The Norwegian parliament just voted in favor of the Data Retention Directive.

According to the directive, member states will have to store citizens' telecommunications data for six to 24 months stipulating a maximum time period. Under the directive the police and security agencies will be able to request access to details such as IP address and time of use of every email, phone call and text message sent or received.

Surveillance. Awesome.

Indeed. Welcome to China.

Not the worst of problems by a long shot, but still kinda sucky for my little bro.

He invited a new friend round to his (...my Mum's) house, and just as he was leaving, he went back up to my bro's room because he "forgot his phone".

My bro, Jesse, thought he was taking a bit long, and could hear him moving about alot, so he went up to see what he was doing. He said he just couldn't find it straight away, so Jesse just ignored it and let him out to go home. Afterwards, he realised his iPod had gone missing.

Turns out this "friend" of his had stolen it. My sister, her boyfriend and Jesse went round to his house to ask him if he had it, but the iPod that he did have with him (that his parents had never seen before) had been "given to him by his uncle, who also happened to be called Jesse". My bro has proof that it's his iPod, with the serial number etc. - but they're refusing to comply (both the kid and his parents) - and now, if we want to get it back, we have to either try and get the Police to scare him into handing it over, or even go to court. (I think... I'm not certain on the whole process of it all, but this is what my sister has said).

Apparently the kid has an ASBO, at the age of 12 (if that's even possible?) - Admittedly, that part sounds quite easily made-up, but his parents sound pretty dodgy and used to similar kind of trouble, so I wouldn't be surprised.

Again, not the biggest problem in the world... Just feel bad for my little bro. Stabbed in the back by one of his own friends... tut, such drama!

Wow, that sucks. Had a similar problem years and years ago with next door neighbours that lived next to us. We had a nice relationship with their family and kids, but one day, their son stole my bro's handheld console (I think it was a Nintendo DS, not sure.). He had every piece of evidence to prove it too. Anyway the parents didn't accept that he stole it and so they started a massive feud with our family.

To this day, I still think the whole situation could've been handled better than how it was handled. I Just find it so stupid that such a relationship can be torn apart by one single little problem.

The Norwegian parliament just voted in favor of the Data Retention Directive.

According to the directive, member states will have to store citizens' telecommunications data for six to 24 months stipulating a maximum time period. Under the directive the police and security agencies will be able to request access to details such as IP address and time of use of every email, phone call and text message sent or received.

Surveillance. Awesome.

Indeed. Welcome to China.

I think I'm just gonna end every facebook/twitter status update and forum post with "sexy toddler" or "jihad!" from now on... maybe I'll get to be on a speeeshul list.

Speaking of China,
http://metalshop.roadrunnerrecords.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18631

It's awesome that this gig is happening; it's unawesome that the church, protesting hypocrites of the ultra-christian community, the state government, and the brainwashing media want to censor & ban the event, and treat it like it's a prank by fools and low-lives.
Fuck 'em, even if these bands aren't exactly to my taste (punk and filthy grindcore, I can accommodate), I'll still go, even if it's an excuse to part-take in (possible) civil disobedience.

I feel like drilling a hole in my head.

Speaking of China,
http://metalshop.roadrunnerrecords.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18631

It's awesome that this gig is happening; it's unawesome that the church, protesting hypocrites of the ultra-christian community, the state government, and the brainwashing media want to censor & ban the event, and treat it like it's a prank by fools and low-lives.
Fuck 'em, even if these bands aren't exactly to my taste (punk and filthy grindcore, I can accommodate), I'll still go, even if it's an excuse to part-take in (possible) civil disobedience.

I saw that on the news. Personally, I think it's pretty ridiculous that we have to put up with them preaching their religion from the rooftops at Easter and Christmas, then go around complaining about something like this. Not everyone on Earth is going to be accepting of your religion no matter what it is, you just have to take it with a grain of salt.

My Cowon Iaudio 7 player died this morning. It was acting weird, and it just quit, and will not turn on anymore.
This little beast was with me for the last 2 and a half years, and was my favorite portably audio player ever.
They are also discontinued, or I can't find any to buy anywhere.
So I had to pay expedited international shipping to get a new player, the Cowon Iaudio 9, which does not seem as cool as the older version.
Buying electronic stuff in Canada is always a pain, at least right now our dollar is strong, so it's not too bad buying from then USA.
Had to pick expedited shipping as it usually means they don't charge you any import fees.
Bah 200$ gone.

One kid had a less-than-cool teacher mom and a cop dad. So he "rebelled" against them by gaining my brother's trust, stealing an import only Sega Megadrive game worth about $80.00, and tossing it out the window while my bro was in the backseat with the crowd it was done to impress. Since said mom worked with our father, it was LIKE he slapped her in the face but in a way she'd never believe so he couldn't get grounded.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/swan-grieves-after-teens-callous-brutality-20110407-1d4sf.html

Just when I thought I had no more respect in humanity to lose.

Mixing can be frustrating without monitors

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/swan-grieves-after-teens-callous-brutality-20110407-1d4sf.html

Just when I thought I had no more respect in humanity to lose.

That's when i get out of my truck with a baseball bat and send kids to the coma clinic

Finding out the hard way I have loud, white trash neighbors. I work nights, now I have to figure out how to get more than 3-4 hours of sleep with those MFs next-door...sigh.

We had to turn off the house phone because of a neighbor who rang to let us know things like she was going to call the cops because a wild squirrel from one of our trees trespassed on her lawn.

Mind you this same woman sends her son over while we're at work to prune hedges, cut down trees, and tear up plants. And the wildlife who destroys every other form of rooted plantlife that the humans leave lives in her woodpile.

Someone from our rowhouse locked all their familie's biciycles to our storageroom bicycle rests so that they take up all the space on the floor there, and succesfully prevent anyone from using one third of the rests - which are there so that people wouldn't store their bicycles on the floor to take up all the space.

Sometimes neighbours need to be punched in the face.