It was a slow news day what can I say?
I wonder Eugenia if using this article to represent US culture is like using “My big fat Greek Wedding” for Greek culture?
Most of our people in Washington I bet hardly even know what the internet is it is so new.

Yes, “My big fat Greek Wedding” *is* pretty representative of Greece. It was SPOT ON. So there.

I’m really not sure why this is such a big shock. You can’t post a copy of a book or news paper online. You can post a copy of a memo from your comapny to one of it’s partners online. Why should you be allowed to post a ciest and disest letter online? It’s is a private document between the law firm and its recipient and of course it is considered to be copyrighted by its owner.

If its a “private” letter between the owner and the lawyer, then how did it show up in the defendant’s mailbox is my question.

Kevin, the fact that the US law allows you to copyright anything does not mean that the law is right. As most agree that patenting everything under the sun is a bad idea, I keep the same opinion about copyright too.

I don’t really agree with that. If you create something, you should have to right to have your work protected. Your ideas are your property, and having your property protected is one of the fundemental principles of this country. John Locke said “Government has no other end, but the preservation of property”, which yes is a bit extreme, however it is one of the esential functions of goverment.

This is one court in one state in one district.

It’s not even the whole state. It’ll probably be stuck down in a short time anyway. So you think this is indicative of the whole country ? I thought you were smarter then that.

Mike, go suck an egg. This is only one part that I don’t like. I blog very regularly about things I don’t like. So no, it’s not “just one thing” that anger me, but a lot of little things together.

I hate judges and lawyers, this country needs to not put so much weight into what they think. We need more scientists/engineers (that’s exactly why your here, because we don’t have any!). Based on this moronic logic this judge ruled, it also would be illegal to show the letter to your buddy. Because, what is the difference between posting a picture or a song on a blog and having your buddy come over and listen to it or watch it with you? Its the same with having logos in your film. Nobody is making extra money in their film by having these logos, and nobody watching thinks the logo is somehow “sponsoring” the film, like current law says. What a bunch of pansies in this country, I agree.

Based on this moronic logic this judge ruled, it also would be illegal to show the letter to your buddy. Because, what is the difference between posting a picture or a song on a blog and having your buddy come over and listen to it or watch it with you?

The difference is two things. First, a song is not considered confidential. Songs are created to be listend to my the masses. Ciest and disest letters are not. Secondly, it is considered fair use to play your copy of the song when you are with others. I could even see the argument that it is fair use to show the ciest and disest letter to a few friends. However, posting it online for the whole world to see is not.