I've noticed the copyright maximalists are so afraid of that apt word that they really can't think straight when it is uttered. Makes sense though. Given a choice between a monopolist and a pirate, which do you think is the more politically damaging term? Especially since the public can recognize (or read in the US Constitution) that copyright maximalists really are monopolists.
Arguing in favor of the Pirate name, it is associated with unprecedented political upset: the defeat of legislation that conventional wisdom said couldn't be defeated. This has made me realize that we really aren't powerless, as those who are trying to maintain their hold on power would prefer we believe.
Also, there's a long history of underdogs embracing derogatory labels (eg geek). A negative label which can be associated with such a great success is a treasure in the P.R. world which I don't think we should lightly squander. We fight censorship, and they call us pirates. Maybe the label pirate is one that we should embrace?
Actually, I think the comment makes some sense. The Germans most definitely have not forgotten how easy it is to completely lose freedom and come under the rule of a totalitarian state. Don't forget how enlightened pre-Nazi Germany appeared to be, and you might see some parallels with how the U.S. now sees itself as a haven for freedom.
Those who live in countries that were on the side of freedom in the war have a dangerous hubris about how "it can't happen here." We aren't as likely to notice signs of an impending police state such as "your papers please." I remember my mother, who was a Wave officer in the Navy during WWII, explaining how in the United States indefinite detention is illegal, supposedly one of the freedoms she fought for. Japanese detention camps aside, I still think she's been turning over in her grave about the fact that after Obama signed NDAA, indefinite detention has become the law of the land here.
News articles notwithstanding, OpenCongress shows Ron Paul on the abstain list. Nays were Keith Ellison [D, MN-5], Justin Amash [R, MI-3], and Paul Broun [R, GA-10].
I've been a little lazy in my opposition to the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 (S. 2105), but the jotform takedown has energized me to voice my opposition to my senators today.
I found this while trying unsuccessfully to sign one of these petitions:
"USTR is committed to President Obama’s OpenGov Initiative, helping to create a government that is transparent, participatory, and collaborative with the American people. USTR’s OpenGov page will allow for the American public to ask USTR questions, review Annual Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) reports, and contact USTR officials. As USTR works to create trade policy that benefits American workers and families, the OpenGov initiative will be a vital tool in maintaining an open dialogue with the American people.
Share Your Ideas
"USTR has created a comment form where you can comment on USTR's open government plan and priorities."
I also downloaded the USTR transparency plan (pdf) from this page, which says about the TPP: "This new initiative presented an excellent opportunity to engage more robustly and in new ways with the American public to gain input as the Administration crafts its trade policy." and refers to this page:
The whole experience of trying to sign this petition is just a bit too Kafkaesque for my tastes. I think I'll wait 'till tomorrow to read the TPP information which has been posted to make it, not just in compliance with, but exemplary of the OpenGov Initiative. YMMV
Dunno if it's just me, but when I went over to Hillicon Valley to find out more about this, there was a banner ad placed by CTIA (members include AT&T, Verizon, etc.) which read
(in large all caps) CONGRESS
(in smaller all caps) Auctioning spectrum could mean as much as $30 billion to fund payroll tax cuts.
Learn more.
America's Wireless Companies
Could someone else take a look, and tell me if they see the same thing?
Heaven forbid, can say whatever they want with no "fact checker!" This has got to change (and it will when ACTA gets passed in the EU Parliament later this month, starting debate tomorrow).
Sorry Google, I'm not quite ready to hop on board the OPEN Act yet. I think at this point we can ask for more than that - like real copyright reform. The legal interpretation of the balance between the interests of rights holders and promotion of progress (Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the United States Constitution) has shifted way too far towards rights holders. Until some balance is restored, you're going to have as much trouble combating piracy as they had enforcing prohibition. And, I fear, we're going to get some really entrenched criminals as a result, just as we did with prohibition.
Here's the press release. Not sure when the change takes place. I do believe that Leahy honestly believes in PIPA and would not disagree with anything in Obama's press release. The same may go for Ed Pagano. Please, everybody, spend more time talking to your legislators and their staff, and less time in the echo chamber.
On Thursday, Leahy backed off on DNS. On Friday, Leahy announces that his Chief of Staff Ed Pagano is leaving to be Obama's liaison with the Senate. And here we read that Abramoff "would talk to staffers -- especially chiefs of staff -- and just let them know he had a job opening for them whenever they wanted it." Also, there's the big splashy White House announcement supposedly against SOPA/PIPA. Anyone want to speculate on how these dots are connected?
I, for one, trust Leahy, who took very unpopular stands against both the Iraq and Vietnam wars. I think he really views piracy as stealing and has been blinded by his passion against stealing to the nuances of this issue. I think Vermonters might be getting through to him that eating Gilfeather turnips isn't stealing. John Gilfeather of Wardsboro, VT, and the developer of the Gilfeather turnip, would cut the bottoms and tops off them before selling them, so that no one else could grow them - DRM for the 19th century.
I couldn't agree more that it is important to understand how they think, but there's a lot more diversity among "them" than we realize. For example, If you listen (about half way through the program) to Pat Leahy on why he opposes "piracy", you can hear that he has been blinded by his passion against stealing. So the approach to take with Leahy is to explain that eating Gilfeather turnips isn't stealing. I think we might be getting through to Leahy, and we might even be able to turn him, but first we have to understand him.
Certainly things are getting shaken up here in Vermont - first Leahy's announcement that he's backing off the DNS parts of PIPA, and then Vermont Public Radio reported that Senator Leahy's chief of staff is leaving to become Obama's liaison with the Senate - maybe good news for Vermont, but bad news for the country.
FYI John Gilfeather, of Wardsboro, VT, cut the tops and bottoms off his turnips before selling them so they couldn't be grown by anyone else - DRM for the 19th century. They escaped his control, however, and are very popular here in Vermont.
Don't be so sure the fix isn't in. Senator Patrick Leahy's chief of staff Ed Pagano is leaving to be Obama's liaison with the Senate, as just reported on Vermont Public Radio.
If the white house is really against PIPA, why is Leahy's chief of staff Ed Pagano leaving to join the White House, to be Obama's liaison to the Senate, as just reported by Vermont Public Radio? Pagano has been Leahy's chief of staff since 2005. Prior to that he had worked for Leahy on the Judiciary Committee.
The good news is that maybe there's a major shake up here in Vermont and maybe we're getting through to Leahy that eating Gilfeather turnips isn't morally wrong. The bad news is that Pagano is undoubtedly on the wrong side of SOPA/PIPA.
For those who don't know, the developer of the Gilfeather turnip (popular in Vermont and developed here) cut the tops and bottoms of them before selling them so no one else could grow them. Sounds like digital rights management (DRM) for the 19th century to me.
Can you imagine Stewart getting Pat Leahy on as a guest? He could ask Senator Leahy if he likes Gilfeather turnips (developed in Vermont and very popular here). Does he know the story about how the developer of the Gilfeather turnip cut the tops and bottoms of them before selling them so no one else could grow them? (He probably does.) Then remark, sounds like digital rights management (DRM) for the 19th century to me.
Then Jon could say something like "You are so passionate about piracy because for you it is a moral issue. So, if John Gilfeather never gave permission to grow (or copy) these rutabagas, is it wrong to sell them and eat them? Why?" It gets a little hard to imagine how the conversation will proceed at this point, but I think you can see where we're headed now.
Another Vermonter here, and calling Leahy's office now, as well as calling Sanders whom I believe is genuinely undecided, is more important than ever, because we have their attention. And do let's keep it polite, because they are watching. Make it clear that it's not OK to keep the managers' amendment under wraps until after the cloture vote is held. That's not an open process.
Monopoly
I've noticed the copyright maximalists are so afraid of that apt word that they really can't think straight when it is uttered. Makes sense though. Given a choice between a monopolist and a pirate, which do you think is the more politically damaging term? Especially since the public can recognize (or read in the US Constitution) that copyright maximalists really are monopolists.
SOPA/PIPA/ACTA Success
Arguing in favor of the Pirate name, it is associated with unprecedented political upset: the defeat of legislation that conventional wisdom said couldn't be defeated. This has made me realize that we really aren't powerless, as those who are trying to maintain their hold on power would prefer we believe.
Also, there's a long history of underdogs embracing derogatory labels (eg geek). A negative label which can be associated with such a great success is a treasure in the P.R. world which I don't think we should lightly squander. We fight censorship, and they call us pirates. Maybe the label pirate is one that we should embrace?
Re:
Actually, I think the comment makes some sense. The Germans most definitely have not forgotten how easy it is to completely lose freedom and come under the rule of a totalitarian state. Don't forget how enlightened pre-Nazi Germany appeared to be, and you might see some parallels with how the U.S. now sees itself as a haven for freedom.
Those who live in countries that were on the side of freedom in the war have a dangerous hubris about how "it can't happen here." We aren't as likely to notice signs of an impending police state such as "your papers please." I remember my mother, who was a Wave officer in the Navy during WWII, explaining how in the United States indefinite detention is illegal, supposedly one of the freedoms she fought for. Japanese detention camps aside, I still think she's been turning over in her grave about the fact that after Obama signed NDAA, indefinite detention has become the law of the land here.
Re: Once again...
News articles notwithstanding, OpenCongress shows Ron Paul on the abstain list. Nays were Keith Ellison [D, MN-5], Justin Amash [R, MI-3], and Paul Broun [R, GA-10].
Bad now, wait till after cybersecurity law is passed
I've been a little lazy in my opposition to the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 (S. 2105), but the jotform takedown has energized me to voice my opposition to my senators today.
Spectrum auctions included in tentative tax deal
This is still a live issue: Spectrum auctions included in tentative tax deal from the Hill's Hillicon Valley on 02/15/12 a 11:41 AM.
I wonder what has happened to the other spectrum related riders.
USTR is committed to President Obama’s OpenGov Initiative
I found this while trying unsuccessfully to sign one of these petitions:
"USTR is committed to President Obama’s OpenGov Initiative, helping to create a government that is transparent, participatory, and collaborative with the American people. USTR’s OpenGov page will allow for the American public to ask USTR questions, review Annual Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) reports, and contact USTR officials. As USTR works to create trade policy that benefits American workers and families, the OpenGov initiative will be a vital tool in maintaining an open dialogue with the American people.
Share Your Ideas
"USTR has created a comment form where you can comment on USTR's open government plan and priorities."
I also downloaded the USTR transparency plan (pdf) from this page, which says about the TPP: "This new initiative presented an excellent opportunity to engage more robustly and in new ways with the American public to gain input as the Administration crafts its trade policy." and refers to this page:
http://www.ustr.gov/tpp
The whole experience of trying to sign this petition is just a bit too Kafkaesque for my tastes. I think I'll wait 'till tomorrow to read the TPP information which has been posted to make it, not just in compliance with, but exemplary of the OpenGov Initiative. YMMV
CTIA Ad Ties Spectrum Sale to Payroll Tax Cut Funding
Dunno if it's just me, but when I went over to Hillicon Valley to find out more about this, there was a banner ad placed by CTIA (members include AT&T, Verizon, etc.) which read
(in large all caps) CONGRESS
(in smaller all caps) Auctioning spectrum could mean as much as $30 billion to fund payroll tax cuts.
Learn more.
America's Wireless Companies
Could someone else take a look, and tell me if they see the same thing?
No Censoooo...Fact Checker
Heaven forbid, can say whatever they want with no "fact checker!" This has got to change (and it will when ACTA gets passed in the EU Parliament later this month, starting debate tomorrow).
Obama has to leave, now
Will Jon Stewart agree to be a write in candidate in the upcoming Democratic primaries? It's our only hope.
I didn't sign
Sorry Google, I'm not quite ready to hop on board the OPEN Act yet. I think at this point we can ask for more than that - like real copyright reform. The legal interpretation of the balance between the interests of rights holders and promotion of progress (Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the United States Constitution) has shifted way too far towards rights holders. Until some balance is restored, you're going to have as much trouble combating piracy as they had enforcing prohibition. And, I fear, we're going to get some really entrenched criminals as a result, just as we did with prohibition.
Re: Leahy's chief of staff is now Obama's liaison with Senate
Here's the press release.
Re: Leahy's chief of staff is now Obama's liaison with Senate
Here's the press release. Not sure when the change takes place. I do believe that Leahy honestly believes in PIPA and would not disagree with anything in Obama's press release. The same may go for Ed Pagano. Please, everybody, spend more time talking to your legislators and their staff, and less time in the echo chamber.
Leahy's chief of staff is now Obama's liaison with Senate
I'm not sure, maybe SOPA supporters know more than we do.
Connect the dots - Leahy's chief of staff leaving for Obama admin.
On Thursday, Leahy backed off on DNS. On Friday, Leahy announces that his Chief of Staff Ed Pagano is leaving to be Obama's liaison with the Senate. And here we read that Abramoff "would talk to staffers -- especially chiefs of staff -- and just let them know he had a job opening for them whenever they wanted it." Also, there's the big splashy White House announcement supposedly against SOPA/PIPA. Anyone want to speculate on how these dots are connected?
I, for one, trust Leahy, who took very unpopular stands against both the Iraq and Vietnam wars. I think he really views piracy as stealing and has been blinded by his passion against stealing to the nuances of this issue. I think Vermonters might be getting through to him that eating Gilfeather turnips isn't stealing. John Gilfeather of Wardsboro, VT, and the developer of the Gilfeather turnip, would cut the bottoms and tops off them before selling them, so that no one else could grow them - DRM for the 19th century.
Full disclosure: I'm from Vermont.
How Senator Leahy thinks
I couldn't agree more that it is important to understand how they think, but there's a lot more diversity among "them" than we realize. For example, If you listen (about half way through the program) to Pat Leahy on why he opposes "piracy", you can hear that he has been blinded by his passion against stealing. So the approach to take with Leahy is to explain that eating Gilfeather turnips isn't stealing. I think we might be getting through to Leahy, and we might even be able to turn him, but first we have to understand him.
Certainly things are getting shaken up here in Vermont - first Leahy's announcement that he's backing off the DNS parts of PIPA, and then Vermont Public Radio reported that Senator Leahy's chief of staff is leaving to become Obama's liaison with the Senate - maybe good news for Vermont, but bad news for the country.
FYI John Gilfeather, of Wardsboro, VT, cut the tops and bottoms off his turnips before selling them so they couldn't be grown by anyone else - DRM for the 19th century. They escaped his control, however, and are very popular here in Vermont.
Re: Surprise
Don't be so sure the fix isn't in. Senator Patrick Leahy's chief of staff Ed Pagano is leaving to be Obama's liaison with the Senate, as just reported on Vermont Public Radio.
(untitled comment)
If the white house is really against PIPA, why is Leahy's chief of staff Ed Pagano leaving to join the White House, to be Obama's liaison to the Senate, as just reported by Vermont Public Radio? Pagano has been Leahy's chief of staff since 2005. Prior to that he had worked for Leahy on the Judiciary Committee.
The good news is that maybe there's a major shake up here in Vermont and maybe we're getting through to Leahy that eating Gilfeather turnips isn't morally wrong. The bad news is that Pagano is undoubtedly on the wrong side of SOPA/PIPA.
For those who don't know, the developer of the Gilfeather turnip (popular in Vermont and developed here) cut the tops and bottoms of them before selling them so no one else could grow them. Sounds like digital rights management (DRM) for the 19th century to me.
(untitled comment)
Can you imagine Stewart getting Pat Leahy on as a guest? He could ask Senator Leahy if he likes Gilfeather turnips (developed in Vermont and very popular here). Does he know the story about how the developer of the Gilfeather turnip cut the tops and bottoms of them before selling them so no one else could grow them? (He probably does.) Then remark, sounds like digital rights management (DRM) for the 19th century to me.
Then Jon could say something like "You are so passionate about piracy because for you it is a moral issue. So, if John Gilfeather never gave permission to grow (or copy) these rutabagas, is it wrong to sell them and eat them? Why?" It gets a little hard to imagine how the conversation will proceed at this point, but I think you can see where we're headed now.
In my dreams, we can turn Leahy, in my dreams...
Re: Call Call Call Post Post Post
Another Vermonter here, and calling Leahy's office now, as well as calling Sanders whom I believe is genuinely undecided, is more important than ever, because we have their attention. And do let's keep it polite, because they are watching. Make it clear that it's not OK to keep the managers' amendment under wraps until after the cloture vote is held. That's not an open process.