Seeing as how the APA is tight with the Copyright Alliance, an MPAA front, stating that the APA photographers are worse than MPAA + RIAA may be a distinction without a difference. The MPAA, through its Copyright Alliance proxy, had at least some influence in molding the APA into the rabid maximalists they've become.
The list of plaintiffs in the Google suit contains a few other Alliance members and sympathizers as well. The Graphic Artists Guild has been heavily influenced, if not completely captured by the Alliance; another of the plaintiffs, John Schmelzer, was the Guild president who initially made friends with the Alliance. It seems to me there are a number of fingerprints on the Google suit that belong to the MPAA.
I think civility has been in decline for 10,000 years. Once, you and all the people that agree with you would face off with clubs and spears against the people who're being jerks. Then money came into the picture, and you could buy an army of friends. Then came lawyers. Now we have paid armies of lawyers. I'm beginning to think clubs were the highest, most civilized form of dispute resolution; after all, where'd the patent trolls be if it was just them vs. all the people there f'ng with?
For additional entertainment, "This American Life" did a piece on patent trolls (with honorable mention of IV) in 2011; might be a link around here someplace; but if not, surf their site for "Show 441: When Patents Attack!"
I started wondering about Intellectual Ventures when I was digging into the Copyright Alliance; front group run by the lobbying firm, Nickles Group, LLC. Turns out IV is Nickle's #1 client 5 years running. And Nickles is IV's #1 lobbying firm. The primary lobbyist for IV is same person who lobbies for the Alliance, Cindi Tripodi. (Listed as Alliance staff until recently) Not a day goes by where some tentacle of Nickles doesn't show up in the news. And oh yeah, Sen. Don Nickles was the guy who introduced DOMA in the Senate. Like I said, . .
Copyright Alliance alumni Gayle Osterberg has not lost any skill in crafting mealy-mouthed official communications. Another fine addition to the LOC staff.
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MPAA, RIAA Still Champs.
Seeing as how the APA is tight with the Copyright Alliance, an MPAA front, stating that the APA photographers are worse than MPAA + RIAA may be a distinction without a difference. The MPAA, through its Copyright Alliance proxy, had at least some influence in molding the APA into the rabid maximalists they've become.
The list of plaintiffs in the Google suit contains a few other Alliance members and sympathizers as well. The Graphic Artists Guild has been heavily influenced, if not completely captured by the Alliance; another of the plaintiffs, John Schmelzer, was the Guild president who initially made friends with the Alliance. It seems to me there are a number of fingerprints on the Google suit that belong to the MPAA.
Re: Let's simplify law suits, instead of patents.
I think civility has been in decline for 10,000 years. Once, you and all the people that agree with you would face off with clubs and spears against the people who're being jerks. Then money came into the picture, and you could buy an army of friends. Then came lawyers. Now we have paid armies of lawyers. I'm beginning to think clubs were the highest, most civilized form of dispute resolution; after all, where'd the patent trolls be if it was just them vs. all the people there f'ng with?
Re: Re: Small world
For additional entertainment, "This American Life" did a piece on patent trolls (with honorable mention of IV) in 2011; might be a link around here someplace; but if not, surf their site for "Show 441: When Patents Attack!"
Small world
I started wondering about Intellectual Ventures when I was digging into the Copyright Alliance; front group run by the lobbying firm, Nickles Group, LLC. Turns out IV is Nickle's #1 client 5 years running. And Nickles is IV's #1 lobbying firm. The primary lobbyist for IV is same person who lobbies for the Alliance, Cindi Tripodi. (Listed as Alliance staff until recently) Not a day goes by where some tentacle of Nickles doesn't show up in the news. And oh yeah, Sen. Don Nickles was the guy who introduced DOMA in the Senate. Like I said, . .
Good to See
Copyright Alliance alumni Gayle Osterberg has not lost any skill in crafting mealy-mouthed official communications. Another fine addition to the LOC staff.