other complication arising from the MegaUpload takedown are that under the DMCA (aka current laws) they need to be able to demonstrate the MU was ignoring takedown notices, or uploading infringing content themselves (which I think is the route they'll take) since under the DMCA without these activities being present MegaUpload should have been protected under the DMCA's "Safe Harbor" provision. This whole thing seems not only like retaliation but also like the SWAT Team fell out of a time machine where future SOPA passage gave them the rights to make arrests now under those future provisions.

Its also quite a hat trick of jurisdiction that they arrested a Dutch Citizen in New Zealand for breaking US laws. Holy "Fucking jurisdictions how do they work?" This is proof for anyone outside of the US gloating about how only Americans are losing their rights, that the World Police aren't going to let something as silly as international sovereign borders from stopping them from enforcing their will across the planet.

show of hands: #2

That said, the reason the Feds want SOPA/PIPA to pass is site shutdowns now have to go through the existing DMCA laws which are already draconian, but at least involve charges being filed, courts and judges aka this thing America used to have called "due process" but now with NDAA, SOPA & PIPA the new goal is to avoid all that messy court stuff, and just declare guilt right away without charges, without due process and be done with whomever is bothering you without the risk of some ethical judge letting them go because of the "law" or some such nonsense like that. The "difference" is DMCA does takedowns with due process, the next wave name for SOPA wants to do it without due process. That's it in a nutshell.

The waters have become very muddy now. MegaUpload did have a lot of infringing content. They also had a lot of noninfringing content. This is the part where opponents of SOPA were warning that complete site takedowns remove noninfringing content along with the infringing content thus limiting free speech and freedom in general for the users who were legit. Of course what Anonymous did in response may be easy to chuckle at if you agree with their motivations but hacking and DDoS attacks are still technically illegal and their choice of targets makes it highly likely they will suffer some kind of serious repercussions. Long term actions like the ones Anonymous is taking could be used as justifications for further authoritarian measures. As the final cloud in the water, the MegaUpload takedown netted the Feds a whole lot of jack! Did you read the lists of cars, cash and computers they get out of the deal? This whole online piracy thing is starting to sound like the War on Drugs where once started, is difficult to stop since its profitable for law enforcement to prosecute these kinds of crimes. Things have gotten very messy now, and I am not looking forward to what comes next. We should all enjoy this moment of mass political engagement and temporary postponement of SOPA & PIPA but this mess is far from over.

where does the Bible say that? um, like everywhere for those who actually read the Bible.

John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing"

Galatians 5:16-17 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh"

Romans 13:14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Galatians 5:24-25 “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Romans 8:4 “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Romans 8:5-6 “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally (worldly) minded is death; but to be spiritually (Word) minded is life and peace.”

James 1:13-15 “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Romans 8:7-8 “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” The carnal, fleshly mind is hatred against God and the things of God and it cannot be subject to the Word of God. Why can’t you please God in the flesh? Because the flesh lives by what you see and if you live by what you see you can’t live by faith and without faith it is impossible to please God. Romans 10:17 “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Romans 8:9-10 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

Romans 8:12-14 “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

(John 6:63-64). “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not.”

and I could go on... but like I said your view kinda shows you don't know much about either Christianity or Yoga.

ah yet another "Christian Yogi". That implies you know little about either Christianity or Yoga. In 1 the flesh is sinful, and in the other both yin & yang are two equal parts of a transcendent truth and the body is the vehicle for discovering truth, not something to be hidden, flayed and subjugated. Despite your fluffy examples of similitude, the differences are far more fundamental and irreconcilable. Its only with the highest levels of intellectual slop that the two vastly different ideals could be conflated, and only a simpleton who would try. The fact that you "struggle" so much with these inner battles shows you're more Christian than Yogi, a very shallow, un-insightful, and likely inwardly confused one at that.

man I coulda' sworn at least ONE of these chicks would be straight...

well, I guess it USED to be a man's world!

great write-up Melissa! I was there too (as I took the photos in the article) and feel like you captured the feeling of the event very well. I just followed the link to your blog & RSS subscribed it too after reading the hilarious but oh so true "I'm a fraud" article. Keep up the good work!

watching the video, I keep wanting to push the demo guy out of the way like the SNL Tech Support skit "moooooooovvvveeeee" and sequence something half musical and acid tweak it. Hello McFly! What might your prospective audience want to hear? sheesh! LOL

Rebecca you are sadly mistaken, probably due to the amazing sell job companies like Dow and Monsanto have done. Maybe you should look at the actual evidence which is huge and mounting. A good place to start is the documentary film "The World According to Monsanto" which you can watch online in its entirety for free. if you can keep saying "harmless" after that, you will have gone from uninformed to a severe case of cognitive dissonance. http://twilightearth.com/news/the-world-according...

I like "Kinkakuji Brown & Blue" but please disqualify me from the contest, since I think Alignbetween has already done way more than necessary for me, so I am already a winner!