Innocent Bystanders

The Pupster Boys and Mrs. Pupster have been having loads of fun making videos, mostly clips from characters they create in The Sims, mixed with music in Windows Movie Maker. Since they like to post them on their personal blogs or share them with friends, I’ve been letting them use my YouTube account.

Today I received a sphincter-tightening email from YouTube titled “A YouTube partner made a copyright claim on one of your videos”

Dear impupsterdammit,

UMG has claimed some or all audio content in your video Wake Up Call The Sims 2 Music Video. This claim was made as part of the YouTube Content Identification program.

Your video is still live because UMG has authorized the use of this content on YouTube. As long as UMG has a claim on your video, they will receive public statistics about your video, such as number of views. Viewers may also see advertising on your video’s page.

After I unclenched and began to follow some of the links in the email, I found the situation to be acceptable, and if I may say so myself, handled elegantly. Copyright holders, in this case UMG, provide to YouTube ID files for the material they wish to protect, and YouTube uses a Video Identification Tool to wash all new uploads against the ID files. When they get a match, the copyright holder can choose three courses of action:

There are three usage policies — Block, Track or Monetize. If a rights owner specifies a Block policy, the video will not be viewable on YouTube. If the rights owner specifies a Track policy, the video will continue to be made available on YouTube and the rights owner will receive information about the video, such as how many views it receives. For a Monetize policy, the video will continue to be available on YouTube and ads will appear in conjunction with the video. The policies can be region-specific, so a content owner can allow a particular piece of material in one country and block the material in another.

In the case of Mrs. Pupster’s Wake Up Call The Sims video, USG has allowed the video to remain on YouTube with the addition of Google Ads (which I assume with fill their corporate coffers with untold riches), and will receive tracking and usage information.

It seems like a pretty good application of common sense, and I hope to see more of the same in the future, rather than the heavy handed tactics some other copyright holders pursue.

Yesterday was quite the day. After coming home from 90 Degree/90% Humidity T-Ball for my daughter in the morning, it was off to Grant’s Farm for a birthday party for a friend’s daughter. Thankfully, the party was in a pavilion, so we were out of the sun for the most part. But it was still hotter than shit. And to make things better, the party pavilion was next to the area where people can feed the camels. Nothing makes cake and ice cream taste better than the whiff of two camels nearby.

But Grant’s Farm, being (for now) part of the Anheuser-Busch family, does have one thing going for it: the hospitality tent gives out free beer! Even if it is A-B products, free is free. Anyway, the highlight of the party for me was the beer. And this camel thought so as well:

Did I mention it was really hot yesterday?

Well, after the party, I stopped at the gun store nearby to pick up some cleaning equipment for the rifle I currently own, and scouted own my next purchase. I want to buy something fairly easy to maintain, smaller than the Soviet rifle I own, and not very expensive, both in the firearm and the ammunition. I have narrowed it down to a Ruger .22 pistol, or a .38 Revolver.

I concede that I will probably never need to mow down grizzly bears, zombies, rampaging yeti, or the bad guys from the Star Wars movies. As a result, a hand cannon or another big rifle seem too much for me. Besides, I can’t justify right now dropping a ton of money on a piece I would (hopefully) never have to use in the heat of action, and take to a range once in a while. So, that is why I am leaning toward a .22. Between my rifle and a .22, I believe I would have enough to defend myself and something as valuable as my Val-U-Rite Vodka.

I’ve posted before about how I think the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) attempt to salvage a failed business model through litigation is a travesty of justice. I came across this article recently and wanted to share it with you as it explains how this mockery of due process is being foisted upon us.

There is a common misconception, actively fostered by the RIAA’s public relations spokespeople, that these are “downloading” cases. Nothing could be further from the truth. The cases are brought without any proof of downloading whatsoever. The way in which these cases come about is that an unlicensed “investigator” (through a method the RIAA has termed “automated,” “proprietary,” and “confidential” and that it refuses to dis-close), engages in a pretexting operation in which the investigator pretends to be an ordinary user of one of the peerto- peer file-sharing networks. When the investigator locates a group of “shared files” on his computer screen, he makes a screen shot, downloads a small number of files, and, from the data packet he retrieves, supplies the RIAA with the Internet protocol (IP) address contained in the packet, together with the date and time of the screenshot.

This is a very interesting article, and while I didn’t ‘get’ all of the legal mumbo jumbo it is certainly clear that the RIAA is not interested in justice.

Read it all (h/t Slashdot).

Well, I really screwed up the last post I did. But seriously, who hasn’t confused Berlin, CT with Berlin, Germany?

Anyway, here a few more things to be thankful for as we start another week of work:

Rosario Dawson hosing herself off. Seriously, who cares why.

Packers Fans taking Brett Favre’s situation in an understated manner.

Somebody else hates commercials as much as I do.

Most people merely dislike commercials. I fucking HATE them. I loathe them with all the bile in my bloated liver. Hatred for ads is embedded in my marrow, programmed into my DNA, woven into the fabric of my soul.

That’s why the people who invented TiVo/DVR and satellite radio are gods. They have golden thrones reserved in heaven, while advertising fuckfaces like Big Daddy Drew will burn for all eternity because they profited from making everyone else’s life just a little bit more miserable. Ever written a jingle? Die. And then say hi to Hitler for me.

Leopard Vs. Crocodile.

And finally, I have a new addition to the house. My latest arrival is called Mosin-Nagant 7.62, and it will defend the home well. Also, the fucker is so heavy, I could just use it as a club if necessary. I had a photo of the rifle, but the Kodak Easy Share Program on my computer ate the photo. So, I have to settle for this video:

Meet Ezra Welch, a 40-year-old guy living in Berlin. He loves Batman so much, he has dedicated everything in his life to the caped crusader.

The collection is a diverse one, ranging from framed movie posters to a utility belt and even a large ceramic cookie jar shaped like Batman. He has even deemed one corner of the collection a “Rogues Gallery” and uses it to showcase Batman’s foes.

Welch, who works at Precision Graphics in East Berlin, doesn’t know exactly how much he has spent on his collection over the years but estimates it is at least $5,000, maybe even $10,000.

Even with all the money he has spent, he says his favorite item didn’t cost him a thing.

“It’s a Batrock,” he says, pointing to a chunk of stone he got during a visit to the cave used to film part of the 1960’s “Batman” TV show that starred Adam West. “It’s from the Batcave. I don’t know if anyone else has something like this.”

Wow. And like all Batman fans, he seems to relish wearing the costume at the wrong and inappropriate times.

Occasionally he will even don a full-size Batman costume, though he prefers to do it to mark special events; one photo on the wall of the “Batcave” features him, fully-costumed, kissing his wife in front of their Christmas tree.

Yeah, but does he molest retired stagehands while wearing it?

to make a house a home.

Is that how it goes? Or:

• It takes a heap o’ firearms on your pool table
• It takes a heap o’ inebriated pool urination
• It takes a heap o’ erotic exotic cheeses
• It takes a heap o’ moron bloggers
• It takes a heap o’ homos cuddling on the couch

I don’t know. One of those. I link this* only so those who might not be receiving enough inspiration from Pure Lutheran Doctrine^BS might have all options before them.

It basically says you’ll be better off buying a smaller house with a short commute than buying a large house with a long commute because you give inordinate consideration to the occasional gatherings of family and assorted moochers who might be looking for an excuse to drop in.

Of course Michael is his own man. Therefore it is probably for the best that he go through with the large house purchase and quickly have it fitted with plenty of bunk beds and condom dispensers.

*I can’t hat tip where I found this. You would ban me.

The next time you see some guy dressed up in a superhero costume, just remember what really goes on when these guys put on their gear.

Just sayin’.

[WARNING: NAUGHTY WORDS USED IN THIS VIDEO!]

1. The Hillside Strangler
2. The Killer Clown
3. Son of Sam
4. Angel of Death
5. The Wedgie Killer

How cool would it be to have a last name that is synonymous with gun rights? I imagine Dick Heller, the police officer who successfully challenged the nation’s most restrictive handgun ban, can pretty much drink for free at any NRA meeting he attends for the rest of his life.

I’ve seen scattered comments on the Heller decision here and there, but I want to do more of a summary of what happened and what it means, in layman’s terms.

(more…)

Companies allowed to harm polar bears: 7 oil, gas producers get White House OK

Ah, yes. I recall the signing ceremony for The White House Harm to Polar Bears Bill. The ceremonial signing pens should be available on EBay soon. Spokesmen for the seven oil and gas producers were thrilled but didn’t really say this:

We couldn’t be more pleased that the White House has joined in our effort to cause harm to polar bears.

Wait a second. Did I say “harm?” Well, maybe “harass” is a better word.

Environmentalists said the new regulations give oil companies a blank check to harass the polar bear.

Hey Sugar, My compass is pointing true north!

I would remind oil and gas workers that there is a sometimes fine line between harassment and flirting. Please print the following and keep it in your wallet for future reference:

1. U.S. v. Ressam. A terrorist named Ressam was caught by customs officials trying to sneak a bomb into Washington state, to use to blow up LAX. He was convicted of making a false statement to customs officials (specifically, lying about his name and nationality) and carrying an explosive “during” the commission of the first crime. The Ninth Circuit reversed the second conviction, holding that the “carrying an explosive” count had to be related to the “false statement” count. SCOTUS reversed the Ninth Circuit, saying that the “during” only refers to a temporal connection, not to the relatedness of the offenses.

Eight out of nine justices voted to reverse the Ninth Circuit, with Breyer dissenting. Thomas and Scalia concurred separately.

2. U.S. v. Williams. A Secret Service agent went to an on-line forum for pedophiles and struck up a conversation with Williams, who offered to exchange pornographic images of children. The feds got a warrant, grabbed Williams’ home computers, and found at least 22 sexually explicit pictures of minors, some of it sadomasochistic. Williams challeged his conviction claiming the federal statute was an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment. The district court disagreed with Williams, the Eleventh Circuit reversed, and SCOTUS reversed the Eleventh Circuit.

Scalia wrote the majority opinion, with six other justices concurring. Souter and Ginsburg dissented.

(more…)

What’s up with blaming dogs for some bad luck?

And suing?!?

Oh well, at least the lawyers are keeping busy

NORWALK, Conn. - A New York woman has filed a $100 claim against Norwalk saying a family outing to the Maritime Aquarium was ruined by dog feces. The woman claims her child’s shoes, along with the entire outing, were ruined when her 1-year-old stepped in dog feces outside the Maritime Garage. City attorney M. Jeffry Spahr said the official response is that her claim is denied and in his words, “poop happens.”

I’d be a rich man today if I had $100 for every time I stepped in dog poop. Instead, I’m just better at cleaning shoes than the mother who, apparently, does not know how to steer her one-year-old around a steaming pile in its path.

Woman files claim, saying dog feces ruined family outing

Another hapless mutt has sparked a lawsuit by getting in the way of a car.

DULUTH, Minn. - The driver of a 1997 Honda Civic that struck and killed a dog near Cloquet is suing the dog’s owners for damage done to his vehicle. Jeffery Ely was driving on the night of Jan. 4 when Fester, a miniature pinscher, squeezed past owner Nikki Munthe as she was letting in her other dog and ran out onto the road. Ely’s car struck Fester, killing the 13-pound dog instantly. Now Ely is suing the Munthes for about $1,100 for damage to his car, time he had to take off from his two jobs to get the car repaired, and court fees.

Ely said he feels sorry for the Munthes’ loss but, as a dog owner himself, feels that they must be responsible for their pets’ actions.

Pieces of the bumper were propelled into the radiator when it hit the dog, Ely said, necessitating a replacement. Ely maintains he didn’t have problems driving until after the accident and that the radiator issues were not pre-existing.

Legally, they are not responsible for their pet’s actions unless they were negligent. There’s not a dog owner on earth who hasn’t had one of those rascals sneak out on him from time to time.

Minnesota Driver Kills Dog, Sues Owners