Awkward...

Today I had a rather awkward, unexpected experience. I had expected to be going to an early Chanukah dinner with my sister and my dad, and we were to exchange gifts. So, I went out and bought gifts for the two of them. However, when I walked out get in the car, I saw that my step mom was also there too. Here comes the awkward part comes in-I had no gift for her. So, I casually left my dad's present in the back of the car and gave my sister her present later. But this left me wondering: What would the best way to handle this situation?

Sense of Self

I believe that one of the most important life lessons is learning how to take care of oneself. Whatever you're going through, make sure to take the time to think, "What am I doing to take care of myself?". With those words, you will be able to better understand your actions, their effects, and what works.

Protect IP/SOPA Act

The internet as we know it may be about to change. There are two acts awaiting passage in Washington, Protect IP and SOPA. These acts basically give the power to censor the internet to the entertainment industry. Private entertainment companies would be able to shut down unauthorized websites that allow the viewing or download or copyrighted works (music, movies, tv shows, etc.). The government would be able to block access to "infringing domain names" (sites that use copyrighted works without permission). The government would also be able to sue people who provide links to these websites, and make funding stop to those websites.
While this may not seem so bad, this is what the bill will most likely end up doing:

• It won't stop people from downloading copyrighted works for free. All one would have to do is type in the IP address to access the blocked sites.
• It will allow companies to sue any website that they feel is not doing their job in filtering blocked websites.
• Many popular sites such as Tumblr, Youtube, Google, and Facebook could be subjected to lawsuits.
• Anyone could be sued, just for singing a copyrighted song in a video they posted on Facebook.
• By tampering with the Internet, the Internet will become less safe.

All of this, because they want us to buy more movies.

What can you do to help?

Get involved.

Tell everyone you know about these acts. Here's a video explaining what I said above.

Join in on the call in to the Senate this Tuesday, November 29.

These acts can be stopped, but only with your help.

Censorship

This is important -- Congress is considering two bills ("Protect IP" and "SOPA") that would let the government or any corporation censor the internet, using the same DNS-blocking techniques as Iran or China.  

 

More here: http://americancensorship.org/

 

The bills are ostensibly to stop copyright and trademark infringement, but they won't.  Instead-- they'll let the government shut down almost any social media website, since any site can be shut down just for audio, video, text, or even *links* posted by its users.  Any corporations will have the power to bankrupt any website or organization by cutting it off from payments, advertising and donations-- without so much as a court order.

 

The law is being pushed by some of the strongest lobbies in Washington, it has broad bipartisan support, and it's likely to pass in some form.  I've been active against it: next week I'll be participating in a nationwide call-in day.  Can you join me, and help me spread the word by forwarding this email?

 

Join me here: http://americancensorship.org/

 

Thanks!

 

Here are two great op-eds about the bills, followed by links to the bill text:

 

1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/sopas-ugly-message-to-the-world-about-america-and-internet-innovation/2010/12/20/gIQATlhEYN_blog.html

 

2. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/opinion/firewall-law-could-infringe-on-free-speech.html?_r=2

 

3. http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s968/text

 

4. http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h3261/text

 

To get involved, the link is: http://americancensorship.org/

Change of Plans

For the past few years, I've been living by this philosophy: If someone doesn't hurt me directly, I shouldn't have anything against them. I've loved living by this, because it has kept me out of lots of arguments, and has opened myself up to a lot of people.
However, a couple of days ago, one of my friends (we'll call her Friend A) was hurting another friend of mine (Friend B). Immediately, I began siding with Friend B, because she was the one hurting, and Friend A was being cruel and unfair in what she was doing. And this made me think, "Maybe this rule I've concocted isn't complete. Because I believe that as people, we are not complete without the ones we love". With this realization, I've come up with a new philosophy: If someone hasn't hurt me directly, nor the ones I love, then I shouldn't have anything against them.

Just thought I'd share this important thought with you. (:

SNL-Someone Like You

Today, I found this video from SNL of people who need a good cry, so they play Adele's Someone Like You. I felt this tied in perfectly to last week's post about music directing emotions, and I find it not only hilarious, but rather accurate. It is so very difficult not to cry when this song comes on.
Enjoy (:

The Power of Music

In the past couple of years, I've found music that has made me really feel. It makes me feel like dancing, feel happy and complete. Empty and sad. Calm and angry. It has brought out so many different emotions in me. And, I know my friends have found similar occurrences with music. It makes me wonder: could music save lives? Could music be so powerful, that just one song could change someone's life forever? Is it the lyrics? The intonation? What gives music that power? What songs make you feel?

Fine Line?

Today, I had to watch someone I care about very much, go through an anxiety attack because of the person she is dating. And I found myself in a very difficult position. I felt that I needed to help her calm down, but at the same time, it wasn’t my place to intervene. This made me wonder... At what point should one intervene? Although it is not affecting me directly, it is still affecting someone I care for. One wouldn’t let someone they care for with an eating disorder just continue having an eating disorder. They would intervene. So, where is the fine line? 

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