If you live in the Croyden electorate, Gamers for Croyden are apparently putting up a candidate to stand against Michael Atkinson for the state election next year - maybe give them some thought!

The empirical evidence from the current regime is that where a game is refused classification, the publisher will almost always make the necessary alterations (toning down certain amounts of gore etc) in order to achieve an MA15+ rating. The current system has thus been reasonably effective -- ensuring that games are made suitable for a 15+ audience, and given that anyone in the 15-18 category is unlikely to be prevented from accessing a title simply by its having a higher rating that is a defensible approach (by which I mean "there is an argument for it" not "it is the correct approach").

True, in most cases the publisher has altered their game to get the MA15+ rating - but not in all cases.

Additionally, games that have been rated higher in other countries have been rated MA15+ in Australia because we have no higher rating. This I don't personally mind, but it suggests our rating system is flawed.

But I find the biggest hypocricy is in its present state, our ratings system for games doesn't even pass the first guiding principle of the Australian Classification Code;

"adults should be able to read, hear and see what they want"

Gamers for Croyden are a new political party just set up and hopefully they'll get a few votes in Michael Atkinson's seat. They may not change his mind, but hopefully they can spread the word

While we're talking about real Australian beer, try some Coopers, the last remaining brewer of the traditional Australian Sparkling Ale style. Some of the new micros have started to get interested in this style too - Bridge Road brewers brew an Australian Ale I believe - but Coopers have consistently brewed this ale for over 100 years.
Another traditional Australian beer worth a shot is Tooheys Old.

And trust me, you won't look 'rediculous' in it

It really depends on the complexity of the problems you're trying to solve.
If you have complex business processes they won't be easily modelled by rails, or any other framework.
So horses for courses, really. It's a judgement call, and depends on the specifics of your application.

That's an interesting point, but I don't think a left wing view can be characterised purely by opinions on unionisation. The left wing view would include emphasis on more government involvement in social security and healthcare, and perhaps no privatisation of industries which lend themselves toward monopolies (electricity and water supply in my state in australia come to mind - pointless privatisation!)
Having said that, if you work 80 hour weeks with unpaid overtime, then you've got my sympathies; I'm a programmer and generally don't work more than half that.