A GBCW post for my Lounge friends.

[MilesColtrane]

It's been a fun ten years here.

Skinner's decision not to support major legislation backed by my union tears it for me though.

I've enjoyed and I'll miss you all.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. do you have link about this?

Last edited Wed Jan 18, 2012, 01:46 AM - Edit history (1)

the timing of this is powerful for me. thanks.

on edit: I guess you are already gone ::sigh::

been nice knowing ya.

[nolabear]

2. Do explain, Miles.

You'll be much missed.

[pacalo]

3. No, MC!!! Please take a stand by taking a break if you feel you have to,

but don't stay away. You're one of the best.

[pokerfan]

4. what legislation?

Details?

[Amerigo Vespucci]

5. Gotta join the chorus of "don't go" voices

Most of the time when I see the "I'm leaving DU threads" my reaction is "Well...bye," but not when it comes to you, bro. You're too much a part of the fabric around here. Cool off and reconsider.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

7. He's leaving over SOPA?

You truly can't please everyone.

DU3 and the 2012 election have created some vicious Karma. In a way, fascinating to observe. (Or has DU always been this turbulent?)

[siligut]

11. I got the 2-4 I kept asking for, but it went against me.

At Thu Jan 19, 2012, 10:34 AM you sent an alert on the following post:

He's leaving over SOPA?

REASON FOR ALERT:

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate. (See <a href="http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus#communitystandards" target="_blank">Community Standards</a>.)

YOUR COMMENTS:

Insensitive, hate to alert because it probably won't pass, but we are losing a valued member and this poster felt to need to judge. MC has a thick-thin skin, he doesn't need this in his GB thread. Please hide this.

JURY RESULTS

A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Thu Jan 19, 2012, 11:15 AM, and voted 2-4 to LEAVE IT ALONE.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: A simple observation. Not at all hurtful nor disruptive.
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT and said: Your post doesn't address the OP's issue of concern, just an ad hoc slam against his motivation having nothing to do with the topic.

Thanks, Uncle Joe.
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT and said: No need for grave dancing.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: The post is entirely appropriate based on the OP and ensuing discussion.
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: No explanation given

Thank you.

I should have just asked you first, I hope you will see your way to retracting your post?

[Trillo]

12. I was asked to sit on this jury.

I thought about it, several times, even writing arguments for and against to myself, to make sure I was being consistent. When I submitted the final vote, which was a vote "to hide", I received the following reply:

"In order to make sure that alerted posts are dealt with in a timely fashion, we need Jurors to complete Jury Service within 30 minutes of accepting a request. Unfortunately you exceeded the time limit, and your Jury Service has now ended. We very much appreciate your willingness to serve on a DU Jury and we hope that you will try again in future. Thank you for your time."

One more vote to hide the post would not have mattered.

[siligut]

13. Thank you for posting, your input is still quite valuable

It was a small, but important matter. These sorts of matters tend to escape notice. However, having posted my alert notification in MC's thread and requesting a retraction, I believe has had a similar effect as a more favorable vote. At any rate, thank you.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

16. What???

I wasn't being sarcastic at all. I'm glad I don't live in your neighborhood.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

17. You should have asked me first.

I guess "you can't please everyone" sounded like I was being a smart aleck. What I meant was I didn't think about the musicians union. If that is what he was talking about it's a complex issue.

The rest of my post was referring to good posters who have been here for years, that everyone seems to like, leaving. Like Fire Walk With Me and the member who started this thread.

But no, you happened to pick one post where I wasn't being a snarky goofball. (I'm working on the snark too. I should go hang out with healing group and chill. I want to shift gears for the start of the year. I want to get way out there and record some music. The Astrology, Spirituality & Alternative Healing group might be able to get me there. Anyway, that's my intention. My journey begins now.

Edit: the last paragraph I was being kind of silly. I do like the ASAH group though. They're so peaceful. I feel like I'm walking through a garden.

[siligut]

19. Thank you

Yes, I should have asked you first. I interpreted your tone as being judgmental and insulting to the OP, as if he was just being silly. Yes, he is a musician and it breaks my heart he is leaving, though I can completely understand. I hope that future events in his life will help him to resolve this conflict and he will be back.

I agree with you about the ASAH group. If you need vibes, seriously, I have felt them from the posters there, intense warmth rushed over me. Good luck with the snark thing. I really don't know you, so I hadn't noticed it was a problem for you. Having only words in a box to communicate can lead to miscommunication of true intention, so often it seems.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

20. Yeah, easy to do.

As other's have said about their posts, I know what I meant, but someone else reading the words may read it much differently.

[siligut]

8. NO! NO! NO!

You stay here! Do not leave us! OK. Take a break, but come back. Damnit, I should have gotten to know you. Take a break and come back. Promise.

[HappyMe]

9. WHAT?

Aw hell no!

Dude, please reconsider.

[marzipanni]

10. I hope you'll return in a while

after the bill is refined, and passed.
It's a delicate balance of gaining control of the bad elements without placing restrictions on the good, and if people saw possibilities for too much restriction or control of the internet there is good reason not to rush the legislation.

[CreekDog]

14. I respect your decision to post and participate anywhere you choose

But what about Google, Facebook, Wired.com, etc.?

And opposing specific legislation that goes too far is not the same as opposing your right to be fairly compensated for your work.

Hope you'll reconsider.

[Chan790]

15. Interesting. (and I wish you would not go.)

Interesting because yesterday confronted with similar conflict, I nearly quit WGA-E. I spent years writing to get something shot explicitly to get my guild card; it was a major career goal for me, concrete proof I made it in my chosen field. But in the end I could not remain a member of an organization supporting something that was and is bad for me, bad for my industry, bad for my values, bad for America, bad for freedom, bad for free speech.

Is piracy a problem? Yes. Oh god yes as some one who has had their IP stolen and has seen it cost them thousands, I could not say it was not.

But I don't think these bills fix anything, I don't think they can even be fixed. I don't think this is the right approach. I don't think this legislation can work. I think ratification sets us further behind.

But more than that, we (even on opposite sides of this issue) as content creators need to be the voices for a solution. Don't give up your voice, quitting DU hurts both of our positions. Don't leave, go to H&M and tell Skinner, EarlG and elad why they're wrong. Swear. Be uppity and uncompromising. Because ultimately, that is the only way we're ever going to get protections for our IP.

This is why I didn't leave WGA and it's why you should not leave DU. I'm staying because they've been put on notice that they're not going to stop hearing from me because they're a stakeholder in a solution as much as you or I (and are the Admins of DU) and I'm not going to let them abdicate their responsibilities as stakeholders to work for a real solution.

[2ndAmForComputers]

18. You mean "legislation backed by Rupert Murdoch."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16574977