The Small Rants Thread, Continued...

[Agita]

@Agita: I think that kinda reinforces one of my points in the other thread...

My first thought was just "So SOPA or not, they'll just do whatever the fuck they want anyway".

[X-Codes]

@Agita: I think that kinda reinforces one of my points in the other thread...

My first thought was just "So SOPA or not, they'll just do whatever the fuck they want anyway".

Yeah, pretty much.

[Prime32]

I saw the Megaupload case being brought up in a few SOPA vids as reason to be worried.
To think the case succeeded.

[Tshern]

@Agita: I think that kinda reinforces one of my points in the other thread...

My first thought was just "So SOPA or not, they'll just do whatever the fuck they want anyway".

Yeah, pretty much.

The all American way.

[Kuroimaken]

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

I totally just shat a wall over here.

I saw the Megaupload case being brought up in a few SOPA vids as reason to be worried.
To think the case succeeded.

According to news, it's over an indictment, i.e. the case itself hasn't been concluded yet. But it's extremely worrisome that they're willing to do this before a proper investigation is conducted.

Oh man, there's gonna be hell over this...

[X-Codes]

What bothers me is that this is apparently a criminal case, even though it's a copyright issue, which should be a civil issue.

[Kuroimaken]

What bothers me is that this is apparently a criminal case, even though it's a copyright issue, which should be a civil issue.

What bothers me even more than that is how the action was executed over an indictment, which means they skipped due process entirely, but yeah, they're trying to get ahead by getting the criminal suit going before SOPA is voted - if it's approved, nothing will stop the process anyway, and if it isn't, they've already dealt MU a bigger blow than they have themselves received.

[Amechra]

I personally find SOPA mildly hilarious, in addition to quite frightening...

Because what is the first thing that a totalitarian state goes about doing? Restricting the free information flow.

It's funny because of Truth, Justice, and the American Way; the good old search for Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness! Right, guys?

The hypocrisy of human organizations sickens me at times.

[DonQuixote]

I think it's a silly bill, but also that the reaction to it is somewhat overblown.

My stance on the matter is, as with almost all issues, moderate.

[Amechra]

It would give them precedent for something more strict, though...

That might be the fact that I know the British legal system(s) better than I do the American, though.

[DonQuixote]

American legal system is also based on precedent, so you're technically right.

However, I strongly suspect that--if it passes--it's going to be very reminiscent of Prohibition.  It won't really do anything but make EVERYONE learn the ins and outs of evading law enforcement, and it will eventually be repealed.

I'm really tempted to try to get Anonymous to set up internet speakeasies and to start wearing 20s gangster clothing.

[X-Codes]

Anonymous is pretty childish, so I doubt they'll get the reference.

Also, I doubt that ISPs are going to be at all interested in being responsible for millions of credit card numbers.  A couple of civil suits alleging that the ISPs are not safeguarding this information and you'll have a wave of money pushing for repeal of this new bill.

[sirpercival]

I just can't stand politics at all, in any form or fashion.  Seriously, thinking about it too much makes me physically ill.  I don't understand why people can't just be tolerant and nice to each other.  Maybe it's the company I keep (I intentionally surround myself with intelligent people), but deliberately ignorant, close-minded and irrational behavior and thinking really piss me off.

[Kuroimaken]

I just can't stand politics at all, in any form or fashion.  Seriously, thinking about it too much makes me physically ill.  I don't understand why people can't just be tolerant and nice to each other.  Maybe it's the company I keep (I intentionally surround myself with intelligent people), but deliberately ignorant, close-minded and irrational behavior and thinking really piss me off.

Amen. Not exclusive to politics though.

Overall I don't expect this to succeed for the very same reasons everything in this vein has failed in the past - massive amounts of money and interests involved, the Prohibition-style effect, the simple fact that anyone who's not trying to get this approved sees how ludicrous it is... it's one thing to censor lolicon as kiddie porn (which has been successfully done in the US - and then circunvented), it's another entirely to control filesharing. Even if it passes it'll just get more convoluted, i.e. instead of passing along MP3's and the like, people will pass around RARs renamed as JPG or some other horsecrap. There are more ways to avoid information control than there are ways to control information. Unlike TV or radio, the internet doesn't work based on government-granted concessions - anyone can establish their own, private, nonprofit ISP.

[sirpercival]

I just can't stand politics at all, in any form or fashion.  Seriously, thinking about it too much makes me physically ill.  I don't understand why people can't just be tolerant and nice to each other.  Maybe it's the company I keep (I intentionally surround myself with intelligent people), but deliberately ignorant, close-minded and irrational behavior and thinking really piss me off.

Amen. Not exclusive to politics though.

Maybe not, but politics is the most public and advertised forum for stupidity and deliberate ignorance I've ever experienced.  I try to wash my hands of it as often as I can, and simply live my life the way I think I should.

I do get taken advantage of from time to time because of it, but it's a small price to pay for peace of mind.

[Kuroimaken]

I just can't stand politics at all, in any form or fashion.  Seriously, thinking about it too much makes me physically ill.  I don't understand why people can't just be tolerant and nice to each other.  Maybe it's the company I keep (I intentionally surround myself with intelligent people), but deliberately ignorant, close-minded and irrational behavior and thinking really piss me off.

Amen. Not exclusive to politics though.

Maybe not, but politics is the most public and advertised forum for stupidity and deliberate ignorance I've ever experienced.  I try to wash my hands of it as often as I can, and simply live my life the way I think I should.

I do get taken advantage of from time to time because of it, but it's a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Not always easy to live up to how one thinks life should be lived. I salute you for that.

[bhu]

I just can't stand politics at all, in any form or fashion.  Seriously, thinking about it too much makes me physically ill.  I don't understand why people can't just be tolerant and nice to each other.  Maybe it's the company I keep (I intentionally surround myself with intelligent people), but deliberately ignorant, close-minded and irrational behavior and thinking really piss me off.

Amen. Not exclusive to politics though.

Maybe not, but politics is the most public and advertised forum for stupidity and deliberate ignorance I've ever experienced.  I try to wash my hands of it as often as I can, and simply live my life the way I think I should.

I do get taken advantage of from time to time because of it, but it's a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Call me paranoid but I don't believe in many cases that it's either stupidity, ignorance, or irrational.   These guys had to curry a lot of favor and bullshit a lot of people to get where they are, so they aren't stupid, it's just necessary for them to occasionally appear that way to deflect from what they're really doing.  After all if they're caught with their hands in something they can claim ignorance because people have thought of them that way all along.  It's to their benefit to appear slightly incompetent because it causes people to underestimate them and not pay close attention.  It's about money, pure and simple.  They have enough money and privilege  that they can avoid living with the consequences of the rules they make, and they don't give a damn about the people those rules screw over.  Those people aren't paying them.  Oh sure taxpayers may pay their salary in congress, but that isn't where the vast majority of their funds come from.

[Kuroimaken]

I don't think that's paranoid, really. A lot of people happen to hold an opinion similar to yours, bhu. It's just that's something really difficult to prove...

[Monotremeancer]

Many years back, the average politician in the Swedish government was supposed to earn the same amount of money as a high school teacher. I wish that was still the case, as people wouldn't do it for the money. Instead the country is lead by a guy who does a lot of crap and uses the word "freedom" as if it was synonymous with "if", "and" as well as "it".

[Kuroimaken]

Many years back, the average politician in the Swedish government was supposed to earn the same amount of money as a high school teacher. I wish that was still the case, as people wouldn't do it for the money. Instead the country is lead by a guy who does a lot of crap and uses the word "freedom" as if it was synonymous with "if", "and" as well as "it".

Let's see how that works...

"Freedom elected, I promise you, no more taxes for poor freedom wealthy alike! Freedom will be a government of the people!"

Must be hard on his tongue.