Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Final Christmas: Trade Agreements are lumps of coal in your stocking

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas because this is the final one before our internet freedoms are taking away giving us lumps of coal of lawsuits by international corporate tribunals via investor state dispute settlement (ISDS), the outlawing of derivative works in the TPP and TTIP including cosplay and fanart.

TPP: latest leak shows that two provisions removed in the intellectual property chapter. One involves on Surgical Patent Methods that would put patients lives that depend on heart surgery in peril. Should that provision not have been removed, more patients would die. The second is the provision that would prevent certain browsers from operating, temporary storage in electronic form.

Negotiators want to make drug patents likely last up to 12 years or even make them last forever thus putting profits over health and even making people die from HIV/AIDS depriving them the treatment for the virus along with Ebola, Hepatitis, Avian flu, leukemia, etc. That is making drug patents that never expire.

But for Copyright terms the US wants to extend to 95 years, Japan wants it 100 years.  But corporations will go too far to make copyrighted material last forever even after the author expires. If they did, Disney and other companies would be in trouble for using the works of A.A Milne, Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis, Hans Christian Anderson and even Charles Dodgson. There would also be a whole mess of lawsuits of unauthorized usage of works that was written past centuries, no more public domain.

Then the environment chapter that only covers deforestation and not including on other issues such as protecting clean water, air, and wildlife.

But I also want to point out a new leak on another international trade agreement called the Trade In Services Agreement (TISA). While copyright maximalist provisions aren't in the agreement but may likely, there are a couple of provisions in the agreement that is bad for consumers. One provision allows ISPs to establish a tiered internet or fast lanes thus putting a final nail in the coffin for net neutrality, the other is a provision that would criminalize freedom of speech and journalism on the internet.

Meanwhile, we are closer toward a path that Jeopardizes our freedoms, this is the Trade Promotion Authority or Fast Track. No filibustering trade agreements or amendments and very little time of debate, just a take it or leave it procedure.

But this is the last chance to stop it if a Fast Track bill is filibustered. all it takes is 41 Democrats to stop it

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Shin chan says adios to Japan, and Hola to Mexico in the 2015 movie

Adios to Japan, and Hola to Mexico and Shin and the family move to Mexico in the 2015 movie: Crayon Shin-chan: My Moving Story, Large Cactus Attack

After more than 20 years, the movie series is moving to Mexico. So I am not sure if this film gives us a clue that the show would end at the 2014-2015 season and continue on in Spain since the show has become a big hit for the Spaniard demographic. But the series could continue on, but in Mexico as a different location due to Hiroshi being transferred. Or could be a continuation as a second series Shin Crayon Shin-Chan (hense the name of the manga which has nothing to do with it)


While Mexico, Shin gets attacked by man-eating cacti.

That's all..

Updated: Added movie title

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Reasons Why Zynga is Likely to go out of Business

Zynga's stock has plummeted over the years. Mainstream media like CNBC, predicted the company wouldn't survive in 2014. The crystal ball shows that Zynga could go out of business sometime before Christmas or the New Year, or After the 114th Congress is sworn in.  5 reasons:


1. Zynga CEO Mark Pincus is in trouble facing a lawsuit from stock holders.

2. Zynga cannot survive without Facebook If Zynga haven't left Facebook,  it would've generate more profits.

3. Mobile Games like Words with Friends have not made a hit because some people do not have a tablet or Android phone.

4. Old games that been shuttered mainly Cafe World. But awful games like CityVille 2 didn't make an appeal to audience.

5. Best games like Farmville 2 and Castleville Legends could soon be shuttered as more cutbacks and layoffs.


Microsoft, Apple or Google could buy the company.