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August 22nd EFF Benefit Party at the DNA Lounge

Posted by chrisd on from the attend-or-just-donate dept.

Jamie Zawinski writes "Mark your calendars: on Thursday, August 22nd, we're throwing a benefit party for the EFF at DNA Lounge in San Francisco! In addition to great music from DDR, Kid606, and many others, you can also witness the carnage of the first ever Wil Wheaton versus Barney Celebrity Boxing Match! Can Wil, with his backing from the EFF, protect free speech and parody on the Internet and defeat Barney and his team of corporate lawyers? You can also join us earlier in the evening and meet Wil at a special VIP party: see the DNA Lounge announcement or the EFF press release for more details." Even if you can't attend, isn't now a good time to renew your membership?

29 of 90 comments (clear)

  1. DDR? by httpamphibio.us · · Score: 2, Funny

    Are we talking about music from Dance Dance Revolution? If so, is that going to be because people are playing DDR soundtrack cd's or because the game is going to be there?

    --
    sig.
  2. Take This Seriously, Buddy by capt.Hij · · Score: 3, Insightful
    The "boxing match" sounds hilarious, and the event appears like it would be gobs of fun. Unfortunately, though, a lot of people don't take the EFF seriously, and they don't take their goals seriously. It is counter-productive if our political representatives come to think of the RFF as simply a bunch of irreverent nerds.

    Personaly, I am an irreverent nerd, and after years of not going to therapy I've come to like it. I also am willing to recognize that others haven't reached that point in their social development. The EFF is an important organization doing good work, but they need to be more careful in how others perceive them if they want to be an effective lobbying organization.

    And, yes this is a rather sad statement.

    1. Re:Take This Seriously, Buddy by Comrade+Pikachu · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Good point. As an EFF member, I prefer that they focus their efforts on more serious issues.

      What the hell is the issue with Barney? It seems that they put some sort of juvenile parody on their site, to which Barney's lawyers responded with a cease and desist order. It may be that the EFF was in the wrong. If so, then just drop it! It seves no purpose to engage in further pointless juvenile behavior.

      Doesn't the EFF know that copyright owners are obliged to defend their copyrights? These people are not the enemy. For the most part, they are just honest folks trying to make a buck.

    2. Re:Take This Seriously, Buddy by vidarh · · Score: 4, Informative

      Copyright owners have no obligation to defend their copyrights. You may be thinking about trademark owners, who may lose trademark protection if they don't protect their mark.

    3. Re:Take This Seriously, Buddy by vidarh · · Score: 2
      It is counter productive for an organization that get the majority of it's support from the technology sector and geeks and related parts of the public to try to pretend they are something else, as that will only serve to alienate potential members and supporters.

      As for being taken seriously, numbers (of voters that may turn against you if you don't listen) and money (for lawyers to fight stupid laws when people don't listen) is far more important than being seen as some old, stuffy institution.

    4. Re:Take This Seriously, Buddy by GregGardner · · Score: 2

      Oh, come on. If the former Attorney General of the United States, Janet Reno can get away with hosting a Dance Party to kick off her race for Governor of Florida, I think the EFF can throw a little dance party without losing too much credit.

    5. Re:Take This Seriously, Buddy by GregGardner · · Score: 3, Informative

      You obviously didn't read the "Barney" link in the article. If you had, you would find that the EFF was hosting a site that posted the parody, they didn't put it up themselves, the site is no longer hosted by the EFF, and there is a long standing legal precedent of parody being protected by the First Amendment.

      You know, the First Amendment, one of the laws that EFF members like you and I pay the EFF to defend online.

    6. Re:Take This Seriously, Buddy by vidarh · · Score: 2
      These days registration of copyright is only a way of publicly documenting the origination of a copyrighted work in case of disputes over who created the work, and that's about it. In any country that is a signatory to the Berne convention (most of the world), the creation of a work that can be covered by copyright is automatically covered by copyright. In other words, if you write a book, paint a painting, or even write an e-mail, the work is covered by copyright automatically whether or not you have registered it as long as you have not explicitly relinquished copyright by stating that the work is public domain.

      That said, courts will limit copyright protection for works for various reasons, and copyright law does not give protection to everything: Try to claim copyright on a word or a short phrase and you'll most likely be laughed out of court in most countries if you try to "defend your copyright". In such cases you are much more likely to succeed in obtaining trademark protection.

      (ObDisclaimer: IANAL)

  3. Barney by MullerMn · · Score: 5, Funny

    That letter to the lawyers threatinging the EFF with regards to the Barney parody (linked in the blurb above) is a good fun read.

    All it's missing is the line "Say my name, Bitch" at the end.

  4. Same date as slashdot meetup... by zardie · · Score: 2, Informative

    This collides with the slashdot meetup date of next month....

  5. Slashdot must really hate Wil Wheaton by Kj0n · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is already the fourth time that his website gets slashdotted.

    1. Re:Slashdot must really hate Wil Wheaton by isorox · · Score: 2

      Slashdot must really hate Wil Wheaton

      Of course, he doesnt subscribe and blocks images.slashdot.org in mozilla. He's a thief!

  6. East Coast by Olinator · · Score: 3, Interesting
    These benefits in SF are nice and all for those of us who live somewhere out there or can afford airfare, but it'd be awful nice if the EFF would put together some high profile get-togethers in Boston or New York, somewhere us rightcoasters can get to without having to surrender umpteen forms of ID along the way.

    Here's an idea: make sure there's a benefit scheduled to coincide with LISA in Philly. I'll go!

    Ole

    PS. EFF, if you're listening -- get your damn secure site fixed -- the last time I tried to donate, the site barfed; I had to print out a page with my CC info filled in and fax it -- and I still never actually got billed.

    --
    Need a UNIX/Linux/network guru in the Boulde
  7. Barney? by colmore · · Score: 2

    Aren't Barney jokes a little... oh I don't know... 1994?

    --
    In Capitalist America, bank robs you!
    1. Re:Barney? by Soko · · Score: 2, Funny

      Aren't Barney jokes a little... oh I don't know... 1994?

      No! NO! Until that purple, sugar coated, white gumed (LOOK AT THE UGLY THING SOMETIME - HE HAS NO TEETH!!) lame ass excuse for corporate brainwashing of our kids is dead, I will continue to parody and make him the butt of as many jokes as I can. A pox on him.

      Hey, maybe we could resurect another '90s joke, and convince Jerry Falwell that Barney is Tinky-Winky's gay live in. Adds new meaning to "I love you, You love me...". GAHHH!

      (*Cranks up 7Dust to clear the stench of the Barney song from his head*)

      Soko

      --
      "Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm." - Anonymous
  8. Good Lord by fritter · · Score: 3, Funny
    ...you can also witness the carnage of the first ever Wil Wheaton versus Barney Celebrity Boxing Match! Can Wil, with his backing from the EFF, protect free speech and parody on the Internet and defeat Barney and his team of corporate lawyers?

    Obviously I haven't really woken up this morning and this is some kind of weird Slashdot dream.

  9. Classifieds on Slashdot? by guanxi · · Score: 2, Informative

    I support the EFF, but this posting lacks content. The classified ads are diluting /.

    First, "Wanna Work for Dave Taylor & American McGee?"
    http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/07/ 28/143820 6&mode=thread&tid=127

    Now this.

  10. The absolute best part.... by Lumpy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    is the link in the main story that is kinda- hidden. Click on the barney link and read. in fact this needs to be printed and given to every CEO.

    This is what lawyers are supposed to do.. in legaleze completely smack the face of the scumballs that send out threats like candy-grams.

    This letter in it's own made me renew right away.

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  11. Why should I join? by bruthasj · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You know, I believe in liberty. But that doesn't mean I immediately grasp blindly to anyone's political agenda. Now I am not being condescending on anyone here, but would like to get a broader perspective here.

    There may be a scale issue here, where I just don't belong on that far side of the scale. What should I do?

    And, please, give me some counter-arguments too. Why should I *not* join the EFF?

    I'd hate to join a group where I can't agree with 100% of their political agenda. I'd rather not debate the issues, but want a perspective from all sides on the scale... Of course, this site might well be one-sided on the issue.

    1. Re:Why should I join? by x+mani+x · · Score: 2

      If you want to know EFF's political agenda, head on over to their web site, and you can find out in detail.

      I personally donated some cash because I am a Canadian citizen. I can't "write my congressman" because I'm not a citizen in the country where lobbyists working for commercial entities are trying to limit my rights! So the best I can do is lend monetary support to a group that can do a much better job of fighting them than I can. God knows I've lent enough "monetary support" to the bad guys ...

  12. No, this is bringing it to the people by mekkab · · Score: 2

    Where are the people who are most likely to understand technology issues and their implications?

    Are they shopping at J. Crew? (hey! I shop at J.Crew!!!) Are they going to Britney Spears concerts? Are they in the malls?

    Or are the electronically inclined listening to electronic music and are part of the culture that surrounds?!

    When it comes to lobbying groups it is money first, numbers second, and then "social status" (WTF?!) dead last.

    Perhaps a public tennis tournament would be buried under the US Open (which is currently for sale to the highest corporate bidder... I know because I've been in both the cheap seats and the oh-so-groovy, comfy, and very close corporate seats (not to mention the boxes, dear lord! the party boxes!))- unless the EFF can afford to be a major player in it.

    Image is nothing. Money is everything. And if you can't get money, a whole mess of grass-roots activists are the next best thing.

    And guess what? Them there ravers are going to be the power-elite of the future. Lets fill their heads with the good ideas now.

    -an "ex" raver (if there is such a thing!)

    P.S. yes, I am the power 31337 of the future!

    --
    In the future, I would want to not be isolated from my friends in the Space Station.
  13. Ode to Wil by LittleGuy · · Score: 2, Offtopic

    I blog you
    You blog me
    Ten quadloos on Wesley C
    While the MonkeyBoxers
    RAWK with defeaning fain
    Purple Lizard will be drained

    --
    Mod Karma -1: I sed bad wurds. If I cep my mouf shut, I wud be at riyses.
  14. Why not on a weekend by FattMattP · · Score: 2

    First the Mozilla party on a Wednesday and now the EFF Benefit on a Thursday. How about doing this sort of stuff on a weekend so people can actually attend?

    --
    Prevent email address forgery. Publish SPF records for y
  15. Where's The Open Source DJ's by szyzyg · · Score: 2

    OK.... maybe I'm bitter, but being a long term Open Source hacker (Icecast, Liveice, Cgicast etc), EFF donator, and DJ in San Francisco you'd imagine there'd be some room for me on the DJ lineup. Hell the DNA Lounge even uses streaming software descended from my first open source mp3 streaming code.

    Hell - I even released the first open source software that let people DJ live with mpeg audio (back then layer 2 was more established and needed less CPU). Since then I've reverted to good old vinyl, but Kid 606 is one of the better known DJ's who are forging new paths in live vinyl free performances.

    Oh... and I don't suck either.... (listen to me a DJSnM.com)

    Hell.... I'll DJ *and* fight Wil Wheaton and Barney at the same time....

  16. If Janet Reno can have a Dance Party... by sulli · · Score: 2

    so can we.

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.
  17. This isn';t some PR Stunt by Tokerat · · Score: 2


    Is there something wrong with geeks kicking back and partying once and a while?

    I'm sure if an EFF ref. stood before Congress, he wouldn't box with Barney the dinosaur with Kid606 kicking away in the background...

    --
    CAn'T CompreHend SARcaSm?
  18. I noticed that everyone has to show ID to get in by Black+Art · · Score: 2

    The notice on IDs says "No exceptions".

    I wonder if this includes John Gilmore? (Chief Cypherpunk, owner of toad.com, and suer of airlines for requiring IDs.)

    --
    "Trademarks are the heraldry of the new feudalism."
  19. Re:bad news for Linux? by _Sprocket_ · · Score: 2

    ...and you're saying the same people who think LNUX is everything "Linux" is going to know anything about the EFF? Or that the EFF is having a fund raiser in SanFran? And that this fundraiser includes a "boxing match"/political statement?

    Here's another concept - the ACLU, NRA, AARP, and NAACP have a whole hosts of people who view them as extremist nutcases out to actively destroy what's Right (according to their critic's definition, and not as in "right-wing"). EFF will have critics just because of who and what they are. Political rights lobby groups are as respected as they are reviled.

  20. Re:Why bother? by CleverNickName · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why do that, when I could just wait around for Wil to post a comment here and then strike up a conversation like a Star Trek obssesed stalker with no life?

    Wil, I'm outside your house!

    I'm not coming out until you put on your pants.