Lessig on the World Social Forum

Raindance writes "Lawrence Lessig has a great article up on Technology Review about the World Social Forum held this past January in Brazil. In addition to telling an engaging story, it covers topics ranging from GNU and DRM to Brazil's interesting stance on the rights of foreign copyright holders, and is a good introduction to the permission culture/remix culture debate. It also makes me want to live in Brazil."

Comments

Re:Moving to Brazil

[adrianmonk]

Now Brazil is ruffling the feathers of Bill Gates by wiring its shantytowns using recycled hardware and open-source software. A terrified Gates has tried, unsuccessfully, to schedule a meeting with Brazil's president, who =turned him down=.

An even more fun idea would've been to go ahead and invite him down, then stand him up. Leave him waiting at the fucking Rio de Janeiro International Airport or whatever the hell it's called. Don't send a car, don't send someone to meet him, don't send anybody. Just leave him sitting there, waiting and waiting. Make him wait until he just gives up and has to punt and take the next flight out. But, of course, make sure that flight isn't until the next morning (even if he has his own private jet, etc.) and then do your best to make sure he can't get a hotel room either and has to sleep in the airport.

I know, this kind of behavior is probably considered slightly impolite in international diplomacy circles. But, I can have my fantasy, can't I?