Where have we been for the past year (and change)? Let's just say that we were deep under-cover. And, while we've seen plenty of things that have gotten us worried over the past year or so, there didn't seem to be anything worth leaving the bunker over.
But, lately, there have been a few developments that warrant our return to the Internet, that haven of craziness.
We've been apprehensively following the latest assault on privacy from our "government" (puppets, to a man): The Real ID act. In what could be considered the legislative equivalent of using a child as a human shield, it was passed mostly due to the fact that it was attached to a military appropriations bill. According to this CNET article:
"Starting three years from now, if you live or work in the United States, you'll need a federally approved ID card to travel on an airplane, open a bank account, collect Social Security payments, or take advantage of nearly any government service."
Sound fantastic. We can't wait for the "Real Electronic Micro-chip in the Ass act." Expect it in 2007.
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Ok, this wasn't enough to draw us out of our hasty and unannounced retirement. What, we asked ourselves, was the point of highlighting issues about which we should all be genuinely paranoid? It was this article about a recent poll:
"In one finding, 43% of the public says the press has too much freedom, while only 3% of journalists agree. And just 14% of the public can name "freedom of the press" as a guarantee in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, in the major poll conducted by the University of Connecticut Department of Public Policy."
Please understand that we have our problems with the so-called "free-press." But, considering that most of those problems have to do with the fact that they are so obviously in thrall to their evil, hidden masters (corporate for sure, aliens... well, maybe), we think the solution is to have more freedom of the press. Yes, in spite of things like this.
Wake up drones! The lives of your children are at stake!
Ok, this wasn't enough to draw us out of our hasty and unannounced retirement. What, we asked ourselves, was the point of highlighting issues about which we should all be genuinely paranoid? It was this article about a recent poll:
"In one finding, 43% of the public says the press has too much freedom, while only 3% of journalists agree. And just 14% of the public can name "freedom of the press" as a guarantee in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, in the major poll conducted by the University of Connecticut Department of Public Policy."
Please understand that we have our problems with the so-called "free-press." But, considering that most of those problems have to do with the fact that they are so obviously in thrall to their evil, hidden masters (corporate for sure, aliens... well, maybe), we think the solution is to have more freedom of the press. Yes, in spite of things like this.
Wake up drones! The lives of your children are at stake!