Scare mongering 1 Science 0

The recent poll of people in Toowoomba shows how one can bias the outcome by crafting the questions in the poll.

If anyone asks me if I want to drink sewage, I will obviously say no. The group Citizens Against Drinking Sewage while not directly advocating this, definitely implies that we will be drinking sewage.

There is a difference between recycling waste water and sewage. After all nature also recycles the water that we use.

This vote also gives the "Think Big" group the opportunity for large projects such as dams, desalination which are much more expensive than recycling waste water.

Business and Information Technology

I am more troubled by Business insisting that IT be aligned to Business especially in Education.

IT should be viewed as a resource and if Business can exploit it then fine. If Business do not understand IT, then a new programme which overlaps IT and Business should be created; not force a change in IT.

Business does not tell that what is taught to Electronic Engineers needs to be aligned to them. Electronic Engineers are taught the fundamentals which they apply to the benefit of the sector they work in. Similarly IT should resist pressures to change (reduce technical content) and teach the fundamentals necessary to be an IT professional.

One cannot improve the standing of IT by treating it as a vocational subject.