Bill Maher Comes Out In Support Of SOPA/PIPA Despite Knowing Nothing About The Bills

from the yes,-intelligent-debate dept

Mon, Jan 23rd 2012 7:58pm — Mike Masnick

When Jon Stewart finally learned about just how ridiculous the SOPA/PIPA bills are, the first comment we received was someone wondering if comedian Bill Maher would deliver a similar message. Maher and Stewart are often compared -- as talk show hosts who poke fun at authority and government, and who (fairly or not) are often linked to being liberal. However, as a bunch of folks have been pointing out, it appears that Maher went the other direction from Stewart on his own show, coming out in support of the bills: Of course, as he admits right at the beginning, he hasn't actually read the bills and doesn't understand the details. He then goes on to talk about "the moral issue" and complain about how much he "lost" from people downloading his own documentary. Yeah. And then he pulls out the totally ridiculous argument that "people just want free stuff." Of course, that's been proven false time and time again... but facts apparently don't matter here. It seems clear he has no understanding of the details -- and really seems to think that every downloaded copy is a lost sale. Thankfully, all three members of his panel push back -- including Matt Lewis who points out how this would chill investment into the internet and could prevent "the two guys in a garage... building the next Facebook." Jennifer Granholm then points out that this is an issue that might need a scalpel, that's being dealt with by an ax. But, that doesn't stop Maher from insisting that it's all about people wanting free stuff. Yeah. Maybe next time, actually learn what you're talking about, Bill.

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Filed Under: bill maher, jon stewart, pipa, protect ip, sopa

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xenomancer (profile), 23 Jan 2012 @ 7:50pm

Three Minutes and Twenty Seven Seconds
Bill Maher, fountain of comedic genius and master of independent insight, can't wrap his head around how people might not like his sojourn through the depths of how highly he thinks of himself? I find it amazing he still has a show, let alone guests willing to step onto the same stage.

Here Bill, new rule for this week: Read about a topic before unleashing uninformed buffoonery. If the world didn't trust that you were that funny (see your show for reference on not funny) and chose not to purchase your finely dulled wit on a shit-shingle or DRM infested digital recording, perhaps you should appreciate that you have some work to do, deeply reflecting on how insulting you are to your audience.

It just boggles my mind that this guy is as entitled, conceited, and selfish as he is, and still manages to wake up all by himself in the morning. What, does he think people are watching his comedy over and over again, laughing themselves to tears, and patting themselves on the back for not paying for his monumental bitch-fest? What a useless tool. I felt sorry for those unfortunate, but informed, guests on his show.

I suppose Bill Maher just expects to get my attention, dollars, and respect for free too. What a freetard!!!

/rant
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:05pm

the totally ridiculous argument that "people just want free stuff." Of course, that's been proven false time and time again.

Newsflash: Mike Masnick declares people don't want free stuff.

The UN and Nobel committee will meet later today to discuss this startling new development on planet Earth.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:07pm

what a douche
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Suja (profile), 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:08pm

Re:
...where have you been all this time?
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Eric (profile), 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:14pm

Bill also supports alternative medicine and is deeply concerned by vaccines (he thinks they're just like antibiotics).

He really is a douche, but he's funny, he's progressive and has great guests on his show. So I'll keep watching him anyway.
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Jake, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:25pm

Isn't Bill Maher the guy who waxes rhetorical about high-fructose corn syrup at the slightest provcocation?
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Suja (profile), 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:27pm

He then goes on to talk about "the moral issue"

see, this is the problem with trying to talk to these people: they always drag it into a moral morass and completely forget about what the actual point of the discussion is

they just can't comprehend how it could possibly have nothing to do with "right&wrong" or "black&white" but looking at what's infront of you, understanding what's making it the way that is and creating a fix based on the evidence presented

but they just get stuck in the moral morass and can't seem to get past it, even when you offer them your hand to pull them out they won't take it they will instead try and drag you in with them

i guess it's just easier to stand in a puddle of FUD than it is to actually think about WHY things are the way they are
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Ed, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:30pm

Not News
If you take a good look at Maher (don't waste your precious time), you'll realize he's the most inaccurate asshole on the air today.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:39pm

Re:
Pretending there is no moral issue in people breaking the law or taking something without permission is just wishful thinking.
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jakerome (profile), 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:39pm

His shtick is he's clueless
"Maybe next time, actually learn what you're talking about, Bill."

That would be a first for Maher!

While Jon "Stewart" is well known for devouring the books of his guests that appear on his program (which distinguishes from real journalists), ignorance & gut has always been at the core of Maher's persona.
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Jay (profile), 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:48pm

Re: Not News
You must not watch Fox News. They have an entire network full of them.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:50pm

Re:
He is a douche and he can be funny.
Unfortunately he thinks he is a lot funnier than he actually is, often laughing more at his own jokes than his entire audience.
His ignorance on SOPA is unforgivable in the job he does and the industry he is in, for him to actually make that worse by choosing to comment in utter ignorance is astounding.
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Yet Another Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:51pm

Re: Re:
Hell yeah.

Jehovah's been causing billions of dollars worth of damages since before recorded history. It's time we put his wild west days to an end.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:53pm

Re: Re:
Nobody is talking about taking anything without permission, were talking about copyright infringement, which is copying something without permission, not taking it.

As far as laws go, they change, copying wasn't always illegal and it won't always be illegal, even if it currently is in some circumstances.
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PCDEC, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:57pm

I always thought he was funny. That doesn't mean I agree with him on everything though.
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Merl, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:58pm

I can't hate on you, Bill.
Still love your show.
And, yes, your concern is genuine.
Ok, you made a documentary and instead of people going to see it, they kept posting and downloading a bootlegged version of it, probably shot with a wobbly camcorder, bad sound and picture quality and all.
But your misunderstanding is in expecting that all those people who downloaded the film would have gone to see it in a theatre.
Not so, Bill.
Just think if the studio had considered simultaneous release of the film in theaters AND for download� I mean a really nice download version with lots of outtakes and extras, etc. Of course that one would have been up somewhere for download an hour after it went up, but you know downloaders gonna download.
The rest of the public who don�t know where such sites are and can�t be bothered to go looking for them AND who wouldn�t think to go see your film in a theater, but who have heard of it and just might give it a try on iTunes or Amazon� those are your lost sales, Bill!
I live in Tokyo where as far as I know, your film is STILL not available in any form, not for rental, not in theatres, not anywhere. And since people who download in Japan can lose internet access, I can�t be bothered to deal with it. That means I still haven�t seen any version of your film.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:58pm

The petition to investigate Chris Dodd has already reached the number of necessary signatures.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 8:59pm

Not being a douche is the best anti-piracy measure.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:01pm

Re: Re:
People tend to follow their own moral compass, rather than what the law tells them is moral. It's been this way forever. If that many people don't find copyright infringement immoral, maybe the law should be reviewed?
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MrWilson, 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:01pm

Re: Re:
Pretending there is no moral issue with people "legally" bribing elected officials and undermining the political systems of nations around the world all for the sake of protecting obsolete profit avenues while "legally" using monopolies and contractual legalese to connive artists into giving up their copyrights and then using every opportunity to screw said artists out of their royalty payments and using every opportunity to price fix and create artificial scarcities in order to abuse customers and the market while also paying shills to come to this forum and troll and wax poetic about the supposed moral issue of copying as if its the biggest moral issue plaguing the entertainment industry is just wishful thinking.
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Liz (profile), 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:03pm

Bill Maher has a movie? Where can I download it?
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Jason, 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:06pm

His turn is complete
Bill Maher used to be a great libertarian.

Now his turn to the dark side is complete.

He has become the perfect Hollywood douchebag liberal progressive....
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Loki, 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:14pm

Re:
people just want free stuff

Time for another round of reading comprehension 101.

See the word just in that sentence? It means the sentence does not say people don't want free stuff. Everybody (everybody) wants free stuff. IT means that people ONLY want free stuff, and that argument is indeed ridiculous. People pay for stuff all the time, and willingly pay for the value they feel they get.

I love free stuff that I like. I have also declined free stuff that I dislike. I have declined free furniture countless times for a variety of reasons. I've also donated to people/things/causes for stuff I've gotten for free, because those things had enough value for me to do so, even when I didn't have to. But, but, it was free!!!

I pay for my apartment, because it meets or exceeds the value I pay for it instead of living in a van at a campground (which I did briefly choose to do once many many moons ago).

I like it warm, and gladly pay the added cost of gas in the winter instead of bundling up in four layers of clothing.

People pay for what they value. If they aren't paying, then they don't place any value in what they are receiving.
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Kevin H (profile), 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:24pm

Re:
You read that about as well as a Foxnews news analyst.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:28pm

Really Sad
Thats too bad about his documentary getting downloaded all those times. I guess he didn't want that many people to see it. He might have actually lost a little revenue too, and he's so poor, you can tell he's really struggling to get by...
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:29pm

I saw that movie. Making fun of simple people is no intellectual challenge and it isn't funny. He just came across as a real dick in it.
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Spaceman Spiff (profile), 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:31pm

Department of Sarcasm Department
I don't suppose Maher was serious about this, do you? :rolleyes: It wouldn't be the first (or last) time he went over the top to make a point.
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r, 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:47pm

The man is a complete stoner. Why does anybody care what he thinks?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:50pm

Re: Re:

I pay for my apartment, because it meets or exceeds the value I pay for it instead of living in a van at a campground (which I did briefly choose to do once many many moons ago).

I wish mine met or exceeded the value that I pay for it. I pay way more for this crappy place than I should be. Do you have a book or something that I can read so I know how to get an apartment that I want?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 9:53pm

Re:
Newsflash: TAM cannot read.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:03pm

The industry wants to make mobile operators snoop on their customers now.

They also want, graduate response, censor powers and the ability to force just about anyone to police their stuff.

IFPI PDF: Digital Music Report 2012

All of this despite seeing growth of 8% and filesharing declines.

How they justify this?
We need it that is all.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:13pm

The industry wants to make mobile operators snoop on their customers now.

They also want, graduate response, censor powers and the ability to force just about anyone to police their stuff.

All of this despite seeing growth of 8% and filesharing declines.

How they justify this?
We need it that is all.

It is all in the IFPI Digital Music Report 2012.
Guess they didn't care about the SOPA backlash, now is time for Europe to stage their own and defend their land from the crooks of the MAFIAA
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:26pm

Re: Re:
The only people I see breaking the law are entertainment companies wrapping up censorship bills in lies about how it is wrong to share something with others.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:27pm

Re:
What people want most is freedom, not be forced to comply with ridiculous laws that are now obsolete and serve no purpose in modern society.
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Jesse (profile), 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:31pm

I only know who Bill Maher is because of the free videos I have watched on Youtube. Sit down Bill. The 'piracy' is saving you, not killing you.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:31pm

Re: Re: Re:
Surround yourself with good people and your apartment will not be a problem anymore.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:34pm

Re:
don't bother. waste of bandwidth.
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Jesse (profile), 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:35pm

Re: Re:
Breaking the law isn't amoral simply for the sake of it. Laws come from morality, not the other way around. It was once illegal to free slaves. That was stealing. Pretty sure the slave stealers didn't ask permission either.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:36pm

Re: Re: Re:
Nobody can make the world look better if you can't think it for yourself, let alone find something that only you could find and that is happiness in the place you live, you don't know how to be happy about there you probably wouldn't be happy anywhere since you what you lack is the capacity to see the good on the things you have.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:36pm

Re:
Well ... if it weren't for Youtube you might be persuaded to watch more mainstream nonsense and hence you would be more likely to know about him from watching television. So competition is killing him, not piracy.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:39pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Edited:
Nobody can make the world look better, if you can't imagine it for yourself, let alone find something that only you could find and that is happiness in the place you live. You don't know how to be happy about the place you live in and probably wouldn't be happy anywhere, since what you lack is the capacity to see the good on the things you have.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 10:59pm

Every video on Youtube now must come with a disclaimer :)

Quote:
NOTICE: Fair Use Copyright Law
This video may contain copyrighted material, the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, scientific, and social justice issues etc. We know that our use of any such copyrighted material constitutes a 'fair use' as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this video is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

Source: Youtube; Bill Maher gets OWNED by Guests for Supporting SOPA by vic3003 on Jan 21, 2012.

That is the world where copyright exists, a world where nothing can be shared, people can't be trusted, everyone is a thief and must be treated like one and nobody else has rights except the right to exclude others from anything that they can lay ownership claims onto it.

Those monopolies are hurting humanity already, it is time to end them and make those people defending those things pay dearly.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:02pm

IP law shouldn't be to prevent people from 'getting stuff for free', it should be to promote the progress of the sciences and useful arts and to serve a public good. No one is entitled to a free government established monopoly. That this person is perverting the founding fathers intent of IP is more reason to abolish it.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:07pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
There's a difference between being content and being inert.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:20pm

Re: Re:
I guess you are all for forcibly deporting every illegal alien in the country just like Bill Maher.

No, wait, Bill Maher is against enforcing those laws. I wonder what other laws he doesn't believe in enforcing?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:20pm

Bill Maher will drown.
President Obama is trying to weasel out his way of this hot topic by making the tech industry responsible for dealing with his "piracy problem" which is to say that he don't want to anger either side and will not fight for anything except his political survival.
http://radar.oreilly.com/2012/01/the-presidents-challenge.html

Now here is the thing, people may start to petition the government to end copyright more in the future.

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/stop-futile-efforts-combat-online-piracy -and-reform-copyright-law-be-compatible-21st-century/dJ7px26v
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:23pm

Re:
So he played himself?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:24pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
And that is...?
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Christopher, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:28pm

"When I was going through this [..]"
He just lost a fan.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:29pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Yep being inert is to complain about it and do nothing, being content is make the best out of the things you have and try to improve never forgetting to be grateful for what we have and not what we would like to have.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:38pm

Re: Bill Maher will drown.
The tech industry should propose compulsory licensing for copyright works.

One cause of piracy abroad is because it is hard to get a license for anything, it is to expensive, the monopoly power blackballed someone and don't want to do business with everyone just the chosen few.

Well it is time to go compulsory and make those works available to anyone at reasonable prices so anyone anywhere in the world can license any content and stream it to whomever they want too.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:45pm

Re: Re: Bill Maher will drown.
I agree!!
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Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:58pm

This Just In!
Passive-aggressive responses COMPLETELY DEMOLISH all possible forms of reasoned argument!

Wow your friends! Make so-called �smart� people look like fools! Instantly win over members of the opposite/approriate sex the moment you meet them!

But act quickly! Because once the secret gets out, EVERYBODY will be doing it, and you won�t be able to stand out from the other douchebags! So get in on the ground floor NOW!!!
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 12:16am

Re: Three Minutes and Twenty Seven Seconds
I don't disagree with anything you said. I just wanted to add that while he is as you described, he at least has really well spoken guests who get airtime to counter his tripe. Which sorta redeems the whole thing since most media didn't even bother to pretend Sopa/Pipa existed and was awesome, which they would have, had they realized their bribery hadn't been quite enough this time.
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PaulT (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 12:21am

Re:
Really? That's what you got out of that? I know thinking is hard for you people, but is English your 3rd language? I'd take a few courses so that you can understand the actual words being written before you try responding, it will be better for all of us.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 12:33am

His documentary was shit.

I didn't have to do any downloading to figure that out.
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Cixelsid (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 1:11am

Well...
I'm not downloading his show anymore!
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BeeAitch (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 1:21am

Re:
Newsflash: Mike Masnick declares people don't want free stuff.

Would you please repeat that?

I didn't understand you with that **AA cock in your mouth.
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BeeAitch (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 1:27am

Re: Re:
You can take your 'morals' and stick them up your ass.

The harder you try to legislate your own 'morals' on the rest of us, the harder you will fall.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 1:43am

'People just want free stuff' Yeah, right, if they we, the industry would already be bankrupt. As instantly obvious to everyone who understands the internet, the only thing that really changed through piracy is how much media we consume, not how much money we spend. (Swiss study)

In the past there was no sharing of music/shows so we only knew about 5% of the stuff that is out there which we could like. These 5% were usually affordable (come on, nearly everybody has the money to buy the eps of one show) so we went and got it 'legally'.
Then the internet came and we can be fans of 5 shows and 10 bands at the same time -but does that mean we automatically have the cash to spend 20$ a week just for new episodes/songs? Definitely not.

It's either that we [the people] get what we can't afford for free or we don't get it at all. Which is why SOPA etc might actually lower the sales imo: Who would risk being cut off from the net just to show their online friends a cool new show?
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 1:49am

Re:
"Here is something you wish to consume. It costs a dollar. You can pay the dollar, or you can just take it without paying. No one will ever know and you will never be punished."

This currently is what happens every minute of every day.

Please stop lying about not just what we all know is reality, but what most of you admittedly proudly engage in.

It's creepy and disturbing.
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The eejit (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 2:00am

Re:
IT is already beankrupt. Except fgor the lawyers, of course.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 2:13am

Re: Three Minutes and Twenty Seven Seconds
So Bill, how's the sales on that documentary now?
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Beech, 24 Jan 2012 @ 2:17am

Re: Re:
"Here is something you wish to consume. It costs a dollar. You can pay the dollar, or you can just take it without paying. No one will ever know and you will never be punished."

This currently is what happens every minute of every day.

Currently happening every minute of every day and Hollywood companies are still making RECORD PROFITS. But in fairness, when you pay you dont get the same product. You get a region-locked, ads-before-the-movie, DRM'd bullshit, and it costs a hell of a lot more than a dollar...unless it isnt released in your region (and who knows if it ever will be) in which case you can't even buy it. Yet for some reason people are choosing to pay for it in RECORD NUMBERS, leading to RECORD PROFITS.

See that? Every minute of every day people are throwing money at hollywood for worse content than they could get for free. So where's the piracy problem again?
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Rikuo (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 2:19am

Re: Re:
Hell yeah. I agree with you there man. The DMCA took away my ability to copy the DVDs I bought, all without my permission. It also broke the natural laws of the universe, the laws of physics, in that it tries to make digital content, uncopyable (heres a hint, you can't do that, the very essence of what a computer is, is a copy machine. To tell a computer not to copy is to tell it not to be a computer).
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Beech, 24 Jan 2012 @ 2:19am

People Only Want Free Stuff
so..... "give the people what they want?"
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Rikuo (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 2:24am

Re:
MPAA Troll says:
Where are you getting that "promote the progress" crap from? *is handed a copy of the Constitution*
Oh.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 2:32am

Re: Re: Re:
Douchey girly-men that think eye-rolling semantics can make them look superior need to all die in a fire.
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Josef Anvil (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 2:35am

Re: Re: YES WE WANT FREE CONTENT, YOU MORON!!!
"Here is something you wish to consume. It costs a dollar. You can pay the dollar, or you can just take it without paying. No one will ever know and you will never be punished."

"This currently is what happens every minute of every day."

"Please stop lying about not just what we all know is reality, but what most of you admittedly proudly engage in."

COMPLETELY DISINGENUOUS ARGUMENT

We have been consuming free content for years. Ever heard of TV and Radio? Sure the ads pay for that content so its not really free, but the end user sees it as FREE. It's the same business model that you hear on TechDirt every day. Give the content away for free and find a way to charge someone for that. That's the broadcast business model. The internet is NOT a broadcast medium but basic forumla for revenue generation is the same. Give the content away for free and then find a way to charge someone for that. The case against MegaUpload claims that they were raking in millions. Members of the MPAA and RIAA and NAB all have the resources to create a service similar to MegaUpload but they simply refuse to adapt to the digital world.

YES WE WANT FREE CONTENT!!! Yes we use HULU and Spotify and VEVO on YouTube. Yes we download and stream what we can't find on legal free services. So pull your heads out of your asses and make it available to us for free and charge for ads like you always have and you won't have to worry about piracy.
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tsavory (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 3:05am

Sorry
Hell I did not even know he had a documentary.
So
1. Not knowing about it I would never buy it.
2. I hate the dip shit so I would never buy it anyways.
But
I think I will have to download it delete it and download it again just so I can take twice the money out of his pocket.
Wait remind me again what money would he have gotten from me?
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inconsistency (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 3:09am

It's all well and good to claim the (intellectual [moral]) high ground in these arguments, and be utterly sincere in declaring victory. But why, then, is the victory not celebrated by everyone?

Because, victory is in the eye of the beholder.

What this means is that many a 'victory ' is phyric - the battle isn't winning the battle, the battle is fighting the battle without seeming lke the high school loser, whatever else may happen.
-
Hence the pride of not being a 'nerd' - no matter the consequence.
-
Ignorance is still 'cooler' than wisdom - despite wisdom being a loftier goal in the eyes of the wise
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Anon, 24 Jan 2012 @ 3:20am

Re: His turn is complete
Jason, there's nothing liberal progressive about his stance on this. This is plain old authoritarian conservative thinking that, apart from general greed, insanity and bat shit craziness, rules the Republican party.
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Anon, 24 Jan 2012 @ 3:23am

Re: Department of Sarcasm Department
When he does that, he shows it. This time he didn't.
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Anon, 24 Jan 2012 @ 3:30am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
So do the douchey girly-men who don't seem to get that semantic differences exist for a reason.
(=Please just go drink your beer and play with your tractor. One of the prerequisites for participating in an intelligent discussion is having intellect.)
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DS, 24 Jan 2012 @ 3:40am

Re: Re:
Which, apparently, is just slightly above how well Bill Maher reads things.
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Richard (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 3:53am

Re: Re:
Pretending there is no moral issue in people breaking the law or taking something without permission is just wishful thinking.

Sorry - wrong moral issue. If you want to raise morality you'd better clear the log out of your own eye first.

Pretending there is no moral issue is bribing the legislature to create a law that gives you an morally unjustifiable monopoly and then persecuting anyone who has the temerity to oppose you is just wishful thinking.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 4:02am

People just want free stuff
�people just want free stuff�

Hollywood wants a government-enforced copyright monopoly�but Hollywood won't let works fall into the public domain. Hollywood just wants a free monopoly without paying for it.

When no new works enter the public domain, there is no payment for the copyright monopoly.

Repeal the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act.
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Berenerd (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 4:20am

Re: Re: Re:
Thank you Lewis Black :P
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Berenerd (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 4:24am

Re:
Whitehouse.gov has a section for you to ask the president questions for his youtube after the state of the union address Q&A period. I asked him about this and I urge others to do it as well.
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The Groove Tiger (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 4:26am

Maher just finished losing any respect I had for the guy.

I liked Religulous. And some of his show had some decent insight. But then he started with his stupidity directed towards vaccines... and now this?
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 4:36am

He called it "caucasian looting." WTF.
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Marcel de Jong (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 5:14am

Re: Re:
That's in the same category as "Water is wet".
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btrussell (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 5:18am

Re: Re:
If most people want it for free, and most people are pirates, you are on the wrong side of the moral issue.
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Marcel de Jong (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 5:44am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Please don't insult the farmers, they provide you the corn and stuff, and they are smarter than the hollywood douchebags and **AA cocksuckers.
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Marcel de Jong (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 5:48am

Re: His shtick is he's clueless
To be fair to Jon Stewart, he has people reading most of the books for him. But his team does put in a lot of effort to investigate what they are saying. I wish more news outlets would put in that much due diligence.
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Nastybutler77 (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 6:10am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Obvious troll is obvious.
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Colin, 24 Jan 2012 @ 6:14am

Re:
And my favorite part was right after that.

Roemer: 80% of piracy takes place in China.
Maher: But we're not Chinese.

Whooooosh....
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Nastybutler77 (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 6:18am

Re: Re: His turn is complete
Really? You're going to try and do the partisan thing? Because last I looked, there were just as many, if not more, Democrats supporting SOPA/PIPA as Republicans. So how about you STFU?
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Nastybutler77 (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 6:31am

Maher is one of the most arrogant, pompus, self satisfied, blowhards in the media. He's a self proclaimed libertarian, but he might as well call himself a beauty queen for all the similarities they share.

Every time I've tried to watch his soapbox, er, show I get so mad I have to change the channel a few minutes in. His BS/min is right up there with O'Reilly and Olberman.

And don't get me started on his "documentary." So if I were to go around and interview morons who happen to believe in evolution and ask them to explain it in detail, and then proceed to mock them when their explanation fails to make sense, would that make me a comedian on par with Maher?
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The Groove Tiger (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 6:32am

Re:
Unlike REAL looting, which is done by...? Right, minorities.

Way to do Bill. What an asshat douchenozzle.

Guest: This is people around the country saying...
Billl: (interrupting) WE LIEK STEAL LOL
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Pete Austin, 24 Jan 2012 @ 6:34am

Maybe Bill Maher thought it was about these people
SCOTTISH ORGANIC PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION
http://www.sopa.org.uk/

Just because the US Congress steals the trademark of some good Scottish Folks, please don't assume that everyone else is a thief too.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 6:49am

Re: Three Minutes and Twenty Seven Seconds
Read about a topic before unleashing uninformed buffoonery.

But that whole 'facts' and 'reading' stuff is sooooo 20th century...
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 6:51am

Re:
Mr Maher, nice of you to stop by! *slow clap*
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Coughing Monkey (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 6:52am

Bill Maher
Bill Maher the once very remarkable comedian has long become known as the 'ambulance chaser' of talk show hosts.
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Alex Rodriguez, 24 Jan 2012 @ 7:00am

Nothing New
Just like his support for Obama in 2008!
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JEDIDIAH, 24 Jan 2012 @ 7:13am

The pay per view mentality...
> "Here is something you wish to consume. It costs
> a dollar. You can pay the dollar, or you can just
> take it without paying. No one will ever know and
> you will never be punished."
>
> This currently is what happens every minute of every day.

Time to turn off the radio I guess...
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JEDIDIAH, 24 Jan 2012 @ 7:15am

Tort reform for the rich, Crime and punishment for the poor.
> Pretending there is no moral issue in people
> breaking the law or taking something without
> permission is just wishful thinking.

That's no less "wishful" than trying to ignore individual liberties.

The desires of Media Moguls aren't the only issues here.
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JEDIDIAH, 24 Jan 2012 @ 7:18am

Re: Re: Re: His turn is complete
Republicans are the party of corporate welfare. They always have been. That's kind of why they were founded to begin with.

All of this nonsense about social conservatism (or freeing slaves) is just a means to win votes and gain power.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 7:53am

Re: Re:
People pay for what they value. If they aren't paying, then they don't place any value in what they are receiving.

So you are saying that if identical items were sitting together side by side and one cost $2.99 and the other was free that people would pay $2.99 if they felt it was worth it?

Do me a favor. Set up an unattended fruit & vegetable stand in front of your house. Go buy a big bag of apples and split them into two boxes. Label one "Free apples" and the other "Apples $.25 each". Then let me know what happens.
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A Monkey with Atitude, 24 Jan 2012 @ 7:55am

Re: Re: Not News
And CBS,NBC,ABC,CNN,MSNBC...
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 7:56am

Re: Re:
"Newsflash: Mike Masnick declares people don't want free stuff."

Would you please repeat that?

I didn't understand you with that **AA cock in your mouth.

Funny. I thought it was still up Kim Dotcom's ass.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 7:58am

What's missing (as usual) is any mention of copy protection lengths and all of the other many many problems with our current IP laws. What's missing is any IP criticisms and anything questioning the assumption that IP is somehow a good thing. IP extremists accuse us of conspiracy but if this isn't an example of big media conspiracy then I don't know what is.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:04am

Re: Re: Re:
Pervert peeping tom.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:06am

Re:
What percentage of movies/songs/tv shows that are illegally downloaded are, say, 25 years old? I'd bet tiny.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:11am

Re: Re: Re:
Funny you say that because there was this one experience where a grocery store made a pay as you like and left the store open to everybody, surprisingly they made the same amount of money they always did but didn't have extra costs trying to watch people.

If that is not enough how about you do like Red Hat that gives their product for free, or Arduino or any of the thousands of open source projects.

Jamendo from what I hear is doing pretty well too and they don't bother going after pirates in fact they like pirates.

Oh you don't know how to make money in this new brave world?
That is nobody's fault but your own, learn to live with it or sod off, because piracy is not going away and you know it.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:12am

Re: Re:
[citation needed]
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:12am

Re: Re: Re:
Another thing, do not in any circumstances threaten my democracy or you will find yourself alone in your silly world.
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Almost Anonymous (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:13am

Re:
Dude, Bill Maher needs to read your post NOW!
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Almost Anonymous (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:18am

Re: Sorry
Won't work, if you delete it the money goes back into his pocket.

amidoinitrite?
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:19am

Re: Re:
Even if true, this doesn't take away from the problems with IP and the big media conspiracy to not cover these important issues.
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demented, 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:32am

Re: Re: Re: Re: His turn is complete
And yet Democrats often get support from the MAFIAA....

How about we just accept that BOTH parties are scum who want to control us?
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Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:43am

Re:
I thought documentaries were made to first inform others as a primary goal...making huge profits should be ancillary and not typical for most documentaries.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:46am

Re: Re:
I second that...i couldn't even get half way through it. Its terrible and amazingly unfunny for a topic with so much potential.
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mg, 24 Jan 2012 @ 8:57am

Maher and Stewart are proud card carrying members of liberal progressivism. I don't see why that is in doubt in the story. SMH.
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Nastybutler77 (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 9:00am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: His turn is complete
Exactly. Two corrupt sides of the same coin.
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PaulT (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 9:08am

Re: Re:
In some cases maybe, but Maher seems to have the opposite opinion.

Either way, Merl makes one of the most common points raised - the movie in question is not legally available for many people. Some people didn't even know of its existence before reading this very article. People who are interested cannot pay money to Maher for it, they have to go the illegal route he's railing against.

If he's truly concerned about maximising profit for his film, perhaps his efforts would be better spent encouraging its advertising and distribution rather than defending legislation he hasn't read. As ever, he'd have much more sympathy if the business and marketing methods had been exhausted before buying new legislation. In many areas, the alternatives have not been touched upon.
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PaulT (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 9:09am

Re:
(citation needed)
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Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 9:15am

Re: Re: Re: Re: His turn is complete
They all have corporate masters. Which corporations do you want to support is the choice btw Dem/Rep?
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I-Blz, 24 Jan 2012 @ 9:24am

Re: Re: Re:
I listen to many indie musicians who sell entire albums on a P-W-Y-W basis, starting at 2 USD. That's 2 dollars for around 12 songs. I could gip them every time I bbought an album, but Ive never even considered paying under 10 dollars. I know it's not "pay what you want, or its free" but it's close enough.
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Kevin H (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 9:28am

Re: Re: Re:
I thought it was rather clear that Bill Maher doesn't read. He has an intern draw him pictures on all of those note cards.
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Peter Nelson, 24 Jan 2012 @ 9:28am

I agree with you Mike... but...
You talk in many posts about 'facts not mattering to people'... but I'd push you to be able to see, in your own arguments and presentation - how you're doing to same thing Mike. Because it's damaging your ability to present your message (a message I agree with). The fact is, that many intelligent people are going to believe that people like you (and me) just want stuff for free. That a study or 7 has debunked that isn't going to change things in their minds. To be effective - your focus needs to be on educating people like Mahr on those studies - showing viable alternatives... not just lumping them with the 'people who won't see crowd'. Because you get sidelined as a crackpot otherwise. As a one drum band playing the same song over and over again. Wrong though they may be - there are millions upon millions of people who are like Bill... and if the few people with a platform to really take them under their wing and educate them, don't... those millions will eventually pass a SOPA, or something much much worse.
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SAWK, 24 Jan 2012 @ 10:09am

Re: Re: Re:
That is one long sentence and I like it.
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Michael (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 10:17am

It's funny how, later in the same episode, Maher does a segment about "people living in bubbles."

I'd like to tell Maher how his movie was one of very few that I went out and paid to see. If I hadn't seen his show online, I never would have known he exists. HBO? Please.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 10:55am

Re: Re: Re:
"People who are interested cannot pay money to Maher for it, they have to go the illegal route he's railing against."

Something in this comment is not right. I believe the movie can be seen in any number of legitimate locations (Netflix, for example). It is likewise available for purchase if one is so inclined to get it and watch. If one goes the "illegal route", it does seem more likely than not that they simply want a copy to watch without having to pay anything.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 11:34am

Maher asked a perfectly legitimate question. It seems his use of the term "moral" upsets some people.

As much as people want to pillory Maher, I am much more troubled by the rejoinder made by the person sitting on the left of the panel. Clearly he had never read the bill, something that at least Maher acknowledged up front.
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khory (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 11:38am

Re: Re: Re:
Actually, there is an apple orchard near me that does pretty much that. It is a small shack with a few crates of apples and gallons of apple cider. There is a sign that says "Honor System: pay what you want." There is a little collection box next to it.

They have been doing it that way for years so it must be working. I always stop by because they have the best apple cider ever! I always seem to leave $10-$15 behind depending on what I get.
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tsavory (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 11:49am

Re: Re: Sorry
Damn was worth a try. but I would not waste the HDD space on that crap.
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btrussell (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 12:21pm

Re:
Mike Masnick declares people don't JUST want free stuff.

You have a reading comprehension problem.

Or you are a FUDpacker!
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btrussell (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 12:27pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
"If one goes the "illegal route", it does seem more likely than not that they simply want a copy to watch without having to pay anything."

Maybe. Or maybe they wish to evaluate it first. Not all movies cost the same to make, but they all cost the same to buy. Why is that?
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PaulT (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 1:11pm

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Try reading the entire conversation and do keep up...

'I believe the movie can be seen in any number of legitimate locations (Netflix, for example)"

In the US perhaps. But, that's not the point of my comment. I was indirectly commenting on a post stating that the film cannot be seen legally online in Japan. I'm in Spain, who the MPAA have been directly attacking for not bowing to its needs. Neither of these countries have Netflix, and certainly no similar service exists in Spain. SOPA was specifically promoted as stopping "foreign rogue sites" from servicing the people left out of this equation. In other words, sites set up to service the refusal of legal services in some countries are being directly opposed by SOPA - despite there being an obvious market problem (offer the services legally, durrrrr...).

No, the sites in question are not simply offering things for free, they're servicing the people the industry refuses to service. That these services don't happen to block the lucky minority in the US who happen to have the most legal access to content does not mean that there's not a business model issue to be addressed. In fact, it identifies it readily for those not too stupid or greedy to notice.
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PaulT (profile), 24 Jan 2012 @ 1:14pm

Re:
"Clearly he had never read the bill"

Anything in particular that makes you think that, or is this yet another case of "someone had a different opinion so AC thinks they must not have read it"?
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 6:50pm

Re: Moral issue
I hate to think about all those thieves running around quoting Shakespeare without paying royalties to his heirs, or rather, to the heirs of Shakespeare's publishing company.

It's a damm CRIME!
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 10:19pm

Isn't it time, given the maturing capabilities and economics of computer technology, to seriously (re)consider Ted Nelson's original hypertext, transliterature and transcopyright ideas?
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Jan 2012 @ 10:28pm

Religulous is overpriced at free.
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Joe, 24 Jan 2012 @ 10:45pm

Eh...
...most of the time Bill Maher doesn't know what he's talking about.
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Antipas, 25 Jan 2012 @ 12:40am

B&W
I easily have 500 DVDs...and somewhere around 300 CDs...

I still buy vinyl at it's recently inflated nostalgia prices if I feel it's worth it. (Moby/Tragically Hip/Portishead/Radiohead/Nine Inch Nails in last couple of months).

Unfortunately, $20 for a movie or CD that's been out for more than a few years is BS. $35+ for a Blu-Ray? Does it come with lube to prevent chafing?

Taking away my right to make an informed decision is where they've really gone wrong...You took the plastic off the CD/DVD/Blu-Ray/Software? Sorry you think it sucked...but you can't return it because opening the product made you guilty of infringement...It has nothing to do with the fact that most albums out today have 1 or 2 good songs (one of the top reasons iTunes and related services are kicking ass), or that movies are all reboots or "NOW IN 3D" with inflated ticket prices.

Let's not get into how badly they rip off their own clients, their shady scaremongering tactics, or that it is more jailtime to download (upload rather) a MJ song than to kill him...

MPAA/RIAA no longer promote artists like they used to unless it fits their formula for selling sex to teenyboppers, or the recent news about George Lucas being turned down for the all black cast...and who's fucking idea was The Black Eyed Peas? You've got to be fucking kidding me. Fireworks coming out of Lady Gaga's tits? Is there a point I'm missing?

They are hypocrites with every breath they take and are more regularly being exposed for the scum they are.

I'm not in it for free stuff...I gladly pay for what I like. I own Religulous and paid almost $30 for it because it was considered "special interest".

However, I have made a conscious decision not to throw money blindly at corporations who have only money/profits/extortion/ignorance as their priorities.

MPAA/RIAA...Adapt or fuck off.
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Michael (profile), 25 Jan 2012 @ 2:58pm

Re:
Same here! Too bad he goes on and on later about other people "living in bubbles." I think Falkvinge made a decent attempt to describe Maher's bubble.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jan 2012 @ 9:31am

Re: Not News
You forgot about Bill O'Reilly.
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Brian, 2 Apr 2012 @ 8:39pm

His documentary "religious" is on Netflix. I tried to watch it and couldn't get past 5 minutes in. I'm an atheist but the man just stroked his big ego boner while condescending every single person he met.
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