Hello World

Hello World
As my first entry into the blogosphere, I would like to set the tone for entries yet unwritten. The views I hold may or may not be controversial, though you could certainly feel offended by them either way. Remember then the venue I speak within, and try to restrain your ire (but in truth, I secretly relish every angry tirade my expressions bring forth).

A European Union law was recently passed regarding the telecom industry in general. What was remarkable about this had nothing to do with the original piece of legislation, but instead the secretly tacked-on additions that appeared among it's lines in the final days leading up to the voting process. Malcolm Harbour, a British Conservative Party member, was the culprit behind the stuffing of this bill, and while I'd normally be for cloak-and-dagger shenanigans that enhance the perpetrator's fortunes or standing within the lobbyist community, I have to draw a very firm line when it adversely effects me personally (a practically every Internet-user in Europe). The gist of this new decree can be summarized in the notion that if a person is found to have illegally downloaded any piece of software on a total of three separate occasions, their ISP will permanently ban and blacklist that individual's household's IP, essentially barring them access to the Internet forever.

While obviously shocking news to many, I can already hear the crowing of people who espouse their own high moral fiber. To you I say this: Not only will those of the buccaneer's persuasion suffer this injustice, but should you contract a piece of malware or similar virii, that could download and upload illicit code without your knowledge or consent, your pleas for mercy will go just as equally unheard, as if your involvement was implicit. If a visitor or wardriving fiend utilizes your connection for their own sordid purposes, you will be similarly punished.

Though the law will not gain effect till a while yet, and as such can be subject to alteration, I would still urge you all to keep a close eye on it, and also to perceive as best you can the results on both law-writing within the EU as a whole, and the changes in status bestowed upon those who stealthily rewrote that once harmless bill. And to take every precaution to keep your connection secure should the effort to restrain this atrocity fail.