It's 'exercise', not 'excercise'. Who the fuck would dare to make a post criticising spelling without spell-checking their own response?
Furthermore, your statement, 'Also, you misspelled "control", there should be only one 'l'.'[sic], contains a comma splice. The two independant clauses should be separated by a semicolon, a period, or perhaps a colon.
Maybe you are the one who should practise, Sir.
End of the world?
Well, at the count of 6.2 billion people in the world, and approx 2500 911 casualties...
Damn. We lost 0.000000403225%
So if we can get a -really- big plane that can kill...
2,480,000 million people for every one that died in 911... -then- we have an end of the world scenario.
Of course, the only person with the real power to turn the world into a wasteland right now is the ever so discretionate George Bush with the US' 10k nuclear warheads.:shudder:
As for legality. If protestors break the law, then arrest them. If they resist or fight the police, then sure, use of force is okay.
I'm not talking about those situations though.
I'm talking about situations where protestors gather peacefully, are 'ordered' to move, and when they start walking, they're shot in the backs at point blank range by wooden blocks, metal shot bean bags, and concussion grenades.
In no municipality in the entirety of the US is it legal to use deadly force against peaceful, unarmed suspects for noncompliance of police order. In most municipalities, in fact, it is illegal for an officer to even brandish weapons of deadly force in the same situation.
(and yeah, it does still happen. Happened in Oakland earlier this week. article here, good video actually showing the people peacefully walking away, and the police marching in pursuit shooting them here)
And pepper spray and mace? Its like were using chemical weapons on our own people! People get invaded for that kinda thing.
Ask the Japanese who were put in Internment Camps if there is less freedom now.
Ask the Arabs whom -are- in internment camps right now. Better yet, ask the 100% of foreign born Moslems who were required to submit a whole survey of personal information or be jailed. (Still waiting for the golden moons on the clothes requirement)
Ask the people who were shot at Berkeley for protesting Vietnam if there is less liberty now.
Well, now they just get handcuffed, pepper sprayed on the ground, beaten, trampled by horses.... and then arrested for assembling peacefully because there are too many people protesting.
Ask Rodney King, whose sorry case help set new standards for rights.
Oh good thing. I thought the police still beat innocent people. Oh wait. They are!
I am writing to you today to express my opinions as a constituent of the (foo_nominal) District of (foo_state).
I ask you to support Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA, 16th District) and her bill, H.R. 1066, also called The Balance Act of 2003. (also found at http://www.house.gov/lofgren/congress/digital_righ ts.htm)
Although the congresswoman provides exceptional description and reason of and for the necessity of the bill, I will briefly summarize my feelings on the matter.
Currently, all entertainment media is available in two formats: analog and digital. Analog is the traditional method of storing information using a mechanical medium; books, maps, audio and video cassette tapes, and vinyl records are all examples of analog media. The other format, digital, stores information electronically rather than mechanically; cds, dvds, computer programs, optical tapes and many more technologies to come are and will be digital media.
Most all legislation dealing with copyright, intellectual property, and fair use are in regard to the analog format.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, coupled with dubious corporate policies, has created a disparity between analog and digital formats in regards to their rights under law and concepts of fair use. The Balance Act of 2003 seeks to rebalance these media.
Allow me to exemplify the problem.
Imagine you have purchased a book from your local bookstore or anywhere in the world. Under law, you are the owner of that book. You have the right to read it, as much and as often as you like. The publisher cannot take it away from you. You can read it anywhere you like. You can read it under any kind of light. You can photocopy pictures in that book. You can make a dust cover for the book to protect your library. You can sell it at a rummage sale or even give that book to a friend for his birthday. These are all rights protected under Fair Use.
Now imagine you want to purchase a film on dvd. Well, technically you cannot purchase a copy of a film. You purchase the physical disc and a very limited license allowing you to view the film on the dvd. You are forced to purchase dvds specifically marketed for your region. You do not own a copy of the film. The license allowing you to view the film can be rescinded at any time by the publisher, making it illegal to watch the film. You can be limited in how much you watch the film; you may only be allowed ten viewings for instance. You can only play the dvd in a dvd player made or allowed by the publisher of your dvd. You cannot make back ups to protect your film collection from scratching. You cannot sell it at a garage sale, give it to a friend, or even buy it for someone as a birthday gift. All these actions are also illegal.
The effects of the DMCA are more far reaching than simply cds and dvds. If you own a vcr, you have the right to record a sporting event on tape and enjoy it at future watchings. If you own a cassette recorder, you are allowed to record your radio program. You have paid for these analog transmissions by listening and watching the commercials that accompany them. You may record them and enjoy them later under Fair Use.
Once digital television or digital radio become a standard, even these actions will become illegal because digital transmissions do not enjoy the same concepts of Fair Use that analog transmissions do.
The Balance Act will ensure that digital intellectual property owners enjoy the same rights that analog intellectual property owners do.
I encourage you to support Representative Zoe Lofgren and H.R. 1066, the Balance Act of 2003.
Slashdot Mirror
It's 'exercise', not 'excercise'. Who the fuck would dare to make a post criticising spelling without spell-checking their own response? Furthermore, your statement, 'Also, you misspelled "control", there should be only one 'l'.'[sic], contains a comma splice. The two independant clauses should be separated by a semicolon, a period, or perhaps a colon. Maybe you are the one who should practise, Sir.
s/million p/p
End of the world? Well, at the count of 6.2 billion people in the world, and approx 2500 911 casualties... Damn. We lost 0.000000403225% So if we can get a -really- big plane that can kill... 2,480,000 million people for every one that died in 911... -then- we have an end of the world scenario. Of course, the only person with the real power to turn the world into a wasteland right now is the ever so discretionate George Bush with the US' 10k nuclear warheads. :shudder:
(sorry for the formatting of my last reply, btw).
As for legality. If protestors break the law, then arrest them. If they resist or fight the police, then sure, use of force is okay.
I'm not talking about those situations though.
I'm talking about situations where protestors gather peacefully, are 'ordered' to move, and when they start walking, they're shot in the backs at point blank range by wooden blocks, metal shot bean bags, and concussion grenades.
In no municipality in the entirety of the US is it legal to use deadly force against peaceful, unarmed suspects for noncompliance of police order. In most municipalities, in fact, it is illegal for an officer to even brandish weapons of deadly force in the same situation.
(and yeah, it does still happen. Happened in Oakland earlier this week. article here, good video actually showing the people peacefully walking away, and the police marching in pursuit shooting them here)
And pepper spray and mace? Its like were using chemical weapons on our own people! People get invaded for that kinda thing.
Ask the Japanese who were put in Internment Camps if there is less freedom now. Ask the Arabs whom -are- in internment camps right now. Better yet, ask the 100% of foreign born Moslems who were required to submit a whole survey of personal information or be jailed. (Still waiting for the golden moons on the clothes requirement) Ask the people who were shot at Berkeley for protesting Vietnam if there is less liberty now. Well, now they just get handcuffed, pepper sprayed on the ground, beaten, trampled by horses.... and then arrested for assembling peacefully because there are too many people protesting. Ask Rodney King, whose sorry case help set new standards for rights. Oh good thing. I thought the police still beat innocent people. Oh wait. They are!
Representative (foo_name);
h ts.htm)
I am writing to you today to express my opinions as a constituent of the (foo_nominal) District of (foo_state).
I ask you to support Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA, 16th District) and her bill, H.R. 1066, also called The Balance Act of 2003. (also found at http://www.house.gov/lofgren/congress/digital_rig
Although the congresswoman provides exceptional description and reason of and for the necessity of the bill, I will briefly summarize my feelings on the matter.
Currently, all entertainment media is available in two formats: analog and digital. Analog is the traditional method of storing information using a mechanical medium; books, maps, audio and video cassette tapes, and vinyl records are all examples of analog media. The other format, digital, stores information electronically rather than mechanically; cds, dvds, computer programs, optical tapes and many more technologies to come are and will be digital media.
Most all legislation dealing with copyright, intellectual property, and fair use are in regard to the analog format.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, coupled with dubious corporate policies, has created a disparity between analog and digital formats in regards to their rights under law and concepts of fair use. The Balance Act of 2003 seeks to rebalance these media.
Allow me to exemplify the problem.
Imagine you have purchased a book from your local bookstore or anywhere in the world. Under law, you are the owner of that book. You have the right to read it, as much and as often as you like. The publisher cannot take it away from you. You can read it anywhere you like. You can read it under any kind of light. You can photocopy pictures in that book. You can make a dust cover for the book to protect your library. You can sell it at a rummage sale or even give that book to a friend for his birthday. These are all rights protected under Fair Use.
Now imagine you want to purchase a film on dvd. Well, technically you cannot purchase a copy of a film. You purchase the physical disc and a very limited license allowing you to view the film on the dvd. You are forced to purchase dvds specifically marketed for your region. You do not own a copy of the film. The license allowing you to view the film can be rescinded at any time by the publisher, making it illegal to watch the film. You can be limited in how much you watch the film; you may only be allowed ten viewings for instance. You can only play the dvd in a dvd player made or allowed by the publisher of your dvd. You cannot make back ups to protect your film collection from scratching. You cannot sell it at a garage sale, give it to a friend, or even buy it for someone as a birthday gift. All these actions are also illegal.
The effects of the DMCA are more far reaching than simply cds and dvds. If you own a vcr, you have the right to record a sporting event on tape and enjoy it at future watchings. If you own a cassette recorder, you are allowed to record your radio program. You have paid for these analog transmissions by listening and watching the commercials that accompany them. You may record them and enjoy them later under Fair Use.
Once digital television or digital radio become a standard, even these actions will become illegal because digital transmissions do not enjoy the same concepts of Fair Use that analog transmissions do.
The Balance Act will ensure that digital intellectual property owners enjoy the same rights that analog intellectual property owners do.
I encourage you to support Representative Zoe Lofgren and H.R. 1066, the Balance Act of 2003.
In sincerest regards,
(foo_sig)