It snowed quite nicely two days ago, so I can finally say this is truly winter. The layer covering the ground was quite thin to begin with, but most of it is still there now since it’s too cold for it to melt. Unfortunately the forecast doesn’t give me much hope for more snow soon. Actually, if it’s true that it’ll also rain it means it’ll all turn to muck…
But right now it’s nice enough. It was also nice two days ago, when I went out while it was snowing and somewhat windy. I certainly liked last year’s blizzard much better, but under the current circumstances I guess this will have to do for now. Maybe there will be something like that this winter too, later this month or perhaps the next…
Snow, cold and wind… These moments remind me why I like winter, when I can go out and actually feel that it is winter, not just a mockery of it as it usually was during recent years. Unfortunately, global warming is giving me less and less chances of enjoying it, as there recently were some years during which such “real winter” moments were completely absent. And if you add the significant differences between me and Andra when it came to what a “comfortable temperature” means, which were very noticeable during the winters I spent there, and the problems with heating and moisture I’ve been having since I got thrown back here, I assume you can see why I was starting to say that my favorite season is no longer winter, but spring.
I guess this is one of the reasons I keep finding myself drawn to northern countries. Likely not the main one, you can’t put climate before culture and politics (among other things) when “judging” a country, but it really is important to me to be able to enjoy a real winter… As long as the apartment or house I’d be living in would be properly heated and insulated, of course. But this part about me being drawn to northern countries is another rant for another time…
I was saying that I was going to delete my Materia Magica character as soon as I could give everything away. The process has finally started, after posting what I have to give and why on the clan forum this morning.
I’ve been playing Yreobryn for about six years… Ok, actually playing for a little less than four of those years, but keeping him around for a total of about six. I guess this makes him the thing I’ve managed to keep functional the longest. Well, him and my last computer, used that for nearly six years too. So even though I haven’t been doing much with him in so long, it’s still quite hard.
Since it apparently ranked as the number three viral video of 2008, I guess most people who’d somehow end up reading this already know it. But I didn’t and I think it’s a story truly worth sharing, even if it happened nearly 40 years ago.
I’m talking about this video about Christian the lion. Watch it if you haven’t already!
There are few things left to say after something like that. Perhaps only to stress how little we wish to know about the other species we share this planet with, saying they’re “just animals” and hence distancing ourselves… And to wonder once again what’s wrong with us, where did we take the wrong turn, for this any many other reasons…
Perhaps, if you want a specific issue which many might not immediately connect to this, we could wonder about all those laws which restrict or even forbid owning certain breeds of dogs which are considered to be dangerous. I doubt any breed of dog is considered to be more dangerous than a lion, which turns this into one more piece of evidence supporting the idea that if a healthy dog which has been raised by someone harms someone else without clear provocation it means the “problem animal” is the one with two legs.
Nothing else to say, that video says more than I ever could…
The Internet is an excellent medium for the free flow of information. Or so it should be. Unfortunately, governments, religious authorities and various other interest groups have noticed that and are determined to put a stop to it. After all, thinking, informed people are much harder to control, and freedom of speech and thought are very dangerous for those who can only keep their positions if enough people believe their version of the truth.
At the highest level, this started in various Communist countries, China being the most notable example. The fact that they implemented such measures shouldn’t surprise anyone. However, the fact that other governments stayed out of it is a little disappointing. But what’s truly troubling is that some major corporations have even cooperated, encouraging this form of censorship so as not to jeopardize their economic interests in that country. Still not surprising, but definitely very worrying.
But one bad apple spoils the bunch. Since this stain was allowed to persist, it started spreading. Soon enough there were other governments which started trying to control the Internet. Of course they started small and first targeted illegal and potentially very dangerous things, so people would be wary of speaking out against the measures, but then it got worse.
Certainly the most notable recent case is that of Australia, which goes even further. We’re talking about a democratic country trying to follow China’s example! I’m not saying they’re the first, there are certainly many other examples, but they are the main story on this topic at this time…
The same story all over again, they say they’re not censoring, they’re just blocking illegal and harmful content. How stupid do you have to be to fall for that? For starters, way too many things are illegal (though some others which aren’t should be). And then you have to keep in mind that we’re talking about information! Actions can be harmful, but not information. Unless we’re talking about certain state secrets during a war or the details of police operations meant to bring down very dangerous criminals, there is no valid reason to restrict the free flow of information. So this is censorship, pure and simple, and censorship is not justice’s response to a harmful action, but a political response to information which makes the authorities afraid of losing their positions.
The information available on the Internet should be completely unrestricted. Those who are bothered by certain things obviously don’t have to watch or read them! Even the information which deals with undeniably harmful actions should be left alone. After all, it’s not the information that causes the harm, but the action. Many people could just be curious about certain things, taking in the information without any intent of carrying out those plans, while some others could use such information to defend themselves from harm. And if some people would carry out those plans then they’re the only ones to blame for their choice, not the information itself or the person who made it available.
We could take a very popular example at the moment, namely child pornography, to illustrate the case. I have never been on such a site myself, at least not on one which matched my definition of “child pornography”, but I can assume that some could even get bold enough to explain some of the methods used to obtain the “actors”, which is information a parent could teach their child in order for them to know what to watch out for and be better equipped to protect themselves. Or the police could certainly use any information available in order to track down those responsible for the operation and capture them. That usually requires the criminals to lower their guard a little, which is something they aren’t going to do if they know they’ve been discovered, which is sure to happen if the site is blocked.
But that brings us to another topic: What exactly is child pornography? Because a completely idiotic definition has been recently used to block Wikipedia content. The decision has been quickly reversed, but the idiotic definition remains.
According to the text, it is “an offence to take, make, permit to be taken, distribute, show, possess with intent to distribute, and advertise indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children under the age of 18. The ‘making’ of such images includes downloading”.
For that to make any sense, you need to first define the term “indecent”. Does it apply to any nude picture of a minor? Do you imagine how many artists are criminals in that case? And honestly, what the fuck happens at the age of 18 that changes everything? One second so many things are illegal, the next that’s no longer the case! Does anybody honestly think that such a delimitation makes any sense? Some people can be trusted to decide for themselves at 13, many others can’t even do it at 30…
But there’s another very interesting bit in that phrase. I’m talking about the “permit to be taken” part. Does that mean that the minor involved is also guilty of child pornography? Because that’s certainly what the text says… Quite interesting, don’t you think?
Back to what’s going on in Australia, the project also mentions blocking information regarding various illegal topics such as anorexia or euthanasia. I’m curious whether it’d also block information about curing anorexia, but what really angers me is the part about euthanasia. We’re talking about something which should be a basic human right, namely the right to die! The fact that in the vast majority of countries this is currently not the case doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be, but such censorship would effectively end the debate. Such a measure effectively says that the current government’s truth is the only truth there is and that they won’t even discuss the issue, regardless of what people might think. This cancels democracy, period!
This is a very dangerous slope. This means that governments are trying to see how far they’d be allowed to go. Start with a few small things which few would dare protest against and then go from there, one step at a time. First they supposedly protect people from those who’d harm them, then they fight against the criminals, they they protect people from themselves, then it gets worse… Much worse… Until they can control everything.
Fortunately, probably just because the Australians have moved too fast and included such outrageous measures in the initial plan, people are acting. But their numbers need to grow exponentially for the protests to be effective, and they also need the support of others from all over the world.
We need to realize that we’re in this together. Bad apples do spoil the bunch, and once even supposedly democratic countries start to go down that path it’ll be extremely difficult to stop the process. There is a Babylon 5 quote for the situation we’d be in if we’d allow this to continue: “The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote.” Let’s not let it get that far, shall we? Let’s all fight for a completely free Internet, where any and all information can be shared at will and any and all available information can be accessed at any moment by anyone who desires to do so without fear of retribution. We must make absolutely no compromises when it comes to this, because there will be no turning back once we do.
You are a caring and introverted personality. You need a lot of personal space, and you find dealing with strange people and new situations to be stressful and tiring. You need to relax with time to yourself in order to recharge after a highly social day. Despite your dislike of loud noises and big crowds, however, you are not shy. You have a good sense of your own self worth, and you are not afraid to be yourself.
You tend to wear your heart on your sleeve, and you are open and honest. Deception does not come easily to you. You have nothing to hide, and you are not afraid to tell people your opinions or express your feelings. This does not mean, however, that you tend to fly off the handle. Your own belief in yourself helps numb some of the wounds that are inflicted by cruel or thoughtless people. When they do hurt you, though, you can’t help but show it.
Your daemon’s form would represent your introverted nature, your expressiveness, and your strong sense of self. He or she would probably take an active interest in the world around you, and would have a lot to say.
Suggested forms: Panda, Arctic Fox, Domestic Cat, Wood Thrush, Spitz dog.
This seems fair enough. The only issues are that I actually am very shy when it comes to direct contact with people and I have little faith in myself. It is, however, true that it’s extremely hard for people to hurt me, but that’s partly because I can’t say I give a damn about what anyone except Andra thinks of me and partly because it’s rather hard for them to say worse things about me than I think myself, which is just the opposite of having a lot of faith in myself.
Anyway, I could have a domestic cat as a daemon. That’s good enough for me.
