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Just recently, I closed my Facebook account. I would give you my account info to look me up, but it doesn’t exist anymore. Honestly, much of social networking is getting scary and more than a little evil. I won’t go into a big tirade over Facebook and all the reasons I think they are a hazard to anyone who uses the service.

Today I came across a site called QuitFacebookDay. Surprise, surprise, the site is all about quitting Facebook on May 31, 2010. Below the information regarding reasons to quit, the official Quit Facebook Day and some other related bits and pieces, there is a comment section. Read more »

Congratulations, people are taking away my rights and protections and it’s your fault. In this world of technology, we have two types of people, those who use technology and have, at least, a vague understanding of what they are doing and those who use technology and have no clue. Given the sheer volume of clueless people I’ve met, I could make an educated guess as to who you are.

What’s worse, most of you have no idea what you are even losing. Most likely you won’t know until it’s already far FAR too late. By that time, you will be locked out of what could have been by years of red tape and poor administration you let go on.

Let’s take a look at why I say this is your fault. Consider the state of education today. Though some have managed to make it over the hurdles put in front of them, most people fall into the bottomless pit of “it’s too hard.”

Math and science are the coin of the realm. That computer you’re using to read this post was created with math and science. So was your car. So was your TV. So were most of the things you take for granted on a daily basis. Read more »

I think it is a good place to start to say that I don’t illegally download music. I swore years ago that, when a viable legal alternative to illegal downloading is presented, I would utilize it. I do. I buy MP3s from Amazon. I love the convenience and it’s been quite a while since I searched for something they didn’t have (not to say it couldn’t happen.)

I also give my music away for free. This doesn’t mean that every artist should, but I do. I took my payment via the production of my music. The pure enjoyment of making and sharing the noise that came from my instruments was enough for me. This is not a reasonable business plan, but I am not in the business of selling music, so I don’t care.

All of that said, I see some funny haps going down from my vantage. The entertainment industry seems to think that just because business is done one way for a long time, that it will continue to be just so. I present exhibit A, the Railroad. Guess what? They aren’t doing business the way they used to.

I read an article about internet connections and illegal downloading on Ars Technica today that got my ire (ha ha) up. The Irish High Court has agreed to allow entertainment companies to pressure ISPs into shutting off household internet connections if illegal downloading is purported to have happened. Read more »

Hey hey hey, folks guess what day it is? It’s “who the fuck do you think you are” day. Oh yeah, there’s nothing quite like a bunch of misaligned, maladjusted morons dripping drool from their slack jaws to tell people what they can and can’t or should and shouldn’t do.

Let’s just dive in, shall we? So, Harry Reid, he’s a card. He’s one of my current favorite people, right up there with Nancy Pelosi. You know good ol’ Nancy. She’s that SUPER winner who said “[the US] is losing 500 million jobs a month!” WOW! REALLY? Especially since there are only 300 million people IN THE ENTIRE US. Way to go. Read more »

I think it’s reasonable to say, if you are familiar with DRM, you know it’s a mechanism for control. Publishers would have you believe that DRM is all about controlling their content, to ensure they can say what is and is not done with it.

This is a lie. DRM was created for the sole purpose of controlling YOU.

Don’t believe me? Okay, let’s start off with the BoingBoing post today about the fools, idiots and worthless good-for-nothings that work at the BBC who caved against the pressure to DRM “protect” broadcast content. This was a move to limit the people of the UK. Moreover, it forces them to purchase hardware to support the DRM protections on their televised programming. Read more »

I want my piece of the pie. Before 2012 and the end of the world and the Mayans and all that, I would really like to spend a couple of days not having to worry about waking up on time to get to work, working for other people and all that. Mind you, I hold nothing against the company I work for. I like the people and the environment is comfortable, but I think I would be a liar to say that I didn’t want a little bit of extra coin in my pocket. A couple million would do just fine.

Okay, Microsoft, I know you have the cash. Out with it. You’re paying Old Man Murdoch, so what about the little guy? Am I not good enough for you? I guess I should be louder and more obnoxious to match Rupert’s troupe of fear and hate-mongering stooges like Glenn Beck. Okay, umm… here goes: Read more »

Anonymous

About a week ago, I discovered something about a group that I have become interested in over the past year.  Much like my interest in the Masons, I also find Anonymous really interesting.  Now, from what I know of Anonymous, even members of Anonymous don’t really know anything about Anonymous.  Even better than that, one member of Anonymous has no control or knowledge of what any other member is up to.

Now, I for what I actually found out…  Anonymous is considered a domestic terror group.  Wait, let’s recap.  Anonymous is now considered a domestic terror group!  Now, why is this?  First, let’s consider the document that this is coming from.  The state of Virginia releases a document once a year reviewing all of the terror groups that they should be concerned about.  Starting on page 45, they review Anonymous and what makes them so terrifying.  Let’s have a look-see, shall we?

The Virginia Terrorist Report Read more »

I know it’s been a little while since I last posted in my blog, but I have just not been inclined. What can I say? Nothing has struck my fancy and I have been busy. Fortunately, I have discovered a few things today that I MUST share. Yes, I must share this stuff. It’s just kind of a random collection… mixed bag if you will, but sometimes it’s just how the stuff comes. Sorry, kiddies, no zombies today. So, to get started, let’s take a look at one of my favorite things to complain about: people sucking at math. It’s an outrage to me that people are so incredibly bad at math and refuse to take action to correct this. It’s ok for someone to say “Oh, I don’t understand math,” but if they were to say “Oh, I don’t understand English,” and they were on the streets of the US, and a native they would be laughed at and mocked. Why is this ok? This bugs the crap out of me. And I am not asking that people be able to provide careful inductive proof that the sum of some set of numbers is equal to an expression, I want them to be able to tell that -5 > -6. Is this a lot to ask? I think not. So, why specify ordering of negative numbers? Well, simply because people in the UK can’t seem to figure the darn things out. I mean, I didn’t ask an evaluation of (-1)^1/2 (Which is i, BTW) I just want people to know that if x,y<0 and x<y then |x| > |y|. Is that too much to ask?? Ok, here’s the article:

Clickety click click

So, if the Harry Potter books weren’t enough for you, you can now spend at least 6 figures to buy yet another Harry Potter related volume. Yes, I did say 6 figures. The new volume will be a hand-written piece developed by JK Rowling and sold at Sotherbys. The auction will start at $100,000. I won’t be there. I’ll wait for the movie.

Potterize me!

Crappy ghosts make great Craigslist posts. If you don’t believe me, take a look at this thing. Some guy rented a haunted apartment and thinks the ghost is a hoot. I would dig living there, I think… once I got used to it.

Sooooo spectral…

Finally, since I am really dragging on getting this post up, here’s a fun, quirky little mag. I might have to buy one. Do you like pretty girls? Do you like zombies? (Ha ha! I lied. Zombies! Right there!) Then Girls & Corpses is the mag for you. Think Hustler meets Rue Morgue. This is pretty much NSFW so be forewarned before clicking through. Enjoy!

I love the smell of rotting flesh in the morning