Follow the Sign Curve

IN TODAY's Australian (and at Quadrant Online, sadly), Change.org's Tony Roberston is given space to defend what he depicts as the near-absolute integrity of the software behind that petition which is said to have amassed in excess of 100,000 signatures, all demanding that Alan Jones' right to speak be terminated. Marvelous little bits of secret squirrel coding and other wondrous wotnots are forever rooting about in the entries, he says, all working tirelessly to stop imaginary people (and kangaroos and puddings) registering their opinions.

All these safeguards are the stuff of top-secret tech, but we need not take Robertson solely at his word because the public spirited Perry Stalsis, who launched another recent online petition, has snapped his email in-box and sent the image to the Billabong. His goal is to allay any doubts he is as real and trustworthy as, well, change.org online petitions and those who sign them. In this instance Julia Gillard, Santa Claus and Peter FitzSimon have validated his existence by throwing their weight behind the campaign to make Butch Carlton fork out cold, hard cash to have his columns printed in the Silly. If Mrs Claus' name and comment appear, expect to see a warning that her husband is one married man our Prime Minister should leave very much alone. Click on the images to get larger, readable pictures, then hit the back arrow.

The second piece of evidence will not be refuted, certainly not by quality journalists. It is a letter congratulating Perry on having attained his first two hundred signatures. If only poor Perry was hooked in with GetUp he would probably have 20,000 signatures by this stage. Still, 200 names in two days is not a bad effort for one little petition mentioned only once on a single blog (this one).

Here is the text with an biographic link added:

Congratulations, Sister Ray from MI was the 200th person to sign your petition: The Board of Fairfax Media: Make Mike "Butch" Carlton pay Fairfax shareholders. You are now at 100% of your signature goal!
This is an enormous accomplishment and we want to thank you so much for inspiring so many people to make a stand for change. Your petition will remain open until Oct 06, 2013, allowing your supporters to continue to speak out to [The Board of Fairfax Media].
If The Board of Fairfax Media has still not responded to your petition, also consider increasing your signature goal. This will let your supporters know that there is still work to be done. Increase your signature goal here.
If The Board of Fairfax Media has responded to your petition, let your supporters know. Post an update here.
To close your petition anytime, click here: http://www.change.org/petitions/the-board-of-fairfax-media-make-mike-butch-carlton-pay-fairfax-shareholders/edit

Congratulations again on this incredible accomplishment!
- The Change.org Team 

And here is the original:

All the quality journalists believe absolutely in online petitions and so should we all, especially Fairfax Media's board.