Martin Cohn 's Techdirt Comments

Latest Comments (27) comment rss

  • On the post: FBI Is Still Figuring Out This Email Thing

    Martin Cohn ( profile ), 21 Mar, 2006 @ 06:09am

    LEO.gov

    Odd that the Bureau can provide secure email access to officers, deputies, and agents through their leo.gov site but fail to use the same program in-house. Considering that individual agents didn't have computers until the mid-90's I guess it's a bit less puzzling.

  • On the post: Even When It's Not Piracy's Fault, It's Piracy's Fault

    Martin Cohn ( profile ), 15 Mar, 2006 @ 06:52am

    The path not chosen

    The entertainment industry could have chosen to revamp their business model and view new technology as an opportunity for sales.

    Or they could have buried their collective head in the sand and purchased laws to make felons out of their former customers while saddling current customers with a product (DRM damaged CD's and downloads) actually worth less than the pirated versions which can be played on ANY device, not just the one licensed by the DRM scheme. They could make the FBI their personal bitches, taking agents away from real crimes. They could lobby for perpetual copyrights to protect a revenue stream from a cartoon mouse who would lapse into public domain in a couple of years. They could argue that "Fair Use" is a myth and they allow it's existence out of the goodness of their hearts.

    Hollywood - we all live with our choices. You will live with yours.

  • On the post: So Many Online Suckers, So Little Time

    Martin Cohn ( profile ), 28 Feb, 2006 @ 07:36am

    Blakley decision - low dollar per offense fraud wi

    The Supreme Court decision of Blakley V. Washington radically restricted the notion of relevant conduct in mail and wire fraud at the federal level.
    In practice, agents used to be able to indict the small time scammers based on 5 or 6 counts in an indictment and list the other hundreds of victims losses as "relevant conduct".
    Now, indictments must either balloon to hundreds of counts (each of which would have to pe proven at trial) or a case would simply be about $6 taken from 5 or 6 victims - literally a $30 case.
    I have seen AUSA's turn down cases where 700 people were scammed out of $20 each because the logistics of potentially calling each of the 700 at trial - transportation and lodging - just isn't worth it.
    These types of low dollar / high volume scams are much harder to charge under federal law now and will really increase in prevalence.

  • On the post: FTC Recognizes Netflix Settlement Is Really Just A Promotional Gimmick

    Martin Cohn ( profile ), 11 Jan, 2006 @ 06:36am

    Good for goose, good for landshark

    I'd like to see a judge switch the "damages" and compensation on one of these cases.
    "Counsel, you and your firms all have free upgrades for a month. Members of the Class, you will split $15 Million". If they attorneys are truly acting in the best interest of their clients, this wouldn't be much of an issue.

  • On the post: Patent Infringement Lawsuit As Publicity Stunt

    Martin Cohn ( profile ), 06 Jan, 2006 @ 06:52am

    Where are the editors

    The second part of the problem is a rip and read mentality in the press. Rather than exercising editorial control after realizing this guy is using them as a marketing tool, they will blindly pass on whatever comes their way.

  • On the post: Apple Branded Mysterious iMeat?

    Martin Cohn ( profile ), 29 Dec, 2005 @ 01:54pm

    Ipod meat

    I heard Fox is coming out with a new show based on this scam. They stack beef 5 feet tall in the shape of a woman and swap it for a mother for two weeks. Called "Meat - Your New Mommy" it will surely delight the same target audience of mouth breathers who watch reality shows.

  • On the post: Halfway Between Product Placement And A Commercial

    Martin Cohn ( profile ), 27 Dec, 2005 @ 06:20am

    It's new again

    Hmm. Anyone old enough to remember two of our better comic actors (Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble) doing a 30 second spot in their show for Winston cigarettes?

    It's good to see our creative folks in the business are on top of their game.