Going Black On A White-Out Day

Today I am snowed in, thanks to the weather, and working more-or-less normally, thanks to the internet.

Part of the internet is "going black" today, to remind us of the dangers of the current form of 

SOPA and PIPA, two proposals in Congress to screw-up the web in the name of protecting intellectual property rights.
There are critics of these bills, and mostly they are people who know and understand the internet's potential for increasing human knowledge and freedom.
There are supporters of these bills, and mostly they are people in public office who are dependent on campaign contributions from people with lots of money.

There's a lot of money involved and, as we have learned from our corrupt Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United, Money Talks.
Personally, I'll stick with the internet folks; I don't have a lot of money and I see no reason to trust those who do over those who are trying to empower me.
Without a free internet, I'd be shoveling snow today, instead of making money.

For more information ... the following links may be illegal under SOPA/PIPA since they may link to material that is under copyright. How would I know?
Wikipedia's articles on SOPA and PIPA

• Statement from Wikipedia editors announcing decision to black out
• Wikimedia Foundation press release
• Blog post from Wikimedia Foundation Executive Director Sue Gardner
• Electronic Frontier Foundation blog post on the problems with SOPA/PIPA
   

As of 6AM PT, January 18, Google has more than 4,600 articles about the blackout. Here are a few:

• Why is Wikipedia staging a blackout and what is SOPA?
   
  , from the National Post
• Wikipedia joins blackout protest at US anti-piracy moves
   
  , from the British Broadcasting Corporation
• Wikipedia blackout over US anti-piracy bills
   
  and FEATURE: Websites blackout over 'SOPA censorship'
   
  , from Al Jazeera
• Wikipedia, Craigslist, other sites go black in SOPA protest
   
  , from the Los Angeles Times
• Google Rallies Opposition to Murdoch-Backed Anti-Piracy Bill
   
  , from BusinessWeek
• SOPA protest: The Net strikes back
   
  , from Politico
• Wikipedia blackout a 'gimmick', MPAA boss claims
   
  , from the Guardian
• Wikipedia 24-hour blackout: a reader
   
  and Why we're taking Wikipedia down for a day
   
  , from the New Statesman
• Internet-wide protests against SOPA/PIPA are kicking up a storm
   
  , by the Hindustan Times
• SOPA, PIPA: What you need to know
   
  , from CBS News
• Protest on Web Uses Shutdown to Take On Two Piracy Bills
   
  , from the New York Times
• Protesting SOPA: how to make your voice heard
   
  , from Ars Technica
• Why We've Censored Wired.com
   
  , from Wired