CISPA: Because SOPA and PIPA got shot down... and the following companies are REALLY counting on the short attentions pans of the American People.
Read this list. If you thought the battle over SOPA/PIPA was between corporate giants...
AT&T
Boeing
BSA
Business Roundtable
CSC
COMPTEL
CTIA - The Wireless Association
Cyber, Space & Intelligence Association
Edison Electric
EMC
Exelon
Facebook
The Financial Services Roundtable
IBM
Independent Telephone & Telecommunications Alliance
Information Technology Industry Council
Intel
Internet Security Alliance
Lockheed Martin
Microsoft
National Cable & Telecommunications Association
NDIA
Oracle
Symantec
TechAmerica
US Chamber of Commerce
US Telecom - The Broadband Association
Verizon
You thought the fight was over? Oh no; it's just getting started.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Executive Order
Obama signed an executive order on March 16th (thank you for the birthday present, Mr. President).
Here's the biggest jaw-dropper:
Long story short: In the case of a national emergency, everything is nationalized. A national emergency... as deemed by the U.S. government, the officials of which have long since been deemed unfit to solve the nations problems, now seek to rend what remaining power is left in the people FROM the people...
and among the first things mentioned, agriculture.
I leave the rest of the implications to you.
Here's the biggest jaw-dropper:
Sec. 201. Priorities and Allocations Authorities. (a) The authority of the President conferred by section 101 of the Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2071, to require acceptance and priority performance of contracts or orders (other than contracts of employment) to promote the national defense over performance of any other contracts or orders, and to allocate materials, services, and facilities as deemed necessary or appropriate to promote the national defense, is delegated to the following agency heads:
(1) the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to food resources, food resource facilities, livestock resources, veterinary resources, plant health resources, and the domestic distribution of farm equipment and commercial fertilizer;
(2) the Secretary of Energy with respect to all forms of energy;
(3) the Secretary of Health and Human Services with respect to health resources;
(4) the Secretary of Transportation with respect to all forms of civil transportation;
(5) the Secretary of Defense with respect to water resources; and
(6) the Secretary of Commerce with respect to all other materials, services, and facilities, including construction materials.
(b) The Secretary of each agency delegated authority under subsection (a) of this section (resource departments) shall plan for and issue regulations to prioritize and allocate resources and establish standards and procedures by which the authority shall be used to promote the national defense, under both emergency and non-emergency conditions. Each Secretary shall authorize the heads of other agencies, as appropriate, to place priority ratings on contracts and orders for materials, services, and facilities needed in support of programs approved under section 202 of this order.
Long story short: In the case of a national emergency, everything is nationalized. A national emergency... as deemed by the U.S. government, the officials of which have long since been deemed unfit to solve the nations problems, now seek to rend what remaining power is left in the people FROM the people...
and among the first things mentioned, agriculture.
I leave the rest of the implications to you.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
"_____-ing for a Cause"
Self-awareness is alluded to so often, yet practiced so little.
As people get increasingly informed about all of the sociopolitical turmoil, emotional involvement at some level is almost inevitable. Each day, more and more people are choosing to act based on these great shifting tides, myself included, though one must be very mindful of where they truly stand in all of this.
We all seek to impose our own versions of the ideal world onto the world around us. Remember, your concept of the ideal world is constructed in large part because of the world that you've lived in (and hopefully with some creativity thrown in)... but how does this to apply to fighting for a cause?
Wait... fight?
I don't want to fight. Do you?
Whom do you want to fight? Why? How?
So many peers around me decry my own actions, claiming that I am no longer 'fighting for the cause'.
As saddened as I am to hear it, they're right. I am no longer fighting.
I am working for the cause.
Fighting necessarily entails an opponent. Occupiers around the world portray 'the rich' as their mortal enemies. By the same token, the owners of capital decry the protesters as whiny beggars.
The way I see it, both demographics are guilty of the same crime: ignorance.
They defend their own and seek only to maim the other without considering the idea that their true enemies may be among them.
The rallying call of the occupiers is the corruption of the government, but the rich haven't rallied together to fight the occupiers. Why?
Because they're not fighting; they're working.
By no means am I suggesting that ANY demographic has a disproportionate number of hard workers to lazy bums. In my experience, they are all rather evenly distributed throughout society.
I am suggesting that the rallying call be changed.
Just as I see weak-minded political servants being bought out because they'd rather life be easier than reject campaign funding from a given corporation, I also see occupiers spending their days accomplishing precisely as much as the aforementioned human placeholders: nothing.
Give a congressperson enough money to get re-elected, and s/he'll vote for whatever you like.
Give an occupier a social environment as angry as s/he is, and s/he'll chant whatever you like.
Want to make a difference? Work.
I don't mean 'get a job'. I mean work.
If you have the resources (food, shelter, a computer?) then you have the tools. Put them and yourself to use and WORK for it.
If you want to change the world, don't passively affirm those who affirm a few points of your goal.
Work for it, whatever your goal may be.
Impose your will onto the world and work to change it to your ideal, or it will be taken from you.
Those who do not actively create nor seek to create, yet persist nonetheless, only consume. These are the true parasites of society. They are not isolated to any demographic; they are everywhere. There are far too many of them. Do not become one of them.
The wealth of this world was and still is created by workers, and is now in the direct control of far too many parasites who only seek to consume, and have no desire to create. That is why Occupy has happened.
You certainly know some. They are among you. They are among everyone. Stop affirming them, at all levels. Each demographic guards their own members far too strongly to recognize the workers from the parasites.
The vast majority of citizens of the United States have a great number of resources that they seldom consider. Far too many computers, originally used as machines to perform incredible calculations and maximize human productivity had devolved into social networking tools, and now have fallen among mere toys.
Pharmaceutical drugs abused for the sake of recreation (which in far too many cases becomes addiction) were created to improve quality of life.
On YouTube, instructional videos or beautiful displays of creativity are seldom recognized and drowned in a deluge of over-produced music videos and commercialized 'internet memes'.
The workers exist too, though they're harder to find. Don't worry, plenty of them enjoy themselves just as much (if not better) than the parasites. They seek to accomplish and create. Find them. If the world is in trouble, they are the ones who will save it.
So... I've been reading Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"...
As people get increasingly informed about all of the sociopolitical turmoil, emotional involvement at some level is almost inevitable. Each day, more and more people are choosing to act based on these great shifting tides, myself included, though one must be very mindful of where they truly stand in all of this.
We all seek to impose our own versions of the ideal world onto the world around us. Remember, your concept of the ideal world is constructed in large part because of the world that you've lived in (and hopefully with some creativity thrown in)... but how does this to apply to fighting for a cause?
Wait... fight?
I don't want to fight. Do you?
Whom do you want to fight? Why? How?
So many peers around me decry my own actions, claiming that I am no longer 'fighting for the cause'.
As saddened as I am to hear it, they're right. I am no longer fighting.
I am working for the cause.
Fighting necessarily entails an opponent. Occupiers around the world portray 'the rich' as their mortal enemies. By the same token, the owners of capital decry the protesters as whiny beggars.
The way I see it, both demographics are guilty of the same crime: ignorance.
They defend their own and seek only to maim the other without considering the idea that their true enemies may be among them.
The rallying call of the occupiers is the corruption of the government, but the rich haven't rallied together to fight the occupiers. Why?
Because they're not fighting; they're working.
By no means am I suggesting that ANY demographic has a disproportionate number of hard workers to lazy bums. In my experience, they are all rather evenly distributed throughout society.
I am suggesting that the rallying call be changed.
Just as I see weak-minded political servants being bought out because they'd rather life be easier than reject campaign funding from a given corporation, I also see occupiers spending their days accomplishing precisely as much as the aforementioned human placeholders: nothing.
Give a congressperson enough money to get re-elected, and s/he'll vote for whatever you like.
Give an occupier a social environment as angry as s/he is, and s/he'll chant whatever you like.
Want to make a difference? Work.
I don't mean 'get a job'. I mean work.
If you have the resources (food, shelter, a computer?) then you have the tools. Put them and yourself to use and WORK for it.
If you want to change the world, don't passively affirm those who affirm a few points of your goal.
Work for it, whatever your goal may be.
Impose your will onto the world and work to change it to your ideal, or it will be taken from you.
Those who do not actively create nor seek to create, yet persist nonetheless, only consume. These are the true parasites of society. They are not isolated to any demographic; they are everywhere. There are far too many of them. Do not become one of them.
The wealth of this world was and still is created by workers, and is now in the direct control of far too many parasites who only seek to consume, and have no desire to create. That is why Occupy has happened.
You certainly know some. They are among you. They are among everyone. Stop affirming them, at all levels. Each demographic guards their own members far too strongly to recognize the workers from the parasites.
The vast majority of citizens of the United States have a great number of resources that they seldom consider. Far too many computers, originally used as machines to perform incredible calculations and maximize human productivity had devolved into social networking tools, and now have fallen among mere toys.
Pharmaceutical drugs abused for the sake of recreation (which in far too many cases becomes addiction) were created to improve quality of life.
On YouTube, instructional videos or beautiful displays of creativity are seldom recognized and drowned in a deluge of over-produced music videos and commercialized 'internet memes'.
The workers exist too, though they're harder to find. Don't worry, plenty of them enjoy themselves just as much (if not better) than the parasites. They seek to accomplish and create. Find them. If the world is in trouble, they are the ones who will save it.
So... I've been reading Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"...
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The Most Important Profession in Society
Farmers.
It's no surprise that as a society progresses and urbanizes, its citizens naturally become more and more disconnected from needing to attend to the basic needs of life (like food, water, and survival) and gravitates to problems of lesser necessity... though I do wish this wouldn't entail the lionization of farmers as a demographic.
For all those who have forgotten, food doesn't magically appear at the supermarket; people worked hard to deliver those... though too often, the people sending food to urban centers are marginalized and criticized by those who barely have any concept of what farming entails.
Restrictions on farming practices pile on year after year. Agricultural progress seems to be an afterthought, despite having unequivocally fostered and developed concurrently with human civilization since its birth.
I've been told that cattle cannot naturally digest corn.
I've been told that Australia only has so many fertile wheat fields because of phosphorus-infused fertilizer (as the land is severely deficient in phosphorous and would grow NOTHING otherwise), which is not a renewable resource.
I've been told that global warming will improve the crop output of the U.S. by 20% by 2020.
I've been told that 'organically raised' and 'sustainably raised' are mutually exclusive.
I've been told that humans who reject all foods that are processed (or from animals) are healthier than those who do not.
I can give you my opinion on these matters if you like... but I've included no links here for a reason.
Go find out.
If you have any opinion on how civilization is fed, find out.
Don't listen to me. Don't just feed off of information from an article, commercial, ad, documentary, or self-proclaimed specialist. Search for answers.
If you don't care to find out the finer details of the single most important profession in existence yet still have a strong opinion about the practices it entails, then I strongly suggest you re-evaluate your position.
They feed everyone. They deserve better than this.
It's no surprise that as a society progresses and urbanizes, its citizens naturally become more and more disconnected from needing to attend to the basic needs of life (like food, water, and survival) and gravitates to problems of lesser necessity... though I do wish this wouldn't entail the lionization of farmers as a demographic.
For all those who have forgotten, food doesn't magically appear at the supermarket; people worked hard to deliver those... though too often, the people sending food to urban centers are marginalized and criticized by those who barely have any concept of what farming entails.
Restrictions on farming practices pile on year after year. Agricultural progress seems to be an afterthought, despite having unequivocally fostered and developed concurrently with human civilization since its birth.
I've been told that cattle cannot naturally digest corn.
I've been told that Australia only has so many fertile wheat fields because of phosphorus-infused fertilizer (as the land is severely deficient in phosphorous and would grow NOTHING otherwise), which is not a renewable resource.
I've been told that global warming will improve the crop output of the U.S. by 20% by 2020.
I've been told that 'organically raised' and 'sustainably raised' are mutually exclusive.
I've been told that humans who reject all foods that are processed (or from animals) are healthier than those who do not.
I can give you my opinion on these matters if you like... but I've included no links here for a reason.
Go find out.
If you have any opinion on how civilization is fed, find out.
Don't listen to me. Don't just feed off of information from an article, commercial, ad, documentary, or self-proclaimed specialist. Search for answers.
If you don't care to find out the finer details of the single most important profession in existence yet still have a strong opinion about the practices it entails, then I strongly suggest you re-evaluate your position.
They feed everyone. They deserve better than this.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Abject Acceptance
Many with whom I interact are very detached from much of what's been happening regarding the political state of the world.
"It's not that bad."
I've heard it too many times.
"Relax."
That's good- don't freak out... but don't rationalize and sugarcoat.
Reputability is context-sensitive.
No, the major news networks aren't covering it anymore. The only people who actually talk about this are the ones who either go out of their way to find out, or seem to be surrounded by it... wouldn't you agree?
How many of your personal friends are looking for a job, or have been? How many people want to contribute, but keep getting shot down at the hands of either incompetence, ignorance, or barriers that are being created just as the doors are discovered?
It's happening more evidently every month. Jobs are running thin and need to be more specialized... and the avenues of specializing in any 'marketable skill' are scarce and continue to be more so.
And all the while, the masses hear of this, know it's happening, and shrug the responsibility off.
It's not a property that's unique to the 1%; it's a property of American culture.
"I'll do my job, and take care of what's mine."
It's easy for many people to hold collective responsibility for cruel deeds, but when the individual is singled out, moral stances seem to change.
When powerful people are held accountable, things change.
Shrugging off the notion that you can make any significant change is submission.
This is a culture of submission and compromise; of abdication and indignation. The infectious desire to possess has overtaken the desire to create in all levels of society, and it needs to stop.
It takes some drastic changes, and people adopting crazy ideas, and doing crazy things. That's what it takes.
And it's happening.
You don't have to believe that it's happening; it'll happen anyway. Things have picked up, and they're not slowing down. You can choose to keep distant and going about your daily musings, tangentially connected to it all, but it'll happen. You can make it easier. You can make it better.
You can talk. You can learn, understand, and spread the word... because this abject acceptance of the status quo is causing far more damage than passive admission.
Don't agree. Disagree. Argue. Exchange information and put in your opinion. Don't take anything for granted.
The news networks can say whatever they like; it's not over.
Not by a longshot.
"It's not that bad."
I've heard it too many times.
"Relax."
That's good- don't freak out... but don't rationalize and sugarcoat.
Reputability is context-sensitive.
No, the major news networks aren't covering it anymore. The only people who actually talk about this are the ones who either go out of their way to find out, or seem to be surrounded by it... wouldn't you agree?
How many of your personal friends are looking for a job, or have been? How many people want to contribute, but keep getting shot down at the hands of either incompetence, ignorance, or barriers that are being created just as the doors are discovered?
It's happening more evidently every month. Jobs are running thin and need to be more specialized... and the avenues of specializing in any 'marketable skill' are scarce and continue to be more so.
And all the while, the masses hear of this, know it's happening, and shrug the responsibility off.
It's not a property that's unique to the 1%; it's a property of American culture.
"I'll do my job, and take care of what's mine."
It's easy for many people to hold collective responsibility for cruel deeds, but when the individual is singled out, moral stances seem to change.
When powerful people are held accountable, things change.
Shrugging off the notion that you can make any significant change is submission.
This is a culture of submission and compromise; of abdication and indignation. The infectious desire to possess has overtaken the desire to create in all levels of society, and it needs to stop.
It takes some drastic changes, and people adopting crazy ideas, and doing crazy things. That's what it takes.
And it's happening.
You don't have to believe that it's happening; it'll happen anyway. Things have picked up, and they're not slowing down. You can choose to keep distant and going about your daily musings, tangentially connected to it all, but it'll happen. You can make it easier. You can make it better.
You can talk. You can learn, understand, and spread the word... because this abject acceptance of the status quo is causing far more damage than passive admission.
Don't agree. Disagree. Argue. Exchange information and put in your opinion. Don't take anything for granted.
The news networks can say whatever they like; it's not over.
Not by a longshot.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Radical Implications
"The corporative State considers private initiative, in the field of production, as the most efficient and useful instrument of the Nation."
"State intervention in economic production may take place only where private initiative is lacking or is insufficient, or when are at stakes the political interest of the State. This intervention may take the form of control, encouragement or direct management."That is an excerpt from Articles 7 and 9, respectively, of La Carta del Lavoro, also known as the Labour Charter of 1927, introduced by Benito Mussolini, and decreed by the Grand Council of Fascism.
Don't snap and declare me a crazy; feel free to make a counter-point.
Don't see red at the mere mention of comparing what's happening in the U.S. to what the history books teach as "fascism". Read it. Learn about it.
"Italian Fascism" was centered around a corporate economic system, which involved collaboration between corporation and state in order to set economic policy; the government's economic intervention was to consist of helping private enterprise. This was supposed to end "class conflict", and criminalized strikes and lockouts, prejudicial to the national economy.
Don't jump to conclusions. Don't take my word for it. This is the internet. Stop, learn, and think. I share with you what I find relevant. Please return the favor.
Now, onto other matters.
I'm sure you know that SOPA and PIPA have been shut down for now, many fear that they will return in some form or other.
In fact, have you heard yet about ACTA: the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement? It's actually rather strange how the text of the document seems to not be publicly available for reasons involving national security. Why do you think a treaty that deals with intellectual property would affect national security? Of course, you can read it here through the current glory of the internet.
Forbes magazine considers it worse than SOPA. They aren't the only ones worried.
Why is this relevant to my previous quip about the merger between corporate and state? Because on January 18th, the Internet Blackout caused quite a commotion. Websites that participated in this massive wave of collective political activism include Google, Wikipedia, Reddit, Wordpress, Flickr, 4chan, Craigslist, and countless others. Here's a slightly more extensive list.
And how did private enterprise respond? Well, Chris Dodd, a former U.S. Senator and current Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) posted the following in this statement:
“Only days after the White House and chief sponsors of the legislation responded to the majorWhat astounds me is that the people who claim that this sort of bill is necessary for the financial sustenance of the entertainment industry (or any facet of the economy that suffers from piracy) are almost exclusively those who RUN the industry. Most of the actors/artists/etc. who have spoken out about it are distinctly against it. So is piracy hurting them badly enough for something like SOPA? As far as I can tell, it isn't.
concern expressed by opponents and then called for all parties to work cooperatively together, some technology business interests are resorting to stunts that punish their users or turn them into their
corporate pawns, rather than coming to the table to find solutions to a problem that all now seem to agree is very real and damaging. It is an irresponsible response and a disservice to people who rely on them for information and use their services. It is also an abuse of power given the freedoms these companies enjoy in the marketplace today. It’s a dangerous and troubling development when the platforms that serve as gateways to information intentionally skew the facts to incite their users in order to further their corporate interests.
A so-called “blackout” is yet another gimmick, albeit a dangerous one, designed to punish elected and administration officials who are working diligently to protect American jobs from foreign criminals. It is our hope that the White House and the Congress will call on those who intend to stage this “blackout” to stop the hyperbole and PR stunts and engage in meaningful efforts to combat piracy.”
What is the best part of all of this fun? Chris Dodd publicly threatened on Fox News that he would not contribute to Obama's campaign for speaking out against SOPA.
Ah, the power of money.
...though I fully expect this election to accomplish little in terms of how corporate and state is merging.
Why do I think so?
Mark Patterson: Obama's current Chief of Staff of the Secretary of the Treasury, used to be a Lobbyist for Goldman Sachs.
William Daley: Was Obama's Chief of Staff [and Clinton's secretary of Commerce starting 1997], and was also on the Executive Board of JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Jack Lew: Obama's current director of the Office of Budget and Management, and is slated to become Chief of Staff in February. He was also a Chief Operating Officer for Citigroup.
Valerie Jarett: Senior Adviser to the President. Was the CEO of real estate development and management company The Habitat Company, board member of the Chicago Stock Exchange (Chairwoman for a while), and is on the board of trustees and directors for several other companies.
These people make articles like this seem kind of strange.
So why compare this with 'fascism'? Why be worried? Is the government catering more to private interest than the public good? Well, as I'm sure you know, the Occupy movement, which has been largely targeting big business and corruption in U.S. politics, has been rather active about political dissent.
So, the NDAA Passed. Congress has knowingly created a loophole that can deny the rights stated in the Bill of Rights to U.S. Citizens. This has been met with a LOT of hostility. In my opinion, rightfully so.
Was it bad enough? Apparently not.
Here's the kicker of this blog post:
On October 12th, 2011, Senator Charles Dent introduced the Enemy Expatriation Act. What does this do?
Well, it amends the Immigration and Nationality Act.Rebellion and Insurrection, Seditious Conspiracy, and Advocating Overthrow of Government all qualify as grounds for having one's citizenship revoked. This bill adds the following clause:
"engaging in, or purposefully and materially supporting, hostilities against the United States"
I encourage you to read through it, but here's my version of a summary: Actively advocating a change in the government that involves going against the current system is grounds for removal of citizenship. This makes anyone who acts in a manner that encourages structural change that is antithetical to the government's intention subject to whatever the U.S. justice system affords non-U.S. citizens. How does that make you feel?
Here are some other takes on this bill.
In grimly related news, the LAPD will be participating in a joint military training exercise in Los Angeles. AWESOME.
If you disagree with anything stated here, please don't be silent about it.
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