All U.S. Internet Providers will be policing downloads by July 12, 2012

I don't tend to download anything from the net. But I know others on my flist do - so here you go:

Originally posted by lk737 at All U.S. Internet Providers will be policing downloads by July 12, 2012

Please repost this? I have never begged for one of my posts to be boosted. I am just so worried for my friends and want you to know.

According to this article, dated March 15, 2012:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/webnews/major-isps-turn-into-copyright-police-by-july-says-riaa/

"File-sharers, beware: By July 12, major US Internet service providers (ISPs) will voluntarily begin serving as copyright police for the entertainment industry, according to Cary Sherman, chief executive of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The so-called “six-strikes” plan is said to be one of the most effective anti-piracy efforts ever established in the US."

The article goes on to give details. After six notices, internet providers will decide to throttle a person's internet speed, or cut it off altogether. I don't know if they will crack down on torrents only, or if it is up to the internet provider. I get the sense it is up to the internet provider. So some people could get away with downloading non torrents, while others might get their internet service cut off. I urge you to click it and read, as we all know people who download.

No more downloading eps of your favorite shows for vidding, gifs, or fanfiction art. No more downloading screencaps possibly. I'm so sorry my friends. I don't even know if BT Guard will work to protect you, but I would google it if I were you. It is a professional service that supposedly can protect you from the invasive eyes of your internet provider.

Just, my friends, please make each other aware. Please be aware of the date JULY 12TH. Mark your calendar and double check with your internet provider by then. If you start receiving notices of downloaded activity, this is why. And your internet service could be throttled or cut off.

Fox news confirms this:
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/03/17/us-isps-become-copyright-cops-starting-july-12/

Youtube video explaining this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5OG0R-yS-c

Singers & Songwriters: Etta James, Nina Simone and Tina Turner

For Women's History Month: Three ladies that revolutionized the music industry and broke through barriers.

1. Etta James - 1950s, blues singer who defied classification and opened for the Rolling Stones in the 1980s. She died just a few years ago. And struggled with drug addiction throughout her life.

Here's one of her tunes:
( Read more... )

Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins; January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012) was an American singer. Her style spanned a variety of music genres including blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul, gospel and jazz. Starting her career in the mid-1950s, she gained fame with hits such as "Dance With Me, Henry", "At Last", "Tell Mama", and "I'd Rather Go Blind" for which she wrote the lyrics. She faced a number of personal problems, including drug addiction, before making a musical resurgence in the late 1980s with the album The Seven Year Itch.[2]

James is regarded as having bridged the gap between rhythm and blues and rock and roll, and is the winner of six Grammys and 17 Blues Music Awards. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in both 1999 and 2008.[3] Rolling Stone ranked James number 22 on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time and number 62 on the list of the 100 Greatest Artists.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etta_James


2. Nina Simone

http://www.ninasimone.com/about/bio/ - Known as the high priestess of soul, she was also a strong social activist, and wrote and sung songs about the Civil Rights Movement.
( Read more... )

Here's one of her songs, a favorite of mine entitled Four Women written and sung by Nina Simone in France. It's about four different women, who are different colors.

3. Tina Turner

Tina Turner battled domestic violence against Ike Turner and the music industry to become a powerful female performer in her own right and a pop icon.

From wiki:
( Read more... )

Here's my favorite signature Tina Turner Song, which she originally sang with Ike Turner, but now sings on her own quite well:

Two earlier versions of the same song as performed by Turner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqIpkMDRjYw&feature=related

( And here's the Ike and Tina Turner version of Proud Mary )

And for Tina and the current fight in the US Senate/Congress for the passage of the Violence Against Women Bill, I'm including one more songstress who wrote about domestic violence, Janis Ian - "His Hands".

[As an aside, in a former life...I volunteered with the Domestic Violence Coalition - Legal Aid of Western Missouri, to obtain orders of protection. (Not restraining orders, we couldn't get those under the law at the time, but we could get an order of protection which was basically the same thing. What a lot of people don't know is many states still have laws on their books that permit husbands to beat their wives, since "wives" were considered "property of the husband" under the old laws. This shocked me when I found out about in Missouri. Most states have fought to put new laws in place.]

The Good Wife and Once were both good tonight!

Must go to bed.

But...Once Upon a Time and The Good Wife were both good tonight.

Once...( vague spoilers )

I like the themes in this series - how evil is created not born. And made by people's choices. Echoes something GRR Martin stated in his interview with Jimmy Kimmel...that good and evil resides in everyone, and people can do wonderful things one day, and horrific things the next. Reminded me also of the themes of Ides of March - which I watched last night, which showed how a niave young assistant campaign manager becomes twisted into a monster. What our choices can do. And the motivations behind them. The potentional to be a saint or a monster resides in us all.

Also the idea of memory and how it changes people and affects them. Will state PC or James is not so charming as David, he's actually a bit of a wimpy ass as David. Much more attractive in Fairy Tale Land - with the hot black leather, and the attitude. In Storybrook, he's sort of bland and grating. Mary Margaret is also more appealing in Fairy Tale land, in Storybrook she's sort of annoying as well.

The Good Wife meanwhile did wonders with political manipulation. Lots of interesting twists and turns. And everything built perfectly on each other.( vague casting spoilers )

I adore Diane...what's great about Good Wife is how strong the female characters are. And how front and center, they hold the stage, without weakening or romanticizing the male characters. (Which is the problem I have with Grey's Anatomy...and other series that put women in the forefront, the men are romanticized or emasculated. In the Good Wife, both genders are given equal status, and treated equally. Also gender is more blurred. In Desperate Housewives, GCB, and shows of that ilk...women are too "girly" or "bitchy" and men are too "whipped" or "hunky", gender falls into stereotypes - some of which are ludicrious. I see it in Glee as well. Although all three are satires, so it is deliberate.

Loved tonight's Good Wife...everything about it. But no time to go into details. Must go to bed.