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Geek Culture / Anti-SOPA Wikipedia Blackout in Effect

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bitJericho
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 13:26
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Quote: "What - theoretically - shortens someone's, or a company's business IS ILLEGAL, and should follow legal actions. Pictures randomly appearing won't do any harm to anybody's business, and therefore no worries."


What dream world are you living in? Viacom would love nothing better than to rid youtube off the face of the earth. If legislation like this passed, it very easily could have been the death of youtube and thousands of services like it.

TGC could have been affected, along with most other sites on the planet. That was the whole point of the legislation. Large corporations drew it up, paid off politicians to support it, in order to steal control of all media on the internet.

If you guys want to actually make a difference, read this:

(explicit language)
http://maddox.xmission.com


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Quik
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 13:31
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@ WLGfx, just so you know: the pictures will either go down, or the webbsite will..

iam also pretty sure those having uploaded illegal content are on the line of being sued aswell with that law.. i >think<


The result of origin.. Oh and ponies
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WLGfx
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 13:42 Edited at: 19th Jan 2012 14:08
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Some websites might start to look like this: http://danielmiessler.com/blog/20-pieces-of-programming-wisdom

EDIT: Aww it looked quite good when it was censored. Just went back and all the black blocks had gone... I was beginning to think that TGC might have black blocks all over it if SOPA got there way...

Mental arithmetic? Me? (That's for computers) I can't subtract a fart from a plate of beans!
Warning! May contain Nuts!
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MrValentine
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 16:59
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For the record... TGC is in serious trouble as their server is in Dallas... [fom the hop check] and my guess the domain may not be registered in the UK either GET TRANSFERRING TGC!!!

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 18:39 Edited at: 19th Jan 2012 18:57
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I don't think there's any over reaction, really. I know people can blow things out of proportion, particularly as soon as people start speculating. Okay, what 'may' happen is speculation, however, these speculations are what the law could mean, whether it results in that entirely depends on how it is enforced and what companies decide to do as a result of the law. These speculations I don't feel are an over reaction because they are things people don't want to happen as a result of SOPA/PIPA but can happen under the law. There shouldn't be any loopholes or gaps where the system could be abused and it could really hurt honest people who don't like piracy, who don't pirate themselves and would in no way encourage it and also hurt a number of businesses who rely on the internet, not just on US soil but globally, as the US has a large number of consumers.

Laws are already abused by businesses when it suits them. For example: Viacom has already tried multiple legal hits against YouTube, who's to say they're not going to try it under SOPA/PIPA? Example.

Imagine giving your government and even rich businesses the power to censor the media, like newspapers, TV, radio and so on. Yes, they might not use the media for personal interests - it's always possible they won't abuse this power, but there'd be nothing in place to stop them if they decided to do it. So why just not give them that power in the first place? Media should be about freedom of journalism and freedom of expression.

I bring the comparison because SOPA/PIPA gives power to the US government to censor the internet and if fully enforced could seriously harm internet economy, not just within the US, but outside. I think the example of TGC is an excellent one, because if copyrighting material were found on the TGC forums and the new laws were enacted then in the eyes of US law it's TGC's responsibility therefore TGC could be blocked to US citizens (goodbye business with the US), their server (in the US) taken down. TGC could just complete censor their site and delete the forums because it'd be impossible to prevent copyright material being posted.

The propaganda for the bill is that it'll stop online piracy...which is a load of twoddle. Because it's not a fool proof system and there's a way to work around it. Plus, I am sure people who are annoyed by SOPA/PIPA will just start pirating out of protest, possibly downloaded media owned by companies who support SOPA/PIPA.

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ionstream
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 21:22
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While the bill is bad, I believe the extent and reaction has been blown out of proportion. I have seen many online arguments that are misleading, manipulative, and dishonest. If the bill really is so bad then it should be able to stand by itself as evidence of its badness, without loosely based what-if's. All laws come with text that could be potentially misinterpreted, its the nature of the English language.

Web sites already have a reasonable obligation to make sure their content is legal, so this is not new. If you're a free image hosting site, you'd better make darn sure that no one is uploading child pornography. It's expensive and time consuming, but websites are not a set-it-and-forget-it operation.

Many arguments and infographics convey half truths, like what ability of copyright owners have against an infringing site, or what "censor" even means in this context. Comparing it to China is manipulative and insulting to people who go through real censorship. Additionally, being backed by the MPAA is not an argument against it, nor does it make the bill worse. The bill applies to all content creators, big and small.

So please, read the bill or at least the summary and make your own conclusions as to what is good about it and what is bad. I believe that websites should be held accountable for the copyright infringing content on them, regardless of whether users upload it or the site operators do. Every day big corporations to small one-man operations, such as webcomic artists or DeviantArt artists, are ripped off with limited ability to fight back. There are too many consumers and not enough content creators, creating a jaded perspective on property and media.

SOPA of course goes too far, punishing sites that haven't done anything wrong and messing with the core technology of the internet. But I hope one day there will be a fair bill that protects creators, fair use and derivative works, and reasonable sharing.

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Quik
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 21:35 Edited at: 19th Jan 2012 21:36
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Quote: "So please, read the bill or at least the summary and make your own conclusions as to what is good about it and what is bad."


been there done that (although it was a long time ago, pre christmas)

and this is why i hate it so much:

Quote: "There shouldn't be any loopholes or gaps where the system could be abused and it could really hurt honest people who don't like piracy, who don't pirate themselves and would in no way encourage it and also hurt a number of businesses who rely on the internet, not just on US soil but globally, as the US has a large number of consumers."


because thats pretty much my ground principle for society in a whole. You shouldnt hurt the ones that HAVENT DONE ANYTHING.

thats like, at a robbery, the police arrests EVERYONE in the bank.

or atleast puts them all in custody.

main point: as long as others than the targeted people (pirates) are affected, I think its a whole lot of bull.


The result of origin.. Oh and ponies
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CoffeeGrunt
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 22:43
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There's one, fundamental thing, here...

Noone cares.

Seriously, piracy is illegal now. I'm pretty sure you don't have to walk far to find a cop with a copy of Limewire, though.

This will only become a problem if George Lucas sees you draw a picture of Vader hugging a LolCat on your DeviantArt page, and decides to go to the massive legal expense required to sue your for the ten dollars or so of damages.

He's not gunna ask for DA to get shut down in that instance.

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Quik
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 22:44
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Quote: "There's one, fundamental thing, here...

Noone cares.
"


and thats reason enough to pass the bill?


The result of origin.. Oh and ponies
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Zotoaster
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 22:57
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Quote: "Seriously, piracy is illegal now. I'm pretty sure you don't have to walk far to find a cop with a copy of Limewire, though.

This will only become a problem if George Lucas sees you draw a picture of Vader hugging a LolCat on your DeviantArt page, and decides to go to the massive legal expense required to sue your for the ten dollars or so of damages.

He's not gunna ask for DA to get shut down in that instance."


I'm not sure you fully appreciate how much power these bills would give to companies who don't want any competition.

Luckily, a lot of senators have decided not to back it since yesterday's protests, so things are looking up... for now... Won't be long before the lobbyists are back trying another trick.

"everyone forgets a semi-colon sometimes." - Phaelax
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old_School
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 23:10 Edited at: 19th Jan 2012 23:13
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Clearly the bill is crap and written by someone who does not understand the internet or freedom of speech. On the flip side something needs to be done to protect copyrights. On the flipside again in order to accomplish protecting copyrights, it would need to be a world law and not a country law to protect copyrights. If the law passed which I dought it will. Pirating will continue and illegal material will still flow on the net.

Pirate bay.org is a great example of how "the law" is crap. "We spent millions of dollars trying to take down the pirate bay and all we got was this T-Shirt." The goverment wants to create silly laws for everyone to bash just to ignore real issues like crap econmy, people starving to death and other issues. Sometimes I wonder if people really see the big picutre. Just a FYI you got pwned by the media and goverment hype to ignore real issues.
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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 19th Jan 2012 23:54
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You won't stop it. Aye, you can do what you can to reduce it, but you not going to stop it, but 'scaring' people away or taking away rights isn't necessarily the best approach, though I do agree pirates should face punishments. I've never understood why honest people have to be the ones who come worse off. How about we benefit honesty? Maybe it'll give people more of an incentive to be honest and not piss off those who are honest.

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lazerus
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 00:09
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The wiki blackout worked;

Server meltdown

Quote: "The encyclopaedia said the site had been viewed 162 million times, with eight million people following instructions to contact politicians.

The protest led to eight US lawmakers withdrawing their support for the proposed bills."

Quote: "
More than 162 million people saw our message asking if you could imagine a world without free knowledge, the site said.

You said no. You shut down Congress's switchboards. You melted their servers.
"



http://lazerus-reborn.deviantart.com/
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Dark Java Dude 64
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 00:11 Edited at: 20th Jan 2012 00:16
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Remember guys, this has a chance of passing, but for all practical purposes, it wont pass. Not with 100% of American citizens voting for it not to be passed. If it does end up getting passed, the absolutely immense uproar it will cause will have it amended right away, and the officials that voted it through will be voted out of the house. So not too much to worry about. Also, last i heard the white house is opposing the bill also, so even if it does pass through most of the way, hopefully Obama will veto it, that way the chances of it getting any further are very slim and next to zero.

Oh! Just saw you post, lazerus. Very nice to hear that!! Haha it's almost funny. Some people say that the government is more powerful than the people, but that isnt the way it was meant to be and this shows that indeed, the people of america are more powerful.

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heyufool1
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 00:54 Edited at: 20th Jan 2012 00:57
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Quote: "The wiki blackout worked;

Server meltdown"


I'm glad it worked but I'm disturbed by this:
Quote: "But backers of the legislation, led by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), described the action as an "irresponsible" publicity "stunt"."


Judging by that, the MPAA doesn't only want to take away our right of free speech but also our right of peaceful protest. Not sure how it's irresponsible... I guess they are just mad that they couldn't use Wiki despite trying to pass a law that could potentially destroy the site. Prime example of hypocrisy if you ask me.

"So hold your head up high and know. It's not the end of the road"

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ionstream
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 01:22
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Quote: "Judging by that, the MPAA doesn't only want to take away our right of free speech but also our right of peaceful protest."


That's not true and you know it. If Wikipedia has the right to protest then the MPAA has the right to say that's stupid.

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heyufool1
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 01:29
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Quote: "If Wikipedia has the right to protest then the MPAA has the right to say that's stupid."

I'm not saying that the MPAA doesn't have the right, but I don't see how it is "irresponsible" to shut down your website in protest. Rereading my post it does seem a little brash, but I wasn't happy reading their response

"So hold your head up high and know. It's not the end of the road"

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Dark Java Dude 64
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 02:21 Edited at: 20th Jan 2012 02:23
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Ahh, they dont want to take away that right, they just got a little ***you know whated*** that the vast majority of citizens were objecting to the bill that they proposed. They were also likely upset that some of the bills supporters were lost. And most importantly of all, the were probably upset that they installed windows server on their servers when they could have installed something that wouldnt crash.

***go mac! go mac! go mac! osx ftw!!!***

alright im done now


do you guys up in the UK have free speech rights?

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Thraxas
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 10:10
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Quote: "do you guys up in the UK have free speech rights?"


Lots of countries in the world have freedom of speech. I'm not having a go at you here...but it never ceases to amaze me that some Americans think they have a monopoly on it.

http://thraxocorp.webs.com/ Visit my totally awesome website: Thraxocorp. It's my own company and I'm totes the CEO.
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MrValentine
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 10:26
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Hahahaha

Thraxas where you based?... for some weird reason thought your in England lol

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Benjamin
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 16:22
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Quote: " I'm not having a go at you here...but it never ceases to amaze me that some Americans think they have a monopoly on it."


They are also the only country with automobiles.



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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 17:15
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Quote: "do you guys up in the UK have free speech rights?"


We have laws for freedom of expression, but we also have laws contradicting it. But then that's law.

I studied a bit of religious law for one of my university projects and first I discovered the Racial and Religious Hatred Act and saw the section entitled 'Freedom of Expression' and found that it was okay to express your opinion or proselytise your views on any particular religious in whatever way you wish, just so long as you're not inciting violence.

Just after I submitted my presentation script I discovered the Blasphemous and Blasphemous Libel Laws. So on one hand you've got a law that says, "your freedom of expression is perfectly welcome" then another that says, "your freedom of expression is restricted". However, from what I could find, nobody has been charged for the latter, a group tried to find the BBC guilty for Blasphemous Libel for airing the Jerry Springer Opera but were unsuccessful.

Unfortunately, that's the only specific example I can give as I wasn't a law student.

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Insert Name Here
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 18:18
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However it's worth noting that the Republic of Ireland, which is just across what is basically a stream from us, does have strict blasphemy laws.

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Slayer267
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 19:47
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I did this with my site too. I was pretty outraged about the SOPA thing.

THE CARNAGE PRODUCTIONS WEBSITE IS NOW UP!

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FireIndy
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 20:13 Edited at: 20th Jan 2012 20:15
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If anyone is interested:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2012/01/20/sopa-got-stopped-stop-online-piracy-bill-actually-dead/



SOPA was going to pass, but then it took an arrow to the knee...

Too soon?


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IanM
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 23:22
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I was going to slap you for using that meme...


but then I took an arrow to the knee.

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Dark Java Dude 64
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 23:39
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Quote: "but it never ceases to amaze me that some Americans think they have a monopoly on it."
What are you saying?


Ahh, i used to hate that 'arrow to the knee' thing but then i took an arrow to the knee...

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FireIndy
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 23:44 Edited at: 20th Jan 2012 23:45
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It was too great an opportunity to pass up good sir

But in all seriousness, I hope that these bills don't resurface, at least not anywhere near their form as they were just yesterday. I know they still want to do something, but I hope the government will now listen more openly to the world before messing with things.


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Dark Java Dude 64
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 23:46
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Quote: "It was too great an opportunity to pass up good sir"
Well agreed!!

Also the bottom half of your post is agreeable too!

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Thraxas
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Posted: 20th Jan 2012 23:55
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Quote: "Thraxas where you based?... for some weird reason thought your in England lol"


I'm from England (North London) but I moved to Australia about 6 years ago.

Quote: "What are you saying?"


Numerous times while perusing the internet I have seen Americans claim they are the only country that has free speech etc. Probably the majority of Americans are not narrow minded people who have no idea about any other country than their own. Unfortunately they're not the ones posting on the sites I visit.

Benjamin touched on it with his post. I have spoken to Americans who have been genuinely surprised at 'x' being in another country.

That's what I'm saying

http://thraxocorp.webs.com/ Visit my totally awesome website: Thraxocorp. It's my own company and I'm totes the CEO.
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Dark Java Dude 64
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Posted: 21st Jan 2012 00:04
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Ah!! I see! Makes sense... I knew other countries had that i was just curious about that! And i would have never guessed you were from Australia!! Why, you are nearly upside down compared to me due to the curvature of the earth!

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Quik
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Posted: 21st Jan 2012 00:05
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he is not upside down, you are! xD


The result of origin.. Oh and ponies
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IanM
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Posted: 21st Jan 2012 00:15
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Considering we take the clockwise rotation as the correct natural rotation, and that looking down on the south pole the world rotates clockwise, then I think Thraxas is definitely the right side up and all of us in the Northern hemisphere are upside down.

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Dark Java Dude 64
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Posted: 21st Jan 2012 00:33 Edited at: 21st Jan 2012 01:27
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Yay!!! I love being upside down!!! One other thing is that we are all above the exact same thing; the core!





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MrValentine
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Posted: 21st Jan 2012 05:15
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I have done it again...

DBD ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha I did not get it at first but then it hit me ahahahahahahahaha nice one

Thrax NICE! Please keep safe from all that terrible weather and natural occurances that you guys have been getting in recent years...

That goes for everyone else on the forums would genuinely miss the lot of you

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Fatal Berserker
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Posted: 21st Jan 2012 18:43
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Quik
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Posted: 21st Jan 2012 18:46
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but hey, that doesnt go for sopa only. Its actually just the punishment for uploading stuff illegally in general.


The result of origin.. Oh and ponies
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Blobby 101
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Posted: 21st Jan 2012 22:17
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So, uhh - why were you on the pirate bay? xD

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Fatal Berserker
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Posted: 22nd Jan 2012 05:58
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Quote: "So, uhh - why were you on the pirate bay? xD"

Was posted on reddit.
But if anyone asks, pure educational.

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