Something for you to be happy about.
I’m too busy to change my theme this week.
Lots of news posts about China and the media this week. A blog (China Rising) post by Tim Johnson, the Beijing bureau chief for McClatchy Newspapers really says it all.
Pressure on the foreign media
This whole “China is a great place to visit. We treat visitors and reporters well” is a bunch of rotten grapes, an Olympic smokescreen.
Do not turn your back on the kid who wants to steal your lollipop.
— — — — — –
Mikey’s post briefly referencing pedophilia just reinforced some feelings I had yesterday.
My brother is currently leasing, with option to buy, my parent’s old house. All this while he decides whether he wants to commute to his downtown job or give it up and move closer in. He hosted a fathers day event causing relatives from as far away as France and as close as twenty miles descend. He was like a peacock hosting his first “big people event”. If you ever read this Josh you are a pretty peacock — seriously.
There were a variety of fathers and future fathers and lots of little kids hanging around pool. I heard these kids were related to me in some way. Many of the little ones I didn’t recognize right off. I’ve heard of them of course, maybe even seen them once or twice randomly through the years. Some are so young I had previously only seen photos. I like kids because they aren’t mine. I can play with them and leave, so it was all good. I have yet to arrive at the stage where I look at them as something I might want to have. I still look at children as me only younger and better able to manipulate themselves on a trampoline, or down the slide of the pool and all that.
I took a bunch of pictures of the kids playing around in the pool and when I got back here last night was considering uploading them to Flickr. The thought floating back and forth was “can’t do that there are pedophiles out there”. Considering half these kids tend to run around with their bathing suits falling off a good percent of the time (it’s hereditary) it just seemed best that I do not post pictures of them running around in their tiger patterned swim wear. It’s sad that I have to think that way, but I do.
I know how you feel — I am hesitant to use photos I’ve found in which children are depicted. But I think if the pictures are anonymous, there is probably no problem.
China is rising up to fill the vacuum we’ve of where we used to be.
I love kids… I am lucky that my brother has four of them so I can play with them instead of having my own :)
It’s funny, my wife’s best friend just had a daughter and now she seems almost ready for her own.
Yeah, it’s always going to be a touchy subject where kids are concerned. I know firsthand how much ire can be raised when one tends to gloss over the subject in one’s day-to-day affairs.
It’s unfortunate we have to think this way but the ways of the world make it necessary. I would be hesitant to put pictures of my son on the internet for a variety of reasons, at least until he is older.
We send pictures back and forth to friends, but my wife doesn’t like the idea of them being posted anywhere.
It’s funny how all of a sudden, pre Olympics, China wants to make themselves some kind of poster child.
At first, I thought I was losing my mind with all your ‘siteual’ changes. I seriously was beginning to think it was just me and some kind of LSD flashback or something – LOL! Thankfully you have mentioned here, you have not had time to change your theme this week!
You know my position on China.
I think you’re over thinking the pedophile angle. I’d like to think there aren’t that many creeps out there.
I forgive you for all your design changes. Your original design– the one you had when you first began was perfect, yea I know it was at blogger and I didn’t read this at the time, but still it was nice.
This is good, simple and readable. I don’t care, the changes are entertaining. I doubt the way this blog looks is going to matter the people who read it.
At one time you promised me a zucchini, you may have to make good on that.
I wonder about the safety of flickr. How would the cretins find the children? It is probably and sadly best that you not post pictures of the kids until you can answer that question, though.
We don’t have that many younger kids in my family any more. The older cousins have not had kids, and our family is pretty small. I do have a couple of little kid cousins somewhere, I’ve never met them. I wouldn’t be posting “little kid in bathing suit” pictures either, just because of the creeps out there.
I think my sister’s kids will arrive already tatted and pierced.
Just an afterthought.
What’s growing in that garden anyway? I’m impressed.
I don’t have a flickr account. Do you have friended pics I need to sign up for?
Sorry for the double comment I didn’t look at the vegetables until I wrote the first one.
Nice to see you vege-ing out.
Our Economy depends on China. That can be changed but not without some work and it isn’t going to happen.
They are putting on quite a front. I’m just as skeptical about it as you are.
There are six kids in my immediate family. My younger siblings are all past that really young age, but I feel the same way about having my twelve and eleven year old sisters pictures posted anywhere.
John 11:22 is wrong about “over thinking the pedophile angle” when posting pictures of kids. The creeps are, indeed, out there. Many more than we’d like to think.
It’s a conversation I’ve had on occasion with a school principal or two. Especially when they tell me I need to opt out in having pictures of the tykes posted on the school website. I’ve held the line on the need for public schools to use only those pictures of children where parents have opted in to use them.
It didn’t use to be this way. But then, back in the day, there was no internet and the pervs got their dirty pics from Larry Flynt. And we already know what Cooper thinks about that dirty old bastard.
meow.
Posting any photo involving people involves some level of risk, not just in terms of predators but also other participants who may not want their pictures posted. (I could, say, post quite a few photos of exes, for instance) Part of the reason I tend to only use photos of myself involves an immense fear of a lawsuit for misrepresenting individuals, from situations where reasonable privacy is expected.
The written word is one thing. All narratives are interpretive. But direct reproductions of any sort of image, taken even at private events, and especially involving minors, can put a blogger at risk, especially if something happens.
Consent forms come in handy.
Lol. Can ya tell I’ve had to talk to attorneys before. Never fun.
Who’d a thunk it? Some people get upset about what I post about? :P
inde: too bad about the vacuum.
Yea, I know it seems unreasonable I think part if it is that they are related to me.
Goldy: Eh, I can take them or leave them. I not very maternal although I do like to boss people around. ;)
mojo: That’s why I just let it go.
jacob: Can’t say I blame you.
poetress: yes I’m insane with
the changing them virus, or is it called lost identity virus? Not sure.
John: Well I’ll gladly post the kiddies from your family on there then.
Doug: I don’t suppose it’s all that safe, or any less safe than anything else really.
Robotman: Your afterthought is probably very likely to be the case.
Casey: I have a few pictures that are friends only, mostly blog fodder they are not much different than what is there except I’m naked in most of them.
sauerkraut: Yes I think he is wrong.
Jason: I wouldn’t post pictures of others without there permission — except Karl but of course I could get in trouble for that too as someone pointed out to me a long time ago.
I hope you’ve not had to much occasion to see a lawyer.
You already know my feelings on kids and pedophiles. (Superthanks for the link. I wondered where those extra people came from)
As to China … I have an either/or theory on China. Either they are going to decide they need more elbow room and start taking over countries all around them, which have no way of stopping them, or the country will fall apart as individual generals with huge armies decide to become warlords and create their own little fiefdom. Explosion or implosion. I just don’t know which is more likely.
Come on, Cooper. I’m liking the theme changes. It makes me stop and think differently about what you have written for the day.
And with respect to having children — It wasn’t so much a process of thinking of them as “something I wanted to have.” It was just time, I guess. But they’ve helped me to be more serious about things I may not have considered with regard to life. Things that affect many others.
And I always wonder about those pictures on flickr as well…
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I like surprises, theme changing doesn’t bother me as long as you keep writing. This is good, clean and simple. I like the archives and the blog rolls on another page, otherwise you can kick that design all over the place I don’t mind.
I like it when periodically you post something personal about your family even if it is only to call your brother a peacock.
I’m torn on the issue of children’s pictures on the net, but I understand having those concerns. I don’t think we should always be afraid but I understand the need for caution.
Well thank goodness I’m not around to witness all the theme changes. But it also bums me out as well as I do miss your almost everyday thoughts :)
I share your sentiments on the kid photos.
kellypea: I’m glad because I am doing it especially for you. I really don’t mind it when people change themes, but I think some people just like to be in a familiar place and the theme changes disconcert them.
joe: Well, you have been here awhile, so if you didn’t like them you would be suffering much.
I am not so much afraid as I am repulsed by the thought that some sicko could be jerking off to a picture of a child who was related to me, and it would be my fault.
Leigh: If I go to your site and see more surfing pictures I’m going to cry anyway.
I do have thoughts almost every day.
When I figure out how to have thoughts daily I will be all set.
Coop — I am in loooove… and not with my surfboards ;) No tears will be shed as I have no surf pics this time my darling