EOC week 4: Copyright laws

EOC week 4: Copyright laws

Copyright laws is a legal device that gives a creator protection of a literary, artistic, musical or any other creative work sole rights of ownership and legal rights to publish and sell that work. Copy right owners have the right  to control the reproduction of their work. This includes the right to receive payment for their wok. They also may sell those rights to others. If people or companies violate this law its considered infringement and could be taken to court. Initial Ownership.—Copyright in a work protected under his title vests initially in the author or authors of the work. The authors of a joint work are co-owners of copyright in the work. http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap2.pdf .  The IRS is using computer software that hasn’t yet been paid for. According to a audit says that the tax agency is violating copyright laws. To use someone copyright you have to pay for the use of the copyright. The person that developed this software is in ownership of it and must be paid or compensated accordingly, “Until the IRS implements an effective program to manage software licenses, the IRS is incurring increased risks in managing software licenses. These risks include: 1) not complying with licensing agreements that could result in embarrassment, legal problems, and financial liability; 2) not using licenses in the most  cost effective manner; and 3) not effectively using licensing data to reduce software purchase and software maintenance costs,”  http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/20/audit-irs-may-be-breaking-software-copyright-laws/#ixzz2ifETUP1m. There a lot of in and outs of copyright laws and it seems like it can get a little difficult to understand, but the main components are that the copyright laws protects the original expression as soon as it is turn into a tangible form. Copyright laws would now protect that expression. It protects the original work weather or not a notice of the copyright exists on the copy of work. Copyright laws give their creator of the work the right to protect their work from unauthorized use by others. IT may not be duplicated, preformed, or distributed without the consent of the owner. There are, however, several fundamental items that are not eligible for copyright protection: ideas, facts, titles, names, procedures, and works not fixed in tangible form. Copyright only protects the form in which these ideas or facts are expressed, not the ideas or facts themselves. https://www.cu.edu/irm/stds/copyright/quicksum.html

EOC: Erin Brockovich

Week 3 EOC: Erin Brockovich

“In July 1996, PG&E agreed to pay $333 million to about 650 people who blamed cancer and other diseases on polluted water leaking from a gas pumping station.”  This was the end settlement that to residents of Hinkley, CA. It all started when some people that lived in the city were getting sick and having health problems. A company Called PG&E had a plant near by and had a underground leak that went into the towns drinking water. This water was tainted with chromium. There was 140 times the amount of chromium in the water then was allowed by government standards. "There was a realization that chromium contamination by PG&E very well could have been the cause of the medical problems of so many people: Hysterectomies, ovarian cancer, bladder problems, throat problems." Erin Brockovich who was working as a legal clerk did some more research and investigation to the connection to of the chromium in the water and the resident’s health issues. She played a instrumental role in the case against PG&E. PG&E first offered to pay a settlement of $160 million, but was later decided that they would have to pay $333 million for damages. Nearly double! “Many of these people truly suffered and money doesn't make that go away, But I hope it gives them a sense that they stood up for something; and I hope they can use the money to help with their medical conditions or to make their lives easier."  I think this case is good. Obviously not in the fact that people were harmed and got sick form what the thought was clean drinking water, but that Erin Brockovich stood up for the small town and didn’t take a first couple o settlement payments. She fought until what she thought was well deserving of the crime that was commented. PG&E is completely liable and I’m glad that they had to pay the residents a huge settlement. I’m glad that another big company didn’t get away from what they did by just throwing their money and power around.

Works cited:

1- http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2006-02-06-pge-settlement-brockovich_x.htm

2- http://articles.latimes.com/2006/feb/04/local/me-erin4

3-http://www.sbsun.com/general-news/20130709/hinkley-erin-brockovich-feels-duped-by-pge

EOC WEEK 2

EOC. Week 2 -Supreme Court

Abortion

Abortion’s is back on the Supreme Court Docket. There are 2 cases that are back on the Supreme Court docket right now. The one that interested me is McCullen v. Coakley. This involves the clash and differences between freedom of speech and the right to have an abortion without obstruction. This case has a buffer zone law, which prohibits protesters to be within 35 feet of abortion clinics. And it will discuss about the difference between free speech rights with the antiabortion to the right for women who seek abortion services without feeling harassed and any type of physical threat. They are saying that there is a thin line between freedom of speech before in turns into harassment.“Do you have the right to speak with a bullhorn right up to someone’s face?”  “At some point, speech becomes intimidation and harassment.

I think this is a hard and interesting case. I am pro choice but I also believe in freedom of speech.  I understand that people are against it, but I also think that it is every women’s choice to decided what she thinks is good for own body and what would be the best choice for her and the unborn child n the future. I could see how it would be intimidating to go a make such a hard life decision with angry protestors yelling at you who may not even understand what they are going through.

Works cited:

http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/abortions_back_on_the_supreme_court_docket_20131008

EOC: My Voice

I’m working as a professional dancer here in Las Vegas. I started training at a very young age and developed my skills in all sorts of dance including jazz, lyrical, modern, tap, and hip hop. After graduating I had the pleasure of getting a scholarship to dance out in L.A. so I made the decision to foresee college and head straight towards a dancing career. After a few years assisting choreographers I had the chance to preform with Toni Braxton. After that she decided to have a residency here in Las Vegas. I decided to go with. And that was a great decision because since then I had the opportunity to work with a lot of huge productions on the strip and work with a lot of talented and creative people.  I have been lucky enough to have a dancer career here for the past several years. Now that I am getting a little older or I like to say wiser, I decided that I want to continue my career in the theater and stage. That’s what brought me here to the art Institute. I want to am I’m going to learn the art of Audio. By doing so I will have all the tools to make a wonderful career In the field of live productions. It’s been my passion since I was little and I am excited to see where in brings me in the future.