Moderation

It seems that 'experts' are always rambling on about how we should do everything in moderation. Since I always trust these appointed messiahs of knowledge, I decided to follow their advice today. After a moderate amount of running, I spent a moderate amount of time with my ass in my recliner while eating a moderate amount of ice cream.* Take /that/, experts.
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*This is Michelle & Alice's fault. During their visit last week, they decided to buy 3.14159 metric buttloads of ice cream and let me keep all the leftovers.

Legal != Moral

I have always been surprised by the number of people brainwashed into believing that legality and morality are one and the same. Here are two quick ways to counteract that myth:

1) There are no moral issues with me watching a DVD movie that I have purchased. None, zero, zilch. Did you know, however, that it is illegal to watch any major studio release on a computer running most non-Windows operating systems? Do you really think that I'm outlaw scum because I've watched Office Space on Ubuntu Linux?

2) So-called 'submarine patents' are legal in the United States, but nobody can rightfully claim that they are an ethical use of the patent system. Patents exist to encourage innovation, but submarine patents do exactly the opposite; they punish companies who innovate and reward 'companies' that are little more than a bunch of lawyers writing and/or buying broad/obvious patents. They wait for the patented techniques to enter widespread use and then sue the pants off everyone that may be in violation.

One last note: Why don't we hold corporations to the same moral standards to which we hold people? Huge companies/cartels buy laws, and then we give their anti-competitive, anti-consumer actions the 'thumbs up' because they aren't violating any of the laws they sponsored (or even wrote). Wrong is wrong, no matter what is written in the United States Code. Microsoft [1, 2], RIAA [3, 4], Samsung [5], and Electronic Arts [6]: are you listening?

some people... :backhand:

I went to the grocery store just to pick up some milk and bananas. A nice, quick, simple errand. When I walked out of the store, I noticed even more loose shopping carts in the parking lot than normal.

As I got to my car, there were two middle-aged women (50 years old or so) loading groceries into the car in front of me. I suddenly got a very bad feeling, and slowed way down to make sure they'd get into their car before I left. Sure enough, Woman #1 (the driver and obvious ringleader of this criminal gang) closed her trunk, pushed the cart aside, got in the car, and closed the door.

Woman #2 was still outside the car, so I politely said "Excuse me." They couldn't hear me over their insipid babbling, so I tried a little louder. "Excuse me, ma'am." Nothing. Argh. "MA'AM." At this point, Woman #2 finally turned around. I pointed to the cart, and asked "Aren't you going to put away your shopping cart?" In shocked disbelief that somebody would actually call her on her evil deed, she just stood there in silence. I repeated myself, but still got no response. Then her master beckoned, and she ducked into the car without so much as a single word or facial expression.

Those of you who know me well also know that I was about to explode by the end of this encounter. I was half shocked and half furious, both meanings of 'I can't believe' that these women would do what I just saw them do, even after being confronted about it. Things like this really make me worry about humanity. :sigh:

Spelchek

I'm frustrated with the way kids are taught vocabulary (specifically written vocabulary, aka 'spelling'). I think the emphasis is all wrong. Students are pushed to learn more and more difficult words just for the sake of learning more difficult words. Instead, the focus should be on enabling better communication, which is the whole dang point of vocabulary in the first place.

Before learning words like 'disapproval' (tricky to spell but rather unique), one should be able to use both 'loose' and 'lose' (easy to spell, but often confused with each other) correctly. The same goes for to/too, there/their/they're, your/you're, brake/break, and many other word combos (which are often homophones) that people have trouble with. Such errors actually hinder communication. On the other hand, spelling the word 'dissaproval' is relatively harmless, since nobody is likely to confuse it with any word but 'disapproval'.

On a more practical note, current technology makes my stand even stronger. Though I don't advocate the use of technology as a crutch, any word processor (even the basic Blogger editor) will catch simple spelling errors ('dissaproval') but all have trouble with valid words being used in the wrong context ('Don't loose that noose, or I'll brake you're car and take it too the chop shop over their.').

Peerflix

Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to Peerflix. It's the peer-to-peer network that the RIAA and MPAA can't touch. Why, you ask? Because it's made 100% legal by the Doctrine of First Sale.

Right now the service only applies to DVDs, but CDs and video games are on the way. Check it out, give it a try, exercise your first-sale rights, f@$% the MPAA, and watch some cheap-ass movies in the process. Win-Win-Win.