Archives
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Media giants start whisper campaign to kill Fair Use
Media giants start whisper campaign to kill Fair Use - Boing Boing
William Patry, the Google lawyer who formerly worked for the US Register of Copyrights, has a blog-post in which he outs a global anti-Fair-Use “whisper campaign” orchestrated by the big entertainment companies. The big media companies are trying to convince the world’s governments that the USA’s statutory exceptions to copyright (embodied in Fair Use) are so broad that they violate the centuries-old Berne Convention, a widely adopted copyright treaty. Berne is extremely rigid, and what’s more, it’s nearly impossible to update, since any amendments to it require signatures from all the governments that have signed it since the 1800s. Further, accession to Berne is a condition of many other trade agreements, so many countries are required to adopt Berne laws.
If the entertainment giants can convince the world’s governments that Fair Use violates Berne, it might mean that the US will be forced by a trade court to eliminate it in favor of something far more restrictive.
Copyright — laura
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Where did I go?
I’ve made it a point to keep my personal life off of this blog but I feel anyone still reading needs an explanation. To sum up: in the summer of 2006, my mom and both my grandmothers had cancer. My mom died in August. My grandfather died of the same cancer that killed my mom in October 2007. There’s been a lot of personal medical problems for me as well including daily migraines at one point. I’ve been through a lot of stress in a very short period of time.
Also, to quote the goblin,
Frankly, I’ve become really frustrated and disillusioned with libraries. The infighting, the pettiness, the fear of change and progress–it’s all just too much for me.He meant it as a joke. I, alas, do not. It looks like all the truly forward thinking libraries have their geek positions filled.
So I’m moving near friends in Atlanta and going back to school for design. Another profession that has problems convincing people of their worth but a little further along in accepting change.
If anyone in the Atlanta area wants to meet up, feel free to contact me. I can always use more friends.
This blog will likely stay the way it has been, updated when I see something particularly relevant.
Site — laura
