Blog Post 6- Illegal Download

http://talkback.stomp.com.sg/forums/showthread.php?p=878426

Article Headline: Anime Fans seek ways to fight Odex crackdown
Date Pub.17/8/02007 Friday

As some of you might know by now, local anime [video comics] distributor Odex is planning to sue about 500 people guilty of illegal anime downloads for up to $5000 with a promise to stop further illegal downloading. This has caused uproar in anime fans groups.

To kick start my blog entry, I would like to announce;
I have a prophecy, that everyone will start buying copyrighted stuff
I have a prophecy that everyone will not download illegally
I have a prophecy that all will know of the dangers of illegal downloading and not be caught by the police force or whatsoever.

Firstly, this issue affects many of us, including you and me. Ask 10 teenagers, 8 will confess to having a history of illegal downloads. Nabbing 500 people is also a seemingly impossible task, to the public it is more of a laughing stock than a case matter.

Clearly, anime is creative work and fans copy the whole work, but nobody does it for profit. Even Article 38 of Japan's own copyright law allows parties to 'distribute by wire a work already broadcast for non-profit purposes'. The most popular anime titles take about six to eight months to be released here on VCDs and also competitively priced.

On to the case itself, it is understandable for Odex to launch a lawsuit. Anime is becoming more popular, but there is no rise in sales. This alone is rather frustrating. Not only that, mangas [drawn comics] are drawn painstakingly, manually, and take a long time as well. Making their drawings into anime is also rather tedious. As such, downloading anime illegally would be robbing the artists of their rice bowls.

If Odex wins the lawsuit, no one will dare download illegally for fear of the hefty fines. However, how will future offenders be deterred? Lawsuits are not a long –term solution though. What if, they were to lose the lawsuit? More people would download illegally.

For the have-nots people who cannot afford the VCDs but yet are anime fans, fret not. There are anime fan bases all over this tiny red dot, which charge cheap prices for rental of mangas.

Personally, irregardless of the infringement- right laws or whatsoever, I feel that illegal downloading reflects on poor self-control, no respect for the law, and an uncaring attitude about other people’s life. Now, the fate of the manga artists lies in your hands. If you wish to see more beautiful comics, please lead the way by buying copyrighted stuff and restraining form illegal downloads.

Now, I feel that downloading anime is like downloading music; the latter is not allowed in Singapore, and doing so will have a trail of blue assailants after you. This lawsuit is rather lenient; there is no jail term which follows. Only a fine ensues, after which most will go back to their incorrigible ways.

Well, getting caught, paying hefty fines, serving a jail sentence, separation form loved ones and public embarrassment, hmm... I ponder which is an easier route... Mind you, IT experts nowadays can track down any illegally downloaded file. With a search warrant, when the truth comes to light, your life might just be over.

Do you want to see all your hard work go to waste over some puny clip? Don’t fall over to the dark side. Would you like to be arrested at your wedding day for an incident in the past you once foolishly committed?

Well, in the past, I was anime loving fan enjoying unlimited downloads. For this post and the 180’ change in attitude, I accept nothing less than an outcry and the flaming of my tag board. Bring it on.

Blog Post 5- China's Vow

I refer to the article “China vows to get tough over unsafe products”

Headline: “Beijing will inspect all food exports and severely punish errant manufacturers.”
Date: 17/8/2006 Friday

Firstly, to begin with, how many of us actually cringe at the idea of China-made products? It is rather a generalization nowadays that the above products are cheap and spoil easily. However, I beg to differ. Not all of the products are lousy, it is unfair to stereotype just based on a few examples.

Now, with the Beijing 2008 Olympics Games arriving in slightly lesser than a year later, I feel that the products will have an everlasting effects on everyone. Imagine this: An ambassador falls ill due to improper food production. Not only that, he sees shabby products and as such has an extremely bad opinion of China. How will his opinion affect the economic market and the trade? When his opinion is voiced on the headlines of a newsletter? Millions of dollars will be lost and disaster ensues

Regarding an issue not long ago about officials enslaving workers in a brick kiln for forced labor, shook the whole world, including me to such a great extent. China has no shortage of human labor, and to obtain workers is rather easy. However, the mistreatment of laborers for production of bricks shows how heinous the officials are towards their own countrymen, just to save costs. This act of behavior should be condemned.

On to the products, China products range from toothpaste to toys to eatables. With China’s massive population, the factories prefer quantity over quality products. Manufacturing at a slower rate for better quantity would mean starving of the many. Lead has also been shown to be overused in the products, highlighted in newspapers which draw the attention of many parents towards lead-laden toys.

Now, the blame of the poor quality of the products gets shifted here and there. Not only are the factories affected, even seemingly innocent parties; exporting companies are also blamed for not doing spot checks. However, if the factories were to put in more efforts into the products, and maybe the exporters doing a few random checks here and there, then the problem will be solved.

My personal reaction to this whole incident is that no matter whose fault is it, safety comes first. What I can be certain is that everyone would not like to see mass casualties arising from unsafe products. Though the business between factories is competitive, they should at least spare a thought for the consumers/ buyers. Making money is not as important as saving lives. That should be the 1st priority amongst the workers. Though reducing quantity for quality will result in monetary loss, it is still incomparable to the gratitude and the holy act of saving lives.

If the workers were to place themselves in the shoes of others, how would they like it if their loved ones died from poisoning? Wouldn’t it have been a death easily prevented with a few spot-checks?

After all these criticism, there are actually good points to note if you place yourself in the perspective of others. Firstly, the quantity of the products makes the prices extremely low and affordable. Imagine, one can easily save about more than ½ of his salary by selecting china products.

However, after all, despite cheap cost, one should not look down on Chinese products. As a Chinese, looking down on the former would be absolutely ridiculous. The factories are a massive source of jobs for the ever rising population, as the products are a source of income for many.

If everyone’s perception on production could be changed for the better, almost everyone in the world will benefit.

The option to save the world lies in your hands- to educate the masses and enlighten them.