“In light of recent events, I have decided to postpone Tuesday’s vote on the PROTECT I.P. Act.
“There is no reason that the legitimate issues raised by many about this bill cannot be resolved. Counterfeiting and piracy cost the American economy billions of dollars and thousands of jobs each year, with the movie industry alone supporting over 2.2 million jobs. We must take action to stop these illegal practices. We live in a country where people rightfully expect to be fairly compensated for a day’s work, whether that person is a miner in the high desert of Nevada, an independent band in New York City, or a union worker on the back lots of a California movie studio.
“I admire the work that Chairman Leahy has put into this bill. I encourage him to continue engaging with all stakeholders to forge a balance between protecting Americans’ intellectual property, and maintaining openness and innovation on the internet. We made good progress through the discussions we’ve held in recent days, and I am optimistic that we can reach a compromise in the coming weeks.”
Yeah good luck with that.
The blackout day in protest of SOPA and PIPA was an unprecedented success as illustrated by the graphic below.
 |
| If you have trouble seeing graphic click here. |
That is actually kind of what happened as the shadowy group known as Anonymous took things a little farther by hosting a sort of "Hack-a-palooza" aimed at government agencies.
I would suggest that the government move very carefully after this, the internet is the new frontier and there are a lot of very talented and creative people who will protect it at all cost.
Myself included.
P.S. Just to clear up any confusion, I am not suggesting that I would be doing any hacking. I am lacking the computer skills to do so, and I am not of a mind do so if I had those skills. My activism is directed more toward encouraging people to write letters or working to kick out of office politicians who attack out free speech.
So you consider yourself talented and creative do you? And you are threatening to try some hacking of your own too? That's being reported to the authorities just in case you want to give it a try. Have a nice day. And do think about getting yourself a girlfriend.
ReplyDeleteJust so nobody gets you wrong Jesse, would you like to make it clear that you don't intend to try some hacking of your own? Certain government agencies are rather curious on what you meant here.
ReplyDeleteHumm... Let's see... the 'series of tubes' as our late troll representative Stephens used to call the 'internets' just laid a MINOR bitch-slap, as you've said, on these oblivious, clue-free bureaucrats... IF they keep pushing, or more likely, try to push draconian measures thru while they think no one is watching, Anon and A LOT of others will turn up the pain-quotient to a point where it is un-bearable.....
ReplyDeleteAs John Perry Barlow said many years ago, Governments of the Industrial World, you weary giants of flesh and steel, I
come from Cyberspace, the new home of Mind. On behalf of the future, I ask
you of the past to leave us alone. You are not welcome among us. You have
no sovereignty where we gather."
Believe it !!
Having websites "go dark" for a day was a genius move... Most of the congress is clueless about the internet; all they know is what the lobbyists and their big money donors want. Showing them quite graphically what they might actually GET as a result of their grungy bill was probably like a smack upside the head for a lot of them. It did seem to get their attention, at least.
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced that the piracy of the movies is a stalking horse. The big media companies want control of the internet, period. The movie industry is going down the path of the music industry a few years ago. The music industry figured it out; the movie industry will do the same. The textbook industry is next in a big way. They've gotten greedy and will soon find their sales declining fast. The media industry is afraid of "We the People". We the People love you tube. It is the ultimate "town square" with all sorts of ideas flying around. Now if the corporation could just get control and make money... You get the picture. The internet was invented to facilitate communication between scientists. The corporations didn't like that; they wanted patents, not cooperation. The battle continues, but like you say, there are thousands of bright talented hackers out there who are smarter than "they" are.
ReplyDeleteYesterday I received an email explanation by Al Franken of his position on this legislation. You know that he supports "net neutrality" but he also recognizes that there have to be intellectual property protections out there. I share his position, having worked for almost ten years in the intellectual property department of a large law firm.
ReplyDeleteI've got mine!
ReplyDeletePOTUS on your phone
President Obama was inspired to sing a bit of Al Green during a recent campaign stop at the Apollo Theater. And now you can have his rendition of "Let's Stay Together" as a ringtone.
http://www.barackobama.com/ringtone?utm_source=content&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=20120121_bo_tw_ringtone
Hey Gryph:
ReplyDeleteJUST so you know, as I'm sure you're already keen on, if these clowns threaten you in ANY way, let the EFF (of Carrier IQ fame) know and they will grind the fools into the dust quicker than you can blink.. (BTW: Barlow helped FOUND EFF).....
W
Anonymous' response was regarding the forced closure of the Megauploads website and seizure of their international and US property by DOJ and the FBI.
ReplyDeleteYes, we must remember - the Dept. of
ReplyDeleteHomeboy Security is listening.
The movie and recording industries are grossly exaggerating the impact of illegal downloads. They estimate the numbers (fairly, I'm sure) and then claim each download represents lost revenue, which is total BS. If those same illegal downloads were stopped, only a small percentage of them would be replaced by a sale. The other aspect of piracy, and I'm referring to music, is that a lot of it is simply free advertising and results in sales. I used to download a lot of mp3's from Usenet before a push to stop piracy there about ten years ago. I stopped, not b/c I felt guilty, but b/c I was going out almost every weekend and buying 2-5 more CD's after listening to the mp3's. It was getting too expensive. If the music industry wants to sell more recordings, they need to get their corporate jerks out of the way and market creative music by people who don't fit in their corporate cookie cutters.
Protect the intertoobz - Democracy's last haven.
Al Franken is a sell-out, I'm so sorry to say. He is beholden to the entertainment industry and he is voting as such. I'm so disappointed that he turned out to think this way and I was a HUGE supporter. I don't condone suppression of creative ideas in any way, nor do I support censorship, and I'm heartbroken that Al does.
ReplyDeleteGood grief. Your "just to make it clear" is very reminiscent of Mayor Palin's "Targets? Those aren't targets? I did not encourage anyone." kind of blather.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your passion, but I think you need a bit more time editing.
Intellectual property protection must be legislated. However, this attempt pretty much sucked. Let us hope some members of Congress grow a backbone and come up with legislation that is a step in the right direction.
My God. If you want to know why the GOP establishment is freaking out, check out this chart.
ReplyDeletehttp://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2012/01/holy_crap_8.php?ref=fpblg
Could SOPA Rise From the Dead? It's not unusual for bills to get introduced over and over. SOPA and PIPA are dead, but only in the way a zombie is dead.
ReplyDeletehttp://mashable.com/2012/01/20/could-sopa-rise-from-the-dead/
Obama Releases Preview Of State Of The Union Address (VIDEO)
ReplyDeletePresident Barack Obama has sent out a preview of his State of The Union address set to take place Tuesday night through his campaign. He described the “central focus” of his Presidency as rebuilding the economy, saying this is a “make or break moment for the middle class,” and that he’s fighting for an economic structure based on fairness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jM9ArTbJquk
I see by your first comments to this post that Willow must be home dealing with morning sickness and wants to offput some misery.
ReplyDeleteHaha Palin clan, you are gonna keep getting the old shaftaroo - and I don't mean that shaft that left its seed in you.
O/T
ReplyDeleteRosie O'Donnell on her show on OWN Friday interviewed the film maker/director, Anthony Baxter. He is the gentleman who filmed the documentary "You've Been Trumped" about Trump building the golf course in Scotland, his mistreatment of people who wouldn't sell their properties such as cutting water lines and 'buying the cops' - aka Murdoch style I suspect.
The film was being shown that evening in Chicago with a Q&A after with Baxter & Rosie.
http://www.oprah.com/rosie/Rosies-Thoughts-on-Youve-Been-Trumped-Video
http://www.oprah.com/rosie/Filmmaker-Anthony-Baxter-on-His-Arrest-Video
If there is one person not afraid of Trump -- Baxter has finally hooked up with her!!!!
I didn't get any idea that you were planning any hacking,that was just foolish.As far as some ass saying they are reporting you because they are too stupid to read properly,that is bullshit.You can say you are going to rob a bank till the cows come home.Unless you do it,then the statements can show intent.Of course,if you threaten to kill someone its different.I sure would like to hear them reporting you"Well,he seemed to agree with the hackers,and I know he can use a keyboard.And you know as a Sarah Paylin supporter I don't believe anyone needs any education or training to be able to do something,obviously.So yes,I am sure that Gryphen can type in letters and numbers and take down the C4P website"
ReplyDeleteColbert Super PAC Timeline: Highlights From Colbert's Campaign Against Corporate Influence (INFOGRAPHIC)
ReplyDeleteStephen Colbert has made himself quite the fly in the ointment of the GOP primary season. More importantly, his ongoing Colbert Super PAC saga has mounted a devastating critique of campaign finance laws and corporate influence on politics, by exposing legal fundraising loopholes available to those with means.
Never content to stop at skewering politics and the media on his show, Colbert has taken his satirical voice out of the studio and into the street on numerous occasions in the past. But his current "exploratory" bid for the presidency, is clearly something he's been building up to.
Below, we have created a timeline of important moments in the formation of Colbert Super PAC, from his first attempt to run for president in 2008, to his rally with Herman Cain in South Carolina today.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/colbert-super-pac-timeline_n_1219984.html
Rick 'google me' Santorum is a disgusting human being IMO. What kind of crap is this?
ReplyDelete---
Rick Santorum: Equality Comes From 'God Of Abraham, Isaac And Jacob,' Not Islam
Rick Santorum said during a campaign stop on Friday that the concept of equality comes from the "God of Abraham," not from other religions.
"I get a kick out of folks who call for equality now, the people on the left, 'Well, equality, we want equality.' Where do you think this concept of equality comes from?" said Santorum, according to ABC News. "It doesn't come from Islam. It doesn't come from the East and Eastern religions, where does it come from? It comes from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that's where it comes from."
Santorum went on to suggest that people who don't live according to what he termed "God's law" can't claim "equality."
"Don't claim his rights, don't claim equality as that gift from God and then go around and say, 'Well, we don't have to pay attention to what God wants us to do,'" Santorum continued to the enthusiastic crowd. "'We don't have to pay attention to God's moral laws.' If your rights come from God, then you have an obligation to live responsibly in conforming with God's laws, and our founders said so, right?"
However, the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned his remarks. "The Quran, Islam's revealed text, is the best refutation of Mr. Santorum's inaccurate and offensive remarks, which are unbecoming of anyone who hopes to hold our nation's highest office. Christians, Jews and Muslims all worship the same God and share religious traditions that promote justice and equality," said Director Ibrahim Hooper in a statement, reaffirming Islam's place as one of the Abrahamic religions.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/21/rick-santorum-equality-islam-religion-south-carolina_n_1220767.html
@ Anonymous 10:12 What business is it of yours that someone get a girlfriend? That is what got Newton Leroy into the confused state that he has. He was a DEADBEAT DAD, and a
ReplyDeleteSexual Predator on the job. Your posting sounds so PALINESQUE and JUVENILE. Your Dad went out and found a Girlfriend, a Prostitute.
My suggestion is to read the stonekettle station post on the same
ReplyDeleteissue. There are plenty of laws in the US. and the "industry" has managed to get the FBI involved with
copyright protection which is a civil matter usually. All pipa and sopa would do would allow the US companies to deny DNS access to a website for US citizens without any oversite or recourse. And it won't work and is open to the worst kind of abuse. google DMCA take down and look at that history.
Anon 10:12 has proven once again:
ReplyDeleteRethug morons can't read.
Rethug morons are devoid of a brain. It's airspace between the ears.
I think Wiki ruffled lots of feathers in DC and the underlying efforts was to obtain the power in order to 'blackout' sites from the citizens. It would be no different then than China, Iran, etc, who close down access when it's 'inconvenient' and 'makes them look bad'.
ReplyDeleteDC is determined to get Wiki.
I think that a reality check is needed here. There are valid intellectual property laws that have been abused by the piracy problems. Something must be done.
ReplyDeleteHacking is wrong on every level. It is not a joke. Stealing the artistic work of another person is wrong on every level. It is theft. Some internet activities have come so close to illegal activity that are going to result in new legislation. Get over it.
Behave respectfully and responsibly so that we can all live together in a democratic society.
<Stealing the artistic work of another person is wrong on every level. It is theft. Some internet activities have come so close to illegal activity that are going to result in new legislation. Get over it.
ReplyDelete---
The only thing I'm depriving them of is the money I would have given them if I bought it, but if I simply don't buy it I deprive them of the same money. The difference is if I copy it I violate their intellectual property rights.
The reason it's not stealing is because the thing they actually own, their copy of the data, is not what I'm taking. What I'm doing is making a copy, so I'm violating their rights, but they still have those rights so I haven't taken any. That's the problem here, the money I'm not giving them isn't the issue, because at no point in this transaction did they own that money so I can't steal it, anymore than I can steal it by not buying it.
The fact that I now have a copy of the material doesn't mean I stole that money, because I have still never entered into an agreement to give them that money. Instead it means that I violated their exclusive right to make copies. It's copyright infringement, and not theft, because the only thing I'm doing is making a copy. It's just a wholly different act.
So, the whole basis of this industry, that today is screaming about losing control over immaterial rights, is that they
circumvented immaterial rights. They copied (or put in their terminology: "stole") other peoples creative works,
without paying for it. They did it in order to make a huge profit. Today, they're all successful and most of the
studios are on the Fortune 500 list of the richest companies in the world. Congratulations - it's all based on being
able to re-use other peoples creative works. And today they hold the rights to what other people create.
If you want to get something released, you have to abide to their rules. The ones they created after circumventing
other peoples rules.
The reason they are always complaining about "pirates" today is simple. We've done what they did. We circumvented the
rules they created and created our own. We crushed their monopoly by giving people something more efficient. We allow people to have direct communication between each other, circumventing the profitable middle man, that in some cases take
over 107% of the profits (yes, you pay to work for them).
It's all based on the fact that we're competition.
We've proven that their existence in their current form is no longer needed. We're just better than they are.
And the funny part is that our rules are very similar to the founding ideas of the USA. We fight for freedom of speech.
We see all people as equal. We believe that the public, not the elite, should rule the nation. We believe that laws
should be created to serve the public, not the rich corporations.
http://static.thepiratebay.org/legal/sopa.txt
If I copy what you have, you still have it.
If I steal what you have, you don't have it anymore.
Copyright infringement is a civil issue, and it means either copying someone's works or making a variation of it, which also leads to improving culture in a society. All creative works are derivative. And that's why it's not "stealing".
Watch these, maybe you will "get it":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcvd5JZkUXY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq5D43qAsVg
Thanks 5:03 - very informative and articulate comment, the links provided are great as well!
ReplyDeleteI'm against censorship, and feel this whole idea, orginally, was to allow the Governement to censor Wiki because of the whole Manning Affair. And Wiki protesting as they did, helped open people's eyes to what the net would be like IF these laws passed.
I can't believe the first few comments, seriously, what did Gryphen write that inferred that he was intending to do something illegal, and is intent without action against the law?
Ohhhhh you've been reported to the authorities!!!! LMAO!
I can't hack a toaster much less the internet, but I very much support the political fraction of Anonymous. (Not to be confused with the 4Chanel fraction)
ReplyDeleteI find it extremely interesting to read the information that is out there, all around us...if we just look.
oh, and if anyone thinks our dear host could have made a watch list by announcing he supports the freedom of the internet, and is willing to protect it...guess again.
ReplyDeletedear host has been on a watch-list since that nasty, dirty wig wearing bitch wrote his license plate down.