Samuel's Blog

A tad quiet and no images

It is starting to get on my nerves that I can not post anything here for a week and I’m bound to get an email enquring about my health (and not just from a spammer offering to sell me some magic cure in exchange for my bank account details), but if the emails come, there’s bound to be others wondering.

Right now my Internet connection has been shaped (read: slowed down to a tad faster than dialup) as I’ve exceeded my monthly download quota (first time for everything eh?) and in order to make the Internet even remotely bearable I’ve disabled images on all websites by default (except for Seek which seems to have issues with the “apply for a job” form not submitting if the images haven’t loaded, and a couple other sites on a case-by-case basis) and even then I’m using the Internet less due to the annoying nature of the issue.

All goes back to normal in about four or five days, but for now I’m posting here less, because I have less to post.

Unfortunately this means that photos of the Belconnen Bus Interchange won’t be uploaded for a few days as I don’t feel like sacrificing the rest of the Internet for the next four or five days while the images upload.

On the bright side though, I can still get the KXNT webstream (it its 32kbps glory) without a problem, and it’s sounding better than usual at the moment as the ad replacement (where ads for the broadcast station are replaced by other ads on the webstream) doesn’t appear to be working, meaning that I get to hear the normal ads and promos from KXNT and don’t lose bits of sentences when the ad replacement kicks in at the wrong time. Oh, and unfortunately Rush Limbaugh is taking the next two days off (pity as I’ve been enjoying his show when I haven’t been on a 2am walk) but he has Mark Steyn filling in for him tomorrow (Friday 2am-5am Canberra time) which will be good, I haven’t heard Mark for a few months.

Samuel

April 23rd, 2009 at 06:32pm

Uplift a Pirate

Some days I’m reminded that it takes all types, even kooks, to make this planet tick. Today’s reminder came via an ad in Gmail:

U.S. v. Somali Pirate – FreeSomaliPirate.com – Support the Somali Pirate Today. Prosecution is not the Solution.

So if prosecution isn’t the solution, what is? These pirates took prisoners and have stolen ships, which at the very least is akin to kidnapping and theft…perhaps we should drop all charges against, and release, all people accused and/or charged with kidnapping and theft.

The website in question is run by some New York based organisation called “Uplift Our Community”. Well, I’m sure releasing thieves and kidnappers will uplift the community…we could have an entire uplifted community running around stealing each other’s stuff…this would probably be followed by an increase in fatal shootings…how uplifting.

Back to the question: what do we do if we don’t prosecute? The website’s front page contains the cryptic message “The solution begins home”. Clicking through to the “about us” page shows the true colours of this “uplift” organisation…they’re effectively spurting the “America is evil for having lots of money and they should give it all to Africa” tripe.

Sorry but, he (allegedly) did the crime, he should expect to do the time (if found guilty). Excusing him because his country has less money is an absolutely crazy idea, and effectively says that I can justifiably rob anyone who is richer than me…a notion that tears at the very fabric of our society.

Naturally I clicked on the link to ensure that these kooks are forced to pay for their bizarre intrusion in my Inbox, however I will not be linking to them from here as they just don’t deserve a link without paying through the nose for it.

Samuel

April 23rd, 2009 at 03:42pm