So, it's about time I write another journal. If anything to let out some steam (better do that before I'm getting monitored here) *snort*

First of all, I just want to thank everyone who still visits this little gallery of mine. It probably needs some dusting, but meh... I likez it this way It's all undusted and unordered and stuff - just the way I likez it^^ Second, I will try to come with more art soon, I'm in the process of finishing up the first book in my book series. I'm pretty much at the end, just having a slight difficulty wrapping things up But yeah, I've got some art projects going, so expect to see some soon... or well, soon is relative As in 2032 kind of soon Somewhere around then. But yeah, I'll get around to that eventually...


I may seem cheery writing this entry, but truth is, I'm steaming mad at the moment. I just need to let out some steam is all.

Alright, as some, very few might know, I'm not politically interested at a daily basis, not at all, and what politicians say and do, are matters that rarely interest me. But today it's different.

Today the vote on the Data Storage Directive was passed in Norway. For any non-Norwegians out there, be glad your government has at least some sense. What this means in essence is that the government have passed on a vote to establish a directive which more or less stores every bit of data that you leave on the internet. At first glance, this may seem innocent enough. What have we got to fear, right? It's just a directive regarding the storage of internet data, right? Cannot possibly be that bad!

Wrong.

It is beyond wrong. And this is why. Try to think about your activity on your computer during one day. How much of that is spent online? How much of that time online is spent reading newspapers, streaming movies or tv shows, talk to your best friend through IM services, or writing blogs, tweets or emails? If I'm to think about the time I spend online per day, the amount of hours would be extremely high. I get up, work for five to six hours on my book. Occasionally I take a break only to read up on the latest news. Or I read the latest online comics I follow, or I send emails to friends and family, I sit down to stream episodes of the Simpsons, or South Park, or Criminal Minds, or Fringe, and then I sit down and chat with my girlfriend through an IM service. If I roughly estimated the number of hours online to be around six or seven, I don't think i would be that far off. Think about it, a total of 7 hours online through the day. That's a whole lot of hours spent on stumbling, reading news, or just surfing the web.

And now try and think what it would mean for you, if those 7 hours of private information where stored in a government data storage. Seven hours of internet data stored for long periods of time. We like to think here in the West that we are part of Democratic countries that respect and honor the citizen's rights for privacy. We are sometimes tempted to think, it's not that bad, if the government realize something like this, because after all, it's not like we've got anything to hide, right? Yeah, sure. Have you ever gotten drunk and then gotten online? Have you ever written an email you later regretted? I know I have. Many times. I have visited internet pages I sincerely wish I could erase from my mind. I have written emails and said things online, I later wish I could take back. The problem is, with a Data Storage Directive, what is done is suddenly not done and over with anymore. Because that data is stored. Your private and personal information is stored, not for a day, or a week, or three weeks which have been the norm by tele companies over here till now, but 6 months!! Who in Lucifer's name remember what they did fricking six months ago (except for people with ridiculous good memory, of course)?? I sure as hell don't!

But it's not just the storage of internet data that have me concerned, but the storage of conversations you have as well, through cell phones or home phones. Who you're calling, when you're callinng, who's calling you... stuff that people have no fricking business storing, is being stored. Is it just me, or do I detect Big Brother on the horizon? It doesn't help that the politicians assure you that every messure needs to be taken so that the information won't fall into wrong hands. It doesn't matter!

I get that there is a great need of good tools in the fight against sexual offenders, and terrorists, and criminals opperating through the interweb. I get that! Really, I do! But pointing the finger at every single citizen in this country - because this is what this Data Storage Directive really is. It is an intrusion on the privacy sphere, and one that treats every person as a possible suspect. The whole "innocent until proven otherwise" is seemingly a thing of the past, these days. Not to mention it is a serious violation on Democratic rights, and Freedom of Speech. I can only think that the people behind the Directive, have no idea what they've really voted for. The idea of passing laws that must infringe upon the safety of ones own anonymity online, is disgusting to me.

We may ask ourselves: what good is sacrificing ones liberties to feel safe, when safety on its own is an illusion?

Anywho, Rach out.

P.S - Sorry for the steam-out to you that bothered reading this. But I'm just so fricking mad right now; mad at the fact that there are incompetent people making incompetent decisions that affect the lives of so many, without truly being able to see the consequences of said actions! Unfortunately it is the many that have to pay for the blind stupidity of the few.

Should you have questions regarding this - ask, and I shall answer the best I can, at least for now - while it's secure Tomorrow I might be branded traitor against King and Country for it