Monday May 28, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

U.S. Congress puts online piracy bills on hold

World Jan. 21, 2012 - 07:01AM JST ( 23 )

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Harry Reid said that he was delaying a scheduled vote on a controversial bill aimed at cracking down on online piracy

Protesters demonstrate against the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA)

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23 Comments

-5

FadamorJan. 21, 2012 - 08:13AM JST

YAY! The U.S. will not negotiate with terrorists, But extortion by internet companies and hackers is A-OK! Way to get on your hands and knees and take it where the Sun doesn't shine, Congress!
1

SuperLibJan. 21, 2012 - 08:32AM JST

They are going to have to figure out a way where there can be some harmless distribution without sites like MegaUpload being allowed to thrive.
4

FamilienproblemeJan. 21, 2012 - 08:49AM JST

I know exactly where Congress can hold this bill.

Of course they will delay the voting until the hub bub dies down. That is about the only concession their corporate masters will allow.

“We must take action to stop these illegal practices,”

No, you don't.

Reid said “counterfeiting and piracy cost the American economy billions of dollars and thousands of jobs each year,

Always hitting the panic button. I hope people learn to see through this malarkey. You cannot assume that someone who got an illegal download would have otherwise bought something and call that a loss. Some don't even have the money to buy! Some just would not buy anyway. And for some, the product is simply not available any other way.

And jobs? I would like to see them link the loss of one single job to net piracy.

The whole spiel is sham. And its just going to further open the Pandora's Box of net censorship that has unfortunately already been opened.
0

Yukio MishimaJan. 21, 2012 - 09:17AM JST

My country has some of the dumbest, most uncapable white-trash politicians in the world, on a par with say...Somalia. Finally some common sense! I heard these wankers in washington referring to anybody who knows anything about computers as NERDS! This is the mentality in Washington. The words they should be using is experts! I wonder who made this decision? Very unlike Washington to get anything right. A glimmer of hope perhaps? Pff! Don't kid yourselves, this is hillbilly Washington, where only the dumbest survive!
2

DeploreJan. 21, 2012 - 09:40AM JST

I heard these wankers in washington referring to anybody who knows anything about computers as NERDS!

Before you go overboard, I think the politicians who did that were using the term in a purely positive light. I watched the entire 2 hour+ committee hearing on the bill they had in December, and I a rough quote of how the term was used is something like: "...We're attempting to change the entire infrastructure of the Internet, and we haven't even consulted the nerds!" That was from someone who was a huge opponent of the bill (prior to this the committee had consulted zero technical experts).

As for "most uncapable white-trash politicians", I would urge you to actually watch the hearing... There were quite a few politicians [[ who happened to be minorities ]] who supported SOPA and showed themselves to be wholly incompetent. Blaming everything on 'old white men' is seriously getting old. Idiocy, incompetence, and corruption are independent of race.
1

unreconstructedJan. 21, 2012 - 10:04AM JST

I love seeing truly grass level pushback like this. I laugh at how cockroach Harry Reid ,his corrupt party, and all the idiot repubs who went along with Reid get dragged into the 21st century by legions of internet users they cannot see and therefore cannot punish, lie to, or buy off. Incidents like this are what make me smile when folks try and assure me libertarianism isn't a force in US politics. There is no force multiplier like the net for showing how clearly that in the US today our corrupt, sclerotic 2 party sytem politics is the lagging indicator in every area you can think of. The bewilderment shown by some of these clowns in Congress on this issue is priceless.
-5

unreconstructedJan. 21, 2012 - 10:16AM JST

A real politician, a real leader, would take a clear and principled stance on this issue, since it is obviously a momentous one for so many Americans.

Where is Obama ?

Where does he stand ?

The suits in Hollywood (best tax lawyers in America) will tell you - he serves them and the big studios.
2

The Truth MattersJan. 21, 2012 - 11:03AM JST

A real politician, a real leader, would take a clear and principled stance on this issue, since it is obviously a momentous one for so many Americans.

Where is Obama ?

Where does he stand ?

Dammit! Where is Obama's cod piece! Ah... the cod piece. THAT was leadership a neocon could get on his knees for.
5

tonsofunJan. 21, 2012 - 11:52AM JST

@unreconstructed

Actually,　the Obama administration made an official statement over a week ago, promising to veto the bills if they were passed. You can see it here:　https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petition-tool/response/combating-online-piracy-while-protecting-open-and-innovative-internet

Before you go around bashing Obama's leadership skills, why don't you do just an ounce of research? Because regardless of whether or not you're right, you still put your foot in your mouth on this one.
2

SushiSake3Jan. 21, 2012 - 12:56PM JST

tonsoffun - "Before you [unreconstructed] go around bashing Obama's leadership skills, why don't you do just an ounce of research? Because regardless of whether or not you're right, you still put your foot in your mouth on this one."

Again?? :-)
2

FamilienproblemeJan. 21, 2012 - 01:59PM JST

Incidents like this are what make me smile when folks try and assure me libertarianism isn't a force in US politics.

The voting has just been postponed, so don't go singing the anthem yet. Keep your pants on. Stay tuned, and all that.
4

aedfedJan. 21, 2012 - 02:39PM JST

We live in a country where people rightfully expect to be fairly compensated for a day’s work.

So who was being fairly compensated for a day's work when copyright was extended from 50 years after the creator's death to 70 years to stop Mickey Mouse from entering the public domain?

Reid said 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.

I'd like to know where Reid came up with these figures. The studios and recording companies are fond of trotting out similar figures, but I've never been able to find who did the research on which they're based. I think they're pulling them out of the air.
0

gaijinfoJan. 21, 2012 - 03:00PM JST

WIN
2

AlphaapeJan. 21, 2012 - 05:32PM JST

I'd like to know where Reid came up with these figures. The studios and recording companies are fond of trotting out similar figures, but I've never been able to find who did the research on which they're based. I think they're pulling them out of the air

I agree. If you have ever looked at any o the "Behind the Music" shows on VH1, MTV, etc. you will see the story of famous musicans (and actors too) who got screwed out of royalties by these same companies that are now saying that downloading is hurting their business. They have been doing it all along to the very same people that they say they are trying to protect.
0

Mirai HayashiJan. 21, 2012 - 05:42PM JST

Win for everyone!
2

Ranger_Miffy2Jan. 21, 2012 - 07:58PM JST

WIN. And...stay tuned. The internet MUST remain unfettered or we are all doomed. Really.
1

donkusaiJan. 21, 2012 - 10:30PM JST

The movie and music industries have been playing this game since VHS and cassette recorders first came out, always claiming that these technologies will destroy the industry and trying to lobby for laws that essentially punish people before they get their day in court (guilty until proven innocent). What history actually shows us is that when these industries embrace the new technologies, their profits go up. Instead, they try to use draconian measures to maintain existing profits without wanting to put any effort into addressing the changing world we live in. It's called lazy business practices, and companies that are lazy tend to collapse under their own antiquated weight. We've seen a good example of this just this week with Kodak. You can't legislate for profits, you need to earn them.
-1

smithinjapanJan. 21, 2012 - 11:43PM JST

"The draft legislation has won the backing of Hollywood, the music industry, entertainment giants like Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others."

The scumbags in a lot of this. Glad to see them forced to have to think about a new way to screw us. Sure, at the end of the day a person deserves to be paid for an honest day's work, but calling these industries 'honest'? The artist is still going to get $30 M US for starring in the picture, and musicians will still get their millions for being in concerts.

tonsofun: "Before you go around bashing Obama's leadership skills, why don't you do just an ounce of research? Because regardless of whether or not you're right, you still put your foot in your mouth on this one."

unreconstructed look into something before he tries to turn everything into a rant against Obama?? Methinks you ask too much! But OUCH did you serve him some crow!
0

TriumvereJan. 22, 2012 - 02:30AM JST

WIN

+1
0

newgreatyearthedolphinJan. 22, 2012 - 02:35AM JST

Fictitious entities who have no voting rights are not to be able to propose bills to any of our elected representatives. Our Bill of Rights was not written by this government. It was written by citizens. Congress is to conduct its affairs relative to citizens, not to their creations. The internet is not to be controlled by any government. Yes piracy occurs. Those affected can establish measures privately, not governmentally. Our Freedom of Speech belongs to us, not to "our" government, itself a fictitious entity.
-1

The Truth MattersJan. 22, 2012 - 08:17AM JST

Where is Obama ?

Where does he stand ?

Where is Obama's cod piece? You call this leadership? Pshaw.

So-called libertarian neo-cons aren't going to follow a guy without a cod piece.
0

unreconstructedJan. 22, 2012 - 07:29PM JST

Actually,　the Obama administration made an official statement over a week ago, promising to veto the bills if they were passed. You can see it here:　https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petition-tool/response/combating-online-piracy-while-protecting-open-and-innovative-internet

LOL. Would that be the same Obama who said he would rely on public funding for his campaign and then promptly reneged once he got the nomination? Same Obama who declared he would wean us off our dependence on foreign oil and agressively develop domestic sources and then he rejects the Keystone deal? You are hilarious.
0

unreconstructedJan. 22, 2012 - 07:47PM JST

The ' net is far too libertarian a medium for the hacks that fill both parties, stuck in the 19th century.