[Chapter 745: No Limits]
Watching the Terminator governor on TV, William White felt a bit frustrated. The VCD they bought back home honestly didn't offer the best quality. However, with color TVs not being high definition and lacking cable, the picture quality wasn't entirely unacceptable.
That wasn't what bothered William White the most; it was the fact that he had to resort to using pirated copies of his own movies. Good grief, is there anything more ridiculous than that?
"Sir, the quality isn't great. If we can't improve the picture, we'll really be in trouble." Tom didn't finish his sentence, noticing the boss wasn't looking too pleased.
"Sure, I can agree with that, Tom, but isn't it ironic we don't have legitimate discs? And what's up with this translation?"
"Well, sir, even if the quality is poor, it might be okay. If it were any better, this thing would probably sell like hotcakes everywhere."
"Ah, let's not dwell on that. This is MPEG's problem, not ours. By the way, let's sue them; our copyright hasn't been respected."
Since the boss said so, the staff had to comply. In truth, this method had to be better than VHS. At least now, only factories produced these discs.
William White understood one thing: since the copyright issue could not be resolved, he might as well upset the whole market.
You can only make MPEG formats, but I won't support that. White Films and Disney wouldn't have any MPEG versions either. With Sony and Philips involved, there would definitely be at least four types of digital video formats available in America.
"Is that Sony's gaming console? They sure work fast."
"It's still two days away from hitting the market. This is from the electronic stores. It's comparable to the PS3, though the 3D acceleration isn't quite as good."
Even though this day was anticipated, seeing the competitor's product stirred up some feelings of uncertainty and annoyance.
"Here comes the competition; I bet the Justice Department is thrilled. Striving to support the Japanese industry, huh, now that's a pretty clever idea."
Tom could only chuckle bitterly. At this point, discussing it meant little. What he needed to focus on was how to win in the upcoming competition.
"Sir, if Sony succeeds, the other Japanese companies will surely start stirring."
"Could be, but we have the largest user base. Typically, aside from hardcore gamers, nobody would set up two consoles at home. What's essential is that the game cartridges aren't compatible. So, whoever has a larger customer base will profit the most."
William White didn't worry much about Sony's game console. The picture quality wouldn't surpass his, and they wouldn't have a better selection of games. If they could win over the competition with those, then Legendary World should sell out as soon as possible.
...
Of course, it was a must to get under the Justice Department's skin as well. You guys knew the Japanese people were coming, didn't you? You did this on purpose, right? Accepting lobbying groups might have been legal, but it couldn't withstand the backlash from the American public.
"Jason, that's exactly what the boss meant."
"Wow, the Justice Department really has no luck; they're getting a sequel."
"Ha! Serves them right. Antitrust? I haven't seen them break up JPMorgan and Citibank."
...
In truth, Washington was in over its head. Just count how many people hadn't been offended.
The big shots in the military were already thinking of throwing in the towel. Soldiers were tough to manage as it was, and now they could reportedly engage in same-sex relationships without intervention.
'Damn, before I head to war, shouldn't I at least have a little time to let them do their thing? Voluntary is one thing; if there's any coercion, I won't have to do anything.'
Watching the intense drills, several military bigwigs wore stern expressions. Even so, they dared not voice their concerns.
It used to be discrimination, but now it was better. Just like black guys, if you show even a hint of contempt and disdain, there is a high chance that you will be sued.
Even if you were a general, it was just a job. Fine, if that's what you enjoy, keep at it. God bless, just please don't let there be a massive war. This wasn't the army I wanted.
...
Unhappy military brass meant unhappy tycoons. And as for those bystanders, they too were unhappy seeing the healthcare reform dragging its feet.
After accepting several terms, the healthcare system had indeed taken shape. Old man Clinton delivered on most of his campaign promises.
Ultimately, America had always sought to avoid becoming a welfare state. Living off handouts was not the mainstream value here.
At this point, it didn't matter what anyone said. The U.S. was making great strides toward a welfare era. Sooner or later, they would be dragged down by their own welfare system.
What? The author's views aren't right? Welfare systems aren't good?
Cough, cough, let's clarify; basic security is undoubtedly necessary. In a modern society, if people died of hunger, that would indeed be a disaster.
Take a look at the newer European countries; aside from giving birth, what contribution do these new immigrants make to society?
What? Giving birth is a contribution?
Haha, the kids raised in such families might turn out fine, but given the environment, it's unrealistic to expect too much.
Pissing people off? The big wigs in Washington didn't care. Whenever policies were introduced, there would always be those who were harmed. However, being picked on publicly, that was genuinely disheartening.
...
The protection of the Japanese industry? What kind of nonsense is that?
A donkey dyed cherry blossom pink was denounced by animal rights activists.
Alright, NBC chose to apologize, dressing the donkey in a kimono.
As soon as Sony's gaming console launched, similar fiascos played out across the country. Sure, the tactics were quite dirty, but they were also incredibly effective.
"Damn it, isn't that gaming console produced by the Japanese people? That guy..."
"Bill, getting angry won't solve the problem. The Japanese people are stealing our jobs, and many support that idea."
"Al, what can be done? Can we tax the Japanese industry? Trade protectionism isn't a good idea."
"Bill, here's a personal suggestion; if you plan to run for reelection, you'd better mend some relationships in the next few years. I still stand by my point; William White isn't a democratic figure."
Al Gore's comments made Clinton nod in agreement. He certainly messed up; he underestimated William White's influence and integrity from the start.
...
"President, negotiations with the MPEG have fallen through. White Systems just held a press conference announcing that DVD1's compression format will be released by the end of the year. Their format fully considers copyright issues. By the way, they've officially filed a lawsuit."
"Tanaka, what's your take?"
"President, this foreign guy is just too cunning. He didn't really develop any digital video. MPEG wouldn't cooperate, so he decided to go his own way."
"Ha, that's not the point. The point is that pirated videos are appearing, and the format they use is all MPEG."
"President, they were never licensed to Chinese companies, right?"
"Baka! You invent a weapon, and now it's harming people, and you claim you can't control it? In this regard, William White isn't wrong. Sigh, we won't have it easy at Sony."
*****
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