Archive for Uncategorized
What’s SOPA and PIPA?
SOPA and PIPA are two bills that are currently in the Senate and House of Representatives. These bills basically censor the Internet for copyright infringement. The bills give the government the right to shut down sites that let people download games, movies, and TV shows illegally. However, the bills are written so vaguely that it will do more than that. The bills enable the government to shut down any site that they feel do not filter the material well enough. And that could mean us. Book bloggers.
Still don’t get it? Watch this informative video. The people over at Fight for the Future do a much better job explaining why you need to get involved.
PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.
How does SOPA and PIPA affect me as a blogger?
SOPA and PIPA give the government and the entertainment industry the right to shut down your site if they feel you are not doing whatever it takes to prevent Internet piracy. Because of the ambiguous writing of the bills, to the wrong judge, something as simple as expressing yourself through copyrighted material – whether it be a clip from a video or an image – your website is vulnerable of being shut down.
Some things that are as simple as:
- Posting a book trailer or movie trailer
- Image to a book or movie
- An excerpt
- Quotes
can make you a target of SOPA and PIPA.
The Internet was built to be free and without regulation from the government. It is our space to voice our concerns, create something new, and share our creations with others.
But I don’t live in the United States!
Just because you do not live in the United States, it does not mean that SOPA and PIPA will not affect you. Many hosting companies and domain name companies are based in the United States. SOPA and PIPA grant the right to shut down your hosting service or your domain name even if you as an owner do not live in the United States.
Social media websites such as Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and YouTube are all based in the United States and can easily be seen as a target by the two bills.
Furthermore, if SOPA and PIPA are passed, the United States is very likely to influence other countries to write up their own Internet censorship bills.
Voice Your Concern
Tomorrow, January 18th 2012, I will join the fight against Internet Censorship by blacking out my site.
If you have WordPress, fight for your rights to a free Internet by downloading the SOPA Blackout Plugin. WordPress is also joining the fight so download the plugin today!
I strongly urge you to Write to Congress and tell them that you oppose SOPA and PIPA. Fight for the Future has a nifty form at their site.
And most importantly, spread the word. This affects us all.
Fight for your rights for a free Internet.
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Uncategorized | 
607 words
Hey all! If you haven’t noticed, Muggle-Born has another new look. This is the second time this month that I changed my theme, and I hope this one sticks around for a while.
I’ve also decided to add a few more Review Badges:
– Borrow It: Books worth reading but not really worth owning
– Masterful World-Building: Title is self explanatory
– Must Buy: Books worth buying to add to your personal collection
The Borrow It and Must Buy badges will most likely end up showing up more often than any other badges. Hopefully these will end up being useful to readers who are thinking about buying or just borrowing certain books. 
Also, my love for romance has been growing recently so I finally decided to show some romance novel appreciation on Muggle-Born. I’m not exactly sure what the demographics are for the blog, but note that these reviews for adult romance novels will definitely be labeled differently than my YA and MG reviews. These reviews will be called Amortentia Reviews (Harry Potter love potion – I couldn’t resist) and will be introduced with the following banner:
I plan on keeping Amortentia Reviews very short and sweet, outlining my thoughts on five basic ingredients: Heroine, Hero, Supporting Cast, Plot, and Romance. There is no regular schedule for these reviews but do keep an eye out for them if you’re interested!
I will be away for two weeks starting the 29th, so if I fall off the face of the earth, don’t worry, I should be back before you know it. I’ll have scheduled posts for the time that I am gone, but I will probably not be around as much on Twitter and the general blogosphere.
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Uncategorized - Updates | 364 words
Books Read in 2010: 135
Click for Complete List
Best Book in a Series: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Best Stand-Alone Book: Stolen by Lucy Christopher
Best Historical Fiction: Everlasting by Angie Frazier
Best Romance: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
Best Science Fiction: A Web of Air by Philip Reeve
Best Paranormal / Fantasy: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Best Contemporary: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Best Non-YA: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Favorite Female Character: Katniss Everdeen, Mockingjay
Favorite Male Character: Jamie Fraser, Outlander
Challenges
100 Books Challenge: 135/100 Books Read
YA Dystopian Reading Challenge: 5/5 Books Read
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Uncategorized - Author: Angie Frazier, Author: Becca Fitzpatrick, Author: David Levithan, Author: Diana Gabaldon, Author: John Green, Author: Maggie Stiefvater, Author: Philip Reeve, Author: Suzanne Collins, Book: A Web of Air, Book: Everlasting, Book: Hunger Games, Book: Hush Hush, Book: Linger, Book: Mockingjay, Book: Outlander, Book: Will Grayson Will Grayson, Series: Hungry City Prequels, Series: The Wolves of Mercy Falls | 321 words
- Action Packed
- Hahaha Funny
- Keeps You Guessing
- Heartwarmer
- Makes You Think
- Page-Turner
- Poetic Prose
- Romantic Read
- Tear-Jerker
