What did I tell you? What I just told you. What did I say was gonna happen? Exactly what just happened.
I'm sorry, but considering the behavior and policies of the Republican party for the past 33 years, if they want something from me they're going to have to pay cash.
I don't trust Republicans to do anything that's good for me or my family or my industry.
Because a couple of them have their aides put out a document that whispers sweet nothings in my ear does not mean I forget what they've been about for the past 30 years.
The rich are supposedly very tasty with a little barbeque sauce and cilantro.
I am told.
There are only a few things left that are not wholly-owned by the 0.1%. One of them is your ability to read and write and communicate, and they're attempting a hostile takeover of that, too.
I don't think it's a good plan to wait until everything is locked down before we make a very strenuous case. Polite expressions of outrage and putting your objections on the record will not get the job done. Seriously.
There has to be an organized socio-economic response to demonstrate the willingness and the ability to hit them in their pocketbooks.
I'm simply not comfortable with going against the wishes of copyright holders
I don't really care about the "copyright holders". I don't want to go against the wishes of the artists.
I'm not sure I'm prepared to recognize "copyright holders" as a valid category. I don't believe that "all rights" to a work should be transferable.
Just because I like an artist does not mean I want to give my money to a music conglomerate. When I can buy music directly from the artist, I do. When I cannot buy music directly from the artist, I do not.
You don't need 300 million back seat drivers swatting the negotiators on the head every time they suggest something.
Back seat drivers? Those pesky "back seat drivers" are called "citizens" and they happen to be paying the salaries of those public servants involved in the governmental side of these negotiations?
Are you kidding? Who the fuck are you that you believe laws of this magnitude should be done in Mitt Romney's "quiet rooms" well out of the public view? You've got to be kidding. Maybe I'm missing the joke, but that is very disturbing.
As one of the candidates for president of the US recently said, these things are best discussed, "in quiet rooms".
Apparently things like the future are on a need-to-know basis, and we just don't need to know. The future isn't for us, it's for those that deserve it. You know, the "job creators".
Our economic elite are a bunch of sociopaths who mean us no good. I think it's long past the time for us to make them fear us instead of the other way around. I guess this is something that needs to happen a few times a century, and this is certainly one of those times.
AT&T's explanation might be more compelling if it was anything like true. They're not running out of bandwidth for their customers, they want to lock in higher profits long term.
It's very hard to believe anything that AT&T claims, since they have been caught so many times lying to customers and engaging in unfair, anti-competitive business practices.
It appears that every so often a company of AT&T's size needs to be broken up just because. There is no way that any company should have the kind of vertical integration they have. If we had anything like a Justice Department anti-trust division that cared about the law, we'd never see stories like this unless they were accompanied by a paragraph explaining the penalties they are facing.
Just in case you're wondering, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals is overwhelmingly populated by judges that were appointed by Republican presidents.
Of the thirty judges on that court, twenty were appointed by Republicans, with most being appointed by Nixon and G.W. Bush. Only two of the thirty were appointed by President Obama.
The Sixth Circuit covers parts of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.
(note: this comment is offered for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as an expression of political opinion)
The wood used to fabricate the neck of the guitar, acoustic -or- electric, which includes the fretboard, has a very definite effect on the resonance of the guitar.
And yet, Martin, Fender, Paul Reed Smith etc are all able to manufacture high-end guitars without breaking the law.
And the neck on the Les Paul is generally rosewood or maple if I remember correctly, both of which are grown in the US.
You've got to look a little closer at this story. This has been an ongoing battle with Gibson for quite some time and is now taking on political implications.
There are excellent reasons for closely limiting imports of endangered hardwoods from the other side of the world. Gibson has sources for better woods (from the standpoint of musical instruments) that are local and safe, but they continued to use the foreign sources because they're cheaper.
Remember this too: the only reason Gibson is making these guitars here in the States is because the customers for guitars costing over $2000 demand it. Gibson is doing it's best to be able to say they're "American made" while actually making as little as possible of the guitars here.
Gibson was warned repeatedly that they were in violation of these complex laws and trade restrictions. They figured they could ignore the warnings and ignore the law and then make big political hay about it.
They were wrong. They have now admitted wrongdoing and paid the fines. They'll probably be good until they figure they can get away with it again.
There are much better guitars, by the way. This is not the Gibson of the 1960s.
On the post: That Was Fast: Hollywood Already Browbeat The Republicans Into Retracting Report On Copyright Reform
uh-huh
I'm sorry, but considering the behavior and policies of the Republican party for the past 33 years, if they want something from me they're going to have to pay cash.
No checks, no IOUs.
On the post: House Republicans: Copyright Law Destroys Markets; It's Time For Real Reform
It's a trap
Because a couple of them have their aides put out a document that whispers sweet nothings in my ear does not mean I forget what they've been about for the past 30 years.
On the post: It's Scary How Rapidly Government Requests For Info And Censorship Are Increasing
Jefferson, Franklin, Madison
On the post: Can You Take Fact Checking Too Far?
too late for fact checking
The ubiquitous marketing regime has advertized everyone to the point where they just no longer have bullshit detectors.
On the post: The 'Final' Sony PS3 Hack
Re: Obvious Outcome
On the post: This Is Not Transparency: TPP Delegates Refuses To Reveal Text, Refuse To Discuss Leaked Text
asking for it
I am told.
There are only a few things left that are not wholly-owned by the 0.1%. One of them is your ability to read and write and communicate, and they're attempting a hostile takeover of that, too.
I don't think it's a good plan to wait until everything is locked down before we make a very strenuous case. Polite expressions of outrage and putting your objections on the record will not get the job done. Seriously.
There has to be an organized socio-economic response to demonstrate the willingness and the ability to hit them in their pocketbooks.
On the post: House Approves Rep. Lamar Smith's Bill To Keep Spying On Americans
Worth noting
I guess the GOP has changed their minds about "small government".
On the post: Chinese Knockoff Maker With A Sense Of Humor Files Design Patent On Leaked iPhone 5 Design
goophone
Just like our patent laws.
On the post: EA: Withholding The Next Great Videogame Franchise For The Next Console Is Good Business
God, no.
Don't need multiplayer, don't need third person "action", don't need "Don't turn off your PC..."
Please God, let them make good computer games again.
I'm willing to pay, but not to be a chump.
On the post: The Content Industry Keeps Penalizing The People Who Actually Pay
specifically
I'm not sure I'm prepared to recognize "copyright holders" as a valid category. I don't believe that "all rights" to a work should be transferable.
Just because I like an artist does not mean I want to give my money to a music conglomerate. When I can buy music directly from the artist, I do. When I cannot buy music directly from the artist, I do not.
On the post: $17,000+ Bounty Offered For Leaks Of TPP Negotiating Texts
"Back seat drivers"?
Are you kidding? Who the fuck are you that you believe laws of this magnitude should be done in Mitt Romney's "quiet rooms" well out of the public view? You've got to be kidding. Maybe I'm missing the joke, but that is very disturbing.
On the post: $17,000+ Bounty Offered For Leaks Of TPP Negotiating Texts
need to know
Apparently things like the future are on a need-to-know basis, and we just don't need to know. The future isn't for us, it's for those that deserve it. You know, the "job creators".
Our economic elite are a bunch of sociopaths who mean us no good. I think it's long past the time for us to make them fear us instead of the other way around. I guess this is something that needs to happen a few times a century, and this is certainly one of those times.
On the post: AT&T Tries To Tapdance Around Net Neutrality Regulations
unconvinced
It's very hard to believe anything that AT&T claims, since they have been caught so many times lying to customers and engaging in unfair, anti-competitive business practices.
It appears that every so often a company of AT&T's size needs to be broken up just because. There is no way that any company should have the kind of vertical integration they have. If we had anything like a Justice Department anti-trust division that cared about the law, we'd never see stories like this unless they were accompanied by a paragraph explaining the penalties they are facing.
On the post: New Zealand High Court: FBI Must Release Its Evidence Against Kim Dotcom
Re:
On the post: Court: If Violating Your Privacy Helps The Police, It's Not Violating Your Privacy
by way of explanation
Of the thirty judges on that court, twenty were appointed by Republicans, with most being appointed by Nixon and G.W. Bush. Only two of the thirty were appointed by President Obama.
The Sixth Circuit covers parts of Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.
(note: this comment is offered for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as an expression of political opinion)
On the post: Father Of The Video Game Console Showed Off 'Set Top Box' Idea In 1973
Re: What about his lawsuits?
Ralph Baer is a person.
Corporations are not people.
What is acceptable behavior in a person, is not acceptable in a golem created for the sole purpose of exploitation.
Claro?
On the post: In A Strange Turn Of Affairs, EA Decides to Recognize Reality Of Game Pricing
What?
I don't mind paying for games if they're worth it.
On the post: Gibson Guitars CEO Calls Out The Government For 'Regulating Business Through Criminal Law' [Updated]
Re: Re: Re:
And the neck on the Les Paul is generally rosewood or maple if I remember correctly, both of which are grown in the US.
On the post: Gibson Guitars CEO Calls Out The Government For 'Regulating Business Through Criminal Law' [Updated]
Re: Re: Re:
On the post: Gibson Guitars CEO Calls Out The Government For 'Regulating Business Through Criminal Law' [Updated]
Re:
There are excellent reasons for closely limiting imports of endangered hardwoods from the other side of the world. Gibson has sources for better woods (from the standpoint of musical instruments) that are local and safe, but they continued to use the foreign sources because they're cheaper.
Remember this too: the only reason Gibson is making these guitars here in the States is because the customers for guitars costing over $2000 demand it. Gibson is doing it's best to be able to say they're "American made" while actually making as little as possible of the guitars here.
Gibson was warned repeatedly that they were in violation of these complex laws and trade restrictions. They figured they could ignore the warnings and ignore the law and then make big political hay about it.
They were wrong. They have now admitted wrongdoing and paid the fines. They'll probably be good until they figure they can get away with it again.
There are much better guitars, by the way. This is not the Gibson of the 1960s.
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