A world of hate...

[thistlechaser]

In no special order at all:

* LJ is dropping invite codes. Anyone can get a free journal at any time. Now tell me, other than icons, what's the use of having a paid account anymore?

* I (once more) pondered walking out of work and never coming back. Boss came in hours late yesterday morning, left soon after noon. Came in late today. Yet *I* am pulling my hair out trying to keep up. I checked LJ and personal email for the very first time just now, 11:15. Got here at 7:30 AM. Falling behind in typing this.

* For those not in California: There's an idiotic push to give ILLEGAL immigrants drivers licenses. I say a louder "WTF?" than I have ever said before. Actually, this move did pass, but the one good thing the stupid new governor has done so far was cancel that out. So what now? Every Hispanic person in the state is supposed to not buy anything this Friday to show how much power they have and to get the drivers licenses for ILLEGAL people back.

What the fuck?

Their logic is that it will make the roads safer, because they'll have to take the tests and pass. I say: If they fail we're really supposed to believe they won't drive? Because, what, they've obeyed the law this long? These ILLEGAL immigrants?

I hate people. Anyone who doesn't buy anything on Friday should be shot. I'm going to buy as much as I can tomorrow.

Boy, I'm rather ranty, aren't I?

Comments

[tersa.livejournal.com]

LJ is dropping invite codes. Anyone can get a free journal at any time.

If you read the announcement closely, the accounts created without the invite codes will only be 30-day trial accounts, I think.

And even then, paid accounts get more icons, faster servers, and more 'feeps' than free accounts (some people really really like the ability to do polls)

I (once more) pondered walking out of work and never coming back.

You should document this. You should then talk to your HR about it. You will be more likely to get it fixed. What's the worst they can do, fire you? It'd be the same result as you walking out in frustration, and has a better chance of actually doing something about what you perceive to be a problem.

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

Yah. Then they either need an invite code /after/ that, or need to pony up the money.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Nope, they decided against doing that. I was happy when it was still the trial period thing.

Amendment to my comment about free accounts

[tersa.livejournal.com]

I just saw the latest post, and see they changed their minds since I first read about their policy earlier today.

So, disregard that correction in my comment. :)

But, to be honest, no one's making you pay. No one's making you use LJ, either. Part of LJ's success is its all-inclusive nature.

I think you're just cranky today. :)

Re: Amendment to my comment about free accounts

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, their change prompted me to post. I wasn't unhappy with the trial period thing (though I thought it rather supid...), but this free-to-anyone thing bugs me a lot, and opens up a can of worms. Say someone spams your posts with flames, you ban that poster. What do they do? Make a new account and go back to flaming you. Say someone breaks the ToS and gets banned. What, are they going to ban a whole IP class? Unlikely. So what will someone do? Just go back and make a new LJ and continue to break the rules. At least if all this bad stuff happens, I'll be able to laugh at LJ. It's sort of like a MUSH. What happens when you open the reg to everyone? It goes to hell. At least there's a little control in place right now...

I think you're just cranky today. :)


Actually, I've been cranky all week. :)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

You should document this. You should then talk to your HR about it.

I've pondered that, but there's a worse case than getting fired or walking out: Getting no recommendation for a next job. I've been here three years now, so what would I do if I leave with them thinking I suck and I'm a troublemaker and all that? (So yeah, this is part of what keeps me from really walking out, too.) And if I talked to HR it *would* get back to my boss, that's how things work here.

I'd ponder talking to HR a little more seriously if I thought they cared any more than anyone else here does. The people in charge here said everyone *must* get a review in November. Know what? I'm now past the three year mark of never having a review. No one cares about anything here, everyone's just keeping their heads down and collecting a paycheck until something better comes along...

It's depressing.

[tersa.livejournal.com]

So, you don't get a recommendation? So what? I didn't get one for my last two jobs. You can explain to your new job that you were fired for pointing out gross problems in your work place.

Heck, if you've documented everything, you could even have a case for wrongful termination.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Huh. I thought they pretty much always wanted to talk to people from your old business, or otherwise get recommendations from them. (Thus I was rather worried about my whole group in Alta Vista vanishing, three bosses up the line.)

Okay, cool, thanks.

[metron-ariston.livejournal.com]

Also, some states will not allow a former employer to make negative comments about an employee... or even /any/ comment other than a confirmation that you did indeed work there. References are what gives your potential new employer an idea about what you'll be like, and in that case you can find co-workers or supervisors who really love you. *hugs* I wouldn't burn any bridges, though, especially if you're in an industry where someone knows someone else knows someone else at virtually every company. Hang in there!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Ah, Interesting. Thanks for the good info!

[morinotokei.livejournal.com]

~hugs~

~sends you chibi Kaidou/Ryoma/Karupin in a picnic basket~

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Eee, thank you. The picture with them and the cat was the one bright spot of my day so far. :}

[wikdsushi.livejournal.com]

Their logic is that it will make the roads safer, because they'll have to take the tests and pass.

Screw that. The state and INS are trying to get a record of who's illegal and who's not. First mark that turns up on their record, they're back across the border. AFAIK, you get hit a lot harder if you're caught committing a crime while in the country illegally. Most people don't think of it as such, but traffic violations are misdemeanors (or occasionally felonies). Wouldn't surprise me, if it ends up passing in CA, if similar measures were taken in other border states (especially Texas) within a few years once the effectiveness is proven or disproven.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Why wait for that first mark though? Why not send them back once they know? They claim that no one wants to do the work they do, cleaning tables and hotel rooms and such. That's BS. Here in this area of CA we have a 25% unemployment rate, they could ship us out around the state and things would be covered.

What must the legal folks, the ones who followed rules and filled out their applications and such think? Why would *anyone* bother following the rules if this is permitted?

[wikdsushi.livejournal.com]

Entrapment. People coming in for a legal license and winding up being deported could get the state into some serious hot water from civil rights groups, and lawsuits will happen. On the other hand, if someone is flagrantly breaking the law and they're recorded as an illegal immigrant and they've made no steps to rectify this, they've screwed themselves. It's actually very Machiavellian - give people enough rope, and let them hang themselves.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Oh, right, while it would amuse the heck out of me, I didn't mean grab them when they came in for a license and deport them then. That really would be funny though...

[wikdsushi.livejournal.com]

Oops, a bit fast on the "post" key today...

What must the legal folks, the ones who followed rules and filled out their applications and such think? Why would *anyone* bother following the rules if this is permitted?

I can ask Stu what he thinks - he's actually still got the restrictions on his permanent residency, although that will hopefully change within a couple of months. (Stupid INS, takes forever.) As someone who's spent a few dozen hours and around a thousand dollars on immigration, though, I think it sounds perfectly reasonable. It's a way to keep an eye on illegal immigrants and potentially remove them from the country with minimal threat of entrapment lawsuit. At the same time, it will encourage people to keep an eye on their driving. And, of course, if they're caught driving without a license anyway, they've screwed themselves anyway. It also provides a way of keeping track of those who do apply for the licenses should they commit a different crime. Really, it seems like a sensible response to a growing problem.

Er, yeah. :) Have I ever mentioned that I've still got some fairly conservative political leanings? *sheepish grin*

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Hm. Well, that sounds reasonable, I just still don't like it. :) But then, I wouldn't be bothered if they went door to door looking for illegal folks and tossed them out that way...

Er, yeah. :) Have I ever mentioned that I've still got some fairly conservative political leanings? *sheepish grin*

Makes for interesting reading! :)

...

[peppygrowlithe.livejournal.com]

You probably get this a lot, but...

Joey Kukamunga, your owl-teeth icon scares me in ways I cannot explain. It is the very composition of which nightmares are made of...

And yet, I can't stop looking at it.

Save meee!

[lunarennui.livejournal.com]

i'd just like to say a huge DAMN STRAIGHT to all of this.

also, i forget if i told you before because i have a brain like a sieve, i have friended you finally. have been meaning to do so for months.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Cool, thanks!

[sillysophia.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm sort of happy that I get to make a community for people at my high school (I'm amazed at how many of us there are here!). But the license thing for illegal immigrants sounds unfair to the legal immigrants who go learn English, bust their tails getting a job, and then watch those who just border hop get all the same stuff. It's really bad here in Texas. I hope dad doesn't lose his job.

[frances-jane.livejournal.com]

re: lj... *headdesk*. Suddenly the HP fandom is going to get a LOT more trolly.

re: illegal immigrants. I just don't get the problem everyone has with 'em. Seriously. Is it the 'legal' issue that bothers you? That they never applied? 'Legal' doesn't mean 'moral' or 'ethical'; doesn't even come close. It's just procedure, and not a great one at that.

re: your current mood... *hug* :)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

re: lj... *headdesk*. Suddenly the HP fandom is going to get a LOT more trolly.

All of LJ will be. It's going to suck.

Is it the 'legal' issue that bothers you? That they never applied? 'Legal' doesn't mean 'moral' or 'ethical'; doesn't even come close. It's just procedure, and not a great one at that.

Yes, legal. IMO, the laws should apply to everyone or to no one. If we're suddenly going to let one group of them stay illegally, why not others? And why shouldn't I shoplift if I want to? And why can't Joe rape Mary if he so desires? The local government should not approve of or reward anyone breaking laws -- all laws should be followed by everyone, and if you break them then you should be punished. Everyone.

re: your current mood... *hug* :)

Thanks. I've gone from raging angry to wanting to grab an armful of chocolate and hide under my desk.

[frances-jane.livejournal.com]

I've gone from raging angry to wanting to grab an armful of chocolate and hide under my desk.

Does that mean I can't ramble on about ilegle imagants? I'm really in the mood now (and clearly I have many intelligent things to say on the matter(!)) I'll type it in a small font so you can ignore if you want to :) If this decision annoys you, feel free to spam the crap out of my journal. (I honestly want you to feel better, but it's *ages* since I had a debate and I need to rant!)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

but it's *ages* since I had a debate and I need to rant!

Snicker! Well, glad I can help get it out of your system then.

What if the government issuing the laws is unjust? Does this rule only apply to some countries, or does it apply to all countries, even though half of them have laws which totally contradict the laws of the other half? Is the government free to break the law? (I don't *want* to throw GW2 at you but it is true that the US and UK broke international law, whether or not any of us think this was just.) I'm totally with you that laws are there for a reason, but I'm just not sure the reasoning is all that great some of the time.

I wish the replying-to-comments box was bigger! Too much scrolling... In order:
If someone feels the laws are unjust, you work to change the laws. Breaking them only makes you wrong, too. And I can't agree that half the laws contradict the other half... I'll agree there could be some confusing ones, but not all that many, and not to the degree which we're talking about here.

I don't know enough about international law to touch on that part, sorry. I'll agree that the reason behind the law could be piss-poor, but it's still the law. Listen to it or get it changed, one of the two.

I can't speak for the US, but in the UK, 'awareness' about illegal immigrants is serving to promote racism;

That's something I'm worried about, yeah. I was a little concerned while making my post, too. I have nothing against any one race of people (I hate 'em all! Ha ha!).

On a similar vein, illegal immigration is a problem, but forcing people out of a country and making an example of them is NOT the only solution. First of all, it doesn't do anything about the initial problem (the horrors that caused people to leave their homes to escape to a safer, more free place); second of all, it does little to dispell the 'foreigners are bastards' myth - does a person have fewer rights because he or she was not born in a particular country?

I have to start disagreeing strongly with you here. If someone is in the country illegally, they should be tossed out as soon as it's known they're illegal. Period. End of sentence. Case closed. As for the "initial problem" behind their leaving, I can only say: It's not my problem. I know that sounds cold, but know what? Most countries, millions and millions and millions of people, have major and serious problems. They're killed, tortured, raped, whatever else. But the problem is, we can't save them all. If we let one group of "abused" people in, why not them all? And how soon would it be until we were in just as bad of a condition? I'd say help make their homes better, but allow them to enter the country only as our laws permit.

[frances-jane.livejournal.com]

If someone feels the laws are unjust, you work to change the laws.
Sure. The thing is, I don't know how to go about this, other than discussing my opinions with my peers; more importantly, I doubt many illegal immigrants have the slightest chance to do this, since as illegal immigrants their opinion is worth fuck all. I'm middle class and over voting age - the only thing that goes against me (statistically) is being female. If I can't do a thing about it, then what hope have the people who *need* to?

But the problem is, we can't save them all.
I know this, and the reason I know owes not least to the fact that I used to think we could. Now, I know it's not that simple. But I also know that dismissing one problem just because you can't solve *all* problems isn't productive. I use the 'it's complicated' excuse all too often; my most common response to anything halfway challenging is that it's not practically, and I maintain that largely this generalisation is correct.
But not always.
Just because the world will never change doesn't mean that a small, positive change won't make a difference. 'What ifs' and 'but's can't be ignored but they can be countered ('What if the world was going to end tomorrow?'; 'What if your auntie had balls? She'd be your uncle!") so at the end of the day, a decision needs to be made and made quickly.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I don't know how to go about this, other than discussing my opinions with my peers;

Around here all you have to do is write letters and know the right people... or just write more letters to make up for not knowing the right people.

more importantly, I doubt many illegal immigrants have the slightest chance to do this, since as illegal immigrants their opinion is worth fuck all.

Which is as it should be. I'm sorry I wasn't clear, I meant if an American didn't like that the illegal immigrants were sent back, they should do something about it. Should the immigrants be able to change the law? In my opinion: No f'ing way.

I mostly agree on the rest of your comment, though with the disclaimer that we should help them in their country. Send them money (which we do), try to kick out bad leaders (which we sometimes do). Not let them all in here to this country whenever they like.

[frances-jane.livejournal.com]

*Nods*. So these are our points of non-agreementisityness:

1. You allow my typos and my missing-out-of-crucial-words (whoops!) ;)
But seriously...
-1 (I'm thwapping me):
thistle - 'Get the word out, it'll get across.' (Paraphrasing)
me - 'No it won't.' (Paraphrasing). 'People in power don't listen. Unless you have a news crew or something. Oral sex, maybe... but then it's all 'oh fuck yeah' to everything!'

0 (counting forwards here... 4 till I get a ban ;)):
thistle - 'Immigrants shouldn't be able to change the law.'
me - 'Meh. Is irrelevent (only Dubbya can do that!) but if it weren't, I personally wouldn't give a toss. Votes to all those over eighteen! And for fucks sake, let good old Brittania have (for example, France's) semi-presidential state, already!'

1
thistle - 'Try to kick out bad leaders.'
me - 'Have votes on "bad leaders", "bad policies", "best methods" etc. Discussion on foreign policy; open media. I have a) failed maths and b) lost discussion so I am c) going to go to bed. I do, however, '<3333' thistle_chaser.'

Night night :)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I do, however, '<3333' thistle_chaser.'

Hee, thanks! Sleep well! Hope you enjoyed our little debate. :)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

One more additional thing: My personal opinion would be to close our borders and never let another single person in, legal or not, but I know that's not really an option, so I don't often argue for it.

Popular thread you've got going here...

[tidus.livejournal.com]

Re: Popular thread you've got going here...

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Most important things first: If you mean the artwork in the /ffx directory on my Catlove site, it's not done by me. Eek! I only wish I could draw that well! I'm glad you enjoyed it though. (My intent is to one day organize it into an actual page, with credit to the artists and such... One day...)

Most illegal aliens are avoiding government agencies as often as possible

That'd be the smart thing to do, wouldn't it? And a snickering agreement on the CA drivers bit!

The site isn't exactly fast, either.

Exactly. They should get everything working as close to perfect as they can before bringing in massive numbers of new users...