Free Republic

The Internet appears to be ready for its close-up, but you may want to decline any invitations to join a prerelease party. A file swapper who distributes a single copy of a prerelease movie on the Internet would face a possible prison sentence of up to three years, if a bill approved this week by Congress becomes law, as expected. Adoption of the bill would represent the most dramatic expansion of online piracy penalties in years.

Hey, Disney: Keep your hands off our hardware! David Coursey, Executive Editor, AnchorDesk Thursday, March 14, 2002 Will Disney CEO Michael Eisner get to decide what goes into your next PC? If Eisner and his "big media" buddies, like News Corp. President Peter Chernin, have their way, your current PC might be the last one you buy. And if that happens--and spills over into consumer electronics as it easily might--the current bad market could soon be remembered as the good ol' days. LAST MONTH, Eisner, Chernin, and other representatives of the entertainment and media establishment were in Washington, complaining to...