U.S. Atty. Gen. Says Piracy Threatens National Safety

[Ichingcarpenter]

Source: Information Week

Piracy not only affects the health and safety of Americans, it also threatens the country's national security, according to U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey. "Every new technology we create can be abused -- whether it's a common identity thief looking for a new way to steal your bank account information, or an international terrorist looking to advance a murderous plot," he said.

Mukasey said that counterfeiters make parts that support the nation's infrastructure. During a speech at the Tech Museum of Innovation in Silicon Valley this past weekend, he indicated that federal authorities will strengthen efforts to battle piracy.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office already has announced agreements to work with foreign governments on patent protection. The Department of Justice also cooperates with foreign law enforcement groups to crack down on hackers and intellectual property thieves. It boasts about 230 federal prosecutors devoted to hacking and intellectual property theft.

He noted that piracy often crosses multiple jurisdictions and said that can help, rather than hinder, enforcement.
"There's more than one way to skin a cat, and our international contacts give us more options to do what needs to be done," he said.

Read more: http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207000663

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Then why is the Treasury giving out tax dollars to corporate pirates?

And Wall Street pirates?

[kirby]

2. Make a backup of your Audio CD and you are a terrorist...

Slippery slope continues!

[Supersedeas]

10. and big brother will be watching from the top of the slope down to the bottom--whereever that might

be

[FreepFryer]

3. Eyes on the ball, you fascist dick. Enough bullshit - just stop the illegal wiretapping. (n/t)

[Shipwack]

4. Hey Mukasey, newsflash: Allowing China to export...

... lead tainted products to the US threatens "national safety".

I worry far more about what's in my food than about some pirated DVD a guy is selling on the streets in Singapore.

[benld74]

5. AAARRRRGHH! Avast me hardies! Piracy is the culprit!

[superconnected]

6. This advertisement brought to you by the bush administration and paid

for by microsoft lobbying money.

[MasonJar]

7. I'll tell you who is jeopardizing national security...W and his whole

cabal, including you, Mac"hazy."

[Psephos]

8. Sounds like a headline from 1805

Barbary Coast pirates and all that.

The piracy problem was so bad that payments in ransom and tribute to the Barbary states were roughly 20% of U.S. government annual revenues in 1800.

[Supersedeas]

9. protecting the lobbyists and crony intellectual property rights -- job #1

[melm00se]

11. lobbyists? crony intellectual property rights?

tell it to this guy:

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=printfriendly&id=2587

in less than 10 years, this company goes from 150 union workers and 20K units per year to 58 union workers and 8K units per machine while the Chinese clone of their machine sells 100K machines.

so instead of 5 times as many workers making 5 times as many machines, you have 1/3 the number of workers making 1/3 the number of machines.

yup, nothing to see here...just move along...just a bunch of lobbyists being protected.

(edit to correct a typo)