Dirty Red Commie

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) has a petition regarding the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).

ACTA is an attempt to regulate pretty much everything electronic. It has been drafted behind closed doors and has, for the most part, been kept completely secret. It attempts to, among other things, require countries to impose a 3 strikes law (if you're accused of an illegal file copy 3 times, you're in trouble, regardless of guilt). It also attempts to require DRM for just about everything.

I urge everyone to sign the FSF petition on ACTA.

Here are some links to more information:
FSF on ACTA
has some information on ACTA
Wikipedia ACTA page
Public Knowledge ACTA page
Office of the US Trade Representative on ACTA
Intellectual Property Office (UK)

 Many of us here at Dirty Red Commie are adamant admirers of The Flaming Lips, just ask last.fm .  However, until now we weren't aware that the feeling is mutual:

Voters in Oklahoma have declared The Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize?" their state's new official rock song, but not if state Republicans, angered by bassist Michael Ivins' communist attire, have anything to say about it. Perhaps it was just a shout-out to his fans?

Rachel Maddow is obviously another honorary Commie.

Well, the title just about covers it.

When the world's gone crazy, let Mad Magazine be your guide.

The secret reason for War, Pestulance, and the other riders is a million monkeys, which is something we all knew anyway, but monkeys rule, right?  Cracked.com explains the Monkeysphere, which is all around us, even now in this very room.  

(Oh, warning: some swearing, but well worth the read.)

Well, man has a point:

 http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/fidel_castro/2007/05/ideas_cannot_be_killed.html

I hope someday we can all go to Cuba. 

Second Life is a virtual on-line world reminiscent of Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash. In addition to the communication and games afforded by most virtual worlds, citizens can create, buy, and sell property.

The French organization Front National caused a stir when it set up a headquarters in Second Life. The protests held there have quickly escalated to violence. Violence, in this context doesn't mean people are being hurt. The area the organization has settled in doesn't even allow virtual property damage. Some of the weapons used are purely symbolic, such as machine guns and bombs. Others have a stronger effect in the virtual world--attacks designed to overload that area of Second Life so as to make it temporarily unusable. Pig bombs, holographic attacks, push guns, and rez cages are some of the weapons unique to this virtual world.

What a surreal story. I wonder if these sorts of events will start to make wider press in the near future.

According to the BBC, UK airports will no longer allow you to have carry-on baggage.  This is apparently in response to the foiling of a plan to blow up a plane. 

 The only things you'll be able to carry onto a plane are wallets, small quantities of non-liquid medication, glasses (but no cases), contact lens holders (but no solution), baby food (you have to taste it for them), diapers and such, tampons and tissues (unboxed), and keys (no electric keyfobs).

 Notably, you can't have a laptop, a music player, a book, or even a magazine.  Not even a couple crayons.  You also can't bring any liquids onto the plane. 

Can you imagine a trans-atlantic flight with no reading material, no music, no laptop, no video games?  I would go completely batshit insane.  I would hijack the plane and crash it into the sea just to end the interminable boredom.  (Note to NSA et-al: This is meant humorously.  I would never do such a thing.  Unless it was a plane full of politicians.  (just kidding))

 I'm interested to know how exactly I could hijack or blow up a plane with a paperback novel.  My first thought was the possibility of malicious paper cuts, but they do allow you to bring necessary travel documents--presumably printed on standard paper.  Maybe it's the content of the books they fear.  Incendiary language, perhaps.  Magazines, I understand.  I heard someone once robbed a bank with a rolled-up magazine.  And glasses cases are understandable.  They could be hiding anything in there.  If only there was some device they could use to see if anything dense or metallic was inside--some kind of ray machine.  But that's just science fiction, right?

(From BoingBoing) 

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-869183917758574879

It's a little over 25 minutes.   Colbert makes fun of Bush with him sitting two people away.

[img_assist|nid=80|title=|desc=|link=|align=left|width=200|height=160]The keen mind(s) at thepartyparty.com have put together an excellent version of Sunday, Bloody Sunday sung entirely by Dubyah.

BoingBoing is linking to a clip of John Stewart ripping apart Bill Bennett on the topic of gay marriage.  What really impresses me about John Stewart is that he can tear down these right-wing arguments and show them for what they are, yet do so politely and respectfully.  And he still manages to be completely hilarious.

 Turn it around, and you see people like Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly calling people names, cutting off their opponent's microphones, and generally acting like spoiled children.