Got my water paid, waiting for the bastards to turn it back on. Called them today, the nice city worker fellow on the other end of the phone said, "You have to call to get your service restored, even after you pay for it." I told him, "Funny, the nice little christmas present of a notice you gave me didn't mention that anywhere. But I happen to be calling at the moment, so let's just get it done."
Anyway, decent chap. Got things done without a bitchfest, unlike so many other city workers I've dealt with. I should have a water meter by the end of the day, which means our 3 dogs, 3 birds, 2 rats and army of guinea pigs will not die of thirst. Merry Fucking Christmas, City of Tulsa. (ah, the technician is here now!).
I know I didn't pay my bill on time; it's been kinda tough, lately. Financially, emotionally, all around just plain tough. But they're still bastards; they shut it off on Christmas Eve, the day my wife's grandmother died. They never work with me on the phone, and their management must be trained by the devil himself to be so unreasonable. I wish I could buy my water from someone else besides the city.
About donating to Disaster Relief:
If everyone reading this donates what they can, I will be so very proud of you all. Go here to learn the best ways to contribute. Payday is tomorrow for me, and you bet I'll be contributing everything I can. I'm absolutely broke right now, and it's been pretty tough for us as well, but nothing like what these people are going through. The survivors deserve the world's attention and utmost compassion.
News on the whole bittorrent/lokitorrent/suprnova/exeem thing:
Apparently, Lokitorrents is raising money to help support legal costs associated with fighting back against the MPAA. Their argument is that the torrent system is valid, like any other information network, and that we wouldn't shut down the US highway system just because the drug smugglers are using the same roads. Pretty good point, I might add.
We need to take these insidious greedy fucks by the balls as a unified people. Most folks don't realize what sort of trouble they are in when they let big corporately-funded organizations like the MPAA and the RIAA lobby for restrictive, culture-devouring bills to be passed. Did you know that the RIAA is trying to get a bill passed to effectively ban all recording devices? Apparently, it will even make answering machines virtually illegal. I doubt it will pass, but they have enough money so that they never have to give up until it does pass. When I find the facts, I will post them, bur at the moment this is heresay (though I don't doubt its accuracy, considering the extremes the bastards have taken in the past).
If you have any money to donate, however, the folks in Southeast Asia need it a lot more right now. I'm sure the MPAA vs. Lokitorrents suit will go on for some time, but these folks suffering after the tsunami really need help now.
On a side note, Michael Jay Rossi (President of InternetMovies.com) is asking the US Supreme Court to review the case "Rossi vs. MPAA" for the wrongful shutdown of his site. Read about it here.
posted by novachild @ Thursday, December 30, 2004,
