SOPA

[Janice]

http://megavideo.bz/

MU's new URL, apparently. Don't know if legit.

[Buffalobiian]

http://megavideo.bz/

MU's new URL, apparently. Don't know if legit.

Firefox didn't like it.

This web page at megavideo.bz has been reported as a web forgery and has been blocked based on your security preferences.

[Shadow Skill]

Seeing their image a lot on the internet. So they're basically the internet police dictating to the world what is allowed on the internet?

[Kraco]

Ho... All the arrested/accused MU execs were European? They will be dragged to the USA? Too bad European countries won't have the balls to do what China would do and arrest random American tourists/businessmen for random reasons only to be freed after these fellows are shipped back to Europe. The American accusers should come here to make their cases. Or go to NZ if that's where those dudes would rather choose to live (in prison or in freedom, based on the court's decision).

[Sapphire]

Too bad European countries won't have the balls to do what China would do and arrest random American tourists/businessmen for random reasons only to be freed after these fellows are shipped back to Europe.

I know, right? This seems like kidnapping.

Hopefully the other sites take heed.

[rockmanj]

Ho... All the arrested/accused MU execs were European? They will be dragged to the USA? Too bad European countries won't have the balls to do what China would do and arrest random American tourists/businessmen for random reasons only to be freed after these fellows are shipped back to Europe. The American accusers should come here to make their cases. Or go to NZ if that's where those dudes would rather choose to live (in prison or in freedom, based on the court's decision).

I am more surprised that they pulled that sting operation and shut down that site without a trial or due process. This makes the DOJ seem like it is truly in the pockets of the RIAA and MPAA, especially in light of this and this.

I do believe in the law, and if there is definitive proof that those executives were willing allowing as much infringing content as the plaintiffs claim, then they should be punished. However, the speed of the extraditions and shutdown are a bit alarming (even if the case has been in progress for a couple of years). Also, they were able to do all this without SOPA and PIPA. The timing seems too good.

[Munsu]

Any of you remember this situation?
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/201...-details.shtml

[rockmanj]

Any of you remember this situation?
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/201...-details.shtml

Yea, I do.

"foreign thieves that steal and sell..." "millions of American jobs affected by the theft..." These guys must be former North Korean refugees to use such language. They sure rose to high positions from such a humble beginning.

Neither of them are known for subtlety. The thing about Dodd though makes me feel more cynical. Just a few years ago, he was all about not having people's rights being restricted and free speech. I guess that MPAA money made him change his tune.

Also, there was a humorous clip showing members of US congress discussing SOPA, I believe. None of them seemed to know what it was about exactly and said that they should get some "nerds" in there and explain it to them. :\

[Death BOO Z]

Yea, I do.



Neither of them are known for subtlety. The thing about Dodd though makes me feel more cynical. Just a few years ago, he was all about not having people's rights being restricted and free speech. I guess that MPAA money made him change his tune.

Also, there was a humorous clip showing members of US congress discussing SOPA, I believe. None of them seemed to know what it was about exactly and said that they should get some "nerds" in there and explain it to them. :\

I always hoped that when people grow up, they stop saying "I'm no nerd" and finally admit that they mean "I'm stupid" (or at least "I'm not familiar with the subject").
well, adulthood is going to suck.

[rockmanj]

I always hoped that when people grow up, they stop saying "I'm no nerd" and finally admit that they mean "I'm stupid" (or at least "I'm not familiar with the subject").
well, adulthood is going to suck.

The correct term to use is "expert". My country is run by a lot of morons, apparently.

[Shadow Skill]

I thought those Megaupload guys got arrested due to the new laws in SOPA and PIPA?

If so, how is this going to play out now that the laws are shelved?

[Kraco]

“I have heard from the critics and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy," Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) 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."

Even former Senator Chris Dodd, the head of the Motion Picture Association of America, seemed to concede defeat. "With today’s announcement, we hope the dynamics of the conversation can change and become a sincere discussion about how best to protect the millions of American jobs affected by the theft of American intellectual property,"

"foreign thieves that steal and sell..." "millions of American jobs affected by the theft..." These guys must be former North Korean refugees to use such language. They sure rose to high positions from such a humble beginning.

[Munsu]

Well, looks like the "angry nerds" have won this round:
http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/20/tech...IPA_postponed/

[David75]

True, I stopped going to teathers and renting Dvds around the napster case. I'm already out majors' market.

For those old enough, when the CD tech appeared in the 80's, they were already complaining the music industry was in trouble and that new tech preventing personal copy was a good thing....

[Animeniax]

I think you guys are giving the online community too much credit... Hollywood and the music industry will continue to make billions, online piracy is still a small fraction of revenue loss for these giants. Your average person will still pay to go to the movies and buy DVDs and music legitimately.

I don't know how much of this argument is about greed versus about a moral/philosophical stance. If you work, you want to get paid for it, for every last minute and bit of sweat you give to your company, and you'll make a lot of noise until payroll ponies up. But when a company demands the same, then they are being greedy?

[Xelbair]

There is this black march action going - basically it is:
do not buy OR download(legally or not) any game/music/movie etc for the whole march, just do it in April if you want to. it is end of fiscal year so this should hit them pretty hard.
Black+March.+In+case+you+hadn+t+heard+Megaupload+has+been_6e97f7_3202048.jpg

[Marik]

I found this interesting...

I’m assuming most of you know about what happened to Megaupload. Fileserve has decided to pull its affiliate program because of that, so our source of income is gone. We’re probably going to add some advertisements since asking you faggots to donate to Me is a whole waste of time. Fuck you all.

Those money laundering and racketeering charges put other file hosts on notice.

[Buffalobiian]

I understand what you're saying about being paid for the sweat you put out in a hard day work. However, it is flawed by the simple fact that every company/employer out there will try to find ways to make your pay less and mostly when you work overtime for time and half and double time. My work place will deduct Dinner (hour) and lunch 30 minutes. Sometimes 2 lunches in a day so you lose out on 2 hours of pay if you work a 14-18 hour shift. So you get paid for 16 hours.

As you said, it is perfectly alright to demand a fair pay for a day work. You and everyone else, will never get the proper pay for a day work. Regardless how you look at it, you get ripped off but you can't sue or charge your work place for failing to pay you properly. All because your work place wants to save $$. :P

I'm not sure who "you" refers.

In response to the post, I should say that a malfunctioning of one system doesn't mean you should apply or spread it to others. The fact that your boss withholds money from you doesn't mean it's fine or alright to to start stealing from a shop because "no one is paid in full, so why should the owner be".

Lunch-hours being deducted here is perfectly normal.. and to be honest I don't see a problem with it. They're paying you to work.. not have lunch. What I actually dislike here is that they usually limit your lunchtime to 30mins. It'd be good if it was more negotiable. Many of my bosses have been lenient on this though as they realise 30-mins sharp is pretty shit.

[Shadow Skill]

It's not my boss doing the deducting it's the people in payroll. I work through a lot of my lunchtimes and I get no dinner until I get home. Call it stealing, I call it being cheap. :P Those 2 hours would = $90 on double time. So ya they will take shortcuts in pay if they can find it. :/

I was referring to animaniax(sp?).

It's not one system, it's in every system.

[Assertn]

It's not my boss doing the deducting it's the people in payroll. I work through a lot of my lunchtimes and I get no dinner until I get home. Call it stealing, I call it being cheap. :P Those 2 hours would = $90 on double time. So ya they will take shortcuts in pay if they can find it. :/

I was referring to animaniax(sp?).

It's not one system, it's in every system.

That's not objectively true. Case in point my company. The CEO already has enough money to retire. Has a huge house, drives a lambo, but he loves buiilding businesses. He also makes it his goal in the businesses he creates to share the wealth with all his employees.

Now where you're most likely to see budget cuts are in either cut-throat startups running on fumes or publicly traded companies that have to constantly worry about appeasing the board. I've worked in both situations, and both are annoying.