Latest Techdirt Comments http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c259 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:34:04 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c259 Wow, you guys really obsess over these guys. You do realize that there's all kinds of dirtbags out there who do way worse things, right?Yes, there are bigger dirtbags that do way worse. Let me give an example.
In an attempt to defend their activities, Hansmeier referenced the the actions of the RIAA and MPAA.
Look judge, there are bigger criminals than Prenda, see?

They got away with this copyright trolling extortion shakedown racket and abuse of the court system to send "settlement letters" for a long time before the courts caught on. So why shouldn't we be able to get away with it too?

But the RIAA/MPAA were smart enough to see the end of copyright trolling, and switched to Sick Strikes instead.

But TechDirt is not obsessed with Prenda. It covers lots of other great topics. DMCA takedown abuse. DMCA criminalizing unlocking and circumventing for legal purposes. Hollywood violating its own most holy copyright laws. Hollywood buying the government and encouraging corruption. And many other interesting topics than just Prenda.]]> Re: privacy's dead http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/11032823096/how-low-can-drones-go.shtml#c515 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:33:59 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/11032823096/how-low-can-drones-go.shtml#c515
In my opinion, any "drone" that points a recording device within range to get a decently clear picture or video should be considered trespassing. The problem is when technolgy keeps improving, that may turn from 50 ft to 500 ft pretty quickly....]]> Re: Re: http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c532 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:33:27 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/innovation/articles/20130521/12175523157/nyc-says-renting-out-your-place-via-airbnb-is-running-illegal-hotel.shtml#c532 There is a pretty hard and fixed line in the legal sand regarding hotels versus rental units. There is the very basic question of fitness for use, zoning, and all that.
That's what they like you to believe, but how well is any of that enforced? Search "hotel fire calgary". That was a supposedly professionally managed and bylaw compliant hotel which had padlocked chains disabling the fire exits. That's in Canada, not some "third world hellhole" country.

This entire discussion is BS. Just as cops don't really protect anyone (they just get to clean up the resultant mess), protectionist bylaws don't make commercial establishments act safer or better for their customers. They just keep out competition and allow the chosen few to keep their rates high. Protectionism is a very popular tactic for politicians and their friends, but its value to us is specious (based on pretense; deceptively pleasing) at best.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c36 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:30:34 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c36 Re: Just go ALL PRENDA, ALL THE TIME. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c240 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:28:46 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c240 1. is more entertaining than most Hollywood tripe
2. is reality
3. has no commercials
4. can be freely shared and discussed
5. costs nothing
6. is public domain
7. is educational
8. and really rankles you because of the the preceding items

But why go all Prenda, all the time? There are so many other clowns to laugh at. I'll give you a hint:
In an attempt to defend their activities, Hansmeier referenced the the actions of the RIAA and MPAA.
Look judge, there are bigger criminals than us, see?]]> Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c224 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:27:37 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c224 Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/06034223155/quack-professor-releases-dumbest-violent-video-game-theory-ever.shtml#c353 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:27:36 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/06034223155/quack-professor-releases-dumbest-violent-video-game-theory-ever.shtml#c353 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/06034223155/quack-professor-releases-dumbest-violent-video-game-theory-ever.shtml#c348 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:27:30 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/06034223155/quack-professor-releases-dumbest-violent-video-game-theory-ever.shtml#c348 Way to slander .. Mrs Judge.. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c209 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:27:20 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c209 Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c198 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:27:12 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c198 Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/06034223155/quack-professor-releases-dumbest-violent-video-game-theory-ever.shtml#c347 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:26:38 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/06034223155/quack-professor-releases-dumbest-violent-video-game-theory-ever.shtml#c347 Re: Well, at least there's some resistance here to spying. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/11032823096/how-low-can-drones-go.shtml#c503 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:26:18 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/11032823096/how-low-can-drones-go.shtml#c503
Now if we ignore your constant, insane ravings against Google, you're right. We already have laws that could cover this, and laws against destroying things that happen to be flying over your house.

Added bonus: when I read this story a few days ago, that article went out of it's way to mention the drone's camera was pointed in the window. That runs afoul of laws that even cover cameras not on your property.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c181 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:25:13 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c181
this freaking Judge, does not have a clue what she is talking about, and should leave it up to people who actually know what they are doing..

Has anyone been charged with fraud ?? if not she has committed liable, and has no concept of innocent UNTIL PROVEN !!!!..

You want a TRAVESTY !!!! there it is..]]> Re: just love you command of english http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c174 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:25:08 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c174 Re: I don't get this... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/11032823096/how-low-can-drones-go.shtml#c486 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:23:11 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/11032823096/how-low-can-drones-go.shtml#c486
I'm actually amazed this guy got away without a broken jaw. Personally if I saw a drone flying low enough to peek in my windows and I knew where the guy was, I would take a picture of the drone, picture of the guy, and then bring the drone to the ground and see if I can collect footage from it (most of the camera on-board also do on-board recording). So if the guy goes to the police, I have proof he was using it maliciously.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130505/14372422951/court-finds-fantasy-stories-obscene.shtml#c1147 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:22:48 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130505/14372422951/court-finds-fantasy-stories-obscene.shtml#c1147 Re: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c150 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:20:39 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c150 Re: just love you command of english http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c138 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:19:55 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c138 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/06034223155/quack-professor-releases-dumbest-violent-video-game-theory-ever.shtml#c333 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:19:34 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/06034223155/quack-professor-releases-dumbest-violent-video-game-theory-ever.shtml#c333
Best Quote Ever!]]> Re: Just go ALL PRENDA, ALL THE TIME. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c128 Wed, 22 May 2013 08:19:18 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c128
Makes a change from your constant obsessive lying, such as the above falsehood. Seriously, you can tell when there's no way to defend the actions of despicable people in certain stories, because all you guys can do is whine that they're written about!]]>