SOPA/PIPA

The problems with SOPA and PIPA are numerous, but they condense to one unavoidable point: Both pieces of legislation give sweeping censorship powers to corporations. This will not only increase self censorship- it will stifle future innovation and creativity by making the internet a riskier place to start new businesses, which in turn will lead to fewer and more cautious investors. This is actually what corporations like the MPAA and RIAA want. This isn't really about piracy because these bills don't really have chance at stopping piracy. This is about shutting down competition.

One of the founders of Veoh details how Universal Music (UMG) through a completely groundless lawsuit abused the DMCA and ultimately forced him to sell the start-up off in a fire sale.

Today Ars Technica is contributing to the fight against these two extremely dangerous pieces of legislation by arming the populace with loads of information.

Artists (you know, the "content generators" that SOPA and PIPA are going to murder the internet to allegedly protect) say that the bills would do far more harm than good.

Google has a take action page.

In case you're still unclear:


Alright, here's a song:


Finally, somethings never change (language warning):



Contact your Congress people.

Update: A host of webcomics are participating in the blackout strike.

It's A Step

Anticipating Californians' passing of a law permitting casual marijuana use, Oakland (a "wretched hive of scum and villainy" to be sure) is working out how to tax it. My dig at Oakland aside, that's some rare good news to come out of Cali.

Great News Everyone!

The U.S. Copyright Office has decided that it's no longer illegal for you to use your property like it's, you know, your property. I'm snarky, but only because it was fucking stupid in the first place.

If we were talking about an individual it'd be like "Well golly, is there something else you shouldn't be doing in the first fucking place that we can give you a medal for? Like not like not assaulting little old women?". But it's the government so we'd damn well better pat its idiot delinquent fucking head and give it a cookie so that it doesn't follow it up with taking a crap on the couch when company is over.

*Hat tip: Kevin

Oh, For Fuck's Sake

Maryland State Trooper caught with over 3,000 images of child porn on his computer. No, I honestly do not know what the hell to say to that.

I...Well...Uh...That Is....

Five Virginia Department of Corrections officers have been charged with animal cruelty involving the fondling of a K-9 dog and videotaping the two incidents.

Remember kids, Virginia is for lovers.

This post has created a new tag because seriously. The hell you say?!

Oh, For Pete's Sake

Disclosure: I do not do drugs.

That said,this bullshit is why the war on drugs is a scam. Look, so long as people want to escape their everyday lives people will get high on something. Hell, they're choking themselves unconscious and eating mushrooms that grow in cow shit to do it. This is not a behavior pattern that you can legislate or prosecute away, Attorney General Douglas Gansler. Selective criminalization is for all intents and purposes (excluding green pocket lining) arbitrary.

Pay attention. There were 22 shootings in Baltimore between June 14th and June 20th. What gives? Violent criminals too difficult to catch so the new plan is to create easier targets by criminalizing more teenagers and twenty somethings to justify next year's budget increases? Disgraceful.

Exactly.

Glenn Reynolds says "This is how it should be done", and I quite agree with him. Not that anyone here should be surprised.