Copyright Isn't Working, Says EU Technology Chief Neelie Kroes 314
superglaze writes "Against the backdrop of governments and courts around the world ordering ISPs to block file-sharing sites, European commissioner Neelie Kroes has said people have started to see copyright as 'a tool to punish and withhold, not a tool to recognise and reward. ... Citizens increasingly hear the word copyright and hate what is behind it,' the EU's digital chief said, adding that the copyright system also wasn't rewarding the vast majority of artists."
Rewards (Score:5, Informative)
One day a friend of mine went to the factory where CDs are made. He asked someone from the OSA (association for authors protection) what would he get, while beeing registered under OSA, if he composed song (music and lyrics) and someone else would play it e.g. at some concert. The guy from OSA replied that nothing because those money from artistic work usage are distributed according the frequency of appearance on radio or TV. This is clearly punishing those who pay, because they would like to give their money to the composer instead to some mainstream shitty composer. Think of this story when buying clean CD's.
Re:US is the problem (Score:4, Informative)
Rent-seeking (Score:5, Informative)
Not because they could make a tiny amount of money from you, but because everything else, legal issues, tax issues, capital investments, required company resources, opportunity cost from not doing something else instead, even lower prices through increased competition, etc.Call that the inconvenience factor. That's the problem with capitalism. It isn't about trading with the most number of people, it is about maximizing profit.
Actually, it's not that they can make less money from certain markets, but rather they can make more in others thanks to rent-seeking [wikipedia.org]
Re:US is the problem (Score:3, Informative)
Summary : the applicant said that water intake significantly deceases the risk for the disease dehydration : "the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies was asked to deliver an opinion on the scientific substantiation of a health claim related to water and reduced risk of development of dehydration."
Causes of dehydration [wikipedia.org] :
"External or stress-related causes
Prolonged physical activity with sweating without consuming adequate water, especially in a hot and/or dry environment
Prolonged exposure to dry air, e.g., in high-flying airplanes (5%–12% relative humidity)
Blood loss or hypotension due to physical trauma
Diarrhea
Hyperthermia
Shock (hypovolemic)
Vomiting
Burns
Lacrimation
Use of methamphetamine, amphetamine, caffeine and other stimulants
Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages
Infectious diseases
Cholera
Gastroenteritis
Shigellosis
Yellow fever
Malnutrition
Electrolyte disturbance
Hypernatremia (also caused by dehydration)
Hyponatremia, especially from restricted salt diets
Fasting
Recent rapid weight loss may reflect progressive depletion of fluid volume (the loss of 1 L of fluid results in a weight loss of 1 kg (2.2 lb)).[10]
Patient refusal of nutrition and hydration
Inability to swallow (obstruction of the oesophagus)
Other causes of obligate water loss
Severe hyperglycemia, especially in diabetes mellitus
Glycosuria
Uremia
Diabetes insipidus
Acute emergency dehydration event
Foodborne illness"
Clearly water intake does not prevent all of these, therefor water cannot be said to prevent dehydration. Water can help rehydrate a person when the underlying cause for the dyhadration has been treated though.
The European commissioners have power (Score:2, Informative)
Wikipedia:
"The Commission differs from the other institutions in that it alone has legislative initiative in the European Union, meaning only the Commission can make formal proposals for legislation– legislative proposals cannot originate in the legislative branches. Under the Treaty of Lisbon, no legislative act is allowed in the field of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. In the other fields, however, Council and Parliament are able to request legislation; in most cases the Commission initiates the basis of these proposals, this monopoly is designed to ensure coordinated and coherent drafting of Union law. This monopoly has been challenged by some who claim the Parliament should also have the right, with most national parliaments holding the right in some respects. However, the Council and Parliament may request the Commission to draft legislation, though the Commission does have the power to refuse to do so as it did in 2008 over transnational collective conventions. Under the Lisbon Treaty, EU citizens are also able to request the Commission to legislate in an area via a petition carrying one million signatures, but this is not binding."
That is serious power.
Re:Strong statement by European commissioner Kroes (Score:3, Informative)
She's loved by all parties here(The Netherlands) so she always has the full support when its time to get new positions out for the countries(strange system yes).
Re:US is the problem (Score:3, Informative)
Re:US is the problem (Score:4, Informative)
It has nothing to do with nutrients.
The inbalance of soluted salt between the inside of cells (quite salty) and outside (no salt) causes water to migrate into the cell through the cell membrane until the solution is balanced for both sides of the membrane. Because water can freely pass through it, but salts usually can't, it means a cell that is surrounded by destilled water soaks up water until it bursts.
Obviously your body will try to enrich any water you drink with salts before it gets into your bloodstream. But if that fails, you are in trouble.
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)