More stupid laws …

Senator Hatch of course is the person behind the PIRATE Act of 2004, or “Protecting Intellectual Rights Against Theft and Expropriation Act”, this last May in which any and all petty copyright infringement would become a crime, as opposed to being a civil violation, and force the Department of Justice to handle all instances of copyright infringement.

However, the senator is now back with new legislation, the INDUCE Act, or “Inducement Devolves into Unlawful Child Exploitation Act”.

This act would make illegal anything that “intentionally” “aids, abets, induces, counsels, or procures” others into actions that constitute piracy, which unfortunately thanks to the wording in this law means tha if a device or application can be used for infringement, it makes the producers of such devices liable, even if it’s the end users committing the violation.

And what the hell is with the blatant “ZOMG! THINK OF TEH CHILDRENS!” card being played within the name of the act? There seems to be a growing trend that any legislation introduced these days which uses an acronym as its name is automatically bad. PATRIOT, PIRATE, INDUCE, etc.

Adventures of the Starkiller

Reading some of the early scripts for what eventually became Star Wars really puts emphasis on the theory that George Lucas didn’t lose his ability to write a good script with the prequels, he never had it in the first place.

“I am Lord Darth Vader, first Knight of the Sith, and right hand to His Eminence Prince Espaa Valorum, the Master of the Bogan. You will not mock me, or my Master; for the Ashla is weak, and the FORCE OF OTHERS cannot save you now…”

That’s a line from “Adventures of the Starkiller” about a boy named Luke Starkiller, who spends his time on a single planet with his buddy Biggs. In the film, Vader isn’t related to Luke, nor is he part of the Sith, but instead is just your ordinary grumpy bad guy who happened to have a few magical powers. There are no Jedi, but something similar called Bendus, of which Uncle Owen is one. Pretty much everyone has lightsabres, including your bog standard Stormtrooper. Leia is in the flick as well, though she’s not royalty, just someone hanging around Luke’s house.

20 Things You Have to Believe to Be a Republican Today

  1. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you’re a conservative radio host. Then it’s an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery
  2. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.
  3. Government should relax regulation of Big Business and Big Money but crack down on individuals who use marijuana to relieve the pain of illness.
  4. “Standing Tall for America”; means firing your workers and moving their jobs to India.
  5. A woman can’t be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multi-national corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
  6. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.
  7. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans’ benefits and combat pay.
  8. Group sex and drug use are degenerate sins unless you someday run for governor of California as a Republican.
  9. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won’t have sex.
  10. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our long-time allies,then demand their cooperation and money.
  11. HMOs and insurance companies have the interest of the public at heart.
  12. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism.
  13. Global warming and tobacco’s link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.
  14. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush’s daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a “we can’t find Bin Laden” diversion.
  15. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense. A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.
  16. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.
  17. The public has a right to know about Hillary’s cattle trades, but George Bush’s driving record is none of our business.
  18. You support states’ rights, which means Attorney General John Ashcroft can tell states what local voter initiatives they have a right to adopt.
  19. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the ’80s is irrelevant.
  20. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.