Author Topic: DC going offline to protest SOPA on Jan 18 (Read 97308 times)

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #50 on:** January 20, 2012, 12:18 PM »

In the case of many of the big-name "blackouts" from sites like Wikipedia, Google, or Reddit, I was not impressed with the follow-through used. Google turned their logo black. Wikipedia's blackout was only for the English site and easily overridden with (or due to lack of) javascript. Reddit only did it for half of the day.

IMO those are examples of half-hearted protests. If you're going to protest something you should first come up with an effective form of protest and then commit to follow through with the protest.
-Deozaan (January 20, 2012, 11:16 AM)

This I understand, as I too was looking for a bit more - all in - carnage.

Renegade · « **Reply #51 on:** January 20, 2012, 12:26 PM »

Says it all really - and in calm rational terms
-Carol Haynes (January 19, 2012, 09:16 AM)

I've downloaded that into a few browsers a few times... (Flash crashes or some crap.) 3rd or 4th time is the charm I guess.

So, finally saw it.

AWESOME!

He nails so much down there. Brilliant.

(I still think that it's a Trojan horse as well though -- it's worded way too vaguely.)

Renegade · « **Reply #52 on:** January 20, 2012, 12:30 PM »

In the case of many of the big-name "blackouts" from sites like Wikipedia, Google, or Reddit, I was not impressed with the follow-through used. Google turned their logo black. Wikipedia's blackout was only for the English site and easily overridden with (or due to lack of) javascript. Reddit only did it for half of the day.

IMO those are examples of half-hearted protests. If you're going to protest something you should first come up with an effective form of protest and then commit to follow through with the protest.
-Deozaan (January 20, 2012, 11:16 AM)

This I understand, as I too was looking for a bit more - all in - carnage.
-Stoic Joker (January 20, 2012, 12:18 PM)

Carnage? That's what Anonymous is for~!

But no... you're right. I was hoping for a bit more. Google just petered out. Their effort was just f*****g lame.

NSFW Google's excuse...

But what can you do when you've got investor cocks rammed down your throat? Kind of hard to "fuck profit" for the greater good/sanity when you're busy gobbling...

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #53 on:** January 21, 2012, 03:22 AM »

I seem to remember there being "four boxes" without even the coffin ... Got it - y'all forgot Jury Box.

The four boxes of liberty is a meme that proposes: "There are four boxes to be used in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury and ammo. Please use in that order." It is often quoted by conservative groups that oppose gun control."

http://en.wikipedia....our_boxes_of_liberty

wraith808 · « **Reply #54 on:** January 21, 2012, 10:32 AM »

Hmmm... shouldn't it be ammo, then jury?

app103 · « **Reply #55 on:** January 21, 2012, 12:06 PM »

Google just petered out. Their effort was just f*****g lame.
-Renegade (January 20, 2012, 12:30 PM)

I was rather frustrated that they didn't even make an effort to make it easier for those using their Blogger service to opt in to blacking out their blogs. They couldn't add a blackout option to their control panel to make it easy? I don't think I was asking too much from a company that voiced opposition to SOPA and had the means to do this.

I was rather angry that I had to go through the trouble to code a special template to do it. I shouldn't have had to do that.

However, I was amused by this

Someone released a tiny little piece of javascript code that bloggers could add to their existing template that would redirect their visitors to my template demo page, rather than having to apply the actual template itself.

http://www.geneablog.../blackout-blog-sopa/

40hz · « **Reply #56 on:** January 21, 2012, 01:08 PM »

I don't think I was asking too much from a company that voiced opposition to SOPA and had the means to do this.
-app103 (January 21, 2012, 12:06 PM)

I get the distinct impression "word" probably got passed back to the Big Players that Uncle Sam would greatly appreciate it if they downplayed the thing since the Legislature had already made what they no doubt felt was a conciliatory gesture by taking the bills off the table. Temporarily.

Google has already demonstrated a certain willingness to go along with government "requests" while publicly wringing their hands and protesting there's nothing they can do since "the law is the law."

That argument worked for Google over their accommodations with China. And without them getting too big a black eye over it. So why not use the same argument here, where there's nothing anyone could point at, to show this might (and likely did) happen?

I thought it was interesting that when China started insisting on their bamboo curtain the US government was very quiet about it. And what little complaint there was, was made in a very mild and restrained manner.

I guess those who write the laws have a deeper brotherhood which transcends any political and ideological differences they have. Because, let's face it, the law is the law. And police are police. And to someone with a police state mindset, a violation of one law is no different than a violation of any other.

And that doesn't change just because the flag that's being flown is different.

DC going offline to protest SOPA on Jan 18

wraith808 · « **Reply #57 on:** January 21, 2012, 04:13 PM »

On the whole political angle...

MPAA Directly and Publicly Threatens Politicians Who Aren't Corrupt Enough to Stay Bought

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #58 on:** January 21, 2012, 06:44 PM »

Hmmm... shouldn't it be ammo, then jury?
-wraith808 (January 21, 2012, 10:32 AM)

You're supposed to be ON the jury, not BEFORE it after the Ammo use!

Renegade · « **Reply #59 on:** January 21, 2012, 10:38 PM »

I seem to remember there being "four boxes" without even the coffin ... Got it - y'all forgot Jury Box.

The four boxes of liberty is a meme that proposes: "There are four boxes to be used in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury and ammo. Please use in that order." It is often quoted by conservative groups that oppose gun control."

http://en.wikipedia....our_boxes_of_liberty

-TaoPhoenix (January 21, 2012, 03:22 AM)

Ah! Thank you for that reference. Haven't seen that before.

I suppose great minds think alike, and fools seldom differ.

Not sure where I fall in there...

I get the distinct impression "word" probably got passed back to the Big Players that Uncle Sam would greatly appreciate it if they downplayed the thing since the Legislature had already made what they no doubt felt was a conciliatory gesture by taking the bills off the table. Temporarily.
-40hz (January 21, 2012, 01:08 PM)

That's the part that irks me. They'll try to ramrod it down some other way. Probably in an idiotic bill that makes it illegal to not be on Prozac or some other anti-psychotic. "I'm out of Soma... Can I get one from you?"

Hmmm... shouldn't it be ammo, then jury?
-wraith808 (January 21, 2012, 10:32 AM)

You're supposed to be ON the jury, not BEFORE it after the Ammo use!
-TaoPhoenix (January 21, 2012, 06:44 PM)

+1!

Did a bit of research here... Looks like Australians have already had most of their guns confiscated...

I wonder what society would be like if it were mandatory to carry a weapon... .380 autos for everyone. I bet muggings, assaults, and other violent crimes would just about disappear. Like who wants to try and rob a store when you know that everyone in there has a gun?

I suppose that you'd need to have a "gun check" at bars though. Guns & booze don't really mix very well.

(FYI - I'm just blathering nonsense there -- please don't anyone take me too seriously... But I am curious to know what it would be like...)

On the whole political angle...

MPAA Directly and Publicly Threatens Politicians Who Aren't Corrupt Enough to Stay Bought
(see attachment in previous post)
-wraith808 (January 21, 2012, 04:13 PM)

I think buddy boy actually does get it... "it" being:

If at first you don't succeed, bribe, bribe again.

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #60 on:** January 22, 2012, 09:15 AM »

As for the Mandatory to carry weapons, there was a Star Trek Original Series episode about that.

http://en.wikipedia....e_Original_Series%29

wraith808 · « **Reply #61 on:** January 22, 2012, 01:19 PM »

There are actually municipalities in the US that require gun ownership now. I don't think there have been studies as to what effect that has had on crime, though.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #62 on:** January 22, 2012, 01:43 PM »

There are actually municipalities in the US that require gun ownership now. I don't think there have been studies as to what effect that has had on crime, though.
-wraith808 (January 22, 2012, 01:19 PM)

I remember hearing about that back when a few of them were just starting. IIRC early results were good ... But that doesn't guarantee a positive long term. I think a lot of might depend on people focusing on getting along (like proper adults)...instead of trying to represent (like some street punk).

40hz · « **Reply #63 on:** January 22, 2012, 01:49 PM »

There are actually municipalities in the US that require gun ownership now. I don't think there have been studies as to what effect that has had on crime, though.
-wraith808 (January 22, 2012, 01:19 PM)

Not that it matters. It's just another example of local politics and grandstanding. Those laws have been routinely deemed unenforceable and thrown out by every court they've ever gone before.

I take comfort in that.

I don't particularly like being bossed around. Especially by idiots in public office.

wraith808 · « **Reply #64 on:** January 22, 2012, 06:31 PM »

I don't particularly like being bossed around. Especially by idiots in public office.
-40hz (January 22, 2012, 01:49 PM)

And we go full circle.

crabby3 · « **Reply #65 on:** January 29, 2012, 03:53 PM »

We are going offline on January 18 to protest the SOPA bill.

I always wonder how much good such things do, but we stand with our brothers and sisters at Wikipedia, and they have determined that a blackout protest is important -- so we will join with them.

You can read more about the blackout here: http://en.wikipedia....mmary_and_conclusion

See also the earlier discussion on this DC thread.
-mouser (January 17, 2012, 05:31 PM)

There's a brief mention of the blackout protest here. Under: 'Here comes the sun...'
I'm just glad I missed it because I may not have rediscovered DC and your Great Forum!

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #66 on:** January 31, 2012, 06:30 AM »

So was it worth it?

How do we feel about slowing down SOPA but we mostly missed the boat on ACTA?

Renegade · « **Reply #67 on:** January 31, 2012, 08:04 AM »

So was it worth it?

How do we feel about slowing down SOPA but we mostly missed the boat on ACTA?

-TaoPhoenix (January 31, 2012, 06:30 AM)

Horrible...

ACTA was written in secret with a few leaks, and signed last year by some traitors -- Canada, Australia, US, UK, South Korea (I think there are a few others -- not 100% sure here and too lazy to look it up right now) -- and being... oh god... what does it matter. Please just nuke the whole planet now. Why the slow descent into madness? Let's just get it over with...

40hz · « **Reply #68 on:** January 31, 2012, 08:44 AM »

It's always darkest before the dawn.

And the last act of a dying institution is to publish a bigger and more comprehensive rule book.

But there's nothing so big and unstoppable that you can't knock it flat on its ass.

It's only become a bigger chore, not an impossible one. And this is far from over.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #69 on:** January 31, 2012, 11:26 AM »

Please just nuke the whole planet now. Why the slow descent into madness? Let's just get it over with...
-Renegade (January 31, 2012, 08:04 AM)

Damnit man! Not until December! We can't be jumping the gun .... If we blow the planet too early the roaches won't be ready to sign the new lease ... And god knows who'll try to take over then (probably another bunch of stupid monkeys...).

tomos · « **Reply #70 on:** January 31, 2012, 04:06 PM »

If we blow the planet too early the roaches won't be ready to sign the new lease ... And god knows who'll try to take over then (probably another bunch of stupid monkeys...)
-Stoic Joker (January 31, 2012, 11:26 AM)

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #71 on:** February 10, 2012, 03:00 PM »

Freedom-Cody flew to Germany to help fight ACTA!

http://www.bbc.co.uk.../technology-16980451

Acta: Germany delays signing anti-piracy agreement

IainB · « **Reply #72 on:** June 23, 2012, 10:55 AM »

Well, this article from techdirt is a surprise! It rather looks as though some in Congress may consider this whole SOPA blackout protest to have been completely misguided.

Congressional Staffer Says SOPA Protests 'Poisoned The Well', Failure To Pass Puts Internet At Risk
Here's an extract: (read the whole post via the link above)

About a month ago, we wrote about some comments by Congressional staffer Stephanie Moore, the "Democrat's chief counsel on the House Judiciary Committee," in which she still couldn't come to grips with the fact that the public rose up against SOPA -- insisting that it must have been some nefarious "misinformation" campaign. We went through, in a fair amount of detail, how the misinformation was coming from her. It appears that Moore has decided to go even further down this path and express her general distaste for the public. During a panel discussion at the American Constitution Society's 2012 National Convention, covered by BNA, Moore was a panelist and apparently decided to totally mock the public and make the ridiculous claim that the failure to pass SOPA puts the internet at risk:
“Netizens poisoned the well, and as a result the reliability of the internet is at risk,” Moore said

Think about that for a second. That entire sentence is so incredibly insulting. Millions of people spoke out against bad legislation. The public spoke out, and Moore is so against the basic concept of democracy that she has to claim that millions of people expressing their political opinion is "poisoning the well." And how in the hell is "the reliability of the internet at risk" because Congress failed to pass a horrifically bad piece of legislation aimed at censoring sites one industry didn't like? Please.

The report goes on to a bunch of additional insulting comments from Moore towards the public, including the claim that "We don't know what the numbers mean," regarding the number of people who contacted Congress on January 18th. Here, I'll help you out: it means that a very large segment of the American population realized you were trying to push through a bad bill as a favor to some big Hollywood donors, and they didn't like it. What was so hard to understand about that?
...

Cretinous.

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #73 on:** June 23, 2012, 02:22 PM »

I'm starting to think that some of these people know they're full of BS but either they're putting on an act to pander to those with influence, and/or have brainwashed themselves into believing it.

Basically topics like dealing with corruption end up like Prisoner Dilemmas, which pit nasty people who all know each other against the lack of organization of the general population.

SeraphimLabs · « **Reply #74 on:** June 25, 2012, 05:52 PM »

I'm starting to think that some of these people know they're full of BS but either they're putting on an act to pander to those with influence, and/or have brainwashed themselves into believing it.

Basically topics like dealing with corruption end up like Prisoner Dilemmas, which pit nasty people who all know each other against the lack of organization of the general population.
-TaoPhoenix (June 23, 2012, 02:22 PM)

Their most recent move is going to be most fascinating.

I can think of a number of legal countermeasures to employ just in my own normal dealings, and I can see where it would invite some huge court cases under certain conditions.

These people are clearly insane, driven only by their own greed and the greed of those lining their pockets.

If only the public would actually organize themselves for a change and send a clear message to the government that we the people are tired of this crap.