Mike 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (8) comment rss

  • On the post: FBI: Customers Might Sue If They Knew Companies Were Helping With Wiretaps

    Mike ( profile ), 11 May, 2011 @ 07:23pm

    Re: No big surprise.

    Speaking of blurry lines, it seems that distinguishing between corporate objectives and government policy is becoming more difficult and less meaningful all the time.

  • On the post: Senator Schumer Wants To Censor Google & Apple; Displays Ignorance Of Law

    Mike ( profile ), 11 May, 2011 @ 02:20pm

    Re: Re: Re:

    Various groups argue that both are protected by free speech. Not bullshit.....fact.

    Maybe some groups do, but that's not relevant here. Put the axe down, turn off the grinder, and we can all talk about the issue at hand.

  • On the post: Zappos Gives Up On Canada Due To Customs Problems

    Mike ( profile ), 23 Mar, 2011 @ 06:10am

    There are a number of things which I have wanted to purchase, found on amazon.com, only to discover that they don't ship it to Canada. Moreover, if I can find it on amazon.ca, it's almost always substantially more expensive.

    Yet while this really is a problem, it's not just 'oh, that Canada.' It may be economic protectionism overriding common sense about free trade, but we also have a long history of generally doing whatever the US does, or would like us to do. In this case, perhaps we have to put on a good show to look like good 'anti-terrorism' neighbours.

  • On the post: Defending The Indefensible: Lawyers Who Love Loopholes Ignoring Serious Constitutional Issues In Domain Seizures

    Mike ( profile ), 22 Mar, 2011 @ 11:52am

    Re: Re: Re: Re:

    In the case of the mall, there is at least some reason to tie those stores together: they share an organization connection that may be relevant to the particulars of the (hypothetical) case. However, this linkage may not be relevant at all, depending on those same particulars. If the owner of one store in the mall simply fails to pay taxes, there is no reason to even investigate let alone shut down the other stores. Things would be different if (for some crazy reason) the mall insisted that some stores did not pay taxes, because there may be a larger pattern.

    With 84,000 separate stores, even evidence that 83,000 of them didn't pay taxes is not enough to shut down the remaining 1,000.

    Hopefully this made sense!

  • On the post: European Commission Chickens Out: Allows Hungarian Media Censorship

    Mike ( profile ), 22 Feb, 2011 @ 03:11pm

    Re:

    OK, so that's a fatalistic response. If you really don't think you can change anything, then wouldn't it make sense to just save yourself some energy by not posting defeatist comments?

  • On the post: Hulu Owners Looking To Make Hulu Even More Useless

    Mike ( profile ), 31 Jan, 2011 @ 06:15am

    Re: RE:

    While what you say seems to be true, it always strikes me as incredible. Why do some industries have a seemingly massive influence over the government?
    Homeland Security ignores due process to seize domains because Big Content business models would rather control the web than understand it? Then DHS actually issues a press release from a Disney office?
    Sony gets the government to ignore fundamental property rights, just because their business model says (needlessly) that console owners can only be passive consumers?
    These are just two examples, but regular readers here know that there are many more. The question is: why? At base, the only reasonable answer seems to be a lack of education or understanding of the issues inherent to so-called intellectual property. Aside from that and, perhaps, corruption, why else would we see the government doing the bidding of some big businesses? If we don't respond to this situation, we will see more of what we already have: legislation which attempts to make reality fit (otherwise failing) business models, and the preferential application of existing law, to the benefit of companies who choose not to adapt.

  • On the post: Hulu Owners Looking To Make Hulu Even More Useless

    Mike ( profile ), 31 Jan, 2011 @ 05:38am

    Typo patrol:

    "...others would and would kill Hulu."

    Did you mean 'could and would'?

  • On the post: Justice Department Trying To Figure Out How To Twist US Laws To Charge Julian Assange

    Mike ( profile ), 30 Nov, 2010 @ 09:39am

    Re:

    Uhh.. I'm honestly having a hard time figuring out if you're just being satirical here.

    But just in case you're serious, I'd like to suggest that you look outside of "national interests" when you consider these matters. Each of us is an individual human being first, and not simply a citizen of whichever nation state.

    More importantly, if the truth about our actions is what endangers lives, and there is honest concern about that, then maybe we should act in such a way that genuine transparency would *enhance* our reputations internationally, rather than tarnish them.