Google, You Make Me Sad

Remember this takedown post?  It's only been a few weeks, but I would love to know the precise reason for the takedown.  I should have the right to know, and Google should send a copy of it to my e-mail address.  But guess what?  I'm not going to know any time soon, because Google won't send to me the notice. They will only send it to Chilling Effects, which is volunteer-run by a handful of people in their spare time and they have an enormous backlog that could take a year or more.  So I cannot challenge the takedown by filing a counter-claim. And this, as you might expect, suits Google (and by extension, Blogger) just fine.  It means they don't have to do any work; it means Google wants to make it hard for you to challenge the takedown. They just remove your post and too-bad-so-sad little blogger.

For my six or so Australian readers (hello there, Root of All Evil, how's your ego and your koi fish pond, dickhead?), you cannot view the original Bruce Guthrie - Epic Hater post.  And that is exactly the intent of the takedown. Censorship of material that someone didn't like, without any due process, legal justification or ability to challenge it in a timely manner. It's an abuse of process and Google doesn't give a fuck at all; it is merely protecting itself from legal harm whilst harming our free speech.  I suppose it's good it was only the Australian page that got blocked, which is a result of Google changing the URL structure of Blogger to redirect to country-specific URLs.  The rest of you can view the original post in all its glory.

So all I've got is speculation as to why it was taken down. I know I haven't defamed anyone -- I merely pointed out that Bruce Guthrie is selfish little shitbag who thinks he should have all the best seats everywhere in public because he doesn't smoke now, which is of course an opinion. I haven't libelled anyone -- I linked to the opinion piece for full context and I didn't exaggerate or invent any information. I did hyperlink and display an image from the American History Museum, a nice little pic of a KKK outfit, but the image remains up for those in the US, so I'm guessing -- but really don't know -- it is not a problem for the museum.  I only quoted a very small portion of Guthrie's opinion, which falls under fair use in nearly every country in the world. Perhaps a year from now, I will learn the reason for the takedown, if I even care by then. 

The point of this post isn't only to moan about Google, although they make me very sad.  It's to illustrate to you the techniques and the lengths that tobacco control advocates, these hateful motherfuckers from hell, will go to silence opinion on the opposing side. And isn't it curious that the colours of ASH Australia's logo are precisely the same as the KKK's logo?  Yes, perhaps ASH was ripping off Marlboro, and really it's all just a coincidence. ASH Australia are stupid hateful people, but even they would never support the KKK or any kind of end-date thinking, would they?  Nah, I think it very unlikely.  Eradicating tobacco use is not the same as eradicating smokers and hoping they all die soon.

So, I had a takedown. I'll not know why for some time to come.  It's frustrating, sure. On the bright side, we should count ourselves lucky that tobacco control is not (yet) rounding us up and marching us to concentration camps for our "evil ways."  It may come to pass, however, so be prepared. Trust no one. 

Takedown! (Minor Update)

Google via Blogger has deleted the below post due to "allegedly infringing content."  I had noticed that someone was searching for a particular URL on my site, and I didn't know why until now.  I cannot yet view the reason for the takedown (until Chilling Effects publishes it, and then I'll update this) nor do I have any means to challenge it as far as I can see.  It could have been a snippet of fairly-used text, or it may have been an image.  So for now the image will be removed, and the fair use text will remain.  Because you are allowed to quote small sections of a copyrighted text when used for criticism or educational purposes.

Now, I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but who would have reported this as a copyright violation?  My, my, I have no idea.  No idea at all. But I won't stand for this.  Having worked in IP for years, I know what is and what isn't acceptable.  I hereby give permission for everyone to copy this blog post and post it on theirs freely, without attribution or credit.  This post is now public domain and I waive all copyright, while maintaining my moral rights.

The Original Post:

Bruce Guthrie - Epic Hater

Bruce Guthrie is a twat.  I didn't even know who he was until today, but based on his opinion piece in Australia's National Times, he's definitely a dickhead like the Root of All Evil.  Bruce Guthrie is unhappy because smokers "get the best seats" outdoors at restaurants.  Seriously.  Fuckwits like this guy have forced us outside, and then they complain about it. We knew this would happen.  We knew once you banned smoking indoors, it was only a matter of time before people would clamour for an outdoor ban, or a ban in cars, or bans in your home.

So what does Bruce Guthrie have to say?

 Of course, individual restaurateurs can institute bans and some have. Then again, they could simply take up the suggestion put forward by a tweeter this week: smokers should be made to sit inside at restaurants on the sort of balmy days we've been enjoying and outside in chilly winters. That way, non-smokers would always get the best seats.

So, here we see precisely the problem at hand.  Non-smokers are more important than smokers.  Smokers are not people.  In Bruce Guthrie's world, smokers are sub-human.  The anti-smokers treat smokers as if they are Jews in Nazi Germany, or blacks forced to sit in the back of the bus in America's segregated south.  That is the hate they have for people who smoke.  You can dress it up all you like as a health issue, but that's just the window dressing. Pull back the curtains and the black, seething mass of hatred is plain to see if you would only look.

So here's a Pro Tip, Bruce:  Don't go to restaurants, and if you do go then sit indoors if the smoke bothers you.  Also, thank you for letting me know you're a hateful slimy dirtbag of a human being, which is me being kind here.  Smokers are people too.  I would say smokers are better people than you could ever be, because we aren't out to demonise people for their lifestyles.

And, oh, Bruce...?  You might want to pick yourself up one of these if you're going to carry on with your campaign of hate, and it has the added benefit of protecting you from second-hand smoke, dickhead.

image removed but here's a link: [http://americanhistory.si.edu/brown/history/1-segregated/images/kkk-robe-l.jpg]

Update 3 May 2012

Just a quick, minor update:  Chilling Effects still hasn't published the takedown, so I still don't know the actual reason.  It might take a while, which is crap to be honest. But here's the e-mail that I received last night, which shows the Blogger URL for the takedown is Australian:

Hello,

Blogger has been notified that content in your blog contains allegedly infringing content that may violate the rights of others and the laws of their country. The infringing content that has been made unavailable can be found at the end of this message.

The notice that we received, with any personally identifying information removed, will be posted online by a service called Chilling Effects at http://www.chillingeffects.org

. You can search for the notice associated with the removal of your content by going to the Chilling Effects search page at http://www.chillingeffects.org/search.cgi, and entering in the URL of the blog post that was removed. If you have legal questions about this notification, you should retain your own legal counsel.

Yours sincerely,
The Blogger Team

http://nannyingtyrants.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/bruce-guthrie-epic-hater.html

I really don't see the American Natural History Museum using the Australian URL for a takedown.  It's possible, though.  Anything is possible.