Another reason why Howard Dean should be the next US President. YEAGH!
Alas, it’s time to fight back. We watched our comrade fought and now it’s our time. I sound like a commie.
Dear Students:
Over the past few weeks, the Recording Industry Association of America
sent several notices to the University of Michigan of its intention to
subpoena the identity of specific computer users within our campus community.
At least seven of these are U-M undergraduate students living in the residence
halls. Normally, such notices from RIAA are in preparation for a lawsuit
against the individuals for violation of copyright.RIAA has begun a series of lawsuits against individuals it believes have
violated the copyright of its members by illegally downloading and uploading
music via file-sharing programs over the Internet. RIAA has targeted specific
computer accounts used to access and transmit such files, and then has
issued subpoenas to the service providers (including universities) in order
to find out the names of those responsible for the file-sharing.The University has notified each of the students involved in the RIAA notices.
University policy is not to release the names or contact information of
our computer users unless we are required to do so by law. Should RIAA
pursue legal action, we may be compelled to release the identities of these
individuals.To avoid legal action over inappropriate file-sharing, it is important
to understand the proper use of University computing resources. While
some file-sharing is completely lawful, some file-sharing is not. In addition,
the programs typically used to download files from the Internet often,
unbeknownst to the recipient, turn the individual’s computer into a file-sharing
(uploading) server. Even unknowingly uploading some copyrighted works
may subject you to additional legal risk.U-M assumes that students will use University information technology networks
and resources lawfully. Here is information you may find helpful in educating
yourself about the appropriate use of networks and resources:www.rescomp.umich.edu
www.umich.edu/~itua/
www.copyright.umich.eduIf you have any questions about appropriate use of U-M computer resources,
you may contact the User Advocate at user.advocate@umich.edu.–Royster Harper, Vice President for Student Affairs
–James Hilton, Associate Provost for Academic, Information and
Instructional Technology Affairs
p/s – The Eredivisie has finally resume. The first match will be held today between Roda JC and Ajax.
pp/s – Roda 1 – 2 Ajax. Yeah!
pp/s – In response to letter sent via Environmental Defense concerning an unbelievable energy bill. I hope I didn’t sound like a deep green in my earlier letter.
January 21, 2004
Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams
314 Cambridge House, West Quad, 541 Thompson St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109Thank you . . .
. . for contacting me regarding your opposition to the final version of the Energy bill (H.R.6). I share your concerns about this legislation.
As you know, on November 21, 2003, the Senate failed to stop a filibuster on this bill by a vote of 57-40. I voted to block the Energy bill because I had serious concerns about how the bill would affect Michigan.
First, the Energy Bill waives past and future liability for producers of the gasoline additive, MTBE, which contaminates our drinking water. This MTBE liability waiver provision would cost Michigan’s taxpayers an estimated $260 million in order to clean up Michigan’s over 745 MTBE polluted underground storage tanks.
The Energy Bill also failed to include measures to prevent another nationwide blackout. On August 14, 2003, more than 50 million people, including 6 million in Michigan, were left without electricity, many for several days. The August blackout cost Michigan’s economy nearly $1 billion. Unfortunately, the Energy bill did not include measures to fix our electric grid problem and to strengthen electric reliability to prevent a future blackout.
Finally, the Energy Bill repeals the Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUCHA), without adding necessary consumer protections laws to take its place. PUCHA is a landmark consumer protection law that enables states to regulate utility mergers and protect consumers. The Enron debacle, the West Coast electricity crisis, and the blackout this past August have all made it clear that consumer protections need to be strengthened, not weakened. We must ensure that utility company mergers advance the public interest by establishing clear rules and enforcement procedures to prevent soaring electricity rates. Otherwise, Michigan families could face higher rates and unreliable electric service. You can count on me to fight for provisions that will help move us towards a truly competitive utility market while maintaining consumer protections.
I believe that we need a more balanced energy policy. Rather than emphasizing nuclear production and oil exploration in environmentally sensitive areas, there should be more of a focus on energy efficiency initiatives, conservation, and development of renewable energy.
Thank you again for sharing your concerns with me. I expect that the Energy bill will continue to be vigorously debated. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of assistance in the future.
Sincerely,
Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator
So, John Kerry won the Iowa caucuses. The media had said earlier that it would be a close one and much earlier, Dean was dominating. Therefore, it is only surprising to hear that Howard Dean received merely half of what Kerry or Edwards got. Meanwhile, Gephardt dropped out. (Damn, he is a Michigan graduate.)
Nevertheless, the next thing to look out for is the State of the Union, of which will happen as soon as this evening. To be frank, I expect more lies to be presented to the floor and to be more frank, I believe a lot of blind folks are going to believe whatever Dumbya will be saying. Sometimes, I wonder why people believe in a thing despite overwhelming evidence proving the reverse is true.
And today, US military rejected a report by a provincial head concerning the latest operation (reads more like oppression) in Afghanistan. The Afghan official reports 11 civilians were killed while the military asserts that instead of 11 innocent Afghans, 5 Taliban militants were eliminated. Immediately in a message board, a stubborn American nationalist confidently argued nobody would believe the Afghan. Judging by the US diplomatic fiasco at the United Nations, I’d rather believe the Afghan official to Bush’s puppets.
In any case, I think it is agreeable that the invasion (or liberation for the neo-cons) does bring in some good.
One focal point of the benefit the invasion brings is the introduction of democracy into the region. It is encouraging to see the idea of freedom to be spread out even into the most unthinkable places.
Unfortunately, it seems democracy is turning Iraq into another Iran, of which I see as something as bad as seeing Saddam still reigning supreme as the President of Iraq. Democracy has always been about adhering to the will of the people and right now, the will of the people is the will of the Shiite.
Therefore, I dare bet democracy will turn Iraq into another Islamic Republic led by an Ayatollah.
Great. Just great.
Now we have the Islamic Republic of Iran and the soon-to-be Islamic Republic of Iraq side by side, literally. Bush, you are going to turn former enemies into being, really, the best buddies in the world!
Thanks Bush for your contribution to the world!
I really appreciate it, not.
p/s – grammar is such a pain in the ass. I’ve corrected some mistakes. Do tell me if I’ve made any in the comment box.
I’ve had experienced countless of sunrises and all of them gave this sorf of yeay!-it’s-a-brand-new-day feeling.
But one particular sunrise is certainly the best sunrise I’ve had ever experienced yet.
And effect of the Sun on the her. Isn’t she’s lovely?
All this happened at the Badlands National Park in South Dakota around late December of 2003.
The latest report by WWF stated that one of the most recognizable mammals in the world, the orangutan faces extinction within the short time frame of 20 years.
With the fast pace deforestation due to excessive and illegal logging in both Malaysian and Indonesian jungle, the orangutan’s habitat is seriously threatened. Both Southeast Asian governments need to halt logging and increase forest patrol in Borneo and Sumatra. It is utterly imperative for both governments to get their act together if they could be called responsible for their own wildlife future.
Apart from deforestation, shockingly to me, poaching activity also exists. I’ve always thought poaching was a problem exclusive to Africa and other poor nations. Sadly, this is not the case.
Maybe it is here where environmentalists and libertarians could reconcile – the Big Brother cannot be trusted on the issues that matter.
In my opinion, environmental law in Malaysia is not sufficiently strong to prevent environmental wrongdoings. For instance, in Malaysian Forestry Act, the punishment for illegal logging is jail term between one and twenty years and a fine of RM 500 000, an equivalent of approximately USD 131 000.
First of all, though the jail term sounds bad with the maximum of 20 years, the minimum is too low. It needs to be increased to, say 5 years. That would teach the violators something. And most importantly, the monetary fine is most definately way too down below. A manager of a logging company easily makes millions of dollars. The industry itself is measured in billions. The fine of USD 131 000 is merely a minute fraction of their corrupted income. It’s not even a respectable dent. The level of penalty should be increased to a level that it really hurts both the foul company and its owner. Better, instead of a constant monetary term penalty, the fine should be proportional to its or his or her income.
The key to punishment is to prevent further violation and the penalty should be made larger than the logger expected income when he or she doesn’t suffer any setback, not merely to fine just for the sake of it.
And who did this law anyway? The lawmakers of the said Act are probably the ones of those political science graduates of which know nothing of economics or even rational mathematics. God! Please save my soul if those fools and stupids are running my country.
If ever the younger generation asks me what is an orangutan and if I won’t be able to show them a free living primate of that species, I swear to God, I will dedicate my life to hunt all the ones that are responsible of such extinction. I will make it a personal crusade, by gold, by blood or by God’s name I will if that day comes.
But I pray sincerely, whole hearted, for that time to never come, whether it’s within my lifetime or farther.
p/s – don’t you love unexpected humor?
“Not to make a pun, but I think it’s shedding a light on serious regulatory and safety issues that are not getting much attention” – Art Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania on genetically modified pets, specifically the fluorescent fish. Report by the Chicago Tribune Online Edition, Jan 12th 2004.