Under the new Canadian privacy laws, my building had to notify me of all the different ways they use my personal information, split into various categories (ie. “to promote third-party products we believe may be of interest to you”, etc.). They are also required to show you any files they have on you if you ask, and remove you from these lists should you request it, so this morning I got us removed from everything other than what's needed… As you can see, they give it all away by default:
Anyway, today is going to be a good day I think. I feel good about today.
PS. I also wanted to send a big public thank you to Kivaka who has sent me a ton of really scary pictures for BME/Risks… Watch for them over the next few days as I have a chance to add them.
I'm really looking forward to this new shirt. I really am thrilled with how it turned out — thanks to Apathy for the original artwork (I sure hope I'm remembering that correctly). Watch for it on BMEshop in the next couple of days I think (more).
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
You know how art goes up in value when the artist dies? I remember when Scott and Todd drowned — afterwards they became a hot commodity. People battled over who was the better friend, and former “best” friends dated the widows, paying the rent by selling their record collections. Access was tightly restricted on password-protected memorial websites… it really did disturbing things to people.
Every time I've seen a younger person die it seems to play out like this with strange little interpersonal dramas, gladiatorial battle for “I was most important to them” recognition, and so on. I guess it's probably normal… but it's sad because every time it seems to ruin a couple friendships along with it, which you know the deceased wouldn't have wanted.
Anyway… I have to get this image backlog caught up on!
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
As you know, the Pentagon is calling on a lot more troops to Iraq (more). The problem is, those troops don't exist, and even private contractors are running out of corpses. Not only do they not have enough bodies enlisted, but the ones they do have are quitting as quickly as they can (hence stop-loss orders in droves). Now I want you to read these statements by Sen. Chuck Hagel (R). They were made to the Sentate Foreign Relations committee on Tuesday (more).
"There's not an American that doesn't understand what we are engaged in today and what the prospects are for the future. If that's the case, why shouldn't we ask all of our citizens to bear some responsibility and pay some price? [We need to force] our citizens to understand the intensity and depth of challenges we face."
To be clear: he's calling for the draft, and the punch line is that Bush may have dug America into a deep enough hole that American kids may not be able to do a damn thing to stop it. Bill S. 89 is currently in the Senate which would require all young Americans to serve a year of military service (with no option for “conscientious objector” status). There is a similar bill in the house (HR 163). Both of these are Democratic bills if you're wondering (more), but have both Republican and Democratic support. Only the Libertarian party is officially objecting to it.
Does it not freak anyone out that the major media is barely mentioning that both Bush and Kerry are supporting the draft? That voting for either major party is a vote for conscription (more)? I'm not looking foward to watching friends die because their government forced them to pick up a gun, travel around the world, and kill some other pawn.
Feel free to keep telling yourself “it could never happen” (more).
