So I was stopped for a bag check in the subway again (second time in 5 years, so it’s not exactly common). And it really is a farce. They ask you to open the main pocket of the bag and then they look in. That’s all. It only takes maybe 15 seconds which is nice. But really!! Do they actually think they will ever see anything?!
If someone really wanted to get something illegal (or, say, something explosive) on to the subway all they would need to do is put legitimate stuff on top of it in there bag (Like a text book). They don’t really check anything. Interestingly, they don’t even touch your bag. They ask you to open it for them. It an obvious case of “Security Theater”.
That being said I’m kinda glad really. I didn’t really feel like my privacy was invaded and if it makes other people feel safer in the subway maybe it’s a good thing (Other people have talked about his). Though it is a system ripe for abuse. It would be very easy for cops to start doing real checks but only on people who have been profiled to be “dangerous” (say young black men and middle-easter looking folks). And that would be a really big problem and really despicable. I have heard people say this is already happening to some extent and I don’t doubt it, but I have not seen it my self and I’ve been to lazy to do any research.
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Life (other than code)
I went on a little bike ride in Riverside Park. I saw some things I find interesting.
- There was a group of people lined up as if to have there picture taken. Behind them was the ugliest piece of road and cement retaining wall I have ever seen. They could have walked 100 yards and stood in front of trees instead for the picture. Maybe it’s a city thing.
- There were several of kids with motorized scooters and bikes. Why?! The kids have plenty of energy for peddling.
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Life (other than code)
People often mistake my Sony Reader 700 for a Amazon Kindle, and at that point I feel obliged to explain why I didn’t get the Kindle (which costs the same and has the EVDO link and such like). I usually site freedom. As much as I usually hate Sony (and their rootkits), the Reader is actually fairly flexible. When you plug it into a computer it shows up an external harddisk and you can put whatever files you like on it. It will read/play any files that are in a format in understands.
The Kindle however is really designed to only accept content from Amazon and the EVDO link to Amazon is actually a liability because it allows Amazon to control it remotely without your consent. So they could to things like removing or editing books you have put on the device. People I’ve said this to have been doubtful. One at least said, “Why would they ever do that?”. I didn’t have a specific answer. But now it’s a moot point because not only can they do it but they have done it.
Amazon removed copies of 2 book from Kindle remotely without OKing it with the owner who presumably assumed they had bought the content (Amazon was nice enough to refund the price of the book though). However these were not just any books. As if they needed to make the threat of this type of capability more obvious they removed Orwell’s dystopian novels “1984” and “Animal Farm”.
It should be pointed out that this was not fully Amazon’s fault. The ebooks in question where actually sold illegally by a company that did not have rights to do so. However I feel strongely that this is not an excuse for removing purchased content. People bought it. They have it now. You screwed up by selling it to them.
And independent of all, this it is now clear that they have the capability to do this sort of disappearing act. So I am happy I am not connected to their network. And I feel a bit vindicated.
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Hardware,
Life (other than code)
I am drawing to the end of 10 days in Lawrence, KS, my home town. I’m sad to be leaving. I love it here. That being said it will be nice to be back in NYC with the places and people I know there. I’m in a odd place of being home sick for both my homes at once.
I’ve had fun here though. I got a chance to set off my own fireworks for the first time in 5 years. That was really nice. I bought $80 worth of fireworks (mostly shells) and it was totally worth it. It was a lot of fun to have 34 good quality shells.
I went with some freinds to a big fireworks party outside of Lawrence (in Vinland) there were huge amounts of people so I had a place to legally setoff all my fireworks. And I mostly just hung out with the people I brought with me but it was a blast (no pun intended).
Tomorrow night I will be back in the big city. And it will be a relief and I will immediatly miss Lawrence. Lawrence really is my home a deep and real way. I kind of think it always will be.
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Life (other than code)