Seriously Conflicted

Read this Boing Boing article.

The use of laptops by school children has become a hot topic because of the hugely talked about case of school administrators spying on kids at home using laptop webcams. I think the Boing Boing article really tries to draw parallels between the recent spying case and this story from last year which I think is completely unfair.

The Philadelphia school was spying on kids using webcams on school provided computers WHILE THE KIDS WERE AT HOME. The Bronx school is using laptops IN THE CLASS ROOM. Those children could be directly observed in a public space so there is no reasonable expectation of privacy in that situation. A teacher could watch them in person just as easily as over a webcam...that is completely different than watching them in their homes.

Something else that should be considered. The school as had great success in using those laptops and views it as a way to prepare those children for their future in the workplace which is dominated by the literate use of computers. Having worked in a corporate environment I would say that making sure that these kids KNOW that their computer activity is being monitored is extremely important. I assure you it will be monitored in the workplace and the consequences of their actions in that case could result in loosing their job. They need to learn accepted and appropriate uses of their computer, there is a time and place for everything.

Break it down.

Wow. Watch at least the last five minutes of this video for Maddow's summation of the health care system in this country. The truth hurts, better make sure that you stay healthy.

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It's even got Shep Smith up in arms!!!



I hope that Obama can inspire the Democrats to ram this bill through "reconciliation" because the GOP really is just blindly sticking to the party line on this.

Now that has to burn.

Check out this Huffington Post story and be sure to watch the video.

Now that is the Congressional equivalent of putting your balls in someone's mouth after running a 5k.

This made me sad

Sad....because it's true.

Not sad enough for you? Try this one on tough guy..... better get some fucking tissues.



RIP, man in black.

Lazy or incompetent?

So is Apple lazy or incompetent? It is obvious that Apple seems unwilling or is unable to make serious and needed changes to the App Store for their mobile devices. Their latest change is that they have gone through the App Store and removed any "adult" content including apps that feature "women and men in bikinis." How progressive of them, FYI; this is one of those reasons that Europeans think we Americans are so fucked up.

Now, I empathize with Apple in that they don't want to have to field angry complaints from parents about their children looking at boobies on their Apple Device. But how hard would it be for Apple to institute a rating system or some kind of age verification setup within the iTunes store. Your iTunes account could easily be configured to allow/disallow "adult" purchases.

To make things more confusing there is no consistency across all of Apple's media offerings. For example, I can download an explicit Lil' Wayne song about eating pussy from the iTunes music store but I can't have an app that shows me a pussy? WTF! So there are no parents complaining about their kids downloading and listening to explicit music that has been available from iTunes since 2003? Must not be because explicit music is still available today. I call bullshit.

What happens when the iPad launches with it's iBook store, is Apple going to play parent again and ban books for their "adult" content? Will they bend to the will of angry parents that wish to keep growing their mushroom children in the dark?

FOX News FAIL!

Yet another example of of Fox News caring more about making up their own reality rather than reporting the actual news.

Why does Fox News not like Ron Paul....because he's not as crazy or "dynamic" as someone like Sarah Palin.


How sad.

Cubestormer

No matter how many times I watch this video is never gets boring. This thing is bad ass.

She's up...she's Downs....

Yet another example of how Sarah Palin should just keep her mouth shut. She claims to have grown the thick skin required these days to live in the public yet she continues to take things way to personal.

She sure has the temperament for high public office doesn't she....