We got the settlement offer from an organization about which I have written before but which it would be unwise for me to call by name in this post. It includes confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses. So after I sign it I will be legally prohibited from talking about it. The confidentiality clause even prohibits me from disclosing the existence of the settlement. I will also be legally prohibited from saying anything disparaging about the organization-that-shall-not-be-named. So after I sign it I will no longer be able to say that they are a bunch of dirty rotten crooks, no better then common thieves, except vastly better at their craft. But they are. And after I am silenced, they still will be.
Of course, until the settlement is final I am not bound by its terms, and the agreement does not prohibit me from disparaging the State of Nevada, which I intend to do in the fullness of time. But right now I'm tired and I really don't want to push my luck any further. But if one were inclined to inquire further one might find a useful pointer in the comments.
On the brighter side, the American electorate does seem to be waking up to the dangers of SOPA. Google and Wikipedia have gone dark (sort of -- both services are still accessible, but it's a good start) to try to draw attention to the issue. I've not written much about it because I've been distracted by other things, but for the record, SOPA is evil and it must be stopped. It is a bald-faced power-and-money grab by Hollywood, and it would have dire negative consequences for the Internet. Yes, copyright needs to be enforced, but not through third parties coerced by an unfunded government mandate. The collateral damage of that approach is vastly too great.
By the way, from the better-late-than-never-but-nonetheless-still-timely department, in honor of Martin Luther King day, go find a copy of his I-have-a-dream speech. If you obtain one, and you didn't pay for it, then you are a pirate. That speech is copyrighted.
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ReplyDeleteWhat chance does the little guy have any more? If you can spare ANYTHING, please donate to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). They are on the front lines of this war, and they may be our only hope.
ReplyDeleteEFF Donation page:
ReplyDeletehttps://supporters.eff.org/donate
(Sorry to piggyback on your housing issue -- this is more about SOPA etc.)
ReplyDeleteNo problem, anonymous. The two are more closely related than most people appreciate. That indeed is part of the problem.
ReplyDeleteWould you still be able to link to your old posting and host your old posting?
ReplyDeleteProbably, but who knows? One of the lessons of this experience is that the rule of law does not apply, at least not in Nevada. But I'm not too worried. They ripped off 2300 people more or less. I really doubt I'm on their radar. Frankly, I'd be flattered if they came after me. It would mean I made an impact.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to be absolutely sure you can access those posts in the future you should probably keep a copy yourself. But I think there's more risk of losing them to a hard drive failure in one of Google's data centers than to legal action.
> I'm about to be silenced
ReplyDeleteNonsense, you want the money and are willing to silence yourself to get it.
Your victim act is just an act.
Bill Drissel
Grand Prairie, TX
Well, that is one way to look at it. I suppose if I came up to you in a dark alley, pointed a gun at your chest, and demanded your wallet and you gave it to me that one might argue that you weren't a victim either: you wanted to keep your life and were willing to trade your wallet for it.
ReplyDelete