Representing Censorship

The following is a letter I've sent to my representation as a result of attempts to institute abstract internet censorship laws in our federal legislation. I would like to urge others to consider this an important matter and to contact your representatives as well. I understand that the internet is being used for illegal activity, just as the postal service and cars are, but the generalized powers presented by these bills are a clear violation of the trust given us by the founders of this great country. Without further adieu, my letter was as follows:

I am a constituent and I urge you to reject S. 968, the PROTECT IP Act, and S. 978, "A bill to amend the criminal penalty provision for criminal infringement of a copyright."

In my last letter expressing my dissatisfaction with S. 968 I was told you "share [my] concerns about the protection of digital information and the importance of free speech, as it relates to digital access," though I am compelled to believe that you don't. See, I'm not "concerned" about free speech, I absolutely *demand* that it be protected. It is the most sacred tenant of all American values. Your consolation mentioned that PROTECT IP "is aimed at overseas websites involved in online piracy and infringement," and, while that may be your impression of the bill or how it has been presented by lobbyists, the language within expresses no such specific intent and we both know that enforcement of the law comes down to verbiage, regardless of the perceived intent. Even supposing the wording were particular to foreign communications I still heartily disagree at this attempt to implement censorship on the greatest informational resource humanity has ever known, the strength of which is based solely on the open exchange of information around the world. It is a violation of the first amendment and the spirit of America, sets a bad precedent and is generally hypocritical after statements both we as a people and our president have separately made regarding China’s internet policies. You stated “S. 968 would expand the authority of the Attorney General by allowing that office to investigate, with the use of a search warrant, foreign websites that have been accused of intellectual property theft and take action against those sites that are engaged in these illegal activities.” I assume you realize the Attorney General has no jurisdiction in any country besides the United State and that no act of congress can change that. There are already copyright/patent treaties in place that facilitate the cooperation of other nations with US intellectual property concerns and any further development should be subject to diplomacy, not abstract local laws. Subpoenas may already be obtained in regard to specific allegations of intellectual property violations, as you seem to acknowledge when you say “these illegal activities,” and since this is a civil matter it doesn’t belong in criminal courts wasting more of our time and taxes when we could be focusing on murders and other crimes that impact the liberty and welfare of the majority.

As for S. 978, the provisions in the bill would allow the government to lock up Americans for streaming videos or music online, and is so overly broad that people who post videos of their friends singing karaoke could be prosecuted. This legislation is a tremendous overreach and I am deeply concerned by the danger it poses to Internet freedom. The fact that these bills are even being considered is setting a poor example for legislation and any support to criminalizing civil disputes will only serve to rationalize further debasement of our constitution and legal systems. I pay for several legally licensed internet media providers myself and it’s not my responsibility to pay additionally for the legal expenses associated with criminal courts, jails or prisons for a matter that can be settled civilly at the expense of guilty parties.

It may not be a Florida or national law, but are you aware that vague amendments to Tennessee harassment law have recently made it a crime fit for incarceration to post images on the internet that could be perceived as offensive? While blatantly unconstitutional, under this law nearly every person that has ever posted an image on the internet could be considered a criminal. The American flag is offensive to some, but should it be illegal for a patriot to post an image of it on Facebook? Can nobody use satire in the state of Tennessee for fear that they’ll be put in jail due to a difference of opinion?! Every newspaper with a website and every TV program with an internet presence are now, by definition of the law, potentially criminal in the state of Tennessee. There are civil and criminal measures against malicious activity and harassment already in place and there is no need for such convoluted laws to abridge freedom of speech or press. People are not obligated to participate in web communities that offend them; if they wish to institute censorship they can start their own services and place limits in the usage agreement. Think carefully about the precedent you set for American politics as you continue to entertain legislation that criminalizes behavior in broad generalizations, especially for the sake of circumstances with legitimate and constitutional recourse already established. Benjamin Franklin said “Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and loose both.” I think our founding fathers would be appalled at the mockery being made of their system. If you will continue to disagree with my stance have some dignity and pride in your choice: give me your opinion candidly rather than your patronizing attempt to convince me that you share my concerns when you don’t. Instead just tell me how my opinion is not that of the majority of those you represent or, better yet, that you’d prefer to support multi-million dollar corporations rather than my civil liberties.

---

The response I refer to above is below, though sadly I don't have my original message any more:

Dear Mr. [Omitted],

Thank you for taking the time to contact me with regards to the PROTECT IP Act of 2011 (S. 968).

I share your concerns about the protection of digital information and the importance of free speech, as it relates to digital access. As technology evolves, more Americans utilize the Internet to explore new ideas and access information. We must ensure the Internet continues to be a dynamic environment that produces the innovations and advancements that we have all come to enjoy.

As you may know, S. 968, introduced by Senator Leahy, is aimed at overseas websites involved in online piracy and infringement. If passed, S. 968 would expand the authority of the Attorney General by allowing that office to investigate, with the use of a search warrant, foreign websites that have been accused of intellectual property theft and take action against those sites that are engaged in these illegal activities. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed S. 968 on May 26, 2011, and the bill currently awaits action on the Senate floor. If S. 968 comes up for a vote in the Senate, I will carefully evaluate all sides of this issue and work to strike a balance between the exchange of information and the protection of intellectual identity.

I will continue to keep your thoughts in mind as I make decisions that are important to you. I appreciate your opinions and I will continue to work to address the issues that are important to the people of Florida.

Another Old Poem

This is another one of those "I wrote this a while back and never really planned on publishing it" types of things, but I was reminded of it today and figured it wouldn't hurt to dust off some old feelings and share them with the interwebs. Usually titles are really important to me but this doesn't really have one. I remember I had a hard time deciding whether this was even done or not, but for me poetry is one of those things that you just shouldn't over-think (which I probably already do entirely too often). That said, here it is:

--

With 20/20 vision

I look upon my decisions

In life’s long winding roads

with potentials no lone man knows

there’s always other paths to pleasure

exuding from life’s mysterious flows

but that by which ourselves can measure

is down which road one finally goes.

The hardest part is wondering

what’d be without our blundering

without regrets to send us tumbling

and that is where I’m now stumbling.

Yes lately I’ve been bumbling

and remnants are still grumbling

perhaps I deserve a bludgeoning

or my ex’s past curmodgeoning

as penance for my fumbling.

I need to keep myself on track

by keeping on, while looking back

finding value from my learning

about my self and inner yearning.

It’s amazing now how obvious

the costs that this may have for me

and of the chance I stayed oblivious,

how much pain I caused and didn’t mean,

god damn the possibilities I really should’ve seen.

Well, perhaps not so unseen,

so much as wouldn’t believe.

Wasn’t it just a dream?

I thought myself I did deceive.

The secure can lose all confidence

and the tempered lapse in temperaments

as fear of lack and a heart’s past bleak

can turn even the strong willed weak,

then fear of change makes the patient meek.

In comforts clutch mistakes rehearsed,

although this time, reasoning reversed.

Instead of waiting just a wee bit longer,

and growing but a tad bit stronger,

observing chance and keeping honor,

I jumped the gun and pulled the trigger

confused myself and dismissed her.

Alas, life’s loves and losses linger

interpretation doubts bring pains avenger.

It’s not like I don’t remember

and I’d never want to offend her;

I try to be hope and joy’s defender.

From now hence forth I’ll remember

what we do can be defended

but what we don’t can’t be amended.

If it’s not too late to try again

I won’t give up before the end

I can’t promise that I’m the one,

but I wasn’t playing pretend

and this time I guarantee that I won’t run.

If this can’t be or it’s no longer fun

then this is my apology for everything that I’ve done;

If I’ve misunderstood, as I’ve feared all along

don’t hate me for trying, I didn’t want to be wrong

I’ve been so afraid that she’d say “so long”

she’s an amazing person that I want to know lifelong.

--

My blog is starting to feel like a poetry feed and I'd like to remedy that and put something especially nerdy up here soon (and maybe fix that playlist on the side or just get rid of it), but it takes a lot less time to copy and paste something I wrote before than it does to write up something new. Anyway, I still have stuff to do so my nerdy followers will just have to wait.

TTFN

Loose the Demons Within

Loose the demons within ye,

Fear not while they encircle thee,

For if you don’t you’ll never know

What truly lives inside your soul.

You’ve let them loose and soon you’ll see

What it is that you can be;

Indeed you’ll need to sort things out

and live your life without a doubt.

There’s no changing what we’ve done,

We must learn from where we’ve gone;

Who we are and what we’ve become.

The only life necessity

Is choosing our own destiny;

Setting out to overcome,

We can become anyone.

Truth you learn about yourself

Can’t be found on any shelf.

The power deep within your soul

Can take you where you want to go;

The only way to further growth

Is to take a stand and give an oath

that you’ll move with certainty

and you can change who you will be.

It’s not easy, that’s for sure

but you will indeed mature.

If you’re seeking happiness

Alas, with this: rest your stress.

There is nothing you can see

or buy or touch to set you free.

There is but one truth required

Self satisfaction must be acquired.

Discover this and you will see

Just how happy you can be.

Take it further and you will know

Just how much the world can grow.

Instead of bickering in petty quarrels

We can stop killing and live with good morals.

Let us protect our sovereignty

Did you know you’ve lost civil liberty?

You see while you’ve argued about Abortions,

Scandals, Drugs, and Religious Forces.

In terror you’ve missed what’s most important, see

you’ve failed to protect what makes us free.

Tagged “Patriot” during a media war,

A bill once declined can pass on The Floor

Completely abolishing what we hold dear

while idiots, confused and consumed with fear,

Will force their opinions instead of just fact

With meaningless laws that we should retract.

Completely preoccupied in a screen of smoke,

We’ve forced our opinions, now our system is broke.

We’ve sacrificed all our fathers have left us

And traded it all for war, debt and taxes.

We leave important stuff like accountability,

to a biased and lying “research” committee.

The distortion, fear and covered up importance,

Truly comes from inside this body of governance.

There’s plenty of details you didn’t see,

As they hushed them and rushed them and said “trust me.”

You can’t pay attention while you run and hide,

You’ve been deceived by your own side.

Even if there was an attacker, you see,

Lying to your people is unnecessary.

Now look at it all in retrospect,

We all messed up but, with respect,

We can still research a good portion,

Not the whole truth, but at least some distortion.

Then ask yourself, in all honesty,

“Do I really think those leaders care about me?”

It’s probable that some really do support us,

But their will alone can’t destroy this circus.

If the country were still run constitutionally,

We would actually still be free.

Instead we vote for satanic “Christian” posers

and let baseless wars start right under our noses.

With loaded terms like “Conspiracy”

We’re told these things are simply crazy!

Why do you think elections are hard to decide,

If you act day-to-day like our politicians don’t lie.

It’s talking to each other, that is the key

I’ll listen to you, you listen to me,

Don’t claim It insane if you won’t check and see,

You should admit: that’s just plain blasphemy.

A system designed to move “money” to the top,

While you’re getting robbed for all that you’ve got.

Private companies managing worth of our own sixpence,

But money no longer has value, besides “confidence.”

Economy is rated by spending, you see,

and we’re the ones spending, while they save with greed.

While we spend 100% of our earnings,

They sing and praise our mindless subservience.

Hughes, Rockefeller and Bushes resting above us,

draining our pockets and singing in chorus.

Spending a fraction of what we deliver,

while watching society’s pockets perpetually get slimmer.

Next the fake economy withers and crumbles,

So we print more money “to save the masses”

cycles everlasting in a system of shambles.

Poverty and misery and all that’s distorted,

are illusions from history when man stumbled and horded.

But we’ve progressed far—really far since then,

there is chance to recover, but our minds must bend.

There’s plenty of resources for us all to survive,

And even have homes, water and food for all people alive.

We’re going to have to work hard and strive.

It will take research and unlearning,

departure from this hive,

but satiation of yearning

can still arrive.

Even for trinkets and “meaningless” obsessions,

we have enough tools to destroy this oppression.

We will still work, and still live daily lives,

But we will be honest, without false inflation,

We will distribute goods amongst every nation.

Living in real world economy,

where we no longer think of an enemy.

We can even still live very comfortably,

With items of convenience shared for free.

We just can’t support this stupid economy,

unless we’re wealthy, stupid or we enjoy slavery.

There’s so much more that you deserve,

But they’re holding us back and making us serve.

Even spending money, to push good research under,

Just to prolong this world encompassing blunder.

The reach of those “elite” few has grown to be ubiquitous,

But our founding fathers are counting on us,

To protect their design which, to this day, remains tremendous.

The system they made was designed to protect us,

Our ignorance in using it is just plain sacrilegious.

The “lesser of evils” is the one that destroyed it,

along with me and you when we let them deform it.

Pay attention to congress and the hierarchy,

and start demanding better transparency.

It’s our fuckin’ country, made by you and me,

so stop looking for answers from FOX and NBC.

Those choices are ensuring our slavery.

Get off your ass and make a stand, it’s free,

And maybe we’ll retake our liberty.

Before you label and ignore me,

Remember the importance of speech that is free.

I’m not yet worried about UFOs

I’m much more concerned about what the facts expose

Right here and now in our own country

Awful things have happened; it’s up to you and me

To set this straight and do things right

We can’t be too indifferent or lazy to fight.

We must stand strong and gather our might

And never give up on repairing the blight

The road will be tough but we’ll do it despite

All obstacles are nothing, and this may sound trite,

But, we can restore our nation and the world’s delight.

I know it probably seems like I’m being forthright,

But it’s absolutely essential, you start caring tonight!

--

I wrote this poem some time ago and I feel like I probably didn't post it because I wanted to edit it, but I threw an excerpt of it online recently and so I've decided to post the whole thing. Another possibility is that I wasn't intending to link a long-time anonymous pseudonym to my publicly known profile, but I don't think I ever published any of the other stuff written under it so it seems like a moot point.

Implosively exploding, magnetically eroding, and eventually foreboding.

TheXenocide unloading encoding goading

Sleep is for the week
and blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth,
though once I’m done with her,
I’m not sure what she’ll be worth.
But don’t mind me,
I’m more of a tripper than a flipper,
seeking truth through insanity
over temporary remedy to reality.

The extremes of regimes suppressing
are in conflict with progressing
so let’s do the next best thing
while they’re in committee digressing
we can focus on collecting
and with others grow means for affecting
the world and more people projecting
peace and happiness connecting
the populace and infecting
with all those rejecting
greed and politics and expecting
inspecting, ejecting, respecting and erecting
discussing who they're electing
rather than deflecting
for fear of someone objecting
effecting intersecting subjecting
inflecting rather than neglecting.

Be weary however
we don’t have forever
we must get together
to push through whatever
may stand in our way.
Stand up this day
and be proud to say
you party and play
but you will not stray
from the NINJA way.

Is It Really Real Son?

I came to bring the pain hardcore from the brain, let's go inside my astral plane.

This is going to take a while to read but you should really consider it. If you can't read it all at least read the first link below or maybe make multiple trips. I'll warn you that this is emo as all hell, but in it there is hope and direction that could change lives and those lives could add up to a changed world. I say this more-so than much of the change I've ever supported. It's broad but it's deep and very much needed, so please take the time to read.

When you give it to me ay, give it to me raw

I just read the most wonderful and inspiring post about The Disease Called Perfection and I'm here now to show my support for being real. I'm not the only one either, it's important to know just how many people have been affected by this, and just how many more are there for support. There's a follow-up that promotes working together to be The CURE for "Perfection" and I'm in the mood to be a little more real than just one thing, but I'll try to follow the format at least loosely. I'm not so sure if these are my biggest trials, mistakes or struggles as I've had many and they've made me who I am today. I'm posting this here because even though anonymity is offered in the comments there I feel that I need to back my claims of being open and honest and catalog some of my imperfections here in front of my friends and family. All that said, here goes:

I dated someone for 5 1/2 years out of comfort and fear of change. I justified the things I should have taken as signs and I lied to myself and to her to keep it going. I was hurt and I caused pain. I became spiteful and angry, which takes a very very long time of repetition and exasperation and despite my lifelong quest for understanding, self control, patience and forgiveness, I once threw a pillow at her out of anger. Sure, "it was only a pillow" but I am more ashamed of that pillow than any other action of my life. My mother sacrificed everything, at times maybe even her last bits of sanity, saving my siblings and I from the cyclic abuse of all varieties that had plagued her family for generations and I always promised that I would never be one of those people. I wasn't true to my own values and standards and still I belittled hers for being selfish and immature.

If I could write to that person I once was I would tell him that there is a fine line but a huge contrast in working through differences of opinion and sacrificing who you are. I would tell him that he should be more confident and that he will find someone that accepts him for who he is because he's amazing, despite the few flaws that make him as imperfect as everyone else.

When I was younger and more reckless I threw a party at which a guest tried to force himself on a young lady. I was so blinded by rage that instead of just making a difference I beat him, bloodying his face and trying to break limbs, until I was pulled away. I invited the people, I intoxicated the young and inexperienced and the worst truth is that I would have killed him. It might not seem so bad to some, but even then I knew for a fact that people learn and change. My closest cousin and others in my family had already traveled those roads and, as terrible as rape is, what I did showed no more control than him. What's worse is that I've told people of this event as though it made me a protector or someone who stood against barbarianism when I myself had been one, before and after then, which may only stand to perpetuate such travesty. I probably knew this before but I didn't even admit it to myself until reading these posts and thinking back with a more critical eye and vulnerable disposition.

If I could send that young man a letter I would remind him of his own imperfections and that his place is not to judge but to support change. I would tell him that he can make a difference, even in those people, but he needs to be a good man and keep his convictions regardless of the situation or he stands only to reduce his own reliability and diminish the impact he can have. Most importantly, I would remind him, as he has thought he understood long before and after, that it matters not what one says, but what they do that defines who they are.

More recently than those is something that remains heavy on my heart, though lighter over time, even today. I found a friend who hung himself. I go over it and know that it's past and that he made his choice and that he told nobody and showed no signs, but every now and then I still break down and blame myself. What if I hadn't moved out? Why didn't I see how torn up he was? There's more, but "I know" none of that matters and that it's not my fault. He was unable to pursue the military career he always wanted in life, lost his "one true love" and probably felt that he had no hope but ultimately I believe that he felt like a burden on his friends and loved ones and thought it would be best if he stopped dragging them down. He didn't understand that his criminal record, joblessness and propensity for partying a bit too hard didn't mean he couldn't live a long and happy life making positive change in others as he always wanted but would seldom admit openly.

I'm not qualified to write a letter to this me just yet; I could put down eloquent and insightful words, but they're words I already know and have shared and hoped would put others at ease. They're words that are true and yet still I hold on not knowing why. I'm not so good at taking my own advice, though I tend to give it well. I support movements like To Write Love On Her Arms and try to make it known that life is never without value, not out of penance but because I didn't really understand just how real and close to home suicide could be. It doesn't weigh on me as heavily so perhaps it will eventually fade--only time will tell.

If I could write a letter to my friend though, I would remind him that people change and that the world changes. I'd also make it clear to him that as much as he depended on us, we were so much more dependent on him for the joy he spread so well. I'd point out how many people were changed by him and how amazing he was at bringing people together and tell him how much more powerful of a weapon that is in war than any weapon a soldier carries. I'd tell him how important it is for him to share his story, rather than leaving mere fragments of that power behind.

Perhaps it's just the way I'm looking at it, but the perfection article didn't tell me things I didn't know per se, but rather made me admit and realize many things. I reflect regularly, but the article and the amazing set of comments therein drew attention to things I had forgotten or buried. It reminded me the power and importance of open forum and gave me an opportunity to say things that are important to me with relevance to others and perhaps a chance to have a wider impact than my normal ramblings. I am also impressed and compelled by the response and have a renewed sense of hope that people will share their lessons with each other, be there for each other and help make a better world. A homeless man told me something as a child that I will never forget: "A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others."

Thank you Dan Pearce and all those taking part in this; I wish there was an adequate way to express the gratitude I feel

Is it real son, is it really real son, let me know it's real son, if it's really real. Something I could feel son, load it up and kill one; want it raw deal son, if it's really real.

The Fair Elections Now Act (S. 752 and H.R. 1826)

For those who don't know, The Fair Elections Now Act is a bill that was recently introduced and passed by the Committee on House Administration regarding a new campaign funding model in an attempt to regulate special interest funding and ensure that our representation are not held in the pockets of "Big Business." All that remains is for a vote on the floor of the House. I'm quite pleased to see change in this regard, but I had some concerns about its legitimacy and wanted to seek some other opinions on the matter. I have recently sent the following message to Dr. Ron Paul, U.S. Representative, Texas Congressional District 14, which I am also sharing here:

Dear Dr. Paul et al,

I've been a fan and supporter for some time and find that while we may have some minor disagreements, we share very similar views on many core issues.

Recently I've been looking into The Fair Elections Now Act which calls attention to an aspect of government that I feel desperately needs change. I definitely see problems with special interest funding but some of the Act's supporters surprise me and the amount of money "Good Government" groups are investing in advertising could be a good sign, but I do still have to wonder. As one of the few elected independents and a supporter of grassroots campaigns I went about looking for your stance on the bill to try to get another perspective from a politically aware person I respect, but I see you're still undecided on the matter. I realize that I'm not in your congressional district and that you may not reply to this message, but if necessary, in lieu of direct contact, I'd like to ask if you could at least take the time to make a public statement on H.R. 1826 so that those of us still up in the air on whether or not to contact our representation can consider your view as someone who might better understand the underlying and long term implications therein.

Thanks much for your time and passion about compassion; may your days be well

Even Though You’re Gone

I’ll never know what happened,
or answer these questions,
but I know that it’s not the end,
so in these redemption's
my life is going to bend.

Perhaps life was egregious,
but the smiles you gave
were never facetious
and when needed you were brave
though a bit promiscuous

Even though you’re gone
no matter how long
your remnants live on
in lives and in hearts and in song
you’ve even left spawn.

I never thought I’d be this strong
and even though you’re gone
I promise to carry your memory on
Giving hope to those wronged,
smiling, and loving those ladies long.

Written in loving memory of Jonathan David Tribbey

Control Methods for ASP.NET AJAX

Page Methods

As of late several things have been calling my attention to get back into JavaScript, most especially in the area of AJAX. Through colleagues and friends I've been introduced to a lot of the popular standards right now, which all seemed to follow the patterns I expected, but there were some things that I payed extra homage to. Most notably, I really enjoy the concept of Page Methods. If you haven't used them yet, Page Methods allow you to define a static WebMethod in the class for an ASP.NET Page and expose them to client script. ScriptManager.EnablePageMethods adds the convenience of generating a proxy to access the method from client script with little hassle, though it turns out the property isn't needed to call the service, it only generates client script for you (probably based on reflection of the page, though I haven't checked into this yet). With some further reading (due to a nod from a colleague) I found Dave Ward's post on using jQuery to directly call ASP.NET page methods. All was well and good... until that curiosity kicked in.

Encapsulation

One of my favorite things about Page Methods is that it allows the logic for asynchronous calls to be grouped in the same body of code that it pertains to. Just as I define event handlers for oldschool postbacks in the page, I can also define the callbacks used by a page there. There are some other differences worth noting, such as a slimmer service model since no WSDL is necessary and only JSON is supported, which can arguably be considered a performance optimization, but ultimately (as an engineer) the encapsulation is what really draws me to this design.

Control Methods

After appreciating the value of being able to call a service whose definition is within the page, one thing that seems to be common is for people to try to do the same within a UserControl. It seems like a great idea to be able to implement reusable AJAX controls keeping the logic contained within the code it relates to. This is especially noteworthy when the asynchronous call is specific to the logic of the control; currently most controls use .asmx web services, which makes sense, especially if a web service will be reused, but all-in-all, seems a mite overboard for some particular control's one-off auto-complete list or the like and, additionally, it unnecessarily complicates organization and maintenance efforts. Unfortunately, as many others have commented, this feature is not supported for methods within a UserControl. When looking into how web services are provided in ASP.NET it seemed to be an unnecessary limitation; true .ascx extensions are, by default, handled by the HttpForbiddenHandler, but Page Method requests shouldn't be (and as research indicates, aren't) handled by PageHandlerFactory or the Page class; the methods are static and initializing the page's object model would defeat the purpose of using real web services instead of UpdatePanel (for those that are less familiar with the life-cycle of a page and why this would be less efficient, this is a good starting point). To me, this implied that the handling of these methods only required a static method marked with some attributes to exist within a class accessible by the web application; the rest was a matter of translating the request into the right calls.

Enter ScriptModule. ScriptModule is configured in Web.config for all ASP.NET AJAX projects. It seems to facilitate a few things, though I didn't look into much detail as my only concern was with the handling of Page Methods. As it turns out, the limitation is strictly superficial; ScriptModule explicitly checks that the current request is a Page before doing anything related to a REST query.

ScriptModule has a very simple process for handling Page Methods and the implementation details were really handled in classes and static methods that received relative paths and method names as string parameters. Perfect! I should be able to reuse the existing implementation after changing little of the request parsing... right? Wrong. Unfortunately all of the helper classes and methods are marked internal so there is no easy way to access the existing functionality. Alas, I really like the idea of encapsulating my control logic in my control class. It would probably be possible to rewrite the implementation, or more suitable for Microsoft to modify the module to handle a few more cases (they could actually modify a few things, like the convenience code generation and properties for Extenders), but for the time being I have settled on creating a solution that used the same implementation as Page Methods through Reflection.

Reflection

The downside to using reflection in this solution is that typical ASP.NET security models do not allow much reflection. Some trust levels provide limited reflection permission, but invoking internal members of an assembly is forbidden as a security measure in all of the default security levels short of Full Trust (which is not ideal for production environments). The other levels can be modified to support ReflectionPermission, but ultimately the rule is in place for a reason. That said I've created two methods to access Control Methods. One is an in-application ashx handler that would require the above-mentioned security modifications, but is rather simple to drop in. The other (recommended) option is an IHttpModule contained in a strong-named assembly registered in the Global Assembly Cache. By default, assemblies in the GAC are granted full trust, even in web applications, so the module can serve Control Methods without compromising the security of the web application.

Source

Since it seems like other people are interested in this as well, I've posted my implementation of Control Methods for ASP.NET AJAX to CodePlex under a BSD style license. It's not a priority of mine, but I do intend to further extend this to support the same functionality for Master Pages as well as trying to test interaction with various AJAX Server Controls (like AutoCompleteExtender). I have not tested standard ASP.NET authorization and security methods extensively yet either. Still, the design model is good, and maybe this will call some attention to the desire for this functionality to get some official support.

Reborn a Princess?

A Roller Coaster Wridden by the Mad Hatter Jason

With clear vantage he stands upon the mount,
atop the apex of his being, surveying things one can't count.
The valleys down below echo in chorus
telling grand stories with messages amorous
and tales of nearing epoch on his account.
Observantly, he sits in wait, ever curious
listening for the hints his future may recount.

With battlefield ballads of heart mind and soul,
intermixing melodies of each of his goals.
All well defined, he's in complete control
yet stagnant he waits, debating his role.
Two melodies at war with none to console
and a third sonorously resonating; amplifying the whole.

His empire is forming, of this he is sure,
yet he takes no claim 'til his aims be secure.
Seeking solace in heart with expression that's pure,
slows the acquisition of success for this entrepreneur.
All the while fulfilling potential could be the cure,
but should he be satisfied trailing money as his spoor
or ensure his pursuit is not drawn by this allure.

His potential laid before him, illusory confusion disbanded;
his castle's not built yet and so he must move forward.
Yet in timely fashion, significance of other tunes expanded
the melodious infusion becomes less obscure yet carries no reward.
Instead he listens to lonely tones, once again standing stranded.

Alas, music to his ears, the notes begin to harmonize.
Finally a path appears wherein a symphony might form,
in front of him doth his heart's song materialize
such radiantly burning melody with no care for the norm;
peering past words he doesn't intend to idealize
but rather knows full well that he seeks the perfect storm
if only the efforts of happiness would make her realize.

He observes as her journey takes the fashion like Ulalume,
veiled like a raven beguiling her sad fancy into smiling,
as she again unknowingly travels to her lost love's tomb
and he hopes that her off-putting words are of like styling.

Reinforcing stone walled heart with her soul's intense fire,
she's managed to postpone his last sought desire;
though she shields her cloaked heart, his thoughts do not tire
instead against her voiced motive, the challenge doth inspire.
He can't help but notice melodic lines from her luminous lyre;
the tonal pattern of a child's pure joy that elates the young sire
empowering him to withstand her psyche's blazing pyre.

Crazy love shrouds him as burnt landscape doth form
and when the dance gets hot he does not hide or mourn.
He simply waits wishing for the honor to see the phoenix reborn

Mimsy's Box

A mental delicacy prepared in race fashion by none other than the Mad Hatter Jason.

She pierces him with eyes of fire,
Revs her engine and spins her tires,
In hot pursuit he chases her,
Finding her lines, each hidden curve,
He gently follows her snaking path,
Learning more at every pass.
All is fun and the race goes fast,
When suddenly his chase doth crash!

An earth-shaking tremor of doubt,
Second guesses run rampantly,
Guiding a guilt-based inner bout,
He worries about her safety,
But next thing he knows she starts to burn out.

Again he gives chase
To see her pretty face
But down the road discovers
This time’s not a race.
She flees the scene to keep him safe
And frees the man from awful fate
But thinks not how his heart might shake
‘Til face to face they meet beside a lake.

He reads the surface of her mind,
Proving out loud that it’s clear as day,
But when he wonders what he’ll find,
When digging deeper, and what she’ll say.
In the realm of sanity,
He starts to play,
With words like a hatter,
His madness on display.

Down the rabbit hole he lives,
Beckoning her further so he might give
Insight of healing and thoughts curative.
A young Alice, she wavers at the small door,
To a world that is meaningless and yet means so much more.
Unmoving she stands debating the vial,
Wondering how insanity will help her survival.

And thus the hatter speaks,
Explaining his world,
Describing what he sees,
The girl’s being unfurled.

"An angel stuffed in a box labeled 'DO NOT OPEN. EVIL' guarded by a selfish girl shrouded in a thin cloak of innocence imagining a dark cloud of guilt overhead."

He says, then details what he wants instead.
Why oh why, won’t you be nicer to yourself and me,
I can’t wait to see inside Mimsy.
Around the question the rabbit dances,
With no meaning given, a short reply she answers
Smiling she prances "Uhuh... we’ll see."
Seeing her fence, he lures her in
To break her defense of the question
He simply states rather exactly
I’m not sure you know what’s in the box, my dear mimsy.
In playful response she takes the poke,
Inside the box? Hmm… nope
Well milady Mimsy, what remains is called "Hope."

Not wanting to hurt, or be hurt in kind,
She ignores his advances time after time.
She says she needs easiness (so she can drive blind),
But he knows it’s a challenge that will make her sublime.
Discussing Pandora and history past,
He tells her of differences between the easy and right paths.
Alas, if only Mimsy were the Borogoves,
And the past would find its tears,
The hatter could hap happiness,
And destroy all her fears.

The psycho semantic and curious chef,
To the best of his skills with which he’s been blessed
He composes tenuously a meal of mental obscurity,
With such delicious components, an epicurean rarity
And simplistic appearance on which she can dine
Where the residual flavor improves over time.
Finally she opens her heart to his mind,
Even if only a piece at a time,
Alas his chance has finally arrived,
To be such a happy Mad Hatter that he composes this rhyme.

---

This is a poem I wrote not long ago. I'm very pleased with the way it turned out (the poem, not so much the rest of the story, lol) and have kept it quietly stashed amongst close friends, but I'm so very fond of this poem and have little reason to keep it locked up, so I thought I would share it with the world. There are many reason's I'm happy with this work, some which will not be perceived by anybody, some that only a select few will understand, but for the rest of you, I'm quite happy with two things primarily: First, I wrote this from beginning to end with no backtracking, proof reading or editing (Edit: I added the subtitle when I finished). Second, is my application of the term "mimsy," originally coined by the great author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (better known as Lewis Carroll), whom I have a great deal of respect and admiration of. Mimsy, in this work, is a person to whom, at the time in my mind's eye, both Carroll's initial meaning of the word, as well as the additional meaning and context added over the years. At any rate, do enjoy. I'm interested in feedback too, though it's unlikely that I will edit the work at all, considering the circumstances.

TechVi: Zune Development with XNA

First and foremost, I want to thank the gents over at TechVi for inviting me to contribute to their program. It's always nice to work with a bunch of smart and driven folks. That said, as I just came on board today I was going through some of the previous shows to see what I was getting into. As I was taking a peak at the recent ZuneHD spot some comparison between the iPod Touch/iPhone caught my attention with the mention of application development on the Zune, which came across as a rather bleak outlook. I just wanted to point out some of the things Microsoft has been working on to that regard to give a little more clarity.

To be clear, I'm no expert with the Zune (my Touch Pro is a perfectly sufficient MP3 player for me), nor am I personally up to date with the development technologies I'll be pointing out. I have, however, been watching Microsoft's strategy for many years as they've moved forward and I have my own hypothesis to make about the future of development in this regard. Now, to the point:

Over the last few years Microsoft's .NET Framework has been gaining a lot of ground in the development industry. One of it's challenges early on was that, while well designed for desktop and web applications, it was not prepared for one of the most sought after markets in the technology industry: games. Those of us who were knee deep in trying to figure out ways to make good games while still leveraging the power of .NET during these early days may even remember Microsoft releasing an unsupported Managed wrapper for DirectX with the DirectX SDK. Not long after (but long enough for plenty of us to have started dabbling with it) they yanked the good stuff right out from under us. Turns out Microsoft was moving to a new platform altogether. Enter XNA (the clever buggers went and took the recursive acronym to a new level, XNA stands for "XNA is Not an Acronym"). It started a bit rough, but, as with any other Microsoft development technology, ultimately turned out to be generally viewed as really well planned with great tools and a lot of opportunity ahead.

Since it's mention in 2004, XNA Game Studio is up to version 3 and now offers 2D and 3D game development support and runs, in some capacity or another, on Desktop PCs, XBOX 360, and Zune. The platform is based on a modified version of the .NET Compact Framework which is a reasonably capable and very easy to use development platform that facilitates a powerful, easy to read/write, well organized environment. Using this technology it is possible to develop a game that will run on all three platforms with little to no change in the code. In order to leverage this to compete with Apple's App Store it may be necessary for Microsoft to rethink their distribution model (currently they offer a paid subscription only designed for XBOX 360), but as a development platform it is very clean, easy to use and powerful.

I don't know what Microsoft intends to do about distribution, but I can at least speculate on one more change that seems innevitable for the future. Early on the intention to support Windows Mobile devices with XNA alongside the XBOX and Desktop PC seemed obvious, though over time have faded from memory. Zune managed to get in the door first, but I still see the handheld OS now commonly found on phones in XNA's near future. I've been toying with Windows Mobile 6.5 and an unreleased version of the NetCF runtime (listed currently as version 3.7). One of the first things I noticed while playing with the new runtime is that it no longer includes the mobile Managed DirectX library. Some speculate that it's because OpenGLES is so dominant in the portable industry, but this feels rather reminiscent of the last time they wanted to make a move to XNA. The Windows Mobile platform will be much harder to target than XBOX and Zune were because of the great variety of hardware that it runs on and their varying capabilities (much like the desktop version), but since XNA is based on the Compact Framework it seems like an innevitable move, leaving the bulk of my assumption on the "when" side. I guess now all we can do is wait and see.

Retry Oriented Thread Synchronization

Somewhat recently at work I've been troubleshooting some concurrency edge cases involving deadlocks due to thread synchronization. In my experience, a lot of times this is the result of creating lock objects for separate collections or something of the sort. In most of the code only one collection/object is accessed at a time and the separate synchronization objects allow for less contention and more throughput. Excluding simple/obvious mistakes, the problem typically arises when different code paths require the objects in opposite order, sometimes becoming more difficult to trace when they involve events/handlers. Obviously on goal when locking is to lock the synchronization object for as little time as possible, but sometimes it's simply necessary to hold a lock while entering an event or callback.

One solution, which worked fine for us, was to get rid of one of the synchronization objects and use the same one for both collections. Ultimately it was all that was necessary for our solution, since we couldn't change the other code paths or unlock one of the synchronization roots, but it did inspire me to start trying to think of a better solution. I've been toying with an idea somewhat similar to the pattern used by TransactionScope, taking advantage of the using statement to allow syntax to stay simple (since the lock statement is so lightweight it would be ideal to keep the new solution quick and easy). I certainly haven't found the ideal solution just yet, and it's quite likely that there really is no ideal solution, but I've posted the new code and test application on CodePlex, hoping others in the community will see the potential advantages and help me improve on it, either with code or ideas. This also doesn't implement any synchronization techniques regarding Mutexes, Semaphores, or any other wait handle style synchronization, this is currently specific to using Monitor and may only serve to improve circumstances using traditional lock statements or Monitor directly.

The general concept behind usage in the current implementation is as follows:

using (LoopLock l = new LoopLock(ltp.Syncs))
{
 //optional event, but here for testing
 l.LockAttemptFailed += new LoopLockEventHandler(delegate(LoopLock sender, LoopLockEventArgs e)
 {
     if (e.Attempts > 200)
     {
         //sample of aborting if it takes to long to get a successful lock;
         e.AbortLock();
     }
 });

 l.AcquireLock();

 Thread.Sleep(rnd.Next(5490) + 20);

}

The LoopLock constructor takes in a params array of all the synchronization objects (in the order they should be locked). The AcquireLock method only exists to allow attaching an event handler, which will be described in a moment. AcquireLock attempts to obtain a lock on each synchronization object one at a time. If it is unable to obtain any lock in 100ms (by default, though there is a constructor overload to provide the timeout period) it will proceed to unlock each of the successfully locked objects (in reverse order), fire the LockAttemptFailed event which provides the number of tries so far along with the option of aborting the process alltogether (which throws a LoopLockAbortedException). If all locks are acquired code will proceed and, when the code leaves the scope of the using statement, all locks are released (in the opposite order they were locked).

One thing I've already considered through the simple test application I've made is the possibility of adding support for prioritization based on retry counts, which could be useful, but since these are thread specific and this is supposed to be a lightweight class it may require the use of WeakReferences so I haven't gone through with it yet since I'm still working on finding other possibilities and it could wind up being a waste of effort. One problem mentioned above that this still doesn't solve is the event handler situation, where I lock a synchronization object important to me and then fire an event which can be attached to by arbitrary code; since I don't have control over both code-bases I can't see a means to provide any "let me get out of your way" logic, since we can't release the lock once synchronization-dependent code has already begun executing. I was thinking about the possibility of a delegate or delegate wrapper that carries a reference to the synchronization object would work for some occasions, but without some under-.NET's-hood voodoo it would still sacrifice syntax clarity/diversity, which I'm trying to avoid. It seems there will have to be a tradeoff somewhere in order to improve this model, and maybe using a single callback with a synchronization object reference instead of supporting a multicast delegate may be that answer, but for now I'm going to think on it more. I would really love any insight from those in the wilderness; I've certainly not been exposed to every method of using threads and synchronization and, while I'm pretty familiar with Monitor and other synchronization classes, there could still be something obvious I'm not privy too as well.

-TheXenocide

Selective Interpretation

Well, I haven't posted in forever, and this isn't what I was shooting for, but I went on another rant in some forums related to "The Boondocks" animated TV series so I figured I'd post it here. Fragile readers beware, this is a serious and potentially controversial topic. You don't have to agree with me, but this is my little brain dump and I'd like to let others read it. If you have a sufficient argument (with some intellect behind it) feel free to debate, but here goes:

Anybody who sets or adheres to a policy that one race can do something and another can't (like say "the n word") is a racist.

I don't consider it important to mention what "color" or "race" I am, but suffice it to say that I've lived (throughout several states) in "the projects", inner city, suburbs, "redneck" country, been homeless, lived in a 3 bedroom house on an estate by the water and more. In the projects and city I said "the n word" and was called "the n word" on a daily basis and it didn't mean a thing until I moved somewhere else and experienced people selectively interpreting the term as offensive. I've seen different "rules" about who can and can't say it in every different place I've lived (even ones like "n*gga" is different from "n*gger" and places that say Latinos and South Americans are qualified; did you know the English have used it to refer to the Irish?). I understand full well the history and the connotation of the word, but as it stands today it's not about the word, it's about the intention.

If someone wants to be offensive it doesn't matter what words they use, they're going to be perceived as offensive. If someone wants to be offended, it doesn't matter what the circumstance is, they will find something to be offended about. Some people strive for drama (like people who react every time a non-"black" *person* says it) and some people are afraid of it (like people who aren't racist but are afraid to say the word because they figure people will think they are) but, ultimately, all of these responses are just giving power to something that is nothing more than a word. If I say sh*t or f**k today most people will just think it's normal or maybe somewhat irresponsible, but there was a point in time when it was very offensive (the term "curse words" comes from the idea that people would literally be cursed for using them; clearly they weren't and people realized it and moved on). What changed? The words didn't; only the mentality did. Just the same, people also say "bless you" because at some point people thought that sneezing expelled the soul from the body and that "blessing someone" would somehow put it back in or protect them.

We set the standards by living them, so you can support racism by taking a racist stance (like one person can say something that another can't) or you can move on and live your life like nobody is different which will (even if only slowly) change the general mentality and (hopefully) abolish racism/sexism/*ism. Remember that freedom is the right to do whatever you want so long as you don't affect someone else's right to do what they want.

We learn new things every day and the thing that holds us back more than anything are the people who refuse to move forward. Grow up, help mankind, and get over yourself and the past to work for a better future. Cracker, Wap, Porch-Monkey (somebody! quick! take it back! ;p), Spic, whatever: it doesn't matter unless you let it. We can't change the past; no word will ever be eliminated, sometimes most people just stop using it. Then again I'm being a bit loquacious, which is a word that is hardly ever used today (though I did wind up using it the other day), but it's still available when someone (like myself) wants it.

Who's to say any culture is "ours" or "yours" or anyone else's for that matter?! Ethnicity isn't about race (scroll down); it's about shared experiences and learning, much more frequently associated with location and is sometimes associated with a minority group, but only in a more recent and selective definition which also requires you to interpret religion in the same boat (anybody have any preconceptions about Muslims?). People appreciate and learn new cultures; the people that made Adult Swim what it is were appreciating Japanese culture and then it slowly became that of the "nerd" which the majority of were smart enough to appreciate anything made with some sort of intellect and humor (like "The Boondocks"). In any given week I eat food from at least 5 different cultures, including the "American" culture which has basically been a very recently evolved combination of many other cultures. Ultimately there are people who are trying to pretend they're something they're not so that people will see them a certain way ("cool" perhaps?) which, no matter whether it be "black" culture or the "popular" clique, always stand out as idiots who aren't confident or happy enough with themselves to be real. Anybody that makes "exceptions" to these racist institutions does so on the basis that someone is being "real" as opposed to being a "poser." You can pretend they're all different situations if you want, but you're selectively interpreting things to make your own life easier so you don't have to learn and evolve your own perspective. People want everyone else to see the world the way they do (subjectively) instead of trying to look at the world objectively and learning about their own inaccuracy. "Black" "Hip-hop culture" isn't even remotely close to what it was 10 years ago, let alone like the "black culture" of slavery or Jim-Crow-era post-slavery; cultures grow and evolve as people interact and move from one to another. Check the British Lady Sovereign et al on "The Battle" and you'll catch a completely different infusion of cultures made by people of multiple "races" - it doesn't matter what color they are or where they're from. Once you get past the accent you have to admit they spit real fire.

I'm seriously concerned about how many people look at this topic without ever taking a step back and looking at the big picture. With any luck the world will now be a better place; thanks for your time if you made it through all this.

Be real (Aaron McGruder would be),

-TheXenocide

Wasting Time Explaining a Waste of Time

The views expressed here forth are a response to an article posted on American Thinker and assuming, like the many comments already visible therein, that it is not rejected during moderation, this will also be viewable there.

Let it be known, first and foremost, that I do not believe either party candidate to be of any *real* value to the citizens of this country. That said, this entire "controversy" is a waste of time; the prerequisites for presidential candidacy are checked in most states, if not all. Additionally, many US citizens maintain citizenship in other countries that do not provide for Dual Citizenship and the United States has not overturned their citizenship. I know people who *work for the US government* that maintain citizenship in Italy, Japan and Egypt personally and, while their citizenship in those countries is not recognized while they're in the United States (meaning they can not seek harbor in an embassy to require extradition for prosecution), this has not nullified their citizenship (in fact the US *only* recognizes their US citizenship). Also, once you are a natural born US citizen the citizenship status or changes of your parents does not affect your own unless it can be proven that they never were US citizens in the first place. Simply put, citizenship gives the US legal system more capability and, as such, they use it whenever convenient. Even if Obama *had* shown a birth certificate to an unfriendly source in person we would still be depending on the words of someone else rather than deciding for ourselves; is it now the responsibility of every political candidate to carry their birth certificate on their person so as to show it to everyone? What happens if/when it gets stolen? I know I don't carry mine with me just to prove I'm a citizen, I just show it to the appropriate government office when they require it and put it back in a safe place.

Additionally, Obama's health records, while not complete and detailed, or no less reliable than the exposure McCain has provided (effectively very limited access by few people for a limited time) and the analysis of these limited views still show Obama to be in significantly higher health. If you're going to require health records, which I completely agree with, require complete disclosure from all candidates.

Molotov also makes bold claims when stating that they released information before "anybody knew," clearly showing exaggeration since they obviously weren't part of the movement and likely had to take their information from somebody. Also, conspiracy is defined as "an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons" amongst other similar derivatives, which this video is (not that I mind, it's important to consider the possibilities of these things, the term has been loaded with a negative "foil hat" image), keeping in mind that a search for "Illuminati" will return results almost entirely consisting of conspiracy theories.

This article serves as nothing more than smoke-screen in an ever-filled political atmosphere through which too many people are depending on the unproven words of "smart people" instead of looking the information up and deciding for themselves. If this is supposed to be published for an "American Thinker" why not *think* before disseminating it?

P.S. McCain has a similar case brought up and, rightly so, both have been dismissed on similar terms. I suppose its only fair to question the citizenship of every candidate, but don't you think the process would have booted them by now?

Longwinded Response and Declaration of Political Views

I've been working on the majority of this for quite some time and was about to paste it in a forum discussion (found here) until I realized that it's even longer than my usual rants (I guess that's what happens when I let it build over time ;p). Some of the segments/content herein are new or altered and serve primarily as response to posts in the forum.

It seems we have similar views, but I find it hard to believe that a constitutionalist (like myself) would vote for McCain simply based on his Senate record. Ron Paul was the most constitutionally aligned candidate this election, but bad press and primary campaign funding coming from the grassroots internet movement didn't put him far enough forward for people to research his platform enough to understand his position. My opinion about America and it's core values seems, to me, to be common sense from middle school social studies class, but it may be that many Americans have become too lazy or their perspective is outside the scope of my understanding. I agree with you on a lot of the points you make, but I don't think that you've actually given any particularly good reasons for your position. I also believe that more people should acknowledge just how much George W. Bush has hurt our constitutional rights; this is very important because John McCain has voted 90+% along with Bush over several years while he and his confused VP receive support from bigoted leaders without addressing the awful things they say. It's also incredibly important that the American people not be convinced to let up on their prying; these people will become the most powerful people in the world. It's massively important that we let resolution come (the opposite of postponing) to things like the next troopergate investigation before making decision about a woman who could very easily become a replacement president with an unadressed reasonable statistical possibility of natural death.

I feel that the absolute most important principle in American values is freedom. I define freedom as the right to do whatever you want so long as you do not get in the way of anybody else doing what they want. I believe that in America, the only purpose of law is to protect our freedoms. Murder, rape, theft, discrimination, etc. are matter-of-factly an aggression against the freedom of another citizen. With that said, I think that voting for a candidate (who isn't even running for part of the legislative branch, mind you) based on their opinions about concepts that we can not, based entirely on fact, say is an attack on the freedom of another should not even touch the floor of congress, let alone be part of a candidate's platform. The tiered/federalized system supports the possibility of like-minded people grouping and enforcing common opinion; the federal governments primary purpose is to protect our constitutional liberties. We do, however, have quite a mess on our hands given the state of the economy.

Income tax is entirely unconstitutional as the 16th amendment was never properly ratified and it is neither a direct apportioned tax, nor an indirect uniform tax (this interview does a fine job explaining the position) and is therefore not even remotely close to an executive branch concern so much as legislative and/or judicial. It is also against our founding principles due to the fact that it enforces taxation in Washington D.C. and other unrepresetned zones (taxation without representation, anybody?). The same branch-orientation applies to abortion as the only thing a president can do is appoint justices and choose to veto or not, which congress can, on our behalf, override in a true majority based decision anyway (overriding veto with process or judicial review with new legislation/ammendments). We should be looking for a president that knows these things well, as it will be his job, and acts accordingly. We don't need a President who is pro-choice or pro-life, we don't need a President who will legalize drugs (as much as I believe drug related infractions should be based on what laws they've broken that affect other people, like killing someone while driving intoxicated, not based on what you decided to put in your body while sitting in the comfort of your living room) since he can't legalize/decriminalize anything.

What we truly need is a President who knows to Veto a bill that does not benefit the majority of our population, such as the Patriot Act which was written before the event utilized to pass it and which passed without elected officials even reading it. We need a president that doesn't "authorize" warrantless wire-types on US citizens without reason. We need a President that knows that passing a law that gives the President the ability to declare martial law is the opposite of supporting our constitution's foundation (too late again, of course). We need a President that isn't going to lie to us to support his own agenda or cover his friends' a**es or to establish fake enemies with no proof which degrade society by supporting race/religious hate and enforce an international stereotype of the mean and stupid nature of Americans.

Unfortunately, over the last century we've dug ourselves into such a deep hole of non-majority supporting legislation that, at this point, we need government involvement just to clean up after the mess we let our government make in the first place, but far more importantly we need Americans that hold their representation accountable and force action even when our politicians turn into flopping fish because of their campaign funding or other misrepresentation rationalizations. We need Americans that are willing to push their representation for impeachment when their position has been misused, rather than over suits that with little impact on America that can be handled in civil courts.

The privatized fiat currency we've allowed to gradually destroy our economy while being convinced (for whatever reason I do not know) that printing more of it can actually fix something is a mess that can't be resolved in one term. The money we waste declaring war on our own people (War on Drugs) sending armed forces into the homes of families near "farmers" in California (this used to be illegal), or arresting large numbers of people in unfortunate circumstances negatively affecting one or two people, all the while bailing out white collar criminals who have potentially contributed to the destruction of the lives of millions (criminals punished by paying them millions of dollars for failing to perform their duties effectively). This isn't something that can be fixed without the government, it's something the government needs to fix on our behalf.

Lastly, while battleground states can be very narrow lines, the only reason that it is currently "impossible" to elect a candidate outside the two major parties is that everybody seems to think that they have to vote one or the other or they're throwing their vote away. This isn't actually a two-party country, there's just an illusion that benefits big business and continuity of current tactics. The person who wins is the person with the most electoral college votes, no questions asked, period. Still, regardless of differences of opinion I'm very happy to see that many of us are still actively engaging in discussion and debate about these concerns. It gives me hope, and it's the only thing we can use to change these dangerous illusions.

White Privelege

I didn't write this, and I didn't find it, a friend of mine by the name Chris Scott posted someone else's work and I was very impressed with it. Sorry, I know I haven't written anything myself in some time and I need to get back on that, but for now, taste a bit of this:

September 13, 2008
This is Your Nation on White Privilege
By Tim Wise


For those who still can't grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.

White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because 'every family has challenges,' even as black and
Latino families with similar 'challenges' are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and
arbiters of social decay.

White privilege is when you can call yourself a 'fuckin' redneck,' like Bristol Palin's boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll 'kick their fuckin' ass,' and talk about how you like to 'shoot shit' for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.

White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement,
whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.

White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as
the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don't all piss on themselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you're 'untested.'

White privilege is being able to say that you support the words 'under God' in the pledge of allegiance because 'if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it's good enough for me,' and not be immediately disqualified from holding office--since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the 'under God' part wasn't added until the 1950s--while believing that reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution,
which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals.

White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you.

White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state
to secede from the Union, and whose motto is 'Alaska
first,' and no one questions your patriotism or that of
your family, while if you're black and your spouse
merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home
with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately
think she's being disrespectful.
White privilege is being able to make fun of community
organizers and the work they do--like, among other things,
fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights,
or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor--and people
think you're being pithy and tough, but if you merely
question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month
governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she
took in college and the fact that she lives close to
Russia--you're somehow being mean, or even sexist.

White privilege is being able to convince white women who
don't even agree with you on any substantive issue to
vote for you and your running mate anyway, because suddenly
your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these
same white women, and made them give your party a
'second look.'

White privilege is being able to fire people who didn't
support your political campaigns and not be accused of
abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages
in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some
folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means
you must be corrupt.

White privilege is when you can take nearly twenty-four
hours to get to a hospital after beginning to leak amniotic
fluid, and still be viewed as a great mom whose commitment
to her children is unquestionable, and whose 'next door
neighbor' qualities make her ready to be VP, while if
you're a black candidate for president and you let your
children be interviewed for a few seconds on TV, you're
irresponsibly exploiting them.

White privilege is being able to give a 36 minute speech in
which you talk about lipstick and make fun of your opponent,
while laying out no substantive policy positions on any
issue at all, and still manage to be considered a legitimate
candidate, while a black person who gives an hour speech the
week before, in which he lays out specific policy proposals
on several issues, is still criticized for being too vague
about what he would do if elected.

White privilege is being able to attend churches over the
years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry
or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and
that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job
of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles
into government, and who bring in speakers who say the
conflict in the Middle East is God's punishment on Jews
for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you're
just a good church-going Christian, but if you're black
and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin
Powell and the U.S. Department of Defense) that terrorist
attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who
talks about the history of racism and its effect on black
people, you're an extremist who probably hates America.

White privilege is not knowing what the Bush Doctrine is
when asked by a reporter, and then people get angry at the
reporter for asking you such a 'trick question,'
while being black and merely refusing to give one-word
answers to the queries of Bill O'Reilly means you're
dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual
and nuanced.

White privilege is being able to go to a prestigious prep
school, then to Yale and then Harvard Business school, and
yet, still be seen as just an average guy (George W. Bush)
while being black, going to a prestigious prep school, then
Occidental College, then Columbia, and then to Harvard Law,
makes you 'uppity,' and a snob who probably looks
down on regular folks.

White privilege is being able to graduate near the bottom
of your college class (McCain), or graduate with a C average
from Yale (W.) and that's OK, and you're cut out to
be president, but if you're black and you graduate near
the top of your class from Harvard Law, you can't be
trusted to make good decisions in office.

White privilege is being able to dump your first wife after she's disfigured in a car crash so you can take up with a multi-millionaire beauty queen (who you go on to call the c-word in public) and still be thought of as a man of strong family values, while if you're black and married for nearly twenty years to the same woman, your family is viewed as un-American and your gestures of affection for each other are called 'terrorist fist bumps.'

White privilege is being able to sing a song about bombing Iran and still be viewed as a sober and rational statesman, with the maturity to be president, while being black and suggesting that the U.S. should speak with other nations, even when we have disagreements with them, makes you 'dangerously naive and immature.'

White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism and an absent father is apparently among the 'lesser adversities' faced by other politicians, as Sarah Palin explained in her convention speech.

And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren't sure about that whole 'change' thing. Ya know, it's just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain.

White privilege is, in short, the problem.

Selective Updating

Update: Buggy game DRM puts Windows users at risk

Nobody seems to be talking about this angle, since everyone wants to harp on DRM (which is great, by the way, keep on finding vulnerabilities in DRM software and take this machine down the right way! By showing that they don't care about you that much more...), but this sounds to me like Microsoft and Macrovision discovered this vulnerability while developing Vista and knowingly didn't report it or update existing users. Failure to update a known glitch is the kind of thing someone does when they don't want people to be able to use their old stuff so that they have to switch to the new stuff.

Come on consumers! It's your job to police the product! These things aren't right, you shouldn't have to hand over all your hard earned cash for things that offer little-to-no additional functionality. It's amazing all of the things out there this system applies to; start checking your products out.

I know somebody who experienced a "necessary update" scenario recently that was just ridiculous. A friend with an Apple iBook was about to break down and buy a new battery (which is, of course, overpriced by Apple; check out replacement batteries for the iPod and then see what superior yet cheaper technology 3rd party manufacturers make for iPod replacement batteries...) when she found out that her laptop wouldn't function unless it was plugged in, not because her battery was dead, but because there was a software update necessary to fix it. I'm sorry... did someone say a laptop shipped with a bug in the software that prevents you from using it without being plugged in?!?!?! That's not a laptop! It's a ball and chain.

Here's another one: My Phone, the ever-awesome HTC Apache (dubbed the PPC 6700 or XV 6700 in the US). Awesome phone, pretty good setup; downside: Sprint (and other manufacturers) stopped releasing updates beyond AKU 2.2. AKU 3.5 has been out for quite some time now! That's basically the equivalent of someone giving you a computer with Windows XP Service Pack 1 on it and telling you that you're not allowed to install Service Pack 2. WTF?! You sold me this device and now you're not willing to support it?! And it's great that the independent developer community has managed to make some excellent ROM Kitchens for using both Windows Mobile 5 AKU 3.5 as well as Windows Mobile 6 on the Apache (now I have no need to spend $600 on the HTC Mogul/PPC 6800, since it doesn't really offer anything but WM6 and a pretty antennaless case). It gets worse than that too. The radio chipset inside this phone is perfectly capable of retrieving and reporting GPS data with or without assistance (a-GPS, GPSOne; these are methods used for 911 calls and Sprint Roadside assistance and such. They need data from the cell phone company.) It's just a crying shame you can't actually access the already present GPS device. Sprint/Verizon/etc. have it locked down so that the only way to get GPS data from this phone is through special phone calls (such as 911). So I'm expected to wait until Sprint gets their act together with their own proprietary navigation service or go out and buy a really expensive GPS device when I've already purchased an expensive GPS unit: MY PHONE.

Anyway, that's the end of my rant, but seriously people: take more pride in yourselves and more responsibility for ensuring people do the right thing. No matter how many times we try to get the government to change things for us it's not gonna matter unless we work with each-other! (Another rant on this topic some other time :p).

Anyway, I'd like to talk about some cool nerdy stuff but I seem to have exhausted all of my time on this. See, now if you all could change the world for the better I might not have to waste my time on things like this and we might be able to work on *progress* ;p

-TheXenocide

John "Delegate" Doe

It seems I've just experienced a unique little caveat of anonymous delegates. One of my favorite things about an anonymous method in .NET is that it can carry over variable values from the defining code into the definition of the method. Essentially this (which is just sample code and not a good reference for proper logging practice ;D):

private void RegisterClickLogger(string logTitle)
{
Log log = new Log(logTitle);
this.Click += delegate(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
log.Write("Clicked!");
};
}

will write "Clicked!" to the log object created as a local variable in the RegisterClickLogger method even though RegisterClickLogger has stopped executing. The purpose of this post isn't really to introduce this concept though, there are many views on proper usage and such for anonymous methods out there, but rather to point out a unique scenario that caused me to think a bit about it.

As some of you may have discovered through other annoying experiences (like myself :p), Dictionary stores it's values in a structure called KeyValuePair. The key here is that it's a "structure" (a Value Type), not a class (Reference Type). A common issue with this is that it complicates serialization (when using a Reference Type for one of the type parameters). Today, however, the following code through me for a bit of a loop:

foreach (KeyValuePair<string, Type> pair in s_tests)
{
b = new Button();
b.Text = pair.Key;
b.Click += delegate(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
Form f = (Form)Activator.CreateInstance(pair.Value);
f.ShowDialog(this);
f.Dispose();
f = null;
};
b.AutoSize = true;
flow.Controls.Add(b);
}

It seemed all was fine when I clicked the last button, but later when I needed to click one of the earlier buttons I noticed that the same Form was appearing for every button. Looking things over a bit I decided to try changing the code to this:

foreach (KeyValuePair<string, Type> pair in s_tests)
{
b = new Button();
b.Text = pair.Key;
Type t = pair.Value;
b.Click += delegate(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
Form f = (Form)Activator.CreateInstance(t);
f.ShowDialog(this);
f.Dispose();
f = null;
};
b.AutoSize = true;
flow.Controls.Add(b);
}

It's a very simple change, hardly noticeable really, but sure enough it did the job and my problem was solved. So what happened? Well I'd have to look into things a bit more to give a truly accurate, in depth answer, but from my initial impression it seems that the value of "pair" (that was referenced by all of the anonymous delegates created) was updated (as expected) through each iteration in the loop. When a delegate would finally get called the loop had finished iterating and pair was the value of the last item in the Dictionary. I should probably look into it a little further to identify whether this treatment is related to the fact that pair was a Value Type or if the declaration of the variable "t" inside the scope of the loop is the only reason it was solved (t being a Reference Type). I'm just curious because I don't recall all of the nuances of anonymous methods in .NET, though I'd venture a guess that the second possibility is more likely (though I would, so much like to have another reason to hate KeyValuePair being a Value Type).

Alas, there is never enough time and I must run, but I'll be back soon to discuss some developments in my research (as promised),

-TheXenocide