http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130618/06292823517/nypd-boss-angry-over-secret-nsa-surveillancebut-only-because-it-was-secret.shtml#c198 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:20:12 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130618/06292823517/nypd-boss-angry-over-secret-nsa-surveillancebut-only-because-it-was-secret.shtml#c198 .]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100901/21000710869.shtml#c469 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:20:08 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100901/21000710869.shtml#c469
thx]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11500923509/its-come-to-this-commentators-arguing-that-press-commits-crime-exposing-nsa-surveillance.shtml#c578 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:18:56 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11500923509/its-come-to-this-commentators-arguing-that-press-commits-crime-exposing-nsa-surveillance.shtml#c578 The lawr's the lawr is as instinctive to human beings as Hulk SMASH both of which are two reasons I cringe when some politician appeals to common sense: Common sense is pretty stupid.

Thomas Jefferson was similarly concerned that the common people are just not smart enough to govern by popular opinion. His arguments were that the laity were just generally dimwitted. Nowadays we recognize that we are prone to certain automatic notions (such as only people who look and smell like themselves should be regarded), and that most of us can't be bothered to apply some critical scrutiny (or even mere empathy) to an issue before we decide on policy.

The hope of our founding fathers was the notion that we'd at least be able to elect someone wiser than ourselves to represent us, but given that people voted against Obama because he is a Kenyan Muslim (and not because, say, he lied about increasing transparency of the current administration) that hope is pretty much lost.

All empires fail sooner or later. Two-and-a-half centuries will be a short run if ours turns sour so quickly.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130612/12373623425/mpaas-chris-dodd-will-be-chair-free-speech-week.shtml#c1564 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:14:15 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130612/12373623425/mpaas-chris-dodd-will-be-chair-free-speech-week.shtml#c1564 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/01573323504/senator-lindsey-graham-defends-nsa-surveillance-arguing-about-something-entirely-different.shtml#c657 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:12:30 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/01573323504/senator-lindsey-graham-defends-nsa-surveillance-arguing-about-something-entirely-different.shtml#c657
How much time did you spend writing that, anyway? And I mean researching all those comments, too. I refuse to believe you actually saved and timestamped all those comments for the sole purpose of making your comment. (Though I wouldn't really put it past you, given your worthless obsession with turning]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130612/16480623431/us-chamber-commerce-bollywood-is-so-successful-without-strong-copyrights-that-it-will-fail-unless-india-strengthens-its.shtml#c597 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:09:59 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130612/16480623431/us-chamber-commerce-bollywood-is-so-successful-without-strong-copyrights-that-it-will-fail-unless-india-strengthens-its.shtml#c597
Sheer fact, Blinky, Sheer Fact. [citation needed]]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c497 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:05:22 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c497 true criminal class in this country is politicians, of any stripe. They have no morals, they have no ethics, they only have an overriding lust for money and power.

- with apologies to Mark Twain -]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c474 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:57:49 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c474 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c455 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:52:11 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c455 However, if states start making ISPs block websites, that could easily be circumvented using a VPN.

How many people will bother with VPN?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130618/14341223521/google-without-admitting-it-gets-fisa-orders-files-lawsuit-to-challenge-fisa-gag-orders.shtml#c303 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:40:11 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130618/14341223521/google-without-admitting-it-gets-fisa-orders-files-lawsuit-to-challenge-fisa-gag-orders.shtml#c303
AJ is the bastard son of ootb and darryl.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c446 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:38:43 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c446
These morons need to think before they speak... If the site owners were held responsible for what the users did there would be mass trolling. Don't like someone? Go to their site post some illegal content like movies, music, warez, or even worse.
It's pretty much impossible to police the web.. These dinosaurs that are not in touch with the age of technology should have no right to "fix" what they don't understand. They're just gonna end up making shit worse for everybody including themselves.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c429 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:37:09 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c429
He's hoping it's working, too.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11500923509/its-come-to-this-commentators-arguing-that-press-commits-crime-exposing-nsa-surveillance.shtml#c554 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:34:57 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11500923509/its-come-to-this-commentators-arguing-that-press-commits-crime-exposing-nsa-surveillance.shtml#c554 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130612/16480623431/us-chamber-commerce-bollywood-is-so-successful-without-strong-copyrights-that-it-will-fail-unless-india-strengthens-its.shtml#c582 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:34:14 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130612/16480623431/us-chamber-commerce-bollywood-is-so-successful-without-strong-copyrights-that-it-will-fail-unless-india-strengthens-its.shtml#c582 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130612/12373623425/mpaas-chris-dodd-will-be-chair-free-speech-week.shtml#c1555 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:30:25 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130612/12373623425/mpaas-chris-dodd-will-be-chair-free-speech-week.shtml#c1555
This is a rather underhanded way of mocking the public, in retaliation for opposing SOPA. Think "Patriot" Act.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c409 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:27:02 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c409
Has it angered doctors? Is it a facelift secret?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11133123507/steve-wozniak-speaks-out-against-nsa-spying-this-is-not-my-america.shtml#c595 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:26:26 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11133123507/steve-wozniak-speaks-out-against-nsa-spying-this-is-not-my-america.shtml#c595 http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c405 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:26:05 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130618/11332223519/states-attorneys-general-want-to-special-exception-to-blame-sites-actions-users.shtml#c405 death to facebook!
Hope you're not posting from Methuen]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11500923509/its-come-to-this-commentators-arguing-that-press-commits-crime-exposing-nsa-surveillance.shtml#c553 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:24:48 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11500923509/its-come-to-this-commentators-arguing-that-press-commits-crime-exposing-nsa-surveillance.shtml#c553 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11212323508/how-knowing-government-is-spying-you-changes-how-you-act.shtml#c1384 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:22:56 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130617/11212323508/how-knowing-government-is-spying-you-changes-how-you-act.shtml#c1384