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Broadcast Flag Sneaking in the Back Door
ZeissIcon writes "Public Knowledge.org is reporting that the oft-defeated broadcast flag DRM scheme is being sneaked into Senator Steven's Telecommunications bill. Aside from the fact that it has no business being in that bill, and making no exceptions for fair use, this particular version calls for an Audio Broadcast Flag that would affect digital and satellite radio as well. The bill goes to committee on Thursday, so there is still time for public comment."
Law inforcement ( and their unions) are out to make their jobs even easier - for one.
Two, they want to hide their incompetance. I for one, live next door to someone who actually got the name and address of someone who broke into his truck and stole his checkbook (the idiot theif used his own ID to use a check - store clerk called neighbor to verify - neighbor says its theif - clerk takes down info), the cops just said, "We don't know when we can get to it, but we'll make a report."
Excuse me! What the fuck happens when someone breaks into your fucking house!?! "We'll make a report."
Fuck you! I want to protect myself! Fuck you and your stupid cushy jobs - cops!
I really wish my neighbor would come forward about this! But I think the Police Unions would just crush it with their lobbyists! - Which I don't think the Cops should be allowed to lobby our lawmakers since they are the excutive branch and it would be in their best interests to take all of our rights away so that they can spend all of their time in the donut shop, weight room, or the shooting range with their Clint Eastwood movies!
Feathercraft Kahuna. I love it.
:)
http://www.feathercraft.com/
It goes on planes, in trains, in your trunk or in its backpack. These things are just incredibly well designed - RF-welded urethane skin (no leaks), internal sponsons, hatches that work like drybags and a seat that's super comfortable. The aluminum frame is beautiful, and has neat tricks like using two of the deck bars as a lever to tighten the other frame pieces before they're put in place.
My girlfriend (who also got one) had previously paddled fiberglass boats and thought that folding kayaks were silly and no good. She said something like "why would anyone want one of those?" When I asked her what specific reasons she had against it, she couldn't come up with anything other than "well, that's what everyone says". We embarked on a kayak-testing plan over a couple of months testing lots of kayaks at various demo days and symposiums and renting/demoing kayaks from local dealers. These were all fiberglass boats. I got her to try a Feathercraft when she was in Seattle for work near Folding Kayak Adventures (http://www.foldingkayak.com - tell them I sent you). Her response after trying two of them in 2-3 foot waves on Lake Washington (and just after trying lots of different fiberglass boats) was "why would anyone ever want a rigid boat?". The sensation of being in it is like being gently cradled in a hammock while floating along. It's fun. Once we had it narrowed down to Feathercraft we spent 2 days at a symposium trying every model they make multiple times to figure out which one to get. With unlimited funds, I would get more than one.
If you want one that's more rollable, try the new Wisper. I wanted one with a deployable rudder since they're cool (Feathercraft came up with the first flip rudder that's now used on lots of kayaks) and I also wanted to use it with a downwind sail. The clip-on skeg on the Wisper works, but is less-than elegant (you should be able do all your non-sail turns without a rudder or skeg, anyway). You don't have to put the rudder on the Kahuna on days you don't need it. A Feathercraft employee I spoke with at a symposium (he makes them - they're all made by hand) who has his pick of kayaks to take out and use whenever he wants said that the Kahuna was his previous favorite, but now he uses the Wisper all the time.
I've also test-paddled the Khatsalano. It was even more fun, in a 'oh-my-god-this-is-fast-and-tippy-and-I-can't-stop -grinning' kind of way. I decided that the Kahuna was a better all-around kayak for trips (easier to pack), but that a Khats could be in my future for insanely fun day-trips (or with carefully packed gear in tiny dry bags) once my skills were up to it. We took a class from a local BCU (British Canoe Union) 4-star coach who has a friend with a Khatsalano. His opinion: It's a Real Kayak(tm). Traditional kayaks are skin-on-frame, after all. See http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~walpole/kayaking.html for lots of pictures.
See also Ralph Diaz's book on folding kayaks (The Complete Folding Kayaker), and the web site http://www.foldingkayaks.org/
Comparisons to plastic boats: Plastic boats are cheap. If you bang them into rocks you don't care. But they're cheap and get brittle over time, and are heavy. They also get dents. Aesthetically, they're kind of blah. But cheap. Repairing holes polyethelene is a pain. Roto-molded boats are most common, but companies like Eddyline are making weird plastic/fiberglass hybrids.
Fiberglass boats: Before the 1950's everyone used wooden-framed folding kayaks in trains. After the 1950's, fiberglass took off. They're light and strong. Kevlar is ligher and stronger. A nice boat costs arond US$3000. This is the same price as the Feathercraft Kahuna fully tricked out. You don't want to bang your fiberglass boat into rocks, either. It's pretty easy to repair.
OT: I've watched "at the end of the day" rise from somewhat silly to a Power Statement(TM) in about a year and a half. Perhaps two years.
I still think it's silly: at the end of the day, you're a dollar richer. At the end of the day, you're fucking tired and probably drunk. At the end of the day, tomorrow's still a day away. At the end of the day, it's too dark to see. At the end of the day, you're in bed (hopefully not alone).
It has replaced "the bottom line" which doesn't make sense: when has accounting gone out of style to upper management?
Perhaps it's just bundas that have gone out of style? Americans are enamored of tits anyway, so perhaps it's just a different way of continuing the metaphor "we're all gonna get laid!"?
And that brings me nicely back on topic: sneaking in the back door must be what went out of style. For everyone except politicians, that is.
I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.