The Real Times Scandal: Will Someone Get Fired Over This? Altercation

[dArKeR]

Hi. I’m Siva Vaidhyanathan.  You might remember me from such Web sites as OpenDemocracy.net and Sivacracy.net.

Eric has let me guest-blog today as part of my virtual book tour.  I am promoting my new book, The Anarchist in the Library: How the Clash between Freedom and Control is Hacking the Real World and Crashing the System (Basic Books, 2004).

It’s a tough time to sell a book NOT about Dubya’s screw-ups and conservative arrogance.  So I appreciate the opportunity Eric has offered me here.

The Anarchist in the Library is about global information politics, and the ways we are all responsible for the threats to creativity democracy engendered by radical changes to law and technology in recent years.  Basically, I am concerned that the raw material of creativity and democracy is getting more expensive for responsible non-elites to use.  Here is an FAQ about the book.

Arnold vs. Democracy
Most of my work addresses such questions of democracy and its resources.  I am a capo in the nascent site of activism known as the Free Culture movement.  It takes its name from the title of Lawrence Lessig’s brilliant new book and fights the absurd oligarchic trends in law, practice, and attitudes about copyright, trademark law, communication regulation, and other cultural policies.  We are a growing force that includes teachers, artists, librarians, church members and computer programmers.  Despite its breadth, the Free Culture movement faces some formidable foes (including the two companies that host this blog).

Every once in a while, an enemy of openness gives our movement a gift. Last week, it was the governor of California, who – get this – decided that his image should not be public.  He is suing a company that makes Arnold bobblehead dolls.  It’s bad enough that Arnold is getting widespread praise for breaking his most important campaign promises.  Now he wants to shut down attempts to make fun of him.  Incredible.  Hey, doesn’t the governor of California have to swear to uphold a constitution or two?  Maybe he should read one.

The Real Times Scandal: Will Someone Get Fired Over This?
The editors of the New York Times finally admitted they blew the weapons evidence stories that led up to the Iraq debacle.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3449870/