Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I was going to agree with TimC, but now...............

Seriously though, i both like my technology and can see the dark side. Its when people let it rule them or have it so entrenched in their daily life that life itself would not be worth liviung without it

Just saw the tickle me elmo xyz model, a must have for any parent who really wants to give their child happiness thats the shit i'm talking about.

Last job yesterday was in diamond creek, only about 28kms from here. Quiet, birds chirping, "forrest smell" (it had been raining finaly). If i was goiung to move i'd go that way, bets of both worlds.........and what to i ask my client? "Um, you get cable internet out here, yeh?" LOL. funnier even was his reply. "Sure do!"

I should have said non imperative tech, which obviously excludes medicine, sustainable resources, new power generation etc.
I am talking about all the new iPods, game consoles, faster computers, bigger and bigger TVs. Getting more kids infront of computer and TV screens. Faster internet means more time stuck infront of it, more MMORP games = more fat kids!!! We can choose not to buy or use some new technology, what about Australia's right not to give a crap, we will be better off.

I am not saying technology is bad... but I don't mind missing out on half the new fan dangled bits of technology coming out all the time. Plus aquaponics existed 1000's of years ago and can be built using anything... It doesn't require LCD screen or an mp3 player, which is in everything these days.

We are becoming a throw away society, and newer and better 'toys' are coming out all the time. The general trend now days is have the best of everything, even competing with people around you... I know someone who has a drawer full of mobile phones... with camera, mp3 players, real tones, colour LCD... I have also read essays from students at work practically all written in SMS chat, thats getting ridiculous...

What gives us iPods and TVs also gives us the internet, where we can talk about aquaponics with the widely distributed enthusiasts around the world. We can consult the book of armaments (wikipedia), we can ask the oracle (google), we can make controllers that run on a whiff of light (PICs) and we can document everything with a $100 camera and share it with the world.

If the world has to have iPods and TV to get those things, so be it.

Now, we should be thinking about recycling and efficient production, but how better to introduce these ideas with progressive companies like Apple and Canon?

I know I can't talk really, I work in IT... The internet IS great, online music is good, forums and instant answers is a godsend. I am not saying we should take it all away, the world will stop still. I just think we can do without all the next-best-thing's that come out every 5 seconds and of course the packaging that they come in...

Like where I work we get new computers every year, the oldest get thrown out... some are only 3 years old. There is no where to recycle them plus, if we kept them, the student would complain they are TOO slow. There is this boom of new technology and everyone must have the fastest, the biggest and the shiniest new technology and the standards are creeping higher and higher.

Another example: people buy an Xbox 360 or the Playstation3, either would set you back at least a grand. Personally I can think of much better ways to spend that money, but there is a huge pressure from everywhere to get one now! Not down the track when they are a year old and cheaper. Same with phones, computer games, PC hardware or cars. Plus when there are fifty different brands of these new toys all competing with each other, it makes it worse. Take nvidia and ati I can't imagine the hardware that is wasted when they discover that are obsolete and were too late for release.

NJH, you must agree that most consumer electronics coming out to day are unessesary and that the landfills are filling up with throw away electronics, most of which are bought at this time of the year, used once or twice, get forgotten and thrown away.

TimC: I suspect we pretty much agree. I'm just wary of technology XYZ is inherently evil (land mines are a possible counter example) claims.

I personally have no trouble not buying new computers, and considering the wacky things that we must buy in the name of BA I can't really begrudge others for buying silly things It's easy to not buy things, really. (I haven't got a mobile phone)

Someone on the ASL forum pointed out that not spending money is worth more than earning it - If you save $1 you don't have to pay tax, equivalent to earning say $(1/0.7) = $1.4. (I'm not sure about this still, shall ponder further; however this argument is certainly true for energy)

Regarding computer recycling, a group called 'computer bank' take old computers, strip them into working computers, install linux and give to those who would otherwise miss out. I wonder if we'll be mining those landfills in the near future for their rich pickings (perhaps thermal depolymerisation followed by metal refinement).

I agree, there are very few things that are intrinsicaly evil.

Anyway, we've hi-jacked poor MF's migration thread...........

Thats ok...i was listening to the conversation...

And as this was the last time rugby was played at the olympics, the USA remain the olympic champions!?

Sounds like a hollow victory though....only 3 teams entered lmao.

Shame they didnt enter a team in 1908, would have been alot different

Rugby is hardly played at all in America unless it is played by Europeans here in the US. Soccer is extremely popular as a youth activity and where I live there are 5 seperate youth leagues, but soccer does not make it to collegiate level with much seriousness.

Footbal (American), Baseball, basketball, and vollyball in that order are financially backed at every level in the schools.

Basketball has become nearly as popular as Football, but now we have NASCAR (no right turns) growing as a major spectator sport.

Personally I go for basketball and baseball if I go for anything (attend the event) and I am fanatic over motorcycle road racing (international only) such as World Superbike and MotoGP...

I think Soccer has the best chance at being the true world sport

And as an Aussie that worked with a Maouri family, the real kiwi's ( and I know u might not count them as kiwis if your white and english) and their families blah blah blah for 2 years I would say that they have lost their identity or are hell bent on losing it fast through their younger generations who have strayed from their roots to take on alot of the afro american ways including music......fast (asian) cars and "gang" mentalities......"AUSTRALIA....DONT BECOME AMERICA". not being racist, is just sad to see innocence go by way of the disposable hip hop society.

sup homey...stay away from da crib else I pop a cap in ya ass aight

Sadly very true not just of maybe the Maori youth but of even large sections of Australian youth...

Why we would wish to emulate and extol the virtues of ghetto gangsters, and the desperateness of povety is beyond me ....

I can only assume that it's due to the constant bombardment of the lowest standard of cultural influence of US television ...

catering, and cynically designed to cater, for the lowest common denominator...

How REALLY, REALLY SAD and SHAMEFUL that we currently have both a government and industry collective that wishes by deliberate design to create a similar lower class of "white poor trash" in Australia.

But don't get me started on the blasphemy of "Banzai's" bloody IR laws....

one thing I have noticed is that its less of the Australian youth and more of the "ethnic" groups, have seen alot of asians, greek, italian, serbs and croatian groups in our society that have embrassed the hip hop identity more than our own. But which is the lesser of two evils....Aussies in their v8 utes sinkin VB's listenin to ac/dc in their flannies or some young homey poluting my air with his sub doofers?

Actually I prefer the first coz their not in your face and annoying lol

oh and as far as Banzai goes, maybe we should all vote for Kevin Rudd and his weed wand

Do you have satellite radio in Oz? I love my XM radio (150 channels) - it makes my 1 1/2 hr commute go more better.

Back to the Wii...