Eric Group
Masterpiece
I am not "confused"- I just enjoy effing with ya'll... I know it makes you feel smart to think I don't know what I am talking about so go ahead and tell yourself- and everyone else here- whatever you need to say to make you feel like you know more than me. Open mic- go for it.
Look, obviously the JOKE of a legal system we have in this country means a lot to some of you, but in the end "legal" on the Internet is such a grey area. If I go into a movie theater with a camcorder, record a new release then go post it on a website... Is that illegal? Sure! If I am surfing the web and stumble upon said video, is THAT illegal? Welllll... Kinda, but only if I share links of it right? Or how about if I download it and watch it on my laptop at a later date? What if I just use the video to "preview" the movie, having no idea if the video is the actual film or some farce production made as a joke...? What if I screenshot an image of the film and "snapchat" it ( is that a verb?)/ or post it on my Facebook page? Lots of room for grey areas there and the laws are not changing fast enough to keep up with the technology.
So, what have we learned here? The book is under copyright still today- says you, thanks for clarification. So, the guy who posted it IS in violation of a law, in the US, but he doesn't live in the US, soooo... Whole other can of worms, let's just ignore that too...
I posted a link to the book which some of you think in and of itself is a violation of a law? Correct? I call BS/ or rather I call "I don't give a F---" because that is not- as you just admitted- something anybody would or could ever successfully prosecute me for.... Kind of like if a tree falls in the woods and nobody is there to hear it... Or if a CB interferes with a WR in Football but the ref doesn't throw the flag was it still a penalty? "No, he didn't get a flag"- ohh, but it is A RULE that you cannot do that..
The issue here- for me is not about whether I broke the law. I don't give a SHIT about breaking stupid laws that they "let people get away with"- I truly don't. I used to drink under age and party my ass off in all sorts of ways that violated some sort of laws I am sure... I used to drink, smoke, hook up with all sorts of randoms- all that stuff that some rule in some book somewhere says you shouldn't do but everyone does growing up (my good god I HOPE YOU DID make similar "mistakes" as a kid... We all deserve a "wild" phase in our life) And I could go on about the victimless crimes I may have committed as a misguided youth- but the issue for me is that this MEANINGLESS, obscure "maybe it is maybe it is not" violation has turned this thread into an absolute CLUSTER when the focus was supposed to be Naka's book, what a great resource it is, how everybody who does Bonsai should read it... and look! Here is your chance to PREVIEW IT FOR FREE...
Why do we DO THAT? It seems the only threads on this site that go over a couple pages, or even a couple POSTS are the ones where people can stir up a witch hunt: "I am right damnit and you did/ said something WRONG, and by God I will change your mind and prove to everyone how right I am- you don't PINCH Junipers, ___ wire is or is NOT poisonous to your tree... You can't share that pic without crediting the person who took it or getting permission..." I am trying to think of some of the times we all went ham on poor Sawgrass in some of his threads... I am sure you get my point- We SAY this is a Bonsai forum. Which would imply we all come here to talk about, view and share pics of our trees... But it seems the vast majority of people only want to really get into a lengthy discussion or post meaningful statements backed by research when they can argue and belittle each other- most of the time over stuff that has nothing to do with the actual subject of the thread? WTF is wrong with us? It makes me sick! So, go ahead, tell me I am a criminal for sharing a link to a 35 year old book written by an author who is DEAD! Call the GD FBI, CIA AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR ALL I CARE. I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU TO DO IT. Or maybe we can all STFU about some stupid copyright laws that will never have any bearing on this situation and TALK ABOUT BONSAI!?!?!??
That's never gonna happen though is it?
So, in the interests of asking that we all just LET IT GO, please tell me what to do. Should I post a crying emoji and beg forgiveness for all my nasty sins for posting that link?
(Emojis suck on this site.. Damnit where is a good crying one!?) Ya'll want me to go turn myself in to the local authorities? or write a letter to the John Naka estate and beg them to sue me for lost revenue on a book that is out of print and not earning them any revenue any longer anyway? Whatever it is that I need to do to atone for this horrible, bad, nasty and very very naughty sin, can we just consider it done and MOVE THE F ON, please? Over a year of crying about spilled milk is a bit excessive. Sorry to all those who didn't get to check out the book before one of these old farts got it removed! I am glad some of you got to preview it for the first time, I hope you go get a copy. Thanks/ peace said- Over it.
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