Is SOPA the end of the internet…?

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Craig Ashley Russell

If you use the interent any time during the day you may have seen the term SOPA pop up in news sites, social sites and blogs.

But what is it all about? This is the best explanation I’ve seen so far.

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/31100268]

To say that SOPA could be the end of the internet is stretching the ideas of rational thinking, but it will be, if it passes the US House of Reps and Senate, and isn’t vetoed by President Obama, the end of the internet as we know it today. Facebook, YouTube and Wikipedia could all be nothing but a memory or nothing like they are right now.

We all take the net for granted but it’s important to remember that the controlling organisation, ICANN, is overseen by the US Dept of Commerce and was created by US Dept of Defence’s Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), also the guys who first invested in Facebook, but that’s another story.

A brief, open letter to Paul Keating

Posted on May 7, 2011 by Craig Ashley Russell

Dear Mr Keating,
You of all people need no reminding of the importance of the Barangaroo development site. It is more than a once in a generation opportunity, it is a once in history opportunity.

As such there are many with specific interest in the site and the majority of those have profit as their main motivator.

Your role as a guardian of Sydney’s architectural and planning oversight through your commentary in all forms is not only required but is your duty. Resigning your post as Chair of the Design Review Panel is unacceptable.

There is no way you could have anywhere near the influence being outside the decision process of this development. To wit, it is in the national interest that you immediately take whatever steps necessary to reverse your resignation from the aforementioned post and continue to fight for this unique development.

No matter what obstacles are put in your path by politicians, bureaucrats or lobbyists you must as you have always done find creative ways to sidestep their efforts for the good of the residents of Sydney, the state of NSW and the future of Australia.

This is an opportunity for you to leave a lasting legacy. It is up to you if that legacy is of failure or triumph.

Regards etc,

Craig Ashley Russell

Breaking the Code

Posted on April 13, 2010 by Craig Ashley Russell

The news cameraman and their stills photographer counterpart form a very small and exclusive club. Being at what is often the front line of a war without actually taking part is not an easy thing. It creates a bond between these newsmen who are comrades while waiting for something to happen and competitors when the action starts.

Recently a Channel 9 Melbourne cameraman insulted the father of a man charged with several crimes, including rioting, after being verbally abused by the father outside a court. It’s happened before. Many times. I’ve witnessed it. When you see footage showing angry mourners or defendants or their families attacking news crews typically you don’t see or hear anything from the cameramen or photographers. There’s two reasons for this:

99 times out of a hundred nothing is said by the newsmen,
That one time something is said the ‘code’ is such that no other news putlet would report the incident.

But with this story the ABC in Victoria have removed themselves from the club by breaking the code. The SMH and all Fairfax papers are also out now. In fact, not only out, but ripe for retribution from the Nine Network.

But here’s the interesting thing about this story; if the son is found guilty, the cameraman will not have been insulting the father but stating fact.

Earth Hour 2010

Posted on March 28, 2010 by Craig Ashley Russell

Once again I ventured out to capture what was promised to be a spectacular demonstration of individuals and corporations proclaiming together that something must be done about climate change. Yeah, I know that doesn’t make much sense and neither does Earth Hour anymore.

Annual events like Earth Hour need to make changes to the patter every year tin order to remain relevant. I’ve now made a time lapse movie of Sydney during each of the four Earth Hours and it’s easy to see that this year had FAIL all over it. My interest is only because it affords Larso and myself the opportunity to blaze up on the only thing Cuba exports of any value; cigars!

For the event this year it appeared that the word didn’t get around too well. Most people I spoke to didn’t know it was on and those that did thought it started at 7:30. So did a few building managers by the looks. The Millionaires’ Factory did their best but forgot to come back on. Australia Square went off, came on to early and had to shut down again. Westpac went off way too early. And the harbour party boats had the festoon lights on overdrive.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uPsmr4Mu1Q]

Evil doer doing good

Posted on January 19, 2010 by Craig Ashley Russell

You may be surprised to learn I’m not a fan a pedophiles. Honestly, I hope you aren’t surprised. But an interesting benefit has emerged from the saga that is; where do pedophiles who have done their time live when released from the big house?

To date, Dennis Ferguson has been relocated no less than three times since being released from prison for doing the evil that he does. (As he was convicted by a court I have no hesitation reporting Mr Ferguson as guilty).

In his most recent digs the local community, as with the situation at his other addresses, discovered a convicted pedophile was living in their area and alerted the press who of course made it impossible for him to remain living their by shinning their spot lights upon him which fanned the flames of the tinder box mentality within the mob which quickly forming and gained momentum.

All mobs have a leader. This person is not elected or really even decided upon by the rank and file of the mob in any formal manner. S/he is usually the loudest and most opinionated, ie, the biggest dick head.

So this turn of events as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald is fascinating as it would seem that the pathetic little excuse for a human known as Dennis Ferguson won an AVO (Apprehended Violence Order) against the mob leader – some Aryan style media man-whore who would have joined the Hitler youth as soon as the recruiting officers visited his school and probably turned his mother and father into his Nazi superiors.

This means that the mob leader can’t approach (legally) the pedophile. Although one may well ask; why would you want to?

It could be that the in some strange reversal of fortune that the law while protecting the lowest of low human forms may be protecting us all from the dimwitted mentality of the mob.

The RIGHT picture is worth a thousand words

Posted on January 16, 2010 by Craig Ashley Russell

Take a good look at the picture news.com.au used to illustrate their story about a United Airlines flight having to make a landing because it was low on fuel. That plane landed without difficulty, refuelled and took off. Why UA flights are running out of fuel is another matter. The image that has been used clearly depicts a UA flight that landed a couple of weeks back with a landing gear issue and made an emergency landing, with the starboard undercarriage failing to lock in position.

That didn’t happen in the story being reported. That some sub-editor or picture editor has picked a misleading image is sadly tyical of this publication. It is a rag in paper and equally so online.

The Slow Grow Mo – Day 16!

Posted on November 16, 2009 by Craig Ashley Russell

Hi all,

The ridiculousness continues. The funny looks I get while sitting in cafés is only matched by the jokes made at my expense while sitting in meetings – you know who I’m talking about!

Alas, my pain is eased somewhat by the knowledge that I am helping to support not one but two very worthwhile causes.

So below you can see the embarrassment that my slow-grow-mo is causing – I wish my hair grew that slowly. (By the way, it’s the same colour shirt, not the same shirt as last week)

Big big big thanx to my big sister who coughed up some cash last week. Sorry about hiding those cicada shells in your bed when we were growing up.

Standard blurb begins…prize for those who find the hidden donation link below! (Oh, and I also have a new twitter handle – it’s down the bottom)

Once again I am growing a moustache for Movember. I have decided to put down my razor for one month (November) and help raise awareness and funds for men’s health – specifically prostate cancer and depression in men. Let me assure you, the second one is no fun at all and I imagine the first one is even less so.

What many people don’t appreciate is that close to 3,000 men die of prostate cancer each year in Australia and one in eight men will experience depression in their lifetime – many of whom don’t seek help. Facts like these have convinced me I should get involved and I am hoping that you will support me.

To sponsor my Mo, you can either:

• Click this link and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account
• Write a cheque payable to ‘Movember Foundation’, referencing my Registration Number 19205 and mailing it to: Movember Foundation, PO Box 292, Prahran, VIC, 3181

Remember, all donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Movember is now in its sixth year and, to date, has achieved some pretty amazing results by working alongside The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCFA) and beyondblue: the national depression initiative. Check out further details at: http://au.movemberfoundation.com/research-and-programs.

If you are interested in following the progress of my Mo, click here http://au.movember.com/mospace/19205/. Also, http://au.movember.com has heaps of useful information.

Thank you

16 NOV

10 NOV

Regards,
Craig Ashley Russell

For Movember you can donate right here http://au.movember.com/mospace/19205

MOBILE +61 (0) 418 468 470
EMAIL me

Truth told not so well

Posted on October 30, 2009 by Craig Ashley Russell

In late April of this year two young creatives from the advertising agency George Patterson/Y&R created the attached video. It’s all very funny. Their premise is that by taking an ordinary item on eBay and reselling that item on eBay but by adding ‘creativity’ they can increase profits.

So that’s what their little video proves. But we’re also asked to suspend reality because there is no way in Hell that any of the statements made in their eBay ad could be applied or translated in any way whatsoever to a real world product. And not get fined by the relative governing authorities or ridiculed by the public. Contrary to the belief of some PR hacks, controversy does NOT create cash.

Rather then demonstrating how ‘creativity’ can help sell, I think all this exercise does is to further portray advertising as a profession based on telling falsehoods; that we lie for a living. Real advertising is so much more and it’s a pity that these two kids, and their bosses at what was once the largest agency in the country, think lying is what advertising is all about.

McCann-Erickson have a great corporate motto which I have always tried to live up to in my advertising days; truth told well.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd6-n7MhVg8]

New Dyson Product Blows

Posted on October 15, 2009 by Craig Ashley Russell

I wish I could take credit for that headline but I’m paraphrasing a couple of sub-editors from different print and online media outlets.

In King George’s diary on July 4th 1776 he wrote, “Nothing important happened today”. Considering it took weeks or months for news from the colonies to arrive in London he was of course unaware that the American colonists had revolted against English rule and were in the process of claiming independence from his reign.

Perhaps the same could be written for 13/14th October 2009 because it appears that the biggest story of the day was that a bloke who makes vaccum cleaners is now making fans.

I woke up to this ‘breaking news’ as the lead story on SMH.com and News.com.au. It stayed the feature story for most of the day. Are you kidding me? It’s a product story. It deserves no more pixels than, well, it deserves no pixels. Are editors so stuck for content that press releases for gadgets now count as news.

And now as I wind down for the evening, Fast Company is featuring the product on their homepage. I don’t know who Sir James is paying for this PR hackery but as a news story it sux. And every editor and sub-editor who has contributed to this spin needs to have a rethink about their career and responsibility to their readers.

So very, very sad.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A3IM06xgr0]

Very rubbery figures from ANZ

Posted on October 14, 2009 by Craig Ashley Russell

In the first week of each month the ANZ Job Advertisements report is presented to the media as if it is some kind of key indicator (and predictor) of the health of the Australian economy. Two things have always struck me about this monthly event;

Each and every month the news outlets jump on this data, and
It is complete rubbish.

Let me explain. Anyone who has ever had anything to do with the recruitment industry knows that for numerous reasons some ads just aren’t real. They do not exist. These jobs never have existed and never will. They are creative figments of the recruiter to lure candidates into their databases. Bait to create the illusion of a talent pool to be used to further entice companies into the client list.

This is not all jobs put forward by recruiters of course but let us do some conservative assuming…

There are in this country around 10,000 recruitment consultants. Now let’s assume that just 50% of these place a bait ad every second month (50% of the time). That’s 2,500 jobs every month that never, ever existed except inside the mind of a recruiter.

Is that a big deal? 2,500 is surely not going to make any impact. Wrong. The September 2009 report had a total of 10,863 ads. That means the conservative 2,500 extra ads calculated here accounts for an error of about 25%.

I have more faith in astrology as an economic predictor than the ANZ Job Advertisement report.

For many years Reuters, one of the finest media outlets in the world, didn’t bother to even report the fiction that is the ANZ JAR. But the Australian news media is so devoid of original thinking that they pounce on these rubbery figures and say, ‘thank you, thank you ANZ PR hack for not making me have to think today.’