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113 Comments
- mateo60, on 11/14/2007, -10/+244I'm starting to think that maybe it doesn't matter anymore. It'll get lots of diggs, and we'll all see it and be mad at this S.O.B., but then on CNN, they'll spend an hour talking about what Paris Hilton is up to, or a pretty white girl getting kidnapped (notice the only kidnapping stories that get national attention generally are pretty white girls), or they'll do some "if it bleeds it leads" story. But there will be no mention of something like this.
/end dispirited cynical rant/ ...... sigh - stargatesteve, on 10/11/2007, -4/+97/start own rant/
Because the average person doesn't care. The people of Digg aren't the same people walking the street each day. The average person may hear a story every now and then, about the RIAA suing colleges, but they won't hear about the single mothers living on welfare checks getting sued over something her daughter don't know how to do. Or any similar stories.
I think it's in part because the public doesn't _care_. They figure "I don't pirate music, how could this affect me? I didn't know there was music on the interweb?" See, none of them CARE! Until tuitions go up. Then it's because of a 3-man-army downloading Don McLean songs, and the helpless artists can't do anything about it, so the RIAA needs to "stand up for the song writers". They will be the heroes, and anyone who uses the word "download" will be vilified to kingdom come.
And as for the kidnappings, I think we only hear about pretty white girls getting kidnapped because a lot of perverts out there want to kidnap pretty white girls.
/end my rant/
That felt good. - shewasjustagrl, on 10/11/2007, -0/+75Comment on the page: "Yeah... and drugs are trafficed on Federally funded highways... should we stop improving them unless the states clean up the highways?"
Couldn't have said it better myself. This guy is a disgrace to the Feeney name. - Typhoon2009, on 10/11/2007, -2/+60"Cut Funding to RIAA" sounds better.
- jay111276, on 10/11/2007, -0/+48Just your typical dirty politician working for his interests and not the peoples.
- jmpeagle, on 10/11/2007, -1/+47hahahahahaha
they would sacrifice our nation's education system for RIAA/MPAA copyrights? Thats F*cked up. - omgTHEPATRIOTS, on 10/11/2007, -2/+36oh for ***** sake, cutting federal funding to colleges for THIS?!
if this ever passed, states should really start considering secession, for their own benefit. - Katana314, on 10/11/2007, -1/+34Not true. Remember that recent story about bears in yellowstone park? Apparently all the diggs, angry letters from diggers, etc, generated enough of a ruckus to reverse a decision there. The same could happen for this.
In all honesty though, some colleges DO have too much of a budget; some of them actually increase tuition costs just to seem high-class.
Tuition: $45,000
Tuition: $30,000
Which college seems like you would learn more? - AriaStar, on 10/11/2007, -2/+30This whole thing is really counterproductive. Cut funding to colleges and they'll make up the cut with an increase in tuition. An increase in tuition takes it even more out of the range of affordability, forcing more people into entry level jobs because they can't get an education to do better. Then you've got more people who can't afford to buy, so a larger pool of people who will pirate. It's all they can afford to do if they want music.
Politicians are carrying this too far. Is there not a kid in jail for a consensual blow job they should be focusing on freeing? What the hell are they trying to distract us from? With all the focus on ***** music and video games, it seems like there's something else they're simply trying to keep up from noticing. You know, something serious. - generalloy, on 10/11/2007, -1/+25"File sharing" is a threat to their monopoly. There are significant non-infringing uses---ESPECIALLY in a university, for crying out loud!!!
- omnithought, on 10/11/2007, -0/+19So, corporate profit is more important than education. Check.
If I keep learning these lessons, one day I'll be a "Good American"! - catfish182, on 10/11/2007, -1/+19It can start on Digg but it has to go beyond that. No matter what we as a community do here on Digg it still is only on Digg.
Make the politician's respond to you. Write them, email them, call them, GO SEE THEM!!. They work for you. Go in there and tell them "I am a voter in your area and i have a problem with what you are doing"
If that doesn't fix it then work to get that person out of office. Digg can be good to start moving on a problem but it needs to be continued.
I send my senators and my district Representatives weekly emails and i have called them voicing my support for the issues i feel need addressed. They can not ignore you. IF you are a voter they have to listen to you. Dont give up and if you need help come to Digg and say "hey email this person about this" Let these politician's feel the digg effect and then they will listen. - tehpwnrate, on 10/11/2007, -2/+18@jrocknyc
Sometimes I feel that my ability to digg up or down a comment has more impact on pretty much anything than my vote does... - mongocrush, on 10/11/2007, -1/+16"Congress should withhold funding from universities if they don't police their networks adequately"
Maybe we should withhold taxes unless these stupid politicians do what we tell them to do. Too bad we can't get away with that.
Ya know the only people I see that are upset with P2P file sharing is the politicians and the RIAA/MPAA, oh and the occasional nut. P2P file sharing should be embraced, there is a lot of legal P2P file sharing going on out there too ya know. - catfish182, on 10/11/2007, -0/+15its cause the industry is giving them money thats why.
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -0/+15People that do not read Digg...
- moocow1452, on 10/11/2007, -0/+14Come to Michigan for a little while. They'll pretty much give their Education Budget away to the next person who walks down the street.
- shinji675, on 10/11/2007, -0/+14I really don't want to say this, and I will most likely be dugg down, but does it surprise you at all that the politicians would rather cut education instead of letting the industry (if it even does) suffer a little?
- Artifez, on 10/11/2007, -3/+16That senator looks like a big sweaty pink horse dick with a weed whacked jew fro. I don't think I even need to comment about how much of an abhorrent slimeball he is either.
- typicalusername, on 10/11/2007, -0/+13He's a Rep from Florida? Last time I was there, I had to show my Grandma how to turn on a computer... How the hell does their State Rep know anything factual about file sharing and it's affects...
Sure, jack my tuition up more to pay for a decrease in funds, I'll just have to spend less money and download more... There's a good solution to file sharing! - MrSkrilla, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12Contact Information for Tom Feeney
---------------------------------------------------
Washington Office:
323 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-0924
Phone: (202) 225-2706
Fax: (202) 226-6299
Main District Office:
12424 Research Pkwy., Ste. 135
Orlando, FL 32826
Phone: (407) 208-1106
Fax: (407) 208-1108
---------------------------------------------------
Call him up and let him know what a fat ***** pig he is. - Dayyve, on 10/11/2007, -0/+9I've got my +2 slingshot of smiting that does x2 dmg to RIAA /MPAA/ Repukican politicos.
Just tell me when... - rootbat, on 10/11/2007, -0/+9CUT FUNDING TO TOM FEENEY (R-Fla.)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9Just where do they think all federal funding comes from anyway? It's money they suck out of the states.
- grunk, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9I wonder if Congressmen get knee pads when they get elected. Maybe they're campaign contributions.
- wishninja, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8It was a Democrat that signed the DMMC act. Face it they are all the same because they are all working within the same system. We need new laws restricting politicians to no bribe money at all
- Sippi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7This congressman wins the "Looks like ex-jock football player who destroyed everyone else's lives for his own personal gain" contest.
- OrganicDrew, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6lets stop talking about it and DO SOMETHING .. I think the majority of Digg users are people who think like Thomas Jefferson .. What would Thomas Jefferson do?
He would ***** revolt thats what he would do.. you wouldn't just talk about it, He would RALLY the people behind his cause!
What I am saying here is,. digg is a great Forum for free thought but it is highly limited on its size and scope. What must be done is people need to contemplate beyond an up or down on these important issues and write at length what needs to be done about it. It is not enough to simply digg up or down, although this helps show the support for the ideal it wont change anything. The one person who chooses to act alone inspired by what we digg up or down upon is more impactful than our digging alone.
WHAT must be done is that we must unite on the issues together as one voice, then spread our message to as many message boards as possible and recruit other like minded and motivated people. Then we need to contact the necessary authority able to bring about change, weather that is green peace, or your local representative or whom ever WE MUST TAKE THAT NEXT STEP.
I am prepared to work with other diggers to simplify the last step so that less motivated diggers only have to click on a button to make their voice heard. I intend to do so with POLLS PETITIONS and LINKAGE to every known forum and message board online.
anyone interested in helping me out with my rational cause simply type in an email I WANT TO HELP in the subject line and send me an email to Drew@OrganicPhoto.org
thanks for the support - MrSkrilla, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7"the correct answer is voting.
it's like using the digg-up and digg-down buttons, but with actual effect on the world around you."
yeah, you still believe that voting works? At least when I hit "digg" i can visually see my vote has been counted. When I enter my vote onto a machine in a booth I really question whether it is being counted correctly. Sure, I'll go out and vote every chance I get - but we don't live in a democracy anymore. That's just what the government makes you believe. - Wisgary, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6In other news, another Congressman wants to cut road maintenance budgets because they are causing accidents.
"We're spending a good deal of federal resources in terms of helping roads with their upkeep, directly and indirectly," ***** said. "Is it responsible for a Congress that wants to protect American lives to continue to fund upkeep for roads if some of those are indirectly being used in fact to maim and/or kill people?"
As I'm sure you can tell, I believe his argument is stupid. - 80hd, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6I'm feeling sick.
It's sad to see entertainment threatening academics in such a direct way. Usually it's kids watching tv instead of studying, but this time the organizations that run our entertainment are trying to stifle state schools funding directly.
In retaliation there should be a 50% tax on cd's and dvd's that will be used for improving public schools. JK but really wtf is wrong with this country.
:) - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9/start rant/ Rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble. /end rant/
- mongocrush, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5File sharing is not ILLEGAL just when you break copyright laws does it become ILLEGAL. And yes there is a lot of LEGAL file sharing going on.
- Iconwolf, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5mateo60 - "I'm starting to think that maybe it doesn't matter anymore."
No it certainly does matter. And I don't think it's that people don't care, it's that they don't "care". They've been so lulled and pacified, and many of them have so many direct pressures and concerns that's it very hard for them to be concerned with "nebulous matters" until something have an immediate and direct effect on their lives or the lives of someone they care about.
And yes, the press is a huge part of this problem. This will get very little conventional/mainsteram news coverage (after all most of the media outlets ARE owned by the same people doing this stuff. Clearly Fox news is not going to do a negative piece on the MPAA given it's part of the same empire as Fox studios). Instead they give is endless hours of coverage on Anna Nicole Smith and her baby (another article for another day) and spoon feed us shows like American Idol (again another article for another day).
That does not mean the word never gets out. That's where we come in. I have "no life" so to speak. I don't watch TV much (so far this year the only time I've had it on while at home was for the Superbowl - and then only because the BEars were in it) and when I was watching it, it was mostly History Channel, or Discovery, or Cspan, or news. I rarely go out all that much except to work. So I have a LOT of free time, and I spend a lot of it reading. So I tend to stay a bit more well informed because I have the time to sift through the mounds of data most people simply don't have the time to. And I pass along what I think is the most important aspects/information to friends, coworkers, colleagues. I do what small part I can to keep people who may not have time to stay informed, informed.
catfish182 - 'No matter what we as a community do here on Digg it still is only on Digg."
Digg (and other sites like Slashdot, Boing Boing, Techdirt, Shoutwire, Tailrank and the like) is an important service. It saves me a lot of time having to browse through endless reams of data for the important stuff Digg DOES have an impact outside the community because people like me make sure people who don't use Digg hear about stuff they might otherwise not because they simply don't have the time to browse through stories of "Pretty Female Chess Players" or My Space Layouts that Don't Look Like MySpace Layouts" or "How Mainstream is Your Music (in relation to Last fm users)". All stories I might find interesting, but are of little or no value to most people. Instead I can pass along stories like this one, or the Julie Amero story ot the reporter arrested at the Giuliani press event or the indictment of Congressman Jefferson.
So yes, sites like Digg or Slashdot don't have the influence an outlet like the NY times or Fox News has, YET. But that influence is growing.
ariastar - "Cut funding to colleges and they'll make up the cut with an increase in tuition. An increase in tuition takes it even more out of the range of affordability,"
It does a lot more than perpetuate piracy. It further perpetuates a hereditary upper class, as only the people with money to burn can afford to send their kids to college to earn the kind of money needed to send their kids to college when they have them. And it perpetuates a welfare state, because an increaded amount of "handouts" will need to be set aside to allow a certain amount of the 'disadvantaged' an 'equal' opportunity to excel/thrive (which helps harbor the illusion that 'anyone' can make it in a 'free' society).
As I've pointed out before the problem with the extremists is they are both working towards the same goals. The ones who want to create a full welfare state don't seem to comprehend that it is only possible if all the wealth and power is concentrated in the hands of a very small select group who subsidized the masses. The ones who want all the wealth and power in the hands of a small select few don't seem to understand that this leave the masses without much of anything and therefore they must subsidize them. The intentions/goals might be totally different, but the consequences and results end up being largely the same.
tamrix - "they should retitle digg.com to "A ranking system for all the screwed up things in America.""
Actually a category or forum like that (whether on Digg or not) wouldn't be a totally bad idea. The downside is that most sites I see are not really set up in a manner to conduct a discussion/debate in an easily followable manner. Of course that also ignores the fact most discussions/debates rarely start or remaining in a followable or civil manner for long. Just about every website/forum I've been on in the past seven+ years (and I've been on many) often degenerate into a slug fest or flame war. Most people can't seem to attack the message for very long without someone attacking the messenger personally, and once one person starts, others follow suit or simple withdraw from the debate. And that's not counting the people who don't care about the message at all and just want to start crap or stir the pot. - xmodem2, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Not my right to download music specifically, but look at this guys history - He allegedly asked a software company to write vote-rigging software for him. My right to download music for free? (which I don't really have anyway) not reallyl My right to free and fair elections? I'd be prepared to die for that.
- ddxChrist, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5I just used a Bit Torrent client to obtain a Linux distro. Guess what? It wasn't illegal. Don't knock a good distribution method.
- manogamez, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Stop file sharing or we'll make America STUPID!
- orca94, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4So wait a minute... To protect the intellectual property of non-essentials such as DVD copies of the 4th season of Gilmore Girls and recordings of Chain Hang Low the federal government should stop funding research that will hopefully lead to a cure for cancer, next generation microprocessors and automobiles that get far better gas mileage than currently seen? Or how about something he as a Republican can appreciate... Bigger bombs...
That makes a lot of sense. This guy is freaking genius. - manicallday, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5I think that many of you underestimate the power of a site like Digg. It's just a matter of appearing larger than we really are. Politicians walk a fine line between financing and votes. If the risk of losing votes is too great then generally a politician will back down. Further, this is a guessing game. Politicians really have no solid means of determining public opinion. Thus, it's possible for only a few of us, if we know what types of votes motivates a politician, to influence decisions such as these.
One concentrated burst of appeal from the right angle can really do a lot of damage. Say for instance that we know that this particular politician depends heavily on the Christian Right Vote, then it's just a matter of making an argument that our appeal is coming from that angle. Although it would be sometimes difficult in structuring an argument from a different viewpoint, this is a lot easier than trying to get the lazy general public to stand up for a cause. Further, with the available technology we can easily appear larger than what we really are.
I'm not talking about those stupid form "for the cause" emails that nobody reads. Those are a waste of time. I think that a better method would be either artificially enhance a dissenting group within a politicians district or try to over influence the polls a politician relies on. I was even thinking about making a fake poll service at one point. Just a site that just displays fake polls that favor my interest. I would want to make it so that the people using it that their vote was being altered. Or even if I just displayed poll results from fake polls, but gave mine a higher approval certification rating than the other polls. Or make a series of polls on a subject that favored my position over others. I think the lemming effect would eventually catch on. - fuzzmeister, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6You're willing to die to support your right to download music for free? I don't like the RIAA, but damn.
- jejeje666, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4It matters not. They can continue to get funding.... by selling CDs and DVDs with copies music and movies =)
Think about it: You buy a music CD for $2, you are helping the school AND you're ***** the RIAA at the same time! Wouldn't that be great? - postal21, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4I havent bought a music cd since like 1998... im doing my part.
I will buy a movie every once in awhile... acouple a year, very few.
Movies are actually as cheap if not cheaper then CDs are like 2-3 weeks after release. - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -6/+9Sorry for my outlash at Americas..
Im just sick of all these articles on Digg that all have one thing in common, "something screwed up in America".
Thats pretty much what Digg.com is, they should retitle digg.com to "A ranking system for all the screwed up things in America."
Again sorry.. - keitho, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3this guy unfortunately represents my district. I sent him several letters from the EFF's site. the only reason he is still in congress is because his challenger sucked as well.
- Sippi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Same in Mississippi…
They would rather give the money to the schools administrators than use the money to educate or pay for decent teachers. - Elranzer, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Secession is legal as written in both the constitution and declaration of independence. You should read them, sometime.
What Lincoln did was actually illegal and unconstitutional. Figures, he was the first republican... - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Me to Congressman Who Took Money from RIAA/MPAA
suck my balls. - rouslan, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3The average person does not know what "p2p" or "torrent" means, nor do they know how to burn an ISO file. I have also heard people say that only pirates buy blank DVDs in stores.
- Iconwolf, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3fuzzmeister - You're willing to die to support your right to download music for free? I don't like the RIAA, but damn.
No. It's not just the right to download free music, it's all the other things they are throwing out along with that ability. Whether intentional or not, what they are doing in their efforts to fight "crime" is circumventing and leading to the dissolution of the free market process. Taken to it's extreme there effort eventually replace capitalism with a feudal system, except instead in knighted landholders the power rests in the hands of corporate shareholders (of course like I said that's taken to it's extreme, but the extreme is where it always goes if not countered by other forces). Plus, as many cultures/governments have learned (including the British in 1776 and the US during prohibition) a small group "criminalizing" something the cast majority find acceptable or right has rarely ever worked for any length of time.
Why do you think it took close to 50 years after making drugs illegal before they really started their "war" on it (it took that long before they were convinced enough people were convinced to support it) or why after 20 years that "war" has been an abysmal failure. The same goes for the "war on copyright/IP". If they'd stayed within the original intent/purpose, and stuck with the original 14 year limitation they would have been OK, and would likely have far, far more support than they do. Attempting to create a permanent, perpetual copyright, eliminating fair use, and turning it into what is essentially a fancy welfare system, can never and will never work. Dress it up however you like, but people know welfare for what it is, and most people will never get behind these new measure no matter how you try to convince them otherwise.
Sorry, I know it sounds like I'm ranting at you directly which I'm not. I'm just saying, it's like all the parents/people who are upset because kids are being kicked out of school for nail clippers or aspirin, but who are aghast that all these Zero Tolerance efforts didn't do a damn to prevent like what happened with the Va. shooting. It's a policy doomed to failure because it's based on a flawed premise, and one that should be actively fought to the best of one's abilities. Yes, the idea that someone might be willing to actually die for those beliefs might seem silly to some people, but they said much the same thing about people like Jefferson and Franklin in the 1700's.
I highly recommend anyone to read a book called The First American - The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by H.w. Brands. It not only give a very good overview of how Franklin's ideas and values evolved over the years, but touches on other like Washington as well, and provides a very good overview of what caused a bunch of genuinely loyal British citizens (Franklin himself was devoutly loyal to the Crown for decades) to turn and lead a revolution and active revolt. I know a lot of people like to compare our current situation to Germany in the 1930's, and there are certainly parallels to that, but I think if you really look at it, our current situation more closely (not by any means perfectly, there are still plenty of differences) mirrors that of the Colonies in the 1750s -
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