Porn again

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 10:11pm

What exactly are the priorities of this administration? From the Baltimore Sun:

"Ashcroft, a religious man who does not drink alcohol or caffeine, smoke, gamble or dance, and has fought unrelenting criticism that he has trod roughshod on civil liberties in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, is taking on the porn industry at a time when many experts say Americans are wary about government intrusion into their lives.

"The Bush administration is eager to shore up its conservative base with this issue. Ashcroft held private meetings with conservative groups a year and a half ago to assure them that anti-porn efforts are a priority.

"But administration critics and First Amendment rights attorneys warn that the initiative could smack of Big Brother, and that targeting such a broad range of readily available materials could backfire."


Link

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 10:51pm

Between Ashcroft's onslaught and the rash of patent infringement lawsuits targeting the adult entertainment industry, things are likely to get rougher and more costly. A California company, Acacia, believes it owns the patents governing streaming media (think internet porn, on demand hotel room movie viewing, etc) and is trying to force the issue by charging licensing fees. Some big companies such as Disney, have deemed it financially prudent to just pay the fee rather than become beleaguered in legal proceedings, but some select non-compliers, in this case 17 adult entertainment enterprises, have been slapped with lawsuits. Acacia has very deep pockets and can afford to keep the lawsuits going ad nauseum. Tough times are ahead for porn, I think.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 10:56pm

And of course, when you have somebody like Ashcroft, you can imagine and incredibly wide-ranging definition of porn, it could include Sex + The City and Cosmopolitan. Interstingly, it would probably not include Mel Gibson's Passion of The Christ, no matter how pornographic the camera lingering on the sadism is.

Let's face it, Ashcroft doesn't dance. Did he learn nothing from Footloose?

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 10:58pm

Ashcroft really only has issues with sex. Violence, not so much.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 11:17pm

But of course, Mel's violence was totally sexual. As Frank Rick and South Park and myself and (eek) Andrew Sullivan have commented. Watching the three hour special on ABC on Jesus and Paul last night, I would say that Paul thinking the actual crucifixion was the most beautiful moment in the history of all mankind was right in line with the way Mel was thinking, too.

Updated On: 4/6/04 at 11:17 PM

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 11:25pm

Ashcroft doesn't DANCE?

Not even the hokey-pokey?

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 11:28pm

"[a]shcroft doesn't [dance]?"

no but he has been known to speak in tongues. no seriously, that wasn't a double entendre.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 11:32pm

papa, I hate to say it, but your icon is starting to grow on me...

Not sure what that means.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 11:32pm

He's the John Lithgow character. Which one of us is gonna bring home the Kevin Bacon?

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 4/6/04 at 11:38pm

glad to hear it, iflit.

is this gonna require kenny loggins songs, namo, because if it does i am so gonna side with ashcroft/lithgow.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 8:05am

All I know is that he better leave Titan Media ALONE!

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 8:12am

The Titan Media Men can handle anything, and often do...

This is a serious and dangerous time we are in at the moment, close ranks, hold strong, it can only get worse in the coming months.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 9:43am

Darn.

Updated On: 4/7/04 at 09:43 AM

[Zola Q. LaPlaya]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 9:49am

I like porn. There, I said it.

More to the point: I like Chase Hunter, Tom Chase, Scott Randsome, Zak Spears, Jon Galt, Matthew Rush (the beefer, older) Kevin Williams, Titan men, Falcon men, Colt men, and all the Hungarians and Latinos in Kristen Bjorn movies.

They keep my spirits up when I'm inbetween jobs. They are serving their nation well during this time of war and uncertainty. I think they should be nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor. Basically.

[robbiej]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 10:47am

I'm actually not a big fan of porn. Don't know why.

HOWEVER, this Acacia matter is not only affecting porn companies, but MANY entertainment companies who use streaming videos on their websites. It's very disturbing and I'm glad you're making people aware of it, iflit!

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 10:59am

"The Internet Was Made.....FOR PORN!" - Trekkie Monster, Avenue Q.

Zak Spears....mmmm....! Updated On: 4/7/04 at 10:59 AM

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 11:00am

You left out Cadinot.

AT THE SIGN OF THE STALLION is a particular favorite, not for the action, but for the intentional droll humor.
Where else could an entire revenge fantasy sequence be built around an unforseen cure for writer's block!

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 11:20am

All internet video technologies were started by porn companies from streaming video to downloadable videos as well as pay-per-view services, online token purchases and so forth. In times of peace, porn fuels technology.

Porn is also what launched the VCR revolution in the 70's and was a major reason that VHS toppled BetaMax, even though Beta was the better quality video, porn companies could make their videos much more cheaply with VHS.

This is just politico lip service, it has no meaning other than Ashcroft trying to say what The Right wants to hear.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 12:25pm

LUV PORN!!! LUVITLUVITLUVIT!!!!!! Ashcroft's regime cannot topple the mighty Titans! Or the Titian's for that matter....I Heart Ray Dragon!

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 12:43pm

I've loved Matthew Rush even before he was Matthew Rush, just plain ol' big hearted Greg Grove!

Sweetest boy alive! Updated On: 4/7/04 at 12:43 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 1:46pm

But JohnPopa, Reagan and the Meese Commission on Pornography actually managed to make life hell for a lot of people, and had a chilling effect on the industry. The focus with Ashcroft is much more radical right wing Christian fundamentalist, because that's no longer something he has to hide as he did during his confirmation hearings when he said his religion would have no impact on his interpretation of the law.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 2:18pm

I think Reagan was a lot more powerful than Dubya and his cronies. Really, people bought into Reagan for whatever reason and he was on top of a more passive America. People are downright vicious about government meddling right now (as they should be) and, given that porn viewers come from all spectrums, a lot of politicians aren't going to want their feathers too heavily ruffled. A smart porn company would start putting money into conservative groups (and a large handful of porn producers are fairly conservative, especially in economic/business matters,) just for the dubiousness of that information coming public.

,

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 2:25pm

What about TEEN TITANS? Will they be affected?

[Zola Q. LaPlaya]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 2:57pm

Before his death, Chuck Holmes (owner of Falcon) donated tons of money to the DNC and Democratic candidates. His Foundation still gives away a bunch of money to gay and progressive causes. Some Republicans made a big deal of this and a few Dems were afraid about taking money from a pornographer.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 4/7/04 at 3:25pm

Actually the Baltimore Sun article does say that one big-time porn producer is a major Republican player.

It'll come down to dollars and cents. They'll take the money.