I got to laugh when I see some of the replies on this forum. Most people here talk about general topics yet I speak about specific topics. When I write I do not use vague words such as somewhere or sometimes. 1 - Hep B - Here is a specific - Parents do Not have Hep B and parents and child do Not live in Hep B infested society - here is my point - so why must kids be vaccinated against Hep B at birth when their immune system is still vulnerable? 2 - Chicken Pox - I will be 49 years old soon. I had the Chicken pox as a kid and it did not kill me - In other words - it is Not a life threatening disease - so why should kids be forcibly vaccinated against this disease at birth when their immune system is still vulnerable (MMR Vaccine). 3 - I have never taken illegal drugs, I do not drink, and I do not smoke and I do Not take any prescription drugs for any chronic ailments - so I am very different than other people who take medication on a regular basis for chronic ailments especially for behavioral or psychological problems. I have a clear mind and no emotional or bahavioral or psychological problems so I do Not use Wiki to get all the answers as other ill-informed people do. Try a simple experiment - read about a controversial issue in wiki and then read about the same issue in other sources and you will get completely different views. I already know what some genius here will say - their reply will be - that any issue that does not conform to wiki or mainstream media is of course a conspiracy theory - Hehe.

Without copyright protection or patents ALL of the world can enjoy life but because of GREED IP laws ensure that only some people benefit from new inventions. People do not create new things for the sake of creativity or for personal satisfaction (altruism) they only do it for profit because they are infected with the sickness of Greed. Nikola Tesla worked for humanity and for his own curiosity. His incentive was his internal drive and desire to know - Not money. He had what most people nowadays lack - internal drive - self-satisfaction - altruism - self-fulfillment. Sick people can not understand these virtues because they only understand one thing - Money.

@HFCAMPO

Yes, you are right. It is GREED! And as one that has benefited from my GREED I am glad it works for me.

Without IP protection you would not have the ability to indulge us with your conspiracy fantasies. Without IP protection you would have little to complain about and no way to do your incessant harping.

I have had Chinese students stoutly defend the IP rights of Chinese but say it is greed that causes Microsoft to sell a five yuan plastic disc for 1000 yuan. I guess in your way of thinking, we should all get paid for our sweat but give away our ideas and innovations "free."

Free water? Where did you get free water? I guess if you ignore the sweat and time of the guy that dug the well, it is "free." I guess TV is "free" if you ignore the costs of production and transmission plus the costs of advertising paid for by GREEDY corporations.

Can I sign up to have you take me on a tour "FREE"? Or, will you GREEDILY ask I compensate you for your time and knowledge?

During the 1960's, US law stipulated all innovation done for, and as a product of government funded research, was in the public domain and while patents were issued, no royalties need be paid. After the Japanese successfully exploited research and innovation paid for by the US taxpayer it became clear that "FREE" innovation does not benefit the innovator, or those that finance the innovation. Without copyrights, patents AND IP protection, the world would have a lot less.

GREED IS GOOD! Even Marx said GREED, as you so broadly define it, works.

@ Geezer
We both, and most of us live in the real world.

The message is clear.
If we don't live in HIS world we are all sick.

I wish HE would wake up and smell the coffee. Brewed the Starbucks way.

Geezer - you know I rarely write directly to any person here but I am writing to you now.

Can I sign up to have you take me on a tour "FREE"? Or, will you GREEDILY ask I compensate you for your time and knowledge?

Well here is my answer. I created a website that I pay for and it is to share information with others - Free. Many people call and email me and I take the time to help them. Yes, I have taken people on tours for Free because they are nice people who do not smoke or drink. They have even stayed in my home in Kunming and Dali so they do Not have to pay for a hotel. So the answer is Yes.

And if someone were to clone or otherwise rip from a website and take credit for it, how would a person feel?
If they were then to make money from it, how would a person feel?

I think in either case anyone would be justified in feeling unhappy about the ripping of the site, and wanting the other party to stop.

IP laws should be observed in a civilized society. Otherwise it would be a free for all. I think we have all been guilty of downloading copyrighted materials. Mp3, e-books, movies, etc. It's not fun throwing stones in a glass house. Can't we all just get along? Ha..ha.

Someone once told me, a philosophy student I think, that there is no such thing as true altruism.

I tend to agree.

We humans are a complex breed aren't we?

There is an old expression they use in Yorkshire (UK).

'There's now't as queer as folk'.