Power of the People

[Mike]

Google says 4.5 million people signed anti-SOPA petition today

SOPA Blackout: Bills lose three co-sponsors amid protests - Props to Representative Ben Quayle (R-AZ) and to Representative Lee Terry (R-NE) for withdrawing their sponsorship of the SOPA proposal, as well as to Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) for withdrawing his sponsorship of the PIPA bill.

Senator John Comyn (R-TX) posted to his Facebook page saying that Congress should slow down with the PIPA bill's passage and that it is "better to get this done right rather than fast and wrong." Thank you, Senator Comyn, we need more cool heads like your own to prevail.

Senator Roy Blount (R-MO) has also stated he is planning to withdraw his sponsorship of PIPA.

Senator Orrin Hatch (who is up for re-election this year) has also announced not only his intention to withdraw his sponsorship, but also to vote against moving the bill forward on the 24th.

SOPA copyright bill draws fire

SOPA and PIPA bills lose support

SOPA: US backers end support for anti-piracy bill

The SOPA blackout protest makes history

And, miraculously enough, Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) have introduced the Online Protection and Enforcement of Digital Trade Acte (OPEN), late today. This Act would allow rightsholders to to file complaints about copyright infringement at foreign websites with the U.S. International Trade Commission, which would investigate the complaints and decide whether U.S. payment processors and online advertising networks should be required to cut off funding. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a step in the right direction.

"OPEN is a targeted, effective solution to the problem of foreign, rogue websites stealing from American artists and innovators," Issa said in a statement. "Today's Internet blackout has underscored the flawed approach taken by SOPA and PIPA to the real problem of intellectual property infringement. OPEN is a smarter way to protect taxpayers' rights while protecting the Internet."

A tip of the hat to Representative Issa and his 24 co-sponsors.

See what happens when We the People start making a stand and legislation is not allowed to be ramrodded through votes? Wiser minds prevail and legislation that is directed to the real problem is written.

I missed this site as much as anyone else, today. But when so many sites managed to come together with a common goal, people like you made things happen the way they have needed, all along. This day has been a historic day and I hope elected officials and their constituencies see what can be accomplished with the Power of the People.

 

[Zack]

This is good news. My withdrawals from the site today have subsided now that i can get back on, LOL.

 

[Mike]

Zack, if the withdrawal symptoms got just one member of this site to take action against stupidity, it was worth it.

I think the People have shown the entertainment industry we cannot be bought and sold, no matter how many politicians Hollywood might own.

 

[Zack]

Zack, if the withdrawal symptoms got just one member of this site to take action against stupidity, it was worth it.

I think the People have shown the entertainment industry we cannot be bought and sold, no matter how many politicians Hollywood might own.

You got it Mike.

 

[T-Odd]

{clapping} Good job stopping the derp y'all.

 

[Mike]

Success! We managed to make our collective voices heard.

SOPA Got Stopped: Stop Online Piracy Bill Actually Dead

From the LA Times -

"I have heard from the critics and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy," [Lamar] Smith said. "It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products."

Read more...

What Smith was doing a good job of not saying is he has heard from the critics and is up for reelection this year, so he's hoping to salvage his campaign by shutting his mouth and backing away.

SOPA and PIPA postponed indefinitely after protests

I want to thank each and every one of you who took the time to contact your Representatives and Senators, to let them know how you felt about these two pieces of legislation. Once again, Wednesday proves what can be done at the grassroots level. You helped make a difference on a historic day. I'll be contacting my members of Congress to express my relief over these bills coming off the table.

 

[2old2fast]

Yeah, this is great, now the powers that be have gained more insight into how to write legislation that either won't be noticed or buried so far in other things that no one will notice till it's too late , or , like universal health care, they'll just shove it down our throats. Think this is over ? I doubt it , someone is figuring out how to get their hands in our pockets, again!!! dave

 

[Mike]

During the press coverage of the protests, I saw a poster that said something along the lines of this not being the time to not know how the Internet works. And I think it is very fitting.

Knowledge is power, but knowledge comes with associate responsibilities. And I'm not going to name any names, but we have members on this forum that are operating their computers with very little knowledge and even less responsibility.

We need to understand what is happening when we turn on our computers. If you don't know, find a local computer store that offers classes. Take the few hours to learn. If you do not understand what is happening when you get online, then sign up for the advanced class. This knowledge is to help you. It will help you understand better techniques for using your computer and for browsing the Web. 85% of Windows malware infections are down to people who do not or cannot understand the importance of upgrading programs on their computers. That number is just downright silly and doesn't need to be even 1/4 of that number.

We also need to be aware of what our elected politicians are doing. Primarily those in our Congressional districts, but we cannot ignore what the prat in the 21st Congressional District of Texas is doing, either. You know, everyone pisses and moans about what politicians do, but let me remind you those are politicians who have been elected by popular vote. And those are politicians your tax dollars are overpaying. It's time to be a little more active in your community. If you don't understand what is happening, take the time to learn.

SOPA was going to use DNS blocking, to be sure Americans could not visit blocked sites. How many of you recognize this was going to require yet another means to violate your online privacy? Did any of you understand that? Do you even know what DNS servers are, or how many times a day you are accessing them? Let me tell you a little secret. If Big Brother starts sniffing your location for the purpose of DNS blocking, others are going to find a way to break that system and use it against you. You already expose a lot of information to every Web site you visit, but are you willing to reveal even more information without your knowledge? People love to go on and on about how wonderful the Web is, but I'm telling you it is a jungle. And there is a malicious creature waiting around every turn. Until you learn that, your computer is at risk of being attacked. Without you even knowing it is happening.

SOPA was about a politician most of you didn't know, trying to use a method most of you (including that politician) don't understand to determine your location. Are you going to allow Big Brother to violate your liberties without even understanding how it happened? Really? You're telling me you honestly don't care? We were within days of the Web changing to something completely different and you certainly wouldn't have liked what you were going to get. But how many of you would have even known anything about it, had I not mentioned it on this site? And this was a piece of legislation that was going to result in this site disappearing, had it passed. A site so many of you say you love and don't like to be without was within 7 days of being voluntarily closed down.

As Dave mentioned above, we won a battle on Wednesday. But we have not won the war. Lamar Smith says he is going to revise the bill and bring it back. How many of you realize how this kind of legislation can be folded into other bills? Focus is on the primary issue of the new bill and something like SOPA lurks in the background and goes largely unnoticed. And before you know it, Smith gets his wish and sites like this one disappear.

The wording of Smith bill defined this site as being "dedicated to the theft of US property", without anyone finding as much as one copyright violation. The bill said since we are an Internet site; since we were directed to users within the US; and since this site is "primarily designed or operated for the purpose" of either violating or circumventing US copyright law (by publishing what we freely allow our members to submit), we were, by definition, "dedicated to the theft of US property". And get this wee ditty - If I knew there were no copyright violations on this site and tried to legally challenge any charges leveled against this site, I would also be committing perjury, since by legal definition, we were already violating copyright laws. Since this site facilitates your ability to post whatever you want, we were already guilty.

C'mon people, would you allow you wife to drive a car after the brakes had been worked on by someone with no clue? Arm yourselves with knowledge. It doesn't cost anything, outside a little time. Then move forward with that knowledge and fight ignorance wherever you find it. Unless you are willing to wash that blue pill down with your Kool-Aid.

 

[T-Test]

As most people now do, I also like my annonimity. I know that homeland security and the US Govt. can and will hold you and put you in jail without due process since the new homeland security acts and other laws were passed after 9/11/2001. They already know more about me than I like, and a lot more than my first wife!! Living off the grid is the only safe way to survive.

I will stick my neck out on some issues but not on all. The cost of my fredom is too great right now. I have said before that a Democracy has only lasted for almost 200 years, and the USA is better than 50 years past that. I think the Roman Empire was the longest.

The pied piper is now playing and has been for a few years. When the PEOPLE get tired of dancing to the Govt. tunes, I will be ready and willing to do my part and yours too if need be. Mind you I am a patriot to the core and will fight for what I believe in till death if need be. God and country first as I was raised to believe in, family next.

When things happen without the full knowledge of the PEOPLE that will resrict their individual rights and fredoms as they know now, the time will be right to take action. Gun bans as in EU and Australia, SOPA-PIPA and other behind the scenes by Obama and others that don't want you to know about. It will come. Maybe not in our lifetime, but our children or grandchildren and that is why I have been training and teaching them/mine to survive no matter what comes.

May be the wrong place for this, sorry. T-Test

 

[Mike]

No question, all of this is happening, each day of our lives. I just read a report where (RINO) Mitt Romney is saying he's going to start digging the dirt on (RINO) Newt Gingrich, to regain the ground he lost in SC. Amazing isn't it? Dr. Paul continues to hold up the Constitution and point out the shortcomings of all the Presidential hopefuls (including that person currently sitting in our Oval Office), but the focus is all on Gingrich and his extra-marital affair/s, or on Gingrich and his tax returns. And America takes one of two paths - they either ignore it all or they sit back and relish the mud-slinging. When are people going to wake up? In 2008, Presidential candidate Obama was promising American voters his first action as President would be to close Guantanamo Bay, with the second being to remove our military presence in the Middle East within 16 months and the third to dump the Patriot Act. Three up, three down, he's struck out. But he still has Americans believing he's the man for the job.

Oh, yeah, I forgot. We're talking about Americans who let the Bush administration cram the Patriot Act up all of our jacksies, Americans who likely do not understand what the National Defense Authorization Act actually means, Americans who listened to the Obama administration lie about the alleged bin Laden strike in Abbottabad, Americans who...

I can't figure out what brought all the apathy to this country.

 

[T-Test]

I can't figure out what brought all the apathy to this country.

FEAR of losing our freedom----------and DIGNITY

 

[Don'tCallMeJimmie]

It is pretty clear that the MPAA, in particular, believes it is more equal than Joe Paycheck.

Christopher Dodd, chairman of the MPAA:

"Candidly, those who count on Hollywood for support need to understand that this industry is watching very carefully who’s going to stand up for them when their job is at stake," Dodd said to Fox News recently. "Don’t ask me to write a check for you when you think your job is at risk and then don’t pay any attention to me when my job is at stake."

So this clown admits to the media that he is an influence peddler and expects the rest of this nation to bow to the will of Hollywood?

Source: http://venturebeat.com/2012/01/24/wales-versus-dodd/

 

[Mike]

It's the same-old, same-old. Hollywood pitched a fit about home video recorders. Until they realized they could sell movies to people who have to own a copy. Hollywood pitched a fit about CDs, until they realized people could play CDs everywhere, not just on a turntable. Hollywood pitched a fit about DVDs, until they realized they could jam advertising onto them.

They always bitch about technological innovations, but they always seem to be the ones who profit the most from technological advances.

 

[T-Test]

It's a lot like advertising, you don't know where the money comes from and you don't know who it benefits.

 

[Mike]

From the Some Stuff Never Ends Dept. I guess it just shows to go you.

 

[T-Test]

I don't think the USA will allow this to happen HERE. If it does, with or without a choice, I foresee bad things happening to our Gov't and Military, security wise. IF it does, I'm prepared for whatever comes.