Stolen Valor Act; Raising My Thoughts

  I - like many veterans - are angered at the decision of the Supreme Court. However, they are not against the idea of protecting awards, ranks and experiences military individuals hard-earned from fraud - only that the legislation itself is not precise enough to effectively and constitutionally protect that and at the same time not be in conflict with our Constitution itself.

  "Justice Breyer also provided possible templates for rewriting the act, saying it had 'substantial justification' (Dao, New York Times)." 

  We also need to remember that the U.S. Constitution is the basis of our laws and also that we the people are a part of the Government (ideologically, not physically); we can also directly affect its actions and of our most simple and strongest Powers To VOTE which changes are necessary.

  In the same article, Jameel Jaffer (Deputy Legal Director) of the American Civil Liberties Union, points out an interesting tip about the 1st Amendent - "The First Amendment reserves to individual citizens, not the government, the right to separate what is true from what is false, and to decide what ideas to introduce into private conversation and public debate".

  When any one of us finds out someone deliberately - especially knowingly and without coercion - lies about being in the military and/or earning any form of Valor, on a matter of Character the person responsible will quickly learn the consequences. This does not just include a loss of Character; it is also a loss of respect - both personal and from others. 

  It can be the equivalent of a psychological atom bomb.

  My recommendation: First attempt to fix the policy if it is inadequate in its current form; improve, revise and increase precision if it is has a generally good template; and if it conflicts with the Constitution: How, in what ways, can the policy be made to not conflict and still maintain the necessary precision to avoid over-reaching?

  Yes, I am very pissed off at the individuals committing this fraud. But, my central concern is to help protect individuals from those who use that status to inflict real harm - financially, physically or mentally, or all three - to others using Deadly Force.

References

Dao, James. "Lying About War Medals Is Protected Speech, Justices Rule." The New York Times. Print: 2012 - June 29; Section A18. The New York Times, 2012 - June 29. Web. 30 July 2012.
< http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/us/justices-say-lying-about-military-honors-is-protected.html >

United States. U.S. Court of Appeals; Ninth Circuit, Supreme Court. Number 11-210. United States of America, Petitioner vs. Xavier Alvarez; entered on 2011 June 17. Web, PDF. 30 July 2012.
< http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publications/supreme_court_preview/briefs/11-210_petitioner.authcheckdam.pdf >

Implications of NSA on Design

"America's top cyber-warrior asks hackers for help"

After reading this news story, I am - once again - worried of the big picture impacts upon the privacy and security of every individual person; both abroad and local.

Specifically, I am addressing the impacts toward Creative thought and Open Expression that are the hallmarks of Graphic Designers and every citizen.

If the private sector - that is us - and the Government - local, state and federal - are allowed to share information more freely between each other without some form of restriction or protection then a number of significant problems open up.

(1) Undue burden - meaning unnecessary or wrongful - would be placed on individuals or groups.

(2) A person's specific and unusual habits could be taken out of context, however slight, and cause  
      wrongful arrest by assuming the next actions of that person, "knee-jerking" - especially when that
      person has not broken any laws to begin with.

(3) The artist's satirical - or constructive - response may be seen as "offensive to
      [insert focus here], and must be removed to prevent [shielded subject or focus]".

(4) Most worrying: Our works, online presence and business could be hi-jacked, and our reputations
      permanently damaged - this includes all forms of intellectual property under our names. If
      "personally identifiable information" is heavily leaked, then so are the chances of protecting
      our futures.

Even with all account and website settings set to "Fort Knox", any information placed on the internet needs to be thought of as Public Record for perspective purposes and restricted accordingly - unless there are clear reasons to go beyond that.

Personally, I recommend all settings at "Fort Knox" initially and carefully loosening the restraints as it becomes easier to mentally track what has been posted - in this light you are better able to respond when something does happen.

Reference:

Paul Wagonseil, SecurityNewsDaily Managing Editor. "America's Top Cyber-Warrior Asks Hackers for Help". Security on NBCNEWS. NBC News, 2012 - July 27. Web. 2012 - July 30.

< http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48364419/ns/technology_and_science-security/t/americas-top-cyberwarrior-asks-hackers-help/ >

Week 2 EOC; Irate in 30 seconds

After watching Erin Brockovich and then researching the waste fallout from Pacific Gas & Electric, I am in an internally-restrained position of being irate.

The citizens were poisoned, and the top executives willfully and with full intent decided to attempt "damage control" by purchasing that land under the table; they also simultaneously were taking advantage of the locals' ignorance of the law.

According to OneEarth, the total for the 1996 damages to Hinkley California residents was $333million. This information was provided by the original Erin Brochovich herself.

http://www.onearth.org/blog/chromium-6-still-threatens-californias-drinking-water

The most worrisome information? PG&E still continues to leak Chromium 6 (hexavalent chromium) in multiple water sources within the last two years. The fine this time is only 3.6 million by State to PG&E   due to "litigation costs", reduced from 5.4 million.

http://www.paintsquare.com/news/?fuseaction=view&id=7099

My central question: Why, after two significant and related events, is the state of California showing any leniency whatsoever to PG&E when they have clearly violated basic environmental laws?

Hey! Yes, You! Read about me here!

This professional graphic designer is a highly curious and very quiet, multi-disciplinary individual with a very broad-spectrum and often shifting series of interests. Literally from fine arts through hardware of technology and the occasional scripts – be they automation or a good educational flick.  Generally, while not always perfect, I endeavor to learn from my mistakes and keep pushing forward.

Topics of Interest include Biomimicry, Sustainability, Becoming a 360 Designer and Developer from print to digital, Admiring any architecture that breaks the conventional ninety-degree planes of the commons, dazzling arrays of natural color weather they be from our natural parks or the rocks of canyons and mountains all around, intentional and well placed puns, along with plenty of quiet time listening to the doldrums of the winds in remote valleys surrounding the greater Clark County area.

The best performances are realized in open, positive, challenging and perspective understanding arenas of creativity.

Be aware this mind is in many - if not all - directions at any given time, a highly able mental
multi-tracker and information sponge. If I would ask for a moment to breath both mentally and physically please respect those moments. Certain situations are within my control, but only to a fault.

As a young veteran of the Navy, I have the valuable skills of constantly striving to improve personally and professionally – especially administratively. Both thankful to Veterans Affairs and US Navy for the opportunities they enabled, as well as the discipline and focus from active duty.

My administrative potential was discovered in Air Force JROTC in high school

(2003 – 2007), where I quickly accepted increasing responsibilities up to and including overseeing supply, personnel, colors and assistance with ceremony planning. Through effort and teamwork many awards were earned, including Distinguished Unit and shockingly American Legion Gold Military Excellence.  This event in life was one of the most exciting and pivotal times I have ever had the honor to experience.

The pen-ultimate life-long challenge is to develop both left and right brain modalities equally dynamically. To have my humanity exceed technology.

Never Ignite, Always Engage.

Cheers!