Atomictumor

The word-of-mouth campaign is in full swing as supports across our state take to the streets in support of A. Tom Ictuma’s bid for office!

A few minutes ago, I called the police station to report a parking violation on my street. Not one, but two cars are parked in front of fire hydrants. We only have three of them, and it’d be a damn shame if the firetrucks responded to a fire and were unable to get to any water. But more than that, it pisses me off that people get away with things.

I’ve always been a tattle-tale. I remember telling on Eric Wilson in third grade because he had candy in his desk and was sneaking pieces when Mrs. Alstead wasn’t looking. I remember in second grade Mrs. Crouch picked a classroom monitor after lunch every day while she was out of the room. We had to write names on the board of anyone who talked or did anything else they weren’t supposed to. This was my first taste of retalliation, as a punk kid named Bryan wrote my name down the day after I tattled on him. Even though I didn’t do anything.

I don’t tattle out of spite, though. It’s mostly an overblown sense of justice, I think. If I don’t do anything bad, no one else should, either. And if you do, then you deserve to get busted.

But that brings up a contrary idea. Perhaps I tattle because I’m jealous that I don’t have the courage to do naughty things. I’m never the person who drives on the shoulder to get past blocked traffic. I never cut line. I never cheat on tests or cut corners on assignments. I never park in front of fire hydrants. I never miss more than the maximum number of excused absences, even though I know other people in class do it and get away with it. I never behave rudely in movie theaters.

Of course, some would say this is just common courtesy on my part. It’s not, though, I don’t think. Because sometimes I want to do those bad things. I’m just too chicken shit to do it.

Things aren’t going well for the RIAA and their tactics of throwing a lawsuit on people accused of downloading music.  Its been working well when the folks accused roll over and pay the few thousand dollar settlements offered, but when they man up and take the case to court, well, its just not working well.

Ars Technica talks about two recent cases, one involving an Oklahoma mother, another involving a cheerleader in California, and both dismissed for lack of proof.  See, the RIAA has so far been getting an easily obtainable IP address of an alleged copyright infringer, getting the name from the ISP distributing the IP address (all easy stuff to do), and dropping the lawsuit down on the person who owns the internet account.

Problem is, theres no way to connect the person who owns the internet account to the person doing the downloading.  In both of these cases, they were able to provide evidence that other people in the house may have done the downlading, the former being an ex-husband who lived at the house, the latter being cheerleaders constantly at the house for lessons.

RIAA dropped the cases like a hot potato when it became apparent that they had no leg to stand on.

Does this mean its OK to fire up Kazaa and download that Paris Hilton song that I know you all want?  Well, maybe not, because its a king hell of a messed up legal situation.  You get sued for uploading, not downloading, so technically, as long as you don’t share what you got, you’re all good.  However, that makes you no friends on the internet. 

You know, I don’t really have a problem with this being illegal.  What I have a problem with is the extent to which these corporations can legally go to ruin your life for an essentially victimless crime.  And yes, it is victimless.  Nobody goes hungry.  In exchange for a poor ass me being able to listen to a little music, a rich ass them maybe doesn’t get another champaign bath. 

6:30, Willow Brook.  Be there or be square.

There will be much talking about buses, among regular PTO stuff.  If you’re concerned about the whole thang, or have information to share (coughnetmomcough) make an appearance and let them know.

It feels really weird to be as involved as we are now in local politics. Five years ago I couldn’t give two shits about the whole thing, yet here I am, writing about and supporting local politicians. The times, they are a’changin’.

AT has been even more involved than myself. Outside of posting on this site and the occassional comment on other sites, he was asked to work some bugs out of David Stuart’s blog. That, combined with his endorsement of Stuart on the ‘tumor the other day warranted favorable remarks from Stuart to a third party.

This morning, after I voted, I saw a woman sitting in the bed of a truck with a Stuart sign. I spoke with her for a few minutes and then sort of spontaneously gave her AT’s phone number to pass on to Stuart. I mentioned what AT had done and said for and about Stuart and she said she’d pass on the message.

Well, she did, and about an hour later, Stuart gave AT a call. I didn’t really see that coming, at least not on election day. I thought he’d have more pressing matters to attend to, but I guess today all there is to do is wait and wait some more. No amount of politicking is going to change minds at the voting booth.

AT was a little flabbergasted about the whole thing and said that Stuart had called perhaps thinking that AT had something specific he wished to talk with him about. Not being the case, they had a short but polite conversation and went about their day. But it’s nice to know that Stuart took time out of an assuredly busy schedule to call some nut-job blogger. Kudos to you, sir.