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Pornography now pretty much illegal!

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Soul_Reaper
polycounter lvl 18
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Soul_Reaper polycounter lvl 18
The FBI ordered to crack down on pornography.

One of the first casualties of this new 'war' is SuicideGirls.com, who where forced to remove pictures of naked girls tying themselves up or face jail. (Link NSFW)

Anyone else think this is seriously fucked up?

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  • JO420
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    JO420 polycounter lvl 18
    Ahh sweet land of liberty,oh wait no thats not true.
    Anti obscenity squad that a pile of crap.

    I personally think starting illegal wars based on lies is more obscene than any porn out there.

    Im sure glad the FBI's resources are being spent on such worthwhile causes as stopping pronography. I hope Bin Ladin is running a gangbang site so they can finally arrest him.

    Worst president ever
  • Jeremy Lindstrom
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    Jeremy Lindstrom polycounter lvl 18
    Not so sure.. if there was a way to prevent minors under 18 from seeing said pictures, or a verification process I wouldn't have a problem with said site, but I think there's too much pornography out there that they will most likely never be able to queal...

    On the other hand, I've seen porn kill people's marriage in my own circle of friends.. but /meh.. too each his own..

    I'd prefer to see it behind a verification process of some sort personally.. I'm sick of searching for something and alternatively hitting one of those sites..
  • Soul_Reaper
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    Soul_Reaper polycounter lvl 18
    Suicide Girls is a paysite. You need a credit card to view the photosets.

    This is stopping adults viewing images of consenting adults.
  • Jeremy Lindstrom
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    Jeremy Lindstrom polycounter lvl 18
    also would prefer them work on illegal pornography first and foremost, beastality, child porn, etc..
  • jzero
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    jzero polycounter lvl 18
    Does not mean that porn is illegal. It's too freaking popular! It means that the FBI is now subject to the whim of locals complaining about porn they personally don't like. Which means that some pretty fucked-up nonsense is going to be going down.

    I've read that the LAPD has a particular grudge against the porn industry, and that's where the whole market is based. Hasn't stopped 'em.

    I guess they're still not gonna legally define what is and isn't obscene. Like an Attorney General that thinks torture committed on foreign nationals is all right. Looks like another hypocrite is setting himself up!

    Dekard: I've seen alcohol break up marriages, too, but they already tried outlawing that, and it didn't work out so well. It's not the thing itself, it's people's self-control that is the true issue. I don't need to government to protect me from my own thoughts.

    It's never as bad as all that, unless they're breaking down your door right now. Witness the article just linked to: <font color="yellow">"Explicit sexual entertainment is a profit center for companies including General Motors Corp. and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. (the two major owners of DirecTV), Time Warner Inc. and the Sheraton, Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt hotel chains."</font>

    /jzero
  • MoP
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    MoP polycounter lvl 18
    Um... I don't understand why they're doing this.

    If the pictures are taken with consent and understanding, and the people who view them are obviously not going to be offended by it (since they're looking for it in the first place!), who is being harmed by this?

    If people find the images offensive, they don't have to look at them. You'd have to actively seek out to find stuff like that. It's not like it's up on advertising hoardings in the middle of town for everyone to see whether they like it or not.

    The only way this would make sense is if they were cracking down on the crooked and twisted people running child porn rings, or using illegal immigrants or women against their will. If the men/women in the photos are not being forced into it, and the viewers of such material are not forced into it, then where's the harm?

    Whatever resources they're wasting on this sound like they could be put to much better use, unless this news item is inaccurate - are they cracking down on absolutely all pornography?

    Seems silly to me...
  • Raven
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    Raven polycounter lvl 18
    Which part... the girls tying themselves up without me there to be helping them, or that the FBI are spending thier day viewing that site (like the rest of the male population) fascinated by how girls on there experiment yet still don't like to be called lesbien.

    smile.gif Personally I don't see it being major tbh, while it will stop some of the S&M people getting off on the site.. on the whole they're not shutting the site down, just asking them not to show certain photos.

    I'm sure if they were also inserting fruit in some shots that they would also be asked to be taken down and there would be less fuss about it. It's a little overkill, but then that's a Government for you. They don't understand the Grey Area... all they understand is making themselves popular with the majorative public.

    Probably might be better to ask some of the girls thier opinion; better 'inside' perspective.
    (have an inbox with a few very long opinionated emails.. which probably best read else i'll end up being bitched at for never paying attention)
  • Jeremy Lindstrom
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    Jeremy Lindstrom polycounter lvl 18
    cool, ok I didn't click on their link.. as I'm at work.. if it's behind a paysite and it's all adult/adult porn then it's consenting adults and should be fine for other adults who pay to view in their own homes. It's up to the individual to make the decision to view or not view, not the governments.
  • bearkub
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    bearkub polycounter lvl 18
    The problem is proving the age of the models (or at last I read that was the big gripe..) A lot of websites that host pictures of men/women that are amature photos and that were just scooped off the net and plopped in a webpage. This means, even though the people may look their age, it doesn't provide any legal, valid proof that the models are of legal age.

    That being said, it's all a bunch of horseshit. The US Legal system is trying to regulate a system they don't full understand.
  • Jeremy Lindstrom
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    Jeremy Lindstrom polycounter lvl 18
    Never stopped them before, look at game ratings content and p2p programs.. same situations..
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    "FBI to search online porn sites for deviant content"
    "Kleenex: 'FBI best customer'"
  • pogonip
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    pogonip polycounter lvl 18
    This country ( USA ) is lead by the Moral Majority. So basically think if the USA was an island the tribe leaders of that island would almost all be highly religeous christians so im never suprised by stuff like this . Though looking back at history there little wars on whatever is political at the moment have never stoped anything including P2P networks .
  • Weiser_Cain
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    Weiser_Cain polycounter lvl 18
    How is bondage illegal but I can watch all the snuff films I want? 'That head looks at least eighteen years old.'
    This is shit, I never accidentally run into bondage You already have to be dragging the bottom of the interweb to see this sort of shit. This is ashcrofts leavings, a bunch of religious assholes trying to force you to live the way they want you to.
  • gauss
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    gauss polycounter lvl 18
    weiser, please let's keep the 'r' word out of the proceedings as much as possible. as if a political/rights discussion isn't inciendiary enough on it's own smile.gif

    and i'll not lock this topic so long as it remains civil, but honestly, other than as an excuse to grumble is there any purpose for us to be talking about this?

    the propogation of media technology is built on pornography. it drove VHS over beta, it certainly helped DVDs, and it helped grow the infrastructure of the internet. and it'll help grow whatever's next... whether certain people want it to or not. the cat's out of the proverbial bag. are any of you goombas actually worried about losing access to pornography on the internet?

    it's like worrying about not getting enough air outside, not really an issue.
  • Rhinokey
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    Rhinokey polycounter lvl 18
    gauss knows something!! what are they doing to our air!?
  • gauss
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    gauss polycounter lvl 18
    medical grade oxygen bottles will be a very good short and long term investment. just sayin'
  • Soul_Reaper
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    Soul_Reaper polycounter lvl 18
    I think discussing things such as this is very important.
    If you just ignore it, you pretty much allow the government to ban whatever it wants to.

    Baiscally an American citizen, trying to make a living thorugh entirely legal channels is threatened with jail and having his business shut down because the people in power just suddenly decided that his practice, which harms nobody, is morally wrong.
  • nitzmoff
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    nitzmoff polycounter lvl 18
    I'm reminded of prohibition, the war on drugs, etc. Nothing is going to change.
  • Jeremy Lindstrom
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    Jeremy Lindstrom polycounter lvl 18
    They can always move their site offshore.. then we can view it from afar, but not have the hosting local.. unless they start blocking the sites like China.. O_o
  • Weiser_Cain
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    Weiser_Cain polycounter lvl 18
    Sorry about that r word...
  • sledgy
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    sledgy polycounter lvl 18
    Among friends and trusted colleagues, an experienced national security analyst said, "it's a running joke for us."

    A few of the printable samples:

    "Things I Don't Want On My Resume, Volume Four."

    "I already gave at home."

    "Honestly, most of the guys would have to recuse themselves."

    I think that says it all.
    Only 3 more years till the next dipshit takes office.
  • ewooz
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    ewooz polycounter lvl 18
    Well, here in Norway it is not legal with hardcore pornography. But the ones fighting porn in public over here is not really the religious people, but rather women (and men) who think that pornography basically is objectifying women and also degrading their status. Some call these women "red" or radical, but it is the same movement who is trying to stop further liberation of the regulations of porn over here. But of course with the internet their struggle is pretty much futile. These are the same people who fight for equal rights for women.

    Actually there is talk about taking away what's left of censorship now over here, and this is going on with a government consisting of conservative and religious people. Our current Prime Minister has a theological background and is a Christian.
  • Kevin Johnstone
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    Kevin Johnstone polycounter lvl 19
    I think everyone should calm down and have confidence that the war on porn will be sorted out in same capable, balanced and forward thinking manner that the war on rock and roll, the war on the red menace, the war on drugs and the war on terror has been.

    War upon an idea is something America has always done very well at and I'm sure that if we just sit back and be patient we'll eventually reap the benifits of our government's brilliant tactical thinking.

    r.
  • KeyserSoze
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    KeyserSoze polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    and i'll not lock this topic so long as it remains civil, but honestly, other than as an excuse to grumble is there any purpose for us to be talking about this?

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Gauss, yes, there are plenty of reasons to be talking about this. My tax dollars are paying for this bullshit, and with everything going on in our country and around the world right now ($200 billion for a war I never agreed with, and $100+ billion to fix a problem ex post facto, instead of spending tens of millions to fix it in the first place), this does not sit well with me. So damn straight I'm going to be talking abou tit.
  • jzero
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    jzero polycounter lvl 18
    Death to War. Kill Violence. Fuck Profanity.

    War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery...
    Ignorance is indeed strength, it even seems to be a path to power.

    "Don't believe everything you think." -- me

    /jzero
  • gauss
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    gauss polycounter lvl 18
    soul reaper: there's a difference between discussing something, and reacting to something in a excessive fashion.

    the topic subject of "pornography now pretty much illegal" is just not representative in any way to the story you link ws, and just ends up with people railing against "the man" for no reason. FBI forming a laughable task force (8 agents vs. how many sites on the net?) and suicide girls getting into a little bit of legal trouble hardly constitutes "pornography now pretty much illegal". come on. if you want to talk about things, talk about them. don't post how the sky is falling and link to a story about how it rained hard today.

    edit-

    KeyserSoze: i know people say "talking about it" does something, but if you feel strongly about it, write a letter to a representative. spend those energies getting involved in earnest, not dicking around on a messageboard if those tax dollars mean so much. this goes for any and all of these topics--discuss these in a manner, and in an arena in which they matter. you think the powers that be are monitoring the polycount GD board?

    "KeyserSoze doesn't approve of the war!"

    "CheapAlert wants the national symbol changed from the Bald Eagle to Brooklyn the Gargoyle!"

    i think games matter and that's our common interest. there's more than enough very "serious" conversations to be had about the subject of games if you're so inclined, and talking about it here, among industry professionals, is in fact the right arena.

    strong feelings about politics, the war, abortion, religion, etc. etc. are really better served by actually getting involved in those respective areas. there are mailing lists that keep you up to date on what you can do to change things, make a difference. the sky's the limit. i know we're going to continue to have these kinds of discussions in GD, but it's better for all of us if they're kept to a minimum here and those kinds of energies are diverted elsewhere.
  • Soul_Reaper
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    Soul_Reaper polycounter lvl 18
    Yeah I was pretty pissed off when I started the thread.
    Go ahead and edit the subject to something more suitable if you like.

    But they're still spending tax dollars on stuff like this, and legitimate business owners are still going to be threatened by the FBI over it.

    Sure, I'm all for it if they stamp out the really nasty stuff like child porn, bestiality, rape, etc.

    But threateneing someone with a jail sentence over some soft-core pin-up pictures of a girl who voluntarily took the photos and where only paying adults can view them is excessive and if they can do that, what's to stop them banning anything they find tasteless?

    Sure they'll never ever stamp it out completely, not with P2P software and just the sheer amount of websites out there, but there will still be people whose livelyhood will be endangered by this for absolutely no good reason. And that's not fair.
  • MoP
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    MoP polycounter lvl 18
  • KeyserSoze
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    KeyserSoze polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    i think games matter and that's our common interest. there's more than enough very "serious" conversations to be had about the subject of games if you're so inclined, and talking about it here, among industry professionals, is in fact the right arena.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Why are you so touchy when it comes to politics? I've never seen you make these sorts of posts in threads about "beer bikes" or "bodybuilding," but whenever politics is brought up, you usually post something to the effect of, "this is a videogames forum, we should be talking about videogames."
  • Soul_Reaper
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    Soul_Reaper polycounter lvl 18
    I don't have the option of writing to representatives since it's not happening in my country.

    But those who do and read this now have the option of doing something about it where before they might not have known
  • sledgy
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    sledgy polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Why are you so touchy when it comes to politics? I've never seen you make these sorts of posts in threads about "beer bikes" or "bodybuilding," but whenever politics is brought up, you usually post something to the effect of, "this is a videogames forum, we should be talking about videogames."

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Politics and religion start wars, man. Beerwagons promote peace.
  • gauss
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    gauss polycounter lvl 18
    hahahah... keyser, do i really need to explain what the difference is from a moderator's perspective between a politics thread and a "beer bike" thread?

    one of these threads is about a piquant, harmless new way to drink on the go, that people have a good laugh about and then go about their day, while the other is clusterfuck ready to spawn a 10 page monster thread with all manner of ad hominem attacks, which is rather deleterious to the overall health of the forum. i'll give you a hint: the beer bike is the first topic.

    what sledgy said. please do not feign ignorance on what the likely result of bringing up politics or religion.

    soul reaper: i applaud your desire to alert americans to this issue.
  • KeyserSoze
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    KeyserSoze polycounter lvl 18
    I understand that, but I have yet to see anything that demands moderation, and the conversation was not drifting in that direction. I was referring to the "dicking around on a messageboard" and "I think games matter and that's our common interest" comments. The GD forum seems to have a myriad of threads that are just "dicking around" and have nothing to do with games. So why, when we are having a friendly discussion, is it necessary to suggest we should be talking about games instead of discussing a political topic?
  • CheapAlert
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    CheapAlert polycounter lvl 18
    Polycount's an art place, and porn is art to some degree albeit being erotic, yes? Doesn't the FBI have better issues to deal with, like stalkers, murderers, pedos and furries?

    now some nonsense
    [ QUOTE ]
    "CheapAlert wants the national symbol changed from the Bald Eagle to Brooklyn the Gargoyle!"


    [/ QUOTE ]
    that'd be badass. A gargoyle that vows to protect the nation warding off real evil is better than some eagle flying off in forests where trees are cut down as demonstrated by a Captain Planet episode.
    [ QUOTE ]
    So damn straight I'm going to be talking abou tit.

    [/ QUOTE ]
    best pun ever. laugh.gif
  • Raven
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    Raven polycounter lvl 18
    quick q: does the US Government understand what the word War means?

    they seem to use it quite a fair bit for some reason. the last time was the war in iraq; which tbh was more of an invasion/conflict. it never really escalated to a point where the two nations were waring with each other.

    you know if you ever took this all down to the school playground level, you can imagine iraq as some mean little nerd who constantly fights with his peers... then you have like 4 guys from the football team who suddenly take a disliking to him cause he doesn't want to let some 3rd party guy search him. So they all tear in and beat the snot out of him.

    Then everyone wonders why his friends decide to make pot shots at all of the guys who took part in the snot beating.

    It's the exact same with what started the whole issue off in the first place too.. the US is crying over the fact some kid he used to pick on in kindergarden hit him in the stomach with a plank of wood.

    of course that kids gonna grow up with issues, mainly focused at the guy who caused the problems... even if the guy is only the original guys brother it's all the same to this kid.

    when you think about it all. again this whole sex taboo crap is all about changing the focus of the nations anger and out-rage to something new. as soon as the nation looses that focus... BAM! the government looses it's gripe on keeping it's poss
  • hawken
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    hawken polycounter lvl 19
    gneh heh, heh heh, you said Bush.

    yeah Bush, huh huh.
  • gauss
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    gauss polycounter lvl 18
    keyser: political and religious discussions aren't expressly forbidden, because as as you and others avidly enjoy political discussions and so long as they don't spiral out of control, they're ok. it's just the fact that political and religious discussions are the ones that most often that end up causing problems, so they're the ones more closely watched.

    when i checked this thread, weiser had posted a comment that seemed somewhat inflammatory, which is how i got involved. weiser was nice enough to apologize, and now of course my further involvement in the thread should be fairly clear. nothing aside from my initial post has been moderation, and that was simply a warning. so no, this thread has not 'demanded' moderation, but has turned into you and i talking about moderation.


    we can all resume talking about how pornography will be completely outlawed. smile.gif
  • Dukester
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    Dukester polycounter lvl 18
    I got some hits on my website last week from someone doing a yahoo search of "Beer Maiden" ???

    Anyway I agree all internet porn should be banned. Just do not fuck with any "Nude Catfights" websites!

    Dammit I have guns, I will not allow anyone to fuck with my nude catfight sites! >:(
  • ElysiumGX
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    ElysiumGX polycounter lvl 18
    I really don't care, because nothing will come of this. Just another dumb business move in a list of many, wasting resources better used in areas of need. Only tackling the result, and never the source. Another fight that can't be won. Some form of visual stimulation will be available as long as cameras exist. But if the government abuses this action (why wouldn't they?), and some sites I visit are effected by this...I'm going to be pissed. Sites that none of us would ever consider porn. The definition of porn us very unclear, especially by certain groups of influence that choose not to use their brains.

    [ QUOTE ]
    Only 3 more years till the next dipshit takes office.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Amen.

    I'll just sit back and wait until Bush declares war on gravity.
  • acc
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    acc polycounter lvl 18
    Ninja Edit: Whoa, there's a second page. Duh.

    This FBI thing doesn't scare me. Most of the good beastiality comes from foreign sites anyways.

    Did I say beastiality? I meant softcore. Damn keys are so close together.
  • JO420
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    JO420 polycounter lvl 18
    My issue with this is wasting money and resources which could be used in more important matters 2 hurricanes just hit and many cities are struggling to fund anti terror training,equipment and manpower.

    So using tax dollars and resources from our countries top national investigatory agency to regulate morality is silly,there are more pressing issues these agents could be assigned to.
  • Rick Stirling
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    Rick Stirling polycounter lvl 18
    I was pissed off when I saw it on SG yesterday, the stuff they do is great.

    The actual crackdown is on "Deviant Pornography", which is a terrible pigeon hole. For instance, some would argue that all pornography is deviant, whilst others wouldn't bat an eyelid at a dog fucking someone in the eyes.

    Yes, it stupid, no I'm not surprised it's happened.

    Now here is something to consider - the US has the largst porn industry in the world, and will they come in on the side of the Internet sites and help protect free speech, or will they see it as a chance to get rid of som of the competition.

    Ah, those wonderful Suicide Girls....

    sgad.jpg

    Now that was a good night...
  • hawken
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    hawken polycounter lvl 19
    are they men? look like men. you might have to check.
  • Irritant
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    Irritant polycounter lvl 18
    This is stupid thing. War on Porn. Sheesh. I think there are bigger fish to fry. Big thumbs down.
  • Frank
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    Frank polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    I think everyone should calm down and have confidence that the war on porn will be sorted out in same capable, balanced and forward thinking manner that the war on rock and roll, the war on the red menace, the war on drugs and the war on terror has been.

    War upon an idea is something America has always done very well at and I'm sure that if we just sit back and be patient we'll eventually reap the benifits of our government's brilliant tactical thinking.

    r.

    [/ QUOTE ]
    I can't even picture you typing that with a straight face. laugh.gif

    Frank the Avenger
  • Kevin Johnstone
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    Kevin Johnstone polycounter lvl 19
    Oh now I think you know fine well that I've learned to say a lot more with a straight face than I used to be able to wink.gif

    r.
  • Ozymandias
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    Ozymandias polycounter lvl 18
    My biggest problem with this FBI anit-porno group is that they are attacking "obscenity." So, in other words, our government is deciding for us what is obscene or not. Pornography WAS protected by the first amendment, same as art, but now due to a fight against obscenity, the government is deciding who gets to be protected by the first amendment and who doesn't. I doubt this will go very far or get too crazy, but the paranoia in me fears an erosion of the freedoms in America. Especially considering that this involves the protection or lack thereof for art under the first amendment, it is a potentially dangerous thing for artists everywhere. Who's to say the government won't walk into art galleries and destroy paintings because they are "obscene?" I know thats ridiculous sounding, but I do not trust politicians or government entities, and this is a step in the wrong direction.
  • jzero
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    jzero polycounter lvl 18
    You guys need to all calm the hell down and realize that the FBI porn thing is AG Gonzalez' personal thing. He's got something to prove, oh, yes, but it will all evaporate when the administration changes in '08.

    And that there are ten, yes, 'an average number of fingers' of FBI guys working that team. The worst that will likely happen is that they'll do some gigantic bugfuck travesty of a bust like Operation Sun Devil (the one where they confiscated Steve Jackson's computers because he made a paper game called 'Hacker').

    Although hitting on Suicide Girls is just pitiful. They, a softcore class act and an almost entirely female-driven outfit, are the extreme least end of the problem, if you even acknowledge one.

    Oh and Soul Reaper, it's my impression that this kind of moral crackdown happens in England from time to time, but that your English authority types are always meaner and harsher about it that Americans would ever be. So don't worry, we Yanks care a hell of a lot less. wink.gif

    /jzero
  • blankslatejoe
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    blankslatejoe polycounter lvl 19
    heh..suicide girls has always struck me more as modern glamour than pornography... it's pinup photography...but just because it focuses on punk/alt girls it gets slammed? hrm..
  • Mark Dygert
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    When do we get to swing things back the other way when Americans had jobs. The US goverment had money in the bank, we where not off in other countries pissing in peoples corn flakes. Oil companies didn't use natual disasters as an excuse to jack gas prices thru the roof and leave them there.

    I should start an instutue for Americans that wish to be placed in a comma until things get better. Then if I could find some way to turn them into batteries so the whole thing is self contained. That way it would continue to run if it ever lost external power. Of course I would want to be in a comma also so I need some kind of automated system to run the whole thing.
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