American Censorship SOPA & PIPA

[NedLynch]

Just my two cents, besides the fact that the suggested bills are an abomination:

The biggest problem in the US seems to be the unavailability of complete, neutral, factual and easily accessable news. The news media in the US are worse than bad, imo mostly because they are for profit companies.

Moreso than who controls money, who controls information is in power.

It is not that americans are stupid or do not care. When I came to US more than 15 years ago I immediately felt cut off from the rest of the world newswise, it's like living in a bubble or on another planet and it has gotten worse over time for sure.

The other thing is that americans actually felt they were making a change for the better for themselves and for the world by voting for Obama, or at least roughly half of the US, the other half is still stuck in their view that a country/government has to be run like a business and that capitalism = freedom and make their voting decision dependant on the candidates stand on gay marriage, abortion rights and religion while in the middle of two wars ( I remember the horrid 2004 presidential campaign).
And nobody can tell me that 8 years of George did not do their good part to transport the US and in consequence the world into the economic toilet. There are many who believe this was deliberate and targeted at the destruction of the middle class, since a strong middle class is a big factor in having an actually free people.

But alas nothing got better, the powers to be in the US are probably way beyond the grasp and control of the people and brick by brick, little by little, noticed or unoticed, freedom is being dismantled.
There are a lot of people here in the US who are dissatisfied, desperate and angry (pretty much everybody in my workplace) and yet feel powerless to change things and take control over their fortunes. If voting does nothing then what does?

The proposed legislation will not pass, this time, but the proposed measures will come back in one way or another. The control of the flow of information and the masses is way to important.

[Octocat]

Originally Posted by Ataros

UK does not protect its citizens? A hair-raising revelation. I would not be surprised if this happened in Russia or any 3rd world country. Sorry but it looks as if UK had lost its independence.



Kind of "evidence" Stalin's or Putin's court would use. To me it seems as the only connection to the US is that someone in the US does not like this. Human rights is a myth even in good old Europe. Ahh... This world is doomed. Orwell's "1984" slowly comes true. Those who print money order the music

BTW, from here it seems that Germany or France are much more independent from the US, at least it was obvious in Tony Blair's time.

Tony Blair was a U.S. puppet. Great movie about it: The Ghost Writer. Germany did not have full sovereignty from the end of WW2 and until today, a document affirming a condition called "German Chancellor Act"

Also article:Berlin is Washington's Vassal Until 2099

[WTE_Galway]

The motivation is simple ...

" We here in Hollywood lack the imagination to create anything other than reruns sold the way we have always sold them and we also lack the motivation to provide any sort of service or value added features to attract people to genuine products. How can we continue to fleece people ? .. i know lets call a congressman and legislate it to be so ... "

[brando]

The option is to manufacture a quality product and base the price on the reliability and the support (that needs to be) available. CH Products are a good example of American build quality - conventional but sturdy - their controllers have the reputation of lasting a decade or longer. If something goes wrong they will fix it, and the software writer can be contacted any day on the users' website. They don't really do meaningless bells and whistles...but most users don't need that.

The problem is more about weaning your children away from the boredom/ gratification/ boredom cycle that has taken over from society.

[ATAG_Doc]

Originally Posted by Osprey

No, especially if they want to deport you for any of the things that are legal in the UK but aren't in the USA.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/j...us-extradition

This is the effects of globalization. No one will partake in it unless there is a regress process and this is sadly what it is. I don't like it one bit but the powers to be on both side recognize that there has to be a process to address business issues on both sides of the ocean. No one rushing to vote for this setup probably ever considered this as a result but it is what it is. Big business will continue to run things I'm afraid.

[TheEditor]

I thought this was a good read:

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=23797

[BaronBonBaron]

"Yesterday's internet-wide protest may not have killed Congress's anti-piracy efforts completely, but a lot of legislators (including some co-sponsors) suddenly can't run away from the bills fast enough. According to Ars Technica's count, 18 Senators, mostly Republican, have withdrawn their support for the Protect IP Act in the last 24 hours, including seven former co-sponsors. Roy Blunt of Missouri (pictured), is another one of the co-sponsors who turned on the bill, following Marco Rubio's lead. Most are now calling PIPA "flawed" or "not ready for prime time," but since they didn't seem to feel that way on Tuesday, it's pretty clear that Wednesday's public protests have had at least some of their desired effect."

http://news.yahoo.com/republicans-ba...121420287.html

[nearmiss]

America has the best government money can buy.

Lobbyists spend billions each year, just lobbying Congress.

They buy all the influence ther billions can buy.

Americans don't know zip about how the stupid bills get to congress, that are created by lobbyists.

There are more rats (influence peddlers) among lobbyists than can be counted on American politican scene.

http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/index.php

If the rats persist with these types of bills they will eventually succeed. The American people are too busy lying on the sofa, sucking up potato chips, french fries, and watching TV to care about politics.

When Nikita Kruschev banged his shoe on the table and declared, ‘We shall destroy you from within’ during the infamous "Kitchen Debate" - he knew what he was talking about. He was talking about the destruction of the so-called American Republic being replaced with communism.

[von Pilsner]

Originally Posted by nearmiss

Americans don't know zip about how the stupid bills get to congress, that are created by lobbyists.

Not necessarily true, but since I do not have millions myself I find it difficult to be on capitol hill lobbying congress to support my interests.

Originally Posted by nearmiss

The American people are too busy lying on the sofa, sucking up potato chips, french fries, and watching TV to care about politics..

Ouch - you could probably make your point without insulting every American... Not caring and feeling disenfranchised are 2 different things and I believe you may be confusing one with the other. Most adults I know have opinions about the current political scene here and as far as I know most of my friends and co-workers vote. I'm not sure how that equates to not caring.

[Oldschool61]

Originally Posted by nearmiss

America has the best government money can buy.

Lobbyists spend billions each year, just lobbying Congress.

They buy all the influence ther billions can buy.

Americans don't know zip about how the stupid bills get to congress, that are created by lobbyists.

There are more rats (influence peddlers) among lobbyists than can be counted on American politican scene.

http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/index.php

If the rats persist with these types of bills they will eventually succeed. The American people are too busy lying on the sofa, sucking up potato chips, french fries, and watching TV to care about politics.

When Nikita Kruschev banged his shoe on the table and declared, ‘We shall destroy you from within’ during the infamous "Kitchen Debate" - he knew what he was talking about. He was talking about the destruction of the so-called American Republic being replaced with communism.

Corporate take over is facist. Problem is republican primarily as well as some dems allow business to be people and now we see the damage being done.