The horror

The Whole Foods muzak is playing a mix of alternapoo Christmas crap. Who knew the Gin Blossoms had a Christmas song? Why is this happening? SOMEONE GET KOFI ANNAN ON THE HORN THIS REQUIRES SOME KIND OF INTERNATIONAL AUUUGH NO NOT THE SAVE FERRIS

Spyware: a question

If you run Windows, you have spyware nowadays. More technically knowledgeable users who avoid Internet Explorer and take other precautions have less of it, but no one is immune. Spyware not only violates the privacy of computer users, but also cripples the operating system and software. Infected machines run slowly, crash often, and behave unpredictably. Frequently, even experienced technical professionals must reinstall their operating system completely and lose data.

Spyware is distributed by marketing agencies in well-run Western countries who operate legally.

Now, if I broke into a computer system run by a corporation and installed resource-hungry privacy-violating software that sent me information about their behavior, corrupted data, caused system failures, and all of the above, I would be guilty of a felony in the U.S. Doing this to systems that could threaten lives if they failed could make me eligible for the charge of industrial terrorism.

So, legally constituted corporations within the reach of my country’s laws are committing felonies on a grand scale. And considering the number of Windows computers that are attached to control systems which, if they failed, could cause death and destruction, it’s likely that they are also committing industrial terrorism.

Obviously someone is being paid off here. Does anyone have pointers to information on this?

Also, why hasn’t some enterprising populist politician here in the U.S. taken this as a crusading issue? There’s political capital to be made from all those enraged small business owners and home computer users who are being terrorized by this garbage.

“moonbats”

As they used to say on the old Hour 25 radio show, here’s a question for the Group Mind:

On right-wing discussion boards I see left-wingers and other progressives referred to constantly as “moonbats”. What’s the origin and meaning of this term?

“You can’t get A&W Root Beer anywhere in Mosul.”

Looking through the wants and needs of soldiers on http://www.anysoldier.com/ is heartbreaking. All these kids over there wishing they had an XBox instead of incoming RPGs. Ugh.

Of course they want candy, hygienic supplies, movies, music, consumer batteries. They also ask for pistol holsters, decent optics, working hand tools, and socks.

Dear the Government:

Please raise my taxes 10% and use the money to equip our soldiers properly so they are not charging into battle waving a spork at the enemy while wearing substandard battle armor.

Hugs,

me

In the meantime I guess I’ll send the poor guys some candy.