Public Service Commentary

[lassarina]

First, protecting your online safety, by way of dragovianknight:

You should really have the "Always use https" feature enabled on your Gmail. If you don't yet, do it.(Short version: some go-tard has decided to release a Gmail hacking tool because he doesn't think Google's doing enough to protect people's privacy. Which, you know, he makes a point, but this ain

Comments

[adamjury]

(Short version: some go-tard has decided to release a Gmail hacking tool because he doesn't think Google's doing enough to protect people's privacy. Which, you know, he makes a point, but this ain't the way to do it. Way to be a go-tard, go-tard.)

Many software companies won't work to resolve security problems unless the security flaw is exposed and in the wild.

The author of the tool claims that he notified Google over a year ago, and he hasn't even released the tool yet -- just announced that he will release it.

That procedure -- notify company, announce that you will release the exploit, and then release the exploit -- is pretty standard in the hacking community. It's the way to do it.

[lassarina]

See, I don't understand the not working until ti's exposed. But maybe that's just me being idealistic.

The second issue is the one that bugs me more, really.

[adamjury]

Generally, fixing problems that people know about gets you more positive press than fixing a bug that few people know about. Most companies [and programmers] would much rather work on new features than fixing bugs, especially security bugs.

[joeuser]

so in essence, anyone who wishes to be a doctor is forbidden to act from conscience? They cannot say "hey, I can't do something in good conscience but you are free to seek another doctor who has no problem with it."

What if they advertised? "Catholic Doctor - Won't prescribe birth control or perform abortions"

What if they were the world's most gifted expert in childbirth and ensuring women were able to deliver perfectly healthy children in perfect safety but could not bring themselves to violate their conscience on other issues?

What if we changed the rules and you could get birth control over the counter and we took the decision out of the hands of our conscientious objector doctor?

Can you see any other side to this?

p3

[celeloriel]

Well said.

[lassarina]

Thank you, so much. You basically said the things I meant, but much more clearly than I did. :) Also, hi.

[mad_rex]

Regardless of how idiotic the people in charge are for defining birth control as abortion...are there any legal consequences to it?
Or is this new-meaning-to-the-Hippocratic-oath thing one of them?

And I thought stupid shit like this would end once the Democrats won Congress. Color me naive...

[lassarina]

Well, basically, this rule would say a doctor can't be fired for refusing treatment to a patient based on his/her religious convictions.

The really unfortunate part is that this whole hoopla is purely executive branch; Congress gets no say in it until January, when new secretaries are appointed.

adamjury and pandemoniachick have made excellent points above re: Hippocratic Oath.

[landed]

yeah, my virgin self used to be on the pill for severe pms/depression worsened during pms reasons. it never really helped, so i don't take it anymore. but, yeah...plenty of reasons for the pill besides birth control.

i have mixed feelings about the "morning after" pill, but I'm also verrrry iffy about the government getting involved in that stuff period.

on the subject of emergency contraception for rape...tragic, complicated situation. I guess I just wish that it seemed people looked more at adoption as a viable alternative.

[landed]

though you made a good point above about those unable to afford prenatal care.

[lassarina]

but I'm also verrrry iffy about the government getting involved in that stuff period Exactly. My body, you have no right to decree what I do with it.

Adoption is definitely viable, but (as I know you mentioned in your sub-comment) the prenatal care issue and the mental issues are big concerns that need to be addressed. Some people also can't afford the unpaid time off and hospital care required for even a normal, healthy birth - never mind if there are complications and it requires a caesarian or other issues.

I would like to think that if I found myself in that situation, I would have the child and give it up...but I don't know, and I refuse to say with absolute moral certainty that I would not consider an abortion.

[katmillia]

I think it's impossible for us to understand how a woman who had been violated by rape/assault and then had to carry the rapist's child for nine months would feel. I mean, I can't even begin to comprehend how I would feel if I had been raped, and the psychological trauma would be enough to render just about anyone catatonic for awhile. But having to then go through the pains/healthcare/birth for a baby that was conceived because you were raped? You are talking some really high amounts of trauma, there. Just to know you are carrying inside you a piece of your rapist is... squicky to me, and it's never happened to me. :( I think there are a lot of sides you can't consider until it's happened to you.