YEA-UHH!!...we hope...

We may be losing Pirate Bay, but Isohunt seems to still be kicking. Let us pray. -_-

File-sharing sites haven't had a great year, especially in court, but on Wednesday they received a smidgen of good news.

The Motion Picture Association of America asked a federal court to rule that Isohunt was liable for copyright violations committed by its users, but the judge in the case was unconvinced. In his order, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Wilson said the studios had yet to prove the the Isohunt's users had broken U.S. law.

Lawyers for the MPAA, the trade group representing the six major Hollywood film studios, are trying to convince the judge that Isohunt encouraged and contributed to the infringing activity of users. Wilson gave the MPAA until Sept. 15 to file a brief that convinces him direct infringement at the site was committed by those in the U.S. Apparently, Wilson has questions about whether U.S. residents have pirated content using Isohunt.

"United States copyright laws do not reach acts of infringement that take place entirely abroad," Wilson, wrote in his order.

A spokeswoman for the MPAA did not immediately have a response.

The significance of the judge's order, at least from the point of view of Ira Rothken, Isohunt's attorney, is that MPAA's investigators have struggled to draw specific examples of infringement occurring in the U.S.

"Our view is that it would be difficult if not impossible," Rothken said, "to be able to trace any direct infringement to the users of the Isohunt's site in a manner that would hold Isohunt responsible for the infringing conduct. I think the judge's order will hopefully demonstrate to the court that Isohunt, besides lacking knowledge of direct infringement, can't possibly be held liable for users conduct, especially since any such conduct occurs after they leave the site."

Rothken is hoping to argue Isohunt's case before a jury, something that no other BitTorrent sites have managed to do.

"I believe there has not been a single case in U.S. law where there has been a decision on the merits of a Torrent search engine," Rothken said. "We're cautiously optimistic Judge Wilson will deny plaintiff's motion for summary judgment and ultimately there will be a trial on the merits."

Some of the cases that have gone against BitTorrent or file-sharing sites Sweden-based BitTorrent search engines, The Pirate Bay, was brought up on criminal misconduct charges and Torrentspy's case was decided on a discovery sanction. Some of the issues in the Usenet.com case closely resemble Isohunt and TorrentSpy's, although the company is not a BitTorrent tracker or search engine.

Usenet.com is a company that enabled users to access the Usenet network and it too lost on a discovery sanction.

Most of these companies claim to do nothing more than help people locate files. One question often asked by readers is how is this different than what Google offers? One can find plenty of infringing content using the behemoth search engine.

"I believe the difference is that for one reason or another courts seem to place greater social importance on the Google search engine," Rothken said. "Courts also tend to frown on search engines created to find specific file types like .torrent files. And other than that there is no difference (Isohunt and Google)."

I cant even think of what to put here

Alot of people will be saying the usual one liners and phrases about Ted Kennedy that have been said about him since he got sick. That hes a Liberal Lion, that his passing marks the end of a Dynasty, and so on. Which one suits the situation best, who knows. All that makes the most sense to say here is that it's tragic, and Ted Kennedy never getting to vote on Healthcare is a testament to the kind of feet dragging that is the norm in D.C.

Since he was diagnosed with his brain tumor he made it clear nothing would stop him from voting on healthcare reform because he knew President Obama would make it happen. Well since then we've seen what a solid blue majority can do and no doubt Ted Kennedy was in his hospital bed fuming at all the crap that has gone on recently.

We can go on about his record, and quote his colleagues, and go over his career, but what stands out most was his ability to stand tall and proud no matter what. He fought hard for liberal causes, never letting anyone make it a dirty word in his eyes, never backing down to the powers that be who tried to undermine what he truly believed in. That's why he was called a Lion, because he roared loudly and defiantly in the name of the common man.

In these crazy times of meandering, middling, and doddering, the loss of Ted Kennedy hurts just that much more.

Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy

(February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009)

we'z all gonna daaiiii!!!

While perusing the news of JUST TODAY we came across a trend that we felt had to be mentioned. Professing that the fit has hit the shan would be an understatement. Now sure someone can say, "news is usually bad as it is meant to get someones attention", and that is true but this isn't gunshots or gang violence, this is real facts that will affect us pretty goddamn seriously. Where to begin..

Hurricane Bill was downgraded and some people felt relieved that maybe this was a trend? That maybe global warming isn't so bad or not necessarily the cause? Think again futhermucker!!

Storm winds got so bad late last week in New York that it caused trees to snap in Central Park. CENTRAL PARK. The park that is central to one of the most condensed cities in the world. Usually such severe weather like windstorms don't make it into big cities because, like gigantic trees do in the forest, skyscrapers act as wind barriers. So for the winds and storms to be so bad they crack large trees? THATS a problem.

Its not just The city that never sleeps with storm issues. A small, though still pretty fugging rare, tornado did damage to homes in south paris. But thats not all! Paris itself is also seeing record temperatures as well as Rome. So much so, that cops in rome will be handing out bottled water.

Next on this world tour is Alaska, where acidity levels in the water are getting so bad from Co2 levels that it will effect their fishing industry, which next to oil, is pretty much all they have. Not to mention kill off hundreds of different species in those waters, BUT Alaska still has tree killing beetles.

Speaking of those murderous beetles who cant die now due to milder winters and thus are flourishing like locusts, They seemed to have teamed up with wildfires to make the greatest villain team-up ever. The beetles eat up and kill the trees, the trees of course stop producing oxygen and taking in CO2 and basically become standing tinder, and can now more easily catch fire, then pollution from the fire makes the Co2 levels even worse. OH WAIT! What's that in the sky?! Is it a bird? A plane? No! It's a middling, ineffectual politician who will do little to nothing about it....great...

Speaking of those who can do something about all of this, what are WE, the human race doing to stop, sequester, slow down, or end any of this? Let's check.

Wildfires in Athens burned up so much forest that Athens as a whole will suffer huge downturns in their air quality, as those trees will no longer be able to take in CO2 and produce oxygen. (duh) In the past business developers in Athens have purposefully started fires in order to buy the land later for development. Hmmm not very helpful...

China urges it will "do its best" to move closer to climate control, being that their country produces almost as much CO2 as us, and are TRYING to beat us by building a new coal fired plant a week. But admit they will not agree to any fixed caps. Hmmm doesn't SEEM very helpful...

In the US, wall street is repackaging the idea of selling debt, the problem that got them into trouble to begin with. WHY is that prevalent here? Because the economy tanking is the reason that climate change wasn't the first crisis handled when Obama took office. Dozens of pundits and politicians stated that the environment can wait until after the economy is fixed, forcing better pundits and politicians to make the case that a green economy COULD fix it faster. Hmm...still no help here...

Oh and poachers are selling endangered monkeys online...........FUCK!

So there it is, just TODAYS news. Lets hope tomorrow has some yknow, HOPE in it. In the meantime rest assured, the VPAR will be here.... to go play Wipeout HD on xbox live to help forget this depressing shit. SALUTATIONS AND GOOD DAY!

CONSUME! chibirama

Kidrobot in their awesomeness has decided to figure the fuck out of futurama, all chibi style, which frankly is cooler than if they were regular 6 inch action figures.






These can't be purchased fast enough. XD

exclusivity to help grow membership?? yeaa...good luck with that...>_>

California Republican Party leaders, in a move that could reshape state primary-election politics, are preparing a move to bar decline-to-state voters - now 20 percent of the electorate - from casting a GOP ballot in statewide and legislative primaries.

The proposed bylaw to the state Republican platform, which delegates will decide at the party convention next month in Indian Wells (Riverside County), has riled some business leaders and Republicans.

They say it could be disastrous for the party's future and could relegate Republicans in the state to "permanent minority" status by keeping independent voters from supporting Republicans in primary elections.

Flashreport.org publisher Jon Fleischman, the Southern California state party vice chair, said his proposal, which would take effect in 2010, would strengthen the GOP. It calls for extending a ban on independent voters in presidential primaries to all statewide elections, including the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races.

It "makes it clear that if you are a Republican, you're eligible to vote in the primary," he said. "We think we have great candidates - but it's not the role of someone who's not in the party to have a say in who that party puts forward."

But the plan is causing a stir among some business leaders and GOP insiders.

"We think this is the worst thing (the party) could ever do," said Rob Lapsley, spokesman for the California Chamber of Commerce. "Republicans ... need every vote they can possibly get from independents."

California Democrats who have welcomed independent voters in their primaries have benefited, Lapsley said, because those voters tend to stay with the party in general elections.

The GOP plan allows conservative party insiders to shape critical 2010 races, said strategist Patrick Dorinson. "They want to pull up the ladder to the tree house where they play," he said. "They're treating the GOP like it's a club where they all make the rules for everyone, and the signs says, 'No girls allowed and no Latinos.' "

In the gubernatorial race, he said, "this is their way of helping (State Insurance Commissioner) Steve Poizner, who is in real trouble. ... They think this is a way to stop (former eBay CEO) Meg Whitman and (former Rep.) Tom Campbell," both moderates expected to get independent support. Also at stake: the 2010 U.S. Senate race, where ex-Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, expected to appeal to moderates and independents, is preparing a GOP primary run against Irvine Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, a favorite of grassroots conservatives, he said.

But supporters of the plan say it would strengthen the party and encourage independents to join the GOP. Fleischman denied that party leaders are aiming to boost certain candidates and said the plan has long been debated.

"I hope if someone wants to be the standard bearer for the Republican Party, they would believe the choosing of a nominee should be the work of Republicans," he said.

But any change might be short-lived. To secure the vote of Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County), in February's budget deal, the Legislature placed an open-primary measure on the June 2010 ballot. If passed, the top two vote-getters in state primaries - even members of the same party - would face each other in the general election.

You'd think the republicans would be out of nose to cut off, but their face just keeps asking for it. XD

our healthcare sucks? sucks how? like its not good, idk maybe cuz im british im a little fucked up wtf sucks about it, tell me!

Britons reacted with outrage Friday at American criticism of the country's health care system and defended their cradle-to-grave medical coverage on Twitter, television and in the tabloids.

Right-wing attacks on President Barack Obama's health reform plans have struck a nerve in Britain, where residents broadly take for granted their universal coverage under the state-funded National Health Service — and look askance at the millions of Americans without insurance.

"Land of the Fee," declared the Daily Mirror in reference to the United States' high-charging health model. The London newspaper called the "lies and distortions" being circulated in the United States about the National Health Service "truly sickening."

"Jaw droppingly untruthful," said the British Medical Association's chairman, Hamish Meldrum.

"NHS often makes the difference between pain and comfort, despair and hope, life and death," Prime Minister Gordon Brown tweeted. "Thanks for always being there."

Even British health campaigner Kate Spall — who criticizes NHS failings in U.S. television ads produced by Conservatives for Patients' Rights, a lobby group that opposes Obama's plans — declared that the group had misled her and was distorting her true views. Spall's mother died of kidney cancer while waiting for treatment.

"There are failings in the system but I'm not anti-NHS at all," Spall told the British Broadcasting Corp.

"I help the vulnerable patients in our country that come to me for help, those that have been denied treatment," she said. "So the irony is, the people that are falling through the net in the U.S. are patients that I would support anyway."

Britain's opposition Conservative Party is distancing itself from its maverick member of European Parliament, Daniel Hannan, who has criticized the NHS on U.S. news programs.

Conservative leader David Cameron dismissed Hannan as having "eccentric views."

In an e-mail to Conservative Party workers published on his blog, Cameron said millions, including his own family, were grateful for NHS-provided care.

"Just look at all the support which the NHS has received on Twitter over the last couple of days," he wrote. "It is a reminder — if one were needed — of how proud we in Britain are of the NHS."

The NHS, founded in 1948, is the cornerstone of the United Kingdom's welfare state.

About 12 percent of the UK's 61 million residents have private insurance, but the vast majority rely on state-funded emergency care, surgery and access to family doctors. Even those who complain about the system say they want it improved, not dismantled.

British officials acknowledge that their system has been struggling to cope and faces a 15 billion pound ($24 billion) deficit.

minorities dont believe in global warming? no. no i dont think so.

When the truth isn't on your side, AND popular opinion is against you, AND you can't gain any ground with anyone of any value, AND you are literally on the wrong side of history, well then, THATS when you lie like a motherfucker. Like literally a bastard who fucks peoples mothers who everyone will hate. How do you do this? Well like THIS.

Virginia Democratic congressman Tom Perriello was having a rough time deciding whether to support Obamas climate change bill as his district leans red. Well a company called Bonner and Associates decided he needed a little push. So they sent him fake letters from legitimate minority groups stating that they do not support the climate change bill and he should not support it. B&A sent him letters addressed from the among others, the NAACP. And they read like this.

"Many of our members are on tight budgets and the sizes of their monthly utility bills are important expense items,"

Well being that Tom Perriello isn't fucking stupid he picked up a phone and called the local chapter of the NAACP, and got nothing but "huh?" and "wha?" and "wtf?!" to his questions. The same happened with the other groups who the letters were addressed from. After reporting this, it was quickly discovered that B&A was behind it as they have been known to pull this shit in the past.

FIRST B&A wouldn't respond, THEN they did respond and blamed it on a "bad employee" who they say has been fired. Well a former employee didn't feel like letting B&A make a scapegoat and has since spoke out saying,

"They just got caught this time,"

He (who chose to remain anonymous) also went on to say that it is standard practice as the company is run like a "white-collar sweatshop." because all the employees are temporary and if they do not produce results in getting SOME kind of support for their clients causes, they will be fired. He then spoke about how he saw groups of people being fired on more than one occasion.

SOME might question the validity of his statement as being from a disgruntled ex-employee UNTIL you see that B&A has been caught doing this before. In 1986 they were accused of defrauding the government by submitting signatures that were pulled from phonebooks, agency employees, and even yearbooks, (cuz teens are like so totally political) and when caught they said waaaay back then,

“We fired the people we determined were involved in it…what they did was in direct violation of the written policy of the firm.”

*big sniff* whew, whats that awful smell? Oh yea, its bullshit.

They have also been caught sending out petitions against healthcare reform from grassroots communities. And how did they THINK the petition would be more believable? By filling it full of spelling and grammatical errors. Because apparantly grassroots organizers are stupid?

So WHY would B&A do this? Because big coal payed them too. This week it was discovered that B&A's client is the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. ACCCE is playing dumb and saying B&A lied to them BUT some people aren't buying it as Dem. Congressman Ed Markey wants answers from the coal group as this isnt their first time being involved with lying bullshit either.

Last year the ACCCE was caught calling voters to support fighting national climate change and told callers they were an enviromental group and in no way related to the coal industry. Which may sound like business as usual, but when it involves congress like this, it is considered a federal crime. OOPS!

Meanwhile the NAACP is up in arms obviously and put out a statement saying,

"In this case Bonner and Associates are exploiting the African-American Community to achieve their misdirected goal..."

Creciendo Juntos, a hispanic group whose name was also used for these fake letters cried foul as well saying,

"They stole our name. They stole our logo. They created a position title and made up the name of someone to fill it. It's this type of activity that undermines Americans' faith in democracy."

The Jefferson Council on Aging, and the American Association of University Women were also used for the fake letters and put out similar statements saying,

"We've worked a long time to build up a reputation, and keep our name untarnished, and the notion that someone would come along and take that name ..... it's deceit. It's outright deceit,"

So whats to come of all this? Well first off, we hope these groups sue the fuck out of B&A and ACCCE. In the meantime Markeys committee in congress is now holding a probe into the matter, with other congressman like Frank Pallone calling for a full-on criminal investigation. Markeys committee has subpeona power, so someones head is going to roll and it WONT be the "bad employee."

Sometimes, the good guys DO win. XD

a la mode: hotness

It's that time of the month again, when men want to leave their women and the women don't mind because they want to start dating other women. Yes It's time for the Suicidegirl and Godsgirl of the month! Hooray!

Now its been asked, "Why do it every month? Doesn't that dilude the prestige of the award?" To which we say, "Hey...shutup..." Then we say, "Because there are hundreds of Godsgirls, and thousands of Suicidegirls, and awarding 12 a year just illuminates their awesomeness to the next echelon. Because we must be diligent when working to bring together rival factions if we hope to see peace in our lifetimes. So...shutup again." Ok lets do this!

If it was just her sparkley eyes, or smile that can light up a major city, Colada would have made the cut. Though she has much more to offer than that. The girl is drop dead gorgeous and cool as hell. We constantly ask why she isn't the face of Suicidegirls, because if she was the sites membership would triple overnight.

If ever a girl defined the words sultry, it's Larya. Whether its Godsgirls, or Onhercam, (where she will literally open your mind to the secrets of the universe) expect to have your jaw on the floor the the entire time. Sexy never knew what it was in for with her.

leave it to dick armey to create an army of dicks.

As they head home to their congressional districts for the August recess, lawmakers who support health care reform are bracing for "protests" and demonstrations that threaten to turn violent.

In North Carolina, a congressman who backs overhauling health care had his life threatened by a caller upset that he was not holding a public forum on the proposal.

Democratic Rep. Brad Miller received the call Monday, one of hundreds the congressman's office has fielded demanding town-hall meetings on the health care proposal, said his spokeswoman, LuAnn Canipe. She said the callers were "trying to instigate town halls so they can show up and disrupt."

"We had one of those kind of calls that escalated to what we considered a threat" on the congressman's life, Canipe said Friday. "These are some strong-arm tactics, and we are trying to deal with and trying to talk to people in good faith about health care reform."

Earlier this week, White House officials counseled Democratic senators on coping with disruptions at public events this summer.

In the week since the House began its break, several town-hall meetings have already been disrupted by noisy demonstrators.

The latest occurrence was at back-to-back town hall meetings held by Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., which got so raucous police had to escort people out.

The boos, jeers and shouts of "Shame on you!" at the events mirror what other Democrats are encountering around the country.

Now why is this happening? Are people really that opposed to healthcare reform? Do the American people hate making private health insurance compete for their business? No. Of course they don't. These "riots" and "mobs" and "protests" are all thanks to one group, headed up by one aptly named man. Dick Armey. Armey’s lobbyist group FreedomWorks is actively organizing against health care reform. Armey’s lobbying firm represents pharmaceutical companies, such as Bristol Myers Squibb, that oppose comparative effectiveness research in the health reform plan because such a program may cut into revenue for branded drugs.

Armey isn't new to this tactic. Its alreayd been proven that Freedomworks was also responsible for the tea parties that occured earlier this year. Busing protestors all over to stage the tea parties in the hopes of generating negative feedback around President Obama's policies.

Of course as it worked out, the tea parties were small, and mostly ignored and the only outcome was Fox News showing its hand by having all day coverage of the fake tea parties as if it was a National Holiday. Plus it gave Democrats more crazy people to point at and say, "this is what the republicans have come to." And so far that has worked as democratic voter registration is still up.

Armey is hoping to amp up the craziness this time by attacking politicians personally as they try to meet with their constituents. But Freedomworks has already been caught busing "protestors" from town hall to town hall, ACROSS district and state lines, to try and disrupt other politicians from talking to THEIR constituents.

The saddest part is the people who go to protest are not paid actors, but legitimate crazy people being riled up and lied to and taken advantage of by conservatives who would rather see this country rip itself apart then give Obama a win. So they lie to these people and then shuffle them every place they can. One man screamed that the government better keep its hands off his medicare. Others shout that they will never support "death panels" which are a fake panel (made up by the right) who decides when you die, that the right has said is in healthcare reform. Sarah Palin herself, the Queen of Moronica, has said that if healthcare reform is passed, the new bill will have her down syndrome baby killed. I mean seriously, WHAT THE FUCK?! How crazy do you have to be to believe this shit??

What will be the outcome of this? Well so far, the unions aren't going to take it lightly. Major unions from all over the US are sending out THEIR reps to fight the fake backlash from the fake protestors. Which when you mix crazy people and tough union dudes you can be sure, there will be blood.

The silver lining here is that its all so obviously fake, and all so obviously orchestrated by the right, that they seem to forget just HOW MUCH power the left has. And since this started, both the president and democratic leaders have once again brought up the option of using reconciliation. And if that ends up being the case, then the conservatives and THEIR constituents (healthcare lobbyists) are going to be fuuuuucked, because theyll get about as much say into the health bill, as a 4 year old does his candy intake.

So heres to the republicans and Dick Armey. Thanks for being stupid, short-sided douchebags, because youre just making it easier to get things done. Lets hope they pull this same retarded shit with climate change. XD

san diego gives into the geek 3!

Upon building the first SDCC post, it was realized that there was really nothing left. Lame of Comic-con we know. BUT theres still the cosplayers! Here are some (all the) totally awesome ones.


who doesnt like buddy christ?


O_O ....nomnomnom!


gerard way would be proud. and probably a little turned on.


all around me are familiar faces...<3


fuck yea!



this is for a fellow Vice Presidential Action Ranger.


double fuck yea!

san diego gives into the geek 2

THEN there are the rest of the cosplayers, who are so many in number, they needed their own post...


this just looks like it smells.


"more pie mr. j?"


when moms cosplay


no one can ever say that SDCC isn't transgender friendly.


everyone knows the most potent of scarlet witch's magic is in her cellulite.


beware the mighty power of captain beergut!


Pope Tully of the High Church of Pot and Cheetos.


heres Ben stiller cosplaying as the joker


"not..costume....please..kill...me..."


"arrgh matey! i be cap'n diabeetes!"


"ola senor. Me amo' superman. I save ju, den we make a party."


this guy scares me...


when one creepy fetish isnt enough, you get jedi furries...


"if ya dont luv Amirika king koopa, then git' aaooutt!!"


"sup...see my bulge...you like it dont you..."


The ghostbusters now offer a community college course.


"hey mista mista! i save you now! i nightawing! i hero long time!"


"no listen to him! i nightawing! me beat climinals! prus 5 dorra off house chickin! i save you now!"


"HEEEEY. pokemon bitches!"


"hi im bryan..if you like i give deep tissue massages in my room. hope to see you there sweetie..."


"we can get that ghost..but first, first take off your shirt..."


this guy has two costumes. hes cosplaying as Hans from the Burbs, cosplaying as wolverine.




"hi im stan, and this is cheryl, and on the weekends we like to relax and costume play"


the dharma intiative now offers work release...


"rrrgm..come on take the pic! ICANTKEEPITSUCKEDIN!"



when you cant get prescription goggles


i...hmm...well?.....umm....huh....


this was actually just a homeless dude who wandered in.


"and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout 'save us!' and ill whisper, 'tacos..' "


GOD NO WHY


the most essential tool for a steampunk vampire hunter is a cellphone.


when your gut fat doesnt match your height, you get shirts that are sleeve heavy.


cosplay circa 1943.


never seen anyone cosplay Sisqo before...


this guy is DYING for someone to ask him whats under there


"for all your cosplay needs, shop walmart"


CHILD ABUSE


"sup mothafucka. I be pro-teckin america n' shit."


and finally, Heres some people cosplaying as Indiana Jones, aaand morrocan hookers Indiana Jones picked up...