A Weblog of Centrist Voices in American Politics
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A Weblog of Centrist Voices in American Politics | |
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September 17, 2006Islamofascism and Greeley, COIn case you didn't know about the uncanny debt Islamofascism owes Greeley, Colorado, here's a good article about it. Of course, the problem wasn't so much in Greeley, CO as it was in Sayyid Qutb, who can be argued to be its spiritual father. Interestingly, Greeley can also take credit for the idea of editing movies to remove the bits you don't like. The idea first showed up in a cautionary tale by a great Greeley-based SF writer, and now has become a business plan of several companies, including two in Utah, and one in Greeley - Family Shield Technologies. One such firm has been sued successfully by movie makers as a violation of their copyrights. Oh, and the article notes dryly that:
Any Austin resident can tell you that conservatives get bored, too. In fact, I'd say it's easier to get in sexual trouble if you allow youself fewer alternatives. Of course, the real problem is that Qutb was scared to death of girl cooties. Oh, and he's as wrong as can be, of course, on the Iraq War. He neglects to notice any but the WMD-right-now reason for the war, and theocracy polls badly in Iraq. Amit Varma also has some comments, notably that there are plenty of moderate Muslims. Posted by Jon Kay at September 17, 2006 06:18 PMComments
I've known Connie Willis casually for twenty-five years. She's a genius and a sweetheart, a major class act, one of the finest human beings you could ever hope to meet. While politically correct digital editing played a bit role in her book Remake, the book had nothing at all to do with the CleanFlicks company or their business plan that I know of, and the idea of associating Connie Willis with any promotion of censorship or copyright violation is Right Out. (I do urge absolutely everyone to buy and read any and/or all of Connie's books, and be vastly entertained by one of the finest writers of the modern era.) The editing of movies for "objectionable content" has been around since movies began. The key is that CleanFlicks started doing actual excisions and edits without permission, altering the originals into a "new" movie, and then redistributing the edited films. (Bad company! No cookie!) The major point in law was that they were changing and re-distributing the actual movies, which is a copyright violation. Some of the other companies named in the suit were offering means of digitally skipping objectionable content at the actual viewing machine through programmable filters, and those companies won in court where CleanFlicks lost. Kind of like an in-motion V-chip. That's no more than an automated version of the parent with the remote, and does not change the original recording at all, just the way it's watched. The video purchased by the consumer is the original version, the software/player/filter allows selective veiwing of it. The Greeley company that was part of the suit went out of business three years ago, buried by legal fees even though their side of the case prevailed. Their technology was essentially the same as ClearPlay, the company that now pretty much owns the market for discretionary-filtering players. Personally I think it's lazy parenting, but as a parent I also understand the appeal. Posted by: Tully at September 17, 2006 08:16 PM> I've known Connie Willis casually for twenty-five years. Cool! The Profesora and I are great fans; we'd probably read her grocery lists. > the idea of associating Connie Willis with any promotion of Yes, indeed; she's clearly on the side of right in this one. I hope my post wasn't unclear in that light. Posted by: Jon Kay at September 18, 2006 12:23 PMI just wanted to make sure it was clear to anyone and everyone. I first met Connie when she was in a workshop with my wife, before she was published, way long ago in Colorado. She came out of the gate swinging with fantastic stories and hasn't slowed since. I will sit and listen to Connie read her grocery lists out loud, with real pleasure. Seriously. She's a great speaker as well as a great writer, one who knows how to play an audience so that they love it. (I can't possibly say enough good things about her, so I'll stop there!) Posted by: Tully at September 18, 2006 03:11 PMRead the Varma piece. And you thought the Pope's comments pissed 'em off... Posted by: c3 at September 18, 2006 04:23 PMI do think this is related to Varma's comments. Posted by: Maxtrue at September 18, 2006 06:00 PMChirac speaks and yet polls in France suggest the majority of French people are in FAVOR OF MILITARY STRIKES should negotiating fail. Of course, when one determines that negotiations have failed might be the discovery Iran has the bomb. Then I doubt the French people would be so "hawkish". Never impose sanctions> I guess we now know the extent those "smart sanctions" against Saddam would have worked. Oui? Nyet. Posted by: Maxtrue at September 18, 2006 07:37 PM |
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