Seems like there is a need for a new chapter forming. Sad state of affairs that U.S. sponsored corporate greed has brought us to this, but the world really needs more Robin Hoods these days.
I've always felt that BitTorrent or something like it could be useful to commercial distributors (like Netflix and Hulu) to reduce their bandwidth costs. The problem of course is how do they introduce DRM into the equation.
NBC/Uni demonstrates less ethics than the average drug dealer by putting this on. What an affront to journalism is. But Cotton and his ilk will always lie as long as they stay rich.
And the bureau that oversees it all will be called the "Ministry of Freedom". The bureau that imprisons and tortures, err, re-educates violators will be called the "Ministry of Love"
And EFF and the ACLU will be classified as terrorist organizations because they "economically terrorize" the big labels and studios.
Misinformation like this used to make my head spin with its shear Orwellian, surrealistic disconnect from reality. But now, sadly, I have come to expect it from the likes of the **AAs. Didn't Dodd come out a few months ago acting a bit concillatory and promise to engage the forces of reason in honest dialogue? I guess they shitcanned that idea and back to newspeak as usual.
"Movies and Television production happens in all 50 states"
This is factually correct, but it bears mentioning that a lot more production happens in those states that pay kickbacks (incentive programs) to the studios. Basically these multi-billion dollar corporations induce the states to compete with each other as to which can offer the highest bribes in exchange for production activity.
Only a true Scrooge would value profit over a child's quality of life like this. Apple and Google disgrace themselves by suppressing the app. Assuming the patent infringement is proved, still in this case I would say it is more moral to break the law than to obey it.
Only a true Scrooge would value profit over a child's quality of life like this. Apple and Google disgrace themselves by suppressing the app. Assuming the patent infringement is proved, still in this case I would say it is more moral to break the law than to obey it.
I work for one of those major media companies making movies for your enjoyment. I am union, and while by no means wealthy, have a family wage job with health insurance. My bosses higher up in the corporation replace their fancy cars every 4 years because they are wealthy, because their company has been making record profits this last decade, this in spite of piracy. This at the same time as they try to screw us in contract negotiations, actually proposing a wage freeze and rolling back benefits.
Not making a good living selling your media? That's because you are not part of the 1%. There is plenty of profit being made. As for me I hope my corporate masters pull their heads out of their asses, realize obscenely profitable DVD sales are not ever coming back, and start making their (our) products available for download/streaming in all markets at reasonable price points so his industry can move into the 21st century!
It's a small point of semantics, but didn't Dodd back away from the term "theft" in comments earlier this year, saying it was divisive and not in keeping with their new strategy of engaging advocates of online freedom?
The comments being made about the alternative to juries -ie professional judges bought and paid for by copyright maximalist interests, are very telling. That said I have personal knowledge of just how ignorant and dense the average jury pool can be, having served on a personal injury case that attempted to assign guilt to the innocent in order to gain an insurance payoff. It was obviously a scam, and yet almost half the jurors were convinced. Think about who serves on juries: smart worldly people get excused, the people who serve are disproportionately the unemployed, retirees, or other marginally worldly citizens.
First of all, I support the general concept, and if we lived in a world where federal agencies respected the spirit of the constitution more than the desires of corporations and their ***AA lackeys I would probably support he specific proposal.
But I'm afraid it is a prelude to building in access for any agency with any vaguely defined national security/cyberthreat/copyright infringement etc. etc. agenda. In other words I'm afraid it will be expanded and abused, and I'm speaking more from a public policy and legal perspective, although the technical and hardware aspects are also relevant.
Unfortunately some politicians and safety board types seem bent on requiring technology that disables the cel while in a car. I see all kind of bad scenarios from this:
1.) woman is trying to escape from homicidal attacker, cannot make call to police while driving, has to pull over and get out of car, wait for cel to reset itself, thus giving killer the chance he needs.
2.) you're driving through a bad part of town and you're lost. Can't use cel phone for mapping. Have to park, get out of car and wait for phone to reset. Become a victim of muggers.
3.) driving on busy freeway, lost. Passenger has cell phone and could use it to get directions but cannot because it is disabled while in car.
4.) you are driving and see a drunk driver but you can't call police to report.
I hate bad drivers just as much as anyone, but target the bad driving, not the technology. Politicians seem incapable of making wise decisions. I don't have much faith in he so-called safety experts either; in my experience most of them are pretty disconnected from he real world.
"US law is pretty clear that the burden is on the plaintiff to prove they own the copyright (though, this is something that the US is trying to change under the leaked draft of the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement)"
Is there a leaked copy? Is it accurate, is it recent? Where can I look at that?
My main point though is that India was dealing with far more poverty than the U.S. The playing field is steeply slanted in a variety of ways, so it's unfair to compare their success in inventing with ours. The fact they were able to create a world class education system in spite of economic disadvantages speaks well of whatever they did.
The reason Mark Shuttleworth would have difficulty developing Ubuntu in Somalia has everything to do with the lack of infrastructure, basic security and rampant poverty. The lack of patent laws are not the obstacle.
BTW, still wondering if anyone can comment saliently on how India managed to build such a good education system in spite of their poverty? Did strict copyright laws hurt or hinder that?
On the post: The New Imperialism: Forcing Morality Shifts And Cultural Change Through Exported IP Laws
Viva la Pirate Party!
On the post: UN: We Don't Want To Take Over The Internet... Just Fundamentally Change How It Works
Good suggestion
The same could be said of the MPAA, RIAA and U.S. CoC as well.
On the post: Yes, There Are Many, Many, Many, Many Legal Uses Of BitTorrent
Distribution solution?
On the post: Crime Inc. Inc., The Business Of Hyping The Piracy Threat
Par for the course
On the post: DHS Boss, In Charge Of Cybersecurity, Doesn't Use Email Or Any Online Services
Clueless
On the post: Judge Orders Woman To Delete Her Facebook Page For Typing LOL About Her DUI
Seems unusual
Once again, the biggest "cyberthreat" to us all is the technological cluelessness of our elected officials.
On the post: EU Officials Propose Internet Cops On Patrol, No Anonymity & No Obscure Languages (Because Terrorism!)
In Newspeak
And EFF and the ACLU will be classified as terrorist organizations because they "economically terrorize" the big labels and studios.
On the post: MPAA Sends Five Key Propaganda Points To Politicians
Back to business as usual
"Movies and Television production happens in all 50 states"
This is factually correct, but it bears mentioning that a lot more production happens in those states that pay kickbacks (incentive programs) to the studios. Basically these multi-billion dollar corporations induce the states to compete with each other as to which can offer the highest bribes in exchange for production activity.
On the post: Google Follows Apple In Unnecessarily Pulling App That Allowed A Little Girl To Speak
Ebenezer would be proud
On the post: Google Follows Apple In Unnecessarily Pulling App That Allowed A Little Girl To Speak
Ebenezer would be proud
On the post: USTR Tells Public Interest Groups They Have 8 Minutes To Talk To TPP Negotiators
Maybe they should take this as a clue...
On the post: Crime Inc. Produces Thoughtful, Nuanced Episode About Piracy (Haha, Just Kidding! Cue Scary Music)
I'm a media professional too!
Not making a good living selling your media? That's because you are not part of the 1%. There is plenty of profit being made. As for me I hope my corporate masters pull their heads out of their asses, realize obscenely profitable DVD sales are not ever coming back, and start making their (our) products available for download/streaming in all markets at reasonable price points so his industry can move into the 21st century!
On the post: Want To Know How Weak The GOP's Internet Freedom Platform Is? The MPAA Loves It
Back to "theft" again?
On the post: Samsung/Apple Jury Foreman's Explanation For Verdict Shows He Doesn't Understand Prior Art
Trial by the ignorant
On the post: Paper Suggests Letting The Government Use Your Router In An Emergency
A prelude to further intrusion
But I'm afraid it is a prelude to building in access for any agency with any vaguely defined national security/cyberthreat/copyright infringement etc. etc. agenda. In other words I'm afraid it will be expanded and abused, and I'm speaking more from a public policy and legal perspective, although the technical and hardware aspects are also relevant.
On the post: Shocking Revelation: It Isn't The Phone That's Dangerous; It's The Driver
Disabling cel phones in cars a stupid idea
1.) woman is trying to escape from homicidal attacker, cannot make call to police while driving, has to pull over and get out of car, wait for cel to reset itself, thus giving killer the chance he needs.
2.) you're driving through a bad part of town and you're lost. Can't use cel phone for mapping. Have to park, get out of car and wait for phone to reset. Become a victim of muggers.
3.) driving on busy freeway, lost. Passenger has cell phone and could use it to get directions but cannot because it is disabled while in car.
4.) you are driving and see a drunk driver but you can't call police to report.
I hate bad drivers just as much as anyone, but target the bad driving, not the technology. Politicians seem incapable of making wise decisions. I don't have much faith in he so-called safety experts either; in my experience most of them are pretty disconnected from he real world.
On the post: Holder In The Hot Seat, Still Can't Explain Why DOJ Censored Hip Hop Blog
Re: Shut it down
http://wh.gov/uZ8
On the post: Canadian Politician Claims That Ripping A CD To Your iPod Is Like Buying Socks & Stealing Shoes To Go With Them
Parity for Canada
Now let's vote them all out.
On the post: Something Is Wrong When A Judge Needs 350 Pages To Decide If A College's Digital Archives Are Fair Use
TPP leaked!!??
Is there a leaked copy? Is it accurate, is it recent? Where can I look at that?
On the post: Ubuntu's Mark Shuttleworth Predicts That Countries Who Limit Patents Will Have More Innovation
Re: Re: Innovate this
The reason Mark Shuttleworth would have difficulty developing Ubuntu in Somalia has everything to do with the lack of infrastructure, basic security and rampant poverty. The lack of patent laws are not the obstacle.
BTW, still wondering if anyone can comment saliently on how India managed to build such a good education system in spite of their poverty? Did strict copyright laws hurt or hinder that?