owlmoose | at it again

First, regarding politics. The original law, the one that imposed content filters on schools and libraries in the first place, was signed by Bill Clinton and I was if anything angrier over that one. Same thing with the Communications Decency Act and its descendants. So it's not about which party is in power -- Democrats do this kind of thing too, and it makes me just as crazy.

Now, the MySpace issue. I've done some research on this, both because I am interested in the evolution of the 'Net and because I work with college students, and it seems to me that it boils down to teenagers behaving irresponsibly. Are there ways that MySpace (and LJ, and other online communities) could do more to discourage kids from putting up their personal information? Probably, but teens will always find ways to rebel and use poor judgement. The more controls you put in their way the more effort they will put into defeating them. I don't think cutting them off is the answer, because that just makes it ever-more tempting forbidden fruit. Far better to *educate* them -- explain to them *why* it's a bad idea to post half-naked photos and then give out your real name and real-world contact information.

We seem to both live in countries where the main parties do not really satisfy either of us and i am surprised that it was Clinton who started this up. I can understand your exasperation.

This is all very true and educating them better is another weapon that should be more effectively used to counter this behaviour. However it is not just natural rebeliousness that makes children do this. Because of their inexperience in life and the fact that they haven't 'seen it all' and 'been there, done that' they are natural skeptics to what adults say, some children just have to see it to believe it and some of them will not rest, despite the dangers, until they have seen 'it'. This is probably the most difficult aspect of child behaviour for adults to address.

You work with college students you say? What do you...? Oh wait, i'm guessing the answer is in your user pic :-D Is that Rachel Weis from 'The Mummy'?

Oh wait, i'm guessing the answer is in your user pic

Got it in one. ;) So you see why I might have strong feeling about this issue... although I work for a private college and so it would never apply to me; it's a philosophical thing. Yes, that is Rachel Weisz, and "I... am a librarian" is quoted from "The Mummy". Unfortunately the picture is from a different scene, I could never find a decent screenshot of that bit.

Regarding your other question, because of the two-party system, I do vote for Democrats simply because the alternative is worse. If we had a parlimentary system I would be more likely to vote for third-party candidates but as it is I don't feel like I can risk it.

Yes, i can understand why you do.

I loved that film, and the mummy returns. Rachel's brother John was so funny.

I would say having more than two parties is better as you can get more variety, but then i look at the multi party system we have over here and i think 'oh, shit...' *rolls eyes*
*sigh* these are trying times for sensible people Owlmoose, and there seems to be no quick solution. It is tempting to go somewhere far from 'civilisation' and shut off this crazy world.

at it again

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