This week's excercise
Yesterday, I realized that I hadn't started thinking about what my writing exercise would be this week. I usually have some ideas by Tuesday, but this week was coming up dry. I spent some time considering various short fiction options, although I'm not sure that that's what I want this blog to be about, or if this is even a good medium for that. So really, nothing.

Then, this morning, I realized that I was doing my weekly writing out of the blue. I was writing a letter to my congressperson, and it was, as a bonus, good practice. Congress is currently considering a bill called SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act), which has potential to undermine the way we use the internet. While the legality and morality of piracy is debatable, this bill would put in place measures that are a threat to online free speech and innovation, two things we can ill afford to lose. You should read about it and decide how you feel.

If you decide that this bill will be a bad thing, you'll be in the company of Google, Yahoo, and a number of other prominent internet companies, and I would urge you to also write your congressperson. I'm of the opinion that if you like the internet as it is now, you should be opposed to this legislation.

Sorry to be a bit preachy, but as someone who makes their living working online, this sort of thing threatens me personally as well as having terrible ramifications for status as a free society.