Copyright Alert System Goes Into Affect for US today

CAS is a piracy platform that monitors for internet users who even “casually” pirate material, while punishing those users for their infringements.
The five participating ISPs to initially enroll in CAS include: AT&T, Cablevision, Comcast, Time Warner, and Verizon.


Comcast will be the first to launch the program on Monday with the other ISPs rolling out the privacy breaching software throughout the week. While ISPs and government officials have called the Copyright Alert System nothing more than an “educational” service, critics have attack it for being a corporate interest platform meant to stifle internet advances.

An ISP is not required to cut off internet access completely to infringing parties (a practice observed in New Zealand and France), however they will punish users. For example, Comcast could limit a users internet speeds upon a single infraction. By cutting down internet speeds ISPs save on data infrastructure costs while punishing users. Infringing parties could also be forced to read materials and watch videos before their internet access to fully restored.

In the most troubling sign for the program, the system’s executive director has promised to hire an outside consultant to monitor the system and examine how it flags content. The outside auditor has not been hired at this time, raising huge concerns over the programs reach and flexibility.

The Copyright Alert System has been marred by repeated internal conflicts which initially pushed its launch from November to the end of February.

Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/541407/copyright-alert-system-launches-monday-will-punish-internet-piracy-with-no-initial-oversight/#XGJKXSKKpqVmbAJ7.99

Note for Zazzle users

Zazzle has instituted a new policy this year, retroactively and without notice, regarding currency conversion for Zazzle Stores.

If people purchase merch from your Zazzle store in currencies other than your home currency, you cannot get this money out in any form until it
reaches a $100USD balance. You can't apply it to purchases, and you can't get them to cut you a check.

None of this is visible in the TOS unless you have a Zazzle account and are logged in, and in fact the note about profits in other currencies doesn't show up as anything more than a parenthetical note in the TOS.

thanks copperbadge for link

In other news

cold has also turned into sore throat, making necklaces today before I go in for the afternoon shift, I couldn't get someone to sub for me because it's pretty much myself and K working the gallery, my friend got a great new job, Jensen is gonna have a baby girl. Fingers crossed for good health for Danneel and the baby (and me)

more misha

News is out that Misha Collins will be a regular on Supernatural and will direct an episode in season nine.


I guessed there would be an angel tablet as well as a demon tablet, and that Spoiler ( Read more... )

I think these are good things, I believe as a regular Misha could do up to ten episodes, for Sam Dean lovers (and I count myself in the Broship) that's more than a half season as a dynamic duo, I hope Castiel's character becomes consistent and relevant to the storyline once more, not as a dues ex machina or comedy relief, and dovetails neatly with the story of Sam and Dean (as a team and with each brother individually)


And in real life, Mish will probably get a Sam-heavy episode to direct, heh-heh.