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U.S. High Level Anti-Piracy Post Created
Vicissidude wrote to mention a CNN/Money article, announcing that President Bush has created a new senior-level position to fight global intellectual-property piracy From the article: "Bush has tapped Chris Israel, currently deputy chief of staff for Gutierrez, to head up the administration's anti-piracy efforts. China -- where 90 percent of music and movies are pirate copies -- will be a chief priority, Gutierrez said."
Drug trafficking is a major problem around the world. We believe that it is costing U.S. businesses and citizens about $250 billion in tax dollars and wages," some random talking head told Reuters in an interview with reporters and editors.
The party currently running the country, tapped the resources of a random individual that is currently an up-in-coming member of the political party, to head up the administration's anti-drug efforts. A random South American Country, along with Afghanistan -- where 90 percent of cocaine and heroine originate-- will be a chief priority, this random government official said.
"Frankly, our goal is to reduce (South America and Afghanistan's drug trade) to zero," he said. This government official declined to specify a timetable, but acknowledged it could be a lengthy effort which will waste just as much tax money and resources as the users did before it while actually not eliminating anything.
He got a personal glimpse of rampant drug harvesting during visits earlier this month, when he was offered the chance to buy drugs and sell them to his own citizens, an aide said.
The United States will closely monitor a long list of anti-drug pledges these two countries made after the US government offered them huge aid packages at this month's high-level Joint Commission on Drug Trade meeting, including a promise to increase criminal prosecutions, he said.
Sounds awfully familiar doesn't it? Why do the rest of the American public sit there and refuse to acknowledge that this Anti-Piracy bullshit is nothing but a rehashed attempt to increase protections for Big Business under the guise of protecting *our* interests?
BTW - When are we going to start standing up against "lengthy wars" that have no real returns? Does no one remember that hundreds of billions of dollars have been wasted on this unending war?
Sad.
They will send China this email:
Dear China,
Please stop your copyright infringement, or we'll send another email. It's just not nice.
Thanks,
United States
Can't we just declare a war on piracy and get it over with?
If you don't know what AltaVista is (was), get off my lawn.
The only thing the US should be doing to reduce piracy abroad is -possibly- sanctioning them - but since the US would be dead in the water in several ways (DEBT!) without China, they can't even do that.
... they staffed the post with a pirate's mortal enemy: a ninja.
A guy walks into a bar... well, I forgot the joke, but the punchline is that he's an alcoholic.
Hans Bwix you're busting my baws here! I told you we don't have any piwated pwogwams!
So corporations get a 'czar' to protect their civil interests. Great! When do we get a Civil Liberties/Privacy czar to protect ours?
Bueller?.....Bueller?....Bueller?....
- Despite popular opinion, I am not perfect.
I never get it....the past two presidents have both tried Marijuana and/or cocaine -- you'd think they'd both know that neither is worth the billions of dollars spent annually to stop the inflow. Actually, like the PATRIOT act, US drug law is aimed at getting around personal property and privacy rights of US citizens. Think I'm kidding? Take a drive through south Georgia with $20,000 cash in your car -- and get pulled over for somthing innocuous like speeding. Chances are if you are some fat, white bumpkin, the deputy will ask to search your car. If you say no, they will become suspicious and get a warrant. If you agree, they will find the money and automatically assume it is profits from illegal drug activity, unless you can prove otherwise. Once confiscated, you have to prove the source of the money before what's left (yes, what's left) will be returned. Also, these laws are passed at a time when we have more folks incarcerated for consensual crimes than in any other point in the history of the republic. Let freedom ring. Yeah, whatever.
Terrorism still on the rise, poverty, famine and disease running rampant through large parts of the world, growing unrest in an ever increasingly militant Middle East.... what does the US govt. come up with in these troubled times?
That's right, they bend over and take large cash injections up the rear from the corrupt media industry and spend YOUR OWN money launching lawsuits against you. Ho ho ho ho ho.
And I just adore the extreme arrogance of a US political post being created to fight *global* IP infringement. So will they be enforcing other countries laws in other countries, or will it be US law? Either way is just.... wow... too arrogant for words.
Seriously you guys, get off your damn asses and find a government that will work for the voters instead of working for the people who bribe them the most.
China holds close to $700 billion of US govt. debt in T-bills
Originally, the purpose of this buying behaviour was to manipulate the fluctuation of the yuan, which until yesterday was pegged to the dollar. The unintended effect was that the US government started to spend like drunken sailors, financing all sorts of things with deficit spending. With the yuan now floating in relation to a basket of currencies instead of pegged to the dollar, the impetus to continue buying dollars to manipulate the yuan is greatly weakened.
Generally, when you owe a bank a lot of money, you don't run into the bank screaming about how evil they are, piss on the rug, and then set some trash cans on fire. It tends to make the bankers rather unwilling to keep underwriting your debt.
"Why don't you interface with my ass...by biting it!" -Bender B. Rodriguez
The War on Piracy will be as successful as the War on Terrorism and the War on Drugs (not to mention the War on Poverty and previously, the War on Rum). This means that we can start to see big money for the pirates, as well as turf wars and violence. Yay! Thanks, Mr. Bush!
The initial stage of the anti-piracy campaign will be broken down into several simple goals:
If that doesn't stop piracy, nothing will. Er, I guess nothing will... nevermind.
China -- where 90 percent of music and movies are pirate copies....
I was in China last month attending one of the biggest audio-visual trade shows.
90 percent of music and movies sold in China and India are way overpriced for the public. For example a DVD costs between $9-$11.
As long as the price remains high piracy will happen...doesnt matter if it is Guiterez or his mother-in-law is the US Anti-Piracy Police Chief.
A few weeks back I was dealing with a top Indian VCD/DVD distributor in Bombay. Later I saw films from his label at the nearest roadside shack selling for Rs.50-100 ($1-$2) with the same label/cover/inlay card/logo/details as the ones available in regular stores. Later I realised it is the same guy who distributes to both the regular stores and the 'pirate'.
This business practice makes sense for the distributor...he makes a profit whether he is selling to a regular store or 'pirate' (a slimmer margin when he sells to the 'pirate'). And we all know the material cost for producing a DVD.
I also heard both original DVDs and duplicates are made in the same factory...which is real socialism.
Tat Tvam Asi
You couldn't be more wrong!
In fact, I've been developing software since 1982.
Most of the projects were proprietary, yes, but the one I've been working on for the past 4 years IS commercial.
And with all this time, I've learned one thing; people who won't pay for software simply can't be made to pay.
The other bunch (those that do pay for it) pay without a fuss.
This new government office is only another attempt to strip away more of your rights by piling more and more restrictions on you, watching you.
It's VERY handy when everyone is a criminal. It makes ruling with an iron fist much easier.
So every way they can find to fault you makes it easier and easier to lead you to slaughter.
Protect IP this, take away freedom of the press that, and soon you've made EVERYONE a criminal.
Dark, dark thoughts on such a nice day. Sorry.
I don't know the meaning of the word 'don't' - J