Philosophy Archives

November 04, 2005

Pay to tell your story

As Stallman and many others already feared, the USPTO has come up with yet a more idiotic patent. From today, it is apparently possible to patent a storyline. You say: "So what?". Oh my.. you have no idea. This means that the person awarded the patent can collect licensing fees from ANYONE who writes a story, makes a movie or in any other way base a work on this storyline. This is the END of creativity of the mind people. When is America gonna stand up for their rights instead of for money and say: "Enough is enough!!!". This is totally getting out of hand.

Below a repost of an earlier blogentry with some links to related materials

My friend Jon Lech Johansen pointed me at some speaches by Cory Doctorow and Lawrence Lessig. Cory is a Science Fiction writer and EFF spokesperson and Lawrence is a Stanford Professor of Law. Both have great ideas on copyright, DRM and Freedoms. And even better examples of what often goes wrong in the current situation of regulation of these.
I would consider this obligated viewing material for all European Parliament members before they take the all important EU Patent vote. It's directly related to patents in that patent law is BUILT on these copyright laws. And the current proposal (let's not even talk about the legality of how it got trough the EC :D ) protects and exploits exactly some of the defects of current copyright law.

And it's interesting material for anyone interested in Piracy, Copyright, DRM, Creativity and Freedom.
Cory's famous DRM speach at Microsoft (txt)
Cory's NUUG speach (mpg)
Cory's NUUG post speach discussion (mpg)
Lessig's talk (takes a while before it gets really interesting, but VERY good). (mpg)


Posted by The DJ at 03:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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November 02, 2004

What can you say, what can you do?

Not again. That is what I thought when I heard about the murder on Theo van Gogh.
Dutch newsreport
BBC newsreport
CNN newsreport

I won't be saying anything that hasn't been said by everyone else here. Simply because it is impossible. There is just nothing left to say. What has happened to this world? Why do we need to shoot people over what they say? Why do we bomb people to get what we want? Why do we attack other nations based on flimsy evidence? Why so much violence for no apparent reason other than that we do not like eachother? If Bush wins the elections today, then I will know for sure. We are entering a very dark period filled with negative approaches, fear, loathing and hatred. There is no way back. It has to come to a climax in order to reset everyone back to square 1. World War III is coming and I wish i could just move to Antarctica or Mars. I want to be gone, hide, hibernate anything to get away from this world. Just wait to let it come to it's senses again, for a time where we can all work together again and build a better and greater society with the ones that DO understand.

PS. This is not a suicide note, just me being very pessimistic.

Posted by The DJ at 03:29 PM | Comments (171) | TrackBack
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October 08, 2004

200 things ToDo

Now I never claimed I was really original, so before I forgot where I read this, i present this list of 200 things you can do with your life. I got it from Wh|te Russian, who seems to have copied it from Jay Allen who got it from someone else etc. etc. etc.

I've marked what I have done so far in bold. A quick look at it, and I think I need to start making a World tour.

01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula.
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars

21. Changed a baby's diaper
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible
moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse

41. Ridden a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a
moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer.
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (money != satisfaction)
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government’s official in that country to
avoid notice

61. Midnight walk on the beach
62. Sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in
love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal
with them
66. Visited Japan
67. Benchpressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records
70. Pretended to be a superhero
71. Sung karaoke
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude in front of strangers
74. Scuba diving
75. Got it on to “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theater
80. Done something you should regret, but don’t regret
it.

81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who’s not supposed to have known
about your blog has discovered your blog
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better
84. Started a business
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn’t have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced
96. Had sex at the office
97. Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice

101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you
on
103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
105. Got flowers for no reason
106. Masturbated in a public place
107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
109. Performed on stage
110. Been to Las Vegas
111. Recorded music
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night stand
114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Siouxsie live
116. Bought a house
117. Been in a combat zone
118. Buried one/both of your parents
119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off
120. Been on a cruise ship

121. Spoken more than one language fluently
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend
someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror
125. Read - and understood - your credit report
126. Raised children
127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
132. Called or written your Congress person
133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start
over
134. …more than once? - More than thrice?
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew
someone was looking
137. Had an abortion or your female partner did
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived.
140. Wrote articles for a large publication

141. Lost over 100 pounds
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback
143. Piloted an airplane
144. Petted a stingray
145. Broken someone’s heart
146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a T.V. game show
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Ridden a motorcycle
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100
mph
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
157. Ridden a horse
158. Had major surgery
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet

161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and
landing
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48
hours
164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
169. Been a sperm or egg donor
170. Eaten sushi
171. Had your picture in the newspaper
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a
year in your lifetime
173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply
about
174. Gotten someone fired for their actions
175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name
178. Petted a cockroach
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad

181. Selected one “important” author who you missed in
school, and read
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups
because your apartment needed them.
183. …and gotten 86′ed from the restaurant because you did it so many
times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the
hurt
187. Skipped all your school reunions.
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken
language
189. Been elected to public office
190. Written your own computer language
191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your
dream
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know
you
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196: Dyed your hair
197: Been a DJ
198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199: Written your own role playing game
200: Been arrested

Posted by The DJ at 12:30 PM | Comments (192) | TrackBack
Posted in Philosophy

August 21, 2004

Alienation

Lance Armstrong, a month ago, said something that the French (or was it European?) supporters would rather cheer for the number 2 and boo at the number 1. I think this is not entirely true. I think that Europeans overall care more about the battle than the victory. It's the struggle that makes the fight of a sportsevent interesting and not the records. Because it is the struggle that shows how difficult it is to achieve success. This is exactly why Armstrong was so popular just a few years back. It was because of his struggle with cancer and how he became victorious. So they definetly like to cheer the number 2.

Americans are very different in this. They want to quantify every result, they care about being in the recordbooks instead of being victorious. Not that Europeans cannot appreciate or be amazed at what Armstrong does. I mean look at Schumacher in Formula 1 racing. He is a lot like Armstrong in his sport. And he is quite popular. We are not boo'ing at the number 1. What Armstrong has felt is the increased impopularity of America, we were boo'ing at an american. I understand that this might be difficult to see this through the eyes of an American. In recent years though America has made some (mostly) political decisions that have alienated them from a large part of the world including Europe.

The following things need to be considered in this.
1: America is the strongest, most powerful (military and economical) country in the world and basically superior to all. The rest of the world is in essence at their mercy. Do not forget this, it is very important. The rest of the world needs to have a lot of trust in this country. That it will do the right thing and protect the world (not only its partners).
2: America likes to show of. In commerce, in products, in sports and in war. It's a chauvinistic thing that any other country in the world would probably do. However this emphasizes the above mentioned superiority. People like to defy superiority because everyone wants to be superior.
3: That America is refusing to sign something like the Kyoto protocol has had a big impact on what people think about the intentions of America. This protocol wasn't about nature. It was more about the world joining in their fight to save nature. In forgoing this protocol and instead choosing for their own (already strong compared to most) economy has made some people doubt how much America is about protecting the world and the american/human ideals and if it's not more concerned about protecting it's own interests.
4: This was only strengthened by what many perceive as the big deceit that was the war on Irak. Noone doubted that Hussein was a cruel dictator and posssibly had Weapons of Mass Destruction. However, there was no Al Qaida in Irak, America should have never used that as an excuse. And America SHOULD have known that there were no WMD in Irak. And in fact large factions of them did. It was this small group around President Bush that kinda pushed this issue by using misinformation (even of ministers of state and senate members). The worry that was among the world before has now turned into distrust because of this whole situation.

Now all of this seperatly might not seem such a big deal. But together they have had a huge impact on the image of America. Up untill about 1998 America was just fine. The Kuwait invasion (1st gulfwar), the Baltic wars, the peace attempts in Israel/Palestinia, everything they did from the late 80s up untill that point in the late 90s was good for their general image and made the people trust the USA.
After that things went down hill. I won't say it was all Bush his fault (even Mircrosoft is an example of what hurt America's image), but he was the katalyser that made things worse.

The big thing was of course the 9-11 attacks. A terrible and horrific event. America was hurt, physically and in their pride. The people demanded a response and were right to do so. However the people don't directly govern a country and with a reason, it is because they are not good at.
The president and other governers are the ones that we trust to make the right decissions for us. Bush's media and carreer consultants told him to strike back hard. Up untill here everything was still good. But then the implementation of this came and things went wrong.

The USA was provoked and didn't turn the other cheek as Jezus had preached. It declared war on Terrorism (and though unspoken also on Muslimism). They took on the role of 'protectors' of the world and went on a crusade. The way they did this was stupid. They could have combatted terrorism effeciently and with a lot less rethorical wording then they did. In this they themselves created or should I say physically shaped, the enemy, made it HAVING to work together to survive. It has made the enemy more visible, but also more vivid and more 'connected' than ever before and giving them more advertisement then they could have ever created themselves. They didn't realize it at the time but the USA's actions made them the bully of the class and not the teacher, the avenger and not the superhero with a secret identity. They forgot that it is not what you do, but how you do it that shapes your image.

So what next... there are only two possible outcomes.
1: The issue bleeds to death and in time everyone forgets and starts to trust eachother again.
2: A cataclismic and definitive war with one of two outcomes. A total collapse of the great USA (probably economicallt as a sideeffect of this war) or the utter destruction of terrorism. The latter is almost impossible because terrorism is everywhere.

Let's hope the first is the path that we (as a planet) will end up upon. It will take a lot of expertise and vision to achieve that. However trust is required for this and unfortunatly the world is largely gouverned by fear (look only at what Michael Moore showed in the last part of Bowling for Columbine). Slowly more and more people start to see this, let's hope we will be wise in our choices in the future.

P.S. By writing this I'll be picked out by Echelon or something the likes and probably end up on some sort of list. Let's hope I'll still be able to enter the USA :)

Posted by The DJ at 10:53 PM | Comments (169) | TrackBack
Posted in Philosophy