Warner Music = EPIC FAIL

SEE UPDATE2 - I WAS MISINFORMED. (I also have a policy of not deleting posts, even if they only exist because I'm a moron)

Actually, this blog-post title is somewhat inaccurate. Warner Music is so far beyond an “Epic Fail” that they flew by that benchmark going Ludicrous Speed and haven’t shown any inclination to slow down. I’ve spoken before about how Warner Music has an economic death-wish but their latest stunt is simply mind-boggling. What level of colossal moron sends a completely invalid DMCA takedown notice to the most vocal and articulate opponent of DMCA abuse?

Let’s just ignore Warner Music’s growing and continued obsession with criminalizing legal customer uses of legally acquired music which, for some unknown reason, they don’t consider an economically unsound business model.

Instead, let’s focus on the apparent legal knowledge of whosoever issued this takedown notice. I assert that said person or persons has some collection of the following characteristics:

1) They are so behind on the public discussion of copyright law that they didn’t recognize who Lawrence Lessig is when they issued the notice.

2) They have so little understanding of actual copyright law as to be unable to identify clear “fair use” even though their job, issuing takedown notices, involves judging whether the use is infringing before sending the notice. (Note: having no law degree myself but after seeing the presentation in question – dude, it’s fair use)

3) They had so little understanding of public perception as to be completely surprised that any member of the public would find it perhaps convenient for Warner Music issue a takedown notice to a presentation critical of their own legal tactics.

4) They likely collect information on the DMCA takedown notices they file to be used by Warner Music & RIAA lawyers as justification for stronger copyright protection law (because every customer is a presumed pirate until proven innocent).

5) They are getting paid a salary by Warner Music, presumably for their legal acumen and good judgment, despite some collection of the above facts being true.

Although in general I’m no fan of lawyers or litigation, I’m also a big believer in punishing excessively detrimental stupidity which is the least-bad possible cause for this debacle. Because if Warner Music doesn’t have a collection of stupid people infesting its DMCA takedown office, then the most likely other explanation is they have a collection of malicious abusers of the DMCA system working in their DMCA office. Either way, I hope Lessig wipes the floor with them. And then I hope he writes (another) bestselling book about how he did it.

UPDATE: Ok, someone in the comments to the linked article mentioned an automated takedown notice being the culprit. That changes nothing about my opinions above. Automated takedown systems do not create themselves. The mindset(s) that created such a system would be just as prone to the "characteristics" listed above as an individual person or person(s) directly issuing the takedown notice. The only thing an automated system would do is embed the said characteristics in the system so that the fact they are architecture makes it easier for Warner Music to claim them as immutable (which someone should really write a book about).

UPDATE2: Apparently, Lessig's video was NOT removed because of a DMCA takedown notice. The culprit appears to be some sort of automated YouTube content-ID program designed to ensure that companies which allow "fair use" videos with their content get attributed the ad revenue for the pages showing the videos in question. Warner Music (due to a previous fall-out with YouTube) is set to "block" so this appears to be something internal to YouTube, not Warner Music. The system YouTube has in place actually sounds like a pretty good idea & they apparently have a very responsive counter-notice system (Lessig's video is already back up) so OK, I flipped out for nothing. While I could change the title of this post, etc, I'm not going to. I have a general rule that I will not delete my posts, even if they make me look at best imprudent. Aside from a note about how wrong I was, this stays as it is.

Link to full post.

Poem of the Week #16

ON TIME! Holy cow!

PotW # 16 aka "Lazy Sunday"
Absent routine, orthogonal and straight,
My days unbroken lethargic sloth-sleep.
Tasked (listed, ignored) for a later date.
Longing but not assertion in does seep.
I flop about a passive, neutral day
While hi-sparks build inside, now held at bay.

With bonus Haiku!
Ripened spring display:
Plastic-wrapped fruits call out sad
For rain-fed roots gone.

Except for a little bit of grocery shopping, I didn't get much done today....

Link to full post.

Plates – Up, Up and More Up

Introducing the Never-ending Staircase of Plates from Rosenberg Texas!

Bottom Landing

First Flight On Left

First Flight On Right

First Landing

Second flight

Second landing

*deep breath* Third Flight

Top Landing


From the same antique shop, the two ugliest plates I have ever seen in my life:
*shudder*

With bonus purse of doom:

Link to full post.

Connections - Literary Edition

I've spoken before about how "Atlas Shrugged" results in some very *ahem* conflicted reactions from me. It appears I'm not alone on that. Here's a very good review about why, for all its flaws, "Atlas Shrugged" still sells like hotcakes. RTWT.

Nothing however beats this line (after describing several characters):

They are a bit reminiscent of similar characters found in Robert Heinlein novels, except they are less flawed and tend to lack the ability to laugh at themselves.

In retrospect that connection is painfully obvious....I feel obscenely blond for missing it.

Although, now I have an uncanny urge to paper over the walls of Galt's Gulch with posters like this one:

*is repressing*

(Note: the "what the hell?" tag is for my brain for going from Galt to Heinlein to Joker's catchphrase in about 2.5 seconds)

Link to full post.

We're Linux (and we're crazy)

Been watching the "We're Linux" ads posted by The Linux Foundation over on YouTube. Some very good stuff. Although it appears a great many Linux users have no problem being just a tiny bit creepy.

Example 1 - For those who always wanted a stalker OS:


Example 2- For the booming super-villain market:


Some more-encouraging videos:

A la TV infomercial of awesomeness


Obscure French Film awesomeness (this is HILARIOUS!)


Aren't these all so much better than trite corporate commercials?

Link to full post.

Poems of the Weeks #8 Thru 15

While I've actually been keeping up with writing the poems, I've obviously had much less luck with posting the poems per my 2009 PE Goals. So, to make up for it, here's a mega poetry post.

PotW #8
Inner eyes unfurl twilight
Lancing through dreams delicate.
Ring down the hope of good-times.
Here, futures flicker out quick.

PotW#9
Debris letters flood the page.
Chatter indiscriminate.
My cubicle rings with waste,
Offensive to efficiency.
But in solemn corners waits
Echoes of Archimedes
Sparse & telling symbols proud
Encompassing all with less.

PotW#10 aka “A Domestic Diversion”
Wafting call of denied renaments,
You haunt shuddered halls with foul arrogance.
A cleaning needed, grasping elements
Which purge these walls of your tainted presence.
But, lethargy and disgust turn my hands;
The evasion of godly duty brands.

PotW#11
My thoughts assemble in discord profound,
Seizing each and all gnawing babble.
Boxes in rows, few, leave many unbound.
Realization, I am all rabble.

PotW#12 aka "The Deeply Creepy Bug-Dream Sonnet"
Canopy floating, through leafy webs go.
Each branch, no solace, hides creatures beady;
Antennae flick at this intrusion. Bough
Writhing all, for perch I do entreaty.
Unheard dangling from thin line now sway
In a space untouched by bark, pincer, legs.
Forest sounds echo; the ground falls away.
Watching spiders chase after fuzz-legged dregs,
I ponder neither high nor low, idle.
Scramble jaws close on innocent insects.
Hungry arachnids sated on trifle.
Larval sparks dribbling life, open necks.
Betwixt, hanging the teeny deaths whine-shout.
I bob, in place, salvation in doubt.

PotW#13 aka "Haiku Cop-out #2"
A:
Numbers crunch, then act.
Frenzied tools change & construct.
Dreams real, now can breathe.

B:
These times, like all else
Confuse, entangle and maul.
But do they embold?

C:
Yes, the Turtle moves
Though Vorbis says “No”; Brutha
gardens Defiance.

PotW#14
Here, dashing flights of fancy
Clash titan-proud with rock hard
Truth (as defined by numbers);
A contest lacking victors
But resolved time and again.

PotW#15 aka "Death of A Router"
Cheap plastic circuits flash-bang
In time with lightening bright.
All else reboots with no hang.
But no matter flashing light,
My network no more functions.
Unplug this & that. It's you!
Surge-subject your dead junctions;
Bricked now, you were sorely new.
Replacement, I will soon seek.
Not again choose I so weak.

That's it! Any opinions?

Link to full post.