Monthly Archives: October 2001

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So a few days ago I removed user “Thym”. The reason he was removed was that he'd taken to logging into forums that he didn't participate in, insulting the people there, and leaving. If you went to his page, it said that he was just here to “fuck with” people, and various things along those lines. So he was removed. So then I get this email:

From: Tim Bailey
Subject: Shannon, the Esteemed Benevolent Creator of All Things Good

Dear Shannon:

I find your level of self-assured arrogance and intellectual snobbery to be repulsive, and--in light of being deleted--wish upon you a slow, cancerous death followed by an eternal cycle of pain and suffering.

bye now... :)

-thym

I think that pretty much shows where his head is at. Now people are upset that he was just removed for “telling it like it is”. Here's the deal:

You don't have to be here. If you don't like the people here, or don't like the rules here, LEAVE. Go and write your own software and create your own community site if you think you can do it better. If your utopia includes people insulting each other, then please, delete yourself. I fully support your first ammendment right to be an ass, but it's not going to happen here.

Shopping list

This is in regards to the O16 Shut Down Bay St. Protest on the 16th. Click that link for details on the event. If you're interested, scroll down and at the bottom of this entry are details on the welcoming assembly on Sunday as well. Those planning on attending would be advised to do their best to bring a friend or two and stick with them, and to have the items below:

PERSONAL FIRST AID SUPPLIES

  • Adhesive bandages (a variety of sizes)
  • Gauze pads (eg. 7.5cm x 10cm)
  • Gauze roll
  • Antiseptic swabs (eg. B-D Alcohol Swabs)
  • Medical tape
  • Tampons
  • Asthmatics should bring bronchodilators
  • Any necessary prescription medication (Bring original bottles and if possible a doctor's note explaining how you must take the medication. This will help in dealings with the police, including arrest)

Store these items in a ziplock bag and carry them in a jacket pocket or an easily accessible knapsack pouch.

PERSONAL CHEMICAL TREATMENT SUPPLIES

  • 1 water eye flush bottle: at least 0.5 litre. Must be a pop-top bottle which does not leak when inverted and which decompresses quickly/completely when squeezed
  • LAW: 0.5 litre. 1 part liquid antacid (Maalox or generic, unflavoured preferred, avoid lemon) and one part water. Bottle must have a pop-top and must be able to squirt and drip effectively. This mixture helps to neutralize chemical irritants in the eyes and on the skin)
  • Roll of toilet paper: This is for blotting up pepper spray and for applying/cleaning up LAW. Also good for blowing the nose after irritants get the mucous flowing.

PERSONAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT

  • Swim goggles (sealed fit, shatter proof) or carpenter's goggles (these can fit over eyeglasses. Use a pair with as few vents as possible. You must seal these vents with duct tape)
  • Wear eyeglasses not contact lenses. Contacts trap gas and pepper spray (even pepper spray vapour) which may result in permanent eye damage
  • Respirator or gas mask. If they do not have a visor, however, so goggles will be necessary
  • Bandana soaked in cider vinegar: Bring a small bottle of cider vinegar and 2 bandanas. Store each bandana in a ziplock bag. Prior to the action, pour some vinegar into one bag and soak the bandana in preparation for use. Keep the prepared bag handy (eg. tucked in a jacket sleeve, etc…). Keep bandandas on hand as a backup to the respirator.
  • Carpenter's dust masks: I have 15 to 20 for our use. Wear this paper mask beneath your bandana. It will help filter out the strong vinegar smell and protect the skin

Clothing: Cover-up as much skin as possible. Wear a layer of clothing clinched at the wrists, ankles and neck to prevent irritants from getting to much of your skin. Tuck in your layers (eg. tuck t-shirt in your pants). Fleece and sweaters trap gas and pepper spray, sometimes releasing irritants for days after. Therefore, wear an external layer > of protective clothing of synthetic water-repellent or non-absorbing materials. Wear something on your head (eg. bandana, hat) to protect your head and hair from chemicals. Bring some spare clothes in case your first set gets too contaminated.

Note: Avoid tear gas and pepper spray if: you have asthma, respiratory problems/infections, you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant (chemicals may prompt menstruation or miscarriage), you are ill or have a poor immune system, you suffer from seizure disorders, you have an eye infection.

OTHER SUPPLIES

  • Notepad and pen: to record information such as the name and condition of a comrad who gets hurt and what hospital he/she might be taken to, police badge numbers, police car/van numbers, accounts of incidents for legal purposes, etc…
  • Map of downtown area: these will be provided on the day
  • Drinking water bottle and food (eg. power bars, etc…): we need to keep our energy up and keep hydrated. This is very important for proper bodily and mental functioning under stressful conditions.
  • Do not bring personal phone books/date books, illegal drugs or things which could be construed as weapons (eg. nail files, pocket knives, etc…)

Thanks to Saira for sending me this list. She's also asked me to post this PR about the Welcome Assembly Party tomorrow. Check it out if you're in Toronto:


******* SPREAD FAR AND WIDE **********
Come on out to the Ontario Common Front's October 14th Welcoming Assembly and Party.
Get ready for the October 16th Financial District Disruption Actions:
* get info
* hook up with activist from across the province and beyond
* check out our action workshops
* hang out, relax, and have a beer before the big day
where? CLUB 360 (324 Queen W -just east of Spadina)
when? Sunday, October 14th from 1 pm well into the night
what? 1 pm: Welcome Assembly
* hook into plans to challenge the Harris government on October 16th
* find out more about the Common Front, including other key actions through out Ontario
* get a chance to ask questions and get involved
Speaker: Sarah Vance, OCAP organizer
plus reps from Toronto OCF working committees
2-4pm: Direct Action workshop with our friends at the CLAC
4-6:30pm: Legal and Medical Workshops
7 pm: DJs and entertainment with,
DJ Dalia and Venus, DJ Saira and more
**also: drop by to hook up with billets and talk to our Welcoming Committee
FREE!
(though any donations would help)

I find splitcock eyecatching.

So I'm flipping through “Tattoos” by Henk Schiffmacher, and among a myriad of photos of oldschool tattoo guys from the past hundred years or so is this image. It wasn't the focus of the shot — it's a fullbody photo… But what do I see, but a split glans, with the foreskin pierced and each half of the glans flipped through. A similar photo appears in the ModCon books. I think everyone knows that tattooing goes quite far back, even in the West… But I love seeing non-anecdotal evidence of piercing and other mods dating way back as well… I've even seen permanent tongue piercing, using barbells, in books of photos from the 1920s. This stuff is not new, and it's not a fad.

Book shopping

One of my “short term” goals for IAM is to port it over to using a SQL database, which would give me a great deal more options in the longrun. I haven't worked with SQL databases since the 1980s, and to be honest, I haven't worked with databases of any kind that I didn't design personally from start to finish since probably 1997 or so. Anyway, that meant I needed to pick up a refresher course… While at the bookstore this evening I picked up a book on that, on Web Caching techniques, as well as Henk's tattoo book and a book on Cannabis history, along with a slew of business magazines.

At checkout, they have to clear the security devices in some books… Big surprise: only the pot book had a security device. I guess that computer hackers and tattooed people don't tend to steal stuff, but you can't trust potheads? Dude, where's my car?

Now I'm going to drink a couple of XTC's and finally get to programming. I started working on the thing I was going to work on this morning, but then I realized I hadn't fully thought it out… So now I'm writing a slight upgrade to my email bots — in the past they could only handle attachments, rather than inline images, but now they'll handle the inlines as well…. Which is good, because many email applications really try and trick the user into sending “rich” email.

Why can't people just go back to sending plaintext emails?

Hippie drink…

As long-time readers know, I make a point of trying all the new chocolate bars and drinks (It's a good idea). Today at the 7-11, I noticed a tie-died bottle called “Planet Java”. It's basically a repackaged knock-off of the Starbucks drinks. Mini-review: somewhat bland; drinkable, but nothing special. Recommendation: don't bother.

PS. This page is very useful for travellers