From American Thinker:
You Tube and Warner Music Group today pulled a highly popular video that very succinctly and clearly spelled out the roots of the current economic crisis.The 9:59 video entitled “Burning Down the House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis” played four different songs under a fast moving video sequence that very clearly tied Democrats like Chris Dodd, Franklin Raines, Jim Johnson and Barack Obama to policies and corruption related to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. It cleverly showed how the “affordable mortgage” programs sent an economic virus through the entire economy and showed Republican efforts to intervene and regulate being blocked.
For Obama and all congressional Democrats, it was a devastating video.
The video had almost a perfect viewer rating and had been viewed some 1.2 million times according to the You Tube counters. Sometime around 3:45 EDT the video disappeared with the banner saying “This Video is no longer available due to a copywrite claim by Warner Music Group.”
As one commenter at AT pointed out:
YouTube is owned by Google. Warner Music Group is owned by Time Warner. Google and Time Warner are two of Obama biggest financial contributors.
The obvious way to remedy this latest attempt to control information and disappear criticism damaging to Obama and Democrats (under admittedly plausible and legal pretexts — though as Dan points out, such conscientious legalism seems to be rather curiously selective) is to recut the video with public domain music, or with no music whatsoever.
But while that is being done, let’s not lose sight of the bigger problem here — namely that, as with the mainstream press, information giants like Time Warner and Google, once they’ve committed to allowing politics to influence their behavior with respect to speech, should be readily and loudly identified as partisans who are working to control national narratives.
Not that they don’t have that right; just that market pressures should be brought bear on them for behaving in a way that would seem to run counter (particularly in the case of Google and YouTube) to their public facade of facilitators of open source information.
I wouldn’t normally advocate for such a thing, but I say in instances such as these, encourage the “offending” material to go viral by way of email and hosting on thousands of other sites. And keep switching the hosting servers.
That’ll keep Time Warner busy.
Meanwhile here’s a version still extant. Pass it along.
Comment by cardeblu on 9/30 @ 11:52 am #
Here’s another one. I’ve emailed it to quite a few people along with the warning to pass it along quickly as it might get taken down, too.
Comment by happyfeet on 9/30 @ 11:56 am #
Time Warner finds its most purest expression in HBO I think.
Comment by Mr. Pink on 9/30 @ 12:00 pm #
I heard Bill Mauher is getting a show on NPR soon.
Comment by bdbuttons on 9/30 @ 12:07 pm #
i love the children!
anecdote; was in conv store t/day- overheard two peeps wailing-’oh the dow is down…blah blah…can u imagine…social security/bush/blah blah”
normally I’d walk/ignore- but I couldn’t/had to say as I walked out ” It was voluntary”[volvo-tiery] Don’t be a Down Bee- be a Do Bee/ I am up to date on da shit-volunteer for America[ thanks Grace!]
going to New Hampshire[live free or die]-p.s;- hav bitchin van to squirrel ladies about!
Comment by Kresh on 9/30 @ 12:09 pm #
INFORMATION MUST BE FREE!
Or, at least, very cheap… kinda like the shots Pelosi took at the repubs right before the vote. So, yeah, the MSM as usual.
Comment by Republican on Acid on 9/30 @ 12:13 pm #
If only our side could come up with something as genius as this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW9b0xr06qA
Comment by Big Dan on 9/30 @ 12:25 pm #
BDB, please continue to post your travels so we can
warntell all the ladies you are coming.Comment by Roland THTG on 9/30 @ 12:30 pm #
If only our side could come up with something as genius as this:
Creepy.
Like those Nork kids signing for Dear Leader.
Comment by Roland THTG on 9/30 @ 12:31 pm #
or singing
Comment by S. Weasel on 9/30 @ 12:31 pm #
It would be better without the music anyway; I found the awkward transitions between songs really annoying. Also, it could use a bit of tightening at the end.
Comment by Bob Reed on 9/30 @ 12:32 pm #
Well, I’ve already X’d time-Warner long ago…I guess it’s time to X google too
Comment by Christopher Taylor on 9/30 @ 12:40 pm #
The musical sequences were a bit long but as far as I understand are still within fair use. Yet Google is swift to yank anything that gets any complaints from a rich company, so it’s not surprising that this got the hook. Too bad the internet won’t let anything disappear.
And I agree with Stoaty, the music editing wasn’t good - and what was with that crappy metrosexual version of Free Falling?
Comment by Puck on 9/30 @ 12:46 pm #
It’s O’s world. We just live in it.
Comment by thor on 9/30 @ 12:48 pm #
You’re just renting monthly storage space in it, actually.
Comment by dre on 9/30 @ 12:48 pm #
I just wish that O! when he had that stadium full of folks would have done the card thing that they do so well in N. Korea.
Comment by thor on 9/30 @ 12:52 pm #
On this day Jeff donned a red bandanna over his brow and called for web anarchy. Community Organizer bonafides complete!
Saul Alinsky sends his best, by the way.
Comment by Pablo on 9/30 @ 1:02 pm #
The original version is still up here. I dunno if Jeff’s link has been cahnged, but that guy’s version is gone.
Christopher, I believe that’s John Mayer.
Comment by Christopher Taylor on 9/30 @ 1:22 pm #
Whoever it was I hate that breathy, earnest “I love you so much I cut my gonads off and grew breasts” style of singing and music.
Comment by Stephen R on 9/30 @ 1:29 pm #
Yeah — they guy who did the original should release a version with no music whatsoever. Then people could pick it up, add what ever soundtrack to it, and post it all over the place.
(The redubbed version linked by that last commenter doesn’t have Chris Dodd talking, because the entire sound is replaced….)
I have a friend who might be willing to do new music to it if we had a clean copy to work with.
Comment by Johnny Ray on 9/30 @ 1:30 pm #
Whoever it was I hate that breathy, earnest “I love you so much I cut my gonads off and grew breasts†style of singing and music.
Yeah, what a buncha whiners.
Comment by Jay on 9/30 @ 1:41 pm #
Jeff, the obvious solution you mention would be great, except, we all know, I think you warned us of the possibility of this very phenomenon a while back.
Pingback by ricketyclick » Blog Archive » Not Getting It on 9/30 @ 1:46 pm #
[...] media buddies at Google and, my gosh, Time/Warner wouldn’t be so petty as to quash a Youtube video linking Obama and his comrades to the credit crisis, would they? [Here's a version without the copyright-encumbered background [...]
Comment by Jeffersonian on 9/30 @ 2:18 pm #
What it means is that Lenin isn’t going to have to buy that rope from the last capitalist he’ll hang, it’ll be donated by the empty-headed fool.
Comment by bdbuttons on 9/30 @ 2:47 pm #
Bitchin’ van checklist/
Duct tape-mask-fuzzy dice-rope/
just kiddin sistah
Comment by John Cheshire on 9/30 @ 2:57 pm #
Its been re-posted
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxgSubmiGt8
Comment by Warren Bonesteel on 9/30 @ 2:59 pm #
The single major individual shareholder in GOOG is Omid Kordestani. Origianlly friom Iran.
Google it…
Same can be said for most major companies in America. Someone who is from a Muslim Majority nation owns large chunks of the stocks.
No. I’m not kidding. Do the research.
Comment by Rusty on 9/30 @ 4:22 pm #
It’s the internet ,thor, there are no rules. Free market and all that.
Comment by Pellegri on 9/30 @ 4:36 pm #
I can’t believe you said that–well, not unironically, thor, but as if the web weren’t anarchy already.
Un-unironic? Ow, my brain.
Comment by happyfeet on 9/30 @ 4:39 pm #
Hey you. Where you been?
Comment by JD on 9/30 @ 4:40 pm #
PELLEGRI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pingback by Tennesseefree.com » Burning Down The House: UPDATE! Video was Banned by O!’s Truth Squads? But, not for long! it’s BACK! What Caused Our Economic Crisis? on 9/30 @ 4:42 pm #
[...] You Tube pulled the first version of this video. [...]
Pingback by Hey Jeff….. – Political Byline on 9/30 @ 5:22 pm #
[...] prefer this tune [...]
Comment by Pablo on 9/30 @ 5:39 pm #
Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel have announced their first joint performance ever, a benefit for Obama.
The day the music died.
Comment by Pellegri on 9/30 @ 5:54 pm #
JD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ♥
hf: Lost in the depths of the internet. Actually, my brother introduced me to World of Warcraft and it went very downhill from there. But I got better! …I mean, I’m arguing against “LOL DUMB MOOSEHUNTER BUSH IN A WIG” moonbats … in World of Warcraft.
Pingback by Steynian 259 « Free Mark Steyn! on 9/30 @ 5:54 pm #
[...] FORBIDDEN VIDEO! Burning down “Burning Down the Houseâ€Â; not wiped out yet …. [...]
Comment by Jeff G. on 9/30 @ 7:11 pm #
That just put a sword in the penile hole of my day, Pablo.
Anybody but Billy.
Comment by alppuccino on 9/30 @ 7:19 pm #
Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel have announced their first joint performance ever
I wonder who’ll be on top.
Comment by happyfeet on 9/30 @ 7:32 pm #
oh. WoW scares me. I think it causes weight gain. But you, aren’t you still in school? Did you graduate? You are west coast yes? It is hot here and also they just passed a law where fast food restaurants have to label all their menus with nutrition facts. So no more In N Out or Subway or nothing for me, which is ok. I’m just not having any part of it.
Comment by JD on 9/30 @ 7:34 pm #
Pellegri - Keep on fighting the good fight. I miss you coming ’round here.
Comment by Pablo on 9/30 @ 7:43 pm #
I was not happy to relate that news, Jeff. But, alas.
Why, Billy?
Comment by McGehee on 9/30 @ 7:44 pm #
Billy Joel has always been a whiny little snot, a charter member of the “Too Dumb to Just Shut Up and Sing” club.
Comment by happyfeet on 9/30 @ 7:50 pm #
Billy Joel is a musician songwritey person but he is not an interesting person. What does Billy Joel think I never wonder. I think he’s kind of a drunk too.
Comment by happyfeet on 9/30 @ 7:54 pm #
An unattractive drunk what writes songs and collects royalties. That’s Billy. Also he’s like eighty years old and he’s still called Billy. That’s kind of poignant.
Comment by dre on 9/30 @ 7:56 pm #
So the piano had couple of drinks and yes smoking was allowed. God “Liberals” suck.
Comment by lee on 9/30 @ 7:57 pm #
I never heard Mr. Joel do anything but sing, most recently in concert about 6 months ago.
He was awesome.
I’m going to miss him.
Comment by dre on 9/30 @ 7:58 pm #
“Man what am do at Protein Wisdom”? La lalalal la la la la
Comment by happyfeet on 9/30 @ 7:59 pm #
I miss him too. But here we are waving Billy and Brucie goodbye. Wo-o and et cetera.
Comment by dre on 9/30 @ 8:00 pm #
hf
BILLY Martin. Obligatory: Yankees suck.
Comment by Pablo on 9/30 @ 8:00 pm #
Billy was just fine until Christie Brinkley broke him.
Pingback by A Tale of Two Videos | The Sundries Shack on 9/30 @ 8:18 pm #
[...] now-famous “Burning Down the House” video has been pulled from YouTube after a copyright complaint from the Warner Music Group. Warner Music, which is owned [...]
Comment by Education Guy on 9/30 @ 8:27 pm #
Christie Brinkley, still hot. So there’s that.
Comment by Pellegri on 9/30 @ 8:35 pm #
JD: I’ll be around more often, promise. My dad has turned into an Obamabot and it frightens the hell out of me. Speaking of, have we discussed the mysterious PNAC conspiracy that Bush et. al. are supposedly marching in lockstep with? Since that’s what’s chased him into the arms of O!’s supporters, since apparently neofascism in the guise of CHANGE! and HOPE! is preferable to a sometimes-proactive defense of the homeland. Or somethin’.
I don’t like arguing with him. He used to be pretty levelheaded about this stuff. :(
hf: I have graduated! But now I’m in graduate school for library science. I’m thinking this may have been a bad move on my part in terms of political climate, but I don’t need to deal with these people in person most of the time and I love the information science aspect, so I may survive. California is a sad home state to have these days.
Comment by happyfeet on 9/30 @ 8:50 pm #
Yay! oh. You will meet some characters there for sure. Were you at ALA this year? I was at a booth. Sort of. We walked around a lot mostly. Best thing I got there was an advance copy of The Hunger Games. If you like the info science part and you are restless see if you can do a semester at UT - there is a Dr. Doty what is cool beans. Liberal of course, but cool beans. Also he tells you where the government hides all the informations and stuff.
Comment by jd on 9/30 @ 8:56 pm #
Pellegri - Same thing with the family unit thing here. My father, who I love, respect, and admire, is a full on frothing raging Obama zealot. He started yelling at me on the phone last night about something, and I set my cell phone down and walked away. He called back about 3 hours later and apologized. I have never seen anything like it.
Comment by happyfeet on 9/30 @ 8:57 pm #
oh. He hasn’t done *Federal Information Policy* in awhile. His *Introduction to Doctoral Research and Theory I* would rock though I bet. *Understanding and Serving Users* … lame. *Seminar in Information Policy* … lame.
Comment by Christopher Taylor on 9/30 @ 9:00 pm #
Billy was just fine until Christie Brinkley broke him.
A price well worth paying.
Comment by PEACE BE UPON HIM on 9/30 @ 9:04 pm #
YOU SILLY INFIDELS ALLOW SOMEONE LIKE THE MUSIC MAN HE OF THE DUELING PIANO TOUR WITH ELTON JOHN CRUMBLE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE VAGINA OF INFIDEL BRINKLEY WHO LOOKS BETTER IN A SACK CLOTH OR A DESIGNER BURQA. YMMV.
Comment by jc on 9/30 @ 9:37 pm #
I am interested in fighting back. I would love to join with millions of other Americans in a systematic boycott of those elements of the MSM that piss me off. Unfortunately the only truly effective boycott is going to succeed by killing off their advertising revenue.
As I see it, boycotters would choose one MSM outlet at a time, and one advertiser at a time and force a change in their behavior through the denial of funding. It saddens me that I would be participating in abusing corporate citizens who really did not do anything wrong. However, I can’t see that I have any real choices left.
Comment by happyfeet on 9/30 @ 9:46 pm #
No jc. That ain’t the way you do it. That’s too fraught with all those thingers what happen when things get targeted. Success on those terms would be very creepy I think. I think SarahW knows what I mean. What you do is, figure what you spent on media last year. This year spend 25% less. Or next year. Whatever. A couple fewer movies. Ditch a magazine subscription or two. Drop down to basic cable. Figure it out. It’s really one of those think globally act very a lot locally thingers. Everyone’s media habits are different (ok that’s not true but true enough for this conversation really), so media is a lot resistant to collective action like what you describe I think.
Comment by Christopher Taylor on 9/30 @ 10:23 pm #
Sure, watch less television. Don’t rent as many movies. Drop a newspaper. Skip movies that come out unless they are really something special. There’s a lot you can do to make a dent - and even if you don’t have much of a cumulative effect, hey chances are your life will be better for it anyway. Buy used books, play old board games, go for a walk, have a picnic, see the museum, go to the local theater pub showing second run stuff. See a local play - high schools put them on all the time for cheap.
Comment by Jeff G. on 9/30 @ 10:37 pm #
I saw Billy in concert a few months back, too. He was great. And he’s a funny guy — self made, high school dropout who’s made a living as a musician since he was 14. No small feat.
I think for guys like Billy and Bruce, so much of their youth and glory is caught up in those years between Nixon and Carter that they are kinda always looking to get back to Zanzibar, or Elaine’s — their Glory Days.
Joel always wanted to be a rocker. But he’s a great singer songwriter. Too bad he tries so hard to be something else. This is part of that, I bet.
Mitch Hedberg had a great bit about turkey. Turkey pastrami; turkey bacon; turkey bologna… Just be yourself, man! I love you just the way you are…
Comment by jc on 9/30 @ 10:41 pm #
Happyfeet & CT,
I have already done all that. It isn’t enough. I believe we are creeping towards a soul-denying state and one key reason is the loss of any real meaning of the words “Freedom of the Press.”
Freedom of the Press is a right. Government should take no action about it because that would be completely inappropriate. However, citizens should take action. Rights have no meaning without responsibilities. For example, I have a right to a weapon. I have a responsibility to use my weapons safely and for legal purposes.
There presently is a media cabal whereby the people’s airwaves have been licensed to a small group that has degenerated into a trust that should be busted. Since we are up against the financial powerhouses GE, Disney, Viacomm, TimeWarner, and even Newscorp we have to employ methods that have some hope of success.
We are slowly defeating NYT, Gannett, WPO and McClatchy but I fear that is for the wrong reasons. Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life.
Comment by Nikki on 10/1 @ 6:10 am #
I suspect it was taken down under the advice of their corporate lawyers. Not everything is political all of the time!
Comment by Sigivald on 10/1 @ 11:29 am #
Christopher Taylor: It doesn’t appear to me that the use of significant portions of songs as background music is in any way “fair use”.
Remember, the video is not commentary on the songs or review of the songs, nor parody of the songs, any of which might get them in under the fair use exemptions.
Comment by Christopher Taylor on 10/1 @ 11:41 am #
The video does not make money on the songs, nor does it promote a product. It is a freelance effort without any profit or loss of profit to any company. Free Use allows you to use portions of copyrighted materials in just such an effort, as long as you don’t use too much of the materials. How much is an area of some discussion, but not even half of any of any of the songs were used. I think it would pass the test, if it went to court.
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Comment by Pablo on 10/1 @ 9:28 pm #
It doesn’t matter if it’s fair use or not. If You Tube doesn’t want the headache, or needs plausible deniability, a copyright claim is cause enough for them to take it down.
Comment by Obiwan on 10/2 @ 1:17 am #
Quite the sensationalist video. Unfortunately, this is so slanted it may tip the axis of the earth.
The truth is that there’s enough blame to go around everywhere. Factcheck.org recently released an article about “who is to blame”, and I think that you should give it an honest read.
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/who_caused_the_economic_crisis.html
Comment by Christopher Taylor on 10/3 @ 11:39 am #
Obiwan I agree there’s plenty of blame to go around, but I also think that it is obvious this kind of video is very important because the legacy media ONLY gives one side - the Republicans are all to blame - and lies about it to boot (It was deregulation! Bush did it!). Consider it balance, tipping the world back onto its correct axis by the weight it is slanted.
If You Tube doesn’t want the headache, or needs plausible deniability, a copyright claim is cause enough for them to take it down.
Correct.