[Ecommerce] CopyNight tonight Reminder: Tuesday, February 28

[Manon Ress]

Find where in your city here: http://copynight.org/

From: CopyNight <info@copynight.org>
Subject: CopyNight Reminder: Next Event is Tuesday, February 28
Reply-To: CopyNight <info@copynight.org>

Dear CopyNighters,

February, we hardly knew ye.  But the fact that you're over
means that it's time for CopyNight!  Join us in cities
across North America to discuss technology and information
policy in a friendly, thirst-quenching setting.  Note that
most CopyNights are held on the fourth Tuesday of the month
(February 28), but that day has changed for a few cities.
Make sure to check when and where your local CopyNight is
being held, or sign up to host one if there's nothing in
your area:
   http://copynight.org/

Here are a few things to help get the conversation started:

~ Your Senator Needs an iPod
In January, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation held a  hearing on the "Broadcast Flag"
and "Audio Flag," a set of proposals by the MPAA and RIAA
that would stifle innovation by giving content holders a
virtual veto over new technologies and existing user rights. But
Senator Stevens, the 82-year old committee chairman from
Alaska, surprised the audience by announcing that his daughter
had bought him an iPod, and suddenly Stevens had a much
greater understanding of the many ways innovative technology
can create choice for consumers. Content industry
representatives at the hearing found themselves answering
much tougher questions than they typically receive.

That's why a group called IPac started a campaign to send
iPods to more Senators, and they've raised enough to send
iPods to a dozen Senate campaigns so far.  Each one will be
loaded with public domain content, Creative Commons
material, and audio messages about the importance of
balanced copyright policy.  Do you think it will work?  What
are some other creative strategies for educating lawmakers
in and outside of the U.S.?  Read more about it here:
   http://www.ipaction.org/campaigns/ipod/

~ Busting Up Clear Channel's Patent Madness
Clear Channel is better known for ruining radio than abusing
the patent system, but they've been diversifying.  The
Electronic Frontier Foundation has announced that it will
try to invalidate the company's patent on recording and
selling concerts, which is both bad for artists and
downright silly.  From the EFF website:

"The patent -- for a system and method of creating digital
recordings of live performances -- locks musical acts into
using Clear Channel technology and blocks innovations by
others [...] Clear Channel claims that its patent creates a
monopoly on all-in-one technologies that produce
post-concert live recordings on digital media and has
threatened to sue anyone who makes such recordings with a
different system. This has forced bands like the Pixies into
using Clear Channel's proprietary technology, and it hurts
investment and innovation in new systems developed by other
companies."

Read more here, discuss more at CopyNight:
   http://www.eff.org/patent/wanted/patent.php?p=clearchannel

Cheers!

Ren Bucholz
CopyNight Cofounder
http://www.copynight.org/


************************************************
Manon Anne Ress
manon.ress@cptech.org,
www.cptech.org

Consumer Project on Technology
1621 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20009 USA
Tel.:  +1.202.332.2670, Ext 16 Fax: +1.202.332.2673

Consumer Project on Technology
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Tel: +41 22 791 6727

Consumer Project on Technology
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Tel: +44(0)207 226 6663 ex 252 Fax: +44(0)207 354 0607