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Piracy! Robbery, rape, kidnapping, and murder on the high seas! Damn that Dread pirate Kodi!

Oh. I see. You are referring to copyright infringement. So if you rip a DVD, your actions are equivalent to a piracy? That certainly helps during the sentencing phase.

I think it is unfortunate, but the question is will it pass? Iraq's legislature works like others, any member can introduce a bill. The difficult part is getting enough support to pass. There are religious party members that are likely to be on both sides of this. The secular parties are likely to oppose it. We'll see what the vote is, and even if it passes if it survives both the courts and future legislatures.

Iraq bill sparks fury over child marriage claims

Analysts have, however, dismissed the bill as politicking, and say it is highly unlikely to make it through Iraq’s Council of Representatives. ...

The fierce debate may, however, turn out to be moot, with analysts predicting that the bill is unlikely to be passed before legislative elections next month, if at all. ...

  “Submitting this bill — at this moment — is for political and electoral reasons.”

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It has also faced opposition from religious leaders, with Bashir Najafi, one of Shiite Islam’s most senior clerics, issuing a fatwa this month saying the bill has several “legal and doctrinal” problems which “no scholar can agree with.” -- Draconian Iraq bill sparks fury

This is nothing more than political maneouvering by the ruling government.

It's been done before, and will continue to be done. Especially because a General Election is coming up. If you read that link I posted, it was reported that the Malaysian prime minister said "Whatever we do, we must put people first,". If that were truly the case, why wasn't that position taken in the first place before the law was passed?

Basically:
1. Pass draconian law
2. Wait for public outcry
3. Repeal draconian law
4. Look like a hero
5. Profit!

Without the CCTV footage, the police wouldn't have had any leads to work with in the James Bulger case. There is this horrible case in Malaysia right now where CCTV has provided some some clues. There are plenty more cases where CCTV has helped. Maybe you have experienced yourself in your workplace. Something goes missing and you ask around and everyone shrugs their shoulders. But CCTV recording reveals very clearly who dun it!

How many billions in exports is the Wintel platform worth to China?

How much in foreign investment? Microsoft to invest heavily in China The People's Daily.

When President Hu Jintao vists the United States, it is Bill Gates who greets him, Bill Gates he wants to see. Guess who did not bone up on China Malayasia News Online.

The world is flat.

It was Lenin's birthday on Sunday. The most important Communist Party meeting in five years was under way. And the star of the show was the world's most famous capitalist, Bill Gates.

The Vietnamese President, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister all excused themselves from the party meeting to have their pictures taken with Gates, the chairman of Microsoft, who has more star power in Vietnam than any of them.

Gates finds it's just capital in Vietnam

The country ought to be blacklisted.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/Na tional/20050917085156/Article/indexb_html