I'd agree with you, but I'd emphasize that the power and control is sought by those institutions that are external to government. Specifically, the people and organizations that don't have any obligation to care about the general population, like corporations. We can collectively control how much power these entities have by voting for the right people, or refusing to use products from companies that abuse their power, but we all care way too much about our own individual livelihoods to give a crap, myself included unfortunately. However, we can do our part by remaining to pirate as many movies and songs as we possibly can and refusing to go to the movies so that these companies don't end up using our money to abuse our rights. Buying movies and albums isn't going to all of a sudden make these corporate giants behave, in fact, it will only encourage their belligerent behavior. Hit 'em where it hurts $$$

I'm sure you know that in Canada we have universal health care. You mention that you don't want to have to pay for your neighbor who smokes. I'd gladly do so if it ensures that I don't go bankrupt because I had an accidental fall and need to be in a cast for 6-7 weeks. I broke my achilles tendon and the only thing I had to pay for was my crutches and physio, which should be partially covered in most workers' health benefits. Everything else is covered by our income tax which we all have to pay into anyway. I've talked to Americans who wish they had our health care system. Whatever Obama has implemented down south probably isn't anywhere near what we have in Canada.

I'm from Canada and I don't have legal access to Hulu, even though most of the TV shows and channels we get up here are American. Since they decide to arbitrarily region-lock these services, that gives me no other recourse but to pirate or simply go without watching the show.

This also applies to anime, I'd rather download the current subtitled versions of a show rather than have to watch inferior English translations of the same show with censored content that is several seasons behind and have way overpriced DVD box sets with way too few episodes per set.

Pirating allows me to enjoy the shows I love the way I want without being subject to the broadcasters' twisted whims. They don't realize that if they don't give us any alternative, we can simply refuse to use their services and find entertainment elsewhere in whatever form we choose.

Why don't you have a seat over there?

For some reason I really feel like I want to mod you Insightful. Maybe I shouldn't have skipped breakfast...

... this kind of business would be called "Shilling For Shillings".

I think "ignorant" is an even better word

... change of climate (which is what I think TFA is implying, didn't read though) is not the same as "climate change".

Compared to simply installing Mint? Yes.

Did you turn off your sarcasm-o-meter today?

As a Canadian, I've had moose before and it's actually quite good, along the same lines as venison. Moose sausage is absolutely to die for! Personally, I prefer bison to beef anyway, it's much leaner and quite tasty. I tend to stay away from beef as much as possible in favor of fish or poultry.

How do you fork that... which does not exist?

I like being able to discuss things of a geeky nature at work too, but it's not the end of the world if you can't as there's plenty of other outlets for that kind of thing. If you truly love what you do as a developer (assuming you are one) then it shouldn't matter whether or not it plays nice to your subculture of choice.