Archive for Politics

RB | January 15, 2012
One comment

Congress Prepares to Destroy the Web

Stop SOPAThe Stop Internet Piracy Act (SOPA) legislation being debated in Congress has the potential to destroy the internet as we have come to know it. If passed, SOPA would require internet providers to block access to sites in other countries hosting stolen intellectual property (IP) from the U.S. It also puts any site that has even an accidental link to a protected intellectual property (IP) at risk for legal action according to the BusinessInsider and many others.

DetroitMichigan Democratic congressman John Conyers Jr, husband of convicted Detroit City Council bribe taker, Monica Conyers, not only supports SOPA, but was a co-sponsor of SOPA (H.R.3261) according to ProPublica.

Conyers support of SOPA may have been purchased for $158,574 in campaign contributions in 2010 from the Computers/Internet and TV/Movies/Music industries according to ProPublica. This is an increase of nearly $14,000 from the 2008 election cycle.

Electronics Frontier FoundationStolen IP is a very broad and vague term. Most the leading Internet sites rely on user-generated content and links that might have protected IP on them. BI predicts that some of the web’s favorite sites may cease to exist because of the bill Conyers sponsored.

Which sites? The BusinessInsider asked anti censorship advocacy groups like the Free Software Foundation, the Electronics Frontier Foundation and the Participatory Politics Foundation for some answers and they projected the following (This is NOT a comprehensive list).

Reddit logoThe experts say Reddit is a forum for linking to and commenting on content, and it’s all user-generated. As a result, some users are going to post or link to content that don’t have the rights to. Both of those are big no-nos for SOPA according to BI. Alexa ranks Reddit #115.

The virtual artist platform deviantART attracts 45 million unique visitors per month. The site allows emerging and established artists to exhibit, promote, and share their work on the web. It makes the SOPA hit list because if an artist infringes upon a copyrighted work, both the artist and the site may be subject to legal action. deviantART will have to closely censor what is uploaded on the site says BI. Alexa ranks deviantART #131.

ebay logoThe virtual auction house and e-commerce site eBay (EBAY) makes this list because of sellers who use the site to distribute counterfeit merchandise. The article says the site does discourage selling these types of items with policies on IP. Alexa ranks eBay #20.

Amazon (AMZN) could also be at risk due to sellers who attempt to distribute counterfeit goods. Alexa ranks Amazon #9.

Etsy logo Etsy, the virtual marketplace of over 800,000 active “shops” is threatened by SOPA because it allows users to buy and sell handmade or vintage items, art, and supplies according the BI. Etsy faces risk from SOPA because it will have to monitor the handmade goods it offers. If an IP holder claims to be harmed by any activity on the site, Etsy could be forced to suspend their service. That would harm all the vendors on the site and not just those accused of IP theft. Alexa ranks Etsy #162.

The BusinessInsider says YouTube is at risk from SOPA despite its effort to keep keep pirated content out. If copyrighted works are found on YouTube by an IP holder, it could mean a suspension of service. SOPA will further censor the kinds of content the YouTube community can upload. Alexa ranks YouTube #3.

Facebook Facebook also makes the experts list because if one of it’s 800 million users shares a link to a copyrighted work or to a site that is accused of infringing IP, Facebook could be held liable as well. SOPA will likely force Facebook to further monitor and censor its users. Facebook is ranked #2 by Alexa.

Like YouTube, if copyrighted works are found on Flickr by an IP holder it could result in the suspension of service. SOPA will further censor the kinds of content the Flickr community can upload. Under SOPA, any copyright violation complaint made could suspend both the site and its revenue streams according to the article. Flickr is ranked #42 by Alexa.

WordPress logoOver 70 million people use WordPress to publish their blog. WordPress faces risk by SOPA because the bill could mandate the site further monitor and censor the bloggers. If a WordPress site is accused of violating IP protected works or a commenter links to a copyrighted work, BI predicts that could potentially shut down all the blogs hosted on the site. WordPress is ranked #18 by Alexa.

Over 40 million people use Tumblr to share photos, poems, posts, and other creative content. Tumblr faces the same threat as WordPress according to BI. If a blogger or commenter uploads or links to copyrighted works, then Tumblr and its users could be at risk. Tumblr is ranked #40 by Alexa.

Vimeo logo Vimeo is a video sharing website and has a reputation for being the place where creative types in the video and film industry upload their original work. However, given the user-generated nature of the site BI says, Vimeo still faces risk from users who include even a portion of copyrighted material in their film. Vimeo is ranked #11 by Alexa.

Big name sites that the experts say a at risk from SOPA include:

Google (GOOG) ranked #1 by Alexa.

Yahoo (YHOO) is ranked #4 by Alexa.

Wikipedia ranked #6 by Alexa.

Twitter ranked #10 by Alexa.

Microsoft‘s (MSFT) Bing is ranked #26 by Alexa.

The BusinessInsider concludes that the real victim of SOPA would be the startups (which Conyers says SOPA will save jobs)whose innovation will be restricted by this bill. Smaller websites may not have the lawyers to fight a bill like SOPA and other sites may not consider launching at all for fear of prosecution.

Related articles
Category: Politics | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
RB | October 27, 2011
One comment

Cisco CEO Talks Cash at Tech Dinner

GreedSometimes my view from the Bach Seat is just so right. The BusinessInsider reports that former Apple (AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs told his biographer Walter Isaacson what really went on when the tech titans supped with Barack Obama earlier this year.

Money bagsWhile the tech titans were slated to discuss America’s economy and what could be done to create more jobs in the U.S. according to Mr. Isaacson, Google’s (GOOG) Eric Schmidt, then Yahoo (YHOO) chief Carol Bartz, and Oracle’s (ORCL) Larry Ellison and Cisco‘s (CSCO) John Chambers annoyed Obama. The business leaders seemed more concerned with boosting his own company instead of America’s economy as a whole. Mr.Isaacson focuses on Cisco’s Chambers as an example:

Cisco Systems“Chambers, for example, pushed a proposal for a repatriation tax holiday that would allow major corporations to avoid tax payments on overseas profits if they brought them back to the United States for investment during a certain period. The President was annoyed, and so was Facebooks’s Mark Zuckerberg, who turned to Valerie Jarrett, sitting to his right, and whispered, “We should be talking about what’s important to the country. Why is he just talking about what’s good for him?”

rb-

I noted John Chambers’ editorial in the WSJ calling for a tax holiday last year.

Related articles
Category: Business, Politics | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
RB | September 4, 2011
No comments

Labor Day 2011

Labor Day in Detroit

Labor Day in Detroit

 

 

Related articles
Category: Out-sourcing, Politics, Recession | Tags: , , , ,
RB | July 4, 2011
No comments

July 4th 2011

Joseph Plumb Martin was a soldier who is one of the only non-ranking members of the Continental Army to leave a description of his excursions within the 8th Connecticut Regiment. Martin participated in such notable engagements as the Battle of Brooklyn, the Battle of White Plains and the Battle of Monmouth according to Wikipedia. He encamped at Valley Forge and was also present during the climactic Siege of Yorktown.

Joesph Plumb Martin

In 1794, Martin became involved in a bitter land dispute with Henry Knox, former Major-General in the Continental Army and Secretary of War under George Washington’s administration as President. Knox claimed that he owned Martin’s 100-acre farm, as well as the surrounding 600,000 acres in an area now known as Waldo County, Maine. As is typical in such stories, Knox, the politician forced Martin the solider off of his land and by 1818 the article says he owned nothing.

In 1830 Martin’s memoirs were originally published anonymously as A narrative of some of the adventures, dangers, and sufferings of a Revolutionary soldier, interspersed with anecdotes of incidents that occurred within his own observation. In 1962 the book was republished under the title Private Yankee Doodle. The current edition, published in 2001, is entitled A Narrative of a Revolutionary Soldier: Some of the Adventures, Dangers and Sufferings of Joseph Plumb Martin.

Martin’s narrative of the war has been frequently cited by scholars as an excellent primary source for the American Revolution. It is notable that Martin was a mere private in the army, and his account does not involve the usual heroes of the Revolution. His narrative is considered one of the major primary sources for historians, researchers and reenactors of the American Revolution. Scholars believe that Martin kept some type of journal during the course of the war, and fleshed it out in detail later in his life.

rb-

Now go out and honor those who have come before you.

  • Turn off the TV
  • Learn about something new
  • Vote
Category: Politics | Tags: , , , ,
RB | June 13, 2011
2 comments

Tech Regulatory Capture

Regulatory capture occurs when governmental bodies created to act in the public interest instead advances the commercial or special interests that dominate the industry or sector it is charged with regulating. Regulatory capture is a form of government failure, as it can encourage large firms to exploit the public.

Former Sen. Chris Dodd Named MPAA Chief

MPAAChristopher Dodd, the former five-term Democratic senator from Connecticut is the head of the Motion Picture Association of America. He sat on the Foreign Relations Committee, headed the Banking Committee, and co-authored the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Among other things, he attempted to filibuster the legislation that immunized telecom companies from lawsuits over the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program.

As head of the MPAA, he’s likely to be a little less friendly to the average netizen. The MPAA has lobbied hard for the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.

It has pushed for the government to shutter websites suspected of hosting infringing material, and is responsible for using the American legal system to sue U.S.-based torrent search engines out of existence. A case against Canadian-based Isohunt is pending.

Facebook Prepares to Add Friends in Washington

FacebookDemocrat Sheryl Sandberg, the former Clinton administration official is chief operating officer for Facebook. Ms. Sandberg, is the company’s No. 2 official behind co-founder and chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg.

Republican Ted Ullyot, a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is the social networker’s general counsel. Mr. Ullyot, was a White House lawyer and chief of staff for Alberto Gonzales, when he was attorney general in the George W. Bush administration. Facebook  told the Los Angeles Times that Mr. Ullyot “has extremely strong connections with the Republican Party, and we think that’s a good thing.”

Facebook Adds to Its Public Policy Staff

FacebookFacebook increased its Republican credentials by adding Catherine Martin, who is the site’s first director of public policy. Previously, Ms. Martin worked for President George W. Bush, serving as deputy assistant to the president and deputy communications director for policy and planning.

Facebook May Hire Robert Gibbs, Former Obama Aide

FacebookFacebook is in talks to hire Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s former White House press secretary, for a senior role in helping to manage the company’s communications, people briefed on the negotiations told the New York Times.

Mr. Gibbs, who left the White House in February after two years on the job, had planned to help set up President Obama’s re-election campaign before taking a private sector job, these people said. A job for Mr. Gibbs at Facebook could be worth millions of dollars. While details of his potential compensation package have yet to be discussed, people briefed on the talks said that he would receive a cash salary as well as shares ahead of the initial offering. Some investors have valued Facebook  at more than $60 billion and could be the largest offering in history. Mr. Gibbs and a spokesman for Facebook declined to comment.

Facebook Woos Washington

Facebook The Daily Beast points out that Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg’s company has 600 million members, making it about twice as big as the United States. The Daily Beast says that Facebook needs to get as cozy as it canwith the U.S. Government and Barack Obama. This company is gathering more personal information about more people than any other company ever, even more than Google. Suddenly it is dawning on everyone, including members of Congress, just how much power Facebook is amassing.

Co to counter the trend Facebook has hired two more former government officials.

  • Elliot Schrage, worked at the Council on Foreign Relations and Google before joining Facebook.. Mr. Schrage, a lawyer by training, serves as Facebook’s head of global communications and public affairs.
  • Chris Hughes, a Facebook co-founder, ran Obama’s 2008 social-networking operation via a website called My.BarackObama.com.

Guess Who Just Paid $35,000 For A Steak Dinner With Obama?

YelpAfter President Obama’s love-in speech video at Facebook, another group of tech luminaries get a meeting with POTUS. The steak dinner at the home of Salesforce.com CEO Marc Beniof cost $35,000-a-plate. According to the Business Insider other Silicon Valley big-shots in attendance included:

Related articles
Category: Politics | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
« Older Entries  

Switch to our mobile site