while we were sleeping
Australia is outta fucking control.
They’re implementing web content filters (at ISP level, for example, it would be comcast over hea’).
Let’s have an example.. You pay verizon/att to get phone service. imagine all of your calls were screened for keywords, and if your mother calls you and says FUCK REPUBLICANS, the call gets logged- and then dropped.
- 12/15/09 on the bbc
- 12/15/09 on slashdot
Goddam motherfuckers.
While we were sleeping. The forces that be were busy with their little dirty paws all over everthing held dear to us.
We walk in a daze- in bliss under the sun and clouds- in our heated seat cars- play with our contraptions, read our papers, watch our movies, scratch our asses, and yes- give the occasional cigarette to the random bum in your neighborhood.
From across the street he motioned me- I let a fifty percent frown paint my face, the kind that can go either way- a smile or a “it would be best if you found elsewhere for your attention”. He motioned to his lips in ‘u’ with his hand, the international gesture of yougottasmoke?
Turning into a smile, I made sure to speak clearly as to be heard across the road. “What? Nah, I remember you- I gave you a smoke the other day. Have a good day.”
I was peeved, most of all for having said the word day so close together- why not “I gave you a smoke the other day. Next time I see you, I’m asking you for a smoke.”
Some fucking people- have no idea how lucky they are when I’m nice on the street. Nice to strangers- Sure- I’m nice to strangers. You know, nice. I don’t spit at them, I don’t ask for money- I don’t step on people.
I even keep an eye out for strangers, if they may need help opening a door, and other much stranger assorted needs.
Sometimes people need something and don’t even know it.
It was at Navy Yard metro in DC, reaching down for the scratchoff tickets this man clearly dropped by accident- they could be a winner.
“Excuse me, did you drop these?” The police officer turned around and looked at me sideways.. “Nah.. ” he said in passing as he turned his back again and walked away.
I’m even randomly interactive. I have a high threshold for amusement. Very high. But for wasting time- the number is not positive- it’s not even a whole number- it’s negative and has a very ugly floating point. It’s not even a curious number such as pi, it’s a useless number. And that number is negative.
If you ask me for a smoke on the street, and I give you one- first, it’s not coming without some extras. Maybe I’ll look at you in the eye so you can be super super sure that yes, motherfucker- I did see you- look at me- yes, look.. yes, that’s correct, I’m not even going to answer. And then I may turn around and say “Wait, you know, I don’t think I ever had a rich man ask me for a cigarette, here.. Need a light?”
And how could you know- that this moment in which you acquired a smoke off a stranger- was built by a dozen failed attempts from your competition. I say built and not preceded- because it makes no difference to me if one out of twelve times I give you something, or it’s the other way around.
And so, how could you know.
A few days later- coming up to me in the same neighborhood and asking me for a smoke from across the street.
I should have crossed the road and bitch slapped that man- teeth or no teeth. In fact I’m guessing that’s how he lost those teeth. Asking the wrong motherfucker for a smoke a second time too many.
While we carry on with our little mini events.
The forces that be- are busy.
They have minions- thousands of Christian voters on their payrolls- clogging the phone of every senator and representative on Capitol Hill. Massaging their shoulders- rubbing their feet, giving them the most devoted and delicate blowjobs that old Christian men could give- Baking your elected officials cookies, cakes- sending them ice cream samples- flowers, baseball cards..
A few people in this work fought and lost everything they had as individuals- that we may as the rest of us enjoy liberties and protections from greed and apathy. A few stubborn individuals gave up the comfort zone- took off their shoes and walked up Mt.Everest all by themselves- with no camera crews- nobody to cheer them on- nobody to comfort them. And they died getting there.
Years later we go there- to that mountain- and look around for signs of what just happened. And we see their footsteps, and their notes. We see where the hair started falling off their heads. Finding a trail of rubiks cubes all 98% done- hundreds of them a few steps from each other- leading up the mountain.
I suppose then we piece together a name, a face- build some statues- publish some stories.
And voila, we have another hero.
