Irritation

There's several new "laws" being "passed" (forced upon citizens) these days. Software will be required to be pre-installed on every single computer sold here in 3 weeks. Any computer purchased within these borders will have software that will automatically block "harmful content" for you, whether you like it or not.

And people are Okay with this? Of course they're not. However, there are people arguing that well hey.... If that's what they want, so be it. It's not a big issue, people will move on, they'll live with it.

Usually I don't bother to write about other issues like this -- it's not like I don't have my options to get around it. Issues about tbt, that big land mass that's disputed over, or issues about the T square that happened 10+10=XX years ago, I don't voice too much opinion about that because well, it's their family matters and the bottom line is I don't plan to raise children here.

However, when it comes to forced restriction of the free flow of information -- that's when it gets personal.

People just don't understand how important this is. It's forcing software, SPYWARE on things people PURCHASE with their own money, it's software that will monitor your every move, your every click, and what you write, comment on, and who you send things to. Sure, they say it's only for blocking pr0n -- but are serious that you believe that? Once a virus is in your system, does it ever really go away, or do you really know all the areas that it's effecting? Do you really know what is being planted in your PCs? You don't.

For people who don't think this is a big deal, you can never:

1) complain about blogspot being blcked
2) complain about youtube disappearing
3) complain about not viewing certain websites
4) complain about not getting the "news" that everyone else gets
5) complain about not having access to ANYTHING because you agree with "their" stance on forced pre-installation

The US fought long and hard for free speech. Minorities also fought for equal rights. To be American, these are the core values of what we stand for.

It's amazing to me how people can just shrug *this* particular issue off, especially when we all so dependent on the net to keep in touch with each other, or to find a peace of mind viewing, reading, watching, enjoying whatever we want to do in our own free personal time.

As temporary residents in a foreign country, the net is what keeps us sane, connected, and aware. Take that away from us and what really do you have left on those days that you 1) watched all the pirated DVDs you could possibly watch 2) read all the books you could have possibly read 3) god forbid, get tired of clubbing or partying?

How else do you get information on whats going on around the world? You can't. So when you agree or when you brush off this issue as being "unimportant" you are agreeing with giving up all the rights you had in your home country, and what your people fought for, for so many years.

You can't half agree with the regulation to "pre-install" software. You either agree with it or you don't, just like you can't "partially" agree with prop 8, slavery, torture, etc.

Wuxi

I went to Wuxi and saw the 3Kingdoms City again. I really love that place, because it shows all the reasons why the Chinese culture was awesome --- was. If only we can get any type of artistic representation nowadays that reflect that level of talent that existed back then without regulation the world would be a better place.