[LINK] A Comparison between Pig Farming and Mining.

[TKoltai]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au 
> [mailto:link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of Tom Worthington
> Sent: Tuesday, 3 April 2012 8:31 AM
> To: link at mailman.anu.edu.au
> Subject: Re: [LINK] A Comparison between Pig Farming and Mining.
> 
> 
> On 02/04/12 14:56, TKoltai wrote:
> 
> > There are two schools of thought when running a piggery. ...
> 
> This appears to be off topic for the Link mailing list, which I 
> understood to be about Australian network policy and communications: 
> http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
> 
> Pigs and mines on topic for Link might be:
> 
> 1. Apache Pig:
> 
> 2. Mining trains to get minds of their own: 
> 
> ps: On the topic of pig farming, I believe that a good text is:
"Whiffle: The Care of the Pig": 
>
> ;-)

Well played young Tom. With the exception that Pig Farming is very much
on topic.

Obviously my selection of discrete metaphor is far too subtle in some
instances.

I should like to reply with a portion the unprinted authors preface by
George Orwell

Quote/
THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

This book was first thought of, so far as the central idea goes, in
1937, but was not written down until about the end of 1943. By the time
when it came to be written it was obvious that there would be great
difficulty in getting it published (in spite of the present book
shortage which ensures that anything describable as a book will 'sell'),
and in the event it was refused by four publishers. Only one of these
had any ideological motive. Two had been publishing anti-Russian books
for years, and the other had no noticeable political colour. One
publisher actually started by accepting the book, but after making the
preliminary arrangements he decided to consult the Ministry of
Information, who appear to have warned him, or at any rate strongly
advised him, against publishing it. Here is an extract from his letter:

    I mentioned the reaction I had had from an important official in the
Ministry of Information with regard to Animal Farm. I must confess that
this expression of opinion has given me seriously to think ... I can see
now that it might be regarded as something which it was highly
ill-advised to publish at the present time. If the fable were addressed
generally to dictators and dictatorships at large then publication would
be all right, but the fable does follow, as I see now, so completely the
progress of the Russian Soviets and their two dictators, that it can
apply only to Russia, to the exclusion of the other dictatorships.
Another thing: it would be less offensive if the predominant caste in
the fable were not pigs. [It is not quite clear whether this suggested
modification is Mr ... 's own idea, or originated with the Ministry of
Information; but it seems to have the official ring about it - Orwell's
Note] I think the choice of pigs as the ruling caste will no doubt give
offence to many people, and particularly to anyone who is a bit touchy,
as undoubtedly the Russians are.

This kind of thing is not a good symptom. Obviously it is not desirable
that a government department should have any power of censorship (except
security censorship, which no one objects to in war time) over books
which are not officially sponsored. But the chief danger to freedom of
thought and speech at this moment is not the direct interference of the
MOI or any official body. If publishers and editors exert themselves to
keep certain topics out of print, it is not because they are frightened
of prosecution but because they are frightened of public opinion. In
this country intellectual cowardice is the worst enemy a writer or
journalist has to face, and that fact does not seem to me to have had
the discussion it deserves...
/Quote

When one considers the propaganda value of Animal Farm, and how it was
used to topple governments; and the context of your email; and to its
selected target, one can only reach one conclusion, i.e.: we are back on
Topic.

http://home.iprimus.com.au/korob/Orwell.html [For the full version]

TomK