Just Let It Go

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I am seriously getting fed up with all the complaints about the G8/20 protests during the summer. Let it go people.

Its been months since this happened and nothing has really been done about it and I really don’t blame the SIU (special investigations unit, they investigate the police) for not finding any police officers in the wrong. You’re complaining about the police arresting you at a protest that was bordering on a riot.

Whats next? People complaining about the government? Because they are really going to listen to you about that.

Now some of the higher ranking officials are saying that some officers took off their name tags that were on their uniforms to hide who they were. That makes perfect sense to me. Remember “Officer Bubbles”? He’s the officer who threatened to arrest a protester because they were blowing bubbles at him. I’m not going to defend his actions or support them. I don’t care. But what happened is because he had his name tag on people found out who he was and started threatening him and his family by phone, mail and going to his house. This is why officers took off their name tags. Because they didn’t want this to happen to them! A badge number is as good as a name tag. You can phone the police and check a badge number and they will tell you the name of the officer (apparently, this is just what I’ve heard). The reason for this is if a police officer shows up at your door and you are unsure if they are a police officer, you can phone and check. Its sort of a thing for older people who have been told by their kids about bad people dressing up like police officers to scam them. This is a bad thing for certain situations. Do you want people knowing who you are and being able to threaten you or your family because you were simply doing your job? I didn’t think so.

I think at the next protest officers should give out the names and addresses of all the people who are in charge. The people who are responsible for all the police presence creating the “police state”. Then maybe they will realize what a stupid idea this is.

I must say that it probably seems like I am taking sides but I don’t fully support either side on this. Both sides of the G8/20 issue could have done better.

It’s Amazing What Makes The News Today

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Today I was reading the Toronto Sun and I was amazed to see what was on the front page. Well, I wasn’t actually reading it, I picked it up after someone left it on the subway. Alright, i glanced at the front page while walking past the rack of newspapers in Shoppers Drug Mart. Anyways. The cover story was about how a librarian at Ryerson University took photos of strippers from the window of the library while they were having a smoke break on the roof of a local strip club.

I think this sort of behavior from strippers is awful. Hanging around in lingerie in public where people can take pictures of them for free. Or where minors can see them and be corrupted by the image of a half naked woman. I mean….

Actually, to be perfectly honest, I don’t give a shit.

I can’t believe this even became news in a newspaper never mind making it on to the front page. So what, the strippers hang out on the roof of the strip club during their break? I don’t care. I’m sure most of the people looking out the window at them don’t care either. Years ago this would have been the kind of thing that students would pass around as a secret. Sort of like “psst, if you look out of the window in the library you can see the strippers on their break. For free.” That would be it. Chances are that no one in authority would ever find out and nothing would be done about it. Nowadays though, people are so sensitive about indecency but what the Toronto Sun seems to have forgotten it that the people using the library where you can see the strippers are university students who are all old enough to go into the strip club anyways (or almost old enough).

I would just like to remind the Sun that they print a picture of a half naked woman every day (the sunshine girl) so before they start talking about what is indecent they should really think carefully about what they are printing.

Solving the TSA’s Problems

Image by wmacphail via Flickr

There are a few simple solutions to solving the whole TSA (Transport Security Administration)/”full body scan” issue.

First. Instead of saying “you need a full body scan or a pat down” the security people should say “we can touch your whole body and your genitals or we can take a picture of your whole body and delete it after seeing you’re not carrying anything dangerous” I think many people would rather have a picture taken then being touched all over by a stranger.

Second. Flying is not a right. It is a lot like driving a car. If you don’t want a body scan or pat down then you can’t fly. Its really simple. The security people should say this. Its like the rules for driving. If you get pulled over by the police because they think you have been drinking before or during driving, you have to take a breathalyzer, if you refuse you have to go to the police station and do a blood test. This is basically what happens when you want to fly. Body scan or pat down. If you don’t like it you can’t fly. If you don’t take a breathalyzer, you can’t drive.

I don’t really care about the body scanners. If they want to take a picture of my genitals then they can go ahead. The person in the other room who is looking at the pictures has probably seen so many pictures that they don’t even notice anything but things that shouldn’t be there. Its like a doctor. They see people naked everyday so after a while its not a big deal.

These things are there for a reason. Like when rules for cars came around, it will take some time to get used to but these are the things you have to do if you want to fly. If you don’t want to follow these rules then take the train or the bus. If you have to go overseas, take a boat. Its what people used to do before there was planes.