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  • TUESDAY MAY 15 2007 9:00 AM

Does Even Alberto Gonzales Hate Todd Goliath?

Submitted by _DictionaryGirl_

Edited by erin_broadley

Tags: Alberto Gonzales, intellectual property laws, Todd Goliath, Viacom, red herring!



I know, I know, it sounds crazy, and I bet you're thinking Alberto Gonzales probably doesn't even know who Todd Goliath is, much less hate him! But tell me, what other explanation can there be for the Attorney General, along with the rest of our fine Justice Department, suddenly up and vowing to crack down harder than ever on nefarious intellectual property bandits?

The Justice Department is pledging to get even tougher on copyright violators and other intellectual property thieves, saying it has already boosted convictions and lengthened prison sentences.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Monday he was sending a bill to Congress--the Intellectual Property Protection Act of 2007--that would toughen penalties for repeat offenders. He also said he would "hit criminals in their wallets" by boosting restitution and ensuring all ill-gotten gains are forfeited, as well as any property used to commit the crimes.



Wow, that's harsh! Even so, I can't think of anyone whose wallet I'd rather hit right now (and by wallet, I mean groin) than Goliath. Dude needs to be smacked upside the head with that Intellectual Property Protection Act but good. I'm not so sure about a prison sentence, though. The proliferation of his "art" is annoying on a Thomas Kincade level, and his level of success is insulting to real struggling talent, but I'm not sure it's really enough to be punishable by a prison stay.

Come to think of it, I'm really actually kind of surprised that, given our current administration's penchant for laissez-faire economics, the attorney general would be so bloodthirsty for Goliath, who basically said, "Screw everyone else, whatever it takes to make me a millionaire." One would think they would, if anything, hold him up as a shining beacon of intrepid entrepreneurship.

But, wait a second. This is about that kind of intellectual property theft, isn't it? This isn't just another way to chip away at the same tired old Viacom hates YouTube problem again, is it? Because if all "tougher on intellectual property thieves" means is "suing people who upload clips of Kids in the Hall and making it so that I can't post the 'Girl Drink Drunk' sketch on an internet message board because it won't be making certain people more money that way," I am going to be very angry indeed.

TV and film piracy has been a big issue in the conversion to digital, with Justice pledging to boost the number of attorneys trained to prosecute intellectual property (IP) crimes and to encourage more international cooperation in investigations.

Universal Chairman Bob Wright has argued that getting a handle on that piracy is not only critical to the digital TV conversion, but the whole U.S. and even global economy.

"These crimes, as we all know, also have a direct impact on our economy, costing victims millions of dollars and, if left unchecked, diminishing entrepreneurship," Gonzales said in announcing the bill.



Oh, god damn it!

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Comments
Rainking13

Rainking13

Saint Peters, MO
December 2006

MAY 15, 2007 09:19 AM

I have pirated my share of music and movies but now days im too much of a pansie ass to get free stuff, this bill will not really do anything that spectacular I mean im more afaid of the RIAA then I am of old "i dont recall".

Zoetica

Zoetica

NEWSWIRE

Los Angeles, CA

MAY 15, 2007 09:49 AM

A supplementary anecdote: Todd Goliath had an exhibit at some galery at the Grove here in LA. I stood in front of the window, horrified at the shit galleries will hang these days, and loudly declared this to a friend who was with me at the time. Seconds later Goliath came up to us and said it was his art, and how did that make me feel after all the trash talking i just did. I told him his art was shite and went on my merry way. The end.

Roethke

Roethke

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

MAY 15, 2007 09:55 AM

Zoetica said:
A supplementary anecdote: Todd Goliath had an exhibit at some galery at the Grove here in LA. I stood in front of the window, horrified at the shit galleries will hang these days, and loudly declared this to a friend who was with me at the time. Seconds later Goliath came up to us and said it was his art, and how did that make me feel after all the trash talking i just did. I told him his art was shite and went on my merry way. The end.


You just get better and better every day. Awesome

Zoetica

Zoetica

NEWSWIRE

Los Angeles, CA

MAY 15, 2007 10:02 AM

Roethke said:

Zoetica said:
A supplementary anecdote: Todd Goliath had an exhibit at some galery at the Grove here in LA. I stood in front of the window, horrified at the shit galleries will hang these days, and loudly declared this to a friend who was with me at the time. Seconds later Goliath came up to us and said it was his art, and how did that make me feel after all the trash talking i just did. I told him his art was shite and went on my merry way. The end.


You just get better and better every day. Awesome



hee hee

I wish i'd known he was there [or what he looked like, for that matter] so i could have layed it on extra thick. But i guess that would have taken away from the whole experence.

almostfamous

almostfamous

NEWSWIRE

United Kingdom

MAY 15, 2007 10:08 AM

Zoetica said:

Roethke said:

Zoetica said:
A supplementary anecdote: Todd Goliath had an exhibit at some galery at the Grove here in LA. I stood in front of the window, horrified at the shit galleries will hang these days, and loudly declared this to a friend who was with me at the time. Seconds later Goliath came up to us and said it was his art, and how did that make me feel after all the trash talking i just did. I told him his art was shite and went on my merry way. The end.


You just get better and better every day. Awesome



hee hee

I wish i'd known he was there [or what he looked like, for that matter] so i could have layed it on extra thick. But i guess that would have taken away from the whole experence.



That sounds perfect just the way it was smile

Oh, and boosting restitution? Are you serious? The RIAA already thinks a single mp3 is worth about $15,000...

aegies

aegies

Oakland, CA
June 2004

MAY 15, 2007 12:19 PM

This story is scarier than even than you're pointing it out to be. It essentially is applying drug enforcement tactics to "piracy". Some of the greatest hits include:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

* Criminalize "attempting" to infringe copyright. Federal law currently punishes not-for-profit copyright infringement with between 1 and 10 years in prison, but there has to be actual infringement that takes place. The IPPA would eliminate that requirement. (The Justice Department's summary of the legislation says: "It is a general tenet of the criminal law that those who attempt to commit a crime but do not complete it are as morally culpable as those who succeed in doing so.")

* Create a new crime of life imprisonment for using pirated software. Anyone using counterfeit products who "recklessly causes or attempts to cause death" can be imprisoned for life. During a conference call, Justice Department officials gave the example of a hospital using pirated software instead of paying for it.

* Permit more wiretaps for piracy investigations. Wiretaps would be authorized for investigations of Americans who are "attempting" to infringe copyrights.

* Allow computers to be seized more readily. Specifically, property such as a PC "intended to be used in any manner" to commit a copyright crime would be subject to forfeiture, including civil asset forfeiture. Civil asset forfeiture has become popular among police agencies in drug cases as a way to gain additional revenue, and it is problematic and controversial.

* Increase penalties for violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act's anticircumvention regulations. Criminal violations are currently punished by jail times of up to 10 years and fines of up to $1 million. The IPPA would add forfeiture penalties.

* Add penalties for "intended" copyright crimes. Certain copyright crimes currently require someone to commit the "distribution, including by electronic means, during any 180-day period of at least 10 copies" valued at more than $2,500. The IPPA would insert a new prohibition: actions that were "intended to consist of" distribution.

* Require Homeland Security to alert the Recording Industry Association of America. That would happen when CDs with "unauthorized fixations of the sounds, or sounds and images, of a live musical performance" are attempted to be imported. Neither the Motion Picture Association of America nor the Business Software Alliance (nor any other copyright holder, such as photographers, playwrights or news organizations, for that matter) would qualify for this kind of special treatment.




SockPuppet

SockPuppet

I'm lost
July 2006

MAY 15, 2007 03:58 PM

aegies said:
This story is scarier than even than you're pointing it out to be. It essentially is applying drug enforcement tactics to "piracy". Some of the greatest hits include:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

* Criminalize "attempting" to infringe copyright. Federal law currently punishes not-for-profit copyright infringement with between 1 and 10 years in prison, but there has to be actual infringement that takes place. The IPPA would eliminate that requirement. (The Justice Department's summary of the legislation says: "It is a general tenet of the criminal law that those who attempt to commit a crime but do not complete it are as morally culpable as those who succeed in doing so.")

* Create a new crime of life imprisonment for using pirated software. Anyone using counterfeit products who "recklessly causes or attempts to cause death" can be imprisoned for life. During a conference call, Justice Department officials gave the example of a hospital using pirated software instead of paying for it.

* Permit more wiretaps for piracy investigations. Wiretaps would be authorized for investigations of Americans who are "attempting" to infringe copyrights.

* Allow computers to be seized more readily. Specifically, property such as a PC "intended to be used in any manner" to commit a copyright crime would be subject to forfeiture, including civil asset forfeiture. Civil asset forfeiture has become popular among police agencies in drug cases as a way to gain additional revenue, and it is problematic and controversial.

* Increase penalties for violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act's anticircumvention regulations. Criminal violations are currently punished by jail times of up to 10 years and fines of up to $1 million. The IPPA would add forfeiture penalties.

* Add penalties for "intended" copyright crimes. Certain copyright crimes currently require someone to commit the "distribution, including by electronic means, during any 180-day period of at least 10 copies" valued at more than $2,500. The IPPA would insert a new prohibition: actions that were "intended to consist of" distribution.

* Require Homeland Security to alert the Recording Industry Association of America. That would happen when CDs with "unauthorized fixations of the sounds, or sounds and images, of a live musical performance" are attempted to be imported. Neither the Motion Picture Association of America nor the Business Software Alliance (nor any other copyright holder, such as photographers, playwrights or news organizations, for that matter) would qualify for this kind of special treatment.






"Require Homeland Security to alert the Recording Industry Association of America." ??!?

You would think HS had More Important Stuff to be doing, wouldn't you.

malkav11

malkav11

Saint Paul, MN
July 2003

MAY 15, 2007 05:47 PM

aegies said:

* Create a new crime of life imprisonment for using pirated software. Anyone using counterfeit products who "recklessly causes or attempts to cause death" can be imprisoned for life. During a conference call, Justice Department officials gave the example of a hospital using pirated software instead of paying for it.




What the ever-living fuck? I seriously don't even get how you would cause death by pirating software or music or whatever. I mean, nobody's fucking shooting each other in the streets over this. The example also doesn't hold up. First of all, what professional organization actually (deliberately) uses pirated software? That sort of thing gets you in trouble a hell of a lot faster than private individuals doing the same. Secondly, they don't seem to understand the concept of software piracy. This isn't shitty imported knockoffs of brand name products, it's direct, 1-to-1 copying of commercial products. The only way you're likely to have life threatening problems is if the original software didn't work right to begin with.

aegies

aegies

Oakland, CA
June 2004

MAY 15, 2007 07:29 PM

SockPuppet said:

aegies said:
This story is scarier than even than you're pointing it out to be. It essentially is applying drug enforcement tactics to "piracy". Some of the greatest hits include:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

* Criminalize "attempting" to infringe copyright. Federal law currently punishes not-for-profit copyright infringement with between 1 and 10 years in prison, but there has to be actual infringement that takes place. The IPPA would eliminate that requirement. (The Justice Department's summary of the legislation says: "It is a general tenet of the criminal law that those who attempt to commit a crime but do not complete it are as morally culpable as those who succeed in doing so.")

* Create a new crime of life imprisonment for using pirated software. Anyone using counterfeit products who "recklessly causes or attempts to cause death" can be imprisoned for life. During a conference call, Justice Department officials gave the example of a hospital using pirated software instead of paying for it.

* Permit more wiretaps for piracy investigations. Wiretaps would be authorized for investigations of Americans who are "attempting" to infringe copyrights.

* Allow computers to be seized more readily. Specifically, property such as a PC "intended to be used in any manner" to commit a copyright crime would be subject to forfeiture, including civil asset forfeiture. Civil asset forfeiture has become popular among police agencies in drug cases as a way to gain additional revenue, and it is problematic and controversial.

* Increase penalties for violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act's anticircumvention regulations. Criminal violations are currently punished by jail times of up to 10 years and fines of up to $1 million. The IPPA would add forfeiture penalties.

* Add penalties for "intended" copyright crimes. Certain copyright crimes currently require someone to commit the "distribution, including by electronic means, during any 180-day period of at least 10 copies" valued at more than $2,500. The IPPA would insert a new prohibition: actions that were "intended to consist of" distribution.

* Require Homeland Security to alert the Recording Industry Association of America. That would happen when CDs with "unauthorized fixations of the sounds, or sounds and images, of a live musical performance" are attempted to be imported. Neither the Motion Picture Association of America nor the Business Software Alliance (nor any other copyright holder, such as photographers, playwrights or news organizations, for that matter) would qualify for this kind of special treatment.






"Require Homeland Security to alert the Recording Industry Association of America." ??!?

You would think HS had More Important Stuff to be doing, wouldn't you.



Yeah. That's like taking FBI agents off of terror investigations and intelligence and putting them on porn detail.

Oh. Wait.

bean

bean

STAFF

Los Angeles, CA

MAY 15, 2007 07:40 PM

Permit more wiretaps for piracy investigations. Wiretaps would be authorized for investigations of Americans who are "attempting" to infringe copyrights.



"Yeah, sorry about all that illegal wiretapping. Totally sorry. I promise we won't do it again. By the way, can we get another excuse to wiretap people? I promise we won't overstep our bounds on this one. I know, I said that before too, but I really mean it this time. ... Yeah, and by the way, can we make it a crime to even attempt to violate copyright? Because then we could totally legally wiretap just about anyone...you know...with proper...uh....warrants....and stuff."

fountainofdreams

fountainofdreams

Batavia, IL
January 2005

MAY 15, 2007 08:21 PM

So apparently I should delete every mp3 off of my computer, because although i pulled it off of a CD I own, it could be construed as "attempting to infringe copyright?" If I don't, I could get put in jail?

o.o

Right. That doesn't sound unconstitutional at all. Thought crime, anybody?

aegies

aegies

Oakland, CA
June 2004

MAY 15, 2007 09:21 PM

fountainofdreams said:
So apparently I should delete every mp3 off of my computer, because although i pulled it off of a CD I own, it could be construed as "attempting to infringe copyright?" If I don't, I could get put in jail?

o.o

Right. That doesn't sound unconstitutional at all. Thought crime, anybody?



I have three words for you: intent to distribute.

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