Filed under: Awards, Blogging, Friends, Gifts, Lists, Meme, Notables, Personal, Shameless Self Promotion, Thanks
That’s what she said. Honest. She did.
It seems she was given this ‘Nice Matters” award that’s been making circles in the blog world. It was created by Bella-Enchanted and managed to get to Diva via Tish. So Diva awarded it to the people who tickle her fancy, which kind of made me go, “Whew” because if nice was the sole criteria, I might never have been given this one. Well, not if my kids had anything to say about it. They think I’m mean, too strict and all that. Good thing being able to tickle peoples’ fancy is enough to get chosen, because that… I can do.
So in tracking back to find out who created the award, I learned that once you receive it, Bella-Enchanted would like you to pass it on to seven other people. I’ve decided to add to my nominations, a specific reason for naming them. This isn’t part of the required responsibility of receiving the award, so don’t feel you have to do it because I did.
As always, I’ll try not include people I know have received it, or people who request no tags because an award is still a kind of a tag. Those of you on the blogroll are there because I find something great about you and your blog so really… everyone should get one!
1. bluepaintred – Because she’s doing something really awesome for someone, only I can’t say it out loud and spoil the secret for a little while yet. I’ll update later so as not to spoil her hard work.
2. Hazel8500 – Because she’s always endorsing some campaign that is always about benefitting the underdog or those not treated rightly in this world. She really does care about others.
3. Jayleen – She’s such a kind-hearted person, and she truly loves her animals. I could’ve chosen any number of reasons to name her, but thought she should know that other people see her love for her animals as a wonderful thing.
4. brahnamin – Stephen helped Joey with some graphics and ideas for her blog. I know he knows Joey appreciated that, but I wanted him to know others really thought that was nice of him too!
5. skywindows – For making the video of Jayleen’s art… how could I not include her here? There are lots of other reasons, but that one sticks out for me. Though no one would dispute it if her or Stephen disappeared from blogging or others for awhile, since Ambriel (and please would you keep giving her hugs up in the top of the right sidebar) has had surgery recently, she took time to create the video for Jayleen!
6. joebec – Recently, an online friend of hers passed away. Some people scoff at online friendships as if they don’t matter. She wrote about her friend, and made sure everyone knew how important an online friend can be. By making that effort, she also helps her friend’s family know a little more about how much others loved their loved one and for the family, I’m sure that’s priceless.
7. Vic – Not too long ago, Vic got in her car and drove 4 hours through the night to check on an online friend. Honestly… how many of us can say we’ve done that? How many of us can say we know someone who would do that? Vic rocks.
So there you have it. I promise not to be upset if anyone on that list decides not to pass it on. I also think it would be really nice (lol) if someone out there, who’s been given this award but is leery about tagging people they know, decided to pass it on to people they don’t know.
I know.. you’re thinking that I’ve flipped. If you don’t know them, how do you know that they’re nice?
Well… I really believe that save for the Ted Bundy’s of the world, everyone has the capacity to be nice, and everyone has the capacity to be a fraccing bitch. (Yes.. sometimes you men are downright bitchy too, we just don’t call it that for fear you’ll get even bitchier.)
So, to give the award to someone you don’t know, just to make their day…
Isn’t that just a NICE thing to do?
UPDATE:
I wrote this post earlier today and timestamped it for later to test how well that worked. See.. we’re going away for a few days and because I want to make sure all my wonderfully witty pre-prepared posts are going to post as planned, I thought I’d test it out today. It so happens after writing this post, I learned that despite professing not to tag people having already been given this award, I failed and did exactly that. Please don’t name seven more people unless you want to. Consider my naming you as proof positive that you deserved the one you already got.
I came across an article at the BBC News site, and it got me thinking.
I know what you’re thinking. This isn’t The Thinking Blog, it’s fracas. What the frac is wrong with me anyway? Before you think I’ve had some kind of epiphany and get all worried that fracas is going to stop posting about bras, boobs, penises, shoes and all things Caca related, settle down. A while back, brahnamin awarded me with that thinking blogger award I have displayed in the sidebar, and so I do need to occasionally prove that I deserved it.
The article I refer to, was on the subject of stealing wireless. I’ll provide some snippets, but the article is on the long side and to get the full impact, you should take a minute or two to read it.
- “By Finlo Rohrer
BBC News Magazine
A man has been arrested after being spotted allegedly sitting in a street with a laptop using someone else’s unsecured wireless connection. Is it immoral to do this?
- The man arrested in a street in west London is at least the third person to be accused of breaching the law by taking internet service without permission.
- The Communications Act 2003 says a “A person who (a) dishonestly obtains an electronic communications service, and (b) does so with intent to avoid payment of a charge applicable to the provision of that service, is guilty of an offence”.
- There are also suggestions using somebody else’s wireless could come under the Computer Misuse Act, usually used to combat hacking and electronic fraud.But if it can be interpreted as illegal, can it be truly said to be immoral? “
For some, the answer is obvious. It’s theft. For others, it’s not so clear.
The debate continues within the article, and several thought provoking quotes are provided, such as the one from Technology writer Barry Fox, who said, “Are they going to prosecute someone who stands outside a bakery warming their hands? Philosopher Julian Baggini suggests, “It is a bit like reading your book from the light coming out from someone’s window.”
Indeed. In the article, Fox’s comparison of the person using someone else’s wireless to the individual watching someone else’s fireworks display is exactly what prompted the title for my own post here.
I have planted shrubs along the perimeter of my property in order to create an inner courtyard of privacy and floral enjoyment for my family. It stands to reason though, that because some of those shrubs are roses, that they, although belonging to me, provide others with the opportunity to enjoy their scent as well as their beauty. Should I be upset and require others to plug their noses as they walk by? Should I become upset if my neighbour across the street should deliberately linger on the path by my house, in order to smell my roses on purpose? After all… they don’t belong to her?
It certainly is a thought provoking question, and one I’m challenging fraccers to come up with an opinion on. Leave your comment here, and please feel free to (provided you include a link, acknowledge the post is from fracas and indicate that anyone taking it from your blog must do the same) copy and paste this article to your own blog and have a conversation about it there too!
At the BBC, readers were offered the option of leaving comments. Two opposing viewpoints are best described in the comments quoted below.
- “When you connect to a wifi access point you ask for permission, and depending on what the access point has been told to do, you are either granted permission or not. Thus if the access point as been setup to grant permission to everyone, you are entitled to believe you are allowed to use it. The courts are wrong in this matter and the individuals who setup their access points incorrectly are at fault. Ignorance or stupidity are no excuse to blame others.”
Ian Smith, London, UK
- “If you leave your wireless connection unsecured then it is your own fault. Just as you wouldn’t leave your front door unlocked, neither should you leave your wireless connection open. In fact cafes and other public spaces leave their wireless open so customers can access it. So by leaving your wireless open, you are effectivly inviting people to use it. It’s as easy as clicking a few settings on your router to secure your network. Those who leave their connections open have as little right to complain as somebody who parks their car and then leaves the door wide open.”
Ken, Evesham
- “Is leaving your car running and open inviting someone to take it for a spin? Of course not, but what kind of a doughnut would you be for doing it?”
Steve, Cambridge
- “Lets try a different analogy. If someone leaves their front door wide open is it wrong to go in a steal the television?”
Bob, London
And finally…
- ”I don’t really see how it can be “stealing” if the person who paid still has all of what they paid for. In that respect, it’s not like your example of taking an apple from the overhanging branch of a tree. More like reading someone’s newspaper over their shoulder on the Tube (maybe that will be next…?) “Unauthorised use” maybe, but surely not “stealing”. “
Adrian, Manchester, UK
So… what do you think?
Text links to sources:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
http://www.thethinkingblog.com
http://brahnamin.wordpress.com/2007/03/29/thinking-blogger-what-were-they-thinking/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6960304.stm
Other helpful links:
