If SOPA should pass, I will be forced to take down this blog and indeed, the entire website. It will also mean free speech will have officially died in the United States, and the golden age of the internet will be over.
I wish this was just over-sensationalist doom-saying. I really do. However, these bills SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act) are so overreaching and broad that none will be unaffected. It shifts the burden of proof to the accused, with no penalty for false claims.
This means if any US government or corporate organization wants to censor someone on the internet, they can claim copyright on a portion of their media and get it all removed... Even if they don't actually own the copyright! The content will be taken down, and it will be the burden of the accused to go through the lengthy and expensive process of proving their innocence. It doesn't stop there, even external sites that were found to be linking to the "copyrighted" media can be issued court orders to shut down.
This extends beyond US borders, too. Any foreign sites accused of infringing will be blocked by the newly formed Great Firewall of "New China" (America). Like it or not, many of the world's largest internet companies are based in the United States.
All this to stop online "piracy" which is against the law anyway. We've already seen laws are not going to stop piracy.
Friday, January 13, 2012
«Stop SOPA and PIPA!»
Sunday, January 1, 2012
«So That Was 2011»
2011 Year in Review Song
On to 2012, the year of doomsday conspiracies...
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
«Downtime, Blame Google»
I don't know what that downtime was about. Yes, this site was down for a few hours.
Something to do with the custom domain settings and it was on Google's side. All I did to fix it was set it to the default mastermarf.blogspot.com, then back to my www.mastermarf.com domain and is started working again.
So, whatever...
EDIT: Looks like Google is still having a few issues. Might just have to wait it out.
Monday, October 10, 2011
«OWS: It's Growing»
Occupy Wall Street: Too Big to Ignore
Started in Egypt, and has spread across the globe. It's a contagious behavior. It gets to the point that people that otherwise have very little reason to protest or riot have this urge to. I'm not saying the Occupy Wall Street in the US isn't needed. However, and this is probably short-sighted, the riots in London or earlier in Canada were not warranted. With this global uprising spreading all the way to the US, China must be really concerned about it spreading to them.
My take on Occupy Wall Street? Wait and watch. It's unlikely there will be a significant showing in Idaho. The state is too red politically and the protesters are seen as new-age hippies without a cause. That's my main issue with the movement, too. They are pointing out a fundamental problem with capitalism we all already knew exists. However, there's no central solution or call to action. Everyone involved has different ideas. They need a legendary public speaker to unify their movement akin to Martin Luther King Jr. Until they get their act together I'm going to remain an outside observer.
Then there's the possibility of an event that will spark violence. Be it an overzealous protester or an aggressive police display, this is a volatile situation. Protests around the country could turn to riots around the country.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
«Point of No Return»
Here it is... I've reached the point of no return.
To some virginity is virtue. They've had the opportunity but through power of self discipline they abstained, for an ideological or religious reason. Not me. I don't have any unrealistic vision of finding "the one". There are many compatible people out there, and none of them are perfect. And like anything you do for the first time, it's going to be awkward and clumsy.
I've simply been unable to form a basic romantic social bond with anyone. Therein lies the problem. Virginity is but one metric to measure one's life by. It is by far not the only metric I fail at though. Social inability affects all aspects of my life. I am beyond saving.
"Happy" birthday to me.
See the rest of “Point of No Return”»
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
«The Reverend Marf»
This is what I believe to be the most epic thing I've done since starting this blog. It's all sorts of silly, epic, and to some I'd imagine offensive. I have officially renounced my atheism. If that sentence can even make sense. One can't really renounce a non-religion, can they?
I am now an officially ordained minister of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I'm now The Reverend Cody Durkin. I've seen the noodly light of Pastafarianism. Note the raised gold seal. This is a legitimate document.
I can legally use Reverend in front of my name now. Seriously. I can also officiate wedding ceremonies. Laws do vary between states (even counties) in the US, and I haven't researched international laws. Weddings are such a business in Nevada (go Las Vegas!) that they have some unique requirements. However, in most other states including my resident state of Idaho, one only needs to be a judge, governor, mayor or an ordained minister of any denomination. [Idaho Code Section 32-303]
Any. Denomination.
They'd have one hell of a First Amendment case on their hands if they tried to deny it.FSM is a real, legitimate religion, as much as any other. The fact that many see this is as a satirical religion doesn’t change the fact that by any standard one can come up with, our religion is as legitimate as any other. And *that* is the point.
What's that sound? Yeah, I didn't hear it either. I expected to hear the sound of the sanctity of marriage draining away, but I guess celebrities already drained that. The "we must protect the sanctity of marriage" people need to wake up to reality. Same-sex marriage is the least of their worries. I can now legally perform marriage ceremonies, that are recognized by the government, in the name of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Some religions oppose same-sex marriage. My religion supports it. The government has no right to deny my people their Noodle-given right to marry someone of the same sex any more than it can deny a man and a woman to get married under the Christian God. And *that* is my point.
See the rest of “The Reverend Marf”»
Thursday, August 11, 2011
«PSA: It Gets Better»
[ ALERT! THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. ]
PSA video edition.
It Gets Better - The Amazing Atheist
So remember kids, you may be struggling to fit in now. But don't worry, it gets better. Time fixes all ills of society. When you grow up you'll be able to be your own person and live how you want. Also, there's a bridge for sale in Brooklyn.
[ THIS HAS BEEN A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT, BROUGHT TO YOU BY: Master Marf AND TheAmazingAtheist. ]
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