fitzroyalty

Update 10 March 2009: no one listens to rational opinions on drugs like mine. Maybe when an establishment voice like that of the Economist says exactly what I have said below about legalising drug use, western politicians may listen.

It is time for the Australian government to legalise and / or decriminalise the sale, distribution, possession and consumption of all recreational drugs. One critic challenges the Rudd government to pursue policy innovation in relation to drug use. This is long overdue. Prohibition is a complete failure. It creates a black market that inflates prices, reduces quality and causes crime.

Governments routinely interpret the views of the community to be more conservative than they actually are, and thus structure policy decisions to meet this falsely conservative opinion rather than the real views, and the real needs, of the community.

The desire to experience altered consciousness through the use of drugs is far stronger than the fear of persecution. “The attempt to ban people from doing what they want to do, when it does no harm to anyone else, is destined to fail so long as people want to do those things.”

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Fitzroyalty is indexed in Technorati, and earlier this year I participated in their 2008 survey of bloggers about blogging – State of the blogosphere. I was one of 1079 randomly selected (or at least who bothered to complete the survey – you can read more about the methodology). Only 3% were from Australia, so that makes me one of about 30 Australian bloggers included in the survey. If you want to read further there’s a good analysis of the 2008 survey and an index of old reports.

A significant part of the survey was about advertising on blogs. Technorati needed to do this survey to establish the extent of the potential clients for their advertising network, which was set up earlier this year. This is something I have explored but so far refused to implement. I have rules I won’t compromise on: I will only advertise local businesses, products or services that are relevant to the Fitzroy audience, I will determine who advertises, and I retain the freedom to refuse advertising from a business I consider unethical or inappropriate. As no advertising platform can meet these standards, I don’t accept advertising.

It’s all part of what I see as a peculiar (American) obsession with making money and with making money being the purpose of blogging, publishing and life in general. Enhancing the utility of information is in contrast an esoteric distraction of concern only to a tiny minority of overeducated and underemployed people who see the internet as a tool that can improve people’s quality of life. We make decisions based on the information available to us. Making information ubiquitous could (in theory) allow for better decision making and thus better living. You can read more of my comments in my blogger profile in the report.

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I love pomegranate juice, which goes extremely well with pear vodka, and I usually buy either of two excellent Turkish brands. When I could not find stock of either recently, I tried this brand from Azerbaijan. I don’t recommend it – it tastes like boiled wood. But it might help you survive radiation poisoning or a nuclear war.

This is a fascinating work on a laneway wall off Smith St.