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L.A.C.K. & Censoround
April 26, 2002
Follett, Free Expression, Fritz, CIPA
One of the first stories I posted to L.A.C.K. was about the effort by P.A.B.B.I.S. to remove Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth from Fairfax County (VA) school shelves. It's been 10 months, and this story hasn't gone away. Of course, the Washington Times seems to be the only news outlet that's covering this.
The USA PATRIOT Act is six months old, and the Free Expression Network marked the half year with a rally that decried the legislation. Sen. Russ Feingold and Rep. Patsy Mink were amongst those levelling criticism.
Perhaps I was too quick to rescined my comment that Fritz Hollings is a fuckwad. His new consumer privacy bill was, of course, written with big business in mind. By the way, Hollings' reason why his bill should pass? Because the states will write up their own legislation anyway.
Jared Kendall has a keen grasp of not only why librarians oppose CIPA, but also of the true nature of the profession. Even if he doesn't realize we are radicals.
[TT] Washington Times via Free Expression Clearinghouse
[TT] ZDNet via Free Expression Clearinghouse
[TT] Salon.com via GigaLaw.com
[TT] Washington Post via LLRX.com
[TT] 2theadvocate.com via LISNews.com
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
3:43:00 PM
April 25, 2002
Porn and violence
On the heels of yesterday's decision in Vermont, a new Pennsylvania law that forces ISPs to deny access to Internet child pornography may not hold up if challenged.
On the other hand, a federal judge has decided that a county ordinance in Missouri controlling minors' access to violent video games is legal because he feels video games are not protected forms of free speech.
Books about serial killers are back on the shelves of a Florida high school library.
[TT] Newsbytes.com & Law.com via GigaLaw.com
[TT] St. Petersburg Times via LISNews.com
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
3:51:00 PM
April 24, 2002
Good news on CIPA, BT v. Prodigy, Harry Potter
A federal judge in Vermont has decided a state law that requires the blocking of anything that's "harmful to children" is too broad and therefore a violation of the First Amendment. Will this be a CIPA harbinger?
I've mentioned British Telecom's lawsuit against Prodigy that claims they hold the patent on hyperlinking before, but I'm too lazy today to track down links in my archive, so instead, I'm just going to link (before it's illegal) to this InformationWeek commentary.
Oh my gosh, The Real Harry Potter is right: Harry Potter books are bad for kids!
[TT] via GigaLaw.com
[TT] InformationWeek via Virtual Chase
[TT] BBC News via Folderol
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
3:55:41 PM
April 23, 2002
Invasions of privacy and other delights
My wife Jen and I met Jessamyn West, her boyfriend, and another friend of hers last night. I had met Katia Roberto previously, so now the Revolting Librarians Redux editorial circle is complete!
Some federal lawmakers are asking the US Copyright Office not to approve a Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel proposal to charge $0.0014 per song aired on internet-based radio stations, saying that it would stifle innovation and drive most sites out of business. If okayed, all Web radio outlets would have a month to pay up royalties due going back to 1998.
"John Ashcroft wants to know what you're reading." Well, if that doesn't get you to read this editorial from the Baltimore Sun, then perhaps this will: "... if the heinous acts of Sept. 11 prompt us to abandon the very liberties essential to our democracy, what are we fighting for?" I couldn't have said it better myself.
What, you'd like some more commentary on the government's attempts to stifle information? Well then, here you go!
Dan Gillmor discusses matters of privacy. Contact your representative, of course.
Attorney Catherine Olanich Raymond analyzes the Consumer Broadband and Digital Television Promotion Act.
[TT] Newsbytes.com via GigaLaw.com
[TT] Baltimore Sun via Library Stuff
[TT] Star Tribune via Virtual Chase
[TT] Mercury News via LLRX.com
[TT] Linux and Main via Shifted Librarian
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
4:00:09 PM
April 22, 2002
Harry Potter, P.A.B.B.I.S.
I've added a new section to L.A.C.K. called CIPAlicious, which will be an archive of any mentions I've made of CIPA or Web filtering in libraries here.
Also, I've tweaked the archives so that there's no sidebar. You can imagine what a pain in the ass it is to update all the archival pages whenever I add a new section to L.A.C.K. (Don't mind me: I'm just whining.)
Since I haven't mentioned Harry Potter recently, I'm going to link to an article about that lovable little corruptor of children.
Oh, and since I haven't mentioned P.A.B.B.I.S. recently, a member of the America's favorite book banning organization will be arguing for the removal of Steven Pressfield's Gates of Fire from the libraries of Fairfax County, VA high schools because it's very violent.
Hollywood fears technology.
[TT] Jefferson City News Tribune via LISnews.com
[TT] Washington Times via LISnews.com
[TT] Business 2.0 via Shifted Librarian
[EDITOR'S NOTE] CIPAlicious was deleted in a later redesign.
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
4:08:00 PM
April 19, 2002
Goodlatte, bad pop, decent legislation
I hate, hate, hate Microsoft products. Not because Microsoft is an evil corporation (altho it is), but because their products tend to be a bit shoddy. For example, hitting the back arrow in Internet Explorer may open your computer up to viriuses.
I've been using IE, though, because the folding tree menu script I use in HDL never worked in any other browser.
However, Dynamic Drive recently put up a new version of the folding tree script that is compatible with Netscape 6+. I put the new coding onto the HDL site, and lo and behold, the tree not only now works in Netscape, but in Mozilla as well!
So, altho there are a few quirks I need to either fix or get used to, I'm very happy to report I am using Mozilla exclusively right now. You may not give a shit, but I feel it's my duty as an alternative, indie rock librarian.
Rep. Bob Goodlatte has declared war on online piracy. Perhaps he needs to relax with a good book, a good song, and a good latte.
Of course, online piracy does have its good features. For example, more artists may find more popularity through song swapping. Of course, the music industry doesn't like this because it means they can no longer consistently cram mediocre pop acts like Britney Spears and Destiny's Child down consumers throats with the amount of success they're accustomed to.
Legislation aimed at reversing President Bush's executive order blocking the release of presidential papers has been introduced into the House.
[TT] Newsbytes.com via GigaLaw.com
[TT] SFGate.com via Library Stuff
[TT] Washington Post via Virtual Chase
[EDITOR'S NOTE] HDL is short for High Decibel Library, which was a links page I used to have. The folding tree script never did work perfectly in Mozilla, incidentally. I still hate Microsoft, though.
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
4:13:34 PM
April 18, 2002
I'm nice to Fritz Hollings for a day
Just when I'm convinced Fritz Hollings is a complete fuckwad, he introduces legislation that will make it more difficult for companies to collect and/or share consumers' personal details.
Incidently, a press release from Gateway pertaining to their pro-downloading campaign points out that consumers (i.e. the people the music industry serves) are more likely to buy an album after they've downloaded a song from it first.
[TT] Newsbytes.com via Virtual Chase
[TT] CCBN via Shifted Librarian
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
4:16:00 PM
April 17, 2002
Ashcroft mad, go smash
John Ashcroft, of course, is fighting mad at the Supreme Court's decision on virtual child pornography.
Logic in the Senate: a bill that would require adult sites to have their own domain.
[TT] Newsbytes.com & ZDNet via GigaLaw.com
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
4:23:47 PM
April 16, 2002
Child porn law struck, goth culture banned, CIPA, DMCA, RIAA
Considering how often search terms related to child pornography lead here, I'm almost reluctant to point out the Supreme Court struck down an anti-virtual child pornography law because it was too vague. So all you priests who are reading will have to look elsewhere.
(Okay, that was a bit tasteless. If you're offended, I apologize. If you're not, have you visited Suck My Caucus?)
Did you know that Missouri is trying to eliminate goth culture? Doesn't that almost make you want to listen to Miranda Sex Garden?
While everyone waits for a decision in the CIPA trial, Florida libraries are already dealing with pornography and the internet. Choice quote (and you'll have to read the article to understand the context): "Well, I never thought of doing that!"
Meanwhile, CIPA, amongst other issues facing libraires, was the subject of a board meeting discussion in Colorado. The topic came up after the Colorado Supreme Court decided that bookstores should not be forced to turn over sales records to police.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is no longer requiring anyone who writes for its many journals to comply with the Digital Millenium Copyright Act
Remember, the reason why record sales have been going down is because of web pirates, not shitty music, rising CD prices, and questionable business tactics.
[TT] Chicago Tribune via Folderol
[TT] Washington Times via Folderol
[TT] St. Petersburg Times via LISNews.com
[TT] Estes Park Trail-Gazette & SFGate.com via LISNews.com
[TT] via LLRX.com
[TT] Newsbytes.com via Shifted Librarian
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
4:25:17 PM
April 15, 2002
National Library Week
Happy National Library Week! Here in Chicago, we're celebrating with another "One Book, One Chicago." Of course, this time we're all reading Elie Wiesel's Night, so perhaps celebrating is the wrong word.
Also, in addition to being the US tax deadline, today is also the last day to enter the 2002 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest.
Chicago ministers are calling for the Chicago Public Library to install filters. Meanwhile, the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library is trying to decide whether or not to install filters.
Not surprisingly, the CBDTPA isn't very popular amongst consumers.
In a related story, the firm that designed the CD-protection technology the music industry is putting on its new releases has modified it to allow people to email songs to friends.
Google has released the Church of Scientology complaints about Xenu.net.
[TT] Chicago Public Library
[TT] Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest
[TT] via LibraryPlanet.com
[TT] Globe & Mail Technology via LISNews.com
[TT] News.com via LISNews.com
[TT] Chilling Effects Clearinghouse via LLRX.com
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
4:33:00 PM
April 5, 2002
CIPA trial ends
The CIPA trial wrapped up yesterday with the panel of judges criticizing the text of the law. Whether they recommend it be repealed or whatever, of course, remains to be seen.
[TT] via LibraryPlanet.com
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
4:40:23 PM
April 2, 2002
DMCA, RWU
I went thru a few stories about the CIPA trial, but they all pretty much restate what has already been said. If you missed anything, visit last week's posts.
Meanwhile, lawyers for Elcomsoft, for whom Dmitry Sklyarov works, have asked the lawsuit against them be thrown out, arguing that the DMCA is unconstitutional. This case promises to be as closely watched as the CIPA trial.
My alma mater, Roger Williams University, is mired in a controversy over the censoring of an article called "Rich, White Underachievers." By the way, a famous alum of RWU is Shane McMahon.
[TT] Wired via LLRX.com
[TT] ZDNet UK via Library Stuff
[TT] East Bay Newspapers via Shifted Librarian
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
4:41:16 PM
April 1, 2002
NewBreed article on public porn surfers
The new issue of NewBreed Librarian features an article by Minnesota Public Library reference librarian Wendy Adamson about people who surf for porn in public.
[TT] NewBreed Librarian
posted by Chris Zammarelli at
4:47:08 PM
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