http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/ Engadget Comments for Buy your DRM-loving senator an iPod http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/Feb 1st 2006 4:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/Feb 1st 2006 4:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
And now that I live in California, I betrothed a technological gift to the entire state a couple of years ago. Apparently a robot sent from the future to help save the past is exactly what California wanted.]]>Feb 1st 2006 4:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/Feb 1st 2006 4:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/Feb 1st 2006 4:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
Anyway, somebody should get that senator one of Sony's old DRM'ed root kit CD's and have him try to import music onto his new ipod and see how he likes it.]]>Feb 1st 2006 4:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
The Senate ethics rules clearly prohibit any senator from accepting a gift ("anything of monetary value") from anyone worth more than $49.99. The senators won't be able to accept these. This is money down the tubes.

http://ethics.senate.gov/downloads/pdffiles/overview.pdf

]]>Feb 1st 2006 5:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
Doesn't change your point. Sony is still THE WORST when it comes to DRM and restrictiveness - as a consumer, you just can't do worse than to go Sony.]]>Feb 1st 2006 5:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/Feb 1st 2006 5:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/Feb 1st 2006 5:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
Come on... HOW has nobody jumped on that one yet...?

]]>Feb 1st 2006 5:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/Feb 1st 2006 5:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
well heck, I'm worth about....$11 and two bus tickets right now, could I donate?]]>Feb 1st 2006 5:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
Take a look at which laws have been passed in recent years and which have not. Is Fair Use prevailing in our legal system? Are the content providers dictacting how I can use my computer, my iPod, the DVD's I purchased?

In light of these observations, then, which is more powerful -- a gift or a vote? Hmmmm ... yeah, I think I'll be donating five bucks to buy my senator an iPod. When he can't watch movies on it because of the DMCA and the CSS encryption system, then something might actually be done about it. Till then, have fun voting!]]>Feb 1st 2006 5:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/That way, you've exercised your right to shut the hell up.]]>Feb 1st 2006 5:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
In addition to the link above, the document "Lobbying Congress: An Overview of Legal Provisions and Congressional Ethics Rules" (http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/RL31126.pdf)
states on page 15:

"Both the House and Senate Rules provide a de minimis exception for gifts from private sources, and allow for the acceptance of a gift (including the gift of a meal) if the gift has a value of less than $50"
-House Rule 25, cl. 5(a)(1)(B)
-Senate Rule 35, cl. 1(a)(2)

Aside from this little problem, I think buying members of congress iPods and TiVos is a fantastic idea. Unfortunately an iPod video may not be "de minimis" enough.

-Alex
]]>Feb 1st 2006 6:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
Senators are prohibited from receiving gifts that exceed $50, but in-kind donations to their campaigns are subject to different rules. We'll be sending these iPods to their campaign offices, and we'll be encouraging them to use the devices for "campaign related" activities like watching news clips and learning about important constituent issues like balanced copyright.
http://ipaction.org/campaigns/ipod/faq.htmlAren't Senators prohibited from receiving gifts?

Senators are prohibited from receiving gifts that exceed $50, but in-kind donations to their campaigns are subject to different rules. We'll be sending these iPods to their campaign offices, and we'll be encouraging them to use the devices for "campaign related" activities like watching news clips and learning about important constituent issues like balanced copyright.
http://ipaction.org/campaigns/ipod/faq.html ]]>Feb 1st 2006 6:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/Feb 1st 2006 7:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/

]]>Feb 1st 2006 8:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
Just thought I'd bring that up : )]]>Feb 1st 2006 10:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
Of course, if they pre-load those muthas with the engadget podcast, maybe. I can just see Robert Byrd and Ted Kennedy rocking out to the latest track from Ryan and Peter. I don't know if even that magical goodness would be an antidote to klanalicious water-treading, but man, wouldn't you love to see Trent Lott and Harry Reid 'jacking each other's playlists? Mmm, that's down-home politicking!]]>Feb 1st 2006 11:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/Feb 2nd 2006 12:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/buy-your-drm-loving-senator-an-ipod/
Most of the young people didn't bother in the previous prez election and you can see the result.]]>Feb 2nd 2006 1:23PM