http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/11032823096/how-low-can-drones-go.shtml#c732 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:35:55 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/11032823096/how-low-can-drones-go.shtml#c732 > the sky commons that belongs to everyone,
> as a famous 1946 US Supreme Court decision
> laid down

Yes, most states have set minimum altitude limits for aircraft, which allow for normal aviation, but also protect the rights of private property owners.

Basically, anything below the statutory altitude becomes a trespass. It's why paparazzi and news helicopters in Los Angeles have to stay way up there when covering everything from celebrity weddings to Lindsay Lohan's latest trek to the courthouse. They can zoom in with their cameras all they like, but the aircraft has to remain above 3000 feet (if I recall the number correctly).

I can't imagine that the State of Washington doesn't have some similar law, which would clearly make this drone flyer a trespasser. Even if they don't, the homeowner is certainly free to knock the thing out of the air with a baseball bat...]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/11032823096/how-low-can-drones-go.shtml#c726 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:35:37 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130515/11032823096/how-low-can-drones-go.shtml#c726

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/83R/billtext/html/HB00912I.htm]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c50 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:32:39 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c50
Because if the telcos did not claim the reporters hacked the information, then they are tacitly admitting they posted the personal info of 100+k people openly online. And that's a pretty big oops.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c1189 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:32:20 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c1189 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/01382223168/new-york-times-tells-startup-it-cant-even-mention-ny-times.shtml#c343 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:30:24 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/01382223168/new-york-times-tells-startup-it-cant-even-mention-ny-times.shtml#c343 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c29 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:30:14 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c29 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1271 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:29:38 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1271 14-year-olds can't see beyond "harmless" fun because they ALWAYS imagine themselves having the upper hand, never being the ones HIT and SOAKED.

But that IS assault and battery, kids. Your right to toss water ballons ends where someone else's person begins -- in fact, well clear of it: adults don't wish to run a risk merely because you're idiots. So don't throw water ballons --- at somone NOT agreeing to the "fun" -- unless you want a CRIMINAL record.

Someone else's, whether intellectual property or physical body, seems to be the key concept that the kids here at Techdirt just can't grasp.

OOTB, I'm usually with you brother, but we diverge on this. Back in the day, my last week of high school a buddy of mine burst a water balloon over the head of the assistant principal who was trying to restore order after an epic water balloon battle broke out in the bus area. Her blue rinse was ruined and he got suspended for a day. That's it. The participants had to police up the popped balloons and the only real consequence was for engaging a non-combatant. Our community resource officer wisely took cover and was reportedly seen laughing at the soaked assistant principal. If I'd been charged for every water balloon, egg or roll of toilet paper I've ever thrown, I'd doubtlessly be doing life in prison right now.

You can't put shit back in the donkey. The kids never should have been charged and unless the prosecutor is a complete loser, this case is going nowhere.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1261 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:28:43 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1261 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/14172323158/judge-not-impressed-prenda-alan-cooper-lawsuit.shtml#c854 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:28:29 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/14172323158/judge-not-impressed-prenda-alan-cooper-lawsuit.shtml#c854
"And douchebags don't fare well in Chicago"

Here is an oldie but a goodie.

http://dietrolldie.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/poster1.jpg

DTD :)]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c22 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:28:24 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c22 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1260 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:27:17 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1260 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1253 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:26:27 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1253 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c16 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:26:02 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c16 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1233 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:25:04 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1233 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/14172323158/judge-not-impressed-prenda-alan-cooper-lawsuit.shtml#c833 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:24:04 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/14172323158/judge-not-impressed-prenda-alan-cooper-lawsuit.shtml#c833 I enjoy how you spell like a poorly-educated third grade girl..... Stay stupid my firend.


Too funny.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c1180 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:23:27 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/16402423161/first-hand-account-judicial-smackdown-prenda-minnesota.shtml#c1180 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1215 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:21:14 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130519/18102623141/so-its-come-to-this-seven-high-school-students-arrested-throwing-water-balloons.shtml#c1215 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/01382223168/new-york-times-tells-startup-it-cant-even-mention-ny-times.shtml#c321 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:21:12 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/01382223168/new-york-times-tells-startup-it-cant-even-mention-ny-times.shtml#c321
Still sounds like a pretty good fair use. Just a coder trying to find media to demo his code, and foolishly thinking that he can use freely available media from a big company. (The HORROR!!!)]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/01382223168/new-york-times-tells-startup-it-cant-even-mention-ny-times.shtml#c310 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:19:46 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/01382223168/new-york-times-tells-startup-it-cant-even-mention-ny-times.shtml#c310 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c1 Wed, 22 May 2013 11:19:38 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c1