The recipe as written -
1 tin creamed corn.
1 tbsn curry power.
1 cup soy milk.
1 tbsn ground onion.
food process it until smooth. heat, then simmer ten minutes. Stir in 1 tbsn vegan margarine. Sprinkle paprika on top before you serve. I changed it though, didn't process it first, added vege stock and chilli(I like hot and spicy), and I didn't include the margarine at the end. I still added the paprika though
Apparently such a good recipe I had to post it.
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Urbanism, Corporatism, Congestion, Happiness
I woke up today from a horrific dream, one which I can only hope won't come true, but on reflection I can see it happening around the world today, let alone in the future.
In my dream I was in a farming community, the locals where struggling to make ends meet, due to drought, competition, not unlike the farmers of Australia today.
A town meeting was called, on the way to the meeting I was overheard someone that suggested most people at the meeting where going to contract a terrible disease, I can't remember the name of it, but it was horrible. Their was a vaccine mind, which some of the townsfolk had, it seemed that the townsfolk that had the vaccine where the ones that agreed with the big business and developers, the people that didn't have the vaccine disagreed.
On realising that the town meeting was all about turning the farming community into a Suburban area.... another disgusting array of 1/4 acre blocks, spread out so far from any resources that you would have to drive to do anything, I promptly realised what was going on, and that if I didn't get out of there soon, I was going to be killed by the "disease" so I promptly got out of there.
Friday, 25 February 2011
Democratic Evolution
Tags: behaviour change, communication, Controversy, Society, politics
Aims:
To enable a true representation on the Communities real point of view, and enable a transparent system of viewing the community’s point of view on an issue.
To centralise the systems of Government and allow communities to show their points of view in one place on an issue, whether it be Local, State, Federal or International (only Australian Registered voters will be able to register for this system)
To enable individual issues to be discussed by the broader community, and for information providers (News/Internet etc) to direct the community to an issue to allow their opinion to be heard.
To ensure each and every member of the community has access to the system to ensure a broad section of the community can have its say.
Solution:
An objectively controlled Online based system that allows Voters to register.
(Could be considered a Social Network ordained by the Government)
Each registered voter can register onto the system (one vote, one registration)
The system will have a list of all current issues in discussion by the parliament (Bills/Issues etc)
A list of the committees/ MPs that are overseeing the discussion, who raised it, who supports it etc
A forum for discussion on each individual issue.
A UML type map of how this issue fits into the bigger picture. A visible display of what other options this issue would effect.
For example increasing spending on more beds for the aged, means less beds for the younger generations.
Ability to vote on each individual issue
Ability to Create an Issue, and get support for the issue to be raised in Parliament, and create a parliamentary issue from this interest.
Accessibility:
Majority of Registered Voters must be able to Access the system.
A requirement that Issues are published in all newspapers (Supplement published weekly) and spoken on a regular basis in all Licensed Media – Major Newspapers, Local Newspapers, News, etc. (Could be legislated into the Licensing agreement)
Web based Media can provide links to individual issues. For example The Age online could provide a link to the current issue in its opinion section.
ISPs, Web access points would be required to allow access to this website at no cost.
Libraries, Government buildings and other community centres could have “pods” to allow access.
People can then write in via Letter or Fax, and have their views published (less their identity) Faxes/Letters would be scanned, and votes input by objective third party organisation. (All identities can be completely controlled, however you can only ever vote once on an issue during each debate period)
Audit Trail – Random verification of correctness of voting position on issues based on letters/ faxes. All letters archived and linked to votes with Voter Registration Details, date/ time issue number etc.
Types of Issues:
Parliamentary Issues would be open for discussion for 1 month. After this term, the issue is then closed for Parliamentary discussion, and reopened for 1 month to allow for comments on amendments by Politicians.
Community Created Issues would have 1 month to gain support from the community and then it would be up to politicians to decide on popular issues.
Benefits
This system would allow politicians the ability to release policies for public consultation, and gauge support for each individual issue. This would therefore allow them to actually measure the communities support or opposition for each individual issue, policy or bill that is currently being debated in parliament.
Also allowing the community to show support for issues that are not being debated in parliament, and raising awareness for these issues (or showing them to be opposed by the broader community)
Actually see statistics from a broad section of the community on any individual issue.
Recognise when an issue has a community interest.
Potential Problems with System
People over a certain age are not technically knowledgably
- Allow for Letters/ Faxes with Voter Registration details
- Fill in a form and send it in (OCR Technology used to save labour cost)
- Personalised voting forms could be acquired from all Government Buildings free of charge, or printed out for you by your technical adept family member
Not everyone has access the internet
- Issues are published, with Issue Number/ Identifier regularly in local publications at all levels of community
Politicians would be out of a job
- Someone would still have to create the issues, show support for them, lead, represent, make decisions in tough times, etc. (Maybe just a few less egotistical popular pollies, and a few more truly “for the people” pollies)
Aims:
To enable a true representation on the Communities real point of view, and enable a transparent system of viewing the community’s point of view on an issue.
To centralise the systems of Government and allow communities to show their points of view in one place on an issue, whether it be Local, State, Federal or International (only Australian Registered voters will be able to register for this system)
To enable individual issues to be discussed by the broader community, and for information providers (News/Internet etc) to direct the community to an issue to allow their opinion to be heard.
To ensure each and every member of the community has access to the system to ensure a broad section of the community can have its say.
Solution:
An objectively controlled Online based system that allows Voters to register.
(Could be considered a Social Network ordained by the Government)
Each registered voter can register onto the system (one vote, one registration)
The system will have a list of all current issues in discussion by the parliament (Bills/Issues etc)
A list of the committees/ MPs that are overseeing the discussion, who raised it, who supports it etc
A forum for discussion on each individual issue.
A UML type map of how this issue fits into the bigger picture. A visible display of what other options this issue would effect.
For example increasing spending on more beds for the aged, means less beds for the younger generations.
Ability to vote on each individual issue
Ability to Create an Issue, and get support for the issue to be raised in Parliament, and create a parliamentary issue from this interest.
Accessibility:
Majority of Registered Voters must be able to Access the system.
A requirement that Issues are published in all newspapers (Supplement published weekly) and spoken on a regular basis in all Licensed Media – Major Newspapers, Local Newspapers, News, etc. (Could be legislated into the Licensing agreement)
Web based Media can provide links to individual issues. For example The Age online could provide a link to the current issue in its opinion section.
ISPs, Web access points would be required to allow access to this website at no cost.
Libraries, Government buildings and other community centres could have “pods” to allow access.
People can then write in via Letter or Fax, and have their views published (less their identity) Faxes/Letters would be scanned, and votes input by objective third party organisation. (All identities can be completely controlled, however you can only ever vote once on an issue during each debate period)
Audit Trail – Random verification of correctness of voting position on issues based on letters/ faxes. All letters archived and linked to votes with Voter Registration Details, date/ time issue number etc.
Types of Issues:
Parliamentary Issues would be open for discussion for 1 month. After this term, the issue is then closed for Parliamentary discussion, and reopened for 1 month to allow for comments on amendments by Politicians.
Community Created Issues would have 1 month to gain support from the community and then it would be up to politicians to decide on popular issues.
Benefits
This system would allow politicians the ability to release policies for public consultation, and gauge support for each individual issue. This would therefore allow them to actually measure the communities support or opposition for each individual issue, policy or bill that is currently being debated in parliament.
Also allowing the community to show support for issues that are not being debated in parliament, and raising awareness for these issues (or showing them to be opposed by the broader community)
Actually see statistics from a broad section of the community on any individual issue.
Recognise when an issue has a community interest.
Potential Problems with System
People over a certain age are not technically knowledgably
- Allow for Letters/ Faxes with Voter Registration details
- Fill in a form and send it in (OCR Technology used to save labour cost)
- Personalised voting forms could be acquired from all Government Buildings free of charge, or printed out for you by your technical adept family member
Not everyone has access the internet
- Issues are published, with Issue Number/ Identifier regularly in local publications at all levels of community
Politicians would be out of a job
- Someone would still have to create the issues, show support for them, lead, represent, make decisions in tough times, etc. (Maybe just a few less egotistical popular pollies, and a few more truly “for the people” pollies)
I think I am a Sociapitalist - or Social-Capitalist
Tags: politics, Society, sustainability, Environment, behaviour change
So I was riding my bike along last night, flying past all the cars "parked" on their way home to be across town in just a few minutes and found myself thinking about the ideals of society and the "nanny" type state that we are moving into in Australia. Also the Democratic movement that is happening in the Middle East is close to my minds eye at the moment.
Then I got to thinking about the Democratic process and how really the big powerful people really do still have the power in society - I mean look at the Mining companies in Australia last year. With a mere 0.1% of PROFIT they strong armed the government into not taxing them any more than we currently do.
I was explaining to a much learned friend on the weekend about an idea I have for a future that doesn't solely rely on money to distribute "wealth". Wealth of course not being money, but more importantly it is and should be defined as Knowledge, luxury items and respect.
The idea:
If you have used Ebay you might understand this theory. It is based on the users rating users system.
The best way to describe this is to use an example and this is a great place to first implement this idea:
State and National Park Camping
When you camp in a Park, you are utilising public space for a nominal fee - everyone has equal right to use these places and everyone can and does.
The current concept is that when you camp in a park you should leave the place in at least as good as you found it, if not better.
Through some simple technology we could implement an Ebay style user rating system for the parks. When you camp you could rate the state you found the space in. Ie. Dirty 1 Clean 5 or anywhere in between.
This rating would be recorded against the Previous user of the space to indicate their respect for the park and the next user.
Motivation would be to keep you rating high as then you would be "allowed" in to more beautiful spots - ie. with the knowledge that you have respect for your surroundings, and will maintain them.
Simple really - completely anonymous and easy to implement in this world of GPS and smart phones.
What do you think of this first step towards a society less dependant on Money and more dependant on repsect for others?
So I was riding my bike along last night, flying past all the cars "parked" on their way home to be across town in just a few minutes and found myself thinking about the ideals of society and the "nanny" type state that we are moving into in Australia. Also the Democratic movement that is happening in the Middle East is close to my minds eye at the moment.
Then I got to thinking about the Democratic process and how really the big powerful people really do still have the power in society - I mean look at the Mining companies in Australia last year. With a mere 0.1% of PROFIT they strong armed the government into not taxing them any more than we currently do.
Now let me just tangent off for a moment and put that into perspective for you: a small group of mining companies and associations got together and spent about $20M AUD last year to throw a massive advertising campaign against the government. One (yes only one) of these companies just announced a PROFIT, after expenses like this of $10.5B AUD for the 6 months - That is the cost of this campaign was 0.2% of ONE companies half yearly PROFIT. It is just disgusting to think they could do this really.Anyway this is life isn't it. Being ruled by some Dictator with lots of power and money. In the western Democratic world we have this perception of Freedom and choice which most people think is "good enough" but I take the unrest and freedom fights of the middle east and consider that maybe it is time we fought for a better Democracy - for a system of Sociapitalism - that is a system where the top gets the chop and the bottom gets some more support from Society. Not a dog eat Dog world - but a Dog help Dog world. I was musing over a term for Socialism and Capitalism put together and apparently it is Social-Capitalism - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_capitalism but I prefer Sociapitalist or maybe Capitocialsim depending on which way you swing.
I was explaining to a much learned friend on the weekend about an idea I have for a future that doesn't solely rely on money to distribute "wealth". Wealth of course not being money, but more importantly it is and should be defined as Knowledge, luxury items and respect.
The idea:
If you have used Ebay you might understand this theory. It is based on the users rating users system.
The best way to describe this is to use an example and this is a great place to first implement this idea:
State and National Park Camping
When you camp in a Park, you are utilising public space for a nominal fee - everyone has equal right to use these places and everyone can and does.
The current concept is that when you camp in a park you should leave the place in at least as good as you found it, if not better.
Through some simple technology we could implement an Ebay style user rating system for the parks. When you camp you could rate the state you found the space in. Ie. Dirty 1 Clean 5 or anywhere in between.
This rating would be recorded against the Previous user of the space to indicate their respect for the park and the next user.
Motivation would be to keep you rating high as then you would be "allowed" in to more beautiful spots - ie. with the knowledge that you have respect for your surroundings, and will maintain them.
Simple really - completely anonymous and easy to implement in this world of GPS and smart phones.
What do you think of this first step towards a society less dependant on Money and more dependant on repsect for others?
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
3 dings and your a dummy!
Oh the tiniest of objects are often the ones of most value to us sometimes, it is funny how a $5 (AUD) bell can make life just that much more pleasing.I have to say, I love riding my bike, it is so much better than walking.. besides the increased speed, and reduced effort to go long distances, the fact that you can use the bell on your bike as a discreet, universally understood message to those idiot, self centred pedestrians is just joyous.
When I am walking around, people just stop in the middle of the foot path/ road, anywhere they happen to be, with absolutely no warning, and gee it pisses me off to no end.... but on a bike, you simple give them a "ding"
1 ding = I am coming past
2 dings = Pay attention, I can't get past you if you don't move (or grab your kid so they don't jump in front of a me)
3 dings = You are a bloody ignoramus, you should not be allowed out of your house until you learn to pay attention to the fact that you live in a world with other people in it.
> 3 dings = Back to the womb, you need to start again, this time maybe look around you occasionally, look, all these other people going about their business everyday, trying to get places, amazing isn't it.
I wish I could ding when I was walking, it would make life so much more enjoyable, nothing worse than getting caught behind someone that is out for a Sunday stroll on Monday Morning at 9am, especially when you have a meeting right around the corner, and some lump decides to block the way... ooooo I could throttle them.
But alas one can't do that, so we breathe deeply, resign ourselves that some people simply have no idea, and eventually find our way around them, and whacky doo, you are there and meeting is being had, life's little stresses are gone.
I think it is funny sometimes, as I often will get annoyed at people, yet I preach to be calm and relaxed... one day I will listen to myself and stop ranting.
Enjoy your day!
C
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Dog S#!t! How much is a DNA test these days?
So I was just walking around a lovely park, in the lovely sunshine, enjoying the fact that summer is coming, and is just around the corner, when I luckily noticed, and avoided a pile of dog s#!t, which is never a fun site to see.
Now, if I was in the bush, and it was possum poo, it really wouldn't bother me, but the domestic pet mess is just not so acceptable.
Basically people should really understand that there are "other" people around them... yes you are not the centre of the world... so if your dog does its business while on a walk, or exercise, it is your responsibility to clean up after it. As someone else, especially in our every expanding world where higher density living is becoming the norm, will no doubt be wanting to use that particular space in the not to distant future, and you have ruined it by not cleaning up after your pet.
This got me to thinking, the best way to stop people essentially being lazy, is to charge them for it, and of course a fine should be a % of income, or net worth, not an arbitrary amount set by the council (this of course ensures the fine "hurts" everyone)
Then there comes to the problem of finding the perpetrator, of which of course can be difficult, as we don't and don't want to live in a 1984 world of CCTV and big brother.
However this lead me to the thought that it would be simple enough to identify the said dog via a DNA test on the said doo-do, of which could be linked back to the DNA test performed on the pet when it is registered.
Seems like a good idea? What do you think? How much is a DNA test these days anyway?
Now, if I was in the bush, and it was possum poo, it really wouldn't bother me, but the domestic pet mess is just not so acceptable.
Basically people should really understand that there are "other" people around them... yes you are not the centre of the world... so if your dog does its business while on a walk, or exercise, it is your responsibility to clean up after it. As someone else, especially in our every expanding world where higher density living is becoming the norm, will no doubt be wanting to use that particular space in the not to distant future, and you have ruined it by not cleaning up after your pet.
This got me to thinking, the best way to stop people essentially being lazy, is to charge them for it, and of course a fine should be a % of income, or net worth, not an arbitrary amount set by the council (this of course ensures the fine "hurts" everyone)
Then there comes to the problem of finding the perpetrator, of which of course can be difficult, as we don't and don't want to live in a 1984 world of CCTV and big brother.
However this lead me to the thought that it would be simple enough to identify the said dog via a DNA test on the said doo-do, of which could be linked back to the DNA test performed on the pet when it is registered.
Seems like a good idea? What do you think? How much is a DNA test these days anyway?
Monday, 18 October 2010
New York, New York - Part 1 - Coffee
Ok, so it has been almost a month since I got back from one of the greatest cities in the world, and I wrote this a while back, but finally I am posting it! Yaah!
New York, New York
Coffee....
So, as a true Melbournian, I am definetely a coffee snob, and OMG finding good coffee is hard in America... One would of thought that in New York there would be plenty of great little coffee shops... I mean come on there is a coffee shop in every single block of Manhattan. But no, this is no where near the case.
In fact, there is about 6 decent coffee shops in the whole of New York State, 3 of them in Brooklyn, so I thought I would write a little something about the journey to find decent coffee in New York.
Doing a search for "Melbourne coffee in New York" came up with a article from The Age/SMH in Australia that discussed the poor performance of New York coffee, and how a Melbournian had come here to make good coffee and teach other New Yorkers about it, and apparently there is quite a following now.
I also came across this blog in the hunt... coffeehunters.blo....com
The Findings:
Culture Espresso
Manhattan, Midtown
http://goo.gl/maps/1Fcv
The exciting part of this place was they actually had "flat white" on the chalk board, so we had some hope. And it "okay" but mediocre in Melbourne standards, so the search continued. It was going to be enough if nothing else showed up, but doing some more research of course we landed some more recommendations, and well, they had to be tried.
Gregorys
Manhattan, Lower East Side
http://goo.gl/maps/em4f
Suprisingly this chain store served reasonably good coffee. It wasn't a great coffee, but for a chain, and for a mini "starbucks" style coffee place it was pretty good. The only reason for going here was the fact it was the closest decent coffee shop near the conference location, so it was going to have to do in the 20 mins we had for lunch.
World of Coffee
86 st
Manhattan, Upper West Side
http://goo.gl/maps/YiET
Ok, so we got recommend to come to this place by someone from Melbourne, so we trudged across town to get there. Unfortunately due to a stupid oversight by yours truly, we got off the subway on the East side of Central park, instead of the West side, so we had to walk from Lexington Ave to 7th, which is across Central Park, about 1.5km's I guess, which in Manhattan is a LONG way. And to be honest, it was just not that good. The served the coffee in "take out" cups, that is "take away" for the Aussies of the world, when we where sitting in. The burnt the milk on my first go, so I returned it, and the second one was "okay" but not really right at all...nothing in comparision to the great coffee that could be found elsewhere in NY....
Joes Art of COffee
West Village, Manhattan
http://goo.gl/maps/HSKi
Not too bad, but could really be better
JP discovered the Cortado.
What is a Cortado you ask?
It essentially is a small Melbourne Latte, usually a double shot of coffee with a little bit of Milk.
Ost
East village
Corner A Ave and 12th
http://goo.gl/maps/pEuA
Professional Barrista here, with a passion for coffee, makes it just how he suggests
Tried a Soy Cortado here, based on JPs recommendation, and really a "latte" should be in a glass, not in a bloody big bowl size cup like they serve it here... I guess, that is just a cultural difference (for now)
Smooch
Carlton Ave
Brooklyn
http://goo.gl/maps/Lz7b
The owner Escoball was a lovely guy, ex photographer come cafe owner..... he had a funny story about how poor the service and the coffee was in Brooklyn, and he sort of fell into the space and was a great barrista in hiding.
Coffee here was GREAT, JP had his flat white, and I a Soy Latte, this was the first Melbourne tasting latte I had had since leaving Melbourne... It was like being back in Fitzroy on a Saturday morning at one of the great little holes in the wall.
Escoball made a film, hopefully it will be featuring in a film festival or two, and I can see it, sounded great... the story of two guys that travel across America asking people about there perspective on Obama and "change"
Milk Bar
Prospect Pl
Brooklyn
http://goo.gl/maps/YiQ3
This little gem is the coffee shop mentioned in The Age / SMH article, and boy does it live up to the praise in the article. I made us get up and hour and a half earlier in order to make a quick stop here on the way to the airport, and it took just shy of 1.5 hours from Harlem (where we stayed) to this coffee shop in Brooklyn, but boy was it worth it. Soy Latte in a "proper" latte glass, with coffee done perfectly and milk treated with the respect a Great Barrista can only pay and a proper Melbourne Coffee Snob can enjoy.
This place really does make standard New York Coffee look like suridge.
New York, New York
Coffee....
So, as a true Melbournian, I am definetely a coffee snob, and OMG finding good coffee is hard in America... One would of thought that in New York there would be plenty of great little coffee shops... I mean come on there is a coffee shop in every single block of Manhattan. But no, this is no where near the case.
In fact, there is about 6 decent coffee shops in the whole of New York State, 3 of them in Brooklyn, so I thought I would write a little something about the journey to find decent coffee in New York.
Doing a search for "Melbourne coffee in New York" came up with a article from The Age/SMH in Australia that discussed the poor performance of New York coffee, and how a Melbournian had come here to make good coffee and teach other New Yorkers about it, and apparently there is quite a following now.
I also came across this blog in the hunt... coffeehunters.blo....com
The Findings:
Culture Espresso
Manhattan, Midtown
http://goo.gl/maps/1Fcv
The exciting part of this place was they actually had "flat white" on the chalk board, so we had some hope. And it "okay" but mediocre in Melbourne standards, so the search continued. It was going to be enough if nothing else showed up, but doing some more research of course we landed some more recommendations, and well, they had to be tried.
Gregorys
Manhattan, Lower East Side
http://goo.gl/maps/em4f
Suprisingly this chain store served reasonably good coffee. It wasn't a great coffee, but for a chain, and for a mini "starbucks" style coffee place it was pretty good. The only reason for going here was the fact it was the closest decent coffee shop near the conference location, so it was going to have to do in the 20 mins we had for lunch.
World of Coffee
86 st
Manhattan, Upper West Side
http://goo.gl/maps/YiET
Ok, so we got recommend to come to this place by someone from Melbourne, so we trudged across town to get there. Unfortunately due to a stupid oversight by yours truly, we got off the subway on the East side of Central park, instead of the West side, so we had to walk from Lexington Ave to 7th, which is across Central Park, about 1.5km's I guess, which in Manhattan is a LONG way. And to be honest, it was just not that good. The served the coffee in "take out" cups, that is "take away" for the Aussies of the world, when we where sitting in. The burnt the milk on my first go, so I returned it, and the second one was "okay" but not really right at all...nothing in comparision to the great coffee that could be found elsewhere in NY....
Joes Art of COffee
West Village, Manhattan
http://goo.gl/maps/HSKi
Not too bad, but could really be better
JP discovered the Cortado.
What is a Cortado you ask?
It essentially is a small Melbourne Latte, usually a double shot of coffee with a little bit of Milk.
Ost
East village
Corner A Ave and 12th
http://goo.gl/maps/pEuA
Professional Barrista here, with a passion for coffee, makes it just how he suggests
Tried a Soy Cortado here, based on JPs recommendation, and really a "latte" should be in a glass, not in a bloody big bowl size cup like they serve it here... I guess, that is just a cultural difference (for now)
Smooch
Carlton Ave
Brooklyn
http://goo.gl/maps/Lz7b
The owner Escoball was a lovely guy, ex photographer come cafe owner..... he had a funny story about how poor the service and the coffee was in Brooklyn, and he sort of fell into the space and was a great barrista in hiding.
Coffee here was GREAT, JP had his flat white, and I a Soy Latte, this was the first Melbourne tasting latte I had had since leaving Melbourne... It was like being back in Fitzroy on a Saturday morning at one of the great little holes in the wall.
Escoball made a film, hopefully it will be featuring in a film festival or two, and I can see it, sounded great... the story of two guys that travel across America asking people about there perspective on Obama and "change"
Milk Bar
Prospect Pl
Brooklyn
http://goo.gl/maps/YiQ3
This little gem is the coffee shop mentioned in The Age / SMH article, and boy does it live up to the praise in the article. I made us get up and hour and a half earlier in order to make a quick stop here on the way to the airport, and it took just shy of 1.5 hours from Harlem (where we stayed) to this coffee shop in Brooklyn, but boy was it worth it. Soy Latte in a "proper" latte glass, with coffee done perfectly and milk treated with the respect a Great Barrista can only pay and a proper Melbourne Coffee Snob can enjoy.
This place really does make standard New York Coffee look like suridge.
Another post on New York - The Shows to come soon.
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