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What? You didn't know about that one?

Well take a read of this story from NBR.

Take special note of the provision that says "changes to the onus of proof will include a presumption that suspected imported goods are pirate, unless the defendant proves otherwise."

Now isn't that nice?

Could New Zealand soon become subject to copyright laws every bit as draconian as those associated with the evil Digital Millennium Copyright Act in the USA?

While it's pretty easy to see the case for protecting local industry, I'm growing increasingly concerned that more and more of the laws being passed these days run completely at odds with the most basic of all tenets -- that people are innocent until proven guilty.

Fortunately, this new aspect of copyright law only applies to those who import for resale so they won't throw you in jail for buying that DVD from Amazon for your own use -- yet.

Combine this shift towards the presumption of guilt with the way government seems to no longer be concerned with representing the opinions and wishes of the majority of voters (Privy Council, GM moratorium, etc) and I think it's about time we started making a little noise to protect what dwindling rights we have left.

But on the good news front, I see that those evil sods at X10 are filing for bankruptcy protection.

Who are X10 you ask?

Well they're the folks who sell those little wireless cameras and who saturated the web with pop-up ads that annoyed the snot out of almost everyone who encountered them.

It seems that they've been successfully sued by the holder of a patent that their evil little ads infringed. Good riddance to bad rubbish I say!

And here's something else I find most amusing...

It seems that many of those who lined up to get their free give-away copy of Microsoft Office 2K3 this week weren't doing so because they just love Bill's software. No, they were simply looking to make a quick buck and, as soon as they picked up their prize, they put it up for sale on Trademe or in the local newsgroups.

I wonder how that goes down with Microsoft's PR people? Software that people don't want even if you give it to them!

Lighten Up
More stuff from the oddball, humorous or just plain interesting side of the web.

What a shame we don't have squirrels here in NZ or you could waste your money on this amazing electrically-powered feeding device. And to think there are children starving in some parts of the world for lack of a meal worth $1.

Looking to build your own weapon of mass destruction? Well here's an idea.

And finally, here's proof that just because you're rich and famous you don't have to forget the little people or the environment. Yes, it's Barbara Streisand's Call to Conserve

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