Blackouts.

[dodger_sister]

Today major sites across the internet are going blackout to protest two bills, SOPA and PIPA. Both of these bills threaten to shut down the internet and the right to free speech in an attempt to stop online piracy. SOPA and PIPA are serious threats to the internet. Under the loose wording of these bills, Livejournal wouldn't last a day. And honestly, once we do this in America, how long before other countries follow suit - countries that need these sites for much needed reform?

For more, go here and see the official stance from Livejournal. (though I do kind of wish they had blacked-out too, just so we could all see how deranged we would become without it for one day, let alone forever).

Go here to Wikipedia and see the one and only English-page visible today - Wiki's stance on SOPA and PIPA. For US citizens, this page also offers you the option of putting in your zip code and finding the information for your local representatives.

If you want a really good write-up of how these bills will kill the internet, The BFF sent me this fantastic article yesterday. If you only click one of these links I am offering you, Click This One. How SOPA and PIPA will land us all in federal-pound-me-in-the-ass prison.

Lastly, Write To Your Representatives. Wikipedia informs me that my local rep has a Twitter, so I'll be sure to point out to him how Twitter will be gone in a heartbeat.


Now I must go lie down. I have a really bad stomach ache. I hope Kevin didn't get me sick.

Comments

[matchboximpala.livejournal.com]

I wrote my first message to Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) about this a few weeks ago. This is so, so the wrong way to handle protecting intellectual property.

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

If they can come up with a way to protect the things they want to protect without stepping all over everyone's rights to free speech, I am all for it...but yes, these measures are so the wrong way to handle it.

Here's hoping SOPA/PIPA are on their last leg!

[wolfrider89.livejournal.com]

I'm feeling kind of powerless over here! Wikipedia told me to write my representative, but I don't have one. I hope every American that can does, though! *bites nails*

These bills suck ass. The end.

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

It is looking like both SOPA and PIPA are on their last legs. I don't want to jinx anything by celebrating just yet though.

I find it kind of upsetting that people like yourself in other countries can't really do anything to stop these bills from passing here in the US, despite the fact that you would be affected by it. Major sites might be able to continue on even without US customers, but I would think many sites would go 'out of business' without US support and that would affect you as well. Don't you think? Not to mention, once we do it, other countries will follow suit.

Speaking of politics, I saw this today and wondered if you knew about it. Forced Sterilization For Transgenders In Sweden (http://www.allout.org/en/actions/stop_forced_sterilization).

[wolfrider89.livejournal.com]

Then I will cross all my fingers and toes!

Yeah, it's not a good feeling. They're deciding things that will affect me, but I can't say anything about it. I'm really hoping this won't inspire Sweden to do something similar. Wouldn't surprise me with this government, but still.

Do I EVER know about that. The roommate is transgender, we've been following this closely. It's arcaic and stupid and wrong, and still our government listens to the small, Christian pary and agrees that the issue is "complicated". Because human rights are complicated. *fumes*

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

Well, it still looks like SOPA and PIPA are going down, hopefully, but now we have ACTA to deal with (which looks way scarier what with how they will be watching everything). I have a feeling they are just going to keep coming until something sticks and the internet will never be the same.

I didn't know The Awesome-Cool-Roommate was transgender. I guess you really are keeping on an eye on this issue then. It is ridiculous that they could think to tell someone what to do with their own body. I spent my whole childhood having people tell me what to do with my body, doctors and my parents, acting like I wasn't the one who had to live in this body for the rest of my life - so issues like this really piss me off.

[wolfrider89.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I saw that it doesn't look good for them. I like. And then I read about ACTA and now I'm a bit scared. WHY do they want to do this to the internet? Free speech, anyone?

He is indeed. :) Sweden is cool about it in that it's paid for by the state if you want to get a gender change, but then you have to be be sterilized, which is... not cool at all. And yeah, I can't imagine having people tell me what to do with my body. It's MY fuicking body. That must have sucked.

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

I think, no matter what we do on the internet/downloading/copyright issue, that major changes are about to be made and sadly, our internet will never be the same. I am looking into backing up my LJ in a pdf form, so I at least don't lose all the posts on my daily life when it all goes to shit.

Which is ridiculous, because if the takedown of Megaupload shows us nothing, it shows us that we don't need all these bills to stop illegal downloading - the rules we have in place right now seem to be working just fine.

The latest on the bills here (http://www.infowars.com/sopa-and-pipa-fully-alive-and-a-new-bill-joins-them/).

[wolfrider89.livejournal.com]

*clutches at internet* But, but... internet!

It really does feel like they're trying to destroy it no matter what, huh? And yeah, taking down Megaupload proves that the law is already enough. They just want to monitor us. :S

And what is it with all these catchy abbreviations they come up with? OPEN? Do they think we'll like it better if it has a funny name? *growl*

[ceitfianna]

I actually wrote a journal post about this on my librarian blog and I'm doing lots of retweeting and signing petitions.

The blog post is over here.

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

It was weird because I pulled up my Flist and the last post was about "Justified". Then I typed up my post on SOPA/PIPA and clicked 'save' and when I looked, suddenly in between the Justified post and my own post were two more write-ups on SOPA/PIPA - one from you and one from misslucyjane. I just found that kind of funny, for one because every time I make a post, there is a post from you either right before it or right after it, like we are on the same posting schedule. But also because I met you through LucyJane's LJ. And we were all posting about these bills at the same time. I don't know why that amused me so much.

I read your blog post and I have to say, tracing links and sources is something I hadn't heard mentioned before in this argument. And you are right about it too - I so often do that when I find something I like and want to learn more or even to find out where I can purchase whatever it is. That's something I hadn't thought about yet in this whole thing - just goes to show there are a number of problems with these bills that haven't even been considered yet.

[ceitfianna]

I never realized we posted about the same and I'm glad my post got you thinking about some new things with the bills.

I've always found the idea of linking fascinating and this was a great way to talk about it as it really is why the internet is powerful.

[vikingprincess]

Oh, baby, I hope you feel better very soon!

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

Thanks, babe. I seriously woke up in the middle of the nigth with a terrible stomach ache and was awake all night. It sucked. I felt better the next day but I feel really tired today. At least today is just my normal sickness (how sad is that I consider it normal now?) and not the stomach thing anymore.

When I saw Kevin on Thursday, he said he was worried about getting me sick. I didn't say, "Too late," because I didn't want to make him feel bad.

I was hoping to go see Red Tails tomorrow if I feel better but I don't have high hopes in getting my roommates out of the house what with is being 13 degrees outside and snowing/blowing like crazy.

[vikingprincess]

We didn't go tonight - we may go later in the weekend. Home sounded good this evening. :)