After taking the 1st amendment challenge, I realized that I forgot way too much information that I was taught in high school. The 1st amendment has been cited in protests against school policies a lot lately and I was amazed to see the broad array of topics that it protects. I also didn't know that copyright laws were extended due to Disney's lobbyists wanting to keep all rights to Mickey to themselves. I am interested to see what happens in a few years, once Walt Disney has been dead for the required 70 year waiting period, if they try to extend copyright again.
Celebrities are constantly having their privacy invaded by paparazzi, and it seems to be taken too far on an increasing number of occasions. The most famous example I can remember is when Princess Diana's driver was run off the road in a tunnel while attempting to run away from photographers, leading to her death. Since I was young and living in the United States at the time, I wasn't as affected by it as adults or people living in England, but I could still see just how horrible the event was. It caused widespread grief across the world as everyone came together to mourn her. She had done so much good in her life and had the potential to do so much more, and suddenly she was gone. I couldn't believe that someone would be so callous to push her driver to the point where he no longer has control of the vehicle, and for what? A photograph of the princess sitting in the back seat of a car? I didn't understand why then and I still don't now. In a perfect world, the paparazzi would be satisfied with taking pictures during approved photo ops and leave celebrities and royalty alone at all other times. Generally speaking (there are exceptions to every rule) those people just want to live their lives and be able to spend time out and about with friends and family without being hounded by photographers and ultimately chased back to their homes where people with cameras are camped out waiting for them. Every once in a while someone will lash out at the paparazzi and they are then labeled as a violent person, when if they'd been left alone, that situation never would have escalated. I wonder where the right to privacy gets lost in relation to how famous one becomes.
I was surprised to see just how far individuals and companies alike are willing to go to protect a copyrighted product or idea. The whole situation with Disney's lawsuit against someone using an old unused version of Mickey Mouse in their own cartoon series just blew me away. I realize that the context that Mickey was used in was not in line with the Disney line of thinking and I can see how they might have been upset by it. On the other hand, they were no longer using that particular model of Mickey anymore, and as Mickey evolved, people started to forget what he used to look like. The drawing being used illegally, yes looked like Mickey, but at the same time, he took on a life of his own and was no longer Mickey Mouse from Disney. He was something similar, but new. The fact that Disney then went back to the older drawing of Mickey in their cartoons just reminded me of a toddler who no longer cared about a toy they had been playing with, until someone else tried to play with it. Then it was suddenly their favorite toy they'd ever had and how DARE you try to take it from me?!
Ben went and found out what I had wondered for months
A few weeks ago (yes I know I'm a little late on the uptake here) Ben stopped by the lockout site for the steelworkers at ATI in Albany, OR. I had wondered ever since August why they'd been locked out, but never had the time or courage to stop and talk to them. Life seems to get in the way more and more these days. But Ben made time, and for that I thank him. It was great to finally learn what the lockout was about. After looking at Ben's post, I went looking for any updated news articles, as I hadn't seen any since shortly after the lockout began. The Corvallis Gazette Times has a new article detailing the process of their current negotiations and also talks about financial problems and solutions the union are trying to find.
Anna ShaputisNovember 19, 2015 at 7:03 PM
I drive past these people every day on my way to and from classes. I wave every time and my heart breaks for them. Their numbers have not dwindled since the lockout began. They are there in all weather, sun, wind and rain. There are individuals and families sometimes huddled around a small fire in the rain sometimes. You can see in their faces in the quick glimpse you get driving by that they really would rather be working than standing out holding signs, but I am proud of them for standing up for what they need in order to support their families! Thank you for posting this so we can see what is happening in our community and get a better look at why they are there.
