An Atypical Life

warning: rated TV-MA for strong language and metaphor, and therefore probably not work safe.

I Got What America Needs Right Here

Sometimes I’m a little stupid, maybe, a little slow in the head, so I’m wondering if you can help me get something straight….

…tell me about it, New York Times. I guess that’s the price we pay for living in a litigious society more intent on self-preservation than actual improvement.

I can’t believe I didn’t know this…bananas are going extinct. They have before (Gros Michel is no more), and will again (Cavendish is 100% seedless and hugely susceptible to a specific fungus now hell-bent on world domination).

We may be eating Goldfingers soon instead.

I guess it’s a good thing I love plantains!

ok, it’s probably painfully obvious at this point that I’m a bit of a net free-speecher - or at least, anti-corporate-net-ownership. [ed: I used to have the word 'libertarian' here, but this confused people due to its political overtones. I'm discussing an issue, people, not a political ideology. I'm no more Libertarian than I am Republican or Democrat.]

I hate online profiling, detest advertisements (to the point of not owning a TV!) and generally resist having my activity monitored.

Here’s a quick video if you’re not familiar with this concept, told in allegory:

Do something about it. Visit http://freespeech.org/ourweb/ to find out more. I don’t believe this is about republican vs. democrat, or liberal vs. democrat…again, it’s about owning your own online life and content.

Anger. That’s the only thing I can feel when I see that Canadian elected officials are looking to introduce more ridiculous, ill-thought, completely-against-legitimate-use copyright legislation. And of course, because I’m so incensed with most of the news outlets that I don’t hear about this stuff except through trusted sources, I had to go digging in places I don’t normally look to find out about:

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/12/07/canadian-dmca-introd.html

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/12/07/canadians-tomorrow-i.html

http://www.cbc.ca/searchengine/blog/2007/11/last_chance_to_ask_the_industr_1.html

http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/2431/125/

Quoting Cory:

Tell your friends. Tell your family. If you care about the net, this could be the most important thing you do this year. Take action and save the country.

Quoting Michael:

The next 60 days are absolutely crucial. If Canadians speak out in large numbers, the government may rethink its current strategy of fast-tracking the Canadian DMCA.

Do everything you can. This isn’t just about trading CDs and movies anymore, folks. It’s about controlling your own words, your own music, your own actions. Write your MP today. And if you’re not a Canadian, yeah yeah, I know you told us this day was coming, but we avoided it for at least 10 years. Now’s our chance to learn from the mistakes of the US DMCA and enact some intelligent legislation.

Something worth watching once a year:

• I managed to get my confidence in gaming again, though I am still having hand/eye coordination issues. Katamari Damacy was what did it, and without selling my soul to the PS2. Half an hour of play is enough to last me all day. Talk about a far better game than Kingdom Hearts!  (Really, I just like crossover stories. The gameplay in KH is awful. Talk about a button masher.)
• Oh, yeah, I’m talking at CASCON 2007 this year. I’m presenting tomorrow on Education in the 21st century, and how new technology affects how we teach, think and learn. My focus continues to be on affordances of synchronous environments. IRC will be a big part of the presentation, which focuses on our GRAIL project and research @ U of T’s OISE. Research conducted under the guidance of Dr. Clare Brett.
• Few weeks ago Chris and I started work on the workshop & garage. (OK, he’s been doing most of the work. But I am helping!) I snapped some arsty shots of the foundation in progress, and am feeding them into Lightroom now. I’ll have the pics online shortly, once I’m satisfied that any of them are any good.
• I’ve realized that the only reason I haven’t been entertaining others more often at my place is a lack of reaching out to people I know (and would like to meet) in the city. Intentionally sticking to “othered” space tends to result in this sort of isolation. Perhaps it’s time to kick off Friday night “red wine and games” again?

And EDN agrees. I don’t build equipment to last 2-3 years, I build it to last 200-300 years, at least.  I rely on lead to make that happen reliably and cost-effectively. And, I ensure that any electronics I stop using is recycled appropriately. It just makes sense. EDN further proves that RoHS legislation is actually going to have a worse environmental impact than the way we have been doing things.

Join the fight @ RoHSUSA to free us from ridiculous lead-free requirements in electronics.

I’ve been a bad blogger. I haven’t been giving back to “the community,” nor have I even found time to read what “the community” is writing. engtech says:

“…blogging is a 10 to 50 hour a week commitment when you include reading and commenting on other blogs. Blogging takes away from other aspects of your life. Are you prepared to make that kind of commitment? Is anyone?

I’ve realized I don’t blog here. I journal. I’m leaving a trace. It’s time to explain my motivation:

An Atypical Manifesto
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