Saturday, November 27, 2010

Individual Senator Opposed Internet Censorship Bill

An Oregon Democrat, Senator Ron Wyden, believes that COICA can’t be considered the “right medicine” for tackling copyright infringement in the Internet. He therefore argued that the Bill, if not done correctly, can damage US innovation, US jobs, and a secure Internet.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat, definitely became a today’s hero for many after he had vowed to block the current version of the controversial COICA legislation. While the Bill’s sponsors announce that the new law would provide the Department of Justice with the instruments to trace and close down infringing sites, Senator Wyden believes it is the wrong way to address the problem.

At Senate Subcommittee meeting on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness Senator Wyden said that deploying this bill to fight copyright infringement in the Internet is the same as using a bunker-busting cluster bomb for precision-guided missile. He warned the Senate that if they don’t think the Bill through carefully, it can cause damage to the country’s innovation, jobs, and a secure web.

In fact, an individual Senator is able to place a hold on pending legislation. Besides, he can even block a roll call vote by engaging in debate and rejecting to yield the floor. All these will mean that the Bill is dead until the next Congress convenes at the very least. Meanwhile, Senator Wyden was only recently reelected for a 4th term, so he’ll be around for another 6 years.

President and CEO of the CCIA (Computer and Communications Industry Association), Ed Black, agrees with Ron Wyden, saying at the hearing that he believes the significance of this legislation should be well thought through. Really, it will be hard to persuade other countries to stop “information discrimination” if the US has similar policies of its own. Ed Black says that the Association members report about 40 governments being currently engaged in wide censorship of the Internet. Sometimes the motivation for it is obvious, or is disclosed, but such cases are rare. Usually, the processes and reasons for online censorship are opaque. In fact, only few states try to justify blocking online content or services, with restrictions designed in a transparent manner.

Hopefully, everyone will take a moment and keep their ears open to what Senator Wyden is saying in his opposition to the COICA.

Monday, November 22, 2010

EU Steps Up The War Against Piracy

EU steps up the war against piracy
3-strikes are out. But the EU has other plans in the drawer to get pirates to life.

The lobbyists practically besieging my office. "

So says Morten Løkkegaard, former TV host at DR and now MEP for the Liberal Party. He is just one of many, who ordinarily feel pressure from lobbyists who either want to intensify the hunt for netpirate, change the copyright or try to avoid being misled into the match.

There is plenty to fight about. As ComON will report in this article, the EU has several initiatives against pirates in the tray and MEPs can therefore look forward to a constant siege from Hollywood's lobbyists and their opponents. ComON will also talk about some key politicians' views on the pirate hunting and copyright.

EU Parliament previously attempted to impose a de facto ban on 3-strikes, but managed rightholders, France and Britain to escape a requirement that authorities must pass a court order to cloak a citizen's internet connection. Instead ended EU law to include a simple recommendation that a kappesag minimum passing an independent board à la the French Hadopi body.

Within the coming weeks, the EU will publish a Communication on the fight against netpirate. The document will reveal the European Commission's next steps against netpirate.

"At this moment I can only say that the statement will set out the future action of the internal market in order to enforce copyright, and particularly ways to strengthen the European observatory (Monitoring, ed.) About counterfeit products and piracy," said Chantal Hughes, a spokesman the responsible European Commissioner, the Frenchman Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for the Internal Market.

Future change in pirate hunting?

The EU Commission will in the same breath open a hearing on an amendment to the EU Directive on enforcement of copyright. An amendment to the Directive is expected launched a year's time. Up until then, a part of the EU's more than 10,000 lobbyists try to print ideas into the minds of officials.

Next year the EU Commission also provide two other directives that may be important for music, movies and other content industries. Many online services launched first in the U.S. and since - perhaps - in Europe, and possibly also in Denmark. Some upcoming EU initiatives might facilitate the process.

One proposal for new European legislation to improve opportunities to launch Internet content. Michel Barnier has proposed that we still have national systems of copyright, but that a 'single window' to make it easier for online services to establish itself across borders in Europe. The second directive to deal with the problem that users of content not always know the author - who should receive the money? These products are called orphans, or in English "orphan works". So far we know only that the EU is working to facilitate the ability to use orphan works for non-commercial services.

Part of the union plan is also to ensure European jobs by spreading the principles of copyright in countries outside Europe - which also happened with the ACTA treaty.

The French Connection

Commissioner French authors can reinforce the Hollywood and music industry interests, says one analyst from Brussels, who has knowledge of the EU Commission's dynamics, but who wish to remain anonymous. Actually, the EU commissioner not push initiatives through after orders from their home country, but like the former Danish EU Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel was known for his attempts at liberalization of agricultural policies - which fell in line with Denmark's wishes - so is the French commissioner also bent on stepping up the fight, says the observer.

"Michel Barnier is friends with Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni," says the observer, with reference to the famous singer, as the French president is married to.

But it should probably not play a role as EU commissioners must be independent of their own countries?

"It's true, but let's say it komlicerer things," says the observer, the French connection.

The EU has apparently then a commissioner that is responsive to the rights holders. It does, however, far from that right holders can single-handedly keep fountain pens in the EU Commission. The other 26 commissioners must still approve each proposal, and then a bill passed both the EU Parliament and EU countries in the council before they can enter into force.

French opponent of the 3-strikes

Precisely the EU Parliament must be regarded as a tough nut for lobbyists from right industry. During last year's negotiations on Telecom package, and the battle on 3-strikes stood, was the French Socialist and former Minister of Culture Catherine Trautmann a vigorous opponent of the 3-strikes.

"Next year is very critical," said Catherine Trautmann, who today is deputy of the committee on Industry, Research and Energy, ITRE.

The influential Frenchman mentions among others the debate about net neutrality by the EU in the period ahead will define guidelines - ie introduce the de facto rules for the free internet and access to many network services. In addition, Telekom package fall into place as the law in each country. She believes - like others - that there will not be moved by the principle of 3-strikes where it is recommended that only an independent tribunal today may cloak citizens Ethernet connection.

"It becomes very difficult for anyone to remove this solid foundation," she says of Telekom Package.

Musicians and filmmakers must find new ways to make money, says Catherine Trautmann. She does not believe that such P2P users will go down in music stores again if they are threatened with punishment. What she said to the Noteholders in the negotiations on 3-strikes in connection with Telekom package, she explains.

You want to kill us
Rights holders, in turn, Catherine Trautmann as an enemy.


"They said I wanted to kill them. It was very hard for me because I was once Minister of Culture. But I told them that they will have to create a new system - or else they die. If they want a good law, then they must learn to understand the world they live in. It's easy to want to preserve a system, but it is much harder to create a new, "said Catherine Trautmann.

She even mentions the idea of "global license" as an option. In France, some socialists proposed to introduce the system allows, for example P2P users may lawfully against file sharing that they pay a fixed fee as part of their internet subscription.
Her point that it is difficult to create a new system, however, they really sign up sharply since ComON ask the French top politician, how she imagines that a "global license" would be introduced.

"We're not ready yet and if you join something, then you have immediately the whole controversy," said Catherine Trautmann, who then only provisionally invite right holders and consumers to a debate on the future rights-system.

Danes are besieged by lobbyists

Two of the Danish EU politicians who are involved in the struggle, the copyright is left man Morten Løkkegaard and Social Democrat Christel Schaldemose. They are both out for the lobbyists approach them to ask for a meeting. It may be lobbyists who are paid for by Hollywood. Motion Picture Association of America - hating the object of many pirates - have an international department where the last part of the name has been abandoned, so they called the Motion Picture Association (MPA). They are active in Brussels. Also Johan Schlüter, lawyer from the Danish Anti-Piracy Group, has had a meeting with Christel Schaldemose. Telephone companies are also fat into question because they fear they may end up like pirate police, as already seen in countries like Ireland. There are also organizations that work with pure IT issues and therefore are interested in copyright. BEUC, the Danish Consumer Council is a member, is also active. Consumer Organisation is trying to avoid schemes like 3-strikes and instead get better and more products.

"It's great the area I have seen most lobbyists on. It is quite overwhelming. It was from day one. Both in numbers and fervor, that is commitment," says Morten Løkkegaard who joined the parliament last year and has among its seat in Culture.

Coming lobbyists with wishes for what they want?

"No, it's not that they say: We, we have this or that. Most lobbyists are more advanced," explains Morten Løkkegaard.

Against him presents only their interests to ensure that he knows them and their beliefs, explains left politician. He gets so many requests for meetings on copyright that he must reject anyone if he feels that he has already had presented views from the same camp.

"It's hard to get to. We have little time, and there are many people," explains Morten Løkkegaard.

The former media man who now has become a powerful man, has already been involved in a committee's work on enforcement of copyright and also expect the future to engage in conflict. He believes that it is important to standardize the rules across the EU so there are as many copyright rules as there are Member States.

"It would be a great advantage if you can make a big regime," said Morten Løkkegaard about the possibility of joint copyright rules.

But when common copyrights rules and sensible forretninsmodeller in place, there must also be a consequence, that is a punishment for people who illegally download files, he says.

"There is a whole generation of young people who do not understand that what they are doing is illegal," said Morten Løkkegaard which, however, clearly rejects 3-strikes as punishment.

"Clarity, consistency and so also smart models. The key word for me," encapsulates Morten Løkkegaard its approach to rights issues.

A lot of money at stake

Socialdemokraten Christel Schaldemose sits on the committee for the internal market, which must also be addressed specifically to many of the initiatives that Commissioner Michel Barnier throw on the table. Committees are parliamentary machinery, where most details of the legislation is to fillet and therefore get the committee members strong interest from lobbyists.

"I am aware that there are a lot of money at stake," says Christel Schaldemose that may well fear that copyright holders can attempt to win support for models such as 3-strikes.

"Therefore there is no one stop this before it is determined that we do not accept 3-strikes," says Christel Schaldemose who is disappointed by a report from the European Parliament this fall did not criticize 3-strikes.

She explains that she tries to listen to all the camps and their lobbyists, but quickly finds himself out who she should listen most to. In cases around netpirateri it may be consumer organizations.

"I fear that you shoot with cannons against sparrows," said Christel Schaldemose about his position on 3-strikes.

EU as a club

On the whole listening Christel Schaldemose like for people who have no direct commercial interest in a case, she says. One of them could be the Frenchman Jérémie Zimmermann. He is the driving force behind the blog La Quadrature du Net, which has established itself as one of the most famous European supporters of the free Internet, the right to access and a fundamental reform of the copyright system.

"I am not a lobbyist," said Jérémie Zimmermann, who would rather see themselves as part of a civic movement.

He has from time to time direct contact with politicians, but most are trying to fan the flames of other netaktivister for example by getting them to contact their politicians. They succeeded to such a degree during the fight on 3-strikes that politicians were just as many mails and calls from citizens that they would only normally would have when it comes to animal welfare.

Jérémie Zimmermann was one of the most vigorous proponents of an EU ban on 3-strikes. ComON have asked him why France, according to him should not be allowed to take network access from netpirate without being bothered by the union. His answer is that actions against netpirateri not just a domestic issue.

"Entertainment industry lobbyists are using the world what we call" legislative bootstrapping. "So establish a law of a country to justify its application," says Jérémie Zimmermann.

"The EU can remind members that some principles should not be approached," says netaktivisten

The lobbyists in Brussels

Telephone companies (ETNO, Vodafone, British Telecom) do not want to be pirate police. They are in principle indifferent to whether a few people lose their network access, but they do not want to spend money and personnel to investigate illegal file sharing. Telcos with their own network is also trying to fight back hard principles of net neutrality - their attitude is that they have invested in networks and therefore must themselves decide whether they will give one example, traffic priority over another. According to La Quadrature du Net also has the British telecom regulator Ofcom acted as a lobbyist.

Hollywood (MPA) and music industry are trying to get authorities to crack down on piracy. Each time a person downloads a movie or song, they lose money, they say.

Consumer Unions (BEUC) trying to get served a huge variety of music, movies and more delicious for consumers and is also opposed measures like 3-strikes, which can deprive citizens the right to access.

Others with an interest in the hunt for pirates and other rights protection issues, large software firms like Microsoft and especially Digital Europe, bringing together technology companies.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

uTorrent 2.2 Version Released

uTorrent has launched a stable 2.2 version, highly anticipated by the public for being the first to open up the BitTorrent’s App Studio to its vast community. Besides, the version introduced the optimized proxy privacy settings to 65 million users. Finally, to highlight the fact of its collaboration with many indie artists, the release of uTorrent 2.2 was tied up with a promotion of the film “Four Eyed Monsters”, which is available for open downloading.

All in all, BitTorrent has been very active when developing its uTorrent file-sharing application this year. Apart from this particular application, BitTorrent Inc. also pushed out 2 experimental clients called Falcon and Griffin to test some of new features built into them in public. The feature that drew most attention was uTorrent’s support for Apps.

Actually, BitTorrent Apps represents a web-based extensions framework, designed to add new functionality to the client without adding more weight to the core BitTorrent application. In fact, it’s the same as many other applications, extensions and addons that are embedded into Internet browsers and mobile phones. Apps are based on JavaScript and let the third party developers design software to be integrated seamlessly with the uTorrent. People will be able to add those apps to uTorrent with a single click, and to be shown through an embedded browser window.

Originally, the Apps feature was only available to a very limited group of the users that decided to download the experimental Griffin application. Later, in September 2010 the users of BitTorrent’s Mainline software joined their team, and finally today the studio is available to all the vast audience of uTorrent, totaling to 65 million.

Among those official applications that are included into the most recent version of uTorrent is VoDo’s one – a platform containing the free works of indie moviemakers. In order to celebrate the event of Apps being bundled with uTorrent, the platform released 2 of the new films – “Snowblind” and “Four Eyed Monsters”. Actually, the producers of these movies have got an opportunity to show their works to millions of people around the world without worrying about any distribution problems. In fact, the multimillion audience of BitTorrent surpasses that of many television networks, at the same time fostering a direct connection between moviemakers and consumers.



Friday, November 12, 2010

Pacquiao By KO In One - Roach Predicts Ending Will Be Short And Swift

GRAPEVINE, Texas—Don’t blink when Manny Pacquiao tangles with Antonio Margarito on Saturday (Sunday in Manila). The fight for the vacant World Boxing Council super welterweight title could be over in less than three minutes.

Revising his earlier prediction that Pacquiao will win by stoppage either in the seventh or eighth round, renowned trainer Freddie Roach now hints at an abrupt ending—one that will be short and sweet.

“Don’t be surprised if this fight ends in the first round,” Roach said during Wednesday’s prefight press conference at the gigantic Cowboys Stadium in Arlington City.

Roach has cited the reasons for believing in a Pacquiao victory by knockout in his earlier statements, but this time he added yet another quotable one.

“He’s slow motion to me,” Roach said of Margarito, implying that the Mexican three-time champion will telegraph his punches and won’t be able to hit Pacquiao, who is noted for his blurring speed.

After scrutinizing the tapes of Margarito’s past fights, Roach noted that the Mexican “throws wild punches, makes too many mistakes, has too many bad habits” that Pacquiao could exploit.

Though Pacquiao, a seven-time champion looking for his eighth crown, is giving away 4 1/2 inches in height, 6 inches in reach and at least 10 pounds in weight, Roach said the 12-round showdown wouldn’t be difficult to win at all.

Roach said Briton Ricky Hatton showed the same flaws when Pacquiao demolished him in May 2009 in two rounds to rule the 140-pound division.

Although peeved by reports that Margarito and rising Robert Garcia Boxing Gym star Brandon Rios made fun of him as a Parkinson’s disease victim, Roach said they were not the reasons he was predicting a swift end.

He said Pacquiao had shown tremendous improvement in three weeks of training at his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood and at the Longhorn Exhibit Hall of the Gaylord Texan Hotel here.

“He (Pacquiao) fooled us,” Roach said. “Usually, he needs three weeks (to reach peak form). This time, it took him a little longer because of the distractions (in Baguio City). ”

Distasteful twist

Roach is convinced Pacquiao is 100-percent ready to add Margarito to his expanding list of Mexican victims.

The impressive victims’ roster includes Hall-of-Famers Erik Morales, who beat Pacquiao in their first fight but bowed in the next two; Juan Manuel Marquez, who held Pacquiao to a draw and a split decision in their two meetings; Marco Antonio Barrera, and Oscar De La Hoya, the face of boxing before Pacquiao came along.

The build-up to the fight took a sad and distasteful twist when a video surfaced showing Margarito mocking Roach.

The video, which was shot several weeks ago and appeared on Wednesday on YouTube, shows Margarito’s camp making fun of Roach, who shakes uncontrollably at times because of Parkinson’s disease.

In the video, Margarito makes a twisted face and raises a shaking hand for the camera before it pans to Rios, who also makes faces and stutters while saying Pacquiao’s name.

Half-hearted apology

The video has since been edited to remove Rios and make it appear as though Margarito is doing a scared impression of Roach, who has routinely questioned Margarito’s integrity following a hand-wrapping scandal nearly two years ago.

Margarito’s trainer, Robert Garcia, also takes part in the mockery by holding up a thick chunk of metal and telling Roach he’d better watch as Margarito’s hands are wrapped so that it doesn’t end up under the tape.

With Roach and Pacquiao sitting just a few feet away, Garcia took the podium at Wednesday’s news conference and issued a half-hearted apology, saying no one in the Margarito camp knew Roach suffered from Parkinson’s disease.

“This was nothing personal. Nothing to do with his disease,” Garcia said. “I apologize for people who think we are making fun of people with that disease.”

Keep Pacquiao calm

Pacquiao said he had not seen the video but found the idea distasteful.

“For me it is not good,” Pacquiao said. “We have to respect people. I am the kind of person that doesn’t like people talking about the personal lives of others.”

Roach said he didn’t confront Garcia on Wednesday for Pacquiao’s sake.

“I am doing it (staying calm) for (Pacquiao),” Roach said. “We’ve got a big fight coming up and I can’t get excited. He can’t get excited.”

“I’m not going to bother Manny Pacquiao with that,” Roach said. “Manny doesn’t hate anybody and so forth, but I do hate those guys.”

Roach has vowed to ban Garcia from his Wild Card gym. “(Garcia) certainly didn’t apologize,” he said. “I won’t speak to him ever in my life.”

Tarnished reputation

According to Roach, Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs) and American Rios (25-0-1, 18 KOs) should watch what they say because he believes he got the disease as a result of his own boxing career.

“The thing is that this is something that boxers can get because it is trauma-related,” Roach said. “They (Margarito and Rios) are in the sport and they both don’t have good defenses. I just hope it doesn’t happen to them the way I have to live my life.

The mocking incident is another blow to Margarito’s already tarnished reputation.

On Saturday, the former world champion will step into the ring for the first time in the United States since he was slapped with a one-year suspension for using illegal hand wraps against Shane Mosley in Los Angeles.

Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 KOs) has asked officials to allow him to send an extra person from his camp to Margarito’s dressing room prior to the fight to observe the taping.

‘He’s a cheater’

“I will watch him (Margarito),” Roach said. “I asked the (Texas) commission to have a person from my camp in their training room from start to finish, and they can do the same with me.”

Roach said his request had been approved. “I don’t trust those guys. He’ll do anything to win. He’s done it before. He’s a cheater.”

The bout will be Pacquiao’s second at Cowboys Stadium, where more than 50,000 fans are expected to attend along with an expected pay-per-view audience of 1 million or more.

In March at the $1.2-billion showplace, Pacquiao dominated Joshua Clottey from the opening bell to retain his welterweight title with a unanimous decision.

Pacquiao has since been elected a congressman, a job that initially seemed to be affecting his training for this fight. He even missed a day of workouts.

“Everything is back to normal,” Roach said, declaring Pacquiao ready for the fight. “It was never physical. It was all mental. His mental focus wasn’t there.”

Stripped of license

Both Pacquiao and Margarito fight under promoter Bob Arum’s Top Rank banner.

Margarito, the former welterweight champion, was approved to fight in Texas after being denied a license in California and having another application in Nevada tabled.

Margarito hasn’t fought in the United States since January 2009, when a plaster-like substance was found in his hand wraps before his fight with Mosley.

Margarito’s license, along with that of his former trainer, Javier Capetillo, were revoked for at least one year by the California State Athletic Commission, a decision that was upheld by other states.

Margarito has repeatedly said he wasn’t aware of the substance found in his hand wraps.

“I wrap guys every day,” Roach said. “Believe me, if I put a rock in their hand, they would know it.”


Friday, November 5, 2010

Philippines NTC Chooses Japan Digital TV Standard

THE NATIONAL TELECOMMUnications Commission (NTC) has chosen the Japanese digital television standards for the Philippines after more than two years of deliberations, paving the way for the shift from the “primitive” analog broadcast system to the new and more efficient technology.

NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba and Deputy Commissioners Douglas Michael Mallillin and Jaime Fortes have signed a draft circular mandating the adoption in the country of the Integrated Services Digital Broadcast-Terrestrial (ISDB-T) television standards, the broadcast technology developed and used in Japan.

The draft circular, which was released Thursday, was signed and made into an official memorandum following a hearing with industry stakeholders, where no objections were raised.

“The ISDB-T standard shall be the sole standard in the delivery of digital terrestrial television services in the country,” the regulator said in its circular.

The NTC chose the Japanese standard over the European digital TV standards, which were determined to be more expensive if used in the Philippines.

The NTC said shifting to digital TV from the current analog system would allow for more channels, better video and audio quality and the delivery of high-definition content through a conventional aerial antenna instead of a satellite or cable connection.

“The ISDB-T is a flexible digital TV transmission system that is capable of providing three hierarchical modulations to fixed, mobile and handheld terminals without the need for an additional transmission frequency,” the NTC said.

The new standard was endorsed by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), the umbrella organization representing almost all local broadcasters in the country.

GMA Network Inc., which is not a KBP member, also endorsed the adoption of the new system through a letter sent to NTC.

“We have assessed the prominent digital TV standards available and have determined ISDB-T to be technically suitable for our television broadcast industry,” GMA Network said.

Once TV stations start sending digital signals, households that use old analog television sets would have to buy “set-top” boxes, which will process the digital signals. But most new television sets being sold today are digital-ready and will not need any new equipment to be able to display digital content.

The government has mandated a complete shift to digital TV in the country by 2015.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Happy All Saints Day


Today’s feast is to celebrate the unity of the communion of saints (especially with memory of those already gone before us). We are all one in and under our head, the Messiah, Jesus the Lord. This union is expressed in our baptism and in our meal). We are not just unified with each other but with the saints of old . And THEY give us testimony to the value of endurance, and of firm faith in the father who makes us one family.