Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19286
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 10:11 AM
I've decided to participate in the "internet blackout" tomorrow to protest the proposed legislation in the US Congress (SOPA in the House & PIPA in the Senate).
I know we try to keep politics off the site, but we do depend on a certain political infrastructure to even exist. And I feel very strongly that if the above bills passed, SG101 could not exist. I would have to police every single link you guys post to YouTube and other other internet sites. And if I missed one, the media companies could get the US government to remove SG101 from DNS (the yellow pages of the internet) without due process and we'd be effectively shut down. I believe, along with Wikipedia and many others, that these bills don't advance the interests of the general public.
The internet is probably the greatest invention of my lifetime, and it should be used for sharing of ideas, knowledge, democracy, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Yes, certainly copyright infringement and intellectual property rights are important. But these bills simply go too far. Not only that, but they show an ignorance of how the internet works. The big media companies are failing to innovate and embrace the digital age; they have resorted to driving dump trucks full of cash to Congress to save their asses by destroying the internet as we know it. (IMHO)
Sometime before I go to work Wednesday morning I will black out the site, and I probably won't turn it on until late Wednesday night. In the place of SG101 I'll have some links for more information on these bills and how you can contact your representatives. And I strongly encourage you to do so. This is very important to me.
Thanks for your patience and understanding.
— Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me
"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 10:21 AM
Great job, Brian. I usually avoid things like this as well. But, this bill really seems to be another example of government overreach that is happening more and more with each administration.
— THE KBK ... This is the last known signal. We offer Sanctuary.
www.thekbk.com
http://www.deepeddy.net/artists/thekbk/
www.reverbnation.com/thekbk
www.facebook.com/thekbkal
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 10:22 AM
Thanks for doing this. No government in history has ever failed to use the power it has taken for itself in pursuit of complete control of its subjects. I guess it's our turn. It is gravely concerning (to me) that our government is quietly accumulating all the power it needs to completely control and block the content of every media.
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
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morphball
Joined: Dec 23, 2008
Posts: 3324
Pittsboro, NC
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 10:25 AM
Good going Brian... this bill is a disgrace, and an affront to free speech. I'll miss this community tomorrow, but it's the right message to send out.
— Mike
http://www.youtube.com/morphballio
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josheboy
Joined: Mar 13, 2009
Posts: 2365
Twin Cities, MN
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 11:22 AM
Awesome, Brian. Definitely have to send our a$$hat politicians a message.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 11:26 AM
SOPA would really damage our country.
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surfgtrnut
Joined: Dec 26, 2008
Posts: 122
Binghamton, NY
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 12:27 PM
I will miss you tomorrow, but I totally agree with what you are doing. SOPA & PIPA must be stopped.
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19286
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 12:37 PM
Much is changing, and lawmakers, at least for now, are backing off the most odious part of the bills: tampering with DNS (the yellow pages of the internet). However there is still plenty not to like about the bills.
— Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me
"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea
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jp
Joined: Feb 09, 2007
Posts: 917
Brew City
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 01:24 PM
I have a feeling that there will be a lot of people getting more work done at their jobs tomorrow. Including me.
— The Exotics 1994-Current
The Chickenshack - www.wmse.org
www.thedoghouseflowers.com
www.uptownsavages.com
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Las_Barracudas
Joined: Apr 24, 2011
Posts: 1087
Surf City, NC
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 01:37 PM
Can't blame ya and I suppose it's a passive way to protest, but I'd encourage you to get on the horn with your state Reps in Washington asap. - (if you haven't already done so?)
— METEOR IV on reverbnation
Last edited: Jan 17, 2012 13:50:24
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19286
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 01:45 PM
I have several times. And as I said, I'll have links on the blackout page so that you can contact yours.
— Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me
"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19286
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 02:08 PM
Reddit, Cheezburger sites (sorry Jake!), Wikipedia, BoingBoing, & Archive.org, are just some of the sites going dark. Google and other sites are going to put banners on their sites about the bills. Here is Craigslist's SOPA page:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/SOPA
Of course our little cow-town puppet show website is not in their class, but I think we should do something.
— Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me
"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea
Last edited: Jan 17, 2012 14:08:52
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19286
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 02:24 PM
A really good explanation from Wikipedia's point of view:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/17/tech/web/wikipedia-sopa-blackout-qa/index.html
— Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me
"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea
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PolloGuitar
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 5095
San Francisco
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 02:29 PM
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midwestsurfer
Joined: Aug 09, 2007
Posts: 308
Indianapolis
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 02:41 PM
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clepak
Joined: Jun 11, 2006
Posts: 551
Liege (Belgium)
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 02:42 PM
PolloGuitar wrote:
Bravo, Brian!
+1
— Monkey Ju
Pirato Ketchup
Facebook
Bandcamp
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19286
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 02:49 PM
And sorry for dragging you non-Americans into this. But if you'd like to sign a petition to the US State Dept I'll have a link for that.
— Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me
"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 03:08 PM
Brian wrote:
Reddit, Cheezburger sites (sorry Jake!), Wikipedia,
BoingBoing, & Archive.org, are just some of the sites
going dark. Google and other sites are going to put
banners on their sites about the bills. Here is
Craigslist's SOPA page:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/SOPA
Of course our little cow-town puppet show website is
not in their class, but I think we should do something.
Google is going dark, isn't it? I heard facebook is as well.
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tonewoods
Joined: Nov 21, 2011
Posts: 112
Orcas Island, Washington
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 03:11 PM
Kudos....
— Download (for free!) "Overhead At Darrington"--fiddle tunes arranged for surf-style electric mandolin--by Bruce Harvie and The Sandfleas here...
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killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
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Posted on Jan 17 2012 03:11 PM
JakeDobner wrote:
Brian wrote:
Reddit, Cheezburger sites (sorry Jake!), Wikipedia,
BoingBoing, & Archive.org, are just some of the
sites
going dark. Google and other sites are going to put
banners on their sites about the bills. Here is
Craigslist's SOPA page:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/SOPA
Of course our little cow-town puppet show website is
not in their class, but I think we should do
something.
Google is going dark, isn't it? I heard facebook is as
well.
Google is stopping at posting a banner. I believe Facebook is doing something similar.
— THE KBK ... This is the last known signal. We offer Sanctuary.
www.thekbk.com
http://www.deepeddy.net/artists/thekbk/
www.reverbnation.com/thekbk
www.facebook.com/thekbkal
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