scottsimpson.net

I suppose it kinda figures. There’s a security patch for Mozilla out now. It’s a good idea to get it. Sheesh, can someone make secure software?

General

The Los Angeles city council is cracking down on cyber cafes following a string of shootings.

They approved an ordinance Wednesday that would require cafes with at least five computers to obtain police permits, install security cameras and ban minors during school hours.

Cafes that allow kids to rent the computers to play video games during school hours could lose their permits. The regulations will take effect later this summer.

The ordinance was proposed after two people were injured in a fight at a Northridge cafe in 2002, and a man was followed home from the same cafe and killed.

Several other cities have enacted cyber cafe regulations, including Diamond Bar, Santa Ana and Orange Grove.

- Associated Press

Um … right.

General

“Doesn’t the government have better things to do?”
Are you suggesting that education, health, freedom and peace are more important than keeping Janet Jackson’s breast out of sight? You damn liberal! - slashdot commenter ‘not_a_product_id’

So the FCC has decided to require broadcasters to maintain tapes of their broadcasts, following such earth-shattering events as the Janet Jackson Debacle and the Howard Stern Fiasco. Sounds kind of like a good idea at first, but then you get to thinking. In our country, in civil proceedings, the burden of proof rests entirely on the complainant. The complainant must show, with a preponderance of evidence, that an offense in fact occured, that it was perpetrated by the accused, and that it caused some kind of harm. By being forced to maintain tapes of their broadcasts, the networks become party to their own demise. How? Well, I can’t legally record things from broadcast media (excepting the uber-cool-sounding ‘time-shifting’ to avoid commercials, which i’m sure will be illegal in the immediate future), even for my own use. As such, it would be tricky to present a preponderance of evidence in a courtroom. Enter the FCC. Did I think there was something offensive said that I, being a moron, took to heart as a personal offense? I can just call up the network, talk to an operator, and proudly proclaim, “Network, damn thyself!” and then ask for a broadcast of what I thought was offensive. What evidence could preponder more than a video from the broadcaster?

Networks are just as private a company as any other, and as such should not be required to keep records of every word said. The network has little control if any over people that it interviews, and in my opinion, if someone is yapping about something you find offensive, call in to their show or change the freakin’ channel. This offensiveness thing has got out of control. We need common sense instead of overbearing laws. Vote for me. Erm, at least don’t vote for Bush. Or this Kerry Edwards fellow thats been cropping up on signs. If you were running for President, wouldn’t you make sure your signs were a little more clear? You know, I’m not sure who I’m voting for. Batman, I think. Just imagine the photo-ops. French President Chirac and Batman in Paris. Batman and Karzai in Kabul. I wonder if he’d keep the pointy hat on in the Oval Office. And I’m sure as hell not voting Libertarian this year. Check out the loony bat the Libs are running in November. ‘Gun control means being able to hit your target.’ Dumbass.

General