Latest Techdirt Comments http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c298 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:40:42 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c298 Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101209/09504712210/dailydirt-taking-another-look-nuclear-energy.shtml#c96 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:40:26 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101209/09504712210/dailydirt-taking-another-look-nuclear-energy.shtml#c96
Reducing energy consumption won't work; it never has. Other people just consume the cheaper fossil fuels. And unless you want to go to war to enforce your opinion, it is a losing battle.

Green energy is waiting for battery technology. The best we have is lithium ion, and that took a quarter century to develop.

One solution to global warming is to move fully to nuclear and wean off coal. (Oil and gas don't really affect climate change compared to coal.) Of course, another solution is to just deal with the consequences, like migrating farms and relocating coastal cities.]]> Re: Ripping wings off flies http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c291 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:38:27 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c291 I laugh at Prenda's 'reputational harm' http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/12190223151/prendas-paul-hansmeier-asks-appeals-court-to-delay-sanctions-appeals-court-says-no-try-again.shtml#c388 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:37:11 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/12190223151/prendas-paul-hansmeier-asks-appeals-court-to-delay-sanctions-appeals-court-says-no-try-again.shtml#c388
From the RIAA's heart I stab at thee; for the MPAA's sake I spit my last breath at thee.
]]> Setting the record straight. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130502/07475922914/why-even-good-hospitals-doctors-are-obstacle-to-better-cheaper-healthcare.shtml#c142 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:35:30 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130502/07475922914/why-even-good-hospitals-doctors-are-obstacle-to-better-cheaper-healthcare.shtml#c142
One might think that this one size fits all deal is great, but one has to look at the full story behind the recent IRS scandal to see it doesn't work.]]> Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c281 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:33:33 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c281 for a small minority of nut cases they are training for mayhem which no rational person can comprehend.

Ahhh, the heart of the bullshit, served with the duck included. No rational people can comprehend but trust us, it's there.

This notion that video games train people is such epic bullshit. Let's break it down shall we?

Let's analyze a bit what's needed to kill, and how videogames do or do not help:
1. Knowledge of how to use weapons - I've never fired a gun in my life, but I've heard tell from people who have that video games don't help you shoot. I've never learned shit about knife work from video games, though two years in a butcher shop sure helped.
2. Physical conditioning - Running around attacking people takes a certain amount of stamina. Halo never helped my endurance of anything except junk food.
3. Strategy and tactics - Video game AI is pretty lame sauce when compared to the real thing, even to this day, and game scenarios are rarely realistic.

Now, if what you're trying to convey is that video games somehow morally "train" people to kill (which is nonsense on its face) bear in mind that the VAST majority of games have strong moral overtones, at least in the broad strokes. DOOM is fighting demons from Hell, Halo is fighting aliens who want to exterminate humanity, Warcraft is fighting the undead who want to exterminate life (there are other baddies in WoW, but that's 40 paragraphs on its own). Sure there are outliers such as indie/homegrown stuff with any kind of content you can imagine (and probably some sick shit you would have never thought of), but that's not what we're really talking about, is it?

In fact part of the appeal of many video games is being the good guy, saving the civilians, blah blah blah. It aligns with our pre-existing morals and hero fantasies.

So, how exactly does a video game train someone in ways no one can understand? Cause I sure can't understand it.]]> Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/12190223151/prendas-paul-hansmeier-asks-appeals-court-to-delay-sanctions-appeals-court-says-no-try-again.shtml#c381 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:32:59 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/12190223151/prendas-paul-hansmeier-asks-appeals-court-to-delay-sanctions-appeals-court-says-no-try-again.shtml#c381 1. that they are not engaged in fraud
2. that the attorneys are not the plaintiffs
3. that the copyright transfer was legitimate and real
4. that their investigation of copyright defendants was more substantial than the defense was claiming
5. that they were putting real attorneys in front of the judge and not just stand up guys with no power to represent or bind the plaintiffs
. . . and other things]]> Responsibility http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c270 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:30:34 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c270 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/12190223151/prendas-paul-hansmeier-asks-appeals-court-to-delay-sanctions-appeals-court-says-no-try-again.shtml#c363 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:28:56 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/12190223151/prendas-paul-hansmeier-asks-appeals-court-to-delay-sanctions-appeals-court-says-no-try-again.shtml#c363 If the judge felt there was fraud here, should he have not
> referred it to the police or other authorities to look into?

Isn't that what he did? Isn't that what you are complaining about?

And lawyers engaging in fraud before the court should have to pay the defense's attorney's fees.

And Prenda did get due process. All kinds of due process. They had plenty of opportunity to show that they were not engaging in fraud and to rebut the defense accusations of fraud. But instead of embarrass the defense by showing their actions were legitimate, they engaged in hand waving and silence. The judge and defense rightfully concluded, based on the available evidence, that Prenda and gang are engaged in fraud.

So what's the problem exactly?]]> Copyfraud http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/11552823150/major-hollywood-studios-all-sent-bogus-dmca-takedowns-concerning-pirate-bay-documentary.shtml#c796 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:26:36 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130520/11552823150/major-hollywood-studios-all-sent-bogus-dmca-takedowns-concerning-pirate-bay-documentary.shtml#c796
This is a very clear copyright infringement, it's even a case of disputing the copyright away from the creator of the work.]]> Ripping wings off flies http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c257 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:25:30 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c257
So with my ill conceived logic the introduction of violent video games should show a reduction in animal cruelty and flightless flies.]]> Re: There's always a scapegoat http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c238 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:25:25 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c238 Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/16464823123/swedish-prosecutor-claims-registrar-se-domains-being-accomplice-infringement-because-pirate-bay-domain.shtml#c842 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:25:01 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/16464823123/swedish-prosecutor-claims-registrar-se-domains-being-accomplice-infringement-because-pirate-bay-domain.shtml#c842 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c219 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:23:17 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c219 Re: Re: Re: Topic? http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c217 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:23:04 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c217 Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130505/14372422951/court-finds-fantasy-stories-obscene.shtml#c839 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:23:00 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130505/14372422951/court-finds-fantasy-stories-obscene.shtml#c839 Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101209/09504712210/dailydirt-taking-another-look-nuclear-energy.shtml#c94 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:22:54 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101209/09504712210/dailydirt-taking-another-look-nuclear-energy.shtml#c94

Or maybe that does not happen.
Maybe every generation is safer and more efficient. Maybe NIMBY attitudes should not be allowed to place reactors on sea-level beaches in tsunami zones. Maybe the anti-nuke activists should enlighten themselves every now and then.]]> Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c209 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:22:24 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130517/13573923121/retired-lt-col-violent-media-has-bred-generation-killers.shtml#c209
There will always be people who can't distinguish fantasy from reality (schizophrenics) and there will always be people who like violence (psychopaths). Violent video games and movies have nothing to do with either.]]> Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110311/01393713442/dailydirt-crackpots-versus-real-scientists.shtml#c282 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:22:22 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110311/01393713442/dailydirt-crackpots-versus-real-scientists.shtml#c282 Dr LaPierre calling... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130502/07475922914/why-even-good-hospitals-doctors-are-obstacle-to-better-cheaper-healthcare.shtml#c127 Tue, 21 May 2013 06:21:03 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130502/07475922914/why-even-good-hospitals-doctors-are-obstacle-to-better-cheaper-healthcare.shtml#c127
While they're at it, they can keep pushing AGW denialism, so more extreme weather will harm more people too. I'm just surprised the Big Medicine conspiracy isn't pushing Romneycare so that more people can 'afford' their tender mercies?

AS usual, I am thankful for living in my 'socialist heaven' that is the Tory wasteland I inhabit.]]>