Sunday, March 16, 2003

And because I'm cranky. . . . . . I'm going to post some linkage just for spite. Seems there's this company named Puma. Apparently they make shoes and such. And someone created a couple of randy ads in parody, and sent them around the Internet. Which made Puma angry; apparently the company neither understands the value of free advertising nor that parody is protected speech. So, here are some links on the topic, including to the ads themselves. Note to the prudish: if you read the Starr Report on the Clinton/Lewinsky activities in the White House, there's nothing new here. J.D. Lasica on the wrongness of Pumas' stance re: First Amendment. The Reverse Cowgirl's quotes Felix Salmon's conversation with Puma; and the earlier revelation that the ads are fakes; even earlier attempts at censorship; and RC's posting of the ads. And Felix Salmon's discussion on the subject. Felix links to Gawker. And the posting at MemeFirst, including the ads (with broken links to larger versions. And the larger ads themselves: here and here. Why am I doing this? Because Puma is obviously run by idiots, and I'm just cranky enough today to want to tweak their noses! And save your self-righteous rants about sexism and prurience: Puma's competitor, Pony, has hired porn stars to help sell its product. There, now I feel betternow. Puma can threaten me with legal action, and I don't care.  The First Amendment's on my side, you fools! OK, I promise to get back to technical communication subjects tomorrow; but don't you see how this all ties in: visual and verbal communication, interpretation, free-speech issues, managerial issues? Really, it's all connected. Trust me. 7:46:05 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

Must be feeling cranky OK, disclaimer's out of the way, so here goes: Perhaps I should expect it by now, but I'm just astounded by the stupidity and arrogance that passes for leadership and policy today. For instance-- "Does File Trading Fund Terrorism?" Seriously, this proposition was actually raised in D.C. last week. Astounding. It's not bad enough that our government sees fit to blame its citizens for funding terrorism by buying drugs, thereby absolving the government of any responsibility for its policies' inviting terrorist acts, it's now listening to the doofi (plural of doofus) from RIAA claim that peer-to-peer networks fund organized crime which we all know funds terrorism. And the idiots in Congress are taking this seriously! Astounding. No evidence, just speculation, and they're ready to make law. "New Mexico bill upholds Constitution, spits in Feds' eye" So the only state in the Union with any guts is New Mexico?!? OK, a few cities in California and elsewhere have passed resolutions in opposition to the so-called USA Patriot Act (that unconstitutional aberration). How many states would have to register their opposition before we get it repealed? "Suitcase surprise: Rebuke written on inspection notice" So a TSA suitcase inspector didn't like what he/she found in a traveler's suitcase--antiwar posters--and said so on the inspection notice, and the western region spokesman for TSA denies that a TSA inspector did it?!? Astounding. Just bizarre. See also BoingBoing. OK, enough for now. But there's more to come. The stupidity just won't stop. 2:33:08 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

I feel a rant coming on. . . So I'm going to issue a disclaimer. The opinions expressed in this weblog are mine. They do not represent the opinions, policies, or positions of: my employer; STC, ACM, or any other organization of which I am a member; my wife or children or other family members; any source to which I link. Conversely, the opinions expressed by the sources to which I link are theirs, not mine. I link to inform, to comment, to bookmark, to record--just don't read more into it than that. 2:25:08 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

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