Wikipedia where I live today

Does anybody here download from pirate sites?

I think it's for 24 hours isn't Shannon? Seems like I heard it on the news or something yesterday. Oh yeah, that's what it says in the pic. Duh..

Google has done some stuff to their home page too.

I didn't know it was a "movement" sort of thing, but I did notice the Google blackout.  If you mouse over the pic, the pop-up text says "Censorship sucks!  Contact your representatives to keep the internet free" or something like that.

Dude... way ahead of ya on that one.  ;)

I've been thinking of converting to Kopimism and now this.

Here is more info:

http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/18/2715300/sopa-blackout-wikipedia-reddit-mozilla-google-protest

So screwed up, ugh.

I'm calling my reps.

Oh boy - here we go again!  Pluto in Cap square Uranus in Aries.  I keep saying this, but if you think it's getting bad now just wait until Saturn moves into Scorp and we have the mutual reception between Saturn and Pluto to contend with..! 

I highly suspect that this is just another way for the government to control us.  Why not just continue to let people police individual cases of copyright infringement as they arise?  Seriously, is this a threat to national security worthy of squandering our already limited resources on?  Something smells fishy here - the internet is being deemed a threat to national security and I can assure you it has nothing to do with anyone caring a wit about copyright infringement.

PS - Thanks, Wikileaks.  I would bet money that all of this is a direct result of the Wikileaks business. 

What's even more hilarious is that (former senator) Chris Dodd was saying the protests in response to this proposal are corporations (google, facbook, etc) manipulating the public into furthering their agends. Here's his direct quote. 

Uh, dude?  As I seem to recall not long ago you jackasses (meaning politicians) were the ones bailing out big banks and everyone else in their mother because they were "too big to fail"  - who was manipulating who then?  And don't even get me started on lobbying and how you idiots all got into office due contributions from these corporate agendas! 

Now all of the sudden you are concerned about "corporate interests"?!?

Makes me sick.

This is awesome! It started out with only Reddit.com participating in the blackout. Then Wikipedia pledged to blackout their English pages. Imgur followed suit (as imgur was created by a redditor).

Google was a surprise for me though. Cudos Google.

So far the reaction is doing well. Everyone you cares should take some time to see how these pieces of legislation will adversely affect the internet as we know it today.

And to answer your question astroboy I used to but the last few year I pledged to purchase and have drastically cut down on my piracy. I can't rember the last thing I pirated... maybe an episode of Futurama that I missed?

I know I am going off on a different tangent on this, but why not close down every single library in this country also, yes the ones in schools and hospitals and  . . . . . And while we are at it, lets do away with anything in print regardless of the format then it can't be copied and it could stay forever private in someone's mind.

Oh wait isn't that why some got pissed off when the Bible went viral, damn printing press.  Damn it Guttenberg who would have ever thought your actions would have such far reaching effects. 

Kopimism could be a religion, meeting will be held in the old library. 

I have signed several of these petitions. 

I am so sacred of and for this country. 

I'm downloading a shit ton of stuff.ASAP

Craigslist is "semi-partiscipating"..... they have a 10-second countdown timer that you have to wait on before you are able to click a link for their normal website.

Grrr..... it's a good thing they aren't completely blacked-out , else my house search would be suspended. *Sigh* Almost makes me want to joint one of those "pay for membership" sites..... but I suspect it's houses will have same restrictions I'm currently finding.

Kopimism could be a religion, meeting will be held in the old library. = spit coffee on screen!  LMAO!  Good one Daisy!

@Alethea- makes me sick too. :-(

http://lifehacker.com/5877236/why-lifehacker-isnt-black-today

planetwaves.net/pagetwo has a very good explanation on how these bills open the door for other shit.

I read the other day, that the White House has already said that it will veto SOPA, if it gets that far.

Hahaha, Daisy--well put! 

I have never downloaded a song in my life as I feel you should pay the artist. I said this publicly 8 or 9 years ago and boy did I get flamed.

I have never downloaded a song in my life, either. I recently cancelled my home internet and am spending more time at the library.

Interesting take on upcoming Saturn/Pluto sextile, Alethea. I have Saturn/8th sextile Pluto/10th in my chart so...I live with a variation of that planetary energy in my chart.

You can sign a petition against it here:

https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

@ Kash - That's quite the powerhouse you have there.  Reminds me of this.

I've been trying to research a certain experience I had back in the late 60's and every single google search results are dominated by Wikipedia.com links.  I wonder if that's on purpose?

Sounds like Uranus square Pluto to me!

Elsa - every album a friend copied for me for free? I went and bought it.

I am with you on this one.

I've also read a statistic recently that stated, people who download music, are actually the ones who buy the most music in the end. I found this interesting.

The only music I've ever downloaded, was from sites where I purchased it, myself. Paying the artist is a moral imperative, but I just can't see jacking the whole freakin' Internet over it !

It's not just about music, le soleil.  This has far reaching implications including mundane things like uploading and linking photos to/from sites like imgur or photobucket.  Those cutesy little photos we find off the internet then post for birthday threads?  Yeah, technically that's copyright infringement. Our avatars that presumably came from somewhere off the internet?  Yeah, same deal.

Think of how this could potentially affect the freedom of information act.  If someone slaps a copyright on anything, then it can't be republished on the web without extensive legwork being done.  This gives the government more control over who sees/reads what.

Interestingly, this Wiki page isn't blacked out, LOL.

I've been reading wiki in the other language I know. Hasn't it been 24 hours yet? :(

I use torrents A LOT but for sharing public domain stuff which I also upload to archive.org - also blacked out today:

http://www.archive.org/

I figure my WWII stuff is balancing out all their communist & jihad media LOL.

I understand the point of the protests but i don't tunderstand what happens to those of us not in the US if the legislation passes.  Can't the content just be moved to other countries where those laws don't exist?

The latest:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/technology/web-protests-piracy-bill-and-2-key-senators-change-course.html?_r=1&hp

And from the UK:

Wikipedia Hails Blackout Protest as a Success
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/9024927/Wikipedia-hails-blackout-protest-as-success.html

Ha ha Alethea! I'm going to have to watch that at length.

I have never really used Wikipedia, to be honest--beyond a quick fact check, like the year someone was born or the author of a song. I had it pounded in to me at university it wasn't a legitimate research source--and certainly not seen to be a credible academic resource. Millions of other people seem to love it, though!

The saga continues - Anonymous is dipping their toes into the water now in response to the government shutdown of Megaupload due copyright infringement.

(Yeah, who didn't see that one coming...?!)

Proof that the government can shut sites down now on this very basis and we don't need this SOPA legislation at all.

Like I said, something is fishy.

More and more, I see this movie as having HUGE cultural relevance if things continue to go the way they're going .  It is soooooo Pluto in Cap square Uranus in Aries and the conflict between Anonymous and governments who are seeking to (in my eyes) exert undue control over the people is a macrocosm of the premise of this movie.  Mind you, when I say this I am in no way glorifying Anonymous - I'm just saying that the similarities are striking.  Art imitates life......

And so following a massive groundswell of protest SOPA quietly dies.

From The Hill:

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) announced on Friday that he will postpone consideration of his Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) until there is wider agreement on the controversial legislation.

"I have heard from the critics and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy," Smith said. "It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products."

Smith's announcement came just minutes after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced he would shelve the Senate's version of the anti-piracy legislation, the Protect IP Act.

The move is a stunning acknowledgment of failure for the powerful chairman.

Smith was the author of SOPA and its most vocal proponent. He had repeatedly said the bill did not need to be changed and accused the critics of "spreading lies."

But support for the bill collapsed after a massive Web protest on Wednesday. Major sites including Google and Wikipedia either shut down in protest or displayed messages opposing the legislation.

"postpone"

Keep an eye on this one, kids.  I have a feeling this isn't the last we'll be hearing of this issue (be it in one form or another).......