for lacking discernment

low-lifes?

yes, rich fucks and even more importantly the children of rich fucks - those most obnoxious of creatures detested by all - even, i imagine, their own parents, or, if not them, then the next door neighbors parents

the only thing i like about Apple is how much they make those lowest of lowlife creatures suffer in the name of being able to brandish that Christian Cross of evil: the iPhone:

Apple users?

Die in hell you bunch of pseudo-educated creeps:

Bird singing contests in Thailand

In Southern Thailand the Red-whiskered Bulbul (นกกรงหัวจุก Nok krong hua juk) is so popular that there are some places where every house has dozens of caged birds hanging around the house. Some older men spend their retirement showing and trading birds. A good bird can cost as much as $5,000. Almost every day you will see a man riding his motorcycle while holding a covered cage in his left hand.

Yesterday i was lucky enough to catch a bird-song contest.

The caged birds are hung from a frame and judges stand at a distance listening to the birds.

After a few minutes the chief judge blows a whistle:

and the judges then move to the birds that they thought sounded loudest and sweetest and mark a score on a card hanging beneath the cage:

This is repeated many times. The bird owners sit around and talk bird-talk:

It's a big day for bird lovers and everyone gets in on the fun:

more info here and here

you can hear what the birds sound like in this vid:




pop


ps

good owners hang their birds in low stress locations away from other birds except when "training" - hanging birds in the sun close to each other to stress them and listen for the health of their protests

then they go back for the easy life

all the while in a cage

p

I know - it's Aliens

or maybe Satan is amidst the US elite pulling the strings


i really cannot fathom how such evil can survive in our world

i guess it's because i am naive, ignorant, silly



I recently watched "The Internet's own Boy - the story of Arron Swartz. Sad, terrible story of the insidious power of the state.

I thought once that the only act of true "goodness" is to kill anyone rich.

If each and every one of us made it our one life goal to kill a rich person then eventually they would all be gone and maybe we could have true democracy

or even no government

ho hum, dream on

pop

Australia and Iraq

seems to me:

Perth man Junaid Thorne investigated over alleged support for terrorist organisation ISIS

(1: copied this date in full below)


has some interesting issues

check for example Wikipedia on ISIL and on List of organisations outlawed in Australia for terrorism

and Anti-Terrorism Act (No. 2) 2005

i really can't find the place that says that a person may not exercise free speech about things they believe - even to the point of writing or saying things in support of a foreign group involved in activities in their own countries

would not that be essentially the same as an Australian supporting in words the actions of America, Britain and Australia when they execute activities that many people find thoroughly objectionable on moral and ethical grounds?


correct me where i err or direct me to exact paragraphs in statute

if i'm right did not a minister lie?

p

1

Perth man Junaid Thorne investigated over alleged support for terrorist organisation ISIS

By Rebecca Trigger

Updated Sat 28 Jun 2014, 7:05pm AEST

PHOTO: Perth man and Islamic preacher Junaid Thorne is under investigation.

MAP: WA

The Federal Government has confirmed it is investigating a Perth man who apparently supports a militant group believed responsible for mass killings in Iraq.

Junaid Thorne, an Australian citizen, was deported from Saudi Arabia last year after protesting his brother's imprisonment.

His brother was jailed for terrorism offences in the Islamic state but was released earlier this year.

The ABC is not aware of any charges laid against Mr Thorne. He has been been contacted for comment.

Mr Thorne is involved with a group called Millatu Ibrahim Perth.

A Facebook page that states it is managed by Mr Thorne and his students has a series of posts that praises the taking Mosul by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The militant group have created chaos in Iraq in recent weeks as they attempt to overrun the government in Baghdad.

"Our brothers in the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham liberate the town of Al Mawssil, and take over the Prison of Tasfeeraat rescuing 600 people from there," he said.

"May Allah reward them for such a heroic and glorious act. Congratulations to our Ummah this victory and liberation."

Another post criticises a statement from the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) defending itself from comments it is not doing enough to stop young Australian men from joining armed conflict in Syria.

ANIC issued a statement saying senior members of the Muslim community were working to prevent Australians becoming involved in the conflict, following perceived criticism from NSW counter terrorism squad assistant commissioner Peter Dein.

The Facebook post brands it a "statement of embarrassment".

"The cries and calls for help from our suffering brothers and sisters seem to fall on the deaf ears of our so-called 'Imams' as they continue to abandon their religious duties, replacing it with betrayal and loyalty to their masters from the Kuffar [non-believers]," it says.

Mr Thorne also appears in videos of sermons he delivers to small groups on his interpretation of Islam.

Government looking into online posts

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop today confirmed matters relating to Mr Thorne's online posts were under investigation.

"Any promotion or support for terrorism is against the law in our country," she said.

"And [ISIS] is a proscribed terrorist organisation."

Explained: What is ISIS?

International correspondent Mark Corcoran takes a look at the feared insurgent group currently poised to march on Baghdad.

Promoting or engaging with terrorist organisations can be punishable by severe penalties, including up to 25 years imprisonment, she said.

Ms Bishop said the Government had earlier raised concerns about young Australians who were attracted to the conflict in Syria and Iraq.

"We have estimated there are about 150 Australians who have engaged directly in supporting terrorist organisations in Syria, in Iraq or also remaining here in Australia," she said.

"We are taking a range of measures to address what we see as a considerable security risk."

Mr Thorne, an Australian who spent many years living in Saudi Arabia, had his passport taken by Saudi authorities after being detained for protesting against the ongoing detention of his brother, Shayden, in 2011.

Mr Thorne has always maintained his brother's confessions to the crimes were extracted as a result of torture.

Mr Thorne went into hiding in Saudi Arabia after his passport was confiscated, but he eventually turned himself in to authorities and the deportation process began.

challenge

for such courses as CELTA held in Thailand

you have to redraft the course to allow you to teach Thais just the phonetics of all the troublesome phonemes - any grammar you teach is just as a vehicle for the phonetics*

you also have to design in some sessions of one on one (ideally on selected and student-targeted phonemes - note you can use the students who get it right early to help you teach - has a snowball effect)

for the extra keen:

The one on one sessions would ideally be in front of an already accepted video camera so that you can capture perfect examples from students so that they can see themselves with perfect delivery

that can take time but the right video app will make it easier - you choose - there are many now (just have to allow you to mark a clip with a score on the fly - eg a star

(one day an app will use video and sound to recognise phonemes and tell you what they think you intended

soon probably)

)

pop

*the reason for this is that Thais get a LOT of grammar and vocabulary instruction - so the course could focus on what your devout students really need and what will benefit all others enormously