I honestly cannot believe they are taking petitions seriously. It's almost like we have a voice and can make something happen, but just almost.
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I honestly cannot believe they are taking petitions seriously. It's almost like we have a voice and can make something happen, but just almost.
That's because these aren't normal petition.org petitions. The petition on January 18th had, combining all campaigns, over 35 million signatures in 24 hours, and they were backed with over twice that number in phone calls to representatives and senators.Quote:
Originally Posted by sheath
And this is a petition directly on whitehouse.gov
They really must be afraid of open revolt then. They should be.
It's an election year, and several ballot guides have announced they plan on listing candidates' stance on SOPA and PIPA in their guides. Hence the immense distancing from people in both the senate and the house from the bills.Quote:
Originally Posted by sheath
This is an unheard of amount of political activity in the history of the US. Never before in history have this many people been paying attention to what is going on, and it's the perfect storm because nearly everyone in power, can be voted out within the next 10 months. It used to take months, even years to get a couple of million signatures on a single issue. over 35 million responded in 24 hours, with more than twice that number actually calling people in power... it's just unheard of. Prior to the 18th, it was also thought to be impossible. You're going to read about SOPA and PIPA and January 18th in history books when they talk about the political atmosphere in the united states.
It's hilarious reading the bitching the MPAA and various members have been spewing in social media. Chris Dodds, the dude accused of bribery, and the current chief executive of the MPAA, has been saying so much hypocritical shit. Stuff like "It's not fair that such an entity (referring to the internet as a whole) can sway public opinion by drowning out the voices of dissent." You're fucking MPAA - you, along with the RIAA, own all the media outlets in the fucking united states. You own all of TV, Movies, magazines, radio, music... you're bitching about a couple of websites talking to the american public? Complaining that you have no way to get your message out there? When, 31 days ago, you held a senate hearing on the bill and refused to let any technology advocates speak? When it was a lobbyist from the MPAA, the RIAA, the trade commission, Mastercard (speaking on behalf of another MPAA advocate), and Chris goddamn dodd, speaking against a single rep from google? Fuck off, you get no sympathy from me... notice how there are STILL no coverage of SOPA and PIPA in mainstream news? Fuck hollywood. We see what's going down.
Also, a few guides plan on listing someone as an original co-sponsor for SOPA and PIPA even if they withdrew support. Lots, and lots of senators and representatives about to be buttfucked by the voters.
The real reason why Megaupload was shutdown:
http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/24/was...kebox-service/
That, and megavideo... and the fact that they ignored DMCA claims against it (they would take down a file from megavideo, then mirror it on megaupload, and you could take a "deleted" megavideo URL and change the domain to megaupload and it'd download without a problem). I may not like SOPA and PIPA, and I'll admit I used the shit out of megaupload, but I don't mourn it's passing. We all knew what it was used for. If we're going to engage in an open debate about piracy, we can't stamp our foot over a minor issue like Megaupload.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kamahl
Really, where we should make a stand is on the issue of copyright in general, which has evolved far beyond the original scope of the law. Copyright law today is out of control, the original intent was to give a creator a cushion to profit from his idea within reasonable scope. You can now extend a copyright to something like 140 years, which is well, well beyond the life span of any single person. Copyright is a draconian, 19th century idea which has outlived it's usefulness IMO. It's an anchor on new media, and it holding back technological advancement.
Without spiraling into a longwinded post about economics, perhaps the reason why our economic model is failing, is because it's rooted in 19th century law, being applied to 21st century technology?
Our concept of business management is based on 19th century "technology". I think this entire problem is caused by old indoctrination, but that is secondary to greed.
Bingo. But I think the first step to real change and improvement in our country is a good, long look at the concept of copyright and intellectual property.Quote:
Originally Posted by sheath
As someone firmly of the Internet age, I look at the landscape of the web today and see a fucking goldmine waiting to be tapped. Then I turn to the real world and see various laws and concepts which fly directly in the face of the potential money to be made. It's aggravating. I think the concept of trying to sell a user an inherently copyable good such as data and information is flawed. Why not make data free, and monetize it in other ways - sell the service to stream them? Change the concept of advertising to make money off of this good that people are tripping over themselves to distribute?
I agree except that this is too much too fast. We need to look at lattice management long and hard first, and regain some sort of foothold on creative ideas (which create hope). Without that we are doomed to go into a downward spiral, loose a lot of lives, and only then start having to think of innovation again.
The problem with things not moving "much too fast" is term limits. Either things move at a brisk pace, or the advantage inherently falls on lobbyist groups. Politicians turn over every 4-8 years, not counting "career" politicians (which, IMO, is another evil worth stamping out), while lobbying groups can exist for years and years and years. where as a politician's crusade against an unjust bill might be cut short in only 4 years, a lobbying group has the time and ability to see a bill go from birth to law.Quote:
Originally Posted by sheath
Of course, that touches on a whole other subject - why exactly do we have lobbying groups to begin with?
Also, I'm not sure that the slippery slope about curbing innovation and creativity is well founded. I think, as a people, we're driven, inherently, to create. The assumption is that we do so for monetary gain, but I disagree. You can point to a number of non-profit inventions out there today which were not driven by the need for someone to get rich, with wikipedia being the best example. I think we create, because we're simply driven to create. it's human nature.
I am not sure we are on the same page here. I think innovation and creating new forms for better things is what we are here for. I also think our "nature" is prone to digging ruts and then developing excuses for staying there.
Oh, I misread you then. I thought you were saying that copyright and IP laws provide incentive for innovation.Quote:
Originally Posted by sheath
I would say the ruts we dig are a result of the natural pushback that comes from generational change. I'd say that Generation X, largely, failed to take power from the baby boomer generation. And that has been reflected in the stagnation of the country. I'd say that our generation, the internet generation, is also severely underestimated. Age old axioms are falling one by one, and I think the baby boomer generation has to be shitting their pants in fear over this. In 2008, "we didn't vote in numbers"... until we did. In 2012, "we never took action against politicians"... until we did. The old forms of government better stop waving us off in broad strokes about how "inactive" we are, or else we're gonna keep shocking the shit out of them.
Speaking of that, anyone else find it funny that the media continues to pretend Ron Paul doesn't exist?Quote:
Originally Posted by TheSonicRetard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSbkFpAA4CA