So very true, and part of the reason I am glad to have been reading this blog for a quite a few years (even if I don't always agree with Mike's views).
And this is why artists for songs and crews for films get paid so very little. All of the money is excused away into thin air so that it can be funneled to:
A) Executive salaries and bonuses
B) Lobbying efforts that are aimed at controlling the world to make sure that artists cannot stand up for themselves or possibly promote themselves outside of the old gatekeeper's realms
C) Studies that are meant to make wild claims so that point B's lobbying efforts have something to cite, no matter how weak the methodology or actual science behind the study is (or how much it outright lies).
Oh sure, they claim piracy is killing their business. It is more like somebody somewhere might be making a dollar that the studios and labels aren't so they try to steal it from the people and artists. There is a reason it is called hollywood accounting. A light search through TechDirt will show up plenty of cases of artists being ripped off by those who claim to represent them.
Yet somehow we still get idiots like some of the ACs who will rush in to bash Mike (or anyone else who posts in which case they still name Mike anyways) but always fail to provide any proof. Much like the MPAA / RIAA, and all of their various lobbying arms, they just spout hot air and never cite good evidence. Kind of makes one wonder ...
Going after the people actually doing it would require effort and resources. Making the US taxpayers foot the bill through the US government enforcement though costs the rights holders much less.
On behalf of the more sane group of Americans I would like to apologize. While the d-bags do abound in our country, not all of us are jerks.
I also dislike those who want the US to be insanely imperialistic and force our laws upon the rest of the world. As you can tell from TechDirt, there are quite a few of us who try to fight it.
So again, sorry for the jerks of America and the messes they have caused around the world.
My mom used to always tell me that nice boys get things and not nice boys don't.
Looks like its time that WB had the tool that Hotfile gave them taken away. If they can't play nice, they don't get assistance. Back to the old way of doing things for them.
This is true, and I know that I am sometimes guilty of this as well.
In one respect, we sometimes fight the arguments they make for the trampling of rights with other facts and examples and show why the reasons they want to get a law passed are false. It is in a way fighting their attempts at violating civil liberties, but without using the words.
Second, nobody is stopping you from doing anything. You want to promote via file lockers, you tube, blogs, whatever, you are more than free to do it. In fact, I would encourage it. I think it is wonderful.
Plenty of new age artists who understand the internet use all of the tools and services that the E-Parasites/SOPA will shut down. To think that the artists should be able to use these is wonderful to hear. I am glad you support artists too. However, we have to be realistic about how this bill will be used. It will undoubtedly be used to force services and tools offline that are currently doing great for artists because of a few middlemen who refuse to use them. If you are truly for the artists, all of them, and not just a few working for the large corps, then you should also be against SOPA. The bill, in whatever form, is very anti free market because it attempts to help remove tools and services used by new and potentially great artists. As much as I dislike the guy, Justin Bieber seems to be famous for some reason, and without YouTube he would likely have never become famous, and if these types of bills existed 10 years ago, YouTube would have never become so big.
Even back in the Sony / Betamax case with the Supreme Court, the SCOTUS said that content companies should not be able to determine the course of technology because some people will use it for copyright infringement. SOPA attempts to turn this insightful decision on its head and give those slow to adapt companies control over the future of technology that new and upcoming artists love and want to use.
I would reply to the AC directly about how I am not advocating he has less rights at all. But other than that, this AC to which I am replying said the other half of what I would say very well.
except that the definition of service provider liablity [sic] will change to reflect the reality of the internet.
Here's a thought, since the service providers do reflect the reality of the internet, how about the RIAA members, MPAA members, etc, actually change themselves to reflect the reality of reality. Times have changed. Customer's expectations have changed. If those groups and corporations cannot compete in today's markets, then they need to go out of business. That is how it should be. Stop trying to shut down all of the ways that independent artists use to promote their works just because your group is too stupid to just look at how useful they are.
Laziness is no excuse to pass bad laws just because you hate competition. Deal with it. Adapt or die.
Dear random ACs who disagree with Mike, will you please:
A) Stay on topic
B) Refrain from shoot the messenger behavior when it has absolutely nothing to do with this article and you've already tried it 50 million times. 'Calling Mike out' just makes you look incredibly desperate. This goes doubly so for when it is just a baseless accusation.
C) Use intelligent thought and actually consider the other side's opinion for once. Logic is encouraged at this step.
D) Consider history, and by this I mean a good review of past government abuses of badly written laws (See: computer fraud and abuse type acts with regards to 'hacking' and 'unauthorized access'). Also, consider the groups who Claim to support artists own history (See: number of complaints on CreativeAmerica about people feeling they were duped into signing, see also: number of times artists have shown that the labels refuse them payments on just about any residuals ever)
E) If you make great claims, actually include links to back yourself up.
F) Once somebody responds with lots of links and facts, don't run away.
I know this is old already in today's net but here goes:
Look at your comment, now back to mine. Now back at your comment now back to mine. Sadly it isn’t mine, but if you stopped babbling and started posting thoughtful comments it could look like mine. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re scrolling through comments, writing the comment your comment could look like. What did you post? Back at mine, it’s a reply saying something intelligently. Look again the reply is now rated funny. Anything is possible when you think before you post.
If it is used for fighting the stupid shit the entertainment industry wants like this insanely horrible bill, I think I would donate more money even without getting another T-shirt. As long as it has more of an impact than my emails and letters to my congressmen do (which is that they are promptly ignored because there is no check attached or some other lame reason).
Remixes are great works of art in most cases I would say. Some are still crap, but that's my personal preference. If you think remixes are not new creations, then you can go fuck yourself with a cactus, mkay?
Thank you Mr Masnick for keeping us updated about the horribleness.
I can always tell that you are doing a good job on reporting just how bad this bill would be for America (and the world) based on how many AC trolls come here to say how wrong you and the other commenters are without offering a single shred of proof other than 'trust us' and without actually replying to anything anyone says. All they do is come and hurl insults and dodge questions. This shows me that they feel threatened by the light as they would rather do their dark lit back room deals.
Keep up the good work, it is appreciated. Well, maybe not by the insult throwing trolls who have nothing to say, but again, that just helps prove that you are right.
On the post: A Step By Step Debunking Of US Chamber Of Commerce's Dishonest Stats About 'Rogue Sites'
Re: Re: Re: And this ladies and gents is why
On the post: A Step By Step Debunking Of US Chamber Of Commerce's Dishonest Stats About 'Rogue Sites'
And this ladies and gents is why
A) Executive salaries and bonuses
B) Lobbying efforts that are aimed at controlling the world to make sure that artists cannot stand up for themselves or possibly promote themselves outside of the old gatekeeper's realms
C) Studies that are meant to make wild claims so that point B's lobbying efforts have something to cite, no matter how weak the methodology or actual science behind the study is (or how much it outright lies).
Oh sure, they claim piracy is killing their business. It is more like somebody somewhere might be making a dollar that the studios and labels aren't so they try to steal it from the people and artists. There is a reason it is called hollywood accounting. A light search through TechDirt will show up plenty of cases of artists being ripped off by those who claim to represent them.
Yet somehow we still get idiots like some of the ACs who will rush in to bash Mike (or anyone else who posts in which case they still name Mike anyways) but always fail to provide any proof. Much like the MPAA / RIAA, and all of their various lobbying arms, they just spout hot air and never cite good evidence. Kind of makes one wonder ...
On the post: ICE Seizes Another 150 Domains As SOPA/PIPA Debate Heats Up
Re:
On the post: EU Commissioner Kroes: Copyright Is 'A Tool To Punish And Withhold'; New Business Models, Not More Enforcement Needed
Re: Re: Envious much
I also dislike those who want the US to be insanely imperialistic and force our laws upon the rest of the world. As you can tell from TechDirt, there are quite a few of us who try to fight it.
So again, sorry for the jerks of America and the messes they have caused around the world.
- A level headed American
On the post: Why All Filmmakers Should Speak Out Against SOPA
Re:
For the right sized check they will gladly do this for you.
On the post: And Then There Were Three: Bye, Bye EMI
Re:
On the post: A Glimpse Of The Future Under SOPA: Warner Bros. Admits It Filed Many False Takedown Notices
When I was growing up
Looks like its time that WB had the tool that Hotfile gave them taken away. If they can't play nice, they don't get assistance. Back to the old way of doing things for them.
On the post: Mainstream Press Realizing That E-PARASITE/SOPA Is Ridiculously Broad
Re: Re: Rules for [ACs] Everyone
In one respect, we sometimes fight the arguments they make for the trampling of rights with other facts and examples and show why the reasons they want to get a law passed are false. It is in a way fighting their attempts at violating civil liberties, but without using the words.
On the post: Mainstream Press Realizing That E-PARASITE/SOPA Is Ridiculously Broad
Re: Re: Re:
Second, nobody is stopping you from doing anything. You want to promote via file lockers, you tube, blogs, whatever, you are more than free to do it. In fact, I would encourage it. I think it is wonderful.
Plenty of new age artists who understand the internet use all of the tools and services that the E-Parasites/SOPA will shut down. To think that the artists should be able to use these is wonderful to hear. I am glad you support artists too. However, we have to be realistic about how this bill will be used. It will undoubtedly be used to force services and tools offline that are currently doing great for artists because of a few middlemen who refuse to use them. If you are truly for the artists, all of them, and not just a few working for the large corps, then you should also be against SOPA. The bill, in whatever form, is very anti free market because it attempts to help remove tools and services used by new and potentially great artists. As much as I dislike the guy, Justin Bieber seems to be famous for some reason, and without YouTube he would likely have never become famous, and if these types of bills existed 10 years ago, YouTube would have never become so big.
Even back in the Sony / Betamax case with the Supreme Court, the SCOTUS said that content companies should not be able to determine the course of technology because some people will use it for copyright infringement. SOPA attempts to turn this insightful decision on its head and give those slow to adapt companies control over the future of technology that new and upcoming artists love and want to use.
On the post: Mainstream Press Realizing That E-PARASITE/SOPA Is Ridiculously Broad
Re: Re: Re: Rules for ACs
On the post: Mainstream Press Realizing That E-PARASITE/SOPA Is Ridiculously Broad
Re: Re: Rules for ACs
Article about SOPA.
AC Response "Ohmigawd Mike is a lobbist!?!?!?!"
It was just getting very old very quick.
On the post: Mainstream Press Realizing That E-PARASITE/SOPA Is Ridiculously Broad
Re:
Here's a thought, since the service providers do reflect the reality of the internet, how about the RIAA members, MPAA members, etc, actually change themselves to reflect the reality of reality. Times have changed. Customer's expectations have changed. If those groups and corporations cannot compete in today's markets, then they need to go out of business. That is how it should be. Stop trying to shut down all of the ways that independent artists use to promote their works just because your group is too stupid to just look at how useful they are.
Laziness is no excuse to pass bad laws just because you hate competition. Deal with it. Adapt or die.
On the post: Mainstream Press Realizing That E-PARASITE/SOPA Is Ridiculously Broad
Rules for ACs
A) Stay on topic
B) Refrain from shoot the messenger behavior when it has absolutely nothing to do with this article and you've already tried it 50 million times. 'Calling Mike out' just makes you look incredibly desperate. This goes doubly so for when it is just a baseless accusation.
C) Use intelligent thought and actually consider the other side's opinion for once. Logic is encouraged at this step.
D) Consider history, and by this I mean a good review of past government abuses of badly written laws (See: computer fraud and abuse type acts with regards to 'hacking' and 'unauthorized access'). Also, consider the groups who Claim to support artists own history (See: number of complaints on CreativeAmerica about people feeling they were duped into signing, see also: number of times artists have shown that the labels refuse them payments on just about any residuals ever)
E) If you make great claims, actually include links to back yourself up.
F) Once somebody responds with lots of links and facts, don't run away.
Thank you, come again.
On the post: What Would The Movie Business Be Like If The MPAA Succeeded In Killing The VCR?
Re:
Look at your comment, now back to mine. Now back at your comment now back to mine. Sadly it isn’t mine, but if you stopped babbling and started posting thoughtful comments it could look like mine. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re scrolling through comments, writing the comment your comment could look like. What did you post? Back at mine, it’s a reply saying something intelligently. Look again the reply is now rated funny. Anything is possible when you think before you post.
On the post: White House Petition Against E-PARASITE/SOPA
Re: Re: Re: Re:
On the post: US Chamber Of Commerce So Clueless It Thinks You Have To Be 'Anti-IP' To Be Against E-PARASITE Bill
Re:
On the post: US Chamber Of Commerce So Clueless It Thinks You Have To Be 'Anti-IP' To Be Against E-PARASITE Bill
Re: Re: Re: Re: They are not clueless
On the post: E-PARASITE Bill: 'The End Of The Internet As We Know It'
Keep up the good work Mike
I can always tell that you are doing a good job on reporting just how bad this bill would be for America (and the world) based on how many AC trolls come here to say how wrong you and the other commenters are without offering a single shred of proof other than 'trust us' and without actually replying to anything anyone says. All they do is come and hurl insults and dodge questions. This shows me that they feel threatened by the light as they would rather do their dark lit back room deals.
Keep up the good work, it is appreciated. Well, maybe not by the insult throwing trolls who have nothing to say, but again, that just helps prove that you are right.
On the post: ICE Seized 20 Domain Names For The NFL Over The Weekend
Re: Re: Re: Your "censorship" frame for this just doesn't work.
On the post: Louisiana Makes It Illegal To Use Cash For Secondhand Sales
Forget the children
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