Orphaned Art/Urban Legend

See Update below.

Via e-mail:

Hello everyone,

The US government, as well as a few countries in Europe are trying to pass legislation that requires all artists of any kind (artists, designers, musicians, writers, filmakers) to register their creations with private registries for a fee. If creations are not registered, they become "Orphaned Works" which means basically that they have no copyright and become public domain- meaning that anyone can sell or distribute them without the original artist seeing any income whatsoever. You can read more about it here.

Below is a link to sign a petition against this act;

link

Below is a link with the contact information for the president and all US senators, representatives, state governors and legislators;

link

Please let us all as beings whom express themselves in creating and/or enjoy others expression put a stop to this.

Forward this to everyone and anyone you know.

I haven't had time to check this out thoroughly, but on its face, I'm calling it a bad idea. This seems as though it would have far-reaching impact on not only artists but online publications -- the law of unintended consequences comes into play (but then, in regard to Congress dealing with the internet, I'm not sure there are any unintended consequences).

Update:

The following was sent to me by a correspondent:

For all practical purposes, it was dead on arrival:

A Bill to amend Title 17, United States Code, to provide for limitation of remedies in cases in which the copyright owner cannot be located, and for other purposes.

It was introduced on May 22nd, 2006 by Rep. Lamar Seeligson Smith (R -- TX). It has not a single co-sponsor, nor has it been slated for committee hearings.

See legend, urban, mass hysteria for all reporting on it.

As introduced the bill would merely have limited the damages available to a copyright holder if the user of his intellectual property had tried in good faith to locate him without success before using the property.

My bad -- I should have taken the time to check this out before posting it, but . . . well, that's what happens when you try to do so much in so little time.

And I won't say that ideas this stupid have never come out of Congress. Wait -- this one did.

On the other hand, taxes filed and new review submitted. I reek of virtue.