Reality is Just a Matter of Perception

Is life really just "the shadows we make with our hands?"

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ANYONE WITH INFORMATION PLEASE HELP OUT

Andrew Koenig
Walter’s 41 year old son – has been missing since February 14th.

Andrew Koenig was last seen on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2010, in Vancover, British Columbia.  Andrew Koenig never boarded his flight back to the US, on 2/16 and he hasn’t heard from since.

Andrew was last seen at a bakery in the Stanley Park area of Vancouver.

If you’ve seen Andrew since February 14th, PLEASE contact Detective Raymond Payette of the Vancouver Police Department at 604-717-2534.

A Slashdot article recently said:

“The RIAA will appeal the ruling that reduced Jammie Thomas-Rasset’s $1.92 million fine for file sharing to $54,000. ‘”It is a shame that Ms. Thomas-Rasset continues to deny any responsibility for her actions rather than accept a reasonable settlement offer and put this case behind her,” said RIAA spokeswoman Cara Duckworth.’ Joe Sibley, an attorney for Thomas-Rasset, said his client would not settle for the $25,000 that the RIAA has asked for.

The truth of this matter is that since the RIAA has had the “award” reduced to $54,000, they hoped that Thomas-Rasset would settle for paying less (the $25,000) which would thus mean the case was brought to settlement instead of conclusion.

What’s the importance here? The RIAA does NOT want a standing verdict of $54,000 when they are trying to sue for many many times that. It means that even though the ruling isnt binding on other courts, it is influential and can be cited by others in such cases, reducing (or in that jurisdiction/court, possibly eliminating) the chance of multi-million dollar penalties being levied against a music sharer. So… the RIAA wants Thomas-Rasset to settle, thinking she’d be dumb enough to simply agree to $25,000 instead of $54,000 that way the judgement never gets entered and the RIAA won’t have this case as a “semi-precedent” to be used against them by others.

Sadly, they are now trying to fool the world with their most recent statement. Yet again. What idiots. I hope Thomas-Rasset sticks to her guns…

While I don’t do any file sharing, I am very computer savvy (or at least so I would think) and was using the Internet long before 95% of the US population knew it existed (thanks IBM & OS/2 for the first OS with full Internet support!!!)… and the RIAA deserves every failure they get in these cases – at least until they:

• Get licensed investigators
• Have said investigators actually trained on how the Internet, tracking people online and networking in general really works
• Provide real evidence of file sharing and distribution to support any damage claim
• Ensure they are not extorting people who they cannot truly establish the guilt of
• Stop stealing artists’ music and selling it for a profit (see the pending cases in Canada and the US against the “Big Four” – these are CRIMINAL cases, btw… not simple civil ones like Thomas-Rasset’s file sharing case).

You know… just those few minor things…

…but I am not holding my breath.

So… time to update the websites. Jeff Hayes and I have been working on new designs for both the Buck Rogers Begins site and the Star Trek New Voyages: Phase 2 site. Once again, the phenomenal artwork is mostly Jeff’s and the coding, layout and additional graphics are mine.

The Buck Rogers site is getting an entire overhaul, totally new look, and a bunch of added sections finally (which we will be slowly expanding). The Star Trek New Voyages: Phase 2 site will be getting some new graphics, and some major changes to layout and navigation to make finding stuff easier – as well as a bunch of new content. Not as big a change visually as the Buck Rogers site, but the improved navigation and additional content should make up for it…

I think everyone will be thrilled with the new looks of both sites! Well, I hope everyone will be thrilled with it…

Well, after playing with a few free GPS Navigation and Mapping stuff for the T-Mobile G1, I’ve recently gotten an update notice on my phone for Google Maps. The new version includes GPS Navigation (in “beta” like so many of Google’s products) which I started playing with.

I am thoroughly (more…)

Hey everyone!!! The Star Trek New Voyages: Phase 2 Team has recently released Blood and Fire Part 2!!!

The stunning conclusion to “Blood and Fire” – Pursued and damaged by repeated Klingon attacks, the Enterprise crew must respond to a distress call from a Federation research ship. In a matter of hours (more…)

Hey everyone! So, BaF Part 2 is up and online!

The stunning conclusion to “Blood and Fire” – Pursued and damaged by repeated Klingon attacks, the Enterprise crew must respond to a distress call from a Federation research ship. In a matter of hours the ship and crew will be consumed by a nearby star and the crew of the Enterprise will be consumed by an mysterious horror that threatens both ships as the Klingons watch and wait. Guest starring Evan Fowler and introducing Bobby Rice as Ensign Peter Kirk, nephew of the Captain. Written & Directed by David Gerrold. Teleplay by Carlos Pedraza. Episode filmed in June of 2007. Released Nov 20th, 2009.

Watch it here:

Or via YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=488054500CDC73FD

Or watch it streaming via the STP2 Media Server:
http://videos.startrekphase2media.com/BaF2/

Hello all!

The Teaser for Star Trek New Voyages: Phase 2’s Blood and Fire Part 2 has been released!

Check it out and enjoy!

Star Trek Phase 2: Blood and Fire Part 2 (TEASER)

So, we (my brother and I, for our company) ordered a backup server. Another IBM x440 SMP unit. Sadly, I am stuck here waiting for it and dont know when I will be getting upstate now. Happily, I will soon have another x440 to play with.

Ah, such conflicting emotions…

Well, with luck, I will get out of here in time to hang out in Ticonderoga for Fort Ticonderoga’s “Haunting” tomorrow… if not, then at the least (more…)

So, right now, I am listening to Dream Theater’s “Lifting Shadows off a Dream” – while I get a little work done and think on just how inspirational some of my friends are.

It’s never too late to start dreaming – and it is never the time to stop dreaming!!!

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