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Shocker: Despicable Conduct From Disney
An Anonymous Coward writes: "Phil Lelyveld, (email) a Vice President for Disney, has written to the FCC to tell them to ignore Digital Consumer's comments on the Broadcast Flag issue. The Broadcast Flag is an inter-industry conspiracy to turn over the keys to general-purpose computing to Hollywood studio execs -- under this proposal, no one will be able to ship digital television technology (like DVD recorders and FireWire) without Hollywood's permission. Lelyveld wrote to the FCC -- who are taking comments on the proposal -- without mentioning his day-job, to tell them that Digital Consumer, a civil liberties groups with more than 40,000 members, is nothing more than a "two dot.com millionaires" working to create a world "where we are all artist/waiters." Joined the EFF Yet? (or is it time to renew?) Update: 12/06 14:55 GMT by M : Lelyveld is not a lawyer. Here's a summary of his background.
I'm not sure who said it. But it sure does apply.
Also,
Same deal. I don't know who wrote it but it sure does apply
You gotta love lawyers.
But consider the alternative; if we don't keep lawyers busy they become politicians. *shudder*
Those who would live more than one life must die more than one death.
Where exactly is proof that this really happened? All I see is a bunch of links to digitalconsumer.org, some government sites, and nothing substantiating any email from anyone.
/.? Looks like someone has a bone to pick with this guy.
Don't get me wrong, I dislike the MPAA as much as the next guy, but still, this is pretty unjournalistic. Even submitted by an AC? With email on the frontpage of
--
python -c "import string,re;print string.join(map(lambda x:chr(string.atoi(x,36)),re.findall('..','2z2t2x36
Just think...if just half of their effort that was spent on influencing government regulations were focused on truly making artistic/good movies, think of the truly creative products they could come up with, isntead of rehashing old ideas. Especially with Disney's latest movie, which did rather horrible at the movies. I can see why.
I'll probably get trolled for this... but c'mon, folks, the whole attitude in the United States is "ME! ME! ME!" and people will get what they can, however they can, and the more they get, the more they can rationalize and justify putting any ethical considerations aside.
So who's surprised that a big company like Disney is sending some fucking lawyer to do clandestine dirty work for them in the name of profit?
evil adrian
"two dot.com millionaires" Are there that many left?
Here's the text:
Interestingly, Google has (as of yet) no mention of the phrase "where we are all artist/waiters."
Are we supposed to believe that the story submitter a whistleblower of some kind? Or what?
When I moderate, I only use "-1, Overrated". That way, I never get meta-moderated!
What's happening to this planet ?
(1) You can't buy a cd/dvd/firewire product w/o permission.
(2) Taxi drivers have to pay royalty if their passengers listen to radio.
(3) New audio cds which will not work on standard audio equipment, but only on PCs with security locks.
(4) The DMCA which just abt doesnt let you comment/work on any digital product.
(5) Billing Kazaa users - no small amounts either
(6) MP3 compression usage now demands a royalty fee.(br) These people seem to be forgetting that they exist because of us, the customers. And they are trying to upset those very people that help them stay in business. These guys are trying to push us into a corner and will probably start charging us for the air we breathe... soon. It disgusts me, and OPEN SOURCE makes all the more sense to me. Looks like there is gonna be a war... on intellectual property and rights.. soon.
|/________
|\A|ALYS|
This required a little digging (on a site linked to from EFF's Broadcast Flag site), but should've been linked to by the submitter.
"We are far too easily pleased." --C.S. Lewis
For years, a large amount of Disney's revenue has come from dipping into the public domain, i.e. Cinderella, Snow White, Robin Hood, etc. If anyone truly understands the value of public domain, it is Disney. When it comes time for Steamboat Willy to enter public domain, Disney pulls out the pocketbook and buys itself some legislation.
These lawyers aren't taking the initiative without direction. There have been numerous Disney lawyers doing this for the past thirty years.
One is an ugly, scum sucking, despicable bottom-feeder and the other is a fish.
"player 4 hit player 1 with 0 stroms"
The problem faced by the EFF and like organizations will be convincing the public that they are not a bunch of .mp3-trading IP thieves. They are up against the deep, deep pockets of the entertainment industry, and faced with a credulous public which, as a rule, follows blindly along with the flashiest commercials (or most effective marketing campaign, as we were taught in b-school). I sincerely hope the EFF will be able to put a responsible face on digital copying and fair use issues, and will not end up looking like amoral war3z kidd33z
don't necessarily chastise the guy for enforcing what he believes to be right.
Since when does what a lawyer says have anything to do with what he believes?
-
- - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
Mmmm.. I LOVE the SMELL of FLAME war in the Morning. Posting his email address.. nice touch.. ssshh...."What was it?", "A disturbance in the network.. it felt like a 100,000 flames hit a Disney lawyers mbox.. and then silence"
I second the endorsement of the EFF ... but shouldn't we be above throwing money at a problem? ;-)
Especially when Disney/Fox/AOL-Time-Warner/etc have far more money than the EFF can rustle up. Don't get me wrong - the EFF is surely worthy of support - but you won't beat these guys at their own game.
Write letters to, or telephone, the FCC and tell them what you want. Get petitions signed and send them in. Explain clearly and eloquently why you want the opposite of our good buddy Phil. Venting of the spleen usually accomplishes very little to further your cause, and can often prejudice people against your argument.
Ho! Haha! Guard! Turn! Parry! Dodge! Spin! Ha! Thrust!
Austin is more fun than Dallas.
I think you're confusing marketing and mass production with the ability of a single individual. Don Henley can't sit in his studio and burn CD's by the millions, now can he? But he can put up a website, with 10 or 20 MP3's, and let me use PayPal to download the ones that interest me. Can Don make money this way? Depends on his overhead and success with his fans. Can he get stinking rich? Not until the corporate stench leaves the room, no.
The major houses have no qualms about taking advantage of any artist they sign. None.
Anyone that imagines I can cause pain to a recording artist by duplicating his/her CD at home needs to study the economics of the recording industry just a bit closer. I worked in that industry just long enough to decide there was nothing glamorous about the way signed artists are treated.
My point is this...the houses make a profit any way they can. I make a statement any way I can. One of us can sleep at night.
That would also do well as an anti-Disney, RIAA, MPAA etc. slogan.
My Karma: ran over your Dogma
StrawberryFrog
It wasn't mentioned in the article, but the comment period ends TODAY, Dec 6th. It was originally supposed to end on October 30th, but was extended to today.
If you want to submit your opinion to the FCC on this matter, and have them read and consider it, today is your last chance.
The digitalconsumer web page for sending comments is here.
We lost control when
1. Congress became a full time job
and
2. When it started costing Millions of Dollars to run for office.
When the Federal Government started, Congress was not a full time job. Representatives came to Washington to take care of business, then went back home to Represent. As time went on, being a Representative or Senator went from a service position to a full time job. While this may not seem to be a big issue, it has lead to career Congress People (I don't know any 100 year old Congress People *Strom-cough*, do you?).
The biggest problem today is the amount of money it takes to run for office. A Representative has to run every 2 years, so that means they must come up with Millions to run every even-numbered year. A Senator has it a little better, their term is 6 years, so they have more time to raise the Money.
The result of these costs is that to run for Congress, one must raise the funds to run campaigns. A major source of these funds are (surprise) major Corporations. Most Congress People are not going to do anything to upset those who have helped them get elected -- and since most Slashdotters do not have megabucks to donate, that means we are ignored.
Beware of Sleestak
When they took the fourth amendment, I was quiet because I didn't deal drugs.
When they took the sixth amendment, I was quiet because I was innocent.
When they took the second amendment, I was quiet because I didn't own a gun.
Now they've taken the first amendment, and I can say nothing about it.
Atlas Shrugged : Thematic Story
When he says, "We do not want to live in the world DigitalConsumer.dot is trying to create for us, where we are all artist/waiters." He really means it. Phil Lelyveld would hate to have a real job and do things for people. He does not want to live in a wold that does not sustain his and a few select others ability to rape everyone else.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.