Reading the newspaper today I came across an article on the crime/non-crime of cd/dvd burning. Apparently over 70% of our youth (13-26 year olds) are convinced that it is a crime to copy a cd they bought or a dvd they bought.
This train of thought got me reminiscing to my childhood. I remember side by side vcr's designed soley for the purpose of copying vhs tapes. Side by side tape decks designed to what... that's right, copy tapes. I have fond memories of spending hours compiling my favorite music onto one tape (a task which can be done in mere minutes today). And in all this 'copying' I can't recall anyone ever claiming they were breaking the law. It was just a given that you could do as you pleased with what you bought, and that included copying said item.
In trying to analyze how we came to this conclusion that making copy's of stuff you bought is a crime, I can come to only one conclusion. The whole dilema is driven by greed. Producers just can't stand the thought of someone enjoying something they made without recieving money for it. Apparently multi-billion dollar sells just aren't enough anymore. No, now they must acuse kids sharing their favorite songs of piracy. How dare they do that without our concent?
Benjamin Franklin was one of the most revered and succesful scientist/inventors of his time. Yet he refused to Patent a single invention. He felt that his inventions were for the benefit of all men, and that to Patent them would be criminal. I wonder what he would think of today's America where you are lucky if they haven't Patented the sneeze. Where the sharing of information is a crime.
I guess I'm amazed to see how drastically thinking has changed in just my short lifetime. Makes me wonder what the popular train of thought will be when I'm a grandfather.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Life is like a box of chocolates....
If you had talked to me a month ago, I'd have told you my life was in chaos and no matter how hard I tried looking, there was no light at the end of the tunnel.
But times are a changing and God, as always, is working wonders in my life. My wife is still pregnant. We "discuss" baby names, sleeping arrangements, read pregnancy websites, Poor lass still has the ever so pleasant, all day, morning sickness, or else she's napping. Darrien is in homeschool heaven as Mom usually falls asleep before they get too far into lessons.
As of today, I am working two jobs (at least for the next two weeks). I learned today that I have alot to learn at my new job. I'm stepping out of the blue collar, tool toting mechanic world, into the computer geek, air conditioned office job of Maintenance Planner/Buyer. My pay is actully a little lower, but since I'll be working much more, that won't matter. I have two separate data bases to learn (the company database and the maintenance database). I have to finish the maintenance data base, as it is only about 70% complete (that may sound like alot, but there is still plenty left to do). I have to learn the plant lay-out, new parts, new machines, and keep up with a developing Preventative Maintenance plan. Not to mention fight 'proverbial' fires, buy parts, like I've been working here for years, and know everything I can't possible know immediately, even though at the moment I'm only working, part time (which means any day I'm not at Saint Gobain). And my boss who hired me has only been with PAC (my new company) for 2 months, so he won't be much help.
So, once again, it's sink or swim kid. I'm sure I'll be fine, but man am I in for a ride. On a brighter note, Tuesday begins my last week of graveyard. I think I'll throw a party. Also, good old June is finally starting to pay me for the business, so I can finally get out from under my business loan. Saint-Gobain is giving me $4400 severence pay (woohoo, time to catch up and get ahead), and my union is giving me a $500 Ralphs gift card.
So, in short, God is bringing a new child into my life, he is lifting me out of the financial ruin I sunk myself into, he's raising my status in my field of work, which can only benefit me in the future, and he's has freed me from that horrible rotating schedule I've been tortured with these last few years. And he has presented me with a huge challenge in my new job. What can I say? God is good.
I'm glad he's on my side.
One last note. My wife is extremely pleased that my new career requires I improve my wardrobe. No more beach bum look for me... snff...
But times are a changing and God, as always, is working wonders in my life. My wife is still pregnant. We "discuss" baby names, sleeping arrangements, read pregnancy websites, Poor lass still has the ever so pleasant, all day, morning sickness, or else she's napping. Darrien is in homeschool heaven as Mom usually falls asleep before they get too far into lessons.
As of today, I am working two jobs (at least for the next two weeks). I learned today that I have alot to learn at my new job. I'm stepping out of the blue collar, tool toting mechanic world, into the computer geek, air conditioned office job of Maintenance Planner/Buyer. My pay is actully a little lower, but since I'll be working much more, that won't matter. I have two separate data bases to learn (the company database and the maintenance database). I have to finish the maintenance data base, as it is only about 70% complete (that may sound like alot, but there is still plenty left to do). I have to learn the plant lay-out, new parts, new machines, and keep up with a developing Preventative Maintenance plan. Not to mention fight 'proverbial' fires, buy parts, like I've been working here for years, and know everything I can't possible know immediately, even though at the moment I'm only working, part time (which means any day I'm not at Saint Gobain). And my boss who hired me has only been with PAC (my new company) for 2 months, so he won't be much help.
So, once again, it's sink or swim kid. I'm sure I'll be fine, but man am I in for a ride. On a brighter note, Tuesday begins my last week of graveyard. I think I'll throw a party. Also, good old June is finally starting to pay me for the business, so I can finally get out from under my business loan. Saint-Gobain is giving me $4400 severence pay (woohoo, time to catch up and get ahead), and my union is giving me a $500 Ralphs gift card.
So, in short, God is bringing a new child into my life, he is lifting me out of the financial ruin I sunk myself into, he's raising my status in my field of work, which can only benefit me in the future, and he's has freed me from that horrible rotating schedule I've been tortured with these last few years. And he has presented me with a huge challenge in my new job. What can I say? God is good.
I'm glad he's on my side.
One last note. My wife is extremely pleased that my new career requires I improve my wardrobe. No more beach bum look for me... snff...
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