The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) won three critical exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) anticircumvention provisions today, carving out new legal protections for consumers who modify their cell phones and artists who remix videos — people who, until now, could have been sued for their non-infringing or fair use activities.
The first of EFF’s three successful requests clarifies the legality of cell phone “jailbreaking” — software modifications that liberate iPhones and other handsets to run applications from sources other than those approved by the phone maker. More than a million iPhone owners are said to have “jailbroken” their handsets in order to change wireless providers or use applications obtained from sources other than Apple’s own iTunes “App Store,” and many more have expressed a desire to do so. But the threat of DMCA liability had previously endangered these customers and alternate applications stores.
On EFF’s request, the Librarian of Congress renewed a 2006 rule exempting cell phone unlocking so handsets can be used with other telecommunications carriers. Cell phone unlockers have been successfully sued under the DMCA, even though there is no copyright infringement involved in the unlocking.
EFF also won a groundbreaking new protection for video remix artists currently thriving on Internet sites like YouTube. The new rule holds that amateur creators do not violate the DMCA when they use short excerpts from DVDs in order to create new, noncommercial works for purposes of criticism or comment if they believe that circumvention is necessary to fulfill that purpose. Hollywood has historically taken the view that “ripping” DVDs is always a violation of the DMCA, no matter the purpose.
Three additional rights were also restored: the right to break copy protection when needed to test videogames for security flaws, old or obsolete “software dongles”, and (if no commercial solution exists) to make e-book readers more accessible to the disabled.
Van Irion, a lawyer and Congressional candidate from Tennessee, recently began a class action suit to repeal the recently-passed Obamacare.
There is more to Irion’s case than just Obamacare – he is challenging several FDR-era Supreme Court rulings which have since given near unlimited powers to the federal government. For example, one of Obamacare’s notable features is the requirement that all Americans purchase health insurance or pay a fine when the law takes effect.
As of the date and time of this blog post listed above, 31,839 plaintiffs (this number includes both individuals and businesses) have joined the class. I joined many months ago, but now for verification purposes a donation of any amount is now needed ($10 is suggested, but lower is acceptable).
For at least 2-3 years, including on this blog, I have been pointing out the hypocrisy resulting from the commercialization of open-source software, including the FSF selling out to special interests, TPM in the Linux kernel, the NSA winning a “no-bid contract” of sort into the Linux kernel’s remote attestation features, remote attestation in Linux at all, fine print in later versions of Creative Commons Share-Alike which allows them to relicense work under licenses the organization approves, open advocacy by the Linux kernel team of TPM-based hardware DRM for the Hollywood Mafia, etc.
Pointing out the emperor has given a lap dance to special interests has resulted in things ranging from angry personal attacks to invented hacking reports to my ISP! But now, from talking to the same people, I think more and more people are starting to accept this as truth. It still doesn’t have mainstream acceptance, but I have a feeling it will be. I believe that Slackware Linux and the similar operating system OpenBSD are currently the least tainted with espionage and corporate interests. But Slackware Linux is still Linux, and OpenBSD isn’t very supported, though I don’t condone any corporate or government funding of any kind to OpenBSD, to maintain its purity and reputation.
I’m hoping that more people finally wake up and realize they have been ripped off and sold out by nonprofits which are no different than the corporate counterparts they supposedly oppose.
In a world without air conditioning, a warmer, more flexible, more relaxed workplace helps make summer a time to slow down again. Three-digit temperatures prompt siestas. Code-orange days mean offices are closed. Shorter summer business hours and month-long closings — common in pre-air-conditioned America — return.
Post-A.C., Congress again adjourns for the summer, giving “tea partiers” the smaller government they seek. During unseasonably warm spring and fall days, hearings are held under canopies on the Capitol lawn. What better way to foster open government and prompt politicians to focus on climate change?
Children — and others — take to bikes and scooters, because of the cooling effect of air movement. Calls for more summer school and even year-round school cease. Our kids don’t need more time inside, everyone agrees; they need the shady playgrounds and water sprinklers that spring up in every neighborhood.
“Green roofs” of grass, ivy and even food crops sprout on the flat tops of government and commercial buildings around the city, including the White House. These layers of soil and vegetation (on top of a crucially leak-proof surface) insulate interiors from the pounding sun, while water from the plants’ leaves provides evaporative cooling. More trees than ever appear in both private and public spaces.
It had been a while and I thought I’d do it.
Logged on to my blog, it had been a while and I thought I’d do it.
My vacation ended the 10th. It was OK, will probably enjoy it more next year.
You Are Tomatoes
You are kind hearted and open minded. You’re always up for something new. You like to experiment.
You are easy going, and you pride yourself on not being judgmental. You can see the good in almost every situation.
You prefer to keep things light and fun. You don’t like heavy topics or pessimistic people.
You believe that there’s so much to celebrate. You’re happy to just celebrate being alive!
The liberals are asking us to give Obama time. We agree . . . and think 25 to life would be appropriate.
America needs Obama-care like Nancy Pelosi needs a Halloween mask.
Q: Have you heard about McDonald’s’ new Obama Value Meal?
A: Order anything you like and the guy behind you has to pay for it.
Q: What does Barack Obama call lunch with a convicted felon?
A: A fund raiser.
Q: What’s the difference between Obama’s cabinet and a penitentiary?
A: One is filled with tax evaders, blackmailers, and threats to society. The other is for housing prisoners.
Q: If Nancy Pelosi and Obama were on a boat in the middle of the ocean and it started to sink, who would be saved?
A: America!
Q: What’s the difference between Obama and his dog, Bo?
A: Bo has papers.
Q: What was the most positive result of the “Cash for Clunkers” program?
A: It took 95% of the Obama bumper stickers off the road.
just crappy internet here. a few other sites weren’t working, including portions of validator.w3.org, though some of them are working today. totally messed up.
You Are Cheerful
You are a friendly and welcoming person. You know how to make the best of a bad situation.
You tend to think most about the world. You always see things on a global scale.
You are smart and inquisitive. You often aren’t satisfied until you know the “why” behind something.
You have the most fun when things are simple. You don’t like making a big fuss out of anything.
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