Play One on TV

No, no, don’t set off the self-destruct! I’m still here! (Okay, I’ve been watching too much Stargate SG-1 lately).

Life has been incredibly busy lately, but in really good ways. I’ll be back to regular updates soon (either that, or my inner muse will go whacko and knock over a drugstore or something).

Love some of you, tolerate the rest. See you in about a week!

Is it just me, or has the spam exploded lately? Thanks to the benevolent outsourcing program offered through my ISP, I enjoy the rather robust spam-attacking capabilities of the good people at Yahoo Mail. Or at least I used to enjoy their capabilities. Something subtle has shifted in the powers that be, and spam emails that used to go straight to my “bulk email” folder are once again greeting me at the front door, so to speak.

So far, the emails have consisted of the usual suspects — ads for offshore sources of Viagra, incredible stock tips, hot Asian cats (well, they used a word for “cats”), warnings that I’m harboring several viruses capable of destroying the entire world, and the obligatory letter from the legal representative of the deposed (yet somehow inordinately wealthy) prince of Namibia. All, of course, spelled in that ridiculous mispelled typing style designed to fool automatic spam-scanners and Internet newcomers alike.

Nice to know that the more things change, the more they stay the same. At least they stopped trying to spoof my Ebay password.

I’m even getting the occasional spam at my work. Up until now, my work email servers were so secure that I was halfway convinced that the email administrator had made a deal with the Mob. Now I’m getting at least one per day (although, oddly enough, they’re all claiming to be hot tips on unclaimed Enron funds. Having they taken Skilling’s net access away yet?)

So what gives? Why this sudden ineffectiveness in all my favorite spam-fighting tools? Did some high-volume spammer sell his soul to the devil in exchange for Computer Associates latest algorithms? Did Al Gore invent a new kind of spam? Did someone at Yahoo forget to update their signature file?

At least I’m holding them at bay on this blog. Yes, I’m sure those will be famous last words.

Think you can put anything you want on your MySpace account? A school district in Libertyville, Illinois believes otherwise:

High school students are going to be held accountable for what they post on blogs and on social-networking Web sites such as MySpace.com.

The board of Community High School District 128 voted unanimously on Monday to require that all students participating in extracurricular activities sign a pledge agreeing that evidence of “illegal or inappropriate” behavior posted on the Internet could be grounds for disciplinary action.

I don’t have a problem with reporting illegal behavior. If a kid threatens to kill his parents, deal drugs at school, or watch a Pauley Shore movie, I agree that a school official (or anyone else, for that matter) should act on that information.

However, it’s that word “inappropriate” that gives me the heebee-jeebies. Who the heck gets to decide what is or isn’t appropriate? The school officials? I don’t think so! Cam Edwards says it best:

Knuckleheaded school administrators? You know, those brainiacs who suspend kids for carrying Advil and accidentally leaving butter knives in their cars. I’m sorry but these people can’t use judgement in those instances, why should I trust they’ll use good judgement when it comes to determining what is ‘inappropriate’ behavior?

I trust my son’s school with many things — his education, his physical well-being while at school, and the development of his critical thinking skills. I do not trust them with the development of his ethical or moral judgement — that’s my job.

To put it simply: school districts have no business policing the behavior of children when they’re off campus. Yes, you can make the case that some parent can’t or won’t take care of their children. But that’s why we have social services; there’s no need for the schools to get involved.

What’s next, policing the content of the parent’s blogs? If that’s the case, my son is so expelled.