U.S. shuts down file-sharing website, charges work

[Tim299]

www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/tech-news/us-shuts-down-file-sharing-website-charges-workers-under-piracy-laws/article2308295/

Federal prosecutors in Virginia have shut down one of the world’s largest file-sharing sites, Megaupload.com, and charged its founder and others with violating piracy laws.

The indictment accuses the company of costing copyright holders more than $500-million in lost revenue from pirated films and other content. The indictment was unsealed Thursday, one day after websites shut down in protest of two congressional proposals intended to thwart the online piracy of copyrighted movies and TV programs

[maybesomethingdunno]

Numerous people use such websites to share (and backup) their own Sims custom content. :(

[frankie]

Wow, this is just unbelievable. What about like what Maybesomethingdunno said? Plenty of Simmers host their own CC there, as well as other people hosting their own stuff that is not Sims-related. MediaFire could easily be next at this rate; and that is an equally popular site. Will we even be able to have any file-sharing sites at all, even if not linked to piracy? Then again, my posting this could probably cause trouble if this law were passed. What a shame. :(

[DrowningFishy]

If SOPA passes pretty certian MTS would be screwed. Since by all technicality it is full of copyright infridgement. EA never gave modders and creaters premissioin to create or change things. EA only gave the right to recolor-blah blah blah.

I'm curious if the US in insists on taking down file sharing sites how long till some other country stands up to us. Because you know we can't start an actual war over internet piracy... ... Or can they?

[maxon]

Numerous people use such websites to share (and backup) their own Sims custom content. :(
Yes, like me. Crap.

[frankie]

If SOPA passes pretty certian MTS would be screwed. Since by all technicality it is full of copyright infridgement. EA never gave modders and creaters premissioin to create or change things. EA only gave the right to recolor-blah blah blah.

I'm curious if the US in insists on taking down file sharing sites how long till some other country stands up to us. Because you know we can't start an actual war over internet piracy... ... Or can they?

And many other fan sites could be affected. That would not be good. There are far too many players who rely on a CC game due to their preferences. I'm sure EA would be thrilled, though.

[Kathwynn]

As of this morning.. SOPA and PIPA are not going top pass.. The rats are fleeing the ship.. The White House has already indicated it would veto the bill if passed.

At the same time the message from the Feds seems to be, 'we are watching and will pounce'. Though the case right now is just at the beginning. The entire case at this point seems to be weak. But time will tell whether the indictments will stand or be dismissed.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/01/why-the-feds-smashed-megaupload.ars

"Law professor James Grimmelmann of New York Law School tells Ars, "If proven at trial, there's easily enough in the indictment to prove criminal copyright infringement many times over. But much of what the indictment details are legitimate business strategies many websites use to increase their traffic and revenues: offering premium subscriptions, running ads, rewarding active users."

If all current online business practices are now illegal. Just how does a website stay on the good side of the law and the Feds?

[Riptide651]

Oh I was just listeningtip the news on this... Okay so apparently after mega upload was shut down, a hacker group called anonymous hacked the FBI website and temporarily shut it down as a retaliation. Also the owner of mega upload had a 6 million dollar car collection confiscated by the FBI from his mansion in New Zealand.

[Yazoo]

Well, that's just great, I wanted to get some pose boxes for the Sims >.< Just freaking wonderful! Why is it, when there is a good site for the amazing Creators to go too, it gets shut down. It wasn't bad that people were making CC, they were giving the came more pzazz. But no, they never think about other people. WHICH SUCKS! But just freaking dandy. -.-"


Wait, isn't there another site that we upload our stuff too? Because if it gets shut down as well...Your right all sites that do have Custom Content for the Sims will be screwed not just MTS. A lot more than you think. . .

[GigaRevival]

Oh I was just listeningtip the news on this... Okay so apparently after mega upload was shut down, a hacker group called anonymous hacked the FBI website and temporarily shut it down as a retaliation. Also the owner of mega upload had a 6 million dollar car collection confiscated by the FBI from his mansion in New Zealand.

4chan is at it again, I see...

[BlakeS5678]

I just tried going to www.megaupload.com. And, it's gone. IT'S ACTUALLY GONE. Before, I and many others, were like la-la-la-la it's could never pass! *Laughs.* But, seeing megaupload disappear has brought a wave of reality to me. I hope Kathwynn is right because if they did go through with this the outcome would be unimaginable. *Shutters* I don't even want to think of the hell it would unleash. Shutting down the internet in America is like shutting down Pizza Hut and McDonalds to the morbidly obese. Or shutting down all the synagogues in Israel. Or... or...

[kristie91]

There are a lot of other file sharing sites out there. Megavideo the sister site of megaupload is gone as well. There are other video sharing sites out there. They also have tv shows and other copyrighted things on their sites. It makes me think of the comment I read somewhere about megaupload being gone. Its like they are playing wack a mole. There are plenty of sites like megaupload so they would just be wacking one right after another.
If sopa or pipa gets passed, a lot of sites like these as well as many beloved sites will be gone. Things like deviant art, mod the sims, other custom content for the sims sites, and social sites would be in jeopardy or even gone.

[idleRAT]

To be honest, I'm surprised megaupload lasted so long(there was a lot of illegal content on there), but it's sad to think of all the old fan-created sims content on there that's gone now, a lot of it was from creators who aren't around anymore to re-upload it somewhere else, etc. :( The same goes for custom-content for other games too, it was a really handy place to upload files if you didn't have hosting of your own and once someone's left a community, they're unlikely to come back to re-upload files for everyone else.

[Mistermook]

Of course they're going after file-sharing. The whole point of Big Content is that they've been hammered by lack of content control since the late 70s. They want to put the internet back into the TV, so that they can tell everyone what to watch.

[Tempscire]

I'd wondered why Megavideo was down a couple days ago. :( I will miss it. I watched all of Mad Men through it (and now currently own the DVDs as a direct result).

If SOPA passes pretty certian MTS would be screwed. Since by all technicality it is full of copyright infridgement. EA never gave modders and creaters premissioin to create or change things. EA only gave the right to recolor-blah blah blah.
An accusation wouldn't have to come from EA to get MTS (or just about any other forum) accused of copyright infringement. How many people here even have avatars that they own all the rights to? Do such qualify as fair use? Who knows, but SOPA would make sure the site would go down before there'd be a chance to debate it.

[Riptide651]

^ HOLY SHIT that is really true. And if the US begins to censor the Interent we'll become like frickin North Korea or the Internet in China!

[frankie]

I just can't see how such laws would ever pass when I know for a fact that huge hell-bound riots will be spawned. Mark my words... there will be a national fight over this if these laws pass.

[mustluvcatz]

The vote has already been postponed....indefinitely. (From what I understand.)

[DrowningFishy]

4chan is at it again, I see...

Anonymous and 4chan have a complicated relationship. If it says it's Anonymous' doing then it is Anonymous. Yes Anonymous originated on 4chan they have now seemed to began to form it's own entity. Agian like I said it is complicated. I know enough geeks and hackers that give me a headache with this one.

It's just like them trying to decide who the bloody hell is CEO of Megaupload. One minute it's this dude who goes by Swizz Beatz next minute it's probably not. The only thing we know is this dudes got a get out of jail free card. I dont see how they could go over MU seriously. I seen many links taken down due to "copyright infringement". They claimed only 155 employees (really?) do they expect everyone to personally check each file uploaded. Apperently more sites are being closed soon or are closed due to being affiliates.

In a nutshell storing your stuff on line as a back up is not smart; or at least for now till the dust settles and we know which sites will remain.

[Lance]

Oh, shit. Shit. SHIT. It breaks my heart.

[Riptide651]

This could surely be the start of a virtual war between the government and the people.

[crocobaura]

I think I'm going to boycott "made in USA" films and music and not buy any for a year.

[Mistermook]

Even the stuff "made in the USA" isn't a declaration of ownership by people from the US. Sony, for instance, or Virgin. They're both heavily invested and control vast amounts of content in the US, and no doubt form respectably sized lobbies imbedded with government. It's not a US thing. It's a Big Media, Big Content, Big Intellectual Property thing. It's global. The US is a vast market and is rightfully seen as the path to promoting these sorts of copyright control implementations in other countries, because the US is large enough that trade agreements with it on durable and tangible goods alone make up enough market that no one can properly dismiss US demands on intangibles. If you can get something to pass in the US it tends to have a domino effect in the rest of the world, because of the cascading demands of the rest of our trade treaties.

[crocobaura]

Yes, Big Media, Big Content, Big Intellectual Property thing usually bears a "made in USA" label because that's where their interests are best protected. Then they use US power to get the same level of protection everywhere else in the world. That's why they need to be boycotted. Piracy is not enough, because they still get sales.
Imagine what would have happened if Shakespeare and Mozart had a contract with companies like Sony and Virgin. You'd have to pay for those public performance licenses whenever you went to see a play by Shakespeare or listened to Mozart in your work building elevator, in adition to the taxes imposed by Sony and Virgin because they've released the thing on a shiny new CD.

[Mistermook]

What I'm saying is that these aren't US companies. These are global companies, and really any company of any size at all that doesn't claim some sort of US market or market association is probably lying unless they are deep inside the local markets of one of the other powerhouse economies of the world (which have their own issues - do you not support the US because of copyright reform attempts, but support China because they're absolutely disregarding the rights of artists altogether?)

[crocobaura]

What I'm saying is that these aren't US companies. These are global companies, and really any company of any size at all that doesn't claim some sort of US market or market association is probably lying unless they are deep inside the local markets of one of the other powerhouse economies of the world (which have their own issues - do you not support the US because of copyright reform attempts, but support China because they're absolutely disregarding the rights of artists altogether?)


That's US propaganda. There used to be a time in China, about 20 years ago, when the only non-chinese music sold in stores were a couple of albums by Michael Jackson and Madonna and their police still hunted down distributers of pirated materials. Sony wasn't losing any money there since they weren't really doing any business there. Also, if there weren't so many copyright taxes included in the pricetag, prices would be much smaller and thus more affordable to people who otherwise would feel tempted to pirate them. Anyway, not buying their products at all is the only proper and efficient way to boycott these companies. They are hungry for more and more profit, for all I care they can keep their products and I'll have more money for other fun things.

[Mistermook]

Copyright taxes? Seriously? That's what you're going with? In the US, where there really aren't any significant copyright taxes? I mean, those are things other countries like Canada, Australia, and parts of Europe have. If copyright taxes offend you then US goods should be what you're buying, not what you're not. We do a lot of offensive things with copyright over here in the US, but we are not the instigators of copyright taxes in other countries. We pretty much shot all of them down except some fringe cases that, I assume, haven't been challenged in courts yet (presumably because the taxation is so modest.)

And I don't know much about China. I guess I should have made more extensive surveys of the country like you have before I opened my mouth, I do know that for propaganda it's being pushed as a serious trade issue, so I guess the US State Department is just trying to piss off our major supplier and trading partner to make a point, and all of the Chinese folks that are in US prisoners for trying to steal trade secrets are simply all completely innocents as part of our nefarious long term plan crossing partisan lines and several administrations to act against the good name of the Chinese. All of my friends who are servicemen coming home via Southeast Asia? They are obviously all part of this plot to incorrectly portray China as one of the sources of the thousands of black market goods like CDs and DVDs that they all come home with. Maybe the US military is making these things up by the hundreds of thousands to discredit the Chinese, printing out "The Hangover" DVDs with Chinese subtitles? Or maybe it's the CIA, in cahoots with the aliens from Roswell as part of an even more complicated plot?

I'm not saying boycotting isn't an effective way of demonstrating your displeasure with someone. I'm suggesting that you're blaming the wrong people, by not blaming enough people. You want to hurt Big IP? Don't buy anything. Just because the company isn't from the US doesn't mean it's not part of the problem.

[kittykendall]

Sites like megaupload made so much money because they provided a better service for their consumers. Instead of trying to take down all of these sites and punish everyone that takes advantage of them, they should be concentrating on making their services better than their competitors. Some people can't afford to pay a ton of money for entertainment (movies and television) so they stream online. If the entertainment industry would just offer this to us in a similar fashion - placing ads all over the page like most sites - they wouldn't have the problem in the first place. It's never going to happen, I know that. But we, the people, are their income. If we don't like the way they're providing us entertainment, they won't get paid. Don't punish us for getting better service. Give us better service, don't lose out on money. Win win? Probably doesn't make sense.. it makes sense in my head though..

SOPA and PIPA are apparently dead but now there's this ACTA or whatever. We might have won the first battle but I have a feeling this is going to be a long war - to protect the uncensored, free internet. Gosh I can't see my life without tumblr and what's this about MTS being threatened? Gahh

[Drakesecaravdis]

Sites like megaupload made so much money because they provided a better service for their consumers. Instead of trying to take down all of these sites and punish everyone that takes advantage of them, they should be concentrating on making their services better than their competitors. Some people can't afford to pay a ton of money for entertainment (movies and television) so they stream online. If the entertainment industry would just offer this to us in a similar fashion - placing ads all over the page like most sites - they wouldn't have the problem in the first place. It's never going to happen, I know that. But we, the people, are their income. If we don't like the way they're providing us entertainment, they won't get paid. Don't punish us for getting better service. Give us better service, don't lose out on money. Win win? Probably doesn't make sense.. it makes sense in my head though..

SOPA and PIPA are apparently dead but now there's this ACTA or whatever. We might have won the first battle but I have a feeling this is going to be a long war - to protect the uncensored, free internet. Gosh I can't see my life without tumblr and what's this about MTS being threatened? Gahh

same it's just like with music too. sure single songs are cheap on itunes but guess what you won't see any of those pennies because I don't have any. I try to buy stuff when I can but I just don't have it. want my greenbacks? get me some by helping me get paid
don't even get me started on montage videos, avatars and fanfics. seems like the govt hasn't heard of the word fair use.
I can't see my life without youtube and the other sites I go to that will probly be gone/censored.
thank you govt, you better not win

[DrowningFishy]

SOPA and PIPA are apparently dead but now there's this ACTA or whatever. We might have won the first battle but I have a feeling this is going to be a long war - to protect the uncensored, free internet. Gosh I can't see my life without tumblr and what's this about MTS being threatened? Gahh

What kind of scares/intrigues(sp) me is what would happen if the US passed one of these dumb laws and Anonymous would really show it's power. I honestly doubt the FBI really had told us the true amount of the attack on their sites (an other government sites on youtube searth Anonymous - Operation Megaupload or Anonymous Operation Revenge).

BUt if what is happening now has taught us anything wars can be fought and not with lives.

http://articles.businessinsider.com/2012-01-20/tech/30646023_1_facebook-and-twitter-new-address-zombie

Megaupload may come back if your lucky your files might, very small might not be lost.

[crocobaura]

I'm not saying boycotting isn't an effective way of demonstrating your displeasure with someone. I'm suggesting that you're blaming the wrong people, by not blaming enough people. You want to hurt Big IP? Don't buy anything. Just because the company isn't from the US doesn't mean it's not part of the problem.


Yes, but it's usually the US that's most vocal about it's copyrights being protected and does worldwide hunts against infringers and generally sets the limits. And I'm not saying disrespect the artists and whatnot, but this copyright shouldn't last forever and then some more, and definitely it shouldn't be an offence if content is distributed free of charge at some point. Drug companies hold the patent to a new drug for just 20 years and that includes the development time which leaves them with very little time, sometimes just 5 years or even less to recoup their investment and make a profit. After that other companies can make medicine based on the same formula and it's because of these generic drugs that most people can afford medication. I don't see why culture and entertainment couldn't follow a similar pattern, because if the current laws were to obeyed 100% many people wouldn't have access to any of it.

[Christine11778]

I think the difference between this site being shut down and SOPA is that had Sopa passed one does not have to go to court to have your site shut down, all they have to do is allege copyright infringement. You would have to wait for your site to be investigated/cleared before being allowed back up. Goodness knows how long that would take and what kind of bloated, expensive government bureaucracy the American people would have to sustain through our taxes. I do not know what kind of files megaload allowed to be shared on their website, but if they truly were violating copyright they should have been notified of the offending files and given time to take them down. I know some people think everything should be free or what have you and I totally agree that a lot of things are over priced concerning media, but I think the best way to combat this is to boycott.

[monosagrado]

Let me see... SOPA and PIPA could close Modthesims?????? :alarm: :alarm: :alarm:

[Mistermook]

Yes, but it's usually the US that's most vocal about it's copyrights being protected and does worldwide hunts against infringers and generally sets the limits. And I'm not saying disrespect the artists and whatnot, but this copyright shouldn't last forever and then some more, and definitely it shouldn't be an offence if content is distributed free of charge at some point. Drug companies hold the patent to a new drug for just 20 years and that includes the development time which leaves them with very little time, sometimes just 5 years or even less to recoup their investment and make a profit. After that other companies can make medicine based on the same formula and it's because of these generic drugs that most people can afford medication. I don't see why culture and entertainment couldn't follow a similar pattern, because if the current laws were to obeyed 100% many people wouldn't have access to any of it.
But the companies that are lobbying the US to pass these laws aren't strictly US ones. The US is just the vehicle for the corporate interests, and the corporate interests don't care if it's the US or someone else, as long as they're using what they think will be the most effective tool to accomplish their goals. They'd be doing all of this in China if they had a better angle on lobbying politicians in China, or in Europe if Europe were more monolithic (and therefore more cost effective to lobby in.)

What I'm saying is that blaming the US for these sorts of things... It's not quite the same thing as blaming a gun for a murder, but it's not quite not the same thing. The US politicians that proposed these bills obviously didn't come up with them themselves, and they obviously didn't understand the laws technical implications. They're experts at politics, not computers and the internet. The people who did come up with the laws though, even though they might be US citizens because of access implications, are representing global media and content interests. The US isn't the threat, the threat is global.

[khanung]

I have read some where while reading about sop and pipa that now USA now have law that they can arrest and jail even US citicent whithout having go to court is it true

[anothereyjana]

I have read some where while reading about sop and pipa that now USA now have law that they can arrest and jail even US citicent whithout having go to court is it true
Sadly, it is very true, though so far it's only "in regards to terrorism." Not that that even comes close to making it alright...

Also, has anyone tried to download something on FileSonic today? Because if you have, you, like me, have seen this message. (http://www.filesonic.com/) Considering the fact that I was able to download freely just last night, not to mention the general timing, I can't help but feel that this is in response to the MegaUpload fiasco, and that apparently this is what they feel they have to do just to save their asses from getting arrested/shut down as well, which is beyond sad and infuriating, especially if they end up being only the first of many downloading/file-sharing sites to take this action. Has anyone heard any official word on this?

[DrowningFishy]

@anothereyjana -face palm- now everyones running scared. YOu know why they could get Megaupload, it is because Megaupload had servers in Virginia. Do you think it was just as simple as picking one company and going after them? There going to have to try harder for other companies with servers just in other countries. Such dark times this is for sharing things with others.

Funny they bitch about how sales are now. Cut off all routes see how much they make when everyone is to nervious to buy anything and inflation rises and wages remain where they are. Not to mention lets see where their profits go when they tick everyone off.

Little to conspiracy theory for me but http://youtu.be/-tD1yaE0GfQ it does make some good points. Yeah this is getting passed around like two dollar who-erm-er it's just getting pass around a lot. Again a bit over conspiracy theory but non the less/

[haricots]

Let me see... SOPA and PIPA could close Modthesims?????? :alarm: :alarm: :alarm:
Yes, definitely true. If I'm not mistaken, from my understanding, if EA sue MTS for copyright violence (with strong evidence) or whatever it is, then SOPA and PIPA will close MTS.

[DrowningFishy]

Yes, definitely true. If I'm not mistaken, from my understanding, if EA sue MTS for copyright violence (with strong evidence) or whatever it is, then SOPA and PIPA will close MTS.

copyright violence how does that work Haricots.

If you want to stop SOPA and PIPA and this crap for a few more years vote Ron Paul. Seems to be the only politian left that understands our liberties. And I hate politics.

really need some of that Copyright violence haricots.

[Mistermook]

Ron Paul is an ignorant old racist whose understanding of the economy is only tempered by his lack of humility on the subject. Libertarians have some good ideas and some bad ideas, but letting that idiot old codger be the spokesperson for the party is simply intolerable - and really, some of his economic notions are pure lunacy, only acceptable if your idea of how a functional national economy works is only in relation to balancing your personal checkbook and "I have six apples..." That's not how it works, and pretending a complicated global economy works as anything less than a vast social engineering network of representative value only demonstrates an enormous amount of lack of education.

[kristie91]

I'm really starting to miss mega video. A lot of anime that I watch has most of its videos that were uploaded via that site. But luckily so far I've been able to find alternatives.
I have a question for people. You know how you go to the library and you check out a book or movie for free, how is that any different from downloading something. I mean sure the creator or whatever gets like 20 bucks for a movie. But then like a hundred people or more check out that movie. So not very many people end up buying it for themselves. So as long as you don't sell copies of that movie you download isn't that basically the same concept?

[monosagrado]

Yes, definitely true. If I'm not mistaken, from my understanding, if EA sue MTS for copyright violence (with strong evidence) or whatever it is, then SOPA and PIPA will close MTS.
OH NO... But if i send you a "incopyright" think via G-Mail, then they have to close G-Mail, no? They have an ilegal file in their servers...
Srsly, for that *shit* they could close the full Internet -.-"

[Tempscire]

I have a question for people. You know how you go to the library and you check out a book or movie for free, how is that any different from downloading something. I mean sure the creator or whatever gets like 20 bucks for a movie. But then like a hundred people or more check out that movie. So not very many people end up buying it for themselves.
Well, if nothing else, you don't get to keep the library copy, nor do any of the hundred other people who check it out. Lending is protected by the first-sale doctrine: if you've bought it, you can do whatever you want to it short of pirating it (*other DMCA restrictions may apply). If you do make a habit out of keeping library things, they will charge you for the items you have, late fees, and eventually get tired of you stealing stuff and close your card.

ETA for further elucidation: Libraries are also bound to treating their digital content as if it were physical. A single ebook could plausibly be loaned out to all 300 people on the waiting list simultaneously. However, the publishers require it be treated as if it were a single physical book that can only be loaned out consecutively. Likewise, if you've an ereader that allows lending to friends, the software makes the book unavailable to you while your friend has it. And that's stupid for all kinds of reasons, but that's what we're required to do. Does that practice sound like something developed by an industry willing to rely on the honor system of downloaders?

So as long as you don't sell copies of that movie you download isn't that basically the same concept?
Also consider that ripping a copy of a movie to upload is NOT fair use (unauthorized duplication), and this is easily the most important point. You're allowed to make back-up copies of your media (*other DMCA restrictions may apply), but you are not authorized to distribute those copies, and, legally, if you were to sell or give away your original, you're not supposed to retain the back-ups. Note that one does not need to be selling anything for it to still count as piracy/copyright infringement. Remember all the people who get busted for downloading mp3s through P2P networks: they weren't selling, either.

[haricots]

copyright violence how does that work Haricots.

If you want to stop SOPA and PIPA and this crap for a few more years vote Ron Paul. Seems to be the only politian left that understands our liberties. And I hate politics.

really need some of that Copyright violence haricots.
???
I really don't get what you mean..

EDIT : Please don't be angry. I just woke up, and still half-die. Still searching for the pieces of my life..

OH NO... But if i send you a "incopyright" think via G-Mail, then they have to close G-Mail, no? They have an ilegal file in their servers...
Srsly, for that *shit* they could close the full Internet -.-"
Yes, they can close the full Internet, except for my blog. NO ONE can close my blog. N-O-<space>-O-N-E!! :cylon:

[KKiryu007Joker]

Yes, they can close the full Internet

And then there was none.

[anothereyjana]

@DrowningFishy -- I wasn't really sure, so that's why I kind of asked for clarification (probably should have worded that better). I don't really know a lot about the various details about where this or that file-sharing network has their servers based (so SonicFile's are overseas?), I don't really tend to have anything to upload to the various networks (other than maybe future in-the-planning stage works for TS2, which I can't even work on until I can get a new comp. that can fully handle all my sims stuff anyway), and I only occasionally download, so I don't have any paid accounts anywhere, I just pop in to get various things (mostly sims stuff) from time to time, because it wouldn't justify the cost (so I might as well be locked out of FileSonic, because -though I could be very wrong about this- they are one of the sites that are not free to sign up).

As for the video, yeah, it does both seem alarmist but makes valid points here and there. I think at absolute worst, if the US govt. does start going after users, it'll most likely only be ones who a) Are US citizens, b) Have uploaded large (and I mean very large) amounts of copyrighted material, and c) Have a paid account on MegaUpload (since it might be too difficult to track or prosecute otherwise--probably wrong about that here...).
The US has already gotten entirely too much bad press in the past decade to risk the possible international shit-storm which would be generated by dragging off your average Joe Schmo in England or Mary Jane in Brazil who downloaded a copy of a Lady Gaga CD or one of the Transformers movies or something (if they really wanted to push it, they would have to just let their country of origin handle it themselves rather than storming in like it was the Elian Gonzales raid part 2).

Sorry if all this still seems a little foggy, been doing a lot of early-morning shifts at work lately (not really meshing with my natural night-owl tendencies), so not much sleep on my end, so, some stuff is probably whizzing over my head right now, or just not getting though (like the fact that, oh yeah, I can just hold the phone on my shoulder at work and use both hands to type at a decent speed rather than just using one and spending 20 minutes chicken-pecking out a single sentence! :faceslap: Yes, my supervisor actually had to bring that to my attention today *sigh*.).

[DrowningFishy]

@anothereyjana don't worry I usually replay around 3 to 5 in the morning. When I wrote my last few posts I was so scattered brained I told my friend who was flying to chicago "HAVE FUN!" Of course after he left and about an hour had passed I realized he was going on the trip to make finial arrangements and pull the plug on a friend. Now I am tired at only 11:02pm and I am post agian but I am waiting for something to finish DLing before I sleep. So tired.