The Digital ID "Revolution"

Estonia will hand out digital ID cards to non-residents
http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/29/estonia-digital-id-for-non-residents/?ncid=rss_truncated

Every time I hear about Estonia and it's forwardness with basically all things technology and the government, it actually doesn't frighten me. I've been a person who's said "I have nothing to hide". There are things I don't talk about openly, yes, but for things especially regarding government laws and rules, I just don't play.

I've talked about/ranted about people not obeying traffic rules, and things like that in what people may call "government overreach" I see as perhaps people just not wanting the government to catch them doing what they should not be.

This is, at least, some of the time.

I'm actually thinking about getting a one of these digital IDs, partly for the sake of being a giant nerd, and partly just to make the point people make out "privacy" to be so much more of a big deal than it really should be.

Racism, Insensitivity, or The Way They Are?

	Stitcher (@Stitcher)
6/18/14, 8:55 PM Is Univision's World Cup commentary racist? via @NPR stitcher.com/s?eid=34422976… #WorldCup2014

Being a Black person, I've encountered the various ways Spanish-speakers can refer to me, and the invariably non-PC way they refer to all Asians as chinos even though they may now where they're actually from and how to refer to them.

Some say the way they're talking is them being playful, like the various nicknames they give people like gordo, flaca, or morenito, but I definitely see the point of calling the players these "nicknames" or monikers instead of their names.

They should have more professionalism, though, regardless of eighteen-hour shifts.

Grab Your Big Pouch

http://youtu.be/_-fOJgsUEPU

I had seen this commercial on live TV maybe only twice, but on Internet streaming it's popped up a little more. 

Every time I see it, I think a few things:

1) This Big Pouch Man character is quirky and pretty attractive. When he's upside-down you don't see it, but the moment he uprights himself in the back seat, you can see it, especially in the eyes.

2) His character is also kind of creepy. It almost seems they're making double-entendres with the product. This is fine, and I'd giggled. Simultaneously, is the character of the driving test guy supposed to be a teenager or an adult still living with mum? Perhaps it's that California's driving test age is

18, in which case it's "fine"?

3) The creepiness is kind of hot. 

Because the commercial is just barely kind of edgy, that might be why it's not gotten as much airtime, seemingly, on live television, but I'm glad for the Internet and it's archival of human creation, destruction, and weirdness.

Translation Woes

The Best Translation Ever.

http://www.tickld.com/funny/t/841598

This is why one should beware translation requests. That's been a peeve of mine, sometimes. If I want to know what something says and I don't know the language, I seek out the tools to try translating it, not go asking what something says.

Did this person learn nothing in elementary school?!