Confusation

Sorry, about the last 2 posts. I was trying to prove a point about facebook.

In this age of increasing privacy rights and paranoia about data, people need to really curb their exposure and earn their privacy. Google wants access to our medical records. NYC posts our mortgages online with a copy of our signature (seriously, go onto the ACRIS system). And, Facebook has set up a system whereby we can keep our friends informed of new developments in our lives (and I mean every minor detail). Heck, as mentioned before, some dude advertised his Social Security number to the whole world in order to prove a failed point about privacy.

None of these things are inherently bad (except that last one, man, he is in for one big lawsuit), but we must impose on ourselves a degree of restraint and not abuse our newfound positions of attention.

In a world of microcelebrity, where individuals have access to an inflated pulpit, the potential for abuse is large. Globalization and the internet are providing increased access to a greater amount of information than ever before; everyone has access to all information. This has created a degree of homogenization, since with access to all information, there is less unique information. Once again, this is not a bad development. This means we have to try all the harder to create or to find something new and original, with more emphasis on the creation part.

In property law, one learns first about acquisition by 'find.' In the beginning, there was so much for Earth's citizens that the focus of the law was almost exclusively on claiming the unclaimed. One next learns about acquisition by creation; one owns what he has created. This field is the future. I'm not saying that all that can be discovered has been discovered. What I am saying is that we must be challenged to find and create something new and we must be aware of the increasing difficulty of such an endeavor for the 'new.' We should not be risk averse to such a search, but we must be risk aware.

EVERY WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET

EVERY WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET

Awesome Post!!! Every article on the internet right now

THIS IS SO INTERESTING; IT IS THE MOST EXCITING ARTICLE ON THE INTERNET. IN FACT FROM NOW ON, I WILL BE POSTING EVERY SINGLE THING ON THE INTERNET IN MY FACEBOOK PROFILE BECAUSE GOD KNOWS I'M THE ONLY PERSON IN THE WORLD WHO READS CNN.COM, OR PRETTY MUCH ANY OTHER NEWS WEBSITE AND I JUST KNOW THAT PEOPLE LOVE HAVING THEIR NEWSFEEDS FULL OF NEWS ARTICLES BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS YOU LIVE UNDER A ROCK IN THE MIDDLE OF TIMBUKTU, NEBRASKA.

Go back to where you came from!

As a native New Yorker, I say to the subjects of this New York Times piece.... go back from whence ye came! Stop cheapening my city!! New York does not come with a gift basket of muffin tops and Versace jeans! It comes with rats and bed bugs in the subway.

Most people who have expensive items WORK FOR A LIVING (or at least come from old money, but thats a different discussion for a different type of aggravation).

And no, I do not think that most New Yorkers would decide to prioritize $500 clothing over food, because it's a nonissue (most would have a guy who has a guy who could get them what they need without the need to sacrifice or to pay retail). If you're having problems paying bills, try not living in one of the most expensive places in one of the most expensive cities in the world. I don't feel bad for your attempt at a falsely inflated extravagant lifestyle!

Finally, Duane Reade is not roughing it, and a $60,000 salary does not mean that one is starving oneself!!! Stop indulging yourself and stop being angry at mommy and daddy for not buying you that pony for your farmhouse in Nebraska!!!

"Starting Salaries but New York Tastes" ....ugh even the title makes me sick. I just know that it was not written by a New Yorker (its not sarcastic and loathsome enough)

RAPRAM!!!! David Bowie in ...well anything

One word, Labyrinth.

How the writers sold this concept to studio producers:
David Bowie dancing and singing in tight pants [dramatic pause] with muppets.

This movie needs no introducing, but I will give a 2 sentence refresher. Jennifer Connelly plays a babysitter who's child gets abducted by Mr. Bowie and taken to a magical land of singing muppets. I can't tell if such an experience would be traumatizing or simply life changing.

It is, at least, a felony under section 135 of the NY penal code. But, I'm sure after discovering both that most of the evidence exists only in a far off and mostly imaginary land and that Mr. Bowie is emperor of said land and thus falls under some type of sovereign immunity, no District Attorney would ever possibly want or hope to bring any charges (HA, there's my legal tie-in!)

Next Week, Klaus Nomi comes from outer space to save the human race.

For now: a trio among muppets, Bowie and a baby.

Happy Law Day!

Let's go out and beat the commies by celebrating law day!!!

Presidential Proclamation for Law Day 2008

Or look at the US Law codifying Law Day: 36 U.S.C. § 113

Forza Italia!

The outgoing Italian Government has posted the tax returns of every citizen online. It took the website 24 hours to crash, because everyone in Italy wanted to know how much their neighbors were paying in taxes.

The Italian IRS probably got the idea from that dude who posted his Social Security Number in several advertisements for his SSN security monitoring service. Unfortunately, they did not realize that the purpose of that advertisement was to promote security, not busybody-ness.

Next Week: Somalia posts how many grains of rice each citizen has eaten in the past couple of years (preview: its in the single digits!!!)

Update: The guy from the SSN security service had his identity stolen!!

BBC: Italy Posts Income Details on Web
Wonkette: Bitchy Outgoing Italian Government Posts Everyone's Tax Info Online