Shortlog - a log of everyday things

2010-12-11

There will be a total lunar eclipse on December 20th/21st. I have a telescope. Yay!

I wish I could see the next total solar eclipse, but full umbra will only be visible from the middle of the ocean. It won't be until August, 2017 that a total solar eclipse is viewable from the US. I'm going to go ahead and block that day out on my calendar.

I wonder how the Internet will change between now and then. Is it a far cry to hope that link will still be valid in another 6 and a half years?

I want a pair of Vibram Five Fingers, but they're kinda expensive. Also, I need to measure my feet precisely.

Recently, OpenKinect banned a user from the mailinglist for repeatedly hijacking threads with condescending and vitriolic political commentary. There was a minor outcry against what was seen as censorship, and one suggestion was "just don't feed the trolls." I felt compelled to share this blog entry to the list, explaining why simply ignoring trolls isn't good enough, when trying to build a healthy, vibrant community.

Now, this may appear to be in conflict with my views on Wikileaks and the associated censorship, to which I offer the following defense:

• I am disappointed in companies like Amazon, Mastercard, Visa, and the like which have spurned Wikileaks, likely due to government pressure. However, I defend their right to choose their customers in a free market. The government, however, claims to offer freedom of press. I find it ironic beyond satire that the US will be hosting the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day, given the government's recent pressure to suppress the press. (Oh snap, wordplay.)
• I fully encourage a rational, facts-based discussion - it's one of the reasons I write about what I think are controversial topics on my blog, and like to hear other people's thoughts on them. By laying all of our concerns out on the table, we can see what others feel, and perhaps both benefit. Debates are rarely a zero-sum game, and the more constructive, cogent discussion we have, the better.
• The banned user was advised to express his concerns in an appropriate constructive manner, which he chose not to do. Only after repeated incidences of this community-hurting behaviour was the user banned.

Thus, I find my views to be consistent.