Crap, we'll rein in patent trolls just when they're on the verge of doing great things for humanity; Bill Gates and Nathan Myrvold teaming up on nuclear power, guarantees we'll all be on renewables once Intellectual Ventures locks up nukes with patent suits.
Nickles was co-chair of COMPETE up until at least December 2012; however, the Nickles Group has not lobbied for them in 2013 according to opensecrets.org.
Patrick Ross-- came to the Alliance from the Progress&Freedom Foundation. PFF was wrapped up in Newt Gingrich's troubles back in the 90's.
Stephanie Badger-- Nickles Group lobbyist.
Lucinda Dugger-- appears to be the editor of artistsagainstdigitaltheft.ocom, satellite front of the Alliance.
Jeff Murray-- Nickles Group Director of Congressional Relations
Gayle Osterberg-- Sen. Don Nickles' long-time staff member and spokesperson.
Andrea Siwek-- summer intern
Cindi Tripodi-- Nickles Group Founding partner.
Diana Walters-- Nickles Group operations manager.
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Contributions from Alliance member organizations go to the Nickles Group address. (see LM-2 financial reports to DOL from SAG, Graphic Artists Guild; Form-990 tax returns for MPAA)
Saying the Copyright Alliance was created by anti-union lobbyists and leaving it at that is being way too kind. I'm morally compelled to add that we're talking about the Nickles Group LLC folks, Intellectual Ventures' #1 lobbying firm. In addition to lobbying for IV, Comcast, and AT&T, they also lend a hand to EXXON and Anadarko Petroleum (fracking) Walmart (anti-labor) and the COMPETE Coalition (ENRON-esque utility market manipulation.) Fun fact: it seems that former USTR Ron Kirk and Sen. Nickles are both co-chairs of COMPETE. It's a small world, after all, . .
Seeing as how the APA is tight with the Copyright Alliance, an MPAA front, stating that the APA photographers are worse than MPAA + RIAA may be a distinction without a difference. The MPAA, through its Copyright Alliance proxy, had at least some influence in molding the APA into the rabid maximalists they've become.
The list of plaintiffs in the Google suit contains a few other Alliance members and sympathizers as well. The Graphic Artists Guild has been heavily influenced, if not completely captured by the Alliance; another of the plaintiffs, John Schmelzer, was the Guild president who initially made friends with the Alliance. It seems to me there are a number of fingerprints on the Google suit that belong to the MPAA.
I think civility has been in decline for 10,000 years. Once, you and all the people that agree with you would face off with clubs and spears against the people who're being jerks. Then money came into the picture, and you could buy an army of friends. Then came lawyers. Now we have paid armies of lawyers. I'm beginning to think clubs were the highest, most civilized form of dispute resolution; after all, where'd the patent trolls be if it was just them vs. all the people there f'ng with?
For additional entertainment, "This American Life" did a piece on patent trolls (with honorable mention of IV) in 2011; might be a link around here someplace; but if not, surf their site for "Show 441: When Patents Attack!"
I started wondering about Intellectual Ventures when I was digging into the Copyright Alliance; front group run by the lobbying firm, Nickles Group, LLC. Turns out IV is Nickle's #1 client 5 years running. And Nickles is IV's #1 lobbying firm. The primary lobbyist for IV is same person who lobbies for the Alliance, Cindi Tripodi. (Listed as Alliance staff until recently) Not a day goes by where some tentacle of Nickles doesn't show up in the news. And oh yeah, Sen. Don Nickles was the guy who introduced DOMA in the Senate. Like I said, . .
Copyright Alliance alumni Gayle Osterberg has not lost any skill in crafting mealy-mouthed official communications. Another fine addition to the LOC staff.
On the post: Judge Takes On Patent Troll With 'Sham Employee'; Forces Troll To Defend Practice Before A Jury
Great Timing
See NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/25/business/energy-environment/atomic-goal-800-years-of-power-from-wa ste.html?_r=0
On the post: Wait, I Thought The Next Congressional Copyright Hearing Was Supposed To Be About Hearing From Creators?
Re: More on the Copyright Alliance
http://www.competecoalition.com/newsroom/former-us-energy-secretary-federico-pe%C3%B1-co-chair-com pete-coalition
Nickles was co-chair of COMPETE up until at least December 2012; however, the Nickles Group has not lobbied for them in 2013 according to opensecrets.org.
Here's some background related to the COMPETE Coalition--
http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0325-02.htm
On the post: Wait, I Thought The Next Congressional Copyright Hearing Was Supposed To Be About Hearing From Creators?
Re: And, you have Sandra Aistars, . . .
Copyright Alliance Staff, Aug. 13, 2008:
Patrick Ross-- came to the Alliance from the Progress&Freedom Foundation. PFF was wrapped up in Newt Gingrich's troubles back in the 90's.
Stephanie Badger-- Nickles Group lobbyist.
Lucinda Dugger-- appears to be the editor of artistsagainstdigitaltheft.ocom, satellite front of the Alliance.
Jeff Murray-- Nickles Group Director of Congressional Relations
Gayle Osterberg-- Sen. Don Nickles' long-time staff member and spokesperson.
Andrea Siwek-- summer intern
Cindi Tripodi-- Nickles Group Founding partner.
Diana Walters-- Nickles Group operations manager.
-----
Contributions from Alliance member organizations go to the Nickles Group address. (see LM-2 financial reports to DOL from SAG, Graphic Artists Guild; Form-990 tax returns for MPAA)
The Nickles Group supports ALEC; http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Law_Firms
See the track record of Sen. Nickles for ALEC contributions, support, and other anti-labor credentials; Koch Bros. funding as senator, "right to work" law passed in Oklahoma, current lobbyist for Walmart, rated by the AFL-CIO as among the lowest ever on labor issues.
http://www.aflcio.org/Legislation-and-Politics/Legislative-Voting-Records?termyear=2004& ;act=3&location=Senate&memberid=
Rep. John Boehner's healthcare adviser Emily Porter is now a VP at the Nickles Group.
Your license to use the word 'retard' has been revoked.
On the post: Wait, I Thought The Next Congressional Copyright Hearing Was Supposed To Be About Hearing From Creators?
More on the Copyright Alliance
On the post: American Photographic Artists Join The Lawsuit Against Google Books
MPAA, RIAA Still Champs.
The list of plaintiffs in the Google suit contains a few other Alliance members and sympathizers as well. The Graphic Artists Guild has been heavily influenced, if not completely captured by the Alliance; another of the plaintiffs, John Schmelzer, was the Guild president who initially made friends with the Alliance. It seems to me there are a number of fingerprints on the Google suit that belong to the MPAA.
On the post: Intellectual Ventures Ramping Up Lawsuits
Re: Let's simplify law suits, instead of patents.
On the post: Intellectual Ventures Ramping Up Lawsuits
Re: Re: Small world
On the post: Intellectual Ventures Ramping Up Lawsuits
Small world
On the post: Librarian Of Congress Shoots Back At White House Over Phone Unlocking: We're Just Doing Our Job
Good to See
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