As you may well imagine, the sites from which I usual cull my blog fodder have either been out of action or focusing exclusively on the pleas against SOPA and PIPA during this day of protest (as have I.)

In lieu of my usual curation of stories, even a minimal link dump, here are a few more posts worth reading about SOPA and PIPA.

PJ at Groklaw has a pretty good summary of the day’s events, as the sunset sets (at least here on the East Coast.)

Kevin Marks offered via Techdirt a translation of some of the latest frothy blatherings from current MPAA chief and former Senator Dodd. I honestly see visions of him dictating this, neck veins bulging and flecks of spittle flying from his lips. I am a bit galled that he has the temerity to call an “abuse of power” the actions of site and network service operators defending themselves from the very existential threat he has been championing through incredibly deep pocketed lobbying.

That’s not the end of it, either. Also on Techdirt, Mike Masnick relays how the MPAA is now trying to downplay the web wide blackout, claiming no large sites participated. Google? Wikipedia? Yeah, those are inconsequential. Even among technology enthusiasts and early adopters, clearly no one has ever heard of them.

And finally, Lauren Weinstein wonders what happens when the banners come down and the lights go back on at all the the protesting sites. Joe Brockmeier at ReadWriteWeb poses similar questions about how we sustain vigilance against bad ideas advanced by those whose bank balances outstrip any sense they might have of the greater public good. Alexis Madrigal at The Atlantic touches on many of the same questions, drawing parallels to other movements and how to encourage focus, break out of the technology centric echo chamber and sustain momentum.

All are worthy thoughts to bear in mind as we tally our victories and lick our wounds, returning from whence we respectively came. Tha may be the usual state of apathy about issues that are admittedly not the easiest to understand. Or it may be the near constant apprehension I know I am not alone in feeling over what lunatic scheme Hollywood will try next rather than engaging in a meaningful dialogue about real means of protecting and bostering cultural creation without damage the very public whoser heritage it is.

Hopefully a few people, at least, were informed enough by today’s events to perhaps to be lead through greater awareness to that latter group, being more mindful than before of what is at stake when seemingly obscure legislation like SOPA and PIPA is next proposed.

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Mitchell Baker, head lizard wrangler for Mozilla, has a very clear post for those still struggling to understand the problems with the proposed SOPA and PIPA legislation. As maker of the Firefox browser and a very active organization in shaping many new developments on the web, Mozilla has a huge stake in the outcome.

I like Mitchell’s analogy of a store. While not perfect as the costs of altering virtual directories and digital maps is different than their physical counterparts, the overall absurdity of trying to legislate around a blatant pirate site is no less absurd.

The solution under the proposed bills is to make it as difficult as possible to find or interact with the store. Maps showing the location of the store must be changed to hide it(1). The road to the store must be blocked off so that it’s difficult to physically get to there(2). Directory services must unlist the store’s phone number and address(3). Credit card companies(4) would have to cease providing services to the store. Local newspapers would no longer be allowed to place ads for the video store(5). And to make sure it all happens, any person or organization who doesn’t do this is subject to penalties(6). Even publishing a newsletter that tells people where the store is would be prohibited by this legislation(7).

Her conclusion is also compelling to me, that SOPA and PIPA are ill timed as the world of online content is heavily in flux. The implication is that many of the solutions we might consider would be bad fits, not just DNS blocking and the other measures in these bills. She admits room as well for those that prefer to make user of existing, traditional business models where an author prefers to limit access and use a per-per-view model.

PIPA/SOPA and Why You Should Care, Lizard Wrangling

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