Introducing MS WHINEdows XP

I caught an interesting news article at lunch today, about a kid in Canada being put against the legal wall by the international money-monger Microsoft.

Why? The kid, a 17 year old student, had the audacity to mimic their name for his website. So now it's a legal dispute between Microsoft and.....Mike Rowe.

Yep, you guessed it, his webpage is mikerowesoft.com ....(cue rimshot)

Why is Microsoft taking legal action?

STATED REASON: Because they're afraid their customers could confuse the site with theirs due to phonetic similarities, as well as the fact that while they sell web-design software, Mike is a professional web designer, adding to the potential confusion.

REAL REASON: Buncha fuckin' crybabies trying to keep themselves from being bested by a kid.

In all seriousness though, I don't care how well-paid their lawyers are or how corrupt a judge they find...if this goes to court, Gates is gonna lose on the simple fact that this lawsuit is absolutely STUPID.

Seriously...even if you spell Microsoft phonetically, "MIKE-ROW-SOFT", you wouldn't get to this kid's page...you'd still have to slip an E in there somewhere for cryin' out loud!

Still, in any event, here's rootin' for ya Mike. d^^b Deuces Up!

...Well, I need to get goin', I'm burnt out. That's it.

Hmmm....secrecy or safety?

That's pretty much what's being weighed on this little case the ACLU is raising about something known as the Multistate Anti-Terrorism Information Exchange, alias the Matrix (insert Neo/Smith joke of choice here.) (And here. You know you've got at least 2 of 'em.)

The ACLU is saying that this program, which is reportedly designed to give law enforcement agencies quick access to readily available info on suspects, is far too much like a program the Pentagon tried to initiate but dumped due to privacy outcries. Their support for their claims include several documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act, including records of a meeting between the FBI, INS, DEA, LMNOP, EIEIO (...okay, ignore the last two.), and the Secret Service where they were allegedly aiding in the design of data-mining software for the Matrix program.

Now here's my question: What would you rather have:
Protection from psychotic criminals, terrorists, and the like in exchange for people who really don't give a shit about your personal life having access to it
OR
Having all your little secrets to yourself while you're down at the shopping mall getting blown to bits by a psychopath with 20 pounds of C4 strapped to his waist?

Personally, I'll take the safety of the masses over the privacy of the few any day. I suppose being in the military it's my nature to prefer to protect America's people rather than their private lives...but I also stand by this little bit of truth in life: The only people who want their private lives hidden are those with something to hide...

...and personally, among that crowd are a number of people I'd want the law enforcement agency to be keeping an even bigger eye on.

So, I guess what I'm basically saying is that the ACLU can STFU.

...That's it.