Thursday, January 26, 2012

ACTA: don't make our grandchildren want to travel back in time, please.

to: Members of the European Parliament
cc: marietje.schaake-office@europarl.europa.eu

Subject: ACTA: don't make our grandchildren want to travel back in time, please.

Dear Euro-Parlementarian,

I write to you regarding ACTA, on which you might soon be voting.

ACTA (and its ilk) proposes it is in the interest of the commonwealth to legislate for the preservation of specific business models, regardless of developments in the technology, cultural infrastructure and market on which those business models depend. I submit to you my humble opinion that this proposition is bat-shit crazy. Furthermore, I would submit to you that detection of the bat-shit craziness (or chiropterafecal lunacy, if you will) of this proposition does not require much thought or intelligence. In fact, if this proposition were not bat-shit crazy, you (you personally) would make your frequent migrations between Brussels and Strasbourg in a horse-drawn buggy on a cobbled road, to the doubtlessly enormously enthusiastic cheers of well-off horse-drawn buggy-makers, road-cobblers, dunnikin divers and leech-farmers. As far as I know, you don't and I would be surprised if you aren't happy you don't.

There are, of course, many other objections to ACTA. Google for them. But isn't its dim-witted and explicit animosity towards reality damning enough?

Ever secretly dreamt of travelling back in time to kill Hitler or Stalin before they ruined what would otherwise have been an exceptionally pleasant century?

Yes?

Don't make our grandchildren want to do the same to stop ACTA.

Lets try and keep history going in the nicest way possible. For the moment at least. Stop ACTA. Stop ACTA now.


With kind regards,

Frank Sijbenga (Blinde Schildpad), the Netherlands
Web: www.blindeschildpad.nl
Twitter: @blindeschildpad

Monday, January 23, 2012

Is er een echte jij?

1. Julian Baggini, "Is There a Real You?"


2. xkcd, "Dad, where is Grandpa right now?"


3. Bodhidharma & Huike

Huike: Meester, mijn geest is zo verward en onhandelbaar! Help me, alsjeblieft.
Bodhidharma: Best. Geef je geest maar's hier en ik zal hem tot rust brengen.
Huike, even later: Ik kan hem nergens vinden!
Bodhidharma: Astu.

(TedX filmpje via Matthijs en Zoe op Facebook)

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Vattu


Lees Vattu. Lees Rice Boy. Lees Order of Tales. Lees de shorts. Je kan toch niet op Wikipedia vandaag.