I just read Neil Degrasse Tyson's _Reflections on the Color of My Skin_
and was struck by one of the last suggestions he made: that George Floyd should
get a full dress funeral, like any police officer shot in the line of duty. And
I heartily agree - civilians wrongly killed by police should be given this
recognition, to point out that the police, supposed guardians of civility and
civilization, failed in their duty. As with the death of any officer in the
line of duty, they should, for some period of time, wear black armbands,
symbols of their shame and dishonor - they're supposed to protect civilians,
not harm them.
War on Terror Jingoism
A relative forwarded me an email spewing a bunch of jingoistic garbage, and I responded:
Radical Muslims:Islam :: KKK:Christianity
I'm not always an Andrew Sullivan fan, but the letter he reprints vividly demonstrates where attitudes like the below will get us - where they've already gotten us. "Liberty and Justice …
read more*solutions
Reading this entry on Freedom to Tinker about why Fraunhaufer's 'Lightweight DRM' is doomed made me think, 'Yet again, well meaning people are championing ideas long shot down,' and reminded me of Cory Doctorow's form letter for people who think they've solved spam. So I decided to take a first … read more
Winer on Techies
I can't believe Dave Winer thinks that this opinion is news.
Business has always been about find a need (ie. a customer's desire) and answering it. However, I think he oversimplifies and doesn't give the techies their due when he says that 'Vision isn't coming from [them]"; customers have needs …
read moreOpen letter to John Harell
To: John Harell
Subject: absolute copyright
Subject: absolute copyright
> When I create something, that thing is mine.
I'm a programmer, so I know what you mean. I write software and bring it into the world with much blood, sweat and tears along the way. And yet...
I didn't create the language the software …
read moreTexas Action Network
I wish there were more things like the
Texas Action Network; It
seems a useful feedback into the legislative process. But I also wish that it didn't supply form-letters - they're more likely to be ignored. Paradox: make it easy to show a unified front on an issue (via form letters … read more
Geeks & Politics
Lawrence Lessig's blog says:
Ed Felten has a wonderful piece about the idiocy in the mini-DMCA's being considered by a number of state "governments." What is so frustrating about this business is not the people (like these governments) who disagree with you. But that their disagreement reveals that they have …read more
