Tuesday, March 31, 2009

House Foreign Affairs takes junket to glamorous...Van Nuys

Join the Foreign Affairs Committee! Visit London, Paris, Rome...and Van Nuys? Yes, the full committee is holding a hearing titled "Sinking the Copyright Pirates: Global Protection of Intellectual Property" April 6, in the heart of the Valley. Not as crazy as it sounds: committee Chairman Howard Berman (D) lives in Van Nuys-adjacent Valley Village, and many of the world's biggest copyright owners (Warner Bros., Disney, NBCU, among others) are right nearby. Berman -- who has a deep interest in copyright issues and formerly chaired the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property -- has assembled a high-profile line-up that includes director Steven Soderbergh, Dick Cook, Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, and Zach Horowitz, President and Chief Operating Officer, Universal Music Group.

Here's the full description:

Sinking the Copyright Pirates: Global Protection of Intellectual Property

You are respectfully requested to attend the following open hearing of the Full Committee to be held in Van Nuys Civic Center, 14410 Sylvan Street, Van Nuys, CA 91401.

Monday, April 06, 2009
10:00 (PST) AM
Van Nuys Civic Center, 14410 Sylvan Street, Van Nuys, CA 91401

Witnesses:
Mr. Steven Soderbergh
National Vice President
Directors Guild of America

Mr. Richard Cook
Chairman
The Walt Disney Studios

Mr. Michael F. Miller, Jr.
International Vice President
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes (IATSE)

Mr. Zach Horowitz
President and Chief Operating Officer
Universal Music Group

Mr. Timothy P. Trainer
President
Global Intellectual Property Strategy Center, P.C.

: Witnesses may be added.

3 comments:

  1. Ben, don't be dissing Van Nuys.

    Alumni of Van Nuys High School include Internet luminaries Vint Cerf, Jon Postel, Karl Auerbach, and, though not listed on the Van Nuys High wikipedia page, Steve Crocker. Without those guys (and others), you wouldn't have this blog on which to muse.

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  2. I can't dis Van Nuys? Even in one blog post? I mean, entire books have been written dissing Van Nuys: http://www.amazon.com/Year-Van-Nuys-Sandra-Tsing/dp/0609809512

    And I think I get a pass: my grandparents lived on Erwin St. for over 40 years (though I think their house is now technically in Valley Glen (a new neighborhood carved out by people too embarrassed to admit they lived in Van Nuys)), and my grandmother taught at Van Nuys High School (she taught ESL, so probably didn't have any of those luminaries you name as students).

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  3. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen went to Notre Dame High School, which claims to be in Sherman Oaks, but come on.

    I confused Steve Crocker with Steve Cropper from Booker T. & the M.G.s. What a disappointment.

    ReplyDelete

Comments here are moderated. I appreciate substantive comments, whether or not they agree with what I've written. Stay on topic, and be civil. Comments that contain name-calling, personal attacks, or the like will be rejected. If you want to rant about how evil the RIAA and MPAA are, and how entertainment companies' employees and attorneys are bad people, there are plenty of other places for you to go.

 
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