http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/2008/09/orphan-works-trifecta-libraries-torch.html
To anybody involved in the visual arts: please educate yourself about the proposed Orphan Works legislation and write your respective representatives in the House. The legislation passed by "unanimous consent" in the Senate on Friday, which actually means that nobody voted on the bill, and it was assumed that because nobody objected that everybody agreed with it. This is OUTRAGEOUS.
The cliffnotes of the legislation is that, essentially, compensation for copyright violations will become basically null and void.
I really don't get fired up enough to talk politics on NS, but this is HUGE. If you're a photographer, videographer, writer, fine artist or anything remotely affected by copyright, you want to know about this and get involved.