StellarZoom

Since the RIAA & MPAA have been declaring war on any file sharing individual and country, they have been successful in scaring U.S. citizens and closing down torrent sites like Napster and Mininova, making them go to a legal and legit peer to peer operation.

Now the RIAA has turned its attention to Canada. Copyright Industries have decided that it’s now time to mettle into Canada’s business, but they want the U.S. government’s help. They are using the government’s annual “Special 301” process to demand that Canada change its laws. They have asked that Canada, Russia, and China be put on a high level “priority watch list”.

They are wanting the US government to tell Canada changes it’s laws and the MPAA, RIAA, ESA, and NMPA demand action.

I wonder if the attack aimed at Canada is due to the countries lack of anticircumvention laws on DRM’s or if its due to the ruling back in 2004 by Judge Konrad von Finckenstein stating that, “the downloading of a song for a person’s private use does not constitute infringement.”

They had the decision overturned in an appeal case of course, and then pointed out that 4 out of the top 10 BitTorrent sites are hosted in Canada. Canadian Copyright Lawyer Howard Knopf pointed out that the copyright law in Canada is tougher than the US with more limited fair use and private copying levys.

These Copyright groups don’t care about a fair system or a balanced system. They want what they consider right to be accepted by everyone around the world. No exceptions.

Links:

Canada Can File Share

Blame Canada

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Aww...now where's the strawberries

So it’s the day after Valentines and it either was stellar or you suffered with the Valentine’s Flat line. The flat line is the lack of having a Valentine or doing something so bad that you lost the Valentine. So for today’s post I found 4 stories that caught my eye, as always links at the bottom to the full story.

Sin Taxes? 200% tax increase on Beer. Wine’s looking good now.

Lawmakers in Eugene, Oregon are considering passing a bill that would raise taxes on beer. Currently oregonians are paying roughly $2.60 in taxes on a barrel of beer. The new law would increase the tax to be over $49.00 a barrel. Now the money made would go to agencies that handle treatment and recovery programs.A poll taken last year showed that 66% of Oregonians are willing to pay a higher “Sin Tax” on tobacco, beer, and wine.

“Oregonians drink more craft beer than anyone else in the country, and it’s a reason why it’s been such a strong industry, and it would be unfortunate if it were to be hampered by something like this,” said Nikos Ridge, co-owner of Ninkasi Brewing Company.

The world without chocolate, is a world filled with sad fattys.

The Nature Conservation Research Center are looking into the future and say that in 20 years that chocolate will cost as much as caviar. The major reason that they see a decline in the production is due to climatic changes and the farming of cacao, the cocoa plant.

Howard Shapiro, global director for plant science and external research for confectionery manufacturing Mars Inc. says, “If nothing was done, and the temperature was to rise, and the rainfalls were to change and drought became more prevalent … without looking into new farming practices, then there should be a problem, and there might likely be a problem.”

No really I love you…open the Door! OMG its the Police

Operation Tough Love was a success on Valentines Day. 72 people were arrested by Sheriff’s who showed up at their home with arrest warrents. of the 72, only 17 were deadbeat parents, the others had arrest warrants for Drugs and other reasons. The top 15 deadbeat parents together owe more than 1 million dollars to their kids. Sheriff Joe Arpaio says, “”The bottom line is they should have respect and surrender.”

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places

Sheila Langman is facing charges for a “sexual relationship” with a boy age 15, when sheriff’s deputies caught her reuniting with the same kid on Friday night. The 38 year old woman was already placed under GPS monitoring by the Santa Rosa Count Sheriff’s Department, from the 1st incident.

She was arrested again, after the GPS alarm went off on Friday night, because she went near the boy’s home. Deputies were able to track her down by about a mile away from her home…with the boy in her car. She was jailed without bond Friday on charges of violating her release conditions.

Links
Your Beer and Your Government
Valentines without Chocolate
Love is being a deadbeat parent
Love is a battlefield

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Oh happy Friday. The internet never fails to share the epic, odd, and fails of the interwebz. This maybe a multiple post Friday with all the stories that need light shined upon them. So let us jump right into the stories.

Story 1:

Edward Richardson killed his wife Sarah in her parents home back on May 12th of 2008. He was charged and found guilty for her murder. After he killed his wife, he attempted to take his own life. The Crown Prosecution says that, “Richardson became enraged when Sarah changed her marital status on Facebook to single and decided to go and see her as she was not responding to his messages.”

Story 2:

The wonderful company Chrysler just received $4 Billion in bailout cash from the US government, decided that the best way to spend this money is to advertise their product in the upcoming Terminator 4 movie. Rather than taking the money (that we are going to end up paying in taxes down the road), and investing in new technologies and design that will make it easier on the environment and the consumers wallets. Apparently, after having to cut 36% of its staff to its lowest level since 1934 wasn’t a sign of what direction to go with the money, but failing after the money squandered in a movie will hopefully be a wakeup call. Yet, they are going to try and apply for another 3 billion in bailout moneys provided by the government.

Links to Stories:

Man murders wife because online status “single”

Chryslers Wastes our money

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