Author Strips Naked To Protest Book Piracy; Probably Works As Well As Anything Else

from the that-is-to-say,-it-won't-work dept

Mon, Jul 23rd 2012 8:10am — Mike Masnick

Not quite sure what to make of this, but ZDNet has the story of Brazilian author Vanessa de Oliveira stripping naked in public to protest infringing copies of her books, both printed and digital, in Peru. She wrote "NO TO PIRACY" (or, rather, "NO A LA PIRATERIA") in red ink on her front and back, and disrobed in a public place (in front of the Governmental Palace in Lima, Peru) with lots of cameras and press around. Obviously, there is video, though, of course it is certainly NSFW (depending on your place of work): The ZDNet piece provides some rough translations of what de Oliveira had to say on the matter, including claims that there is no book piracy in Brazil (totally not true) and that infringement of books "endangers culture" (also empirically not true).

If it's not obvious, this is clearly a publicity stunt around her book, which according to TorrentFreak's article is "based on her experiences bedding nearly 5,000 men." Uh, yeah.

But the thing that struck me about all of this is that this sort of thing probably works about as well as any other "anti-piracy" technique. Well, if anything, it might do more to increase both piracy and sales of her book, as it may increase interest in the book. But I fail to see how it does anything whatsoever to decrease piracy.

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Filed Under: books, brazil, peru, piracy, publicity stunt, stripping, vanessa de oliveira

76 Comments

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weneedhelp (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:14am

Ewww
My eyes, they burn.
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- Ninja (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:19am
  
  Re: Ewww
  Cannot... Unsee...
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- Oblate (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 10:16am
  
  Re: Ewww
  Try the low-res (240p) version of the video- some things look better pixelated. This one makes me think that we need to have an option to watch at even lower resolutions. This video might have to be downgraded to animated ascii art to be watchable without undue ocular pain.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Tunnen (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 10:34am
  
  Re: Ewww
  Hmm, I guess this is the first occurrence where I might be glad my corporate web-filter has blocked access to a video clip... =P
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  - Cory of PC (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 12:33pm
    
    Re: Re: Ewww
    Same here. Thank god for that...
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Dark Helmet (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:15am

Blech....
"If it's not obvious, this is clearly a publicity stunt around her book, which according to TorrentFreak's article is "based on her experiences bedding nearly 5,000 men.""

Proving yet again that there are enough men out there that will dive into anything that the earth will never be unpopulated....
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- weneedhelp (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:05am
  
  Re: Blech....
  Proving yet again that there are enough men - and enough alcohol.
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- Travis Penner, 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:45am
  
  Re: Blech....
  Indeed. 5,000 men... why not just stick your dick in a urinal and swish it around a little? Ew. ew. ew.
  
  Oh - and I AM a writer, and if my book gets pirated I'll be cheering!
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  - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 10:18am
    
    Re: Re: Blech....
    That's just insulting!
    
    A urinal is much safer and much less of a slut.
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Bas Grasmayer (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:21am

Take that, pirates, in yo' face!
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That Anonymous Coward (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:23am

So she bedded nearly 5,000 men to make sure her back was flat enough for the message to be clearly read?

Its monday, I've been good, I'm allowed some snark.

Or the sales of her book are so dismal she blames her failure on "piracy" and gets naked to promote her book and get more press coverage which will boost book sales....

Profiting from sex... wouldn't that make her a.... nevermind...
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- Ninja (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:28am
  
  Re:
  Profiting from sex... wouldn't that make her a.... nevermind...
  
  Not really unless she charged any of these 5000 men. She's (trying) to profit from a book.
  
  But if you check the first post it describes my reaction to the.. Image..
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  - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:19am
    
    Re: Re:
    She bedded 5000 men as a scort girl.
    She was a prostitute and apparently a well paid one that people paid to pee on her according to her interview or was the other way around I can't remember.
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- Leigh Beadon (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 10:33am
  
  Re:
  Profiting from sex... wouldn't that make her a.... nevermind...
  
  It's okay, you can say it: ...advertiser!
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  - That Anonymous Coward (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 10:54am
    
    Re: Re:
    that makes no sense without a strap-on being involved.
    ohhhhhhh...
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silverscarcat (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:24am

So, what is the naked lady's book about?

And is it in English?
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- Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:20am
  
  Re:
  Tips for women and an inside view on the life of a Brazilian scort girl.
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Michael Becker (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:26am

I think this stops piracy in the same way naked girls stop people from eating meat.
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- silverscarcat (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:37am
  
  Re:
  I think it stops people from eating meat a little better than it stops piracy...
  
  We have to stop eating to stare after all.
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- Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:45am
  
  Re:
  ".. the same way naked girls stop people from eating meat."
  
  But ...
  
  No, I won't rise to that.
  
  Aaargh.
  
  F*&%
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Cory of PC (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:28am

So, with the news about people stripping in protest, what would the next story be about?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:37am

" that infringement of books "endangers culture" (also empirically not true). "

Do tell! What study proves this beyond doubt?
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- Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:46am
  
  Re:
  What study proves the dissemination of culture does not endanger culture?
  
  Hmmmmmm.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:15am
    
    Re: Re:
    I am not claiming one. However, one always wonders if piracy has the effect of making professional authors (those who would write full time) into part time writers as they have to take on other jobs to pay their bills.
    
    Opportunity cost is always a real issue, one Mike seldom seems interested in looking at.
    
    The claim is that there is empirical data. I want to see the report.
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    - Ninja (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:36am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      There's an awesomely healthy pre-copyright period people interestingly call Public Domain that seems to be enough evidence...
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    - JEDIDIAH, 23 Jul 2012 @ 10:04am
      
      Chicken Little is a Stephen King wannabe
      Having actually heard from actual writers in these matters, I am unconvinced that piracy is any more of a challenge to authors than any thing else that they may have to deal with. This includes rejection letters and being forced to do their own marketing.
      
      Obscurity seems to be much more of a problem here than moochers.
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      - Machin Shin (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 1:42pm
        
        Re: Chicken Little is a Stephen King wannabe
        Well, I can tell you that my sister who is an author was actually very excited when she found one of her books in a torrent. That was even when it was just part of a bundle of other books.
        
        The fact that your being pirated is a measure of your success in a way. If no one is pirating your stuff it means you totally suck.
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        Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 3:11pm
        
        Re: Re: Chicken Little is a Stephen King wannabe
        Pics of your sister topless or it didn't happen. The nipples tell all!
        
        On second tought she might look like the woman in the article. Forget I asked.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:13am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      https://www.redhat.com/
      
      There a billion dollar company that is based on piracy of its own published works :)
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      - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 4:09pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Off-topic, but here's a video from 1994 in which Bob Young talks about the Linux market (before joining Red Hat): http://blip.tv/file/get/2600magazine-Linux972.mp4 (corresponding web page)
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- Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:31am
  
  Re:
  "Do tell! What study proves this beyond doubt?"
  
  I don't have a study, but judging by recent history (say, the past century), piracy seems to have had a negligible negative impact on cultural output (if any at all).
  
  If anything, authors seem to harm themselves more when they try to fight piracy by, for example, implementing ever more restrictive DRM measures.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 10:36am
    
    Re: Re:
    "I don't have a study"
    
    Mike would be all over my ass calling me names if I posted up something like that. Either bring a study or agree with me that the statement is crap.
    
    You might FEEL it is right, but empirical proof? Come on... that would get a loud laugh if posted by "the other side"
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    - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:15am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      You picked the least interesting bit of my comment to pick on.
      
      But, if you really want studies, I can give you some.
      
      Try this:
      
      http://www.techdirt.com/search.php?cx=partner-pub-4050006937094082%3Acx0qff-dnm1&cof=FO RID%3A9&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=yet+another+study
      
      (Notice that all I did was search for "yet another study" on this page. By that alone, you can deduce the magnitude of the data available which you are conveniently overlooking)
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- Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:09am
  
  Re:
  How about an entire sector of publishing that does not depend on copyrights and don't see copying as something criminal or bad that is flourishing?
  
  Have you heard of open source?
  
  It is creating millionaires.
  
  On the traditional though there are the Kindle millionaires that all allowed people to copy them, not to mention famous writers that also saw their own sales increase after making their own works available for free like Paulo Coelho and his website piratecoelho.com.
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The Groove Tiger (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:39am

Wait, why didn't I hear about this?

Oh right, because nobody watches that shitty show here.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 8:56am

Assuming that I am a pervert and the only way to get my attention is nudity or sex does not make me like you nor want to listen to you.

I have the same attitude with advertising (European advertising features nudity) and movies. In fact I do not watch Game of Thrones because of the nudity I've seen in the few episodes I've watched.

Oh and in anticipation of some replies: I have no issue with sex. I like it as much as anyone else. The thing is:
1) If I want to see nude women, I know how to find adult websites, so clearly that's not what I'm looking for when I turn on the TV.
2) I am perfectly capable of watching a TV show/ad/listening to somebody and enjoying it without it featuring nudity. Assuming and implying that I cannot do this is outright insulting.

Also, I'd go as far as to say that what this author did is sexist. She's implicitly saying that all men are perverts. And I think this is a serious issue since in this day and age men are regularly discriminated against because of that sort of stereotype.
If I was handing out free vacuums in an attempt to get attention from the female branch of the public, you bet people would be quick to call me sexist. What this author did is no different, except for the fact that anti-man sexism is often not acknowledged to exist and even denied.

Anyway, this is a complete fail to get the attention of interesting people =/
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- Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 10:59am
  
  Re:
  "Assuming that I am a pervert and the only way to get my attention is nudity or sex does not make me like you nor want to listen to you."
  
  So with you there, but then you go and spoil it.
  
  "In fact I do not watch Game of Thrones because of the nudity I've seen in the few episodes I've watched."
  
  "2) I am perfectly capable of watching a TV show/ad/listening to somebody and enjoying it without it featuring nudity. "
  
  But incapable of watching or enjoying one in which there is occasional brief nudity. The problem is yours brother.
  
  I refer you to Sam the Eagle, who roughly shares your view.
  http://youtu.be/bZ0SRgh3X9Q
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Haywood (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:07am

First off topless isn't naked
send off she is one who is better with clothes, a burka might not be out of the question.
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- Ninja (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:39am
  
  Re: First off topless isn't naked
  If you wrap a national flag around her head and say it's "love for your nation" it's not that bad actually.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:48am
    
    Re: Re: First off topless isn't naked
    Love for your cunt tree
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    - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:01am
      
      Re: Re: Re: First off topless isn't naked
      Remember we discussed subtlety before and how an industrial hydraulic hammer isn't always the best tool for the job?
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      - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:22am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: First off topless isn't naked
        I don't do subtle. EVER.
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AndyD273 (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:14am

it could work...
If I promise not to pirate your book, will you promise to put your clothes back on??

I promise not to buy or read it either, just make it stop!
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DS, 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:14am

Oh god, did she write the report naked?

And made the coffee naked?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:26am

in my opinion, she would have been better to keep her cloths on and let the book be 'pirated'. wonder why the hell 5,000 guys would want to go after her. being first, not so bad, but being last? no tnx!
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:42am

I'll bet her book is just terrible and she wants to blame something other than herself.

If you actually look at the most pirated works they're all also the ones that sell the most copies, and the onezs that get pirated but not bought are completly horrible or unavailable/hard to get legally in most regions.
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- Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:54am
  
  Re:
  Also, I doubt most people want a book about a total fucking whore
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  - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:02am
    
    Re: Re:
    The bible proved very popular for a long time.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:21am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      God slept with 5,000 men? Must have missed that part.
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      - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 4:10pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        He slept with 12 for sure
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        Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2012 @ 2:06am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Foot fetish anyone?
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    - Machin Shin (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 1:47pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Actually an interesting book to bring into this debate. Perfect example of a book that has long been public domain and yet still sells tons of copies. Isn't that strange? A book no one ever has to pay for and yet they still do.....
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      - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 5:38pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        I sometimes see DVDs of pubic domain tv shows and movies or sell in stores. Don't know how profitable that is though.
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        Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 5:41pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        D'oh!
        
        Public, not pubic! Whole different kind of video, that......
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:49am

I think that giving everyone something that cannot be unseen killed her book sales more than supposed piracy could ever do.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 9:54am

Maybe she should have a talk with Paulo Coelho, another Brazilian author.
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jupiterkansas (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 10:09am

I watched far more of that video than someone that doesn't speak Italian should have.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:08am

I didn't read that correctly
Clearly it will decrease her privacy. Oh wait, she wants to decrease piracy? Oh that won't work.
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Joshy, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:38am

I'm surprised someone hasn't delved into the math....At one a day everyday of the year it would take her thirteen and a half years to reach five thousand.

I can just imagine the end of a long week was that 3346 or 3359 to date??

Imagine the tick marks on her headboard...Probably looks like an ancient Chinese carving....from a distance

Then their is the old High school debate....Do Bj's count?
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- Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:42am
  
  Re:
  The only way it doesn't count if you do it in the ear.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:39am

She should be glad she is not in the US as what she has done qualifiers her for the sex offenders registration list.

Fifty State Survey of Adult Sex Offender Registration Requirements
http://www.csom.org/pubs/50%20state%20survey%20adult%20registries.pdf

And as to what that means look no further than here:

Julia Tuttle Causeway sex offender colony
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Tuttle_Causeway_sex_offender_colony
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- Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:41am
  
  Re:
  Se certainly offended my sex drive, it walked off in disgust.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 11:49am

But the thing that struck me about all of this is that this sort of thing probably works about as well as any other "anti-piracy" technique.

I'd say it works better. Flashing people doesn't endanger vital global information infrastructure.
So here's to more naked people, and less DMCA takedowns!
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Rapnel (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 12:18pm

uhh
Sounds pretty familiar no?

Fuck everybody and expect to get paid.
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Lez Lewis, 23 Jul 2012 @ 1:23pm

For those who say
For those who would say that this does not stop piracy, let me hang a moon. They just can see the writing on the wall or whatever.
Piracy is a real problem and ANY attention brought to it is a good thing.
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That One Guy (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 1:24pm

You're all misssing the point
(I'll preface this by stating that I didn't watch the vid, and am going off of the reactions of those apparently poor souls that did)

She may have stumbled across the most effective anti-piracy strategy ever.

It's simple:

People pirate her book, she removes her clothes.

People don't pirate the book, the clothes stay on.
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- Machin Shin (profile), 23 Jul 2012 @ 1:51pm
  
  Re: You're all misssing the point
  She is trying a new business model. After making money taking her clothes off she found her income decreasing steadily and figured she would mix things up. Now she is trying to make money for keeping he clothes on.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 4:13pm

So piracy leads to naked chicks?

TO THE TORRENTS!

(No I didnt watch the vid)
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- Anonymous Coward, 23 Jul 2012 @ 5:33pm
  
  Re:
  Yeah, I'm pretty much going to start pirating things I don't even want to use in the vain hope of hot topless women.
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- Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2012 @ 2:08am
  
  Re:
  Are you a slayer of dragons son?
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  - Anonymous Coward, 24 Jul 2012 @ 7:27am
    
    Re: Re:
    Yes he his
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Jason Anderson, 23 Jul 2012 @ 5:29pm

Please be a woman. Please be a woman. Please be a woman...

Yay, it's a... oh... Oh no..
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Eldon Sarte, 23 Jul 2012 @ 7:40pm

won't this have the opposite effect?
I think it'll likely stimulate piracy instead, particularly of books by good-looking authors.
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Carlos Saraiva, 24 Jul 2012 @ 12:24am

As a proud Brazilian guy I was masturbating to this while I downloading some Dostoi�vski torrents.. Seriously guys, she only write bullshit about "ex prostitute who no one cares anymore, so maybe I can sell my diary written by some well paid ghost writer and an even maybe cause some polemic". Well, she show her tits so you guys can imagine how well her books it's selling... Furthermore, I think Paulo Coelho has more to speak about this issue than her. (Personally, I don't like Paulo Coelho books but the way he speak about piracy and copyrights, just an amazing guy).
And sorry by my lazy english!! I always trying to catch techdirt posts via my strangely populated Google Reader. I hope someday Brazil have such powerful and intelligent voice as well. Because we are Pirates! err... People who like to share awesome things!
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Anonymous Coward, 25 Jul 2012 @ 1:17am

Jesus Christ she could have at least hired a hot stripper to protest.

I should be paid for permanent damage to my eyes... I mean ffs I'd rather stick my unit in the garbage disposal. It would turn out really really REALLY bad but at least I'd still be alive 40 years down the road.

If I went with the alternative I would still be alive 40 years down the road but I'd be in the nut house eating my own shit singing Yankee Doodle while laughing my ass off.. About what? Exactly..
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Carole Di Tosti, Ph.D., 25 Jul 2012 @ 8:47am

She's Not FAT; very important for promotion
Any woman opposed to this probably wouldn't be able to look as good/thin/attractive as this woman. The irony is, of course, that this is a way to promote her cause and her work. What man would oppose this? Of course, overweight/obese women writers have limited their ability to expose themselves with comfort. They could, of course, if they could handle the commentary. It actually might be a better promotion than with a woman who looks OK. The criticism would be horrific though and would require a really tough skin to take it.
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