Gene Cavanaugh 's Techdirt Comments

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  • On the post: DailyDirt: Problems With Peer Reviewed Publications

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 15 Apr, 2015 @ 11:45am

    On peer review

    You say perhaps AI will make it HARDER to detect shady papers? Why would we use it, then? Don't you mean "easier"?

  • On the post: FBI Formally Accuses North Korea Of The Sony Hack

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 20 Dec, 2014 @ 12:16pm

    Sony attacks

    Real boon for the security people. Without any risk to the public, the North Korean operatives are flushed out into the open, and our security people have an opportunity to assess both their capabilities and at least a chance to identify their operatives.
    If I were still in security, I would be popping a bottle of champagne.

  • On the post: Stop The NSA's Backdoor: Call Congress Today To Support Key Amendment

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 19 Jun, 2014 @ 11:51am

    Shutting the NSA backdoors

    I tried, but the automated response "could not recognize my zip code", then hung up.

    I will continue trying.

  • On the post: Appeals Court Says Using Open WiFi May Be A Crime

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 13 Jun, 2014 @ 07:43am

    Open WiFi is an invitation? Don't think so.

    You say: "The neighbors left their WiFi open, and thus, by default, it is sending out signals that effectively say "welcome, feel free to connect to this network."".

    By that reasoning, if I leave my lawn unguarded, I am saying "here, feel free to dig up my grass?" or if I leave my car outside unlocked with a package in it (admittedly stupid, but ...) I am saying "free package, everyone".

    Don't think so. I think taking what is not yours, whether the owner knows or not, or feels deprived or not, is, and should be, criminal.

  • On the post: San Francisco Game Designer Creates Program That Converts Any Text Into A Patent Application

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 28 May, 2014 @ 10:46am

    broken patent system

    Not quite right - you buy patents now; and no money - no patent. Disgusting, and I AM a"patent" attorney (properly, IP attorney).

  • On the post: Proud Voters Tweeting In The UK Could Receive Jail Time And A Fine

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 24 May, 2014 @ 05:41pm

    Tweeting your vote

    As an attorney, and a precinct inspector in elections (note,
    we are paid, if you consider about $10/hour "being paid" - and that is for INSPECTORS! Hat tip to the election clerks; they are true patriotic Americans, IMO!) - I am torn. I am sure no laws would mean vote buying, with proof required before payment - not a good thing. But I am glad that people take voting seriously.
    I would think a Judge would dismiss a case in the absence of proof of abuse - but requiring them to go to court is, to me, abuse of the citizen.
    REAL problem - I would think the authorities would use a little judgement, if the system allows it.

  • On the post: Health And Human Services Apparently Unable To Recognize Satire; Sends Bogus Legal Threat

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 15 May, 2014 @ 08:33pm

    Great article, but ...

    "...not true, and possibly defamatory...". You say they cannot both be true at the same time.
    Wrong - they can be; in fact, untrue statements can make defamation more actionable.

  • On the post: Keith Alexander Supports Law To Gag Press So He Can Get His Preferred Online Surveillance Bill Passed

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 06 Mar, 2014 @ 10:21am

    Keith Alexander

    As a veteran who had considerable dealings with "career" military, I understand.
    The military is a dictatorship (unless you believe that before going into battle the soldiers vote on that). Further, for career military, dictatorship works very well, and the very idea of democratic rule is abhorrent.
    Our problem is that we need CIVILIAN leaders of these agencies, it is ridiculous to expect career military to support democratic principles.

  • On the post: Former NSA Official Claims Snowden Set Agency Back A Decade, Tells Putin To 'Return' Whistleblower

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 06 Mar, 2014 @ 10:02am

    More NSA FUD

    As an attorney (IP, but Constitutional Law was one of my favorite courses in law school) I would FAR rather risk another 9/11 than to give up my Constitutional rights!
    Except:
    1. the NSA's trampling on the Constitution is NOT making us safer; and,
    2. they are taking away our rights anyway.

  • On the post: NSA Officials Hate Ed Snowden With A Passion

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 14 Jan, 2014 @ 11:02am

    The military hates Snowden

    Mike doesn't sound like he has been in the military, or if there, didn't learn to understand the military mind.
    The military (ANY military) is a dictatorship, and survives by an "us against them" mentality, where "them" is anyone not in the military.
    They feel (deep down) that democracy is "weak" (as Hitler put it), and contemptible, and any "member of the family" who defects to democracy is "evil".

  • On the post: Leaked Documents Show NSA Compromising Computer Hardware And Communication Technology On A Massive Scale

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 31 Dec, 2013 @ 09:44am

    NSA exploits

    NO ONE seems to understand the real threat here! These things continue to grow! Once the NSA achieves a certain level, someone with a yen for a promotion will push it to the next level, and the ultimate level?

    DICTATORSHIP!!!

    This has been the unvarying pattern of such things!

  • On the post: Vast Majority Of US Businesses Say Intellectual Property Is Not Important

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 24 Dec, 2013 @ 09:52am

    IP not important to US businesses

    As an IP attorney, I generally agree with this post. I do only small entity IP, since large entity IP is so abused I would feel unpatriotic doing it.
    When a client comes to me for IP work, I ask them to consider whether or not they actually NEED it.
    Obviously, if they have some sort of product that they can be sure other people will want to copy, they may need a patent.
    Also, obviously, if they have worked hard to build a good reputation, and the unscrupulous will want to unload junk using the good will they laboriously built up, they will need a trademark.
    I don't see, and have never seen, the need for copyright, but that could happen in some cases.
    But, by and large, most people DON'T need IP, and may be wasting their money in getting it.

  • On the post: GoldieBlox Pulls Beastie Boys Video, Promises To Drop Legal Dispute

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 28 Nov, 2013 @ 09:44am

    Beastie Boys and Goldieblox

    Sounds like the Beastie Boys are ashamed of the song, and would rather be anonymous.

  • On the post: Obama's Response To Too Much Secrecy About Surveillance… Is More Secrecy

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 28 Nov, 2013 @ 09:01am

    Well, there's that, but then ....

    We have to remember, Obama is part black (I think I am also, and it affects how - I think - honkies see me. Just putting the shoe on the other foot, colorless folk. Do the obvious, don't get mad, get even, like the House does).
    So, ALL the politicians from the Bible Belt, as well as several other States, are going to attack him however they can, and I think he is "gun-shy".

  • On the post: Top Venture Capitalists Demand Real Patent Reform, Put To Rest Myth That VCs Love Patents

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 15 Nov, 2013 @ 12:48pm

    Don't need a patent

    Let's not start with a faulty assumption, and move from that to the "logical" conclusion.
    Patent trolls threaten our innovation, and in essence, our economy. The effects are totally negative.
    However, especially with small startups, the threat of theft of an idea is substantial.
    FORMERLY patents didn't protect much - companies could "show" that they "had the idea"; and even "published", to defeat a patent. NOW we have "first to file", and the protection for a startup is SUBSTANTIAL!

  • On the post: You'd Think NSA Employees Would Know Better Than To Hand Out Their Passwords, But Many Gave Them To Snowden

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 09 Nov, 2013 @ 02:27pm

    More NSA FUD

    First, admins often need access to other systems to get their work done, and the work is made difficult by denying it.

    Second, the NSA has a history of making up stories in which they try to show they are reliable defenders rather than fascist scavengers. One way would be to say "it's not us, it's them", in this case admins merely doing their job.

    To me, this story is bogus, with the express purpose of making Snowden look like he was doing illicit things, and the NSA being virtuous victims. I think they are throwing innocent people under the bus, to make themselves look good.

  • On the post: DailyDirt: Salt, Sugar, Fat… Yum?

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 01 Nov, 2013 @ 06:31pm

    Salt and calories

    Two problems with this:

    1. Comparing recommended salt between nations where very hard physical work is the norm (and salt needs, due to sweat, etc., are very high) to the average American is naive. It is like saying apples are "similar" to oranges.

    2. Alcohol does NOT result in fat, just fast-burning calories. True, if you eat and drink, you tend to use the alcohol calories and store the food calories, but then, if you live in space, breathing is a problem.

  • On the post: Bank Calls Customer Over Detected Bitcoin Transactions, Asking What They Were For

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 24 Oct, 2013 @ 11:14am

    Bitcoin question

    Or maybe the bank merely wanted to know if it belonged in their business branch or their personal accounts branch - or is that to sinister to consider :0!

  • On the post: Yelp Sues Law Firm For Posting Fake Reviews

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 10 Sep, 2013 @ 01:19pm

    Yelp suit

    If they can't stop this sort of thing, you won't be able to trust their reviews.

    I sincerely hope they prevail.

  • On the post: Dan Brown: Video Games Lead To Violence

    Gene Cavanaugh ( profile ), 07 Jun, 2013 @ 04:20pm

    Over simplifying again.

    There is validity to the argument that violent video games (or violent books) may promote actual violence. There is also validity to the argument that they should be allowable anyway. However, taking an extreme position on either side tends to invalidate an argument, whether for or against.

    We need a "fair and balanced" approach (no, not the Fox news "fair and balanced", which meant "extreme").

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