I just started reading Little Brother (written by Cory Doctorow) which is about the control and abuse of information by your government. John Baichtal called Little Brother a "Manual for our Kids to Save the Future" in his review on Wired: GeekDad.

I found it Ironic this morning while reading the various news sources I parse every morning to find this little gem the UK Guardian: 

ISPs to record all emails and calls

I keep wondering now if people are just blind to the probable abuse of this new regulation. I have no doubt that the people putting it in place have nothing but the best intentions (what is they say about the road to Hell?) but once in place it can not easily be removed again and it would be very easy for any unscrupulous person or organization to use the information against a population.

This has happened before and usually people are not happy with the outcome.

I fear for my children's future.

Sometimes I am amazed at what kinds of things come out of the US

Sometimes I can't believe I'm seeing what I do coming out of the US in media.

Not that Canada has any fewer buffoons, but we usually don't let them have their own show (unless you count Ed's Night Party, which some of us will).

For Canadians watching, be prepared to be insulted. 

For americans who don't know any better, understand that these people get just about every statement wrong if not completely inappropriate and insulting.

At first I thought this was some sort of comedy show, but then I began to wonder if they actually were the ignorant buffoons they make them selves sound like.

I'm told by the way that this is some sort of Fox program, so I can't say I'm surprised about the quality.

If your so inclined, you can complain to: redeye@foxnews.com.

ED: Since writing this post, I've learned that an apology was forthcoming. It seems a bit lame but then what can you expect from these clowns?

When Canadians take shots at the US, we do it under the guise of Comedy... and funny it is. Let me leave you with a few good ones to bring your blood pressure down.

Java on Snow Leopard. We'll see...

According to this article:

Why you will upgrade to OS X Snow Leopard

Apple is preparing to release its new version of OS X (The operating system run on Macs).

I'm looking forward to seeing it, however being a developer who mostly works in Java and seeing that Apple has a decidedly poor attitude when it comes to Java, I'm very concerned that I will not be able to use the new OS or buy a new Mac for the two years it will take them to update the Java virtual machine for the operating system.

If we're lucky the old JVM will work just as well and we won't have a problem, however I am not confident that they will give it any priority.
This is unfortunate because all the best Java developers I know are now running Macs.

If they just don't do it and I have to update my machine (as a professional tool, I tend to replace my hardware every 1 to 2 years), I just might end up running Linux or FreeBSD instead.

I'd make a plea for Apple to pay attention to their consumers, but they usually don't and I doubt they would listen to me.

Steve Jobs is an idiot

Yes, I said "Steve Jobs is an Idiot" or he at least gets his advice from idiots. Although he might have a passion for creating good products, he doesn't know squat about what is really going on out in the world.

I feel I can say this now because I'm a Mac user. I work as a developer and I do all my work on a Mac (along with all the other hardcore developers I know, I switched to a Mac when Vista came out).

He keeps doing and saying things that indicate he is not in touch with reality. 

One of the things that bothered me was how much the iPhone was crippled on purpose, however I can sort of understand because some of it has business value for Apple (they want you to use their services over others).

However other things are not only a pain, but just plain wrong. For instance, this quote:

Java’s not worth building in [to the phone]. Nobody uses Java anymore. It’s this big heavyweight ball and chain.

Ref: Ultimate iPhone FAQs List, Part 2

Now that's just plain ignorant. A quick search for data shows that in 2005, 70% of wireless applications used it and it is estimated to drive about $100 Billion worth of business annually. 4.5 million developers were working with java in 2005 and there are over 4 billion devices using it all over the planet [1][2].

Now I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like "Nobody uses Java anymore" to me. just about any other phone you buy has it included.

What makes this even worse is that the iPhone actually uses a cool ARM processor with Java built right into the hardware!  [3]

Lets not forget the one button mouse that Jobs insists makes everyone life easier. Not a single Mac user I know uses a One Button Mouse from Apple... I say again, Not. A. Single. One. (not that you don't exist, I just don't know who you are). In fact, Apple's mouse actually does have two buttons[4] but it's a terrible design and is hardly worth the money (yes, I've used one)... but it does look nice I suppose.

I could extend this article on and on -- get into the fact that my Macbook has a new PCMCIA port that nobody uses and no SD Card reader for use with every other device on the planet.

So, why this rant? Why does Jobs (or his advisors) attitude bother me so much?

Because I really do like the hardware, and they do include some very useful innovations. The touch pad alone on my Macbook Pro was worth the switch.

I want to use Apple hardware and even software but I want them not to tell me how to use it, and make choices about what they think I should be doing.

Their attitude is worse than Microsoft's and unlike Microsoft, they don't seem to care what their consumers think.

Grump...

Get your electrical work done, it's scary what you find behind your walls!

Brill P. recommends Electrical Contractors, Beta Electric A very good rate and I'm very happy with the service and professionalism. Beta Electric (Edwin and crew) replaced the knob and tube over the ent... Toronto, Canada, Dec 29, 2008

My Grandmother died

Well no sooner was I back from my aunts funeral, I was off again to visit my grandmother (Beatrice) in hospital, she had only days to live and my father and I had to rush up north where she lived.

She died the next day, but I'm out of poetry for the moment... except one little statement:

ok universe... enough already!

My Aunt Died

My aunt Marjorie died this week. Here is a little poetry for a requiem.

Behold, I have dwelt in Time and I live through Eternity. I have traveled along the pathway and now shine forth from the horizon. I am yesterday and I know tomorrow, I shall never more be overcome. I now know the secret having finished the work which was planned at the Beginning.

If you knew her, by all means visit the site that was set up for her.