Omnia Mutantur » Freedom

Guilty by accusation

Ricardo — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:31:08 +0000

OK, more freedom stuff, because getting my blood boiling keeps me warm.

New Zealand’s Copyright Amendment Act assumes that you’re guilty the moment you’re accused because, well, that’s easier.

I kid you not, that’s a quote from a former MP. The burden of proof would of course be switched to the accused, since they’re the ones with an active interest in it.

Boy, I should look into moving into New Zealand. Sounds like it’s becoming a swell place. Can’t wait for this principle to be applied to other aspects of the law.

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Is it your device or theirs?

Ricardo — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:02:55 +0000

You may have noticed that the number of posts related to freedom and privacy has decreased significantly. That’s because I’ve mostly given up on people caring about their own privacy, and it feels significantly like I’m preaching to the choir, with the eyes of the mostly apathetic congregation glazing over.

Still, what the fuck.

Free software is an issue I mostly stay away from, since a lot of the free software rhetoric comes from either a very commie point of view or simply misguided mantras like information wants to be free! (no, information doesn’t want anything), but this sort of Apple nonsense is an excellent example of what pushes people to the extreme of claiming that all software should be free. If I own a device, for which I paid with my own money, it is my property. I should be allowed to run whatever the hell I want in it. That doesn’t mean that I can necessarily redistribute Apple’s code, but come on, insisting on turning customers into criminals just because they want to use software other than that blessed by Apple on their devices is idiotic at best and corrupt at worst. They still haven’t learned that extremism on one side will engender extremism on the other.

Listen to Lessig, people. It’s a fight you can’t win, and you’ll only end up alienating those who so dearly wish to give you their money. ProTip: that’s not so smart a move in a recession.

Non-ranting information at the EFF link above, as well as the Free Your Phone site.

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The Dark Knight Zeitgeist

Ricardo — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:36:53 +0000

An almost obligatory post, but I’ll keep it short. Ledger’s Joker is a brilliant gene-splicing of Alex from A Clockwork Orange and Forrest Gump – all that energy with a completely child-like lack of impulse control. He’s that kid who sets your dog on fire, finds it hilarious, and quickly moves on to even funnier stuff. There is some short, but very direct commentary on warrantless spying and what actions are acceptable in order to stop a madman; as well as what a true leader does when his fight with a lunatic gets out of control and the people get scared and demand someone’s blood. It was just as good as I expected but unexpectedly political, and its timing couldn’t be better.

Oh, and Batman’s in it too.

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