JUST ANOTHER ANGSTY BLOGGER WITH WEAPONS FOR BOOBS

I want to blog about kittens. But I can’t. Nope. You know why, copyright. The copyright laws are about to change and not change in a good way, change in a bad way. I hate to do this, but I’m about to get really personal here.

One of the main issues with TPP is it address the copyright on pharmaceuticals. Meaning it would make it so insurance companies and the government at fault for reimbursing people for on generic brand medicine. Without reimbursement for pharmaceuticals it means the insurance company that pays for my family’s medicine, may have to take my mom (who has had MS for 14 years and been in the hospital since May), off of what ever generic medication shes on right now and creates more red tape further hindering legally getting a hospital bed and a ventilator home for her, because we have to buy them used and that would be breaking a copyright law.

This bill literally fucking kills people.

There are currently four major things that will make copyright more restrictive. TPP, the Trans Pacific Partnership which will not only do copyright laws usual bullshit, censor the internet, but also restricts access to medicine in the developed world and medical aid to the developing world. It does not accommodate itself to the reimbursement of pharmaceuticals (as discussed above) and could potentially makes the sale of used goods, illegal.

Then, there is ACTA, here’s a link to an article on it

Bill C-11, almost identical to the previously introduced Bill C-32 short titled Copyright Modernization Act, was introduced in the house of parliaments 41^st session today.

This bill doesn’t let you self-publish e-books and flags broadcasts on your PVR. It won’t let you screen shot videos or transfer music from CDs to your iPod. This bill is Canada’s version of SOPA/PIPA

So the governments made it perfectly clear to us that their not going to stop trying to censor the internet; do you know what we have to do? We have to make it perfectly clear that were not going to stand for it.

Online we raise awareness on these things, but offline is where the real action happens.

Don’t go to see movies anymore, I know it may be hard, but download everything. Stop buying merchandise and movies, buy as little as you can.

Its a tame suggestion in comparison what I’m about to suggest. The previous suggestion is really for the people who are not willing to go the extremes of what I’m about to suggest.

My first suggestion is a blackout. Like Wikipedia did to protest SOPA but in real life. Get a large sheet of black fabric or a large piece of construction paper, write the word censored in white paint. Tape it to as many advertisements as possible, on the subways, bus stops, new stands, everywhere.

I do this next one on occasion when I walk my dog at 1AM, because I’m weird but now I’m going to do it as often as I can. Wear your Guy Fawks Mask or other masks or other ways of concealing your face, daily, no matter where your going. Freak people out. 

Draw or find pictures of cartoon characters doing obscene things, print them out, write the words “Stop censorship” and post them everywhere.

Go to your city hall or what ever government buildings are in your city or town and tape black construction paper with the word “Censored” on all the doors and windows.

Stage a fake funeral in malls and mourn the death of free speech.

I know these are all out there and will grab attention, that’s why I’m suggesting them.

But what do I know? When I get arrested for doing these things, don’t bail me out. I’m not a banker.

Project “What have you done, Pro-lifer?” “Unite the sides”

Abortion is unnecessary in a perfect world. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. Needless to say, I do believe in birth control and for that reason, among hundreds of other reasons, I (like so many others) believe that abortion should be a safe, legal, last resort.

I felt like I had only seen one side of the Pro-life argument, there has to be more to it then just yelling at terrified pregnant woman.

On the pro-choice side, we boast “Use birth control, abortion is a last resort. It should be safe and legal”. On the pro-life/anti-choice side, they say be abstinent. On the pro-choice side we try to stop unsafe abortion through action and education, on the pro-life side they try to stop it through good will and religion, but what about after the child is born and during the pregnancy. There had to be more to the pro-life movement then what I was seeing.

Well, I’m no pro-lifers so I took to the ask boxes of pro-lifers and I asked them a question, tailoring to the wording of what ever I could gather about them from their blog. Regardless of wording I tried to be anonymous unless I couldn’t or was asked not to be, but I always asked the same question:

“As a pro-lifer, what have you done, personally, to help a woman during pregnancy and after the birth of a child?”

I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome of my……I guess you can call it a social experiment, when I saw there are a lot of pro-choicers who do something to help woman through their times of difficulties and a lot more who would if they had the opportunity.

Maybe I’m overstepping a boundary by saying this, but if the pro-choicers and the pro-lifers got together instead of yelling at each other, and made a concerted effort to stomp out rape culture and help people who needed it, instead of being vicious, we could do amazing things. But, sigh, I’m an idealist. Maybe one day we’ll all live in utopia. Take it as you may, (I don’t know, I think its awesome when people do good things) here is what I’ve heard from the opposite side of the argument:

To Nikosnature http://nikosnature.tumblr.com/                  Jan.29

A woman walks into your church one morning bawling her eyes out. She tells you she has been the victim of a violent rape and she is pregnant with a child she doesn’t want. She tells you she feels like she cannot handle the child and wants an abortion. You manage to talk her out of the abortion. Now that she has to carry the child, how do you help her through the 9 months? How would you help her after the birth (adoption or raising the child)? As someone who works with the church…(Cont’d)

(Cont’d)….I am sure you have had to face situations like these or similar, how have you dealt with rape victims wanting abortion in the past?

NN

Your question is how would you help someone in pregnancy and after birth? Perhaps especially if they are victims of rape?

I think the first thing I must do is spend time with her, ask her what she needs, simply be there for her, learn what her circumstances are. Then once we learn what the hardest parts of her situation are, the church would use its resources to make those parts easier where it could. Above all, she must be a participant in the process, letting us know what her needs are. I can’t give you a better answer, since every person is different, and thus every person requires a different kind of service.

Question:

Hi, so its the same anon that asked to question about how to help the rape victim. What I really am curious about/want to know about is have you personally ever done to help woman through this situation (whether it be rape victim or otherwise). Seeing as you are such a pro-life advocate, one would hope that you provide woman with alternatives to abortion, that includes caring for the fetus once it is born. What are your personal experiences in making an effort to stop abortions by caring for ppl

NN

I am 18. I unfortunately haven’t had many opportunities to help people in that situation yet. However, a friend of mine is planning on opening up a prolife pregnancy clinic, and I hope to play an active part in that project.

The one experience I can tell you about is one of my friends who was raped as a child, and still dealing with the psychological effects of that trauma in high school. I won’t bore you with the details, but there were many times when she threatened to kill herself and so I stayed up all night on the phone talking to her. It was only after she tried to run away and we spent the whole night searching for her that we realized that she needed more help than we could give her, and that’s when they sent her to a school and ‘hospital’ for children with ‘difficulties.’

Question:

It wouldn’t be boring to talk about how you helped someone, in fact its advice that could help people. Education is important, it allows us to consider all options. Would this “pro-life pregnancy clinic” provide information on safe sex to those who need it? Abortion doesn’t have to be an option when sex is safe.

NN

It would present abstinence, chastity, and natural family planning (for married couples) as signs of a healthy sexuality. It may or may not also discuss artificial contraceptives and compare and contrast them to the other methods I have described.

—————————————————————————————————————-

To Itsnotachoiceitsachild http://itsnotachoiceitsachild.tumblr.com/ Jan.29

As a pro-life activist, what have you done to help someone through her unwanted pregnancy and what have you done once the child is born to ensure that the child is in a safe environment?

INACIAC

As we are not yet in the position to help such women, we have only tried to enlighten them. None of us on this blog are of age, so for this you can not judge us. However, the pro-life movement has funded and advertised many Pregnancy Help Centers, all of whom’s sole purpose is to help women who are dealing with unplanned pregnancies. If I were to come across a woman who was dealing with an unplanned pregnancy, I would direct her to a Pregnancy Help Center (drive her, if necessary) and give any and all advice at my disposal. Many members of the pro-life movement have also offered free ultrasounds and other such services.

—————————————————————————————————————-

As soon as I get more answers I will post a part 2…..

Question applies to both sides:

What have you done to help stomp out unwanted pregnancy and stop rape culture?

I remember life before Occupy. I would never want to go back to it. Life before Occupy was rife with self-pity and a feeling of helplessness. Since the movement, my life has been one of action in the lives of others, being inspired and passing that inspiration on; finding confidence and filling a void in my life by speaking out about the injustices faced by myself and others.  

I’ve kept a lot of my criticisms about the Occupy movement to myself for a long time. As an Occupier, I consider occupiers across the world to be my family. In fact, I am closer to my Occufamily then I am to my actual family. Knowing that there are people who share my life experiences has made me confident in my actions, both inside and outside movement. The Occupy movement is truly life changing and whether or not you agree with the message, at least we’re not sitting on our asses not giving a damn about anything other then money.

My reluctance to criticize the movement also comes from knowing how people like to twist and distort the Occupy message. It makes me fear that anything negative I say about the movement, regardless of how small or constructive, will be taken from people outside the movement who haven’t opened their mind and are willfully ignorant to the problems we try to address, and changed into more one sided, biased criticisms.

Being the only Occupier at my school, a friend of mine was asked to help him on a presentation about OWS. The PowerPoint, that was presented before I was supposed to go up and talk, contained more falsities then I could even address. Notably,  “Occupiers demanded billions of dollars” and “Occupy Toronto still is occupying St. James Park” among others.

The introduction to the class before I talked, that was given by my friend, literally went like this: “I hate occupy, so here is an occupier to talk about it”.

I got up to talk about my experiences to this class. Originally, I had a whole thing planned explaining the various committees I had been on, the people I had met, etc. but I was told I wouldn’t have time to talk about all of those things and that I should keep myself to about 2-4 minutes so I did. Unfortunately I had more then 2-4 minutes to talk and less questions then was expected.

The experience I choose to talk is one I feel summarizes the motivation of the movement as a whole. It is the story of a man I met in St. James park, a homeless man who was dying. When I asked him why he didn’t seek treatment for what was killing him, he looked me in the eyes and said “I know I’m going to die, but if I can do even one good thing before I go, I want to do it”. For him, the occupy movement was a last chance to do something good and for most (if not all) the people in the movement its the one chance we have to make the world a better place.

When I told this story to the class (the whole story, not the short 1 paragraph summery I provided above), I saw a lot of people in that room go from thinking negatively to thinking positively. 

When asked what the movement has accomplished here in Toronto, the answer I gave was a list of things others and myself had done, including sharing apartments after eviction.

One criticism that was brought up during this presentation is actually one of my biggest criticisms of the movement. “You claim to represent the 99% but I never voted for you guys to represent me”.

The label “We are the 99%” is misleading. The 99% is a diverse concept that can’t be summed up in a four word phrase. When people hear “we are the 99%”, it gives a broad generalization to the movement, it doesn’t give any idea as to what we plan to accomplish and hearing this broad generalization combined with the skewed media coverage has allowed for people to think they understand Occupy, when they haven’t talked to anyone within the movement. Most people know the points and goals of OWS, but in their own city, they can’t be bothered to go down and hear what their fellow citizens have to say. While OWS was the original, it does not speak for occupy movement as a whole, each local movement should speak for themselves. At least in my eyes.

I also think calling corporations and CEOs the “1%” is not very effective. We are alienating people by doing this. We shouldn’t be hostile to anyone. At the end of the day whether or not the “1%” recognizes it, they have hurt us, but we can’t have an open dialogue with them if we are yelling in their faces and telling them to fuck off. For every CEO who steps down, there will be another money driven business person waiting to take their place and I doubt they will be any better. We need to talk to the one percent and change the way they think.

For example, how many condo developers design green roofs on their condos? Not many. If we talk to them about having green roofs becuase their good for the environment, and we tell them green roofs are attractive and you could get more money for your condo; it becomes a trend to build green roofs on your condos. Then we’d be one step closer to changing the way people think about living, because now there is a green roof where you have the opportunity to grow crops.

We’re better off benefiting the 100% rather then the 99%. The 100% being everyone who is human.

Society is not going to change overnight. We have to put devices in place to allow people to change, this happens locally. In the past, I didn’t think OccupyTO talked about localized issues enough, but in the past few months, I am happy to say that has changed. Occupy the budget and other efforts to raise awareness on the budget cuts, have helped make an impact. Makes me proud. The march to show we didn’t agree with Harper on pulling out from Kyoto, while didn’t receive much media attention, did keep the topic relevant. More Occupy workshops have started to pop up in various places, Free Skool had its first successful teach in this month. Nothing is more effective then making the movement more local based and education oriented. We can not change the world until we change ourselves.

The movement has come a long way since the park. It has evolved. New people are still joining and events are still being held. Mainstream interest in the movement may be dwindling, but people who want to make a difference and really care about the issues, are still there, the movement is still growing.

One thing I’ve been told repeatedly, is that “There is always a protest in your heart”. As long as there is unrest and injustice that will always be the truth.

I like the direction the OccupyTO is going in; more local, more small changes, more clear focus.

Yes, the problem is capitalism and greed, but those things aren’t going to go away unless we make them go away. It begins here and it begins with you. The fact is we aren’t powerless.

Occupy is one huge family. Yes, we fight. Yes, we argue. Yes, we disagree with each other sometimes.Yes, we make mistakes. But at the end of the day Occupy is a group of people who have set aside their differences in an effort to make the world a better place.

When we’re having drum circles its to celebrate. When we glitter riot cops its to replace violence with something shiny. I really hope we can sit down with our politicians and come to an agreement where we don’t feel like throwing flaming bottles and setting shit on fire is a valid option.

On the first day of Occupy, I showed up with a sign that said “Solar is forever, oil is temporary” on one side and “Wind is forever, oil is temporary” on the other. On that day, for the first time in my life, I got up and spoke on an open mic. I yelled my fears at the sky; my fear of OSAP debt, not having sustainable energy, poverty, large corporations, corruption and irresponsible government. At the end of it all, everyone clapped and told me I had the right thoughts. I had never felt like I had belonged anywhere other then there and I still feel that.

Back at school, everyone was talking about occupy. I was constantly overhearing “Occupy is stupid” and “There are no issues”. You can’t spell “Apathetic” without “Pathetic”, jus’ sayin’.

You don’t have to be an occupier to do help people, if you want to make a difference, do it. Occupy is about making the world a better place and a society free of apathy. 

Occupy is hope for all who seek it and if you can’t see that then you should take off your blindfold, becuase there is a whole world of beauty waiting to be dug out from under the issues, and its right in front of you.

But what do I know? I’m an occupier

So valentines day is on its way. You ready to get down? Ready for all the flowers? Ready to cook a special dinner for the one you love? Maybe eat ass tons of chocolate?

No? Me neither.

I’ve been dateless on valentines day my whole life. I miss the days when you could walk up to someone, throw a piece of paper at them and yell “WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE!”. Sigh, those days are over….Or are they. I say we bring them back this year, buy people cards throw them at your classmates, what could go wrong?

Nothing, that’s what. (Not actually, paper cuts really hurt and so does rejection)

One of the best things about valentines day, is that the day after valentines day, any chocolate that stores didn’t sell goes on sale for like half price, ensuring you won’t have a boyfriend/girlfriend next year either.

Its not just you and I who is forever alone on this holiday. There are tons of people who don’t have partners. Lots. Tons. Many. SO MANY. SO FREAKIN’ MANY. And a lot of them are not necessarily bad looking. In fact most of them are really cute with good personalities.

Being alone on valentines day or any other time of the year doesn’t make you ugly or unattractive or not a good person, it just means that you haven’t met anyone who can appreciate how awesome you really are. When people make you feel like your not worth their time its actually the other way around; they’re not worth your time.

Relationships are a lot of work anyway. All that drama, for what? You love them? Love shouldn’t be a burden. The dates are a lie!

Of the three relationships (technically one, the other two lasted a week so don’t really count), I can tell you, spending excessive amounts of time with one person can get really boring, unless it’s the right person and until you find that person why bother tormenting yourself over pointless relationship drama. 

And if you think you’ve found that person, treat him/her like you would a friend and if it gets all…..you know, then so be it. You have to be willing to put the time and effort into a relationship for it to be a good relationship.

Valentines day is the celebration of being together, and yes, traditionally being together as a couple but I think we should have a new tradition, with all the foreveraloners getting together and having a giant dance party instead of sulking on the couch eating funions. 

So if you don’t have a date this valentines day. Hug your best friend or better yet, hug a stranger who looks lonely. Be happy on valentines day regardless of relationship status

But what do I know? My longest lasting relationship was 3 months

Abortion

I’d like to start this blog by saying I know two people who have had abortions, one of whom was a rape victim, who felt insanely guilty aborting the child but she also was homeless at the time of the rape. I’d also like to add that this post is directed at the pro-lifers/anti-choicers.

Now pro-lifers and anti-choicers, I’m sure that over the years many a person has tried to talk some sense into you, and I’m sure in the coming years they will continue. In this on going debate that seems to last forever your side always seems very confused on a few issues and on the views of the pro-choice side.

No one on the pro-choice side is saying every woman who gets pregnant should have an abortion. What we are saying is that it should be a safe and legal procedure, free of stigma and a viable last option when all else fails. The pro-choice movement advocates the use of condoms, birth control pills and other proven methods of safe sex to prevent woman from getting pregnant. In a perfect world abortion wouldn’t have to exist, but the worlds not perfect; condoms break. A culture of rape in our society forces woman into back alleys and scares them into silence. Woman have complications while pregnant that put their life and the life of the unborn fetus at risk. Sex stigmatized causing safe sex to become an inaccessible option.

If the pro-life movement was really about saving lives, then they would be advocating the use of condoms. Not just to stop pregnancy, but also the spread of disease. Abstinence can not be considered a form of birth control, when the act of abstinence is refraining from sexual contact. I know abstinence is the only form of birth control endorsed by the bible but at the time of the bible birth control did not exist.

Using your bible to justify a woman’s right to make a choice on a medical procedure doesn’t make sense. The bible is not a medical text book. In none of the copies of the bible that I have read, does it ever mention anything about science and medicine as we know it today. Touching someone and using your magic powers to heal them is not a measurable or effective medical procedure.

Using your bible as a medical text book is like using an issue of Cosmopolitan magazine to study for a math test; your going to fail your test on test day.

Woman who choose to give the child up for adoption after a rape are very strong woman. It defiantly is not recommended as keeping the child would be a constant reminder of the rape and carrying it would be nine months of trauma. While adoption is an option, the emotional trauma that would come from the pregnancy itself is too much to bare.

The other woman I know who had an abortion was having medical problems. The baby wouldn’t have survived and it put her life in danger, abortion was her only option. Did this stop the pro-life “activists” from getting in her face on the way into the abortion clinic? No.

With abortion legal, neither of the two people I know put their lives in danger. They were able to see a licensed physician and not some back alley guy with no idea what he is doing.

Unfortunately, abortion is not legal in all places. These are the places where victims of rape are forced to go to extreme measures , because they have no other option. These are places that actually have higher abortion rates.

Pro-choicers aren’t forcing people to have abortions but pro-lifers want to force people to give birth?

Pro-choice is pro-life. Its pro-support for rape victims, pro-education, pro-human rights, pro-not bringing children into abusive households, pro-health. Pro-choice is just that; a choice

Anti-choice is oppression and misinformation.

But what do I know? I’m a virgin (as I’m sure most of the anti-choice movement is)

With valentines day with in two weeks of us, a lot of my friends have begun talking about what they’re planning, whether it be crying on the couch watching rom coms or taking their loved one to a fancy restaurant. I always feel like right after Christmas, everyone begins shoving valentines day down the throats of everyone else.

Between Valentines day and the GOP debates I’ve been thinking a lot about societies attitude towards sexuality and all the taboos that go with it; abortion, the word “slut”, body image, gender roles, and everything in between.

I have a lot of blogging ahead of me and for the next day or two, during study breaks I’m planning to blog about all of those topics.

Enough about that lets get started.

About a year or two ago, I saw a video that changed the way I thought about the word “slut”. I never gave much thought to labels like “slut”, “skank”, “whore” or otherwise derogatory terms. I didn’t feel it effected me at all, as I had never (at least to my knowledge) been called a “slut” or anything similar. 

The more I thought about it, the more I began to notice other peoples usage of the word. There have been several instances since my heightened awareness of the word, in which I have wanted to do nothing more then take a backhand to someones face.

Often, I find myself biting my tongue in conversation in which the word “slut” is used fluently. The first time I ever pointed out to someone, it made no difference. In fact I still find myself getting on this persons case when he uses the word.

We were standing in the hall at school just before lunch break. All the classes were just getting out. A girl walked by us wearing TnA sweatpants and a low cut shirt.

He turned to me and said “See that girl?”

I replied “Yeah?”

“Shes a slut”

This was conversation we often had and usually I’d just shrug it off, move on to the next topic. With my heightened sensitivity to the word, for the first time, I looked at him and asked

“Why?”

He thought for a second and pointed at the topic of our conversation, who was going about her business putting her books in her locker “Look at how she’s dressed. She’s a slut”

“I don’t see anything wrong with what she’s wearing”

“No, she shouldn’t be wearing that”

“But last week, when your girlfriend bought basically the same outfit you were all for giving her tons of praise and telling her she should dress like that more often” I was quick to point out

“Yeah, but it looks good on her. That girl can’t pull it off”

I shook my head and changed the topic to keep myself from getting upset over nothing. When his girlfriend, whom we had both been waiting for came out of class, I put the conversation in the back of my mind.

Since, I’ve constantly noticed peoples quickness to point out perceived flaws in a complete strangers outfit. I’m not excluded from this group, but when I catch myself thinking “She shouldn’t be wearing that” or “she looks like a slut”, I’m quick to tell myself its a) none of my business, b) she could easily look at me and think the very same thing and/or c) find something about what that persons wearing that does look good.

I’ve overheard many a conversation where two guys talking are about a chick and the conversation goes along the lines of:

Guy 1: Did you fuck her?
Guy 2: No, she didn’t want to
Guy 1: What a slut
Guy 2: I know right?

I always find it ironic because I’ve heard just as many conversations that go like this:

Guy 1: Did you fuck her?
Guy 2: Yeah
Guy 1: She sleeps with everyone, shes a slut
Guy 2: I know right?

Either way you can’t win.

I think its safe to say, that none of us are fashion police. None of us look like airbrushed models and none of us have a stylist living in our closet telling us how to dress in the morning. The perception of perfection differs for each person but its no ones place to put someone down, regardless of how “slutty” you think they look or how much you dislike the way a garment fits someones body. Beauty has no size or color, but it does have an attitude.

You don’t do anyone any good by pointing out what you think is wrong with them. If someones happy with themselves, then why is it your business to tell them otherwise? As long as their not gyrating in front of you wearing nothing but fishnet underpants, its really none of your business. They aren’t hurting a single person by being confident but you’re hurting not just her, but every girl who wears what they want and feels good about themselves, by labeling one girl a slut.

Don’t go holding girls who don’t meet YOUR standard of beauty to that standard. Especially if their complete strangers. That just makes you a judgmental person

But what do I know? I wrote this whole thing in my underpants

How SOPA/PIPA and ACTA are connected is summarized easily in this comment, found on the Youtube video Anonymous: A Statement on ACTA 

SOPA/PIPA was just a smokescreen to keep ACTA secret for as long as possible until it’s signed. Do you see how everyone knows about SOPA/PIPA, but nobody knows about ACTA? Did you see how the White House so readily denied support to SOPA/PIPA because of internet censorship, yet they so readily sign ACTA’s treaty? Open your eyes people, SOPA/PIPA aren’t the problem. I urge you to pass along this message to other people, let everyone know. Fuck ACTA!

However, ACTA has existed far longer then SOPA/PIPA. As I discussed in a previous article, ACTA has been in the making since 2008. Its been heavily guarded all this time and its more potent then SOPA and PIPA could have ever been.

 Yesterday in the Poland, thousands took to the street to protest ACTA and Polish politicians donned Guy Fawks masks.

I’m sorry that I’m simply posting links and not going in depth about the issues, but I want to focus on in this article is action. What must be done now, and what must be done if ACTA does pass.

What must be done now to stop ACTA

Spread the word: Reblog anything and everything about ACTA. Share on every social networking site, do everything you can to spread the word.

Educate Yo’self: Google’s your best friend. Use it before ACTA takes it from you.

Prepare Yourself For the Next Round of Censorship: I hate to say this, but as long as the internet is free the governments will try to censor it. Once ACTA is destroyed we’re going to have to deal with Trans-Pacific Partnership

Sign Petitions: Sign all the petitions ALL OF THEM!

What Happens if They Censor Us?

To quote my previous article, as mentioned above:

And if the internet gets censored, I hope ever single person with a computer and every single person who values free speech, takes to the streets. I hope everyone comes out wearing knock off Nikes, listening to a bootleg iPods before joining hands with total strangers and singing “Happy Birthday”. And when Warner executives come with their “Cease and Desist” letters to get us to stop singing (because Warner owns the copyright for “Happy Birthday”) we look them dead and in the eye and tell them to arrest us all.

I’d like to see them try.

Demand your rights. Demand your freedom. Demand an end to attempts at internet censorship.

But what do I know? I just want to see the government stop trying to censor the internet

Remember last week when everyone was like “Fuck SOPA” and Wikipedia shut down? Yeah, well this week the US Congress is proud to bring you…..ACTA! But does ACTA stand for?

Does it stand for “Anti-Corporate Tyranny Act”. No

Does it stand for “Adorable Cat Top hat Association”, nope, not even close.

ACTA stands for Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. The bill has been going through drafts since 2008. Had it not been for Julian Assuage and Wikileaks we would would never know about it. This bill has been heavily guarded since the its conception. In September 2008 when several public interest groups across the globe filed requests for access to information reports each request was denied. The only group that even got close to seeing the document was Canada’s own The University of Ottawa’s Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic who received a document stating the title of the act and everything else was blacked out.

With a bill this super secret we can assume it has no relevance to to anything that would effect the life of every day earthlings, right? No. Of coarse not. No government would ever exist to work for the people.

ACTA is the product of large media and content companies scrabbling to spite the very audience they are trying to market to. Unlike SOPA and PIPA, ACTA is world wide with over ten countries having signed the agreement. ACTA is Disney Vs. The Public Domain all over again. However, this time, we’ll be well aware of those attempts on free and we’ll be right there to say “Fuck you. That’s not happening”.

ACTA goes beyond the internet. It also effects generic products.

So imagine your 8, and its summer. You’re bored as hell and its hot outside. You make lemonade and you set up a lemonade stand at the end of your driveway. You’re just sitting there, when all of the sudden a black van pulls up and two guys in black suits and shades get out. They walk over to you and throw you in the back of the van, they tell you you’ve broken a copyright law because who ever invented lemonade has a copyright and you should have to pay them the damages. Even you’re 8 and only made 90 cents that day, you owe “Mr. Lemon’s Lemonade Company” 100,000$ because you broke their copyright.

Same goes for the internet. You cover a song, using your own voice, instruments, etc. even though you never made a cent, your internet gets cut off and you owe some music company thousands of dollars.

Internet, I know you’re full after eating PIPA and SOPA, but PIPA and SOPA were appetizers. ACTA is the main coarse. Here’s an ant-acid, get your gun, get pissed and get going.

The governments on every continent are trying to do everything in its power to keep the citizens of the world from knowing and thinking. They want to send us back to the dark ages where no one questioned and everyone just went along with doing as they were told, no matter how much harm it caused.

No government should do anything in secret, they work for us. It’s not their job to tell you what you can or can’t watch. This isn’t George Orwell’s 1984 unless we let them turn it in to Oceania. If the government and large companies wants to fight 7 Billion people, I invite them to see who wins.

This is a big deal. Tell everyone. Even your cat.

And if the internet gets censored, I hope ever single person with a computer and every single person who values free speech, takes to the streets. I hope everyone comes out wearing knock off Nikes, listening to a bootleg iPods before joining hands with total strangers and singing “Happy Birthday”. And when Warner executives come with their “Cease and Desist” letters to get us to stop singing (because Warner owns the copyright for “Happy Birthday”) we look them dead and in the eye and tell them to arrest us all.

I’d like to see them try.

Demand your rights. Demand your freedom. Demand an end to attempts at internet censorship.

But what do I know? This article wasn’t censored

robot-heart-politics:

yesterdaybells:

How is atheism even a thing?

My face when I read the question ^

Despite reading countless articles and watching every GOP debate, I have refrained from blogging about any of the Republican candidates. There is so much ridiculousness from every GOP candidate, that everyday the hand mark on my forehead from facepalming gets a little more red. There is something about Karen Santorum’s comments that need to be pointed out.

On Monday Mrs. Santorum (see video here:http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/16/karen-santorum-gays-vilify-my-husband/) , announced to the world with tears in her eyes,“Its very sad what the gay activists have done out there. They have vilified him. Rick doesn’t hate anyone” unless you speak something other then English or want the right to merry the one you love. But he doesn’t hate you that’s you vilifying him. “People will come up to us and say something, and we’ll ask to give us an example and they can’t even give us an example” not taking into account, that if somebody says you don’t support human rights because you don’t support gay marriage then that is in fact a valid criticism.

This actually would have been a really good opportunity for Rick Santorum to show some dignity, maybe even win some supporters. This could have gone well for him. If he had said something along the lines of: as much as I don’t appreciate the comments that the opposition have said about me they have the right to their opinion. Or: I respect that some people do not like what I stand for but they should respect my feelings.

Anything that wasn’t directly agreeing with the idea anyone who doesn’t agree with his views is a “backyard bully”, would have sufficed. Had he handled it with some tact, and even just said “I don’t think its fair the way internet bloggers and ‘the left’ has treated me during this race”, nobody would be able to say “Rick Santorum doesn’t understand the difference between someone not agreeing with him and a schoolyard bully”.

But his response instead should make everyone question Santorum’s ability to handle criticism from opposing view points. When people criticize and question Obama for spending money on his family or having multiple expensive houses, he doesn’t turn around and say “your all backyard bullies”. He respects that people have the right to think that and whether or not he actually takes into account those comments is debatable, but he isn’t go around calling ever tea party member, anyone who supported claims that he wasn’t an American citizen, every disappointed Obama supporter, immature names just because they don’t agree with him.

The fact that Rick’s response was a frothy mess of bullshit and horse jizz disappoints and amuses me at the same time

“This is not an issue of- not doing what I’m called to do, which is to love everyone and accept everyone” Santorum began, the LGBTQ community and immigrants are not included in everyone “But this is a public policy difference and I think the problem is that some see that public policy difference as a personal assault”

When your told you don’t have the same rights as everyone else that is kind of a personal assault on everyone who you are telling they do not have those rights. “that because I believe that marriage, which has existed before governments existed” Last time I checked the Ancient Greece Kingdoms were an early form of government

“Marriage existed from the very beginning of time” We didn’t exist from the very beginning of time “It’s the way we were meant to be.” No Rick, no. Marriage has evolved to allow divorce, and in some places same-sex marriage, if we were all meant to be ignorant bigots we wouldn’t think, but some of us actually think. “Laws are in place so families can be together” Unless you have two moms or two dads, “to give every child their birth right” unless are gay or an immigrant. “To know and be loved by their mom and dad” Unless you are gay or a born American whose parents were immigrants, in which case your parents must be deported.

“If we don’t hold that up as something society is for” But you don’t hold that up as something society is for. If you want to deport immigrants and deny them the opportunity for a better life then you are not for loving and accepting families. “We shouldn’t deny the children and the future whats best for them” If you hold the bible up and say this old book is not old and we should fallow every word of it then your taking 100 steps back. You can’t say “I love everyone” and then deny people their rights. “If it [marriage] doesn’t have an intrinsic value and worth then you’ll get less of it” marriage would be more valued if it was accessible to everyone. The LGBTQ community values marriage that is why they are fighting so hard for the right to be married. “Information is a very powerful thing” then why are you in favor of internet censorship and SOPA? Are you afraid people may find information and form opposing opinions?

“When we have a hero that stands up for biblical values, their controversial. Their the ones who are scorned and ridiculed” Did Santorum just call himself a hero? He certainly can’t save himself.

Nobody is scorning or ridiculing Santorum for standing up for the bible, people are scorning him for being hateful and ridiculing him for being ignorant.

Rick has once again proven he can not handle being the president of the United States America. Even if you agree with what he stands for he just proved not only is he unable to handle criticism he also reads what people post about him online. Which means he has seen a fair amount of what people have to say about his policies and dismissed every critical comment about them. Instead of retrofitting his policies to fit the wants of Americans and cater to those potential voters, he has casts them to the side and feels sad that not everyone agrees with him.

But what do I know? I’ve figured out ways to use the word ‘Santorum’ everyday in casual conversation for the past two weeks.

inothernews:

evangotlib:

I just donated $100 to Ken Aden’s campaign because of this.

You know what to do.

This is a sickening story.  And we can do something about it, Tumblr.

If there is anything that pisses me off more then large corporations killing our planet, it is the Canadian governments attitude towards the First Nations community.

In case you were unaware, Canada’s done some pretty classy things to the Native community in the past few years, such as; sending body bags instead of hand sanitizer to Manitoba reserves during the swine flu epidemic, lets not forget the current state of Attawapiskat which was so bad that the Red Cross had to intervene, then of course there is the land claims that always seem to be an issue but every year it seems to get worse and a little less attention. Do I need to mention the First Nation’s people were here first?

You never hear about these things because most of the native community is segregated from the rest of Canada on reserves that don’t serve their purpose. The purpose of native reserves was to allow the native people to practice their cultural traditions. However, you can’t fish when the lake is so polluted that all the fish are dead and you can’t hunt your own food when all the animals you traditionally hunted have gone extinct. Did I mention this is their land?

Maybe I’m biased because I’ve been to a reserve and had to boil water because its too dirty to drink straight from the tap. Congratulations industrial era! You fucked up!

Because the environment is dying, natives can not practice their tradition and while I agree with education on the reserves I think we’d be better off learning from the traditions of the natives.

While these amendments to the “Indian Act” include better education for people on the reserves, I can say with all certainty, its an attempt in vein to make Harper look good. Calling the document the “Indian Act” in the first place, just goes to show you how little the government actually values native Canadians. Native Canadians are not Indians, Indians are from India, native Canadians are from Canada.

Reserves all across the country are surrounded by petroleum processing plants, tar sands, acidified lakes, and other unnatural health-harming institutions. This never makes it to the newpapers long enough for anyone to say “Hey Harper….WTF” because it makes the Government look bad and that can not happen.

One of the key things about native traditions is not being wasteful, where as consumerism does the opposite. If Stephan Harper really gave a shit about natives, he’d strengthen the environmental policies of this country. He has made it clear on several occasions that the economy trumps all, and the environment isn’t an issue.

Harper can take the “Indian Act” and shove it where the sun don’t shine. It is an insulting for him to use the native community as cash cows, and say “Look what I did” when he did nothing and people are still hurting. It disgusts me to no end that our prime minister would rather come up with multiple phony apologies and fake attempts to help native Canadians.

Harper’s motives are not to help the natives, they are to help the economy. He cites a Canadian Centre of Living Standards study that says helping natives “would add $400 billion to the national economy and save $115 billion in spending.” Harper doesn’t care about the natives he just cares about the economy.

Meanwhile the natives will continue to cry out for a better planet. Or at least I will.

But what do I know? I’ve spent time on a reserve.

Read About It From A Less Angry Perspective Here: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Changes-to-Indian-Act-through-new-legislation-Harper-137968448.html

I’ve known tons of people who use religious scripture; whether it be the bible, the torah, the Qur’an or other, as their inspiration to help the less fortunate. Just about every place of religious warship I know or have heard of, has or supports a food bank and sometimes even runs a homeless shelter. I’ve seen religion unite people and I’ve seen it divide people ideologically.

At the core of most, if not all, religious teachings there is one thing in common: they all preach prosperity, happiness and hope.

That is why I have never understood religious groups who use religious scripture (specifically the bible) to justify homophobia.

Recently I have come across several groups who oppose sexuality and sex ed, being taught in schools. The main argument I’ve heard, even seeing it in my tumblr dashboard this afternoon, is that it confuses kids.

A group which calls itself “Canadian Values” (website here: http://www.canadianvalues.ca/SCC/), is currently running a campaign called “Stop Corrupting Children”. The most disgusting thing about this campaign is the misinformation they spread.

There are several factual errors in this video alone, anyone who has been through the Ontario School System can and should point out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blkFl0-ZJdY&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

-0:11, “I’m a girl my teacher is leading me to question if I am a boy”. I know people who have questioned their gender, in fact when I was in pre-school, I knew a boy who used to dress like a girl and a girl who used to dress like a boy. The boy who dressed like a girl stopped at some point when he stopped questioning and started dressing like a boy, there is nothing wrong with that. The girl who dressed like a boy is transgender, there is nothing wrong with that either.

-0:20, assuming “Intersexed” they mean “Intersex”, commonly referred to as “Hermaphrodite” which is when one is born with genitalia that has non-gender binary features. If you question whether your penis is a penis or whether your vagina is a vagina, and you come to the conclusion it doesn’t fit either or those categories, then you are intersex. Chances are if you are intersex, you knew that already because your parents saw you had non-gender binary genitalia at birth and if they are supportive, are doing everything in their power to make sure you comfortable in the skin your in, whether you identify as male, female or neither.

-0:28, “I have to search images of the gay pride parade”. What school is this? I have never heard of any school where this happens.

-0:36, “My mommy says they won’t let her withdraw me from class”, in grade 5 when I learnt sex ed, there were several people who had notes from their parents and were withdrawn from class.

-0:41, “Read a textbook: Am I a boy or a girl” Once again, where does this happen? Also I’d more worried that your five year old (because sex ed is taught to five year old’s apparently) is reading a textbook and not a ten page storybook.

As I pointed out in the last part of that, they use a five year old girl, which is really misleading because sex ed isn’t taught to five year olds!

I love how this group’s core message is “Don’t teach kids about gender it confuses them” yet they haven’t come out against allowing teachers to read story books in which the role of the female is to be a pretty princess who waits for her prince because she is too bloody helpless without him and the role of the male is to come along and “fall in love” and kiss a girl who he’s known for like a minute then provide her with a castle.

If teaching kids that someone can be anything other then straight male or straight female confuses them, then why is it OK to teach girls that the most important skill to have is to be a princess and why is OK to teach boys that they need to provide everything for themselves and their “princess”.

Stories of princes and princess’s, even if they are not sexual, always enforce gender roles and skipping the process of getting to know a person and just being in “love” with them. Can you tell me what the point of “love” and marriage is? Maybe a five year old can’t express it and probably doesn’t understand it but subconsciously they are taking cues.

Gender and sexuality is already taught, not just in schools but in the home and on the playground and where ever else children go.

If you are a heterosexual male or female, then you know at a very young age you are a heterosexual male or a heterosexual female. To you the opposite gender is taboo, that is why they all have cooties and that is why you must run away from them with great hast and agility.

When you are gay or lesbian you know you are gay or lesbian at a very young age. You are not necessarily able to express your sexuality or even understand what sexuality is but you know you what you like and what you don’t like.

You know when your at a party and everyone is talking about some TV show you’ve never heard of and you feel really out of place? Imagine that but in your own body all the time. That what its like to be transgender or intersex. You don’t feel out of place because you don’t know what the people at the party are talking about, you feel out of place because if you say anything different from what is being discussed everyone might look at you funny. However if the people at the party are really nice and understand not everyone watches that show, maybe they’ll give you the name of the website where you can watch it or better yet change the topic.

If we never change what is being said, then the spread of knowledge and understanding won’t happen. If we refrain from teaching kids it is OK to be different, they will grow up feeling oppressed and society will never evolve. I’m aware evolve is a bad word to bible thumpers but I’m talking about evolving from apes, I’m talking about to a world where everyone has access to information and people discuss instead of simply turning a blind eye to what they don’t understand.

When I was little I thought sex was a kind of tea, but that’s another story.

Growing up, I was never interested in boys or girls, I didn’t see gender, I saw people. I never felt like I fit in. The label “bi” refers to a sexual attraction of both genders but I wasn’t attracted to gender. I discovered AVEN and someone told me the sexuality I was describing was Pansexual. I had never heard the term and when I looked it up, I broke out in tears. For the first time I felt like I wasn’t alone, like there were other people out there who also had the same sexuality that I do. I was never taught about my sexuality and neither was anyone else. It doesn’t matter what you call it, we are all human in the end. If anything we need more education on sexuality, not to kids but to parents.

The most heart breaking thing about these groups like “Stop Corrupting Children”, is the children of these parents. If I ever have a kid I would love them no matter what their sexuality or gender was but I can’t say the same these parents. It makes me sad when I hear stories about people who are oppressed in their own homes because their parents do not understand sexuality and out right oppose anything that doesn’t fit the norm.

How much do you want to bet, that there is at least one, if not more children in custody of members “Stop Corrupting Children” who do not feel safe in their home because they are part of the LGBTQ community and they can not tell anyone about how they feel. When they become teenagers they will have to make a decision between loving who they love or leaving their family. That sounds pretty corrupted to me.

But what do I know? I thought sex was a kind of tea until I was ten.

Today, students at York University, Toronto, begin a “10-Day campus camp out”. In a press release from York Federation of Students, the organization stated

“The “Freezing to Drop Tuition Fees” camp-out is designed to draw attention to the chronic underfunding of post-secondary education that has left Ontario students out in the cold.”

The protests come on the back of a Liberal tuition grant that cuts tuition by 30% and can only be obtained by one third of all students. But lets be real here, this is a government funded program, so the reality is, there is probably so much red tape that its more like one fourth of all students can apply or receive the grant, and everyone else is still left with thousands of dollars in OSAP debt and no job to pay it off. Of the 45 new pledges written by the Liberals for better post secondary funding, there is no mention of tax increases so how the Liberals plan to implement these promises is still a mystery. Maybe they’ll borrow from the bank of tomorrow and leave the tax payers of the future to pay the interest.

“There’s simply no better investment a society or economy can make than in its youngest generation by equipping them with the best possible skills,” said McGuinty.

This is his way of justifying saddling the future with debt. Apparently the government has not learnt from the mistakes of the Wall Street stock crash in 2008.

When you promise prosperity to hopeful people, but you don’t discuss future repercussions of your prosperity and you don’t plan for when that prosperity ends, you get a lot of angry people in the next generation, who don’t have jobs or homes or food or a future. This is the problem we’ve had in Toronto for the last half decade or so, we kept increasing services but kept tax at the same level and now we have to cut everything because as Budget Chief Mike Del Grande pointed out last week “No one complained when we increased taxes by 2.5% when it should have been 5%”.

Tuition to post secondary is not like houses; you can’t foreclose on education, you can’t just say “Oh, it appears you can not pay back your OSAP debt, let’s take away your diploma” and with only 29,000 students finding jobs after university (Stats Canada, 2009) chances are no one will have the money to pay back their debt or pay taxes for that matter. If you don’t plan for the future, the prosperity of today will be short lived and all that will be left over will be a lot of angry homeless people with degrees in engineering who know how to make bombs and grenades and demand an answer to the question “What the hell? Why does everything suck?” All the government will be able to answer is “Well…uh….remember 2012? Yeah those were the good ol’ days”. Then Canada will join the rest of the world in civil unrest because things are going to get bad, and you think they’re bad now, you just wait for the oil to run out.

It is absolutely terrifying that our politicians would rather appeal to our sense of entitlement then take time to actually plan and raise taxes. As unpopular as it is to raise taxes, it is far more unpopular to cut services, however getting the country into more debt then it can handle seems like a valid option, just look at the financial issues their having in Europe. The government shouldn’t be running itself like a crack addicted bartender; yeah sure, right now he has the money to support his habit, but when you’re the only person in the bar and he finds he has no more money for crack he is going to call in the 1000$ tab you’ve racked up over the past few years, and chances are you don’t even have 1000$ to pay him.

The Liberals are trying to appeal to a youth market; they want to make the very intelligent decision of legalizing and regulating Marijuana, they want to give tax incentives to families who enrol their kids in after school programs to keep kids off the streets and they want to give home renovation tax credits so that way people with disabilities can continue living at home. The Liberal platform is a good platform. The promises make sense; there is measurable benefit to people and not corporations, it takes into account people and not profit, it is a platform that is written for seniors and struggling families. People, who always seem to fall through the cracks and get left behind by the current system, may finally get a government who cares about them. There would be a 16 billion dollar deficit in the Liberal budget this year. With no tax increases there is no way to even out this deficit. Part of having a government is making the unpopular decisions. Raise taxes. Keep services. The future will thank you.

But what do I know? I got my acceptance letter to George Brown yesterday.

What Really Happened Yesterday at City Hall  

Yesterday, at Toronto’s Nathan Phillip Square in front of City Hall, police and protesters collided and inside of chambers security and “Stop the Cuts” members collided.  

Sometime after a five minute recess that lasted ten minutes, phones began going off in the chambers and we the spectators of the circus known as council, were made aware that outside four people had been pepper sprayed and several were punched in the face by officers. Upon the news chambers began to empty as they began barricading City Hall’s main entrance.  

I was sitting in council last night. Upon receiving several texts from outside telling me not to go outside, I stayed, worried. On my way into City Hall Chambers last night I passed several reporters, I even talked to one inside, so one would think all headlines this morning would read “Protesters Punched and Pepper Sprayed”….Nope. Everyone I’ve talked to who has read media coverage of what happened last night has no idea about  the pepper spray, a few know about one or two people getting punched by officers, but what I have read of media coverage of the event there has been little coverage on the cops use of pepper spray.  

The cops say that protesters were unlawful, and yes, shaking a barricade is very unlawful and understandably threatening to a group of police officers on the other side, but the reason they barricaded the doors does not make any sense. 

The protesters shaking the barricades were trying to get inside the lobby, which has the capacity for at least 500 people if not 1000. There was far less then a hundred trying to get in and there were approximately 39 people inside that lobby. That is my estimate, from when I was in the lobby at 6PM before a friend and I were randomly invited by a security officer to go into the chambers and watch the “action” unfold in council chambers.  

The spectator’s seats were all full so I leaned against a wall on the highest platform. When I came in, Councilor Doug Ford was in the middle of a speech in which there was at least one misquoted key financial figure. There were several outbursts from the audience, and Speaker Francis Nunziata became increasingly flustered over the course of the meeting.  

At the five minute break, I went to go sit beside some friends of mine when a seat became vacant.  

Watching the meeting from a different angle gave me a different perspective. I had not noticed that at every vote Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti would put his thumb up or down to signify to everyone else how he was privately voting. This struck me as strange, but what struck me as stranger, was that the Speaker or anyone else for that matter did not bother to stop him. Notably, Councillor Gloria Lindsey began imitating Giorgio Mammoliti, by thumbing up or down how she was going to vote.  

There were two outbursts from stop the cuts members. The first one came from three women standing at the platform where I had stood earlier. After a vote they chanted “Stop the Cuts!” and were quickly met by police officers. The officers escorted them to the elevator, waited for the elevator, realized the elevator was not coming fast enough and escorted them down the stairs. The woman continued chanting down the hall until we could no longer hear them, at which point the elevator arrived.  

The second outburst came from another “Stop the Cuts” member who shouted something along the lines of “Why don’t you look outside!” she was promptly escorted out as she pointed out the very important observation, the one that sparks the occupy movement “You were elected to represent us, why don’t you represent us”. Everyone clapped at her observation as her point is in fact a valid one.  

With fifteen minutes left in the meeting the chambers weren’t even half as full as they were earlier. When the meeting ended, I went back outside to Nathan Phillips Square. 

Inside, I had figured that all of the texts I had received were blowing everything out of proportion. I was met with the potent odour of pepper spray outside. A lot of my friends who I met up with had red eyes from the dispersal of pepper spray and one of my friends had a bruise from being punched by an officer.  

I have a theory on why this story about pepper spray and police brutality is being downplayed or not covered at all. The media believes the public has grown tired of stories featuring protesters (especially from the occupy movement) being pepper sprayed.  

When we are pepper sprayed, it just proves how valid our point is. It proves that democracy doesn’t meet the wishes of everyone and the opportunity to express that isn’t covered under free speech. It proves that our democratic society isn’t so democratic and that free speech comes at a price.  

With the whole city watching the budget this closely, councilors have begun to stand up to Ford. Weather or not that effort is enough to keep him from crippling the city is a whole other animal.  

Tensions will continue to mount today on day two “Occupy the Budget” at city hall.  

But what do I know? My eyes still hurt from last night.

If you’ve been on the internet for more then twenty minutes, then it is safe to assume it has probably affected your life, in one way or another. Whether it be connecting with old friends through social networking or e-mail, reading articles on blogs, watching videos on youtube, doing research for a project, or ordering a t-shirt with a picture of a cat eating a cheeseburger on it; there is no denying the internet has affected us all.

On January 15^th 2012, the debate on “Stop Online Pirating Act” (SOPA) began in the American Legislature. Don’t be confused by the adorable name, SOPA is very dangerous.

SOPA would allow for networks and media production companies to remove your site from the internet at whim; all because you posted their content, thus infringing on a copyright. That includes the remixed, fan-fiction, reinvented, captioned, memeified, covered, and recreated content.

If Warner, who legally owns the song “Happy Birthday”, so chooses, they could take down a video of your siblings/children’s birthday party because you sang Happy Birthday. Artists who cover music, using their own arrangements, their own instruments, their own voices, would be shut down faster then you could click the like button. All torrents; gone.

Now, reader, assuming you read super fast, you’ve been on the internet for three minutes, if not longer. You may have noticed that I have the ability to openly criticize the government. No ones threatening to take away that right….at least not yet. You may also notice that I’m talking about the U.S. but I live in Canada.

You see, the censorship of the internet in one country affects the world’s internet because the internet doesn’t have citizenship in one country like you or I. The internet is a global community. A library where everyone has a card and there is no need to worry about your book being overdue.

In 1979, the Disney Corporation sued the cartoonist Dan O’Neill. Disney won the suit which sent O’Neill into bankruptcy and as a result of the trial; he never drew or published any comics, post 1979. Circulation of the “Air Pirates”, the comic Disney sued him over has never been reprinted for mass distribution. If SOPA passes, then we all become Dan O’Neill.

Everything from comics to scientific data becomes subject to copy right claims and you become a potential target for companies to take everything you have. The internet will become a playground for copyright holders and a prison for the internet populous.

On January 18^th 2012, we will learn what it would be like to live in an internet free of “Wikipedia English Edition”, as it will go dark for 24 hours. However if SOPA does pass; most of the articles, references and external links will go dark…Forever. Along with Wikipedia, Reddit, will also go dark. And while Reddit may be going dark for 24 hours, be aware that if SOPA passes; Reddit along with Youtube will be the first sites impacted by SOPA.

If the internet is home, then sites like Reddit, Youtube, Wikipedia, Tumblr and Know-Your-Meme must be the light bulbs which illuminate every room. Interwebz, if we don’t kick the bully known as SOPA out of the house that is the interwebz, then we will be robbed and censored of the knowledge and content that we value so much.

We can’t let SOPA pass. This isn’t about where you live, it’s not about your social or economic class, no matter who you are; the ability to express your views and your content will no longer exist… if SOPA happens.

As a global community we have been challenged, are we going to let the internet go dark? Is this the end for the glorious network known as the internet? Are we going to let this amazing tool, that has transformed our lives, slip through our fingers like sand? I don’t think so.

If you don’t speak out now, you may be silenced tomorrow.

There is one thing you should take from this:

Speak. The. Fuck. Up.

But what do I know? Here is a petition to stop SOPA:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet/

Why I Hate Everyone: The Toronto Budget Clusterfuck Crisis

There is a plethora of things I can say about Rob Fords agenda and there is a googleplex of ways I could describe my opinion, but none of them are very polite so I won’t. Instead I will focus on the labor dispute currently unfolding in Toronto. Have I lost you yet?

Remember how amazing it was in 2009 when Toronto unions decided to strike and the whole city smelled worse then usual? No? Let me just refresh your memory.

In the summer of 2009 Local 416 decided it would be an amazing idea to strike at the beginning of the summer. Day-cares closed, parks stopped being maintained but most importantly garbage workers stopped picking up garbage (more so then usual). The outcome of that strike was that garbage workers who don’t pick up trash, the ones who pass your house without stopping, have job security AND a pay raise. I don’t hate the unions, I just really feel like in the particular instance of the 2009 strike, the city should have done a better job negotiating because as a result Toronto residents had to pay more money for the same service. To put it into perspective, my neighbor didn’t get her garbage picked up for two weeks, the only reason she finally got it picked up was because she stood at the end of her driveway and literally watched the garbage men pick up the trash, put it in the truck and drive away, if she had not done that it probably won’t have gotten picked up.

But, I digress.

So what does any of this have to do with present day Toronto? Well, person who is reading this, right now the city is in talks over the new contract for outside and inside city workers. Normally there would be no big deal, this happens every year. Its like backwards Christmas because it often involves the tax payer giving more money to the city, which pays the mayor, Rob Ford, who ironically looks like a very evil, clean shaven, Santa Clause.

The big deal this year is that all city services are being cut back by 10%, while taxes are being raised by 2.5% the equivalent of 60$ The same amount of the automobile licensing fee that was cut, that only people who own cars pay for. Now everyone who owns a house pays it.

The union doesn’t want to strike, the union wants to negotiate. The union has said they want a 3-year wage-freeze, instead of completely cutting the jobs of everyone who is covered under this union.

Here is where the whole situation gets sticky.

You have Ford, who doesn’t even want to file a board report and wants to cut all city services by 10%, but makes it seem like he wants to cut everything by 90% and replace all libraries with Tim Hortons.

Then, you have CUPE. A union who in the past, has gotten way way way too much in the past (as mentioned above).

Yet for some reason, the idea of cutting benefits for city workers is seemingly none existent. I’m not talking about cutting sick days or pensions, I’m talking about the cutting the ridiculous stuff. The stuff that doesn’t often exist in the private sectors, because private companies can’t afford it.

Here we are cutting essential services like TTC, EMS, firefighters and police, meanwhile people who are covered by this “Job for life policy” get to keep their jobs regardless of performance. Why is it that someone who can’t afford a car has to deal with a fare hike for the TTC, meanwhile the dude who can afford to pay for an idling car and is stuck in gridlock no longer has to pay 60$ to pollute the air? Why are selling off parts of public housing while shelters are overcrowded? Why are we paying private consultants millions of dollars to make suggestions that benefit the rich and push the poor further into poverty?

Why is Toronto left with the decision between having absolutely abysmal service or overpaying city workers? I’m not against CUPE, I’m against the unrealistic clauses that the city settled on in 2009 that helped lead us into this mess AND I’m against all of the mayors who over the past three years decided taxes don’t need to keep up with inflation. Look where its landed us.

We’re all trapped in this clusterfuck of stupidity. Why? Because of a 60$ fee being cut and no tax hikes for 3 years. Now Rob Fords going to basically fuck us all with a sand covered dildo when he cuts everything.

But what do I know? I hate everyone in this situation.

On this date two years ago, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake and sever aftershocks killed 316,000 Haitians. For a brief moment the world turned their attention to the struggling country that is Haiti, reached deep into their piggy banks and pockets, and gave what they could, sending a strong arm to pull people from the rubble and a loving hand to rebuild. 1.5 million Haitians still remain without homes to this day.

Rebloging this or writing your own post about the Haiti earthquake’s two year anniversary, won’t bring those lost.

But it will remind the world that there are survivors and they are still suffering