November 30, 2006
Retired
sLop (the blog you are reading) is retiring..
The archives should stay up indefinitely though so feel free to continue linking in if you like..
In the coming weeks, I should have something new up. Please stay tuned.
Posted by vanevery at 11:49 AM | TrackBack
January 17, 2006
Free Chris
evilutionary virtual log >> Blog Archive >> Free Chris
Webmaster of NTFU thrown in jail on obscenity charges after opening his adult site up to soldiers in Iraq to post pictures.
From the post:
Chris Wilson, of Lakeland Florida, is the webmaster of NTFU, a user forum created in June of 2004 where people could post pictures of their wives or girlfriends nude. It recieved some national attention for the “G.I. Jane” controversy, but most recently for images of corpses in Iraq.
Chris granted interviews to dozens of news agencies and websites about this issue. He expressed his opinion on the morality of posting these images, and pornography in general. This sparked some major controversy with islamic groups, and anti pornography groups.
On October 7th, 2005, Polk County Sheriff officers raided his home and seized computer equipment and other files, including 20 films and 80 photos, and arrested him on 300 counts of obscenity charges. He is currently being held on $101,000 bail.
Posted by vanevery at 02:59 AM | TrackBack
January 15, 2006
NYC Grassroots Media Coalition Conference - February 11
Posted by vanevery at 06:13 PM | TrackBack
stay free, article roundup
Stay Free! Daily: This Month in New York City Critical Mass OR How Much Does It Cost the City to Run One of Those Police Copters All Night? - Story of what Critical Mass has become. Bikers vs. Police. Messed up!
Stay Free! Daily: Sucking on the tit of McDonald's - McD's, marketing to kids? I wouldn't say that this image is evidence but there is no doubt.
Stay Free! Daily: Hiking through Manhattan - The highline!
Stay Free! Daily: Radio Free Clear Channel - Clear Channel doing pirate radio. Quick someone get the FCC on them.
Stay Free! Daily: How did Mad Hot Ballroom survive the copyright cartel? - I have always had issue with this. You can video tape a public space with visual private property in that space, but you can not have the sounds of that space if it includes music. Documentaries are greatly suffering because of this.
Posted by vanevery at 01:58 PM | TrackBack
February 24, 2005
decrypt iTunes and iPod music / unprotect AAC files
hymn -- decrypt iTunes and iPod music / unprotect AAC files
(m4p --> m4a)
Posted by vanevery at 10:48 PM | TrackBack
February 16, 2005
Stay Free! now has a blog
Stay Free! Daily
The tag line:
Periodic ramblings from Stay Free!, a Brooklyn magazine focused on American media and culture
Posted by vanevery at 11:51 PM | TrackBack
December 13, 2004
The Betamax case of the digital age
Wired News: File Sharing Goes to High Court
I have my fingers crossed on this one. If these file-sharing services can be held responsible for the actions of their users, what does that mean for any company developing software that allows people to connect via public networks? What about ISP's and common-carrier laws? What about FTP, IM, Email and so on?
The devil in this one may be that the media companies will renew vigor in lobbying congress for legislation like the INDUCE act.
Posted by vanevery at 01:40 AM | TrackBack
December 06, 2004
Hillary support's The INDUCE Act
I was dismayed to learn that Senator Hillary Clinton has come out and in fact co-sponsored Senator Hatch's Induce Act. What follows is a draft of a letter that I am writing to Sen. Clinton to express my concern. I hope that others will do the same.
Here is some background material:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c108:S.2560:
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,64315,00.html
http://techlawadvisor.com/induce/
http://www.corante.com/importance/archives/004563.html
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20040618-3906.html
http://www.futureofmusic.org/articles/INDUCEanalysis.cfm
http://action.eff.org/site/pp.asp?c=esJNJ5OWF&b=164928
Like your iPod, read this:
http://www.eff.org/IP/Apple_Complaint.php
Please comment on the letter as you see fit.
Dear Senator Clinton,
I was dismayed to learn that you have come out in support of Senator Hatch's Induce Act. I hope that on further consideration of the issues that this bill covers that you change your stance to better reflect the opinions of your constituents and for the betterment of our society.
The Induce act as it currently is written does much to stifle free-speech, artistic and fair uses of media. Imposing legal responsibility on the makers of devices and software for illegal use such device or software will create a burden so great on manufacturers and creators of such programs that they will not develop or offer products that have potential for misuse.
I fear that by trying to curb the theft of copyrighted material you will instead be curbing the ability for individuals and groups with legitimate uses for the technology that enables such to use it. Being thoroughly immersed in an academic and artistic atmosphere, I am witness every day to fair uses of technology that would not exist today were such a law in existence. In fact I feel that the software that I am using to write this letter would not have been developed simply because it includes the ability to cut and paste text from any source into the document.
I believe that should this Bill become law that it will undo much of the progress of free-speech and alternative media creation that has been enabled by the internet, personal electronic devices, computers, tape recorders and so on. Furthermore it will be a giant step backwards and lead to increased power by the media and further relegate citizens to the role of consumer without a voice.
I hope that you will reconsider your position on this matter.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Shawn Van Every
Posted by vanevery at 11:35 AM | TrackBack
April 11, 2004
Pro bono lawyers for artists
VLA Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
Posted by vanevery at 06:55 PM | TrackBack
March 27, 2004
Fighting for LPFM (Low Power FM) in the Cities
About the Prometheus Radio Project!
What is Prometheus all about:
To serve as a microradio resource center offering legal, technical, and organizational support for the non-commercial community broadcasters
To research and develop technical resources in anticipation of legalized micro-radio. Upon legalization, we will offer technical services to non-commercial micro-stations- equipment testing, frequency searching, submitting FCC applications, studio advice and so on
To sponsor and produce educational tours, conferences, events and literature on microradio and democratic media issues.
To serve as a public interest advocate on microradio issues, and to help facilitate public participation in the FCC rulemaking and legislative process.
To help start a regional micropower association, which could eventually serve as a self-regulating association for low power fm analagous to the ARRL for HAM radio. Until this is formed, we will perform some of its future functions, primarily performing a coordinating and secretarial role to facilitate communications among existing stations.
Posted by vanevery at 07:11 PM | TrackBack
March 21, 2004
The Center for Democracy and Technology
CDT Mission
From the site:
The Center for Democracy and Technology works to promote democratic values and constitutional liberties in the digital age. With expertise in law, technology, and policy, CDT seeks practical solutions to enhance free expression and privacy in global communications technologies. CDT is dedicated to building consensus among all parties interested in the future of the Internet and other new communications media.
Posted by vanevery at 01:47 AM | TrackBack
March 09, 2004
You only feel safer
Wired 12.03: VIEW
A nice concise argument why we are wasting our money on all of these precautionary measures intended to make us safer but do nothing but make us feel safer.
From the article:
Every day, some 82,000 foreign visitors set foot in the US with a visa, and since early this year, most of them have been fingerprinted and photographed in the name of security. But despite the money spent, the inconveniences suffered, and the international ill will caused, these new measures, like most instituted in the wake of September 11, are mostly ineffectual.
Posted by vanevery at 02:55 PM | TrackBack
March 07, 2004
Background Checks in a Box
Silicon Valley
From the article:
Beyond the gallon jars of mayonnaise and the office furniture, shoppers browsing the aisles at some Sam's Club stores will find something that isn't usually sold at retail -- an employee background check in a box.
Posted by vanevery at 06:03 PM | TrackBack
March 03, 2004
Make your voice heard.
EFF: Homepage
"Defending Freedom in the Digital World"
Where would we be without them?
Posted by vanevery at 10:44 AM | TrackBack
February 28, 2004
Free Radio Berkeley
Free Radio Berkeley: International Radio Action Training Education
From the site:
Welcome to Free Radio Berkeley. Founded on April 11, 1993 as a Free Speech voice challenging the regulatory structure and power of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Free Radio Berkeley has been engaged in an ongoing legal battle with the FCC. Until it was silenced by a court injunction in June 1998, Free Radio Berkeley was broadcasting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 104.1 FM with 50 watts of power as the alternative voice for the greater Berkeley/Oakland area. The original Free Speech mission to provide community news, discussions and interviews, information, a wide range of music, and more has now been taken up by Berkeley Liberation Radio.
Posted by vanevery at 12:40 PM | TrackBack
Pirate radio information
Great information on creating a pirate radio station.. Why, how and what..