This entry was published at least two years ago (originally posted on April 7, 2009). Since that time the information may have become outdated or my beliefs may have changed (in general, assume a more open and liberal current viewpoint). A fuller disclaimer is available.
Sometime between April 6th and April 7th, I thought this stuff was interesting. You might think so too!
- A Pirate’s Code of Conduct for BitTorrent: All of this is good, but Article Two is key, in my opinion, and why I have no issues with downloading TV shows, but have no urge to download films: "TV is to be downloaded, movies are to be attended when a man returns to shore. If ye aren't a Neilsen family, what you watch doesn't matter for ratings anyway. Since advertisers pay by rating, it's a theft-less crime. Movies, on the other hand, do see profits of gold and jewels. So support independent/foreign film in the theaters, and save the action flicks with high production values and many beautiful explosions for the big screen, too."
- How I Learned to Stop Being a Bitch and Love the Con: "Every year in early April a warm and happy buzzing grows in me not entirely unlike what a kid feels just before Christmas. The reason? Norwescon. I love it. I always have a great time." Nice post on Tor's website featuring photographs by yours truly!
- Bill Would End Civil Marriage, Create Domestic Partnerships: "Advocates for same-sex marriage plan to introduce legislation in the Maryland General Assembly today that would abolish civil marriage ceremonies now confined to heterosexual unions in the state and replace them with domestic partnerships for all couples. Under their proposal, all couples — straight or gay — would be on equal footing with secular unions. Religious marriage in churches, synagogues and mosques would be unaffected, as would existing civil marriages. The word 'marriage' would be replaced with 'valid domestic partnership' in the state's family law code. 'If people want to maintain a religious test for marriage, let's turn it into a religious institution,' said Sen. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Montgomery), the bill's Senate sponsor." Damn skippy. I'm all for this sort of thing.
- Giant ‘Hand’ Reaches Across Space: "In a new image from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, high-energy X-rays emanating from the nebula around PSR B1509-58 have been colored blue to reveal a structure resembling a hand reaching for some eternal red cosmic light." Actually, I'm pretty sure the website goofed up and used the wrong picture. This looks like the right one to me!
- Alaska’s Mount Redoubt – the Big Picture: "Beginning March 22nd, 2009, Alaska's Mount Redoubt, began a series of volcanic eruptions, and continues to be active to this date. Ash clouds produced by Redoubt have pushed 65,000 feet into the sky, disrupting air traffic, drifting across Cook Inlet, and depositing layers of gritty ash on populated areas of the Kenai Peninsula and Anchorage, about 180 km (110 miles) to the northeast. Mount Redoubt has erupted at least five times since 1900, with the most recent event taking place in 1989. "