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And Now A Letter I'd Like To Share With You All...
14 years ago
General
Glad You Could Stop By! Please, Come on in and Soak Up The Greatness!
Greetings Everypony!
Bear with me as I slough through this journal. I just got home from a 3am til 5pm flight shift and since I've been working this schedule for the past few weeks, It's safe to say that exhaustion is catching up to me. (The winter is always the busiest time up here and if I want to put away the money for a newer plane, I gotta work my paws to the bone.)
Anyways, I found this letter in my email tonight and after reading it several time, decided to post it online here to see if anyone wanted to leave any feedback or opinions on it. I'm guessing that more than a few of you are also aware of this 'Stop Online Piracy Act' bill that has been running rampant and throwing millions of internet lovers into a froth. What follows is an email sent to me from Alaska's illustrious Representative Don Young.
Or at least a form letter with my name inserted in the heading and mass-emailed out by a congessional page that had some off-time from bath house duty. Either way, I find it interesting that anyone in Washington cares enough to send a Pony like me, who wants to be left alone by any and all government agencies whenever possible, a response to an email and petition I sent. More commentary after the break:
Dear Adrik,
Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act. I appreciate having the benefit of your thoughts.
On October 26, 2011, Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) introduced H.R. 3261 to ensure that owners of copyrighted content and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have the ability to take action against "rogue" websites in other countries that allow the unauthorized distribution of intellectual property, especially movies and music, produced in the United States. Specifically, this bill would enable owners of copyrighted material and the DOJ to pressure "intermediaries" in this country — Internet service providers, search engines, advertising providers and payment services — that do business with them.
As introduced, the language of H.R. 3261 entitles the DOJ to seek court orders to require advertising services, search engines, Internet service providers, and payment services — such as Mastercard, Visa, and PayPal — to stop doing business with foreign sites seen as "infringing" on copyrights. The DOJ could also require Internet service providers to block access to sites seen as abetting copyright infringement, creating a Web blacklist. Additionally, H.R. 3261 seeks to protect manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and other goods and services who see knockoff versions of their products advertised on such sites.
Thus far, H.R, 3261 has been extremely controversial and has generated alarm on both sides of the political spectrum. Opponents of this bill believe that it is so loosely worded it could threaten many U.S. websites, especially social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube. To stay in business, opponents contend that such sites would have to more closely police content posted by millions of users every day. Moreover, they point out that H.R. 3261 gives the government overly broad power to punish Web-related companies and could potentially chill innovation among Internet-related start-ups. One large issue with H.R. 3261 is that the owners of the copyrighted material would not have to go to court first in order to shut down or block a "rogue" website. Rather, they could simply allege to payment and ad services that certain sites are "dedicated to theft of U.S. property," and the payment and ad services would have five days to cut off service to them.
However, proponents of H.R. 3261 say the bill is badly needed to address rampant copyright infringements, which are estimated to play a role in 25 percent of Internet traffic. In fact, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, copyright infringement costs the U.S. economy at least $135 billion a year. This loss has significantly hurt an already unstable and underperforming job market in the U.S. Overall, advocates contend that H.R. 3261 is simply intended to deal with potential copyright thieves on a case-by-case basis.
While I agree with the overarching goal of H.R. 3261, namely to stop online piracy, and believe that it is well-intentioned, I do acknowledge that it has some flaws. However, the legislative process, in both the House and Senate, allows for amendments to help correct and mitigate some of these flaws. Currently, H.R. 3261 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and preliminary hearings have been held. While I am not a member of this committee, please know that I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind should this legislation reach the House floor for a vote.
Once again, thank you for expressing your views on this issue. If you haven't already, I would encourage you to sign up for my e-newsletter at http://donyoung.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm and my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=RepDonYoung. Doing so will allow me to provide you with updates on this and other important issues. If I can be of any assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
DON YOUNG
Congressman for All Alaska
(Insert Fluttershy's "Yay!" here) Lucky me. Getting government propaganda emailed back to me. And such amazing numbers! 135 billion dollars a year lost! Rogue pirates running amok! Knock off prescriptions! A weblink to Don Young's e-letter!
Am I the only one that thinks it's a little underhanded to sneak in a link to Mr. Young's YouTube channel in an email that is kinda promoting the downfall of YouTube with this bill?
Look, I've said it before and I will say it again. I am neither a right-wing loon nor a left-wing loon. I am straight down the middle Independent. I feel strongly about ideals on both the left and right. But I also believe in common sense and realistic solutions. Don't boterme with idiotic Washington doublespeak and smoke and mirrors trickery. (See above letter)
I came across this issue a few weeks ago over on equestriadaily.com where they were running a petition to voice opposition to the above issue. Turns out that YouTube has become a warzone lately with everyone accusng everyone else about stealing and posting stolen content and users having their accounts shut down in the blink of an eye. I don't do much YouTube...unless I'm looking for hidden gems of music or programmes or movies that someone suggests to me...then I'll go and see if I can find a clip or two to see if I like it.
And I like YouTube beause it helps me find forgotten treasures from the past that you just don't find anymore beause no one else plays them. It doesn't matter how many satellite television channels or internet radio channels you have thee's always going to be those los nggets that remind you of your childhood or never even knew existed.
That's where I'm torn. I can see the viewpoint of those who have the shows and music and movies and don't want them to be pirated and distributed all overwithout any recourse. But if you give them all the control to regulate what we can see, all the diversity and excitement of those things you didn't know existed is taken away, locked away inside studio vaults and basements until someone decides to chrge $49.99 for a DVD collection.
(Dont believe me? Check out your televison channels once. You'll see the same rehahed shows and movies recycled and moved around from channel to channel. I have Dish Network and I've never seen such a bland selection...even with what...4, 500 channels? That's when i will go on YouTube and search for old shows or movies or documentaries.
And taht's why the internet is so great.It gets so much information out there. It lets you see programmes from other countries. It lets you see commercials and movies from decades ago. It lets you pick out a certain year and listen to every song that came out! It let's you experience more than any one person's imagination could ever think to create.
Right now, I'm still suck in the middle on this issue, but the more and more I research it and learn about it, the more I'm leaning towards the viewpoint of those in the petition I signed and the comments I emailed to Washington. I don't want to see such a wealth of information taken away just because those with ll the coins won't be able to add another few milio in their Christmas accounts.
Any of you have any thoughts?
BETTER CALL TWILIGHT SPARKLE...CAUSE IT'S ABOUT TO GET MAGICAL!
~Adrik
PS- I'll be posting and commentng tomorrow....I'm just too exhausted to try and get started tonight...Good night everypony!
Bear with me as I slough through this journal. I just got home from a 3am til 5pm flight shift and since I've been working this schedule for the past few weeks, It's safe to say that exhaustion is catching up to me. (The winter is always the busiest time up here and if I want to put away the money for a newer plane, I gotta work my paws to the bone.)
Anyways, I found this letter in my email tonight and after reading it several time, decided to post it online here to see if anyone wanted to leave any feedback or opinions on it. I'm guessing that more than a few of you are also aware of this 'Stop Online Piracy Act' bill that has been running rampant and throwing millions of internet lovers into a froth. What follows is an email sent to me from Alaska's illustrious Representative Don Young.
Or at least a form letter with my name inserted in the heading and mass-emailed out by a congessional page that had some off-time from bath house duty. Either way, I find it interesting that anyone in Washington cares enough to send a Pony like me, who wants to be left alone by any and all government agencies whenever possible, a response to an email and petition I sent. More commentary after the break:
Dear Adrik,
Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act. I appreciate having the benefit of your thoughts.
On October 26, 2011, Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) introduced H.R. 3261 to ensure that owners of copyrighted content and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have the ability to take action against "rogue" websites in other countries that allow the unauthorized distribution of intellectual property, especially movies and music, produced in the United States. Specifically, this bill would enable owners of copyrighted material and the DOJ to pressure "intermediaries" in this country — Internet service providers, search engines, advertising providers and payment services — that do business with them.
As introduced, the language of H.R. 3261 entitles the DOJ to seek court orders to require advertising services, search engines, Internet service providers, and payment services — such as Mastercard, Visa, and PayPal — to stop doing business with foreign sites seen as "infringing" on copyrights. The DOJ could also require Internet service providers to block access to sites seen as abetting copyright infringement, creating a Web blacklist. Additionally, H.R. 3261 seeks to protect manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and other goods and services who see knockoff versions of their products advertised on such sites.
Thus far, H.R, 3261 has been extremely controversial and has generated alarm on both sides of the political spectrum. Opponents of this bill believe that it is so loosely worded it could threaten many U.S. websites, especially social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube. To stay in business, opponents contend that such sites would have to more closely police content posted by millions of users every day. Moreover, they point out that H.R. 3261 gives the government overly broad power to punish Web-related companies and could potentially chill innovation among Internet-related start-ups. One large issue with H.R. 3261 is that the owners of the copyrighted material would not have to go to court first in order to shut down or block a "rogue" website. Rather, they could simply allege to payment and ad services that certain sites are "dedicated to theft of U.S. property," and the payment and ad services would have five days to cut off service to them.
However, proponents of H.R. 3261 say the bill is badly needed to address rampant copyright infringements, which are estimated to play a role in 25 percent of Internet traffic. In fact, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, copyright infringement costs the U.S. economy at least $135 billion a year. This loss has significantly hurt an already unstable and underperforming job market in the U.S. Overall, advocates contend that H.R. 3261 is simply intended to deal with potential copyright thieves on a case-by-case basis.
While I agree with the overarching goal of H.R. 3261, namely to stop online piracy, and believe that it is well-intentioned, I do acknowledge that it has some flaws. However, the legislative process, in both the House and Senate, allows for amendments to help correct and mitigate some of these flaws. Currently, H.R. 3261 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and preliminary hearings have been held. While I am not a member of this committee, please know that I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind should this legislation reach the House floor for a vote.
Once again, thank you for expressing your views on this issue. If you haven't already, I would encourage you to sign up for my e-newsletter at http://donyoung.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm and my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=RepDonYoung. Doing so will allow me to provide you with updates on this and other important issues. If I can be of any assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
DON YOUNG
Congressman for All Alaska
(Insert Fluttershy's "Yay!" here) Lucky me. Getting government propaganda emailed back to me. And such amazing numbers! 135 billion dollars a year lost! Rogue pirates running amok! Knock off prescriptions! A weblink to Don Young's e-letter!
Am I the only one that thinks it's a little underhanded to sneak in a link to Mr. Young's YouTube channel in an email that is kinda promoting the downfall of YouTube with this bill?
Look, I've said it before and I will say it again. I am neither a right-wing loon nor a left-wing loon. I am straight down the middle Independent. I feel strongly about ideals on both the left and right. But I also believe in common sense and realistic solutions. Don't boterme with idiotic Washington doublespeak and smoke and mirrors trickery. (See above letter)
I came across this issue a few weeks ago over on equestriadaily.com where they were running a petition to voice opposition to the above issue. Turns out that YouTube has become a warzone lately with everyone accusng everyone else about stealing and posting stolen content and users having their accounts shut down in the blink of an eye. I don't do much YouTube...unless I'm looking for hidden gems of music or programmes or movies that someone suggests to me...then I'll go and see if I can find a clip or two to see if I like it.
And I like YouTube beause it helps me find forgotten treasures from the past that you just don't find anymore beause no one else plays them. It doesn't matter how many satellite television channels or internet radio channels you have thee's always going to be those los nggets that remind you of your childhood or never even knew existed.
That's where I'm torn. I can see the viewpoint of those who have the shows and music and movies and don't want them to be pirated and distributed all overwithout any recourse. But if you give them all the control to regulate what we can see, all the diversity and excitement of those things you didn't know existed is taken away, locked away inside studio vaults and basements until someone decides to chrge $49.99 for a DVD collection.
(Dont believe me? Check out your televison channels once. You'll see the same rehahed shows and movies recycled and moved around from channel to channel. I have Dish Network and I've never seen such a bland selection...even with what...4, 500 channels? That's when i will go on YouTube and search for old shows or movies or documentaries.
And taht's why the internet is so great.It gets so much information out there. It lets you see programmes from other countries. It lets you see commercials and movies from decades ago. It lets you pick out a certain year and listen to every song that came out! It let's you experience more than any one person's imagination could ever think to create.
Right now, I'm still suck in the middle on this issue, but the more and more I research it and learn about it, the more I'm leaning towards the viewpoint of those in the petition I signed and the comments I emailed to Washington. I don't want to see such a wealth of information taken away just because those with ll the coins won't be able to add another few milio in their Christmas accounts.
Any of you have any thoughts?
BETTER CALL TWILIGHT SPARKLE...CAUSE IT'S ABOUT TO GET MAGICAL!
~Adrik
PS- I'll be posting and commentng tomorrow....I'm just too exhausted to try and get started tonight...Good night everypony!
Face it - back when records were around - in strolled the cassette tape player, and the same issue happened.
V.