Politics And The New Soapbox

I really hate politics. It's an ugly creature that attracts all kinds of people that haven't got a clue about the big picture in life. Currently, congress is considering a bill called SOPA. They are also considering a bill called PROTECT IP Act of 2011. In a crowded nutshell, both bills deal with child pornography, and online piracy. But what is also at stake, is a monumental challenge to a form of America's freedom of speech. I've done what any US citizen can do. I e-mailed my congress critters, and I signed a petition. And now, through this post, I'm spreading the word. I've done my civic duty. Yay for me. I'm not real hopeful about either of these bills being defeated in congress. The RIAA has some uber-powerful lobbyists leaning on the congress critters to get this passed. And the way social medicine and the patriot act slipped through despite monumental opposition from the American public, doesn't bode well.

I was in my DeviantArt account last night, reading the latest posts, and viewing the newest art. I see a post about these very subjects. Now I wouldn't have paid any attention to it, except that it's one of those last minute "oh god, when did this happen?" kind of posts. And I was a little bit cynical in a reply post about it. No sooner did I finish, then the original post owner fire back at me saying something along the lines of if I don't sign the petition, then "YOUR A COWARD!". Seriously? Seriously? No forethought. Simply straight out character assassination. I of course did reply to that, informing this person, who I renamed butthead, that if he thought that a single petition was going to change the outcome, considering current congressional history, then he could continue living in his fantasy world.

Currently the American public has the luxury of the internet to pick and choose whatever pet atrocity they believe in, be it SOPA, or the Occupy Wall Street movement. They can do character assassinations to their heart's content.

The internet is a wonderful, revolutionary, field-leveling tool for the masses. It's helped to remove many corrupt dictatorships in the Mediterranean Sea reigions. It's exposed many local level charlatans, And it's pulling nations up by their bootstraps, helping them to become better informed about the world around them. But it's those very reasons that bills like these are being introduced. Nation-states and corporate conglomerates want to shove the internet back into Pandora's box and shelve it high on a forgotten wall of the university labs where it originated. And it's happening. Most of the eastern hemisphere already lives with some form of these laws.

If either S.968 or H.R.3261.IH are defeated, I'll be surprised. But I will say one thing. I'm not holding my breath for a hopeful outcome.

Dr. Conrad Murray verdict.

I'm sorry to hear that Dr. Conrad Murray was found guilty of the death of a man who clearly wasn't in his right mind. Granted, Dr. Murray handled things poorly, but Michael Jackson was no saint, as his fans paint him to be. At 52 years of age, Jackson was not a man that should have been cavorting around like he was in his early teens. I'm sure Murray had his hands full just keeping him stabilized at the end of the day. How many outside influences had to be pressuring the doctor that were never even mentioned in the trial? At this point, I'm hoping that Dr. Murray is able to keep his licence. I'm afraid that prison time will be unavoidable.

I'm sorry to say, Dr. Conrad Murray was framed on behalf of the fans.

Deer Crossing

I hate the month of November. We're getting close to rutting season for the deer population here in the U.P. of MI. The darn things are all over the roads. So naturally, they become targets. Yup. I hit one this morning. Not happy. Yeah, the deer died. But now I need to go through the process of filing a police report. Then going the the insurance agency. Then going to the body repair shop. Thank goodness we've got full coverage.

Doggone deer. And I'm obviously being nice in my rant. Imagine what I could be saying right now!