Copyright THIS!
This Article is in the Public Domain.
Ladies and gents, we have goose stepped our way into a brave new world; a world where everything under the sun is up for “ownership”. All you need is a copyright or patent. The song "Happy Birthday"; is currently owned by Time Warner until 2030. They purchased it for 2 million dollars back in 2008. Really? You can own Happy Birthday? Should we be afraid of singing this at our next birthday bash? Will herds of pre-teens be thrown in prison with ice-cream cake stains still on their overalls?
If the Beastie Boys were to put out the same albums that we loved so much today, they would be sued under our current copyright laws. How many other songs, works of art, or films are we missing out on because of these new infringements upon our freedom to express ourselves? The sad result of these restrictions is all around us. Entertainment has become watered down. It's obvious when you watch a movie trailer like Battleship. I don't recall any aliens invading my Battleship when I was a kid.
Transformers...I mean Battleship? Trailer: http://youtu.be/N_mmHf-z22k
Who could forget the finale of Smallville. We waited 10 years for Superman to put on the damn suit. We FINALLY see him fly…without the suit?! WHAT!?! Superman finally flies…in plain clothes…while clutching in one hand the iconic red and blue suit. Really?! Did he need to dry clean it before putting it on? If I were Tom Welling I’d be pissed! That last shot where he opens his shirt and reveals just the “S” logo was bullshit! The producers claim it was a creative decision but this blogger thinks it was over “ownership” issues.
Superman - Fail: http://youtu.be/N_mmHf-z22k
YouTube is the biggest hypocrite of them all. They built a successful business by knowingly allowing copyrighted material to flourish on their site. They made hundreds of millions selling the company to Google who immediately backpedaled by introducing new copyright requirements and punishing us, the users. Do you really think videos of cats playing the piano made the company rich alone?
Today Judge David Shaw recommended that the Xbox 360 be banned in the United States over a patent dispute with Motorola. He actually said that intellectual property supersedes maintaining diversity in the market. In other words, screw the consumer, its MINE MINE MINE! What are we two year olds who can't share? This guy isn't fit to judge a spelling bee. There's nothing intellectual about that.
We as a society must evolve into the notion that once an idea is out in the universe; it belongs to all of us.
“If nature has made any one thing less susceptible than all others of exclusive property, it is the action of the thinking power called an idea, which an individual may exclusively possess as long as he keeps it to himself; but the moment it is divulged, it forces itself into the possession of every one, and the receiver cannot dispossess himself of it. Its peculiar character, too, is that no one possesses the less, because every other possesses the whole of it. He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.”
Thomas Jefferson 1813
I’m surprised they haven't tried to copyright the planet Earth.
John Lennon wrote "Imagine", for all of us. Sure, he was compensated for his work and I agree with that. I also agree no one should reproduce his work and make a profit from it. With that said, I also believe that once that work is finished anyone should be able to enjoy it in anyway they see fit. If I want to listen to the Beatles underwater while wearing a turban I should be able too. If I want to mash up the entire Beatles album and call it, "The Polka Dot Album", that is my right. If I post it online I'm doing so for fun, not profit. Of course it’s not all that black and white, artists should be protected. That is when a little thing called “Common Sense” can be employed.
You can even patent living things! Yes, you too can now own your very own biological organism! Come on down to Billy’s Bio-Wonder Wall and Emporium! Off route 66! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_patent
If you don't think this issue affects you just wait until the new ISP Internet rules go into effect this summer. Basically giving the entertainment industry carte blanche into your computer for downloading any material they deem violates their terms. If you do not comply they'll just shut down your Internet connection. Nice right? http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/15/2873515/isp-riaa-piracy-warning-july-12
One solution may be for all of us to band together and bombard the Internet with mash-ups of copyrighted material. Remix the birthday song, post your favorite "Friends" episode with a porn soundtrack, or create a Budweiser commercial with inter-spliced scenes from Jurassic Park. Perhaps we should just stop buying their stuff and create our own.
Creativity is about using your imagination and building upon ideas. I refuse to recognize groups like the RIAA or MPAA because they never applied for a patent to my thoughts. When it comes right down to it, there is no such thing as copyrights my friends. It is all in our heads…literally.
Source video for this article was found on, YouTube…Ironic isn’t it?