I supported myself for more than two years as a freelance writer. I was assigned a topic, wrote the piece, was paid, and was returned copyright, after a year, by the purchaser. I have found some of my work republished on the Internet without my expressed permission, but it still had my name on it and I feel that it's just free advertising. I had already been paid and had no further use for the work.
However, if someone was passing my work as there own or selling it, I would have a problem with it and send a take-down order. Linda Amstutz (or the agent) are simply handling this badly. Good luck with future work for either of them.
I watched the MPAA, I mean 60 Minutes, segment yesterday and it was possibly the worst example of journalism I have ever seen. Stahl did everything but kiss Soderbergh's behind on camera. There was absolutely no counter-argument presented and 60M just 'reported' what it was spoon fed. If I was in charge of CBS programming the producer of that segment would be fired.
In support of 60M and the movie industry (since I, as a part time journalist in the past and do present both sides) I would like to present these points:
The theater bag search was only at an exclusive premier, not a regular showing.
60 Minutes is in competition with entertainment programming and needs to catch the viewers attention. For every "OMFG Rome is burning" segment like this they do put together several real and important reports.
There is movie pirating happening and the industry does lose money from it. However, the numbers the MPAA comes up with are ridiculous and unsubstantiated. I would like to see a 60M piece on how the movie industry has special accounting rules that allow it to pay almost no taxes.
Anyone that takes the time to download a bit torrent movie and burn a DVD, which can take hours and hours, either has no money and would not buy the movie any way or has no life and is a techno-weenie just doing it because they think it's fun - and would not buy the movie any way. If I want to see a movie I go to the theater, rent it from Block Buster, pay the $20 for the DVD, or wait for it to show on cable. I waste my time by pretending to be an authority on stuff I know almost nothing about by writing up rants here at Techdirt.
I like Andy Rooney best, if he presents nonsense he makes sure you know it's nonsense.
I am a little bit tired of the constant "Red light cameras do nothing to stop accidents and are just revenue streams for local government" arguments. It may be correct that traffic cameras so little or nothing to stop drivers' stupidity but making them pay for their sins does provide some compensation for the social costs (hospitals, loss of wages) bad drivers cause.
As for the video: The Chinese may be much better at the social skills required to handle a crowded and unregulated situation like the intersection shown. Try a traffic design like that in Akron, Winnipeg, or, God forbid, Los Angeles, and the result would be apocalyptic.
Forget the fonts. I'm going to copyright the English alphabet and sue the public schools for having the letters on the walls in the elementary grade classes and kindergarten. I thought about simply suing all of the publishers of all books but this seems just a bit more 'douchey'.
I disagree. Manufacturing the getaway car or the pistol used in a holdup is not being guilty of a crime. Providing the car, the gun, the security guard schedule, the wiring diagram for the alarm, and the name of a stolen goods buyer makes you as guilty as the person that did the crime. It's a matter of simply proving intent and it seems obvious that the intent is to storm CL with spam.
One of the basic tenets of modern society based upon law is that no one can destroy his neighbor's property to his benefit. That's why dumping toxic waste is illegal. Since Red Trumpet, metaphorically, does this, even though they do not carry out the actual act of dumping (they merely provide the proverbial means i.e. trucks, roads, fuel, passes, and fake identity), CL has a good chance of winning.
No, our fine national representatives are only concerned with our well being and would never conspire to listen in on or read the private correspondence of a citizen without due cause or proper process through the law. I would like to take this opportunity to state that I am a proud taxpayer that supports our government's efforts to stop terrorists from taking away our freedom by taking away our rights to privacy and free expression for the preservation of the politician's image of democracy. Also, I would like to add that unlike my very patriotic self, everyone else here is a subversive mother.
Damn you Wikipedia! Now everyone is an instant pseudo-expert. Professional BS artists (like me) now have to work a lot harder to impress the ignornant.
You guys know way too much about weapons. I think gun nuts and computers geeks should be separated like Church and State: It's just too much power in one group's hands.
You are all correct. 100 points for Gryffindor. Next, history and origin of the M16:
1. Who invented it?
2. What was its original model designation?
3. What was its nickname by US toops in in Vietnam
4. What was the design originally intended for?
5. What is the current US Military model designation of the new generation of the M16 in current use?
I wonder when Bill Keith, owner of SunRise Solar Inc. in Indiana who received the faxes, will be charged by Governor (Phil) Bredesen's office under HIPAA legislation for receiving private medical information?
It happened to me once several years ago. My fax started throwing out pages and pages of very personal medical information. It was a private doctor so it was solved with one call and I burned the pages. Sensitive information should require the receiving fax machine to identify itself as a valid recipient.
sarcasm starts > They should tax ink and paper too. Books could be copied in long hand like I did in college and high school. Pens should have a $0.50 copyright tax and paper $0.05 per sheet to cover the poor publishers imaginary losses. And don't forget the pages could be memorized. Each person should pay a yearly tithe to the publishers for the right to remember the book's contents and utilize the information. Also, all money earned from work done using that information will require a 10% royalty to the publishers. > end sarcasm.
These publishers are the same conniving creeps that change a couple of chapters (in very minor ways) and demand schools pay full price for the 'new' edition.
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Twitter
Copyright - Use only in case of unfair profit or plagerism (as TW Burger)
I supported myself for more than two years as a freelance writer. I was assigned a topic, wrote the piece, was paid, and was returned copyright, after a year, by the purchaser. I have found some of my work republished on the Internet without my expressed permission, but it still had my name on it and I feel that it's just free advertising. I had already been paid and had no further use for the work.
However, if someone was passing my work as there own or selling it, I would have a problem with it and send a take-down order. Linda Amstutz (or the agent) are simply handling this badly. Good luck with future work for either of them.
Re: WWJD? (as TW Burger)
His Dad's got HBO and Show Time.
60 Minutes is in FAIL Mode (as TW Burger)
I watched the MPAA, I mean 60 Minutes, segment yesterday and it was possibly the worst example of journalism I have ever seen. Stahl did everything but kiss Soderbergh's behind on camera. There was absolutely no counter-argument presented and 60M just 'reported' what it was spoon fed. If I was in charge of CBS programming the producer of that segment would be fired.
In support of 60M and the movie industry (since I, as a part time journalist in the past and do present both sides) I would like to present these points:
The theater bag search was only at an exclusive premier, not a regular showing.
60 Minutes is in competition with entertainment programming and needs to catch the viewers attention. For every "OMFG Rome is burning" segment like this they do put together several real and important reports.
There is movie pirating happening and the industry does lose money from it. However, the numbers the MPAA comes up with are ridiculous and unsubstantiated. I would like to see a 60M piece on how the movie industry has special accounting rules that allow it to pay almost no taxes.
Anyone that takes the time to download a bit torrent movie and burn a DVD, which can take hours and hours, either has no money and would not buy the movie any way or has no life and is a techno-weenie just doing it because they think it's fun - and would not buy the movie any way. If I want to see a movie I go to the theater, rent it from Block Buster, pay the $20 for the DVD, or wait for it to show on cable. I waste my time by pretending to be an authority on stuff I know almost nothing about by writing up rants here at Techdirt.
I like Andy Rooney best, if he presents nonsense he makes sure you know it's nonsense.
Safety and Revenue Streams (as TW Burger)
I am a little bit tired of the constant "Red light cameras do nothing to stop accidents and are just revenue streams for local government" arguments. It may be correct that traffic cameras so little or nothing to stop drivers' stupidity but making them pay for their sins does provide some compensation for the social costs (hospitals, loss of wages) bad drivers cause.
As for the video: The Chinese may be much better at the social skills required to handle a crowded and unregulated situation like the intersection shown. Try a traffic design like that in Akron, Winnipeg, or, God forbid, Los Angeles, and the result would be apocalyptic.
Re: Re: i hope they don't sue me... (as TW Burger)
Oh, nasty - but funny.
Great Method of Losing Customers (as TW Burger)
I am going to be careful to never buy Monster Energy Drink or any other Hansen's product.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Law and Order? (as TW Burger)
I know, I just had to use as many Spaceballs references as I could.
DM
Dark Mantle
Dark Matter
Dark Man
Dark Monster
Dark Mommy
Dark Mammer-Jammer
Dark Mofo
Dark Mother
Dark Maniac
Dark Marketing
Dark ?
Yeah, Dark Mammaries is funniest. I see your Swartz is bigger than mine.
Re: (as TW Burger)
Forget the fonts. I'm going to copyright the English alphabet and sue the public schools for having the letters on the walls in the elementary grade classes and kindergarten. I thought about simply suing all of the publishers of all books but this seems just a bit more 'douchey'.
Re: Re: Re: Law and Order? (as TW Burger)
Calm down, it's just a typo. You get upset at ludicrous speed. Take a five minute break...smoke 'em if you got 'em.
Re: Re: Law and Common Sense - Mutually Exclusive? (as TW Burger)
I disagree. Manufacturing the getaway car or the pistol used in a holdup is not being guilty of a crime. Providing the car, the gun, the security guard schedule, the wiring diagram for the alarm, and the name of a stolen goods buyer makes you as guilty as the person that did the crime. It's a matter of simply proving intent and it seems obvious that the intent is to storm CL with spam.
Law and Common Sense - Mutually Exclusive? (as TW Burger)
One of the basic tenets of modern society based upon law is that no one can destroy his neighbor's property to his benefit. That's why dumping toxic waste is illegal. Since Red Trumpet, metaphorically, does this, even though they do not carry out the actual act of dumping (they merely provide the proverbial means i.e. trucks, roads, fuel, passes, and fake identity), CL has a good chance of winning.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: fun facts (as TW Burger)
No, our fine national representatives are only concerned with our well being and would never conspire to listen in on or read the private correspondence of a citizen without due cause or proper process through the law. I would like to take this opportunity to state that I am a proud taxpayer that supports our government's efforts to stop terrorists from taking away our freedom by taking away our rights to privacy and free expression for the preservation of the politician's image of democracy. Also, I would like to add that unlike my very patriotic self, everyone else here is a subversive mother.
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: (as TW Burger)
Damn you Wikipedia! Now everyone is an instant pseudo-expert. Professional BS artists (like me) now have to work a lot harder to impress the ignornant.
Re: Re: Re: fun facts (as TW Burger)
SHHHH! They're listening!
Re: fun facts (as TW Burger)
You guys know way too much about weapons. I think gun nuts and computers geeks should be separated like Church and State: It's just too much power in one group's hands.
When Arms Dealers Fail (as TW Burger)
When arms dealers fail don't we all win?
I'm glad there's not enough business to keep the original AK factory going. Maybe humans are smartening up?
Re: Re: Re: (as TW Burger)
You are all correct. 100 points for Gryffindor. Next, history and origin of the M16:
1. Who invented it?
2. What was its original model designation?
3. What was its nickname by US toops in in Vietnam
4. What was the design originally intended for?
5. What is the current US Military model designation of the new generation of the M16 in current use?
I Wonder... (as TW Burger)
I wonder when Bill Keith, owner of SunRise Solar Inc. in Indiana who received the faxes, will be charged by Governor (Phil) Bredesen's office under HIPAA legislation for receiving private medical information?
Re: Happened Before (as TW Burger)
It happened to me once several years ago. My fax started throwing out pages and pages of very personal medical information. It was a private doctor so it was solved with one call and I burned the pages. Sensitive information should require the receiving fax machine to identify itself as a valid recipient.
Re: Coming soon...copy machine taxes (as TW Burger)
sarcasm starts > They should tax ink and paper too. Books could be copied in long hand like I did in college and high school. Pens should have a $0.50 copyright tax and paper $0.05 per sheet to cover the poor publishers imaginary losses. And don't forget the pages could be memorized. Each person should pay a yearly tithe to the publishers for the right to remember the book's contents and utilize the information. Also, all money earned from work done using that information will require a 10% royalty to the publishers. > end sarcasm.
These publishers are the same conniving creeps that change a couple of chapters (in very minor ways) and demand schools pay full price for the 'new' edition.