One day of work in the books.

[silveradept]

Today was my first day of internship work. Things were good, and I eased into things fairly well, performing a few tasks and being okay with the first few questions that came my way. It was good. More to come. Although after work tomorrow, I think I need to stop by the bank. Got rained out on Intramurals again, so that's two sets of games that will have to be made up somehow. Ah, well. It'll all work out, assuming the weather actually decides to cooperate. You may all laugh now.

I think I've found the solution to the problems that are afflicting the country. Or, perhaps, really, it's how a select group of people would solve the problems of this country. You see, too many of us suffer from Youth, a disease that can last for many years. Once we get rid of Youth, they'd say, the country and the world would run better.

Why it's bad to talk about fishing with a traffic enforcement officer. You may end up telling more than you think.

Another idea of the construction of self, one that fits in with the idea of fragments that I'm currently using, is a technique called self-shifting, where one changes from fragment to fragment, "persona" to "persona", and uses the knowledge gained by acting them out to find what to graft onto them to make them more complete, learning new skills and behaviors that the other fragments have to balance the self out. I'm not sure whether someone in a multiple situation would want to do such a thing, but for people just looking to change their own personalities, it's an interesting exercise.

Something that's not really safe for work, because of the nature of the participants. If you want to see a bit what trees might looks like had they nymphs, dryads, and the like, you might take a look at the TreeSpirit Project. The pictures themselves give off the impression of being artistic in nature, and probably about the art of nature, so they're intended to be viewed with "Beautiful", not "B00bs!" in mind, but take it however you will.

Regarding telephones, and there's been a lot about those lately, are federal leak-pluggers tracking journalists to try and stop leaks from happening? Further information: Yep, they are, using the PATRIOT Act and NSLs to do so. I don't think the plumbers are going to have much success - they didn't years ago. Then again, since liberals are insane, you should probably not take anything I say at face value if it appears to have a liberal slant.

Because of early-morn tomorrow, I go to bed now.

Comments

[annaonthemoon.livejournal.com]

Liberal thinking is timid thinking. It denies the realities of the world and of human nature. It is shallow and shortsighted. Liberals are naïve and, if allowed to come to power are, frankly, dangerous.

What? That article was horrible, making way too many generalizations about Liberals. For example, I am a far left leaning liberal feminist, as you know, but I still support the Sex Offender registry. I've always thought it was the conservative way of thinking that was denying the realities of the world because conservatives are all about controlling things and making sure things go "thier way". Look at history. Our current president is a conservative, and look at what he's been doing. Can't tell me that's not dangerous. What did Clinton do that was dangerous? I've always thought of Liberals, like myself, as more of the "go with the flow" type, hippies, whatever eyou want to call 'em. Not ALL liberals are hippies, but certainitly all Hippies are Liberals.

And the Gov't cracking down on sources for reporters? UGH. it makes me mad. The first amemndment to the constitution states Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press...and now the Gov't is trying to control that?! More proof that the Gov't doesn't want the general public informed about what's going on. Don't we, as citizens of this country, have a right to know what's going on?

And all I have to say to this:
The NSLs are a version of an administrative subpoena and are not signed by a judge. Under the law, a phone company receiving a NSL for phone records must provide them and may not divulge to the customer that the records have been given to the government.

is What the F? So, you hand over someone's PRIVATE phone records, thus invading thier privacy and aren't permittied to inform them?! I just....UGH. What is this? Nazi Germany?!

Moving to another ocuntry looks better and better, though I admit another country probly has just as many problems and issues as this one, it's just hat since we're the "outsiders" we don't quite see it.

[annaonthemoon.livejournal.com]

...I've also probly just said enough to get my phone lines watched, and all my correspondence checked. Nice.

[2dlife.livejournal.com]

A thought on definitions of conservative and liberal:

Conservative fiscal policy usually refers to small government: less taxes, less social security/medicare, less intervention in business (and therefore fewer environmental regulations) and less government spending. Liberal economic policy refers to more government spending: more taxes, more programs, more regulations.

Conservative social policy is ones that promote maintaining tradition; fighting change. What is "tradition" obviously depends on the audience, but generally speaking, social conservatives would be against same-sex marriage, sex education in schools, religion in classrooms (ooops!), affirmative action, government spying etc. Social conservatism is sometimes associated with nationalism which would premote closing borders, limiting trade, spying on citizens etc (note, that fiscal conservatism advocates free trade and open borders). Social conservatism (in the US) is also accociated with religious conservatism (which is a very bizzare set of rules pulled from selections of the Bible currently supported by parts of the American populace.)

Liberal social policy relates to redefining laws to reflect changing population. Liberals promote greater freedoms (generally speaking) by redefining existant laws to accomodate and support greater swaths of the population (gay rights, affirmative action...). The libertarian perspective is all about minimal government interaction, favoring a traditionally conservative fiscal policy and an extreme liberal social policy, no affirmative action, no special laws to protect any group of people, but none to exclude any as well.) Liberals are not all secular, but would generally accept other religions or lack thereof as a minority status that needs equal protections.

When making an argument, focus should be placed on where the philosophies differ in theory and in practice. Jan Larson makes a valid point, liberal social policies define a "should be" and make laws to attain that. Usually that "should be" involves equality (I admit my very obvious liberal slant), but also fiscally, government policy is based on supporting programs that "should be". Conservative policy in its pure form supports programs that keep what currently exists in place. They are realists because they don't have to project their definition of governmental ideal onto others. Conservative government works and can be very practical, see Hong Kong. Even very religiously conservative governments (see any Middle-Eastern country, including Israel) can work. They are both realistic in some sense of the word.

Practically, however, liberals tend to seem more open-minded as they enact policy to support minority populations, etc., whereas conservatives are primarily religious conservatives in the US and seem close-minded. Extremely liberal government can be perfectly practical; socialist government WORKS. Socially liberal policy can also be very practical, see most European countries, the Netherlands in particular.

Now, if you want to discuss our current president, who takes primarily religious conservatism and nationalism, even when it bucks traditional conservative philosophy, that's a seperate discussion. Keep in mind that making overarching generalizations about the governing philosophy needs to look at what fundamentally motivates that philosophy.

[2dlife.livejournal.com]

I'm seriously spamming your LJ.

In brief (as much as I can keep it in brief): We're as guilty if not moreso of pandering to our biasses than the Conservatives. Every time we read an article that seems to be supporting the current administration, there's a visceral reaction. Given that, it's hardly just to cry "bias!" and rage against such an article.

[greyweirdo.livejournal.com]

THe FBI is being quite magnamous in telling the reportees that they are in fact under scrutiny. If they are telling the reporters that they need to get some new cellphones, then they're actually trying to help the reporters. They know someone will be listening, and they're actually trying to prevent the reporter from being spied on too much.

I'm not loving the NSLs, but they are at least a legal method and aren't specifically going against the law.