If passed, SOPA will give private corporations the power to:

1. Shut down entire websites over a single link to a website they claim contains a copyright infringement.  So, @schmucketyschmuck tweets a post linking to a photo from Getty Images. Getty doesn’t like it. Getty has Twitter shut down.
2. If say, Sony thinks you aren’t doing enough to prevent people from posting content from their artists, they can get a court order shutting down your website.  Yes, this even applies to sites hosted in foreign countries.
3. Have people jailed for five years for posting copyrighted material. Yes, posting your parrot singing Pumped Up Kicks (or any other copyrighted composition) is an infringement.  Yes, posting a link to a copyrighted photograph could result in five years in federal prison. Posting a clip from Office Space, like one that describes the kind of prison you will be sent to? Five years.

Don’t believe it? Here’s the best two minute video you will watch today:

Oh, and in case you didn’t get where corporations will be able to send you, your kids or your employees if they post a single link that say, the RIAA doesn’t like:

Take a minute to call or SNAIL MAIL your US Representative and Senator today. It is really, really important.

• I’ve released several new open source packages via the DirectEmployers Foundation… and in speaking of the Foundation, we now have a website which explains exactly what we do.  The first package is a URL shortener and click server for Django. Click servers (sometimes called URL routers) are important because they give a website a way to manage and measure inbound traffic that is often invisible to the browser, server or analytics tool.  The second is a little more mundane: an improved Python API for SendGrid (a service that makes sure emails like “I forgot my password” and “Your bill is past due” make it to the recipient’s mailbox.
• We moved to Gmail at DirectEmployers Foundation and that prompted me to move my personal email to Gmail. As someone who has used traditional email clients for a long, long time, the adjustment was pretty easy… once I found the keyboard shortcuts.

Best wishes to you, your family and those important to you on a day that is important to me. 

Merry Christmas.

It’s easy to serve when the you are working for the greatest people defending the greatest country in the world.

Although it is nice to hear, “Thank You” from time to time, I would much rather you keep on making America worth fighting for.  ”Thank You” is common and empty. If you are genuinely grateful, you can do that has much deeper meaning:

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

• Speak up for what you believe in. Freedom of speech is our most important freedom  and my fellow Vets and I served so that you can protest, burn flags, and speak your mind without fear. Even though I might not agree with you, I support your right to speak out without question.
• If you are old enough, be aware of the issues facing your community and vote. Your vote makes a big difference in local elections, and your local councilmen, judges, prosecutors, clerks, mayors and trustees have more impact on your life and those around you than the President ever does.
• Pursue your dreams. Ultimately, that is what America is about. Don’t waste opportunity.
• If you are in the media, make sure stories about government abuse, oppression and injustice get out.
• If you are a police officer, lawyer or judge, seek the truth and apply the law in a way that yields justice.

Every Veteran took action and stepped up and took an oath that could have cost them their life. Some of us never fired a shot in anger or were shot at. But all of us put it all on the line. All we want is for you, the people, is to live you lives to the fullest in the freedom we swore to defend. Do that and there’s no need to say a word .

It’s simple: Open source changes the IT game from installation and maintenance to actively building. The focus moves from basic services like installing software, printing and sharing drives to creating new applications and actually automating the flow of information between systems. General purpose IT people are lots of things, but they are not developers. And it is now a developer’s world.

Many a man would rather you here his case than grant his request.

What’s Coming in 1.4

Noteworthy Stuff

PEP712: Movement to Make unittest2 More Accurate

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---------Ran 25 tests in 3.14159sFAILED (failures=19)

Andy McKay Has a few great ideas…

on how to open source your Django application. Suggested reading if you are thinking about open sourcing your app.

Web Security and Django

Find out how Django addresses the OWASP Top 10 security issues – a list of common security flaws in web applications. This is print and show the boss (or if your are the boss, show the customer) material.